bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of dietary flavonoid intakes with prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases in adults
Authors: Wu Runmiao , Zhu Xu , Guan Gongchang , Cui Qianwei , Zhu Ling , Xing Yujie , Zhao Jingsha 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background and aims
Flavonoids are a class of secondary plant metabolites that have been shown to have multiple health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This study was to explore the association between dietary flavonoid consumption and the prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) in adults.

Methods and results
The six main types of flavonoids, including isoflavones, anthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols, flavanones, flavones, and flavonols, were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010 and 2017–2018 by the two 24-h recall interviews. The prevalence of CRDs, including asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis, was determined through a self-administered questionnaire. The analysis included 15,753 participants aged 18 years or older who had completed a diet history interview. After adjustment for potential confounders, the inverse link was found with total flavonoids, anthocyanidins, flavanones, and flavones, with an OR (95%CI) of 0.86 (0.75–0.98), 0.84 (0.72–0.97), 0.80(0.69–0.92), and 0.85(0.73–0.98) for the highest group compared to the lowest group. WQS regression revealed that the mixture of flavonoids was negatively linked with the prevalence of CRDs (OR = 0.88 [0.82–0.95], P < 0.01), and the largest effect was mainly from flavanones (weight = 0.41). In addition, we found that flavonoid intake was negatively linked with inflammatory markers, and systemic inflammation significantly mediated the associations of flavonoids with CRDs, with a mediation rate of 12.64% for CRP (P < 0.01).

Conclusion
Higher flavonoid intake was related with a lower prevalence of CRDs in adults, and this relationship may be mediated through systemic inflammation.
Amazonian useful plants described in the book “Le Pays des Amazones” (1885) of the Brazilian propagandist Baron de Santa-Anna Nery: a historical and ethnobotanical perspective
Authors: Silva Lucas N. R. , Oliveira Elaine C. P. , Baratto Leopoldo C. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundFrederico José de Santa-Anna Nery (1848–1901) was a Brazilian Baron who referred to himself as a "volunteer propagandist" for Brazil in Europe, serving as an immigration agent to publicize the living conditions in the Amazon region, advocating for its development and modernization at the end of the nineteenth century. Santa-Anna Nery’s most famous book is "Le Pays des Amazones" (The Lands of the Amazons), first published in 1885, which the author dedicated a chapter to introduce and report on the Amazonian useful plant species and its relationship with humans. The aim of this work is to understand the historical context and ethnobotanical value of the plant species in the Brazilian Amazon at the end of the nineteenth century through an analysis of the book “Le Pays des Amazones” (1885) by Baron de Santa-Anna Nery, as well as to bring to light the historical importance of this very influential propagandist, who has been forgotten nowadays.MethodsThe original book “Le Pays des Amazones” (1885), as well as the original 3rd edition and its translated version into Portuguese, was carefully analyzed and all information about plants was systematized, with botanical names being updated. Finally, using the scientific name of medicinal plants alone or in combination with their traditional use, a search was carried out in databases in order to indicate current pharmacological studies that provide evidence about the described traditional uses.ResultsA total of 156 plant species were identified in the book, although 132 species had their scientific names updated. These species belong to 45 different families, with Fabaceae and Arecaceae the most represented, and 109 plants are Brazilian native. Considering only the 36 medicinal plants, the main medicinal indications reported were astringent, purgative/laxative, stimulant and tonic, vermifuge, febrifuge, sudorific, emetic, diuretic and antidysenteric. Regarding other useful plants (non-medicinal), 97 species were cited for food, constructions and buildings, spices and condiments, ornaments and objects, carpentry, textile fibers, gums, oils, balms and essences, pigments and tanning, hunting and fishing.ConclusionsWhen the book “Le Pays des Amazones” is analyzed from a timeless perspective, with a particular focus on historical ethnobotany, it is possible to observe the economic, social, and political importance of many useful plants for the Amazon at the end of the nineteenth century and how the relationship between local people, indigenous communities, and immigrants was established with plant biodiversity.
PARP inhibitor era in ovarian cancer treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Baradács István , Teutsch Brigitta , Váradi Alex , Bilá Alexandra , Vincze Ádám , Hegyi Péter , Fazekas Tamás , Komoróczy Balázs , Nyirády Péter , Ács Nándor , Bánhidy Ferenc , Lintner Balázs 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Ovarian cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer-related death among women, characterized by late diagnosis and a high relapse rate. In randomized controlled trials, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in treating advanced ovarian cancer.

Methods
This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021283150), included all phase II and phase III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of PARPi on ovarian cancer until the 13th of April, 2022. The main outcomes were progression- free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AEs). Pooled hazard ratios (HRs), and risk ratios (RRs) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The random-effects model was applied in all analyses.

Results
In the meta-analysis, 16 eligible RCTs were included, with a total of 5,815 patients. In recurrent ovarian cancer, PARPi maintenance therapy showed a significant PFS benefit over placebo in the total population (HR 0.34, CI 0.29–0.40), BRCA mutant (HR 0.24, CI 0.18–0.31), germline BRCA mutant (HR 0.23, CI 0.18–0.30), and BRCA wild-type cases (HR 0.50, CI 0.39–0.65). PARPi monotherapy also improved PFS (HR 0.62, CI 0.51–0.76) compared with chemotherapy in BRCAm patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. The use of PARPi maintenance therapy resulted in an improvement in PFS over placebo in newly-diagnosed cancers in the overall population (HR 0.46, CI 0.30–0.71) and the BRCAm population (HR 0.36, CI 0.29–0.44). Although the risk of severe AEs was increased by PARPi therapy compared to placebo in most settings investigated, these side effects were controllable with dose modification, and treatment discontinuation was required in the minority of cases.

Conclusions
PARPis are an effective therapeutic option for newly-diagnosed and recurrent ovarian cancer. Despite a minor increase in the frequency of serious adverse effects, they are generally well tolerated.
A comparison of marker gene selection methods for single-cell RNA sequencing data
Authors: Pullin Jeffrey M. , McCarthy Davis J. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe development of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enabled scientists to catalog and probe the transcriptional heterogeneity of individual cells in unprecedented detail. A common step in the analysis of scRNA-seq data is the selection of so-called marker genes, most commonly to enable annotation of the biological cell types present in the sample. In this paper, we benchmark 59 computational methods for selecting marker genes in scRNA-seq data.ResultsWe compare the performance of the methods using 14 real scRNA-seq datasets and over 170 additional simulated datasets. Methods are compared on their ability to recover simulated and expert-annotated marker genes, the predictive performance and characteristics of the gene sets they select, their memory usage and speed, and their implementation quality. In addition, various case studies are used to scrutinize the most commonly used methods, highlighting issues and inconsistencies.ConclusionsOverall, we present a comprehensive evaluation of methods for selecting marker genes in scRNA-seq data. Our results highlight the efficacy of simple methods, especially the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Student’st-test, and logistic regression.
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals roles of unique retinal microglia types in early diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Wang Yan , Yang Xiongyi , Zhang Yuxi , Hong Libing , Xie Zhuohang , Jiang Wenmin , Chen Lin , Xiong Ke , Yang Siyu , Lin Meiping , Guo Xi , Li Qiumo , Deng Xiaoqing , Lin Yanhui , Cao Mingzhe , Yi Guoguo , Fu Min 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
The pathophysiological mechanisms of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a blinding disease, are intricate. DR was thought to be a microvascular disease previously. However, growing studies have indicated that the retinal microglia-induced inflammation precedes microangiopathy. The binary concept of microglial M1/M2 polarization paradigms during inflammatory activation has been debated. In this study, we confirmed microglia had the most significant changes in early DR using single-cell RNA sequencing.

Methods
A total of five retinal specimens were collected from donor SD rats. Changes in various cells of the retina at the early stage of DR were analyzed using single-cell sequencing technology.

Results
We defined three new microglial subtypes at cellular level, including two M1 types (Egr2+ M1 and Egr2− M1) and one M2 type. We also revealed the anatomical location between these subtypes, the dynamic changes of polarization phenotypes, and the possible activation sequence and mutual activation regulatory mechanism of different cells. Furthermore, we constructed an inflammatory network involving microglia, blood-derived macrophages and other retinal nonneuronal cells. The targeted study of new disease-specific microglial subtypes can shorten the time for drug screening and clinical application, which provided insight for the early control and reversal of DR.

Conclusions
We found that microglia show the most obvious differential expression changes in early DR and reveal the changes in microglia in a high-glucose microenvironment at the single-cell level. Our comprehensive analysis will help achieve early reversal and control the occurrence and progression of DR.
Singer identification model using data augmentation and enhanced feature conversion with hybrid feature vector and machine learning
Authors: Hizlisoy Serhat , Arslan Recep Sinan , Çolakoğlu Emel 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAnalyzing songs is a problem that is being investigated to aid various operations on music access platforms. At the beginning of these problems is the identification of the person who sings the song. In this study, a singer identification application, which consists of Turkish singers and works for the Turkish language, is proposed in order to find a solution to this problem. Mel-spectrogram and octave-based spectral contrast values are extracted from the songs, and these values are combined into a hybrid feature vector. Thus, problem-specific situations such as determining the differences in the voices of the singers and reducing the effects of the year and album differences on the result are discussed. As a result of the tests and systematic evaluations, it has been shown that a certain level of success has been achieved in the determination of the singer who sings the song, and that the song is in a stable structure against the changes in the singing style and song structure. The results were analyzed in a database of 9 singers and 180 songs. An accuracy value of 89.4% was obtained using the reduction of the feature vector by PCA, the normalization of the data, and the Extra Trees classifier. Precision, recall and f-score values were 89.9%, 89.4% and 89.5%, respectively.
The abundance of the short GATA1 isoform affects megakaryocyte differentiation and leukemic predisposition in mice
Authors: Ishihara Daishi , Hasegawa Atsushi , Hirano Ikuo , Engel James Douglas , Yamamoto Masayuki , Shimizu Ritsuko 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTranscription factor GATA1 controls the delicate balance between proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in both the erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages. In addition to full-length GATA1, there is an GATA1 isoform, GATA1s, that lacks the amino-terminal transactivation domain. Somatic GATA1 mutations that lead to the exclusive production of GATA1s appear to be necessary and sufficient for the development of a preleukemic condition called transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) in Down syndrome newborns. Subsequent clonal evolution among latent TMD blasts leads to the development of acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL). We originally established transgenic mice that express only GATA1s, which exhibit hyperproliferation of immature megakaryocytes, thus mimicking human TMD; however, these mice never developed AMKL. Here, we report that transgenic mice expressing moderate levels of GATA1s, i.e., roughly comparable levels to endogenous GATA1, were prone to develop AMKL in young adults. However, when GATA1s is expressed at levels significantly exceeding that of endogenous GATA1, the development of leukemia was restrained in a dose dependent manner. If the transgenic increase of GATA1s in progenitors remains small, GATA1s supports the terminal maturation of megakaryocyte progenitors insufficiently, and consequently the progenitors persisted, leading to an increased probability for acquisition of additional genetic modifications. In contrast, more abundant GATA1s expression compensates for this maturation block, enabling megakaryocytic progenitors to fully differentiate. This study provides evidence for the clinical observation that the abundance of GATA1s correlates well with the progression to AMKL in Down syndrome.
From phyllosphere to insect cuticles: silkworms gather antifungal bacteria from mulberry leaves to battle fungal parasite attacks
Authors: Zhao Pengfei , Hong Song , Li Yuekun , Chen Haimin , Gao Hanchun , Wang Chengshu 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Bacterial transfers from plants to insect herbivore guts have been well investigated. However, bacterial exchanges between plant phyllospheres and insect cuticles remain unclear, as does their related biological function.

Results
Here, we report that the cuticular bacterial loads of silkworm larvae quickly increased after molting and feeding on the white mulberry (Morus alba) leaves. The isolation and examination of silkworm cuticular bacteria identified one bacterium Mammaliicoccus sciuri that could completely inhibit the spore germination of fungal entomopathogens Metarhizium robertsii and Beauveria bassiana. Interestingly, Ma. sciuri was evident originally from mulberry leaves, which could produce a secreted chitinolytic lysozyme (termed Msp1) to damage fungal cell walls. In consistency, the deletion of Msp1 substantially impaired bacterial antifungal activity. Pretreating silkworm larvae with Ma. sciuri cells followed by fungal topical infections revealed that this bacterium could help defend silkworms against fungal infections. Unsurprisingly, the protective efficacy of ΔMsp1 was considerably reduced when compared with that of wild-type bacterium. Administration of bacterium-treated diets had no negative effect on silkworm development; instead, bacterial supplementation could protect the artificial diet from Aspergillus contamination.

Conclusions
The results of this study evidence that the cross-kingdom transfer of bacteria from plant phyllospheres to insect herbivore cuticles can help protect insects against fungal parasite attacks.
Astrocytic accumulation of tau fibrils isolated from Alzheimer’s disease brains induces inflammation, cell-to-cell propagation and neuronal impairment
Authors: Eltom Khalid , Mothes Tobias , Libard Sylwia , Ingelsson Martin , Erlandsson Anna 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAccumulating evidence highlights the involvement of astrocytes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression. We have previously demonstrated that human iPSC-derived astrocytes ingest and modify synthetic tau fibrils in a way that enhances their seeding efficiency. However, synthetic tau fibrils differ significantly from in vivo formed fibrils. To mimic the situation in the brain, we here analyzed astrocytes’ processing of human brain-derived tau fibrils and its consequences for cellular physiology. Tau fibrils were extracted from both AD and control brains, aiming to examine any potential differences in astrocyte response depending on the origin of fibrils. Our results show that human astrocytes internalize, but fail to degrade, both AD and control tau fibrils. Instead, pathogenic, seeding capable tau proteoforms are spread to surrounding cells via tunneling nanotubes and exocytosis. Notably, accumulation of AD tau fibrils induces a stronger reactive state in astrocytes, compared to control fibrils, evident by the augmented expression of vimentin and GFAP, as well as by an increased secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and MCP-1. Moreover, conditioned media from astrocytes with AD tau fibril deposits induce synapse and metabolic impairment in human iPSC-derived neurons. Taken together, our data suggest that the accumulation of brain-derived AD tau fibrils induces a more robust inflammatory and neurotoxic phenotype in human astrocytes, accentuating the nature of tau fibrils as an important contributing factor to inflammation and neurodegeneration in AD.
Skeletal stability of inter-molar mandibular distraction osteogenesis in growing patients
Authors: Lewis Matthew , Lewis Peter , Nguyen Tung , Rea Alethea , Goonewardene Mithran S. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Introduction
The aim of this retrospective study was to firstly assess the stability of surgical advancement using inter-molar mandibular distraction osteogenesis (IMDO) and secondly to assess the impact of the surgical intervention on subsequent mandibular growth in patients with residual growth.

Methods
The sample consisted of 17 (13F and 4M) consecutively treated patients who underwent IMDO and orthodontic treatment. Cephalometric analysis was performed at three time points: T0 prior to distraction; T1 post-distraction immediately prior to surgical removal of the distractors; and T2 following completion of orthodontic treatment when the final lateral cephalogram was taken (0.86–4.37 years after T1). Statistical comparison of lower facial height, mandibular length, growth, condylar position and anterior mandibular rotation was performed.

Results
No association was found between changes in any of the cephalometric measurements and the length of the follow-up interval. The anterior mandibular segment underwent clockwise rotation during distraction and recovered to near its pre-distraction angulation during remodelling. An increase in the lower facial height of 1.88 ± 2.81mm also occurred during distraction (T0–T1) and was maintained during the follow-up period (T1–T2). Post-distraction (T1–T2) growth of lower facial height (p value 0.872) and mandibular length (p value 0.251) showed no association when compared to an untreated control group and an overall reduction in growth was reported.

Conclusions
IMDO was highly stable within a follow-up period of 2.3 ± 0.9 years; however, growth appears to have been inhibited.
Effect of kilovoltage and quality reference mAs on CT-based attenuation correction in 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging: a phantom study
Authors: Salas-Ramirez Maikol , Leube Julian , Lassmann Michael , Tran-Gia Johannes 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Introduction
CT-based attenuation correction (CT-AC) plays a major role in accurate activity quantification by SPECT/CT imaging. However, the effect of kilovoltage peak (kVp) and quality-reference mAs (QRM) on the attenuation coefficient image (μ-map) and volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) have not yet been systematically evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fill this gap and investigate the influence of kVp and QRM on CT-AC in 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging.

Methods
Seventy low-dose CT acquisitions of an Electron Density Phantom (seventeen inserts of nine tissue-equivalent materials) were acquired using various kVp and QRM combinations on a Siemens Symbia Intevo Bold SPECT/CT system. Using manufacturer reconstruction software, 177Lu μ-maps were generated for each CT image, and three low-dose CT related aspects were examined. First, the μ-map-based attenuation values (μmeasured) were compared with theoretical values (μtheoretical). Second, changes in 177Lu activity expected due to changes in the μ-map were calculated using a modified Chang method. Third, the noise in the μ-map was assessed by measuring the coefficient of variation in a volume of interest in the homogeneous section of the Electron Density Phantom. Lastly, two phantoms were designed to simulate attenuation in four tissue-equivalent materials for two different source geometries (1-mL and 10-mL syringes). 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging was performed using three different reconstruction algorithms (xSPECT Quant, Flash3D, STIR), and the SPECT-based activities were compared against the nominal activities in the sources.

Results
The largest relative errors between μmeasured and μtheoretical were observed in the lung inhale insert (range: 18%-36%), while it remained below 6% for all other inserts. The resulting changes in 177Lu activity quantification were -3.5% in the lung inhale insert and less than -2.3% in all other inserts. Coefficient of variation and CTDIvol ranged from 0.3% and 3.6 mGy (130 kVp, 35 mAs) to 0.4% and 0.9 mGy (80 kVp, 20 mAs), respectively. The SPECT-based activity quantification using xSPECT Quant reconstructions outperformed all other reconstruction algorithms.

Conclusion
This study shows that kVp and QRM values in low-dose CT imaging have a minimum effect on quantitative 177Lu SPECT/CT imaging, while the selection of low values of kVp and QRM reduce the CTDIvol.