bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Longstanding smoking associated with frontal brain lobe atrophy: a 32-year follow-up study in women
Authors: Johansson Lena , Guo Xinxin , Sacuiu Simona , Fässberg Madeleine Mellqvist , Kern Silke , Zettergren Anna , Skoog Ingmar 
Published: October 2023

ObjectiveTo examine the association between midlife tobacco smoking and late-life brain atrophy and white matter lesions.MethodsThe study includes 369 women from the Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg, Sweden. Cigarette smoking was reported at baseline 1968 (mean age=44 years) and at follow-up in 1974–1975 and 1980–1981. CT of the brain was conducted 32 years after baseline examination (mean age=76 years) to evaluate cortical atrophy and white matter lesions. Multiple logistic regressions estimated associations between midlife smoking and late-life brain lesions. The final analyses were adjusted for alcohol consumption and several other covariates.ResultsSmoking in 1968–1969 (adjusted OR 1.85; 95% CI 1.12 to 3.04), in 1974–1975 (OR 2.37; 95% CI 1.39 to 4.04) and in 1980–1981 (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.41 to 4.33) were associated with late-life frontal lobe atrophy (2000–2001). The strongest association was observed in women who reported smoking at all three midlife examinations (OR 2.63; 95% CI 1.44 to 4.78) and in those with more frequent alcohol consumption (OR 6.02; 95% CI 1.74 to 20.84). Smoking in 1980–1981 was also associated with late-life parietal lobe atrophy (OR 1.99; 95% CI 1.10 to 3.58). There were no associations between smoking and atrophy in the temporal or occipital lobe, or with white matter lesions.ConclusionLongstanding tobacco smoking was mainly associated with atrophy in the frontal lobe cortex. A long-term stimulation of nicotine receptors in the frontal neural pathway might be harmful for targeted brain cell.
Short-course radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy and PD-1 inhibitor in low-lying early rectal cancer: study protocol for a single-arm, multicentre, prospective, phase II trial (TORCH-E)
Authors: Chen Yajie , Wang Yaqi , Zhang Hui , Wan Juefeng , Shen Lijun , Wang Yan , Zhou Menglong , Wu Ruiyan , Yang Wang , Zhou Shujuan , Cai Sanjun , Li Xinxiang , Zhang Zhen , Xia Fan 
Published: October 2023

IntroductionCurrent standard treatment for patients with early rectal cancer is radical surgical resection. Although radical surgery provides effective local tumour control, it also increases the mortality risk and considerable adverse effects, including bowel, bladder, sexual dysfunction and loss of anal function, especially in patients with low-lying rectal cancer. Recent studies have shown promising synergistic effects of the combination of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors and radiotherapy in improving tumour regression. For patients who reach a clinical complete response (cCR) after neoadjuvant therapy, a ‘Watch & Wait’ (W&W) approach can be adopted to preserve anorectal function and improve quality of life. Thus, this study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy and PD-1 antibody in patients with low early rectal cancer.Methods and analysisTORCH-E study is designed as a multicentre, prospective, phase II trial of short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) combined with chemotherapy and PD-1 inhibitor in patients with cT1-3bN0M0 low rectal cancer. The trial was initiated in December 2022 and is currently recruiting patients, with an anticipated completion of participant enrolment by June of the following year. The enrolled 34 patients will receive SCRT (25 Gy/5 Fx), followed by four cycles of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin chemotherapy and PD-1 antibody (toripalimab) and finally receive surgery or the W&W strategy. The primary endpoint is the complete response (CR) rate, that is, the rate of pathological complete response (pCR) plus cCR. The secondary endpoints include organ preservation rate, 3-year local recurrence-free survival rate, 3-year disease-free survival rate, 3-year overall survival rate, grade 3–4 adverse effects rate and patients’ quality of life.Ethics and disseminationThis trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Trial results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.Trial registration numberNCT05555888(ClinicalTrials.gov).
Effects of work-related electronic communication during non-working hours after work from home and office on fatigue, psychomotor vigilance performance and actigraphic sleep: observational study on information technology workers
Authors: Ikeda Hiroki , Kubo Tomohide , Nishimura Yuki , Izawa Shuhei 
Published: October 2023

ObjectivesThis study examined the effects of work-related electronic communication (WREC) during non-working hours in the work from home or office setting on health.MethodsThe study recruited 98 information technology workers in a 9-day observational study. They recorded work–life events (eg, work style (working mostly from home or the office) and duration of WREC during non-working hours) and subjective ratings (eg, current fatigue, sleepiness and depression) and wore a sleep actigraph to measure objective sleep variables before bedtime every day. They completed the Brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-B) before bedtime for 4 days.ResultsThe frequency of WREC was significantly higher when working mostly from home than in the office (p<0.01). In addition, the duration of WREC was longer when working mostly from home than in the office (p<0.001). Linear or generalised linear mixed model analysis for fatigue, depression and PVT lapse revealed significant interaction effects between work style and WREC (all p<0.05). Post hoc analysis showed that the longer the WREC, the worse the fatigue and depression and the lower the lapse on working mostly from the office (all p<0.05).ConclusionsLonger WREC is associated with worse fatigue and depression and lower lapse of PVT (higher alertness) before bedtime for working mostly from the office. Workers, especially those working from the office, should minimise WREC during non-working hours to maintain good health. Therefore, companies, managers and other relevant stakeholders should refrain from contacting workers during non-working hours.
Night work during pregnancy and small for gestational age: a Danish nationwide register-based cohort study
Authors: Begtrup Luise Moelenberg , Sejbaek Camilla Sandal , Flachs Esben Meulengracht , Garde Anne Helene , Specht Ina Olmer , Hansen Johnni , Kolstad Henrik A , Bonde Jens Peter Ellekilde , Hammer Paula Edeusa Cristina 
Published: October 2023

ObjectiveThe aim was to investigate the association between night work during pregnancy and risk of having a small for gestational age (SGA) child.MethodsThis cohort study had payroll data with detailed information on working hours for employees in all Danish administrative regions (primarily hospital employees) between 2007 and 2015, retrieved from the Danish Working Hour Database. Pregnancies, covariates and outcome were identified from the national birth registry. We used logistic regression to investigate the association between intensity and duration of night work during the first 32 pregnancy weeks and SGA. The adjusted model included age, body mass index, socioeconomic status and smoking. Using quantitative bias analysis and G-estimation, we explored potential healthy worker survivor bias (HWSB).ResultsThe final cohort comprised 24 548 singleton pregnancies in 19 107 women, primarily nurses and medical doctors. None of the dimensions of night work were associated with an increased risk of SGA. We found a tendency towards higher risk of SGA in pregnancies where the women stopped having night shifts during pregnancy. Using G-estimation we found an OR<1 for the association between night work and SGA if all workers continued having night work during pregnancy compared with daywork only.ConclusionWe found no increased risk of SGA in association with night work during pregnancy among healthcare workers. G-estimation was not precise enough to estimate the observed indication of HWSB. We need better data on pregnancy discomforts and complications to be able to safely rule out HWSB.
Master integrals for electroweak corrections to $$gg\rightarrow \gamma \gamma $$: light quark contributions
Authors: Fiore Gabriele , Williams Ciaran 
Published: October 2023

AbstractWe present a calculation of the master integrals (MI’s) required for the calculation of the Electroweak corrections to $$gg\rightarrow \gamma \gamma $$

g
g
→
γ
γ

production in which the process contains a light quark loop. The integrals can be broken down into five categories based on the flow of the heavy vector bosons throughout the loop. Three of the families are planar, and two are non-planar. We determine a canonical basis for each family which allows an efficient solution of the resulting differential equations via iterated integrals. We calculate the families in relevant physical kinematics and obtain an efficient numerical evaluation based on an implementation of Chen-iterated integrals.
Cooperation in bioluminescence: understanding the role of autoinducers by a stochastic random resistor model
Authors: Alfinito Eleonora , Beccaria Matteo , Cesaria Maura 
Published: October 2023

AbstractQuorum sensing is a communication mechanism adopted by different bacterial strains for the regulation of gene transcription. It takes place through the exchange of molecules called autoinducers. Bioluminescence is an emergent threshold phenomenon shown by some bacteria strains. Its precise relationship to quorum sensing is a debated topic, particularly regarding the role of the different autoinducers used by bacteria. In this paper, assuming a direct relationship between bioluminescence and quorum sensing, we investigate the role of multiple autoinducers in the bioluminescence response of Vibrio harveyi, considered as a model bioluminescent strain, due to its quorum sensing circuitry involving an array of three different autoinducers. Experiments on mutants of this bacterium, obtained by suppression of one or more autoinducers, reveal their relative non-trivial relevance and cooperative interaction patterns. The proposed analysis is implemented on a regular lattice, whose nodes represent microbial entities equipped with charges, which represent the ability to up/down regulate the gene expression. Quorum sensing results from a Coulomb-type field, produced by the charges. In analogy with random resistor network models, the lattice is permeated by an effective current which accounts for the amount and distribution of the charges. We propose that the presence of different autoinducers correspond to a different up/down regulation of gene expression, i.e., to a different way to account for the charges. Then, by introducing a modulation of the charge dependence into the current flowing within the network, we show that it is able to describe the bioluminescence exhibited by V. harveyi mutants. Furthermore, modulation of the charge dependence allows the interactions between the different autoinducers to be taken into account, providing a prediction regarding the data obtainable under specific growth conditions.
Graphical abstract
ERC-BiP Functional Protein Pathway for Assessing Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Induced by SARS-CoV-2 Replication after Cell Invasion
Authors: Xue Mingshan , Lin Zhiwei , Zhang Teng , Cheng Zhangkai J. , Lin Runpei , Guo Baojun , Zeng Yifeng , Hu Fengyu , Li Feng , Zheng Peiyan , Huang Huimin , Li Ning , Zhao Qi , Sun Baoqing , Tang Xiaoping 
Published: October 2023

Background. SARS-CoV-2 induces apoptosis and amplifies the immune response by continuously stressing the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) after invading cells. This study aimed to establish a protein-metabolic pathway associated with ER dysfunction based on the invasion mechanism of SARS-CoV-2. Methods. This study included 17 healthy people and 46 COVID-19 patients, including 38 mild patients and 8 severe patients. Proteomics and metabolomics were measured in the patient plasma collected at admission and one week after admission. The patients were further divided into the aggravation and remission groups based on disease progression within one week of admission. Results. Cross-sectional comparison showed that endoplasmic reticulum molecular chaperone-binding immunoglobulin protein (ERC-BiP), angiotensinogen (AGT), ceramide acid (Cer), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly increased in COVID-19 patients, while the sphingomyelin (SM) level was significantly decreased

P

<

0.05

. In addition, longitudinal comparative analysis found that the temporal fold changes of ERC-BiP, AGT, Cer, CRP, and SM were significantly different between the patients in the aggravation and remission groups

P

<

0.05

. ERC-BiP, AGT, and Cer levels were significantly increased in aggravation patients, while SM was significantly decreased

P

<

0.05

. Meanwhile, ERC-BiP was significantly correlated with AGT (r = 0.439;

P

<

0.001

). Conclusions. ERC-BiP can be used as a core index to reflect the degree of ER stress in COVID-19 patients, which is of great value for evaluating the functional state of cells. A functional pathway for AGT/ERC-BiP/glycolysis can directly assess the activation of unfolded protein reactions. The ERC-BiP pathway is closer to the intracellular replication pathway of SARS-CoV-2 and may help in the development of predictive protocols for COVID-19 exacerbation.
Dopamine in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of in vivo imaging studies
Authors: Mizuno Yuya , Ashok Abhishekh Hulegar , Bhat Bhagyashree Bhaskar , Jauhar Sameer , Howes Oliver D 
Published: October 2023

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of global disability. Several lines of evidence implicate the dopamine system in its pathophysiology. However, the magnitude and consistency of the findings are unknown. We address this by systematically reviewing in vivo imaging evidence for dopamine measures in MDD and meta-analysing these where there are sufficient studies. Methods: Studies investigating the dopaminergic system using positron emission tomography or single photon emission computed tomography in MDD and a control group were included. Demographic, clinical and imaging measures were extracted from each study, and meta-analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results: We identified 43 studies including 662 patients and 801 controls. Meta-analysis of 38 studies showed no difference in mean or mean variability of striatal D2/3 receptor availability ( g = 0.06, p = 0.620), or combined dopamine synthesis and release capacity ( g = 0.19, p = 0.309). Dopamine transporter (DAT) availability was lower in the MDD group in studies using DAT selective tracers ( g = −0.56, p = 0.006), but not when tracers with an affinity for serotonin transporters were included ( g = −0.21, p = 0.420). Subgroup analysis showed greater dopamine release ( g = 0.49, p = 0.030), but no difference in dopamine synthesis capacity ( g = −0.21, p = 0.434) in the MDD group. Striatal D1 receptor availability was lower in patients with MDD in two studies. Conclusions: The meta-analysis indicates striatal DAT availability is lower, but D2/3 receptor availability is not altered in people with MDD compared to healthy controls. There may be greater dopamine release and lower striatal D1 receptors in MDD, although further studies are warranted. We discuss factors associated with these findings, discrepancies with preclinical literature and implications for future research.
Assessment of functional and structural brain abnormalities with resting-state functional MRI in patients with vestibular neuronitis
Authors: Cheng QiChao , Ren AnLi , Han JingYang , Jin XinJuan , Pylypenko Dmytro , Yu DeXin , Wang XiZhen 
Published: October 2023

Background Vestibular neuritis (VN) is a disorder manifesting as acute, isolated, spontaneous vertigo. There are few comprehensive studies on the changes in related functional and structural brain regions. Purpose To evaluate alterations in spontaneous neural activity, functional connectivity (FC), and gray matter volume (GMV) in patients with VN. Material and Methods A total of 24 patients with VN and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and three-dimensional T1-weighted anatomical imaging. We calculated the amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and degree centrality (DC) to discern local brain abnormalities. The most abnormal brain region was selected as the region of interest (ROI) for FC analysis based on ALFF and ReHo values after Bonferroni correction. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to assess differences in GMV. Results Patients with VN, compared to healthy controls, showed increased ALFF ( P < 0.001), ReHo values ( P = 0.002, <0.001), and DC ( P = 0.013) in the left lingual gyrus and right postcentral gyrus. FC analysis demonstrated enhanced connectivity between the left lingual gyrus and the left superior frontal gyrus, and decreased connectivity with the right insula gyrus, right and left supramarginal gyrus ( P = 0.012, 0.004, <0.001, 0.014). In addition, GMV was reduced in the bilateral caudate ( P = 0.022, 0.014). Conclusions Patients with VN exhibit abnormal spontaneous neural activity and changes in ALFF, ReHo, DC, GMV, and FC. Understanding these functional and structural brain abnormalities may elucidate the underlying mechanisms of VN.
Atypical chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy with ophthalmoplegia and anti-sulfatide IgM positivity
Authors: Chen Li , Zhang Yanjun , Qin Nan , Han Ranran , Li Yuwang 
Published: October 2023

Background Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a heterogeneous group of chronic immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathies. The clinical presentation of CIDP is mainly characterized by a classic peripheral demyelinating sensory-motor type and persists for a minimum of 2 months. However, CIDP may also present with atypical symptoms. Case presentation: This report presents the case of a patient with CIDP with ophthalmoplegia and anti-sulfatide IgM antibodies. Maintenance intravenous immunoglobulin and glucocorticoid therapies were administered to the patient in accordance with the clinical, laboratory, and electrophysiological findings, which were indicative of CIDP. The treatment partially improved the symptoms, and no recurrence was detected throughout the 3-month monitoring phase. Conclusions This study combines a retrospective analysis and a literature review to explore the possible mechanism of CIDP.
Low-velocity impact and compression after impact behaviour of nanoparticles modified polymer composites
Authors: Elamvazhudi B , Gopalakannan S 
Published: October 2023

Optimizing the impact properties of polymer composites is essential in aircraft industries. Hybridization of fibres is one of the efficient methods to enhance the impact properties of polymer composites. Dispersion of nanoparticles into epoxy resin improves the toughness of composites. This study examines the low-velocity impact (LVI) behaviour of hybrid epoxy-based carbon/glass fibre-reinforced laminates. Initially, the epoxy resin was modified with 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 wt% of nanoclay and TiO2 nanoparticles using mechanical stirring followed by an ultrasonication method. To investigate the influence of stacking sequences, laminates were fabricated with (90 G/0 G/90 C)S, (90 G/0 C/90 G)S, and (90 C/0 G/90 G)S. The samples used for this study are six-ply symmetric laminates. Laminates were impacted with different impact energies between 30 and 80 J with an impact velocity of 7 m/s to generate damages. The residual strength of damaged specimens is determined using compression after the impact test. The order of stacking, fibre orientation, and the presence of nanoparticles all have a significant impact on the residual strength of laminates. By using C-scan images, layer-wise damage mechanisms were identified. The specimen with (90 C/0 G/90 G)S sequence has very high damage resistance compared to other laminates.
CHILDSTAR: CHIldren Living With Diabetes See and Thrive with AI Review
Authors: Curran Katie , Whitestone Noelle , Zabeen Bedowra , Ahmed Munir , Husain Lutful , Alauddin Mohammed , Hossain Mohammad Awlad , Patnaik Jennifer L , Lanouette Gabriella , Cherwek David Hunter , Congdon Nathan , Peto Tunde , Jaccard Nicolas 
Published: October 2023

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) appears capable of detecting diabetic retinopathy (DR) with a high degree of accuracy in adults; however, there are few studies in children and young adults. Methods: Children and young adults (3-26 years) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were screened at the Dhaka BIRDEM-2 hospital, Bangladesh. All gradable fundus images were uploaded to Cybersight AI for interpretation. Two main outcomes were considered at a patient level: 1) Any DR, defined as mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR or more severe; and 2) Referable DR, defined as moderate NPDR or more severe. Diagnostic test performance comparing Orbis International’s Cybersight AI with the reference standard, a fully qualified optometrist certified in DR grading, was assessed using the Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), area under the precision-recall curve (AUC-PR), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. Results: Among 1274 participants (53.1% female, mean age 16.7 years), 19.4% (n = 247) had any DR according to AI. For referable DR, 2.35% (n = 30) were detected by AI. The sensitivity and specificity of AI for any DR were 75.5% (CI 69.7-81.3%) and 91.8% (CI 90.2-93.5%) respectively, and for referable DR, these values were 84.2% (CI 67.8-100%) and 98.9% (CI 98.3%-99.5%). The MCC, AUC-ROC and the AUC-PR for referable DR were 63.4, 91.2 and 76.2% respectively. AI was most successful in accurately classifying younger children with shorter duration of diabetes. Conclusions: Cybersight AI accurately detected any DR and referable DR among children and young adults, despite its algorithms having been trained on adults. The observed high specificity is particularly important to avoid over-referral in low-resource settings. AI may be an effective tool to reduce demands on scarce physician resources for the care of children with diabetes in low-resource settings.