bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of step lengths on biomechanical characteristics of lower extremity during split squat movement
Authors: Song Qingquan , Ma Mujia , Liu Hui , Wei Xiaobin , Chen Xiaoping 
Published: November 2023

Objective: To quantify the effects of increasing the step length of the split squat on changes in kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activation of the lower extremity.Methods: Twenty male college students participated in the test (age: 23.9 ± 3.7, height: 175.1 ± 4.9). Data on kinematics, kinetics, and EMG were collected during split squat exercise at four different step lengths in a non-systematic manner. One-way repeated measurements ANOVA were used to compare characteristic variables of peak angle, moment, and RMS among the four step length conditions.Results: The step length significantly changes the peak angles of the hip (p = 0.011), knee (p = 0.001), ankle (p &lt; 0.001) joint, and the peak extension moment of the hip (p &lt; 0.001), knee (p = 0.002) joint, but does not affect the ankle peak extension moment (p = 0.357) during a split squat. Moreover, a significant difference was observed in the EMG of gluteus maximus (p &lt; 0.001), vastus medialis (p = 0.013), vastus lateralis (p = 0.020), biceps femoris (p = 0.003), Semitendinosus (p &lt; 0.001), medialis gastrocnemius (p = 0.035) and lateralis gastrocnemius (p = 0.005) during four step lengths, but no difference in rectus femoris (p = 0.16).Conclusion: Increases in step length of split squat had a greater activation on the hip extensor muscles while having a limited impact on the knee extensor muscles. The ROM, joint moment, and muscle activation of the lead limb in the split squat all should be considered in cases of individual preventative or rehabilitative prescription of the exercise. Moreover, the optimal step length for strength training in healthy adults appears to be more suitable when it is equal to the length of the individual lower extremity.
A cohort study to investigate the potential indicators for prenatal echocardiographic detection of suspected coarctation of the aorta
Authors: Guo Nan , Zhou Kaiyu , Li Yifei , Luo Shuhua , Liu Lei , Liu Hanmin 
Published: November 2023

ObjectivesSuspected coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a common fetal echocardiographic presentation. However, the prenatal findings did not indicate a satisfied accuracy in determining the truly CoA after birth, which made the prenatal diagnosis of CoA still as a critical challenge with high false positive rate. Thus, this research is aimed to distinguish the potential prenatal parameters influencing the fetal echocardiographic images and enhance the true positive diagnostic rate of CoA fetuses which require early clinical intervention in postnatal life.MethodsA retrospective study had been designed and fetuses with suspected with CoA had been included from Jan 2016 to Dec 2021 in our center. The fetal echocardiography and related clinical information had been collected. And the postnatal diagnosis had been reached by echocardiography or CTA. Then, all the parameters had been analyzed by univariate analysis, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was further involved to determine the independent parameters influencing the accuracy of diagnosis CoA fetuses. Moreover, such results had been validated by nomogram analysis and ROC curve.ResultsAmong the included 44 liveborn infants who presented suspected CoA in fetal cardiac screening, 18 cases had been proved to be CoA postnatally (Group P). The true positive rate for this study was 40.9% (18/44). The abnormal atrial hemodynamic status (AAHs) and the gestational week of delivery (GWoD) were associated with the postnatal CoA confirmation among prenatal suspected fetuses. The ROC curve of predicting probability of the mode combined with two independent factors of absence of AAH and GWoD (AUC = 0.880, 95% CI 0.763–0.997) presented a satisfied efficacy in distinguishing postnatal positive CoA diagnosis. The nomogram plot had been be utilized in CoA prediction (model likelihood ratio test, p &lt; 0.0001).ConclusionsAAH and GWoD had been identified as independent factors of predictive accuracy in detecting postnatal CoA among prenatal suspected fetuses. The prediction mode based on nomogram scores could be used to predict the risk of occurring CoA fetuses.
Secondary shrubs promoted the priming effect by increasing soil particle organic carbon mineralization
Authors: Yu Qinghui , Zhang Zixu , He Yuan , Hao Ming , Wang Guifang , Dun Xingjian , Wu Qicong , Gao Peng 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionInputs of additional organic matter to the soil will accelerate or inhibit the decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC), resulting in a priming effect (PE), which is a key mechanism affecting soil carbon (C) cycling. The impact mechanism of changes in soil properties on the PE is still unclear after vegetation restoration; in particular, the contribution of C pools with different turnover rates to the PE has not been distinguished and quantified.MethodsIn this study, the secondary shrub (SB) (Vitex negundo var. heterophylla) formed by the enclosure of barren grassland was selected as the research object, and the barren grassland (GL) was taken as the control. Equal amounts of 13C-labeled glucose were added to the topsoil for a 45-day incubation experiment to measure the PE. Moreover, soil samples were destructively sampled to explore the fate of new C and changes in POC and MAOC fractions during incubation.ResultsAfter 45 days of incubation, most of the new C formed by glucose flowed to MAOC, with 95.45% in SB soil and 92.29% in GL soil. In the experiment, all soils showed a positive PE. The PE, POC mineralization and MAOC accumulation were higher in SB soil than in GL soil. During incubation, the mineralization of POC was positively correlated with the PE and made a major contribution to the PE. Partial correlation analysis showed that after vegetation restoration, SB further promoted the mineralization of POC by increasing the soil moisture, fungal diversity and necromass C of bacteria, which led to an increase in PE.ConclusionThe SB mainly enhanced PE by increasing soil fungal diversity and mineralization of POC. And increasing PE due to the SB may lead to an increase in soil C emissions. Therefore, we need to adopt forest management and other measures to address the potential risks of increased soil C emissions in the vegetation restoration process.
Identification of immune-related genes in diagnosing retinopathy of prematurity with sepsis through bioinformatics analysis and machine learning
Authors: Chen Han , Chen Enguang , Lu Yao , Xu Yu 
Published: November 2023

Background: There is increasing evidence indicating that immune system dysregulation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and sepsis. This study aims to identify key diagnostic candidate genes in ROP with sepsis.Methods: We obtained publicly available data on ROP and sepsis from the gene expression omnibus database. Differential analysis and weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key module genes. Subsequently, we conducted functional enrichment analysis to gain insights into the biological functions and pathways. To identify immune-related pathogenic genes and potential mechanisms, we employed several machine learning algorithms, including Support Vector Machine Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE), Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), and Random Forest (RF). We evaluated the diagnostic performance using nomogram and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. Furthermore, we used CIBERSORT to investigate immune cell dysregulation in sepsis and performed cMAP analysis to identify potential therapeutic drugs.Results: The sepsis dataset comprised 352 DEGs, while the ROP dataset had 307 DEGs and 420 module genes. The intersection between DEGs for sepsis and module genes for ROP consisted of 34 genes, primarily enriched in immune-related pathways. After conducting PPI network analysis and employing machine learning algorithms, we pinpointed five candidate hub genes. Subsequent evaluation using nomograms and ROC curves underscored their robust diagnostic potential. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed immune cell dysregulation. Finally, through cMAP analysis, we identified some small molecule compounds that have the potential for sepsis treatment.Conclusion: Five immune-associated candidate hub genes (CLEC5A, KLRB1, LCN2, MCEMP1, and MMP9) were recognized, and the nomogram for the diagnosis of ROP with sepsis was developed.
Multigene testing panels reveal pathogenic variants in sporadic breast cancer patients in northern China
Authors: Liu Yinfeng , Zheng Jie , Xu Yue , Lv Ji , Wu Zizheng , Feng Kai , Liu Jiani , Yan Weitao , Wei Liguang , Zhao Jiangman , Jiang Lisha , Han Meng 
Published: November 2023

Background: Breast cancer, the most prevalent malignancy in women worldwide, presents diverse onset patterns and genetic backgrounds. This study aims to examine the genetic landscape and clinical implications of rare mutations in Chinese breast cancer patients.Methods: Clinical data from 253 patients, including sporadic and familial cases, were analyzed. Comprehensive genomic profiling was performed, categorizing identified rare variants according to the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines. In silico protein modeling was used to analyze potentially pathogenic variants’ impact on protein structure and function.Results: We detected 421 rare variants across patients. The most frequently mutated genes were ALK (22.2%), BARD1 (15.6%), and BRCA2 (15.0%). ACMG classification identified 7% of patients harboring Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic (P/LP) variants, with one case displaying a pathogenic BRCA1 mutation linked to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Also identified were two pathogenic MUTYH variants, previously associated with colon cancer but increasingly implicated in breast cancer. Variants of uncertain significance (VUS) were identified in 112 patients, with PTEN c.C804A showing the highest frequency. The role of these variants in sporadic breast cancer oncogenesis was suggested. In-depth exploration of previously unreported variants led to the identification of three potential pathogenic variants: ATM c.C8573T, MSH3 c.A2723T, and CDKN1C c.C221T. Their predicted impact on protein structure and stability suggests a functional role in cancer development.Conclusion: This study reveals a comprehensive overview of the genetic variants landscape in Chinese breast cancer patients, highlighting the prevalence and potential implications of rare variants. We emphasize the value of comprehensive genomic profiling in breast cancer management and the necessity of continuous research into understanding the functional impacts of these variants.
Regulatory T cells inhibit autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cell responses in lupus-prone NZB/W F1 mice
Authors: Rosenberger Stefan , Undeutsch Reinmar , Akbarzadeh Reza , Ohmes Justus , Enghard Philipp , Riemekasten Gabriela , Humrich Jens Y. 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionProgressive loss of regulatory T cell (Treg)-mediated control over autoreactive effector T cells contributes to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Accordingly, we hypothesized that Treg may also have the capacity to suppress the activation of autoreactive CD4+ T cells that are considered to drive autoimmunity.MethodsTo investigate whether Treg are involved in the control of autoreactive CD4+ T cells, we depleted CD25+ Treg cells either in vivo or in vitro, or combined both approaches before antigen-specific stimulation with the SLE-associated autoantigen SmD1(83-119) in the NZB/W F1 mouse model either after immunization against SmD1(83-119) or during spontaneous disease development. Frequencies of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells were determined by flow cytometry using the activation marker CD154.ResultsBoth in vitro and in vivo depletion of CD25+ Treg, respectively, increased the frequencies of detectable autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells by approximately 50%. Notably, the combined in vivo and in vitro depletion of CD25+ Treg led almost to a doubling in their frequencies. Frequencies of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells were found to be lower in immunized haploidentical non-autoimmune strains and increased frequencies were detectable in unmanipulated NZB/W F1 mice with active disease. In vitro re-addition of CD25+ Treg after Treg depletion restored suppression of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cell activation.DiscussionThese results suggest that the activation and expansion of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells are partly controlled by Treg in murine lupus. Depletion of Treg therefore can be a useful approach to increase the detectability of autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells allowing their detailed characterization including lineage determination and epitope mapping and their sufficient ex vivo isolation for cell culture.
Crystalline silica-induced proinflammatory eicosanoid storm in novel alveolar macrophage model quelled by docosahexaenoic acid supplementation
Authors: Favor Olivia K. , Rajasinghe Lichchavi D. , Wierenga Kathryn A. , Maddipati Krishna R. , Lee Kin Sing Stephen , Olive Andrew J. , Pestka James J. 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionPhagocytosis of inhaled crystalline silica (cSiO2) particles by tissue-resident alveolar macrophages (AMs) initiates generation of proinflammatory eicosanoids derived from the ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) arachidonic acid (ARA) that contribute to chronic inflammatory disease in the lung. While supplementation with the ω-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may influence injurious cSiO2-triggered oxylipin responses, in vitro investigation of this hypothesis in physiologically relevant AMs is challenging due to their short-lived nature and low recovery numbers from mouse lungs. To overcome these challenges, we employed fetal liver-derived alveolar-like macrophages (FLAMs), a self-renewing surrogate that is phenotypically representative of primary lung AMs, to discern how DHA influences cSiO2-induced eicosanoids.MethodsWe first compared how delivery of 25 µM DHA as ethanolic suspensions or as bovine serum albumin (BSA) complexes to C57BL/6 FLAMs impacts phospholipid fatty acid content. We subsequently treated FLAMs with 25 µM ethanolic DHA or ethanol vehicle (VEH) for 24 h, with or without LPS priming for 2 h, and with or without cSiO2 for 1.5 or 4 h and then measured oxylipin production by LC-MS lipidomics targeting for 156 oxylipins. Results were further related to concurrent proinflammatory cytokine production and cell death induction.ResultsDHA delivery as ethanolic suspensions or BSA complexes were similarly effective at increasing ω-3 PUFA content of phospholipids while decreasing the ω-6 PUFA arachidonic acid (ARA) and the ω-9 monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid. cSiO2 time-dependently elicited myriad ARA-derived eicosanoids consisting of prostaglandins, leukotrienes, thromboxanes, and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids in unprimed and LPS-primed FLAMs. This cSiO2-induced eicosanoid storm was dramatically suppressed in DHA-supplemented FLAMs which instead produced potentially pro-resolving DHA-derived docosanoids. cSiO2 elicited marked IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α release after 1.5 and 4 h of cSiO2 exposure in LPS-primed FLAMs which was significantly inhibited by DHA. DHA did not affect cSiO2-triggered death induction in unprimed FLAMs but modestly enhanced it in LPS-primed FLAMs.DiscussionFLAMs are amenable to lipidome modulation by DHA which suppresses cSiO2-triggered production of ARA-derived eicosanoids and proinflammatory cytokines. FLAMs are a potential in vitro alternative to primary AMs for investigating interventions against early toxicant-triggered inflammation in the lung.
Serum protein biomarkers for HCC risk prediction in HIV/HBV co-infected people: a clinical proteomic study using mass spectrometry
Authors: Ke Hengning , Yuan Rui , Liu Huan , Luo Mingqi , Hu Hui , Zhang Ejuan , Zhuang Ke , Yang Yong , Yang Rongrong 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundHBV coinfection is frequent in people living with HIV (PLWH) and is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While risk prediction methods for HCC in patients with HBV monoinfection have been proposed, suitable biomarkers for early diagnosis of HCC in PLWH remain uncommon.MethodsLiquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to examine serum protein alterations in HCC and non-HCC patients with HIV and HBV co-infection. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Disease Ontology (DO) enrichment analysis were performed on the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The risk prediction model was created using five-cross-validation and LASSO regression to filter core DEPs.ResultsA total of 124 DEPs were discovered, with 95 proteins up-regulated and 29 proteins down-regulated. Extracellular matrix organization and membrane component were the DEPs that were most abundant in the categories of biological processes (BP) and cellular components (CC). Proteoglycans in cancer were one of the top three DEPs primarily enriched in the KEGG pathway, and 60.0% of DEPs were linked to various neoplasms in terms of DO enrichment. Eleven proteins, including GAPR1, PLTP, CLASP2, IGHV1-69D, IGLV5-45, A2M, VNN1, KLK11, ANPEP, DPP4 and HYI, were chosen as the core DEPs, and a nomogram was created to predict HCC risk.ConclusionIn HIV/HBV patients with HCC, several differential proteins can be detected in plasma by mass spectrometry, which can be used as screening markers for early diagnosis and risk prediction of HCC. Monitoring protease expression differences can help in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.
Development and validation of an online dynamic prognostic nomogram for incidental gallbladder adenocarcinoma patients without distant metastasis after surgery: a population-based study
Authors: Chen Jie , Han Yehong 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundGallbladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the biliary system, most of which is adenocarcinoma. Our study explored developing and validating a nomogram to predict overall and cancer-specific survival probabilities internally and externally for incidental gallbladder adenocarcinoma patients without distant metastasis after surgery.MethodsPatients screened and filtered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, whose years of diagnosis between 2010 and 2015 were collected as a derivation cohort, while those between 2016 and 2019 were a temporal validation cohort. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were chosen as the primary and secondary endpoints of the retrospective study cohort. Potential clinical variables were selected for a Cox regression model analysis by performing both-direction stepwise selection to confirm the final variables. The performance of final nomograms was evaluated by Harrell’s C statistic and Brier score, with a graphical receptor operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve.ResultsSeven variables of age, race, tumor size, histologic grade, T stage, regional lymph nodes removed, and positive regional lymph nodes were finally determined for the OS nomogram; sex had also been added to the CSS nomogram. Novel dynamic nomograms were established to predict the prognosis of incidental gallbladder adenocarcinoma patients without distant metastasis after surgery. The ROC curve demonstrated good accuracy in predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and CSS in both derivation and validation cohorts. Correspondingly, the calibration curve presented perfect reliability between the death or cancer-specific death probability and observed death or cancer-specific death proportion in both derivation and validation cohorts.ConclusionOur study established novel dynamic nomograms based on seven and eight clinical variables separately to predict OS and CSS of incidental gallbladder adenocarcinoma patients without distant metastasis after surgery, which might assist doctors in advising and guiding therapeutic strategies for postoperative gallbladder adenocarcinoma patients in the future.
Alkaloid diversity expansion of a talent fungus Penicillium raistrichii through OSMAC-based cultivation
Authors: Zhong Meijia , Kang Huihui , Liu Weizhong , Ma Liying , Liu Desheng 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionAlkaloidal natural products are attractive for their broad spectrum of pharmaceutical bioactivities. In the present work, the highly productive saline soil derived fungus, Penicillium raistrichii, was subjected to the strategy of OSMAC (one strain many compounds) with changes of cultivation status. Then, the work-flow led to the expansion of the alkaloid chemical diversity and subsequently induced the accumulation of four undescribed alkaloids, named raistrimides A–D (1–4), including three β-carbolines (1–3), one 2-quinolinone (4), and one new natural product, 2-quinolinone (5), along with five known alkaloid chemicals (6–10).MethodsA set of NMR techniques including 1H, 13C, HSQC and HMBC, along with other spectroscopic data of UV-Vis, IR and HRESIMS, were introduced to assign the plain structures of compounds 1–10. The absolute configuration of 1–3 were elucidated by means of X-ray crystallography or spectroscopic analyses on optical rotation values and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. In addition, it was the first report on the confirmation of structures of 6, 7 and 9 by X-ray crystallography data. The micro-broth dilution method was applied to evaluate antimicrobial effect of all compounds towards Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans.Results and discussionThe results indicated compounds 1, 3 and 4 to be bioactive, which may be potential for further development of anti-antimicrobial agents. The finding in this work implied that OSMAC strategy was a powerful and effective tool for promotion of new chemical entities from P. raistrichii.
Predicting progression of white matter hyperintensity using coronary artery calcium score based on coronary CT angiography—feasibility and accuracy
Authors: Jin Hui , Hou Jie , Qin Xue , Du Xingyue , Zheng Guangying , Meng Yu , Shu Zhenyu , Wei Yuguo , Gong Xiangyang 
Published: November 2023

ObjectiveCoronary artery disease (CAD) usually coexists with subclinical cerebrovascular diseases given the systematic nature of atherosclerosis. In this study, our objective was to predict the progression of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and find its risk factors in CAD patients using the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score. We also investigated the relationship between the CAC score and the WMH volume in different brain regions.MethodsWe evaluated 137 CAD patients with WMH who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from March 2018 to February 2023. Patients were categorized into progressive (n = 66) and nonprogressive groups (n = 71) by the change in WMH volume from the first to the second MRI. We collected demographic, clinical, and imaging data for analysis. Independent risk factors for WMH progression were identified using logistic regression. Three models predicting WMH progression were developed and assessed. Finally, patients were divided into groups based on their total CAC score (0 to &lt;100, 100 to 400, and &gt; 400) to compare their WMH changes in nine brain regions.ResultsAlcohol abuse, maximum pericoronary fat attenuation index (pFAI), CT-fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR), and CAC risk grade independently predicted WMH progression (p &lt; 0.05). The logistic regression model with all four variables performed best (training: AUC = 0.878, 95% CI: 0.790, 0.938; validation: AUC = 0.845, 95% CI: 0.734, 0.953). An increased CAC risk grade came with significantly higher WMH volume in the total brain, corpus callosum, and frontal, parietal and occipital lobes (p &lt; 0.05).ConclusionThis study demonstrated the application of the CCTA-derived CAC score to predict WMH progression in elderly people (≥60 years) with CAD.