bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rhabdomyosarcoma With EWSR1::NF2 Gene Fusion: A Case Report Potentially Expanding Its Genetic Spectrum
Authors: Saoud Carla , Gundem Gunes , Domenico Dylan , Arango‐Ossa Juan E. , Reed Damon , Vaynrub Max , Papaemmanouil Elli , Bale Tejus A. , Linos Konstantinos 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTRhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children, presenting with heterogeneous clinical and molecular subtypes. While gene fusions are predominantly associated with alveolar RMS, spindle cell RMS, especially congenital and intraosseous variants, are also linked to specific gene fusions. Furthermore, recently, FGFR1 kinase‐driven RMSs were published. Here, we describe a case of RMS harboring an EWSR1::NF2 gene fusion, a deletion‐driven genetic alteration that has not been previously documented in RMS or other soft tissue tumors. The patient was a 29‐year‐old female who presented with a lobulated ankle mass. Histologic examination revealed a malignant round cell tumor extensively infiltrating large nerve bundles. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated rhabdomyoblastic differentiation, consistent with rhabdomyosarcoma. While some areas showed features resembling the sclerosing and others the embryonal subtypes, the overall findings were considered unclassifiable. Targeted RNA sequencing revealed EWSR1(exon 9):: NF2(exon 7) gene fusion, which was confirmed on whole genome and targeted DNA sequencing. The latter did not yield specific diagnostic insights but revealed mutations in TSC2 (p.T1330M), ZFHX3 (p.A301T), and a NOTCH3 rearrangement, all of unknown oncogenic significance. MYC gene amplification was detected, but there was no evidence of chromosome 8 amplification or chromosome 11p15 loss of heterozygosity. Whole genome sequencing revealed a low tumor mutation burden (2.69/Mb) and showed no other significant potentially oncogenic events. DNA methylation studies using dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering placed the case within the embryonal RMS subtype. Although the absence of other oncogenic driver alterations suggests that the fusion may have played a pivotal role in pathogenesis, we cannot exclude the possibility that it represents a passenger alteration rather than a true driver mutation. If the former is true, further studies will be required to determine whether this fusion represents a novel RMS subtype or a rare driver in existing subtypes of RMS.
Evaluating and Modelling Soil Detachment Capacity in Rills After Treatment With Biochar From Solid Waste of Olive Oil Mills
Authors: Parhizkar Misagh , Lucas‐Borja Manuel Esteban , Zema Demetrio Antonio 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTAlthough being a viable substrate to reduce soil erosion, the effects of biochar from solid waste of olive oil mills (OMSW biochar) on soil detachment capacity in rills (Dc) has never been explored. Furthermore, no equations have been proposed to predict important parameters (soil erodibility factor, Kr, shear stress, τ, and its critical value, τc, for rills) of this hydrological process in treated soils. This study was conducted in agro‐forest sites of Northern Iran to evaluate Dc and key properties of soils–organic carbon (OC), aggregate stability (MWD), bulk density (BD) and carbon exchange capacity (CEC)—treated with OMSW biochar in comparison to untreated sites through flume experiments. Moreover, regression models were developed to predict Dc, Kr and τc for both treated and untreated soils. Compared with the untreated soil, the application of this biochar noticeably increased OC (+85%), MWD (+51%) and CEC (+101%), and reduced BD (−11%) and Dc (−31%). The correlation analysis revealed significant but not high associations between physical properties on one the hand, and soil detachment capacity in rills, on the other hand. Overall, the soil treatment with OMSW biochar impacted agro‐forest soils to a severe extent. Treated soils were discriminated from untreated sites into two distinct groups by the principal component analysis and agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis. The linear equations interpolating Dc and τ estimated Kr, and τc with accuracy in treated and untreated soils (r2 > 0.74, p < 0.05). The best prediction capacity of Dc was given by power equations applied to the stream power (r2 > 0.78, p < 0.05). The multiple regression equation developed to estimate Dc from the water flow rate and soil slope was also very accurate (r2 > 0.95 and NSE, coefficient of Nash and Sutcliffe, > 0.89). These results help land managers and hydrologists to control and predict rill detachment in long and steep hillslopes against the risk of soil erosion.
Changes in Serum Immunoglobulin Levels Play as Predictors of Treatment Response and Prognosis in Pediatric Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome During the Remission Phase
Authors: sadat Sharif Amin , Nickravesh Naghmeh , Heidarzadeh Arani Marzieh , Azadchehr Mohammad Javad , Motedayyen Hossein 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTBackgroundNephrotic syndrome is an immune‐mediated renal disorder characterized by T‐cell and B‐cell dysfunctions with changes in immunoglobulin (Ig) levels and the IgG:IgM ratio. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether the serum level of Igs can be considered as an index to predict the response to treatment and the prognosis of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) in children in the remission phase.MethodsThe study population consisted of 38 children with INS in the remission phase and 38 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy children. Blood samples were collected from participants and serum values of IgG, IgM, IgE, and IgA were measured using EISA KITS from Aptech Services. The IgG:IgM ratio was studied in the participants.ResultsPatients significantly increased IgM and IgE levels compared with healthy subjects, unlike IgG and IgA values (p < 0.001–0.05). Patients with steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) had a significant increase in IgM levels compared with those with steroid‐sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) (p < 0.05). While, subjects with SRNS showed significant reductions in IgG and IgA values (p < 0.01). There were significant differences in the levels of IgG and IgM between steroid‐sensitive patients with and without a history of relapse (p < 0.01). Furthermore, patients with steroid‐independent and frequently relapsing NS showed a significant increase in IgE value compared with that of subjects with steroid‐dependent and relapse (p < 0.05). The ratio of IgG/IgM was significantly reduced in patients compared with healthy individuals (p < 0.05). Other results indicated that there was a significant difference between patients with steroid‐independent and steroid‐dependent who had a history of relapse (p < 0.01).ConclusionAlterations in serum Ig values can be considered as predictors of treatment response and prognosis in pediatric idiopathic nephrotic syndrome during the remission phase.
Muscle invasive bladder cancer treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy during the second trimester of pregnancy
Authors: Sasaki Takeshi , Ryota Ikadai , Ishiyama Akinobu , Takakura Sho , Kato Momoko , Owa Shunsuke , Nishikawa Taketomo , Higashi Shinichiro , Nishikawa Kouhei , Inoue Takahiro 
Published: January 2025

IntroductionMuscle invasive bladder cancer during pregnancy is scarcely reported.Case presentationA 41‐year‐old ex‐smoker Asian female, managed with clean intermittent catheterization for 3 years due to neurogenic bladder caused by spinal cord disease, presented with gross hematuria at 10 weeks of gestation. The patient was diagnosed with muscle invasive bladder cancer, cT3aN0M0. Maternal treatment was prioritized and gemcitabine plus cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy was started at 17 weeks of gestation. Cesarean section was performed at 32 weeks of gestation, followed by robot‐assisted radical cystectomy 3 weeks later. Histopathological examination revealed urothelial carcinoma, G3, ypT3b. Postoperative adjuvant nivolumab followed by enfortumab vedotin was not successful and the patient died 8 months after robot‐assisted radical cystectomy. Unfortunately, the premature infant with congenital heart disease died of necrotizing enterocolitis at 1‐month‐old.ConclusionGemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy in the patient with muscle invasive bladder cancer during pregnancy was safe but ultimately resulted in unfavorable outcomes in this case.
MLFE‐UNet: Multi‐Level Feature Extraction Transformer‐Based UNet for Gastrointestinal Disease Segmentation
Authors: Garbaz Anass , Oukdach Yassine , Charfi Said , El Ansari Mohamed , Koutti Lahcen , Salihoun Mouna , Lafraxo Samira 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTAccurately segmenting gastrointestinal (GI) disease regions from Wireless Capsule Endoscopy images is essential for clinical diagnosis and survival prediction. However, challenges arise due to similar intensity distributions, variable lesion shapes, and fuzzy boundaries. In this paper, we propose MLFE‐UNet, an advanced fusion of CNN‐based transformers with UNet. Both the encoder and decoder utilize a multi‐level feature extraction (MLFA) CNN‐Transformer‐based module. This module extracts features from the input data, considering both global dependencies and local information. Furthermore, we introduce a multi‐level spatial attention (MLSA) block that functions as the bottleneck. It enhances the network's ability to handle complex structures and overlapping regions in feature maps. The MLSA block captures multiscale dependencies of tokens from the channel perspective and transmits them to the decoding path. A contextual feature stabilization block follows each transition to emulate lesion zones and facilitate segmentation guidelines at each phase. To address high‐level semantic information, we incorporate a computationally efficient spatial channel attention block. This is followed by a stabilization block in the skip connections, ensuring global interaction and highlighting important semantic features from the encoder to the decoder. To evaluate the performance of our proposed MLFE‐UNet, we selected common GI diseases, specifically bleeding and polyps. The dice coefficient scores obtained by MLFE‐UNet on the MICCAI 2017 (Red lesion) and CVC‐ClinicalDB data sets are 92.34% and 88.37%, respectively.
Solid State Light Valve Study
Authors: Calucci Edward J. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThis paper reviews the results of an in‐the‐house investigation in the area of projection displays conducted at Rome Air Development Center. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using a crystalline element which exhibits the Electro‐optic Effect, as the control layer of a light valve projection display system.The scope of this investigation included a study of the Electro‐optic Effect, and the types of crystals which exhibit this effect. An experimental model consisting of a specially designed demountable cathode ray tube, electro‐optic crystal, associated optical components and electrical drive circuitry was assembled to demonstrate the technique and to determine the limitations of the various display parameters. A typical display system application was envisioned and realizable problems of efficiency, highlight brightness, contrast, aperture size and resolution were investigated based upon the performed experiments.The results of the study indicated that the technique is definitely feasible and appears quite promising although presently limited in optical resolution. The KD2P crystal was best suited for the application since it possesses a lower half‐wave retardation voltage (3500 volts) and an inherent charge storage which makes the optical image appear brighter. The TV images that were generated by the experimental model indicated the technique has great potential for real‐time displays.
A Non‐invasive Lung Disease Study of Exhaled Breath Nitric Oxide Based on Ultraviolet Differential Absorption Spectroscopy Techniques
Authors: Li Chaoyang , Chen Xiaoning , Li Wei , Zhou Xuan , Gong Huiyuan 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTIn this study, a non‐invasive device based on ultraviolet differential absorption spectroscopy (UV‐DOAS) technology for detecting fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO)was developed and clinically validated in patients with various lung diseases. The diagnostic potential of FeNO was explored by analysing subgroups of patients with lung cancer, nodules, and other disease. The results showed that FeNO concentrations were significantly higher in patients with malignant tumours than in healthy controls (p < 0.01). The diagnostic efficacy of FeNO in different lung diseases was confirmed by ROC analysis: the AUC values were 0.925 for malignant tumours, 0.925 for suspected malignant/benign tumours, 0.792 for benign lesions, and 0.938 for infectious/inflammatory diseases. The significant postoperative FeNO level decrease supports the diagnostic use of FeNO in different stages of the disease. Compared with conventional electrochemical, chemiluminescent and fluorescent probe methods, the UV‐DOAS technique has significant advantages regarding sensitivity and portability, suggesting its potential for clinical application.
A Natural Autophagy Activator Castanea crenata Flower Alleviates Skeletal Muscle Ageing
Authors: Park So‐Hyun , Choi Pyeong Geun , Kim Hee‐Soo , Lee Eunyoung , Lee Da‐Hye , Kim Min Jung , Kim Daedong , Seo Hyo‐Deok , Hahm Jeong‐Hoon , Jeon Tae‐Il , Huh Yang‐Hoon , Ahn Jiyun , Ha Tae‐Youl , Jung Chang Hwa 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTBackgroundSarcopenia, characterized by a gradual decline in skeletal muscle mass and function with age, significantly impacts both quality of life and mortality. Autophagy plays a crucial role in maintaining muscle health. There is growing interest in leveraging autophagy to mitigate muscle ageing effects. The impact of natural autophagy activators on skeletal muscle ageing remains elusive. This study aims to identify natural autophagy activators and assess their effects on skeletal muscle ageing.MethodsTo discover novel autophagy activators, we screened 493 natural products and identified Castanea crenata flower extract (CCFE) as a promising candidate. We investigated the effect of CCFE on cellular senescence in C2C12 cells induced by etoposide. In animal experiments, aged mice (18 months old) were fed a diet supplemented with 0.1% and 0.2% CCFE for 3 months. We assessed exercise capacity, mitochondrial function and autophagic flux to determine the impact of CCFE on skeletal muscle ageing. The components present in CCFE were analysed using LC‐MS/MS, and their functional properties were examined.ResultsCCFE enhanced autophagic flux (LC3II 80% increase, p < 0.05) and reduced senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase activity (32.78% decrease, p < 0.001). In aged mice, a 3‐month supplementation with CCFE improved muscle weight (18% increase, p < 0.05) and function (treadmill performance increased by 60%, p < 0.5; grip strength increased by 25%, p < 0.05). It alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction (basal oxygen consumption rate increased by 59%, p < 0.05) and restored autophagy. CCFE enhanced autophagy by activating AMPK (80% increase, p < 0.01) and inhibiting Atg5 protein acetylation (65% decrease, p < 0.001), with contributions from ellagic acid and polyamines. CCFE supplementation restored polyamine levels (serum spermidine increased from 0.98 ± 0.08 to 2.22 ± 0.05 μg/mL, p < 0.001) and increased urolithin levels (serum urolithin A increased from 0 to 18.79 ± 0.062 ng/mL, p < 0.001), metabolites produced by the gut microbiome from ellagic acid in aged mice.ConclusionsCCFE effectively suppressed skeletal muscle ageing by preventing mitochondrial dysfunction and restoring autophagic flux in aged mice. It achieved this by modulating AMPK and EP300 acetyltransferase activity, with contributions from its constituents, ellagic acid and polyamines. These findings highlight the potential of CCFE as a therapeutic agent for extending healthspan and mitigating sarcopenia, providing a basis for future clinical trials.
Pairs of rats cooperate more when responding to simultaneous reinforcement than to alternated reinforcement
Authors: da Silva Rafael Fernando , de Carvalho Lucas Couto , Couto Kalliu Carvalho , de Souza Lucas Codina , Coelho Cristiano , das Graças de Souza Deisy 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe purpose of this experiment was to explore whether simultaneous access to consequences configures a defining functional feature of coordination. We evaluated whether coordination episodes are maintained when reinforcers are alternately presented to two cooperating rats across these episodes, in contrast to the delivery of reinforcers simultaneously for both rats and independently for each rat. Rat pairs responded under either a tandem fixed‐interval (FI) 10‐s FI 10‐s or a tandem variable‐interval (VI) 10‐s VI 10‐s schedules. In the baseline, lever presses of each rat were individually reinforced according to the tandem FI FI schedule. In two simultaneous reinforcement conditions, reinforcer deliveries depended on coordination episodes under either tandem schedule. In two alternated reinforcement conditions, rats accessed reinforcers in alternation under either tandem schedule. Two main findings are reported: (1) proportions of coordination were consistently higher under the simultaneous than under the alternated reinforcement condition regardless of the type of tandem schedules (FI or VI) and (2) proportions of coordination were similar in the individual and alternated reinforcement conditions. Although the obtained reinforcement rates limit a conclusive evaluation, these findings indicate that the simultaneous delivery of reinforcers (mutual reinforcement) is a critical variable in the operant selection of coordinated responding.
Bandwidth Enhancement of Epsilon‐Near‐Zero Supercoupling with Inverse‐Designed Metamaterials
Authors: Fu Pengyu , Li Peihang , Li Yue 
Published: January 2025

AbstractEpsilon‐near‐zero (ENZ) materials exhibit unique electromagnetic properties that enable efficient wave transmission through channels of arbitrary geometry, which is known as ENZ supercoupling or tunneling. However, the supercoupling effect is typically confined to an inherent narrow bandwidth, which significantly restrict its practical applications. In this paper, a feasible method is proposed that enhanced the bandwidth of ENZ supercoupling. By optimizing the structure of an inverse‐designed pixel metamaterial inserted into the ENZ channel, multiple Fabry‐Perot (FP) modes are properly regulated and coupled, facilitating multimode superposition to enhance the bandwidth for high‐efficiency signal transmission in ENZ channels with arbitrary geometry. Furthermore, a prototype is constructed at microwave frequency to validate the performance of the proposed method, which opens new avenues for the development of broadband and geometry‐independent electromagnetic devices with the benefit of ENZ materials.
A Syndecan‐Mediated Journey
Authors: Couchman John R. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTA brief, personal, retrospective on my career is presented, focusing on the path that led from studies on fibroblast focal adhesions to the signaling roles of syndecan‐4. This summary is framed against the backdrop of major discoveries in the cell adhesion field that influenced our research direction, ultimately leading to the discovery of signaling events that involve kinases, microfilament dynamics, and ion channels. Syndecan regulation of stretch‐activated transient receptor potential channels appears to be a property that extends back to invertebrates and is probably intrinsic to their origins.
Breastfeeding patterns among parturients with diabetes: A secondary analysis of the MOMPOD randomized clinical trial
Authors: Sarker Minhazur , Jacobs Marni B. , Boggess Kim , Battarbee Ashley N. , Refuerzo Jerrie , Zork Noelia , Eichelberger Kacey , Durnwald Celeste , Landon Mark , Aagaard Kjersti , Wallace Kedra , Scifres Christina , Longo Sherri , Stuebe Alison , Ramos Gladys A. ,   the MOMPOD Study Consortium
Published: January 2025

AbstractIntroductionInsulin resistance is associated with decreased milk supply in lactating people. Metformin is hypothesized to increase breast milk production by decreasing insulin resistance, suggesting use may increase breastfeeding success. We aimed to determine the association between metformin use during pregnancy and breastfeeding initiation and continuation.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of the MOMPOD randomized controlled trial of metformin versus placebo in addition to insulin therapy among pregnant people with type 2 diabetes and early diabetes. We included parturients who delivered a living neonate, received at least one dose of study drug or placebo, endorsed an intention to breastfeed, and completed a breastfeeding survey. Breastfeeding intentions and breastfeeding outcomes were collected utilizing a breastfeeding questionnaire at 24–30 weeks and 30 days postpartum, respectively. The primary outcome was breastfeeding at 30 days postpartum defined by exclusive or partial breastfeeding. Secondary outcomes included immediate breastfeeding defined as any breastfeeding during the postpartum hospital admission until at least postpartum day 3, onset of lactogenesis (days), breast and bra size, and breastfeeding challenges. Baseline characteristics and outcomes were compared using chi‐square, t‐test, or Wilcoxon tests, as appropriate.ResultsAmong the 794 women randomized and receiving either placebo or metformin in the primary trial, 378 (47.6%) met inclusion criteria with 194 (51.3%) in metformin and 184 (48.7%) in placebo groups. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics. Immediate breastfeeding was comparable between groups (91.1% vs. 88.9%, p = 0.53) and there was no difference in onset of lactogenesis. Breastfeeding rates were lower among all parturients 30 days postpartum and there was no difference between metformin and placebo groups (76.0% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.11). Also, there were no differences in partial or exclusive breastfeeding, breast cup or bra size, or breastfeeding challenges.ConclusionOur data suggest no association between metformin use and breastfeeding patterns in those with type 2 or early diabetes in pregnancy. Antepartum metformin should not be recommended solely to improve breastfeeding success.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of One‐Pot Microwave‐Synthesized ZnO/CND Hybrid for Sustainable Environmental Remediation
Authors: Sawalha Shadi , Assali Mohyeddin , Farhoud Waleed , Abu‐Shqair Reem , Hamed Rinad , Qadi Aseel 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe development of efficient photocatalytic electrodes holds immense promise for addressing environmental challenges. This study investigates the enhanced photocatalytic activity of a microwave‐synthesized hybrid nanocomposite, emphasizing its potential contribution to sustainable environmental remediation efforts. A hybrid nanocomposite is synthesized via a one‐pot microwave‐based method, combining carbon nanodots (CNDs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) for methylene blue photodegradation. The CNDs are synthesized from D‐glucose precursor with a yield of 17.3%, while ZnO NPs have a higher yield of 27.7%. The hybrid (ZnO/CNDs) is formed with a 24.4% yield, leading to a size over 60 nm, indicating successful adsorption of CNDs on ZnO surfaces. This hybridization improves photocatalytic properties, decreasing the bandgap from 3 to 2.1 eV, and enhancing visible light photocatalysis. Furthermore, thin film electrodes of ZnO and hybrid materials are prepared on glass slides by spin coating. The hybrid electrode demonstrates a 70% degradation efficiency of methylene blue, surpassing ZnO (59%) after 120 min of light exposure. Its rate constant is 0.01162 min−1 compared to ZnO's 0.00943 min−1, with an apparent quantum yield of 0.023 (hybrid) versus 0.019 (ZnO). Stability tests confirms sustained efficiency over multiple cycles, highlighting the electrodes' environmental and economic benefits in sustainable photodegradation applications.