bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diversity and heterogeneity in human breast cancer adipose tissue revealed at single-nucleus resolution
Authors: Tang Lina , Li Tingting , Xie Jing , Huo Yanping , Ye Jianping 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionThere is increasing awareness of the role of adipose tissue in breast cancer occurrence and development, but no comparison of adipose adjacent to breast cancer tissues and adipose adjacent to normal breast tissues has been reported.MethodsSingle-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) was used to analyze cancer-adjacent and normal adipose tissues from the same breast cancer patient to characterize heterogeneity. SnRNA-seq was performed on 54513 cells from six samples of normal breast adipose tissue (N) distant from the tumor and tumor-adjacent adipose tissue (T) from the three patients (all surgically resected).Results and discussionSignificant diversity was detected in cell subgroups, differentiation status and, gene expression profiles. Breast cancer induces inflammatory gene profiles in most adipose cell types, such as macrophages, endothelial cells, and adipocytes. Furthermore, breast cancer decreased lipid uptake and the lipolytic phenotype and caused a switch to lipid biosynthesis and an inflammatory state in adipocytes. The in vivo trajectory of adipogenesis revealed distinct transcriptional stages. Breast cancer induced reprogramming across many cell types in breast cancer adipose tissues. Cellular remodeling was investigated by alterations in cell proportions, transcriptional profiles and cell-cell interactions. Breast cancer biology and novel biomarkers and therapy targets may be exposed.
Preliminary studies of the tardigrada communities from a polymetallic nodule area of the deep South China Sea
Authors: Wang Xiaogu , Bai Lifen , Wang Chunsheng , Lu Bo , Li Yujie , Lin Qinyi , Huang Xinyu , Fontoura Paulo 
Published: April 2023

Knowledge about marine tardigrades from the South China Sea is very scarce, with only four species from shallow waters recorded to date. The present study investigated the structure and diversity of tardigrade communities from the deep sea (1517-1725 m) at 8 stations in a polymetallic nodule area of the northern South China Sea. A total of 151 arthrotardigrades were collected belonging to 11 genera (Angursa, Batillipes, Coronarctus, Euclavarctus, Exoclavarctus, Halechiniscus, Moebjergarctus, Raiarctus, Rhomboarctus, Tanarctus and Tholoarctus), representing 17 species. Two Angursa species (Angursa sp. 4 and Angursa sp. 3) were the most abundant (25.2% and 14.6%, respectively), followed by Moebjergarctus sp. (13.9%). Specimens were mostly (90.7%) distributed in the upper layer of the sandy-mud sediment (0-1 cm). The SIMPROF test showed that the composition of tardigrade communities at all stations was not significantly different. At different stations, the number of species, Shannon-Wiener diversity index and Pielou’s evenness index ranged from 4 to 10, 1.94 to 2.87, and 0.75 to 1.00, respectively. The average taxonomic distinctness (Δ+) ranged from 72.50 to 90.00, and the variation in taxonomic distinctness (Λ+) ranged from 316.67 to 1181.25. This study provides some basic information about the biodiversity of the marine tardigrade community in the South China Sea.
Response of the benthic biomass-size structure to a high-energy submarine canyon
Authors: Tung Chueh-Chen , Chen Yen-Ting , Liao Jian-Xiang , Wei Chih-Lin 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionBody size regulates all biological processes, including growth, reproduction, metabolism, trophic interactions, etc., and is the master trait across organisms, populations, and communities. Despite a rich literature on the impacts of human and natural disturbances on body size, a clear knowledge gap is the effect of the submarine canyons on the benthic size structures in the deep sea, hindering our understanding of the ecological processes of these dominant ecosystems on the continental margin.MethodsTherefore, we conducted repeated sediment sampling to compare meiofauna and macrofauna biomass body-size spectrum, growth, metabolism, and size composition from a high-energy submarine canyon, Gaoping Submarine Canyon (GPSC), and the adjacent continental slope off SW Taiwan. The GPSC is a dynamic ecosystem connected to a high sediment-yield small mountain river subjected to strong internal-tide energy, swift bottom currents, frequent mass wasting events, and high terrestrial sediment inputs.ResultsWe found that the meiofauna and macrofauna were characterized by relatively larger individuals dominating on the slope to smaller ones dominating in the canyon. As a result, the community biomass, secondary production, and respiration were depressed with distinctive biomass-size composition in the canyon compared to the non-canyon slope. The environmental factors related to internal tide disturbance (i.e., bottom current velocity, duration of sediment erosion, or low light transmission) substantially influence the body size composition of the canyon benthos, while food supplies (i.e., TOC and C/N ratio) and sediment characters (i.e., grain size and porosity) correlated closely with the slope communities.DiscussionWe concluded that the disturbed condition in the GPSC may have wiped out or depressed the local benthic assemblages, and only the smaller, more resilient species could persist. Our results also highlight that the alterations of the canyon benthic community could be a reference to deep-sea ecosystems under anthropogenic disturbances or global climate change.
Quantitative optical coherence microscopy of neuron morphology in human entorhinal cortex
Authors: Wang Hui , Gong Dayang , Augustinack Jean C. , Magnain Caroline 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionThe size and shape of neurons are important features indicating aging and the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the significant advances of optical microscopy, quantitative analysis of the neuronal features in the human brain remains largely incomplete. Traditional histology on thin slices bears tremendous distortions in three-dimensional reconstruction, the magnitude of which are often greater than the structure of interest. Recently development of tissue clearing techniques enable the whole brain to be analyzed in small animals; however, the application in the human remains challenging.MethodsIn this study, we present a label-free quantitative optical coherence microscopy (OCM) technique to obtain the morphological parameters of neurons in human entorhinal cortex (EC). OCM uses the intrinsic back-scattering property of tissue to identify individual neurons in 3D. The area, length, width, and orientation of individual neurons are quantified and compared between layer II and III in EC.ResultsThe high-resolution mapping of neuron size, shape, and orientation shows significant differences between layer II and III neurons in EC. The results are validated by standard Nissl staining of the same samples.DiscussionThe quantitative OCM technique in our study offers a new solution to analyze variety of neurons and their organizations in the human brain, which opens new insights in advancing our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases.
Impact of obesity on all-cause and cause-specific mortality among critically ill men and women: a cohort study on the eICU database
Authors: Li Shan , Zhang Wei , Fu Zhiqing , Liu Hongbin 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundThe effect of obesity on intensive care unit outcomes among critically ill patients and whether there are sex differences have not been well investigated. We sought to determine the association between obesity and 30-day all-cause and cause-specific mortality among critically ill men and women.MethodsAdult participants who had body mass index (BMI) measurements were included from the eICU database. Participants were divided into six groups according to BMI (kg/m2) categories (underweight, &lt;18.5; normal weight, 18.5–24.9; overweight, 25–29.9; class I obesity, 30–34.9; class II obesity, 35–39.9; class III obesity, ≥40). A multivariable adjusted logistic model was conducted with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A cubic spline curve based on the generalized additive model was used to represent the nonlinear association. Stratified analysis and sensitivity analysis were also performed.ResultsA total of 160,940 individuals were included in the analysis. Compared with the class I obesity category, the underweight and normal weight categories had higher all-cause mortality, and the multivariable adjusted ORs were 1.62 (95% CI: 1.48–1.77) and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.13–1.27) for the general population, 1.76 (95% CI: 1.54–2.01) and 1.22 (95% CI: 1.13–1.32) for men, and 1.51 (95% CI: 1.33–1.71) and 1.16 (95% CI: 1.06–1.27) for women, respectively. Accordingly, multivariable adjusted ORs for the class III obesity category were 1.14 (95% CI: 1.05–1.24) for the general population, 1.18 (95% CI: 1.05–1.33) for men, and 1.10 (95% CI: 0.98–1.23) for women. With cubic spline curves, the association between BMI and all-cause mortality was U-shaped or reverse J-shaped. Similar findings were observed for cause-specific mortality, with the underweight category associated with a higher risk of mortality. Class III obesity increased the risk of cardiovascular death among men (OR 1.51; 95% CI: 1.23–1.84) and increased the risk of other-cause death among women (OR 1.33; 95% CI: 1.10–1.61).ConclusionThe obesity paradox appears to be suitable for all-cause and cause-specific mortality among critically ill men and women. However, the protective effect of obesity cannot be extended to severely obese individuals. The association between BMI and cardiovascular mortality was sex-specific and was more pronounced among men than among women.
Full-thickness chest wall resection for malignant chest wall tumors and postoperative problems
Authors: Asanuma Kunihiro , Tsujii Masaya , Hagi Tomohito , Nakamura Tomoki , Kita Kouji , Shimamoto Akira , Kataoka Takeshi , Takao Motoshi , Sudo Akihiro 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundChest wall malignant tumor (including primary and metastatic lesions) is rare, representing less than 5% of all thoracic malignancies. Local control of chest wall malignancies requires wide resection with tumor-free margins. These requirements increase the risk of thoracic cavity failure and subsequent pulmonary failure. The restoration strategy for chest wall defects comprises chest wall reconstruction and soft-tissue coverage. Various reconstruction methods have been used, but both evidence and guidelines for chest wall reconstruction remain lacking. The purposes of this study were to collate our institutional experience, evaluate the outcomes of full-thickness chest wall resection and reconstruction for patients with chest wall malignant tumor, and identify problems in current practice for chest wall reconstruction with a focus on local control, complications, pulmonary function and scoliosis.MethodsParticipants comprised 30 patients with full-thickness chest wall malignant tumor who underwent chest wall resection and reconstruction between 1997 and 2021 in Mie University Hospital. All patients underwent chest wall resection of primary, recurrent or metastatic malignant tumors. A retrospective review was conducted for 32 operations.ResultsRecurrence was observed after 5 operations. Total 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was 79.3%. Diameter ≥5 cm was significantly associated with poor RFS. The postoperative complication rate was 18.8%. Flail chest was observed with resection of ≥3 ribs in anterior and lateral resections or with sternum resection without polyethylene methylmethacrylate reconstruction. Postoperative EFV1.0% did not show any significant decrease. Postoperative %VC decreased significantly with resection of ≥4 ribs or an area of &gt;70 cm2. Postoperative scoliosis was observed in 8 of 28 patients. Posterior resection was associated with a high prevalence of scoliosis (88.9%).ConclusionWith chest wall reconstruction, risks of pulmonary impairment, flail chest and scoliosis were significantly increased. New strategies including indications for rigid reconstruction are needed to improve the outcomes of chest wall reconstruction.
The development and validation of a patient-reported outcome measure to assess financial hardship among older cancer survivors in China: hardship and recovery with distress survey
Authors: Liu Li , Zhang Aihua , Su Mingzhu , Sun Xiaojie , Shao Di , Cheng Joyce , Yao Nengliang (Aaron) 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundFinancial hardship has been described as a patient’s economic experiencefollowing cancer-related treatment. Standardized patient-reported outcome measures(PROM) to assess this distress has not been well-studied, especially among older cancer survivors.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to develop and validate PROM for assessing the financial hardship of older cancer survivors in China.MethodsItems were generated using qualitative interviews and literature review. Items were screened based on Delphi expert consultation and patients’ opinions. Item response theory (IRT) and classical test theory (CTT) were used to help reduce items. Retained items formed a pilot instrument that was subjected to psychometric testing. A cut-off score for the new instrument for predicting poor quality of life was identified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.ResultsQualitative interviews and literature review generated 135 items, which were reduced to 60 items because of redundancy. Following Delphi expert consultation and patients’ evaluation, 24 items with high importance were extracted. Sixteen items were selected due to satisfactory statistical analysis based on CTT and IRT. Ten items were retained and comprised 2 domains after loadings in exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Internal consistency was satisfactory (α = 0.838). Test-retest reliability was good (intraclass correlation, 0.909). The ROC analysis suggested that the cut-off of 18.5 yielded an acceptable sensitivity and specificity.ConclusionsThe PROM for Hardship and Recovery with Distress Survey (HARDS) consists of 10 items that specifically reflect the experiences of financial hardship among older Chinese cancer survivors, and it also showed good reliability and validity in clinical settings.
Fetal oxygenation in the last weeks of pregnancy evaluated through the umbilical cord blood gas analysis
Authors: Filippi Luca , Scaramuzzo Rosa Teresa , Pascarella Francesca , Pini Alessandro , Morganti Riccardo , Cammalleri Maurizio , Bagnoli Paola , Ciantelli Massimiliano 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionEmbryo and fetus grow and mature over the first trimester of pregnancy in a dynamic hypoxic environment, where placenta development assures an increased oxygen availability. However, it is unclear whether and how oxygenation changes in the later trimesters and, more specifically, in the last weeks of pregnancy.MethodsObservational study that evaluated the gas analysis of the umbilical cord blood collected from a cohort of healthy newborns with gestational age ≥37 weeks. Umbilical venous and arterial oxygen levels as well as fetal oxygen extraction were calculated to establish whether oxygenation level changes over the last weeks of pregnancy. In addition, fetal lactate, and carbon dioxide production were analyzed to establish whether oxygen oscillations may induce metabolic effects in utero.ResultsThis study demonstrates a progressive increase in fetal oxygenation levels from the 37th to the 41st weeks of gestation (mean venous PaO2 approximately from 20 to 25 mmHg; p &lt; 0.001). This increase is largely attributable to growing umbilical venous PaO2, regardless of delivery modalities. In neonates born by vaginal delivery, the increased oxygen availability is associated with a modest increase in oxygen extraction, while in neonates born by cesarean section, it is associated with reduced lactate production. Independently from the type of delivery, carbon dioxide production moderately increased. These findings suggest a progressive shift from a prevalent anaerobic metabolism (Warburg effect) towards a growing aerobic metabolism.ConclusionThis study confirms that fetuses grow in a hypoxic environment that becomes progressively less hypoxic in the last weeks of gestation. The increased oxygen availability seems to favor aerobic metabolic shift during the last weeks of intrauterine life; we hypothesize that this environmental change may have implications for fetal maturation during intrauterine life.
Clinical features and pathogen distributions of microbiological-based protracted bacterial bronchitis in children of different ages in Northeast China
Authors: Chen Ning , Zhang Han , Feng Yong 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundProtracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) is often diagnosed clinically according to chronic wet cough, which can be resolved by appropriate antibiotics. Though rarely performed in PBB diagnosis, bacterial cultures by sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid can provide etiological features, which may be different in western countries and different areas of China. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and etiological features and outcomes in children of different ages with PBB in northeast China.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed children diagnosed with PBB by positive BAL fluid or sputum bacterial cultures between 2017 and 2021. Children were divided into three age groups: &lt;1 year (infants), 1–5 years (younger children), and ≥6 years (older children). Clinical characteristics, chest radiographic findings, bronchoscopy findings, microbiological findings, treatment strategies, and outcomes were reviewed and compared among the age groups. Factors associated with remission during follow-up were examined using logistic regression.ResultsA total of 45 children with PBB were included, consisting of 24 (53.3%) infants. The infants were often boys and had a shorter cough duration, a lower proportion of expectoration, a greater proportion of wheezing, and less bronchial wall thickening on high-resolution computed tomography compared to older children (P &lt; 0.05). No significant differences were found among the age groups regarding macroscopic findings, except for a higher proportion of tracheobronchial malacia in infants than in older children (P = 0.013). The most commonly cultured bacteria were Haemophilus influenzae (42.2%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (22.2%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.0%). Compared to older children, infants had a higher remission (P = 0.009) and relatively lower relapse rates (P = 0.059). Short duration of cough (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.34–0.99, P = 0.046) and absence of recurrent cephalosporins before diagnosis (OR = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.00–0.73, P = 0.028) were associated with remission.ConclusionsInfants are more prone to PBB, with increased wheezing. Gram-negative bacilli infections are common in infants in northeast China. Older children with PBB should be carefully assessed, treated and followed up, particularly those with long duration of cough and poor response to antibiotic treatments.
Effects of low-dose combined olanzapine and sertraline on negative and depressive symptoms in treatment-resistant outpatients with acute exacerbated schizophrenia
Authors: Lang Xiaoe , Zang Xiaocui , Yu Feng , Xiu Meihong 
Published: April 2023

Background: Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is a major clinical challenge. Current antipsychotic medications do not adequately address negative and depressive symptoms in patients with TRS, and novel treatments are thus needed. This study examines the efficacy of low-dose combined olanzapine (OLA) and sertraline on depressive and negative symptoms in patients with TRS.Methods: A total of 34 TRS outpatients with acutely exacerbated schizophrenia were randomly assigned to OLA monotherapy (12.5–20 mg/day) (control group) or low-dose combined OLA (7.5–10 mg/day) and sertraline (50–100 mg/day) (OS group). Clinical symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at baseline and at the end of treatment in weeks 4, 8, 12, and 24. Depressive symptoms and social functioning were also assessed.Results: Compared to the control group, the OS group showed significant improvements in depressive and negative symptoms over time. In addition, the low-dose combination of OLA and sertraline significantly improved social functioning compared with OLA monotherapy. There were no significant between-group differences in psychotic symptom improvement. However, the reduction in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale total score and PANSS negative subscore were not associated with improvements in social functioning, suggesting that these effects of combined treatment are independent.Conclusion: Low-dose combined OLA and sertraline may be effective in the treatment of negative and depressive symptoms compared with standard OLA monotherapy in patients with TRS who are experiencing an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia.Clinical Trial Registration: [ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04076371].
Effects of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor therapy on mental health of patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Piehler Linus , Thalemann Ralf , Lehmann Christine , Thee Stephanie , Röhmel Jobst , Syunyaeva Zulfiya , Stahl Mirjam , Mall Marcus A. , Graeber Simon Y. 
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The CFTR modulator drug elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) was shown to improve CFTR function and clinical symptoms in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) with at least one F508del allele. Recently, some case reports suggested potential side effects of ETI on mental health with an increase in depressive symptoms and even suicide attempts in patients with CF. However, the general effects of this triple combination therapy on the mental health status of patients with CF remain largely unknown.Methods: We, therefore, performed a prospective, observational study in a real-life setting and investigated the relationship between initiation of ETI therapy and changes in mental health in adult patients with CF. We assessed Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Beck’s Depression Inventory – Fast Screen (BDI-FS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7) at baseline and 8–16 weeks after initiation of ETI.Results: In total, 70 adult patients with CF with at least one F508del allele and a median age of 27.9 years were recruited. After initiation of ETI, the CFQ-R respiratory domain score improved by 27.9 (IQR 5.6 to 47.2; p &lt; 0.001). The PHQ-9 score of depressive symptoms decreased by 1.0 (IQR -3.0 to 0.3; p &lt; 0.05) with an increase of 16.9% in the group with a minimal score after initiation of ETI and a decrease in the groups of mild (−11.3%) or moderate (−5.7%) scores compared to baseline. The BDI-FS score of depressive symptoms decreased from 1.0 (IQR 0.0–2.0) at baseline to 0.0 (IQR 0.0 to 2.0; p &lt; 0.05) after initiation of ETI. The group with a minimal BDI-FS score increased by 8.0% after initiation of ETI, whereas the groups with mild (−4.9%), moderate (−1.6%) or severe (−1.6%) scores decreased compared to baseline. The GAD-7 score of anxiety symptoms did not change after initiation of ETI compared to baseline (0.0; IQR -2.0. to 0.0; p = 0.112).Conclusion: Initiation of ETI improves symptoms of depression in adult patients with CF with at least one F508del allele. However, symptoms of anxiety do not change after short-term therapy with ETI.