bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ambulatory sedation for children under 6 years with CHD in MRI and CT
Authors: Reichl Nicolas , Rabl Elisabeth , Shehu Nerejda , Ferrari Irene , Martinoff Stefan , Wiesner Gunther , Stern Heiko , Ewert Peter , Meierhofer Christian 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIntroduction:In infants and young children, good image quality in MRI and CT requires sedation or general anesthesia to prevent motion artefacts. This study aims to determine the safety of ambulatory sedation for children with CHD in an outpatient setting as a feasible alternative to in-hospital management.Methods:We recorded 91 consecutive MRI and CT examinations of patients with CHD younger than 6 years with ambulatory sedation. CHD diagnoses, vital signs, applied sedatives, and adverse events during or after ambulatory sedation were investigated.Results:We analysed 91 patients under 72 months (6 years) of age (median 26.0, range 1–70 months; 36% female). Sixty-eight per cent were classified as ASA IV, 25% as ASA III, and 7% as ASA II (American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification). Ambulatory sedation was performed by using midazolam, propofol, and/or S-ketamine. The median sedation time for MRI was 90 minutes (range 35–235 minutes) and 65 minutes for CT (range 40–280 minutes). Two male patients (age 1.5 months, ASA II, and age 17 months, ASA IV) were admitted for in-hospital observation due to unexpected severe airway obstruction. The patients were discharged without sequelae after 1 and 3 days, respectively. All other patients were sent home on the day of examination.Conclusion:In infants and young children with CHD, MRI or CT imaging can be performed under sedation in an outpatient setting by a well-experienced team. In-hospital backup should be available for unexpected events.
Piezoelectric ceramic sensor-based structural health monitoring of diagonally braced H-shaped steel structures
Authors: Wu Cai , Xiao Quanmao , Zhu Daopei 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn this study, we propose a piezoelectric ceramic sensor-based health monitoring method to monitor the stress state of diagonally braced H-shaped steel structures. Loading experiments were carried out on diagonally braced H-shaped steel under different working conditions. Subsequently, the amplitude and energy of piezoelectric signals under these two working conditions were compared and analyzed, and finite element analysis was performed using ABAQUS software to verify the results. The experimental results showed that with an increase in the web height or load, the time-domain waveform energy index of the H-shaped steel increased. Under different working conditions, such as a diagonally braced H-shaped steel member with a web height of 10 cm, when the pressure value was less than 10 N/mm2, the energy index increased by approximately 15.98% for every 1 N/mm2 increase in the pressure. When the pressure value was greater than 10 N/mm2 and less than 15 N/mm2, the energy index increased by approximately 1% for every 1 N/mm2 increase in pressure. Further, the energy index increased by approximately 8.4% for every 1 cm increase in the height of the web. Simultaneously, it can be seen from the results of the finite element analysis that the stress and strain at the induction position of the piezoelectric ceramic sensor increased with an increase in the external pressure. The study of structural health monitoring for diagonally braced H-shaped steel structures holds significant importance in ensuring the safety and reliability of these structures, achieving predictive maintenance, evaluating structural performance and energy efficiency, and optimizing structural maintenance.
Association of secondhand smoke exposure and health-related lifestyle behaviors among male university employees in Japan
Authors: Nakanishi Kaori , Ishibashi Chisaki , Ide Seiko , Yamamoto Ryohei , Nishida Makoto , Nagatomo Izumi , Moriyama Toshiki , Yamauchi-Takihara Keiko 
Published: September 2023

AbstractSecondhand smoke (SHS) exposure causes various health problems associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. However, the lifestyles of individuals exposed to SHS have not been characterized extensively. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between SHS exposure and lifestyle behaviors. The participants were 2379 healthy male employees at Osaka University who underwent health examinations. Physical and biochemical parameters and lifestyle behavior data were obtained from all the participants. Participants with SHS exposure had significantly higher body mass index, waist circumference, and serum levels of triglycerides and uric acid than that of those without SHS exposure. SHS exposure was significantly correlated with several lifestyle behaviors, including TV time, frequency of breakfast consumption and fried food consumption, vegetable and fruit intake, alcohol consumption frequency and daily alcohol intake, and smoking status. Thus, SHS exposure may be associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. The lifestyle behaviors of the smoke-excluded population were assessed further; however, SHS exposure was still associated with dietary and drinking habits. Since participants with SHS exposure are likely to have an unhealthy life and combined unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, the confounding effect of these factors should be considered when assessing the impact of SHS exposure on health.
Synthetic circuits based on split Cas9 to detect cellular events
Authors: Przybyszewska-Podstawka Alicja , Czapiński Jakub , Kałafut Joanna , Rivero-Müller Adolfo 
Published: September 2023

AbstractSynthetic biology involves the engineering of logic circuit gates that process different inputs to produce specific outputs, enabling the creation or control of biological functions. While CRISPR has become the tool of choice in molecular biology due to its RNA-guided targetability to other nucleic acids, it has not been frequently applied to logic gates beyond those controlling the guide RNA (gRNA). In this study, we present an adaptation of split Cas9 to generate logic gates capable of sensing biological events, leveraging a Cas9 reporter (EGxxFP) to detect occurrences such as cancer cell origin, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cell–cell fusion. First, we positioned the complementing halves of split Cas9 under different promoters—one specific to cancer cells of epithelial origin (phCEA) and the other a universal promoter. The use of self-assembling inteins facilitated the reconstitution of the Cas9 halves. Consequently, only cancer cells with an epithelial origin activated the reporter, exhibiting green fluorescence. Subsequently, we explored whether this system could detect biological processes such as epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). To achieve this, we designed a logic gate where one half of Cas9 is expressed under the phCEA, while the other is activated by TWIST1. The results showed that cells undergoing EMT effectively activated the reporter. Next, we combined the two inputs (epithelial origin and EMT) to create a new logic gate, where only cancer epithelial cells undergoing EMT activated the reporter. Lastly, we applied the split-Cas9 logic gate as a sensor of cell–cell fusion, both in induced and naturally occurring scenarios. Each cell type expressed one half of split Cas9, and the induction of fusion resulted in the appearance of multinucleated syncytia and the fluorescent reporter. The simplicity of the split Cas9 system presented here allows for its integration into various cellular processes, not only as a sensor but also as an actuator.
Shape memory polyurethanes crosslinked with castor oil-based multifunctional polyols
Authors: Lee Joo Hyung , Kim Seong Hun 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAs both the industry and academia become more focused on biomass-based smart materials, they are attracting a lot of attention. There has been a significant effort in the field of polyurethane (PU) synthesis to replace polyols used in synthesis with bio-derived polyols. Bio-derived polyols have limited application potential for bio-based PU due to their low functionality. Here, we reported castor oil (CO) based multifunctional polyols prepared by grafting thiols such as 1-mercaptoethanol or α–thioglycerol via a facile thiol-ene click reaction method (coded as COM and COT, respectively). Subsequently, bio-based shape memory polyurethanes (SMPU) crosslinked with prepared polyols were synthesized using a 2-step prepolymer method. By confirming the functionality of the synthesized polyols, it was determined that COT has an OH value of 380 mg KOH/g, which is approximately three times that of CO. The successful synthesis of SMPUs was confirmed through chemical structural analysis. It was also proved that the phase separation between the soft and hard segments was limited due to the increase in crosslinking density. As compared to SMPU crosslinked with CO, the mechanical strength of SMPU crosslinked with COT was improved by 80%, while the elongation was decreased by about 26%. As a result of shape memory behavior analysis, it was confirmed that the outstanding SMPU can be synthesized using CO-based multifunctional polyols.
Association of uric acid levels with severity of Plasmodium infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kuraeiad Saruda , Kotepui Kwuntida Uthaisar , Masangkay Frederick Ramirez , Mahittikorn Aongart , Kotepui Manas 
Published: September 2023

AbstractElevated uric acid (UA) levels have been reported in malaria patients and are particularly prominent in severe malaria cases. This study aims to synthesize the difference in UA levels between malaria patients and uninfected controls, and between patients with severe and non-severe malaria. A comprehensive literature search was carried out across databases such as Embase, MEDLINE, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies for inclusion. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated independently by two reviewers using the JBI critical appraisal tool for observational studies. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate the pooled effect sizes, expressed as Hedges' g, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The Hedges' g was pooled using the random-effects model. An initial search yielding a total of 1122 articles, and a final total of 19 studies being included in the review. Elevated UA levels were observed more prominently in malaria patients, especially those with severe manifestations, when compared to uninfected controls. The conducted meta-analysis demonstrated a significant elevation in UA levels in patients suffering from malaria as compared to uninfected controls (P < 0.01, Hedges’s g = 1.40, 95% CI 0.84–1.95, I2 = 95.81, 16 studies). The conducted meta-analysis demonstrated a significant elevation in UA levels in patients suffering from severe malaria as compared to non-severe malaria (P < 0.01, Hedges’s g = 3.45, 95% CI 1.06–5.83, I2 = 98.73, 6 studies). In summary, these findings provide valuable insights into the potential use of UA as a biomarker for malaria infection and determination of its severity. Further research is needed to validate these findings and to explore the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the elevation of UA levels during malaria infection.
Effects of apparent temperature on cardiovascular disease admissions in rural areas of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture
Authors: Zhai Guangyu , Gao Ziyao , Zhou Wenjuan 
Published: September 2023

AbstractCardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major threat to public health worldwide. The relationship between CVD and temperature has been widely reported in developed countries and regions. However, there are few studies of severe CVD in poor rural areas of developing countries. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between CVD and apparent temperature (AT) in a rural area of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, China. Daily CVD admission data and meteorological data were collected from Linxia between 2014 and 2015. The media of AT was used as the reference temperature to estimate the cumulative relative risk (RR) of CVD admission. The distributed lag non-linear models were used to examine the association between AT and cumulative RR of CVD admission at lag 0–21 days. In Linxia, high AT (20 °C) had a persistent adverse effect on cumulative RR of CVD admissions, and the RR increased with increasing lag days. Cold (− 10 °C) had a protective effect on the first and later lag days (lag 0–14 and lag 0–21). Adults (aged < 65 years) and females were more susceptible to the effects of heat than males and the elderly (aged ≥ 65 years). In Linxia, China, extremely high AT is an important risk factor for CVD hospitalizations in suburban and rural populations.
Glycerol photocatalytic oxidation to higher value-added compounds via bismuth oxyhalide photocatalysts
Authors: Limpachanangkul Paphada , Nimmmanterdwong Prathana , Liu Licheng , Hunsom Mali , Pruksathorn Kejvalee , Piumsomboon Pornpote , Chalermsinsuwan Benjapon 
Published: September 2023

AbstractBismuth oxyhalides (BiOX) including BiOCl, BiOBr, and BiOI, were well synthesized using solvothermal technique and then used in the aqueous phase photooxidation of glycerol as a catalyst. The as-synthesized BiOBr could achieve the highest glycerol transformation of around 85.6% in 8 h under ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation among as-synthesized BiOXs. Moreover, the BiOBr/TiO2 heterojunction was also prepared through an ethylene glycol-assisted solvothermal process. This new BiOBr/TiO2 heterostructure exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity (97.4%) for the oxidation of glycerol compared with pure BiOBr (74%) under ultraviolet light irradiation at 6 h. This obtained behavior was confirmed by more produced OH• radicals of BiOBr/TiO2.
Linkage analysis using whole exome sequencing data implicates SLC17A1, SLC17A3, TATDN2 and TMEM131L in type 1 diabetes in Kuwaiti families
Authors: Hebbar Prashantha , Nizam Rasheeba , John Sumi Elsa , Antony Dinu , Dashti Mohammad , Channanath Arshad , Shaltout Azza , Al-Khandari Hessa , Koistinen Heikki A. , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Alsmadi Osama , Thanaraj Thangavel Alphonse , Al-Mulla Fahd 
Published: September 2023

AbstractType 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by the progressive destruction of pancreatic β-cells, leading to insulin deficiency and lifelong dependency on exogenous insulin. Higher estimates of heritability rates in monozygotic twins, followed by dizygotic twins and sib-pairs, indicate the role of genetics in the pathogenesis of T1D. The incidence and prevalence of T1D are alarmingly high in Kuwait. Consanguineous marriages account for 50–70% of all marriages in Kuwait, leading to an excessive burden of recessive allele enrichment and clustering of familial disorders. Thus, genetic studies from this Arab region are expected to lead to the identification of novel gene loci for T1D. In this study, we performed linkage analyses to identify the recurrent genetic variants segregating in high-risk Kuwaiti families with T1D. We studied 18 unrelated Kuwaiti native T1D families using whole exome sequencing data from 86 individuals, of whom 37 were diagnosed with T1D. The study identified three potential loci with a LOD score of ≥ 3, spanning across four candidate genes, namely SLC17A1 (rs1165196:pT269I), SLC17A3 (rs942379: p.S370S), TATDN2 (rs394558:p.V256I), and TMEM131L (rs6848033:p.R190R). Upon examination of missense variants from these genes in the familial T1D dataset, we observed a significantly increased enrichment of the genotype homozygous for the minor allele at SLC17A3 rs56027330_p.G279R accounting for 16.2% in affected children from 6 unrelated Kuwaiti T1D families compared to 1000 genomes Phase 3 data (0.9%). Data from the NephQTL database revealed that the rs1165196, rs942379, rs394558, and rs56027330 SNPs exhibited genotype-based differential expression in either glomerular or tubular tissues. Data from the GTEx database revealed rs942379 and rs394558 as QTL variants altering the expression of TRIM38 and IRAK2 respectively. Global genome-wide association studies indicated that SLC17A1 rs1165196 and other variants from SLC17A3 are associated with uric acid concentrations and gout. Further evidence from the T1D Knowledge portal supported the role of shortlisted variants in T1D pathogenesis and urate metabolism. Our study suggests the involvement of SLC17A1, SLC17A3, TATDN2, and TMEM131L genes in familial T1D in Kuwait. An enrichment selection of genotype homozygous for the minor allele is observed at SLC17A3 rs56027330_p.G279R variant in affected members of Kuwaiti T1D families. Future studies may focus on replicating the findings in a larger T1D cohort and delineate the mechanistic details of the impact of these novel candidate genes on the pathophysiology of T1D.
Continuous anesthesia for 60 days in an isosmotic environment does not impair limb or cardiac regeneration in the axolotl
Authors: Andersson Sofie Amalie , Dittrich Anita , Lauridsen Henrik 
Published: September 2023

AbstractLongitudinal animal experiments in the field of regenerative biology often require repeated use of short-term anesthesia (minutes to a few hours). Regain of consciousness limits the level of acceptable invasiveness of procedures, and it makes it difficult to untangle behavioral changes caused by injury to physiological processes involved in the regenerative response. Therefore, a method to keep a regenerative research animal in a comatose state under continuous anesthesia during regenerative experiments often spanning months, would be ethically and experimentally desirable. Here we report on a method using propofol based anesthesia in an isosmotic environment that allows for continuous anesthesia of regenerating axolotls for 60 days with a 75% survival rate, thus spanning the majority of a full regenerative cycle following limb amputation or cryoinjury to the heart. No differences were detected in the axolotl’s ability to regenerate amputated limbs and cardiac cryo-injury while anesthetized, however some regenerative failures in the limb were observed in both anesthetized and unanesthetized control groups, most likely caused by prolonged fasting. Sixty days of anesthesia may be approaching a level were kidney function is affected, but the 75% surviving anesthetized animals recovered well after anesthesia and showed a full behavioral recovery within 17 days.
GDNF AND CISPLATIN NEURONOPATHY
Authors: Cavaletti G. , Dondè E. , Marmiroli P. , Tredici G. 
Published: September 2023

GDNF is a growth factor produced in the central nervous system by glial cells and has a trophic action on dopaminergic neurons. However, GDNF mRNA is expressed also in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), suggesting that it may act as a neurotrophic factor on different neuronal populations. The three different GDNF receptor components are highly expressed in a group of small primary sensory neurons and these neurons do not express any of the specific Trk receptors for the neurotrophins. Furthermore, GDNF receptor expression has been also found in DRG neurons of all sizes, indicating that these cells too may be responsive to GDNF. We have, therefore, evaluated the possible neuroprotective effect of GDNF (1 mg/kg, s.c. three times a week, donated by Amgen Inc) against cisplatin (CDDP, 2 mg/Kg i.p. twice a week for 9 times) DRG neuronopathy.Using our experimental paradigm, GDNF had no positive effect with both electrophysiological and morphometric determinations. The lack of GDNF activity in preventing the signs of peripheral nerve involvement in CDDP neuronopathy with respect to NGF and NT3 may be explained by a different distribution of their specific receptors in DRG neurons. In fact, the specific NT‐3 TrkC receptor is mainly expressed by the large DRG neurons, which are prominently involved in cisplatin neuronopathy, while GDNF receptors are mainly, although not exclusively, expressed by small‐ and medium‐sized DRG neurons. Small‐ and medium‐sized DRG neurons are also involved in the pathological changes of cisplatin neuronopathy, but to a lesser degree than the large ones. Furthermore, GDNF, in other models of peripheral neuropathies, may be active in an indirect way, mediated by its capacity to activate macrophages and inflammatory responses.
CMT1A ASSOCIATED WITH 17p11.2 DUPLICATION AND ASYMMETRICAL LEG MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY
Authors: Manganelli F. , Orsini A. , Iadicicco L. , Santoro L. 
Published: September 2023

Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited disorder of the peripheral nervous system. It is characterized by distal muscle weakness and atrophy, first involving legs and particularly the peroneal muscles with the typical leg as “inverted champagne bottle”.The CMT1A is an autosomal dominant demyelinating sensorimotor neuropathy most often associated with a duplication of chromosome 17p11.2, a region that contains the gene for the peripheral protein 22 (PMP22). We describe two families with CMT1A, in which three of six members did not show the typical feature of leg atrophy. In fact, a patient belonging to the first family showed a bilateral symmetric hypertrophy of the calf. In the second family, a patient had an asymmetric bilateral calf hypertrophy, and his son showed a similar condition but the asymmetric hypertrophy involved the whole left limb. The other cardinal features in our family were distal weakness of lower limbs (5 of 6), pes cavus (3 of 6), and reduced or absent tendon reflexes (6 of 6).Motor and sensory conduction velocities showed, in all nerves explored, values at or below 38 m/sec. The computed tomography of lower limbs showed that leg enlargement was due to true muscle hypertrophy without concomitant increase of adipose or connective tissue.The pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for muscle enlargement are yet unclear. It is possible that one or more genetic factors, still unknown, may be linked genetically to the neuropathy in such pedigrees in which most or all affected members carry the trait.
DOES LOSS OF MEDIAN NERVE FIBRES INFLUENCE SPONTANEOUS PAIN OCCURRING IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME?
Authors: Buonocore M. , Bodini A. , Mazzucchi G. , Piazzoli S. , Bagnasco R. 
Published: September 2023

Following peripheral nerve injury, a variety of mechanisms may generate and maintain pain. Pain mechanisms occurring in entrapment neuropathies are largely unknown. Many studies have related peripheral neuropathic pain to nerve fibre dysfunction.Aim of the study was to test the hypothesis of a possible role played by the loss of nerve fibres in the pathogenesis of pain occurring in patients with severe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).Methods: Three consecutive patients (females) with severe monolateral CTS but not spontaneous pain were enrolled. Five females, age‐matched control patients with severe monolateral CTS and spontaneous pain, were also recruited. Severe CTS was confirmed by neurological examination and classified by nerve conduction studies (absence of peripheral sensory and motor evoked potentials). In order to assess small‐diameter fibres the Sympathetic Skin Response (SSR) evoked by auditory, alerting stimuli and recorded from the palm was also bilaterally tested.Results: Patients with and without spontaneous pain demonstrated the same clinical pattern of nerve fibre dysfunction. In particular, all patients had severe hypesthesia (tactile and vibratory) and hypalgesia (pinprick evaluation) over the second and third fingers (palmar surface), with an extension of sensory loss into the palm. Moreover, in all patients, SSR was always bilaterally and symmetrically present.Conclusion: These results failed to indicate a possible role of fibre loss (both large and small) of the median nerve in the pathogenesis of pain occurring in patients with severe CTS. Different pain mechanisms, both neuropathic and nociceptive, may be simultaneously present in any one patient. Studies on a large population of patients are needed.