bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of chronic comorbidities on hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and death among adult vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 confirmed cases during the Omicron wave
Authors: Simard Marc , Boiteau Véronique , Fortin Élise , Jean Sonia , Rochette Louis , Trépanier Pierre-Luc , Gilca Rodica 
Published: April 2023

Background Comorbidities are important risk factors of severe COVID-19 complications. Their impact during the Omicron wave among vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 cases is not well documented. Purpose The objective of this study was to estimate the association between the number of comorbidities and the risk of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death among vaccinated and unvaccinated confirmed adult COVID-19 cases during the Omicron wave. Research Design and Study sample We performed a cohort study of COVID-19 adult cases of primo-infection occurring during the Omicron wave, from December 5, 2021 to January 9, 2022 using surveillance database of the province of Québec, Canada. The database included all laboratory-confirmed cases in the province and the related information on 21 pre-existing comorbidities, hospitalization, ICU admission, death related to COVID-19 and vaccination status. Analysis We performed a robust Poisson regression model to estimate the impact of the number of comorbidities on each complication by vaccination status adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and living environment. Results We observed that the risk of complication increased for each additional comorbidity in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and that this risk was systematically higher among unvaccinated individuals. Compared with vaccinated individuals without comorbidities (reference group), the risks of hospitalization, ICU admission, and death were respectively: 9X (95% CI [7.77–12.01]), 13X (95% CI [8.74–18.87]), and 12X (95% CI [7.57–18.91]) higher in vaccinated individuals with ≥3 comorbidities; 22X (95% CI [19.07–25.95]), 45X (95% CI [29.06-69.67]) and 38X (95% CI [23.62-61.14]) higher in unvaccinated individuals with ≥3 comorbidities. Conclusion Our results support the importance of promoting vaccination in all individuals, and especially those with pre-existing medical conditions, to reduce severe complications, even during the Omicron wave.
Evaluation of Bacillus aryabhattai B8W22 peroxidase for phenol removal in waste water effluents
Authors: Elmetwalli Alaa , Allam Nanis G. , Hassan Mervat G. , Albalawi Aisha Nawaf , Shalaby Azza , El-Said Karim Samy , Salama Afrah Fatthi 
Published: April 2023

AbstractEnvironmental contamination by phenol has been reported in both aquatic and atmospheric environments. This study aimed to separate and purify the peroxidase enzyme from bacteria that degrade phenol from wastewater sources. An enrichment culture of MSM was used to screen 25 bacterial isolates from different water samples for peroxidase production, six of the isolates exhibited high levels of peroxidase enzyme activity. Qualitative analysis of peroxidase revealed that isolate No. 4 had the highest halo zones (Poly-R478: 14.79 ± 0.78 mm, Azure B: 8.81 ± 0.61 mm). The promising isolate was identified as Bacillus aryabhattai B8W22 by 16S rRNA gene sequencing with accession number OP458197. As carbon and nitrogen sources, mannitol and sodium nitrate were utilized to achieve maximum peroxidase production. A 30-h incubation period was used with pH 6.0, 30 °C, mannitol, and sodium nitrate, respectively, for maximal production of peroxidase. Purified peroxidase enzyme showed 0.012 U/mg specific activity, and SDS-PAGE analysis indicated a molecular weight of 66 kDa. The purified enzyme exhibits maximum activity and thermal stability at pH values of 4.0 and 8.0, respectively, with maximum activity at 30 °C and complete thermal stability at 40 °C. In the purified enzyme, the Km value was 6.942 mg/ml and the Vmax value was 4.132 mol/ml/hr, respectively. The results demonstrated that Bacillus aryabhattai B8W22 has promising potential for degrading phenols from various phenol-polluted wastewater sources.
The fruit morphometric variation and fruit type evolution of the stone oaks (Fagaceae, Lithocarpus)
Authors: Chen Xi , Qin Yuanyi , Jia Dongrui 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background
The great species diversity of Lithocarpus is associated with interspecific fruit morphological variation, represented by acorn (AC) and enclosed receptacle (ER) fruit types. Species representing both fruit types co-occur in the same forests and share two distribution centers in southern China and southeastern Asia. The predation selection hypothesis suggests that the fruit morphological mechanical trade-off between two fruit types could represent divergent dispersal strategies under varied predation pressures. By integrating phylogenetic construction with fruit morphometric study, we tried to verify the predation selection hypothesis and elucidate the fruit type evolution of Lithocarpus, which is critical in interpreting the distribution and diversification of the genus.

Results
We identified the functional trade-off between the two fruit types: ER species have bigger seeds which are enclosed mainly by receptacle representing stronger physical defense; whereas the seeds of AC species are smaller and enclosed mainly by thin pericarp representing lower mechanical protection. Despite some reversals from ER back to AC, the ancestral state reconstruction in combination with thermal analysis supports the hypothesis that ER is the derived fruit type from AC-like ancestors independently across all clades.

Conclusion
Our results support the predation selection hypothesis by verifying the mechanical trade-off between the two fruit types. We propose a divergent selection theory for the two fruit types: the seed size and mechanical defense of AC species become smaller, whereas those of ER species become larger and require more morphological modifications in the receptacle. This signified the importance of the receptacle in differentiating the two fruit types and in the fruit morphological modification through evolutionary time. We found that the ER-type species evolved independently in all clades and across varied climates from tropical to warm temperate regions. As ER fruits are products of convergent evolution, we propose to examine the predation and dispersal variation between two fruit types in the future to verify whether predation selection is the reason behind fruit type evolution of the stone oaks.
A high-quality assembled genome of a representative peach landrace, ‘Feichenghongli’, and analysis of distinct late florescence and narrow leaf traits
Authors: Li Miao , Li Jian , Nie Peixian , Li Guixiang , Liu Wei , Gong Qingtao , Dong Xiaomin , Gao Xiaolan , Chen Wenyu , Zhang Anning 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background
Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) is one of the most popular fruits worldwide. Although the reference genome of ‘Lovell’ peach has been released, the diversity of genome-level variations cannot be explored with one genome. To detect these variations, it is necessary to assemble more genomes.

Results
We sequenced and de novo assembled the genome of ‘Feichenghongli’ (FCHL), a representative landrace with strict self-pollination, which maintained the homozygosity of the genome as much as possible. The chromosome-level genome of FCHL was 239.06 Mb in size with a contig N50 of 26.93 Mb and only 4 gaps at the scaffold level. The alignment of the FCHL genome with the reference ‘Lovell’ genome enabled the identification of 432535 SNPs, 101244 insertions and deletions, and 7299 structural variants. Gene family analysis showed that the expanded genes in FCHL were enriched in sesquiterpenoids and triterpenoid biosynthesis. RNA-seq analyses were carried out to investigate the two distinct traits of late florescence and narrow leaves. Two key genes, PpDAM4 and PpAGL31, were identified candidates for the control of flower bud dormancy, and an F-box gene, PpFBX92, was identified as a good candidate gene in the regulation of leaf size.

Conclusions
The assembled high-quality genome could deepen our understanding of variations among diverse genomes and provide valuable information for identifying functional genes and improving the molecular breeding process.
Trichloroethanol, an active metabolite of chloral hydrate, modulates tetrodotoxin-resistant Na+ channels in rat nociceptive neurons
Authors: Kim Gimin , Kim Hyunjung , Jang Il-Sung 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background
Chloral hydrate is a sedative-hypnotic drug widely used for relieving fear and anxiety in pediatric patients. However, mechanisms underlying the chloral hydrate-mediated analgesic action remain unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the effect of 2′,2′,2′-trichloroethanol (TCE), the active metabolite of chloral hydrate, on tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) Na+ channels expressed in nociceptive sensory neurons.

Methods
The TTX-R Na+ current (INa) was recorded from acutely isolated rat trigeminal ganglion neurons using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique.

Results
Trichloroethanol decreased the peak amplitude of transient TTX-R INa in a concentration-dependent manner and potently inhibited persistent components of transient TTX-R INa and slow voltage-ramp-induced INa at clinically relevant concentrations. Trichloroethanol exerted multiple effects on various properties of TTX-R Na+ channels; it (1) induced a hyperpolarizing shift on the steady-state fast inactivation relationship, (2) increased use-dependent inhibition, (3) accelerated the onset of inactivation, and (4) retarded the recovery of inactivated TTX-R Na+ channels. Under current-clamp conditions, TCE increased the threshold for the generation of action potentials, as well as decreased the number of action potentials elicited by depolarizing current stimuli.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that chloral hydrate, through its active metabolite TCE, inhibits TTX-R INa and modulates various properties of these channels, resulting in the decreased excitability of nociceptive neurons. These pharmacological characteristics provide novel insights into the analgesic efficacy exerted by chloral hydrate.
A case report of isolated right ventricular noncompaction with mutation of ACVRL1: a new cause of noncompaction of ventricular myocardium?
Authors: Yu Bo , Shi Kun , Wen Yang , Yang Yanfeng 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background
Noncompaction of ventricular myocardium(NVM) is a rare kind of cardiomyopathy associated with genetic mutations and nongenetic factors, among which the isolated right ventricular noncompaction (iRVNC) is the most rare type. ACVRL1 is the pathogenic gene of type 2 hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT2), and there’s no NVM reported to be associated with ACVRL1 mutation.

Case presentation
This is a rare case diagnosed as iRVNC and pulmonary hypertention with ACVRL1 mutation detected.

Conclusion
iRVNC in this case may be due to ACVRL1 mutation, secondary to pulmonary hypertention and right ventricular failure caused by ACVRL1 mutation, or they happened in the same case coincidently.
Effects of obesity on short-term mortality in patients with acute heart failure under different nutritional status
Authors: Liu Linlin , Qian Jun , Li Yuanyuan , Ni Ye , Zhao Ya , Che Lin 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background
Increased body mass index (BMI) is associated with better survival in patients with acute heart failure (AHF), which is a paradoxical phenomenon. However, it is unclear whether different nutritional status affects this association.

Methods
1325 patients with AHF from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database were retrospectively included. Nutritional status was assessed by serum albumin (SA) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). Patients were divided into High-SA (≥ 3.5 g/dL) and Low-SA groups (< 3.5 g/dL), and they also were divided into High-PNI (≥ 38) and Low-PNI groups (< 38). Propensity-score matching (PSM) was used to control for the effect of baseline confounding factors, multifactor regression model was adopted to assess the association of nutritional status, BMI, and outcomes in AHF patients.

Results
Of the 1325 patients (mean age 72.4 ± 13.1 years), 52.1% (n = 690) were male, 13.1% (n = 173) died in hospital and 23.5% (n = 311) died within 90 days. Before PSM, after adjusting for potential confounders, in the High-SA population, compared with the under/normal BMI group, overweight and obesity were negatively correlated with 90-day mortality, with adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.30–0.74), P = 0.001; HR 0.45, 95%CI (0.28–0.72), P = 0.001, respectively. However, this correlation was much attenuated in the Low-SA group (overweight BMI: HR 1.06, 95%CI 0.75–1.50, P = 0.744; obese BMI: HR 0.86, 95%CI 0.59–1.24, P = 0.413). After PSM, those who were overweight or obese in the High-SA group had a 50–58% reduction in 90-day risk of death, while the protective effect disappeared in the Low-SA group (HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.70–1.71; HR 1.02, 95%CI 0.66 − 0.59). Similarly, results were similar in analyses using PNI as a nutritional assessment criterion.

Conclusion
Overweight or Obesity was associated with lower short-term mortality in well-nourished AHF patients, whereas this association was significantly attenuated or even disappeared in malnourished patients. Therefore, further research is needed for weight loss recommendations for malnourished obese patients with AHF.
Functional genomics in stroke: current and future applications of iPSCs and gene editing to dissect the function of risk variants
Authors: Granata Alessandra 
Published: April 2023

AbstractStroke is an important disease with unmet clinical need. To uncover novel paths for treatment, it is of critical importance to develop relevant laboratory models that may help to shed light on the pathophysiological mechanisms of stroke. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) technology has enormous potential to advance our knowledge into stroke by creating novel human models for research and therapeutic testing. iPSCs models generated from patients with specific stroke types and specific genetic predisposition in combination with other state of art technologies including genome editing, multi-omics, 3D system, libraries screening, offer the opportunity to investigate disease-related pathways and identify potential novel therapeutic targets that can then be tested in these models. Thus, iPSCs offer an unprecedented opportunity to make rapid progress in the field of stroke and vascular dementia research leading to clinical translation. This review paper summarizes some of the key areas in which patient-derived iPSCs technology has been applied to disease modelling and discusses the ongoing challenges and the future directions for the application of this technology in the field of stroke research.
Bayesian regularization to predict neuropsychiatric adverse events in smoking cessation with pharmacotherapy
Authors: Truong Van Thi Thanh , Green Charles , Pedroza Claudia , Hwang Lu-Yu , Rajan Suja S. , Suchting Robert , Cinciripini Paul , Tyndale Rachel F. , Lerman Caryn 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Background
Research on risk factors for neuropsychiatric adverse events (NAEs) in smoking cessation with pharmacotherapy is scarce. We aimed to identify predictors and develop a prediction model for risk of NAEs in smoking cessation with medications using Bayesian regularization.

Methods
Bayesian regularization was implemented by applying two shrinkage priors, Horseshoe and Laplace, to generalized linear mixed models on data from 1203 patients treated with nicotine patch, varenicline or placebo. Two predictor models were considered to separate summary scores and item scores in the psychosocial instruments. The summary score model had 19 predictors or 26 dummy variables and the item score model 51 predictors or 58 dummy variables. A total of 18 models were investigated.

Results
An item score model with Horseshoe prior and 7 degrees of freedom was selected as the final model upon model comparison and assessment. At baseline, smokers reporting more abnormal dreams or nightmares had 16% greater odds of experiencing NAEs during treatment (regularized odds ratio (rOR) = 1.16, 95% credible interval (CrI) = 0.95 – 1.56, posterior probability P(rOR > 1) = 0.90) while those with more severe sleep problems had 9% greater odds (rOR = 1.09, 95% CrI = 0.95 – 1.37, P(rOR > 1) = 0.85). The prouder a person felt one week before baseline resulted in 13% smaller odds of having NAEs (rOR = 0.87, 95% CrI = 0.71 – 1.02, P(rOR < 1) = 0.94). Odds of NAEs were comparable across treatment groups. The final model did not perform well in the test set.

Conclusions
Worse sleep-related symptoms reported at baseline resulted in 85%—90% probability of being more likely to experience NAEs during smoking cessation with pharmacotherapy. Treatment for sleep disturbance should be incorporated in smoking cessation program for smokers with sleep disturbance at baseline. Bayesian regularization with Horseshoe prior permits including more predictors in a regression model when there is a low number of events per variable.
Is shared decision-making a determinant of polypharmacy in older patients with chronic disease? A cross-sectional study in Hubei Province, China
Authors: Zong Qiao , Feng Zhanchun , Wang Jia , Zheng Zehao , Chen Chaoyi , Feng Da 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBackgroundShared decision-making(SDM) is recognized as an important means of managing polypharmacy among older people with chronic diseases. However, no studies have quantitatively measured the effect of SDM on polypharmacy. The objective of this study was to compare the impact of SDM and other factors on polypharmacy in inpatients and community patients. Additionally, the study aimed to compare the impact of different decision types on polypharmacy in community patients.MethodsThis is a population-based multicenter retrospective study conducted in Hubei Province, China. A cluster sampling approach was used to recruit 536 chronic disease inpatients from March to April 2019, and 849 community patients were recruited from April to June 2021. Propensity score weighting was used to control the confounding variables and determine the net effect of SDM on polypharmacy.ResultsAmong the 536 hospitalized patients, the prevalence of polypharmacy was 56.3%. A high level of SDM was significantly associated with a lower risk of polypharmacy. Patients with chronic illnesses aged 76 years and older and with an annual family income of 24,001–36,000 yuan were associated with a lower likelihood of polypharmacy (p < 0.05). Multimorbidity was often accompanied by the occurrence of multiple medication use. Among 849 community patients, the prevalence of polypharmacy was 21.8%. Among types of decision-making, informed and paternalistic decision-making showed a higher likelihood of polypharmacy compared with shared decision-making (P < 0.05). Male, older patients over 76 years of age, urban residents, annual household income of 12,001–24,000 yuan, and multimorbidity were associated with higher likelihood of polypharmacy (P < 0.05). Patients with an annual household income of 24,001–36,000 yuan, 36,001 yuan or more, and good medication compliance showed a lower likelihood of polypharmacy (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe prevalence of polypharmacy is high among China's older population with chronic disease who should be paid more atthention by the healthcare providers. Additionaly, encouraging the patients' attendance in SDM, reducing paternalistic and informed decision-making during prescribing, improving patient medication compliance, and increasing the promotion and guidance of rational medication use for patients are essential to reduce polypharmacy in Chinese chronic disease patients.
The association between cognition and gait disturbance in central nervous system demyelinating disorder with mild disability
Authors: Chang Min Cheol , Lee Byung Joo , Yang Dongseok , Kim Chung Reen , Park Donghwi , Kim Sunyoung 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Introduction
Gait disturbance in central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is one of the most troublesome problems that has a direct impact on the quality of life. However, the associations between gait disturbance and other clinical variables of these two diseases have not been fully elucidated.

Objective
This study aimed to evaluate gait disturbance using a computerized gait analysis system and its association with various clinical variables in patients with MS and NMO.

Methods
A total of 33 patients (14 with MS and 19 with NMO) with minor disabilities, who were able to walk independently and had passed their acute phase, were enrolled in the study. Gait analysis were performed using a computer-based instrumented walkway system. (Walk-way MG-1000, Anima, Japan) Clinical variables, such as disease duration, medication, body mass index (BMI), hand grip power, and muscle mass were recorded. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Beck Depression Inventory score-II (BDI), and fatigue scale were measured using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-fatigue scale (FACIT-fatigue) scale. A trained neurologist scored the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Results
Gait speed was the single parameter that showed a significant positive correlation with MOCA (p < 0.001). The stance phase time was the single parameter that showed a significant negative correlation with EDSS (p < 0.001). Hand grip strength showed a significant positive correlation with skeletal muscle mass as assessed by bioimpedance analysis (p < 0.05). The FACIT-fatigue scale score showed a significant negative correlation with the BDI (p < 0.001).

Conclusion
In our patients with MS/NMO with mild disability, cognitive impairment was significantly correlated with gait speed, and the degree of disability was significantly correlated with stance phase time. Our findings may imply that early detection of a decrease in gait speed and an increase in stance phase time can predict the progression of cognitive impairment in patients with MS/NMO with mild disability.