bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Musculoskeletal simulation of professional ski jumpers during take-off considering aerodynamic forces
Authors: Huang Yi , Jiang Liang , Chen Xue , Sun Qing , Zhang Xiao , Tan Xunan , Du Yan , Zhang Fangtong , Wang Nannan , Su Rufeng , Qu Feng , Zhang Guoqing , Huo Bo 
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Musculoskeletal simulation has been widely used to analyze athletes’ movements in various competitive sports, but never in ski jumping. Aerodynamic forces during ski jumping take-off have been difficult to account for in dynamic simulation. The purpose of this study was to establish an efficient approach of musculoskeletal simulation of ski jumping take-off considering aerodynamic forces and to analyze the muscle function and activity.Methods: Camera-based marker-less motion capture was implemented to measure the take-off kinematics of eight professional jumpers. A suitable full-body musculoskeletal model was constructed for the simulation. A method based on inverse dynamics iteration was developed and validated to estimate the take-off ground reaction force. The aerodynamic forces, which were calculated based on body kinematics and computational fluid dynamics simulations, were exerted on the musculoskeletal model as external forces. The activation and joint torque contributions of lower extremity muscles were calculated through static optimization.Results: The estimated take-off ground reaction forces show similar trend with the results from past studies. Although overall inconsistencies between simulated muscle activation and EMG from previous studies were observed, it is worth noting that the activation of the tibialis anterior, gluteus maximus, and long head of the biceps femoris was similar to specific EMG results. Among lower extremity extensors, soleus, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris long head, gluteus maximus, and semimembranosus showed high levels of activation and joint extension torque contribution.Discussion: Results of this study advanced the understanding of muscle action during ski jumping take-off. The simulation approach we developed may help guide the physical training of jumpers for improved take-off performance and can also be extended to other phases of ski jumping.
The role of tyrosine in protein-dopamine based bioinspired adhesives: the stoichiometry that maximizes bonding strength
Authors: Lo Presti Marco , Ostrovsky-Snider Nicholas , Rizzo Giorgio , Portoghese Marina , Blasi Davide , Farinola Gianluca M. , Omenetto Fiorenzo G. 
Published: August 2023

Nature has evolved adhesive materials adaptive for several different environments by using versatile chemistry that largely relies on two simple components: catechols and polypeptides. Herein, using dopamine as a catechol compound and several model proteins, we show how the adhesive properties can be tuned by controlling the ratio between catechol units and the tyrosine amino acid residue in the protein components. We found that the best bonding strength performance is obtained using a dopamine molar excess to tyrosine of 8.6 ± 2.9. Our study points out a general design criterion and process to obtain high-performance adhesives (&gt;2 MPa) starting from cheap, commercially available, and sustainable raw materials.
Plasma myeloperoxidase: association with atrial fibrillation progression and recurrence after catheter ablation
Authors: Liu Jingmeng , Lin Changjian , Zhou Taojie , Bao Yangyang , Xie Yun , Wei Yue , Luo Qingzhi , Ling Tianyou , Pan Wenqi , Zhang Ning , Lu Lin , Wu Liqun , Jin Qi 
Published: August 2023

BackgroundMyeloperoxidase (MPO), released by activated neutrophils, is significantly increased in atrial fibrillation (AF). MPO may play a role in the progression of atrial fibrillation and further involved in AF recurrence after catheter ablation. We compared plasma MPO levels in paroxysmal and persistent AF and explored their role in AF recurrence after catheter ablation.MethodsPlasma MPO levels were measured in consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF (n = 225) and persistent AF (n = 106). Samples of patients were collected from the femoral vein during catheter ablation and all patients included were followed up after catheter ablation.ResultsPlasma MPO levels increased from paroxysmal AF to persistent AF patients (56.31 [40.33–73.51] vs. 64.11 [48.65–81.11] ng/ml, p &lt; 0.001). MPO significantly correlated with left atrium volume (LAV) and there existed a significant interaction between the two in relation to AF recurrence (p for interaction &lt;0.05). During a median follow-up of 14 months, 28 patients with paroxysmal AF (12.44%) and 27 patients with persistent AF (25.47%) presented with recurrence after catheter ablation. The percentage of recurrence increased stepwise with increasing tertiles of MPO levels in both paroxysmal AF and persistent AF. MPO levels remained independently associated with AF recurrence after adjusting for potential confounding variables.ConclusionMPO levels were higher in persistent AF than in paroxysmal AF and MPO was positively correlated with LAV in AF. Elevated MPO levels may predispose a switch in AF phenotype and AF recurrence after catheter ablation.
Development and validation of machine learning models for venous thromboembolism risk assessment at admission: a retrospective study
Authors: Sheng Wenbo , Wang Xiaoli , Xu Wenxiang , Hao Zedong , Ma Handong , Zhang Shaodian 
Published: August 2023

IntroductionVenous thromboembolism (VTE) risk assessment at admission is of great importance for early screening and timely prophylaxis and management during hospitalization. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate novel risk assessment models at admission based on machine learning (ML) methods.MethodsIn this retrospective study, a total of 3078 individuals were included with their Caprini variables within 24 hours at admission. Then several ML models were built, including logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB). The prediction performance of ML models and the Caprini risk score (CRS) was then validated and compared through a series of evaluation metrics.ResultsThe values of AUROC and AUPRC were 0.798 and 0.303 for LR, 0.804 and 0.360 for RF, and 0.796 and 0.352 for XGB, respectively, which outperformed CRS significantly (0.714 and 0.180, P &lt; 0.001). When prediction scores were stratified into three risk levels for application, RF could obtain more reasonable results than CRS, including smaller false positive alerts and larger lower-risk proportions. The boosting results of stratification were further verified by the net-reclassification-improvement (NRI) analysis.DiscussionThis study indicated that machine learning models could improve VTE risk prediction at admission compared with CRS. Among the ML models, RF was found to have superior performance and great potential in clinical practice.
Association of angiotensin II and receptors in peri-implantation endometrium with microvessel density and pregnancy outcomes of women with recurrent implantation failure after embryo transfer
Authors: Qi Ruofan , Zhang Tao , Zhang Yingying , Chung Jacqueline Pui Wah , Yang Wen-Jui , Wang Chi Chiu 
Published: August 2023

PurposeInvestigate whether local angiotensin II (AngII) and its AngII type 1 and 2 receptors (AT1R, AT2R) in the endometrium are different and correlate with microvessel density in women with reproductive failure and pregnancy outcomes.MethodsEndometrium during the window of implantation from 40 women with recurrent miscarriage (RM) and 40 with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) were compared with 27 fertile women. Peri-implantation endometrium from 54 women prior to euploid embryo transfer were collected and compared in women with successful pregnancy and unsuccessful pregnancy.ResultsCompared with fertile women, expression of AT2R was significantly lower, while AT1R/AT2R expression ratio was significantly higher in the stroma of the RIF group. Endometrium arteriole MVD was significantly lower and negatively correlated with the AT1R/AT2R expression ratio in the stroma of the RIF group. No significant differences and correlations were found in the RM group. Compared with the pregnancy group, expression of AT1R and AT2R were significantly lower in all compartments, but only AT1R/AT2R ratio was significantly higher in the stroma of the non-pregnancy group. Similarly, endometrium arteriole MVD was also significantly lower and negatively correlated with the AT1R/AT2R ratio in the stroma of the non-pregnancy group.ConclusionLocal renin-angiotensin system is dysregulated in peri-implantation endometrium and associated with abnormal angiogenesis in RIF and poor implantation outcome after embryo transfer.
Role of bone marrow adipocytes in bone metastasis development and progression: a systematic review
Authors: Salamanna F. , Contartese D. , Errani C. , Sartori M. , Borsari V. , Giavaresi G. 
Published: August 2023

PurposeBone marrow adipocytes (BMAs) are the most plentiful cells in the bone marrow and function as an endocrine organ by producing fatty acids, cytokines, and adipokines. Consequently, BMAs can interact with tumor cells, influencing both tumor growth and the onset and progression of bone metastasis. This review aims to systematically evaluate the role of BMAs in the development and progression of bone metastasis.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus electronic databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement standards, to identify studies published from March 2013 to June 2023. Two independent reviewers assessed and screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality of the studies. The body of evidence was evaluated and graded using the ROBINS-I tool for non-randomized studies of interventions and the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) tool for in vivo studies. The results were synthesized using descriptive methods.ResultsThe search yielded a total of 463 studies, of which 17 studies were included in the final analysis, including 15 preclinical studies and two non-randomized clinical studies. Analysis of preclinical studies revealed that BMAs play a significant role in bone metastasis, particularly in prostate cancer followed by breast and malignant melanoma cancers. BMAs primarily influence cancer cells by inducing a glycolytic phenotype and releasing or upregulating soluble factors, chemokines, cytokines, adipokines, tumor-derived fatty acid-binding protein (FABP), and members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, such as chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 7 (CCL7), C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand (CXCL)1, CXCL2, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, FABP4, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). These factors also contribute to adipocyte lipolysis and regulate a pro-inflammatory phenotype in BMAs. However, the number of clinical studies is limited, and definitive conclusions cannot be drawn.ConclusionThe preclinical studies reviewed indicate that BMAs may play a crucial role in bone metastasis in prostate, breast, and malignant melanoma cancers. Nevertheless, further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to better understand the complex role and relationship between BMAs and cancer cells in the bone microenvironment. Targeting BMAs in combination with standard treatments holds promise as a potential therapeutic strategy for bone metastasis.
Pharmaceutical efficacy of novel human-origin Faecalibacterium prausnitzii strains on high-fat-diet-induced obesity and associated metabolic disorders in mice
Authors: Yang Meng , Wang Jing-Hua , Shin Joo-Hyun , Lee Dokyung , Lee Sang-Nam , Seo Jae-Gu , Shin Ji-Hee , Nam Young-Do , Kim Hojun , Sun Xiaomin 
Published: August 2023

IntroductionObesity and related metabolic issues are a growing global health concern. Recently, the discovery of new probiotics with anti-obesity properties has gained interest.MethodsIn this study, four Faecalibacte-rium prausnitzii strains were isolated from healthy human feces and evaluated on a high-fat diet-induced mouse model for 12 weeks.ResultsThe F. prausnitzii strains reduced body weight gain, liver and fat weights, and calorie intake while improving lipid and glucose metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue, as evidenced by regulating lipid metabolism-associated gene expression, including ACC1, FAS, SREBP1c, leptin, and adiponectin. Moreover, the F. prausnitzii strains inhibited low-grade inflammation, restored gut integrity, and ameliorated hepatic function and insulin resistance. Interestingly, the F. prausnitzii strains modulated gut and neural hormone secretion and reduced appetite by affecting the gut-brain axis. Supplementation with F. prausnitzii strains noticeably changed the gut microbiota composition.DiscussionIn summary, the novel isolated F. prausnitzii strains have therapeutic effects on obesity and associated metabolic disorders through modulation of the gut-brain axis. Additionally, the effectiveness of different strains might not be achieved through identical mechanisms. Therefore, the present findings provide a reliable clue for developing novel therapeutic probiotics against obesity and associated metabolic disorders.
Analysis of risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in hospitalized children with obesity before the late puberty stage
Authors: Zhou Lishan , Zhang Linli , Zhang Lingling , Yi Wei , Yu Xue , Mei Hong , Xiao Haiyan , Wang Yuji , Qin Huan , Xiong Xiaoli , Yan Suqi , Dong Hui , Chen Peng , Chen Xiaohong 
Published: August 2023

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of obese pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in central China and verify the applicability of some known risk factors for pediatric NAFLD before late puberty.MethodsThis was a retrospective case–control study. A total of 1,029 inpatients at Wuhan Children’s Hospital before the late puberty stage were enrolled in the study, including 815 children with obesity (non-NAFLD group) and 214 children with obesity and NAFLD (NAFLD group) diagnosed by liver ultrasound. Subgroup analyses were performed according to sex and puberty. The anthropometric indices and laboratory test data of these 1,029 children were sorted. After intergroup comparison, a logistic regression model was used to determine the risk factors for pediatric NAFLD. Significant risk factors for NAFLD were further tested using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate their ability to predict an early diagnosis of NAFLD.ResultsThe NAFLD group had a mean age of 11.03 ± 1.66, with 11.18 ± 1.66 and 10.27 ± 1.45 years for male and female children, respectively (p &lt; 0.05 and p &lt; 0.01, respectively). Even subdivided by both sex and puberty, raised body mass index (BMI), homeostatic model-insulin resistance, triglycerides, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) were still found in the non-NAFLD and NAFLD groups (p &lt; 0.05 and p &lt; 0.01, respectively). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that BMI (odds ratio [OR], 1.468;95% confidence interval [CI], 1.356-1.590; p&lt;0.001) and ALT (OR, 1.073;95%CI, 1.060-1.087; P&lt;0.001) were two most independent risk factors for NAFLD. The maximal OR for BMI was 1.721 (95% CI, 1.336–2.217). In the female group, the maximal OR of ALT was found to be 1.104 (95% CI, 1.061–1.148). Age and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and γ-GT levels were also risk factors, but they appeared only in some groups. The results of the ROC analysis showed that ALT was a better predictor of pediatric NAFLD than BMI. The maximum area under the ROC curve in six of the nine groups belongs to ALT.ConclusionsBMI, ALT, and age are risk factors for NAFLD in children with obesity before late puberty. BMI had the greatest exposure risk for NAFLD, and ALT had the highest predictive value for the diagnosis of NAFLD. At the stratified level, for exposure risk, age was specific to the male sex, TSH was specific to the early puberty stage, and γ-GT was specific to the female sex plus the prepuberty stage. On a stratified level, for the female sex, even with age stratification, BMI rather than ALT has a better ability for the diagnosis of NAFLD.
Early prediction of body composition parameters on metabolically unhealthy in the Chinese population via advanced machine learning
Authors: Deng Xiujuan , Qiu Lin , Sun Xin , Li Hui , Chen Zejiao , Huang Min , Hu Fangxing , Zhang Zhenyi 
Published: August 2023

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome (Mets) is considered a global epidemic of the 21st century, predisposing to cardiometabolic diseases. This study aims to describe and compare the body composition profiles between metabolic healthy (MH) and metabolic unhealthy (MU) phenotype in normal and obesity population in China, and to explore the predictive ability of body composition indices to distinguish MU by generating machine learning algorithms.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted and the subjects who came to the hospital to receive a health examination were enrolled. Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analyser. A model generator with a gradient-boosting tree algorithm (LightGBM) combined with the SHapley Additive exPlanations method was adapted to train and interpret the model. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were used to analyze the predictive value.ResultsWe found the significant difference in body composition parameters between the metabolic healthy normal weight (MHNW), metabolic healthy obesity (MHO), metabolic unhealthy normal weight (MUNW) and metabolic unhealthy obesity (MUO) individuals, especially among the MHNW, MUNW and MUO phenotype. MHNW phenotype had significantly lower whole fat mass (FM), trunk FM and trunk free fat mass (FFM), and had significantly lower visceral fat areas compared to MUNW and MUO phenotype, respectively. The bioimpedance phase angle, waist-hip ratio (WHR) and free fat mass index (FFMI) were found to be remarkably lower in MHNW than in MUNW and MUO groups, and lower in MHO than in MUO group. For predictive analysis, the LightGBM-based model identified 32 status-predicting features for MUNW with MHNW group as the reference, MUO with MHO as the reference and MUO with MHNW as the reference, achieved high discriminative power, with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.842 [0.658, 1.000] for MUNW vs. MHNW, 0.746 [0.599, 0.893] for MUO vs. MHO and 0.968 [0.968, 1.000] for MUO and MHNW, respectively. A 2-variable model was developed for more practical clinical applications. WHR &gt; 0.92 and FFMI &gt; 18.5 kg/m2 predict the increased risk of MU.ConclusionBody composition measurement and validation of this model could be a valuable approach for the early management and prevention of MU, whether in obese or normal population.
Prussian blue nanoparticles–mediated sensing and removal of 137Cs
Authors: Pandey Prem C. , Yadav Hari Prakash , Tiwari Atul Kumar , Sawant Shilpa N. , Sinharoy Prithwish , Banerjee Dayamoy , Narayan Roger J. 
Published: August 2023

Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) with controlled nano-geometry were synthesized from a single precursor (potassium hexacyanoferrate) in the presence of three different reagents, namely, polyethylenimine (PEI), tetrahydrofuran (THF)/H2O2, and 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)-ethyl-trimethoxysilane (EETMS)/cyclohexanone, which enabled the controlled nucleation and stabilization of PBNPs of variable plasmonic activities for selective sensing and removal of cesium radionuclides. The results of this study show the sensing and removal of cesium ions based on the nano-geometry, magnetic behavior, and fluorescence quenching ability of PBNPs as a function of the cesium ion concentration for the first time. A similar process was used to synthetically incorporate PBNPs in mesoporous silica with potential use for the selective adsorption of 137Cs, followed by the detection of radioactivity. The distribution coefficient (Kd) for adsorption of the cesium nuclide 137Cs was calculated to be 3.2 × 104 mL/g−1, displaying both Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The plasmonic activity of PBNPs has enabled fluorometric sensing of cesium ions; regulating the spatial control between the functional PBNPs and fluorescence probe molecules is a promising approach for PBNP-enhanced fluorescence and fluorescence resonance energy transfer–based cesium ion sensing. Similarly, PBNPs display superparamagnetic behavior; these magnetic properties were observed to be linearly dependent on the cesium ion concentration.
Dysregulation of core neurodevelopmental pathways—a common feature of cancers with perineural invasion
Authors: González-Castrillón Luz María , Wurmser Maud , Öhlund Daniel , Wilson Sara Ivy 
Published: August 2023

Background: High nerve density in tumors and metastasis via nerves (perineural invasion—PNI) have been reported extensively in solid tumors throughout the body including pancreatic, head and neck, gastric, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers. Ablation of tumor nerves results in improved disease outcomes, suggesting that blocking nerve–tumor communication could be a novel treatment strategy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this remain poorly understood. Thus, the aim here was to identify molecular pathways underlying nerve–tumor crosstalk and to determine common molecular features between PNI-associated cancers.Results: Analysis of head and neck (HNSCC), pancreatic, and gastric (STAD) cancer Gene Expression Omnibus datasets was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). This revealed extracellular matrix components as highly dysregulated. To enrich for pathways associated with PNI, genes previously correlated with PNI in STAD and in 2 HNSCC studies where tumor samples were segregated by PNI status were analyzed. Neurodevelopmental genes were found to be enriched with PNI. In datasets where tumor samples were not segregated by PNI, neurodevelopmental pathways accounted for 12%–16% of the DEGs. Further dysregulation of axon guidance genes was common to all cancers analyzed. By examining paralog genes, a clear pattern emerged where at least one family member from several axon guidance pathways was affected in all cancers examined. Overall 17 different axon guidance gene families were disrupted, including the ephrin–Eph, semaphorin–neuropilin/plexin, and slit–robo pathways. These findings were validated using The Cancer Genome Atlas and cross-referenced to other cancers with a high incidence of PNI including colon, cholangiocarcinoma, prostate, and breast cancers. Survival analysis revealed that the expression levels of neurodevelopmental gene families impacted disease survival.Conclusion: These data highlight the importance of the tumor as a source of signals for neural tropism and neural plasticity as a common feature of cancer. The analysis supports the hypothesis that dysregulation of neurodevelopmental programs is a common feature associated with PNI. Furthermore, the data suggested that different cancers may have evolved to employ alternative genetic strategies to disrupt the same pathways. Overall, these findings provide potential druggable targets for novel therapies of cancer management and provide multi-cancer molecular biomarkers.