bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Potential screening indicators for early diagnosis of NAFLD/MAFLD and liver fibrosis: Triglyceride glucose index–related parameters
Authors: Xue Yan , Xu Jiahui , Li Man , Gao Yueqiu 
Published: September 2022

ImportanceHomeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and triglyceride glucose (TyG) index–related parameters [TyG index, triglyceride glucose–waist circumference (TyG-WC), triglyceride glucose–waist-to-height ratio (TyG-WHtR), and triglyceride glucose–body mass index (TyG-BMI)] are gradually considered as convenient and alternative indicators for insulin resistance in various metabolic diseases, but the specific diagnostic capacity and the comparison of the parameters in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and liver fibrosis remain uncertain.ObjectiveTo comprehensively assess and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the above parameters in NAFLD, MAFLD, and liver fibrosis and identify the appropriate indicators.MethodsA total of 1,727 adults were enrolled from the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Logistic regressions were used to identify the parameters significantly associated with NAFLD, MAFLD, and liver fibrosis; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate and compare their diagnostic capacity. Subgroup analyses were conducted to validate the concordance, and the optimal cutoff values were determined according to the Youden’s indexes.ResultsSignificant differences were observed between quartile-stratified HOMA-IR and TyG index–related parameters across the NAFLD, MAFLD, and liver fibrosis (P&lt; 0.05). All variables were significantly predictive of different disease states (P&lt; 0.05). The top three AUC values are TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR, and TyG-BMI with AUCs of 0.815, 0.809, and 0.804 in NAFLD. The optimal cutoff values were 822.34, 4.94, and 237.77, respectively. Similar values and the same trend of the above three indexes could be observed in MAFLD and liver fibrosis. Subgroup analyses showed consistent results with the primary research, despite some heterogeneity.ConclusionsTyG-WC, TyG-WHtR, and TyG-BMI can be used for early screening of NAFLD and MAFLD. These three parameters and HOMA-IR were more suitable for assessing metabolic risks and monitoring disease progression in patients with NAFLD.
Relationship between postoperative hypothalamic injury and water and sodium disturbance in patients with craniopharyngioma: A retrospective study of 178 cases
Authors: Du Can , Leng Yueshuang , Zhou Quanwei , Xiao Ju-Xiong , Yuan Xian-Rui , Yuan Jian 
Published: September 2022

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between postoperative hypothalamo–hypophyseal injury (HHI) and postoperative water and sodium disturbances in patients with craniopharyngioma.MethodsThe medical records, radiological data, and laboratory results of 178 patients (44 children and 134 adults) who underwent microsurgery for craniopharyngioma in a single center were reviewed. Postoperative HHI was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. Structural defects of the hypothalamo–hypophyseal system (pituitary, pituitary stalk, floor and lateral wall of the third ventricle) were assessed in four standard T1-weighted images. The defect of each structure was assigned 1 score (0.5 for the unilateral injury of the third ventricle wall), and a HHI score was calculated.ResultsThe number of patients with HHI scores of 0-1, 2, 2.5-3, and &gt;3 was 35, 49, 61, and 33, respectively. Diabetes insipidus (DI) worsened in 56 (31.5%) patients with preoperative DI, while 119 (66.9%) patients were diagnosed with new-onset DI. Hypernatremia and hyponatremia developed in 127 (71.3%) and 128 (71.9%) patients after surgery, respectively. Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis occurred in 97(54.5%) patients. During hospitalization, hypernatremia recurred in 33 (18.5%) patients and in 54 (35.7%) during follow-up, of which 18 (11.9%) were severe. DI persisted in 140 (78.7%) patients before discharge. No relationship was found between the HHI score and incidence of early DI, hyponatremia, syndrome of inappropriate diuretic hormone, or prolonged DI. Compared with patients with a score of 0–1, those with scores =2.5-3 (OR = 5.289, 95% CI:1.098-25.477, P = 0.038) and &gt;3 (OR = 10.815, 95% CI:2.148-54.457, P = 0.004) had higher risk of developing recurrent hypernatremia. Patients with a score &gt;3 had higher risk of developing severe hypernatremia during hospitalization (OR = 15.487, 95% CI:1.852-129.539, P = 0.011) and at follow-up (OR = 28.637, 95% CI:3.060-267.981, P = 0.003).ConclusionsThe neuroimaging scoring scale is a simple tool to semi-quantify HHI after surgery. Recurrent and severe hypernatremia should be considered in patients with a high HHI score (&gt;2.5). An HHI score &gt;3 is a potential predictor of adipsic DI development. Preventive efforts should be implemented in the perioperative period to reduce the incidence of potentially catastrophic complications.
Correlations between elevated basal sperm DNA fragmentation and the clinical outcomes in women undergoing IUI
Authors: Zhu Chunhui , Zhang Shengmin , Chen Fang , She Hong , Ju Yun , Wen Xidong , Ji Yurong , Pan Yu , Yang Chunxia , Sun Yan , Dong Naijun , Liu Kaifeng , Li Feng , Xue Tongmin , Cui Hengmi 
Published: September 2022

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the impact of the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) on the clinical outcomes in women undergoing artificial insemination by husband intrauterine insemination (AIH-IUI).MethodsIn this retrospective study, the value of sperm DFI was detected by sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) in a semen analysis collected before fertility treatment (basal DFI) in 1,500 IUI cycles at the infertility clinic of Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital Reproductive Medicine Center from Jan 2016 to April 2021. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate the cut-off value for the clinical outcomes of IUI, including the biochemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, delivery rate, and live birth rate, and multivariate logistic regression was conducted to analyse the risk factors for clinical outcomes after IUI.ResultIn 1,500 IUI cycles, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the normal DFI group and the abnormal DFI group in biochemical pregnancy rate (14.41% vs. 11.3%, P = 0.386), clinical pregnancy rate (12.9% vs. 10.5%, P = 0.433), delivery rate (11.0% vs. 8.9%, P = 0.456), live birth rate (10.9% vs. 8.9%, P = 0.484) or pregnancy loss rate (14.6% vs. 15.4%, P = 1.000).ConclusionSperm DFI alone may have limited predictive power for IUI clinical outcomes.
Effect of tillage management on the wind erosion of arable soil in the Chinese Mollisol region
Authors: Chen Shuai , Zhang Xingyi , Li Jianye , Guo Mingming , Hu Wei 
Published: September 2022

Wind erosion is a serious problem in agricultural regions and threatens the regional food production in Northeast China. However, limited information is available on the characteristics of wind erosion in arable soil in Northeast China. As a result, field-based research during periods of vulnerability to wind erosion is essential. This study quantified the characteristics of soil wind erosion under no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) treatments in China’s northern “corn-belt.” The results determined the wind erosion transport mode of Mollisols to be generally characterized by creep and supplemented by saltation and suspension in Northeast China. The erodible particles of the creep accounted for 80.37% and 85.42% of the total wind erosion under the NT and CT treatments, respectively. During experiments with erodible particles in the saltation mode from the soil surface to 2 m, the majority of the particles were collected by the sampler at 0.5 m height, with the NT and CT treatments collecting 5.82 kg·m−2 and 6.93 kg·m−2 of erodible particles per unit area, respectively. Wind erosion on agricultural land was observed to be influenced by tillage practices, rainfall, wind speed, and soil moisture content. Average and maximum wind speeds exhibited significant positive correlations with wind erosion during April and May. Moreover, the erodible particles of each wind erosion transport mode (creep, saltation, and suspension) under CT were higher (1.73, 1.41, and 1.35 times) than those under the NT treatment. With less damage and greater protection of the surface soil, the NT treatment was able to decrease the occurrence of wind erosion and influence its outcome on farmland. Therefore, NT treatment should be encouraged as a key initiative for the reduction of wind erosion of arable soil in the Chinese Mollisol region.
Cross-talk of four types of RNA modification proteins with adenosine reveals the landscape of multivariate prognostic patterns in breast cancer
Authors: Wang Xuliren , Ye Fangdie , Xiong Min , Xiu Bingqiu , Chi Weiru , Zhang Qi , Xue Jingyan , Chen Ming , Zhang Liyi , Wu Jiong , Chi Yayun 
Published: September 2022

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumour, and its heterogeneity is one of its major characteristics. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), alternative polyadenylation (APA), and adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing constitute the four most common adenosine-associated RNA modifications and represent the most typical and critical forms of epigenetic regulation contributing to the immunoinflammatory response, tumorigenesis and tumour heterogeneity. However, the cross-talk and potential combined profiles of these RNA-modified proteins (RMPs) in multivariate prognostic patterns of BC remain unknown.Methods: A total of 48 published RMPs were analysed and found to display significant expression alterations and genomic mutation rates between tumour and normal tissues in the TCGA-BRCA cohort. Data from 4188 BC patients with clinical outcomes were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC), normalized and merged into one cohort. The prognostic value and interconnections of these RMPs were also studied. The four prognosis-related genes (PRGs) with the greatest prognostic value were then selected to construct diverse RMP-associated prognostic models through univariate Cox (uniCox) regression analysis, differential expression analysis, Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate Cox (multiCox) regression. Alterations in biological functional pathways, genomic mutations, immune infiltrations, RNAss scores and drug sensitivities among different models, as well as their prognostic value, were then explored.Results: Utilizing a large number of samples and a comprehensive set of genes contributing to adenosine-associated RNA modification, our study revealed the joint potential bio-functions and underlying features of these diverse RMPs and provided effective models (PRG clusters, gene clusters and the risk model) for predicting the clinical outcomes of BC. The individuals with higher risk scores showed poor prognoses, cell cycle function enrichment, upregulation of stemness scores, higher tumour mutation burdens (TMBs), immune activation and specific drug resistance. This work highlights the significance of comprehensively examining post-transcriptional RNA modification genes.Conclusion: Here, we designed and verified an advanced forecasting model to reveal the underlying links between BC and RMPs and precisely predict the clinical outcomes of multivariate prognostic patterns for individuals.
Detection of four rare thalassemia variants using Single-molecule realtime sequencing
Authors: Luo Shiqiang , Chen Xingyuan , Zeng Dingyuan , Tang Ning , Yuan Dejian , Liu Bailing , Chen Lizhu , Zhong Qingyan , Li Jiaqi , Liu Yinyin , Chen Jianping , Wang Xiaoyuan , Yan Tizhen 
Published: September 2022

Conventional methods for the diagnosis of thalassemia include gap polymerase chain reaction (Gap-PCR), reverse membrane hybridization (RDB), multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and Sanger sequencing. In this study, we used single molecule real-time technology (SMRT) sequencing and discovered four rare variants that have not been identified by conventional diagnostic methods for thalassemia. We also performed genotype and phenotype analyses on family members of thalassemia patients. The SMRT technology detected five cases in which the proband had abnormal results by conventional diagnostic methods or inconsistencies between the genotype and phenotype. The variants included two cases of an α-globin gene cluster 27,311 bp deletion, --27.3/αα (hg38 chr16:158664-185974), one case of an HS-40 region 16,079 bp deletion (hg38 chr16:100600-116678), one case of a rearrangement of -α3.7α1α2 on one allele and one case of a ß-globin gene cluster HBG1-HBG2 4,924 bp deletion (hg38 chr11:5249345-5254268). This study clarified the hematological phenotypes of four rare variants and indicated the application value of SMRT in the diagnosis of rare α-globin and ß-globin gene cluster deletions, gene recombination and deletion breakpoints. The SMRT method is a comprehensive one-step technology for the genetic diagnosis of thalassemia and is particularly suitable for the diagnosis of thalassemia with rare deletions or genetic recombination.
Novel amino acid metabolism‐related gene signature to predict prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Cheng Xiaofeng , Deng Wen , Zhang Zhicheng , Zeng Zhenhao , Liu Yifu , Zhou Xiaochen , Zhang Cheng , Wang Gongxian 
Published: September 2022

Background: Amino acid metabolism (AAM) deregulation, an emerging metabolic hallmark of malignancy, plays an essential role in tumour proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. However, the expression of AAM-related genes and their correlation with prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain elusive. This study aims to develop a novel consensus signature based on the AAM-related genes.Methods: The RNA-seq expression data and clinical information for ccRCC were downloaded from the TCGA (KIRC as training dataset) and ArrayExpress (E-MTAB-1980 as validation dataset) databases. The AAM‐related differentially expressed genes were screened via the “limma” package in TCGA cohorts for further analysis. The machine learning algorithms (Lasso and stepwise Cox (direction = both)) were then utilised to establish a novel consensus signature in TCGA cohorts, which was validated by the E-MTAB-1980 cohorts. The optimal cutoff value determined by the “survminer” package was used to categorise patients into two risk categories. The Kaplan-Meier curve, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and multivariate Cox regression were utilised to evaluate the prognostic value. The nomogram based on the gene signature was constructed, and its performance was analysed using ROC and calibration curves. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and immune cell infiltration analysis were conducted on its potential mechanisms. The relationship between the gene signature and key immune checkpoint, N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-related genes, and sensitivity to chemotherapy was assessed.Results: A novel consensus AMM‐related gene signature consisting of IYD, NNMT, ACADSB, GLDC, and PSAT1 is developed to predict prognosis in TCGA cohorts. Kaplan-Meier survival shows that overall survival in the high-risk group was more dismal than in the low-risk group in the TCGA cohort, validated by the E-MTAB-1980 cohort. Multivariate regression analysis also demonstrates that the gene signature is an independent predictor of ccRCC. Immune infiltration analysis highlighted that the high-risk group indicates an immunosuppressive microenvironment. It is also closely related to the level of key immune checkpoints, m6A modification, and sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs.Conclusion: In this study, a novel consensus AAM-related gene signature is developed and validated as an independent predictor to robustly predict the overall survival from ccRCC, which would further improve the clinical outcomes.
Aberrant expansion of follicular helper T cell subsets in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Jin Xin , Chen Jia , Wu Jian , Lu Ying , Li Baohua , Fu Wenning , Wang Wei , Cui Dawei 
Published: September 2022

ObjectiveSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic and complex autoimmune disease characterized by multiple autoantibodies, resulting in multiple organ and tissue damages. These pathogenic autoantibodies produced by B cells are closely correlated with follicular helper T (Tfh) cell subsets that play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of SLE. The aim of the present study was to study the phenotype and role of circulating Tfh (cTfh) cell subsets and associated B cell subpopulations in active and inactive SLE patients.MethodsThirty SLE outpatients and 24 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in this study. The frequency of cTfh cell and B cell subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the plasma levels of eight cytokines were determined by flow cytometry, and plasma IL-21 levels were measured by ELISA. Meanwhile, we used MRL/lpr mice as the model of SLE to research the alterations of Tfh cells in the thymus and spleen of mice.ResultsFrequencies of CD4+CXCR5+CD45RA-effector cTfh cells, PD1+cTfh, PD1+ICOS+cTfh, PD1+cTfh1, PD1+cTfh2, PD1+cTfh17, and PD1+ICOS+cTfh1 cells as well as plasmablasts showed significant differences among HC, active and inactive SLE patients. Moreover, cytokines typically associated with cTfh cells, including IL-6 and IL-21, were elevated in active SLE patients compared to inactive SLE patients and HCs. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between PD1+ICOS+ cTfh or PD1+ICOS+ cTfh1 cell frequencies and plasmablasts or IL-21 levels, as well as between plasmablasts. We also found PD1+ICOS+ Tfh cells expansion in both thymus and spleen of MRL/lpr mice, accompanied by increased frequencies in B cells and plasmablasts, meanwhile, cTfh1which expressing IFN-γ was increased in the peripheral blood of MRL/lpr mice.ConclusionTfh cell subsets and plasmablasts may play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of SLE and may provide potential targets for therapeutic interventions for SLE.
Immune-inflammatory and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis biomarkers are altered in patients with non-specific low back pain: A systematic review
Authors: Sanabria-Mazo Juan P. , Colomer-Carbonell Ariadna , Carmona-Cervelló Meritxell , Feliu-Soler Albert , Borràs Xavier , Grasa Mar , Esteve Montserrat , Maes Michael , Edo Sílvia , Sanz Antoni , Luciano Juan V. 
Published: September 2022

This systematic review aimed to investigate immune-inflammatory and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis biomarkers in individuals with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) compared to healthy control. The search was performed in five databases until 4 November 2021. Two reviewers independently conducted screenings, data extraction, risk of bias, and methodological quality assessment of 14 unique studies. All studies reported the source of the fluid analyzed: nine studies used serum, two used plasma, one used serum and plasma, and two studies used salivary cortisol. We found preliminary and limited evidence (only one study for each biomarker) of increased levels in growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), interleukin-23 (IL-23), transforming growth factor–beta (TGF-β), and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNF-R1) in NSLBP. Inconsistent and limited evidence was identified for interleukin-10 (IL-10). Although C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor–alpha (TNF-α) levels appear to increase in NSLBP, only one study per each biomarker reported statistically significant differences. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-17 (IL-17), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) showed no significant differences. Regarding cortisol, one study showed a significant increase and another a significant decrease. More robust evidence between GDF-15, IL-23, TGF-β, and sTNF-R1 with NSLBP is needed. Moreover, contrary to the findings reported in previous studies, when comparing results exclusively with healthy control, insufficient robust evidence for IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP was found in NSLBP. In addition, cortisol response (HPA-related biomarker) showed a dysregulated functioning in NSLBP, with incongruent evidence regarding its directionality. Therefore, our effort is to find adjusted evidence to conclude which immune-inflammatory and HPA axis biomarkers are altered in NSLBP and how much their levels are affected.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020176153, identifier CRD42020176153.
Construction and characterization of a contagious ecthyma virus double-gene deletion strain and evaluation of its potential as a live-attenuated vaccine in goat
Authors: Zhu Zhen , Qu Guanggang , Du Jige , Wang Changjiang , Chen Yong , Shen Zhanning , Zhou Zhiyu , Yin Chunsheng , Chen Xiaoyun 
Published: September 2022

Contagious ecthyma is a highly contagious viral disease with zoonotic significance caused by orf virus (ORFV) that affects domestic, ruminants and humans. Live attenuated virus and attenuated tissue culture vaccines are widely used in the fight against ORFV, however, the conventional attenuated vaccine strains have many drawbacks. The aim of this project was to construct a promising contagious ecthyma vaccine strain with safety, high protection efficacy and accessibility by genetic manipulation to against the disease. Using a natural ORFV-GS14 strain as the parental virus, recombinant virus, rGS14-ΔCBP-ΔGIF, with double deletions in the genes encoding the chemokine binding protein (CBP) and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor inhibitory factor (GIF) was generated and characterized in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that the growth kinetics curve of rGS14-ΔCBP-ΔGIF and parental virus was consistent, both reaching plateau phase at 48 h post infection, which indicated that the double deletion of cbp and gif genes had little impact on the replication properties of the recombinant virus in primary goat testis (PGT) cell cultures compared with the parental virus. The safety of the double gene-deleted virus was evaluated in lambs. The lambs were monitored for 21 days post infection of the recombinant virus and no ORFV associated symptoms were observed in 21 days post-infection except for slight fever and anorexia in 5 days post-infection, and all lambs inoculated with either recombinant virus or PBS exhibited no clinical signs. To assess the protection efficacy of the rGS14-ΔCBP-ΔGIF, groups of four lambs each were inoculated with rGS14-ΔCBP-ΔGIF, rGS14-ΔCBP, rGS14-ΔGIF or PBS and challenged by a wild type virulent ORFV strain that was isolated from proliferative scabby lesions tissues of infected goat at 21-day post-inoculation. During 14 days post-challenging, lambs inoculated with rGS14-ΔCBP-ΔGIF all remained healthy with unimmunized group all infected, while the single gene-deleted viruses only protected 40% to 50% animals. These results indicated that the double gene-deleted recombinant virus could provide complete protection against virulent ORFV challenging. In conclusion, the double gene-deleted recombinant virus strain, rGS14-ΔCBP-ΔGIF, would be a promising candidate vaccine strains with safety, high protection efficacy and availability.