bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
HbA1c Level is Associated with Heart Failure with Recovered Ejection Fraction in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Yang Chen Die , Aihemaiti Muladili , Quan Jin Wei , Chen Jia Wei , Shu Xin Yi , Ding Feng Hua , Shen Wei Feng , Lu Lin , Zhang Rui Yan , Pan Wen Qi , Wang Xiao Qun 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background: Due to advances in medical treatments, a substantial proportion of heart failure (HF) patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (EF, HFrEF) have experienced partial or complete recovery of EF, termed HFrecEF, and markedly improved clinical outcomes. In the present study, we sought to investigate the relationship between glycemic control and the incidence of HFrecEF in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: A total of 385 T2DM patients with HFrEF were consecutively enrolled. Follow-up echocardiogram was performed after 6 to 12 months, which classified patients into HFrecEF or persistent HFrEF. Clinical outcomes of cardiovascular (CV) death and HF rehospitalization were analyzed during a mean of 3.3 years follow-up. Results: T2DM patients with HFrecEF had significantly lower HbA1c level than those with persistent HFrEF (6.4% [IQR 5.8%~7.1%] vs. 6.8% [IQR 6.1%~7.8%], P=0.001), especially in HF of ischemic etiology. After multivariate adjustment, every 1% increase in HbA1c conferred a 21.3% (OR: 0.787 [95% CI 0.658~0.933]) lower likelihood of HFrecEF. Compared to patients with good glycemic control (HbA1c≤6%), those with poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 8%) had higher risk of CV death or HF rehospitalization (HR: 2.778 [95% CI 1.470~5.251]). T2DM Patients with HFrecEF exhibited significantly better clinical outcomes than those with persistent HFrEF.Conclusions: This study demonstrates that T2DM patients with uncontrolled HbA1c levels were associated with compromised development of HFrecEF and worse clinical outcomes.
Transformation and Expression of Na+/H+ Antiporter Vacuolar (AgNHX1) Gene in Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Plants Under Salt Stress
Authors: soliman hemaid Ibrahim , Kadasa Naif M S 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Salinity is the main influencing factor in the productivity of most agricultural crops. Salinity has a negative effect on potato plants and yield. Previous research work shows that the transfer of the Na+/H+ antiporter gene to field crops improves the tolerance of plants to high salt concentrations. In this study, a vacuolar-type Na+/H+ antiporter gene from a halophytic plant, Atriplex gmelinii (AgNHX1) was transferred into potato via Agrobacterium. Leaf explants induced callus on Murashige & Skoog's (MS) medium accompanied by NAA (2.00 mg l-1) and BAP (0.25 mg l-1). The in-vitro leaf generated the callus which was transferred to the regeneration medium containing ZR (2.00 mg l-1) and NAA (0.25 mg l-1). The stable integration of the AgNHX1 gene in genetically modified potato plants was confirmed by PCR analysis. RT-PCR and northern blot hybridization indicated that AgNHX1expressed highly in transgenic potato plants. Our results indicated that the expression of AgNHX1 enhanced the salt tolerance in transgenic potato plants with good growth. This happened because, under salt stress, the accumulation of Na+ content and proline was more in shoots as compared to control. It showed that the expression of AgNHX1 activity in genetically modified potato plants was four-fold higher than in unmodified potato plants. Thus, it can be said that AgNHX1 gene expression could increase salt tolerance in potato plants.
Using Empirical Biological Knowledge to Infer Regulatory Networks From Multi-omics Data
Authors: Pačínková Anna , Popovici Vlad 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background: Integration of multi-omics data can provide a more complex view of the biological system consisting of different interconnected molecular components, the crucial aspect for developing novel personalised therapeutic strategies for complex diseases. Various tools have been developed to integrate multi-omics data. However, an efficient multi-omics framework for regulatory network inference at the genome level that incorporates prior knowledge is still to emerge. Results: We present IntOMICS, an efficient integrative framework based on Bayesian networks. IntOMICS systematically analyses gene expression, DNA methylation, copy number variation and biological prior knowledge to infer regulatory networks. IntOMICS complements the missing biological prior knowledge by so-called empirical biological knowledge, estimated from the available experimental data. Regulatory networks derived from IntOMICS provide deeper insights into the complex flow of genetic information on top of the increasing accuracy trend compared to a published algorithm designed exclusively for gene expression data. The ability to capture relevant crosstalks between multi-omics modalities is verified using known associations in microsatellite stable/instable colon cancer samples. IntOMICS is also applied to detect potential predictive biomarkers in microsatellite stable stage III colon cancer samples. Conclusions: We provide IntOMICS, a framework for multi-omics data integration using a novel approach to biological knowledge discovery. IntOMICS is a powerful resource for exploratory systems biology and can provide valuable insights into the complex mechanisms of biological processes that has a vital role in personalised medicine.Availability: Source code and data used for producing the presented results are available at: https://gitlab.ics.muni.cz/bias/intomics.
VHL mutations predict survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma in response to the therapy of immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Zhang Jun , Zhao Liqin , Wu Junwei , Wu Zhenhua , Qu Qing 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Purpose: To identify a predictive biomarker of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods: Survival analysis of mutations in a panel of 468 cancer-related genes in a cohort of 151 RCC patients who underwent the ICI treatment using Cox regression model univariate or multivariate analysis in publicly available datasets. Results: We found that VHL mutations were the only promising independent predictor for overall survival (OS) (HR=0.44, 95% CI=0.25-0.77 and P=0.004). More specifically, compared with 26 months of survival in the wildtype patients, metastatic RCC patients carrying truncated VHL mutations had a significantly longer survival time of nearly 70 months (HR=0.45, 95% CI=0.25-0.82 and P=0.008) in the presence of the ICI therapy. This survival benefit was also observed in another cohort of 35 patients with clear cell RCC from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI): compared with 29 months in the wildtype patients, patients with VHL truncated mutations also had a longer median OS of 33 months (HR=0.59, 95% CI=0.24-1.44 and P=0.243). These observed survival benefits were independent of VHL expression and tumor infiltration immune cells in The Cancer Genome Atlas Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA KIRC). Conclusion: VHL mutational inactivation may have an effect on the RCC response to ICI therapy, likely by the upregulation of PD-L1 via attenuating degradation of HIF-1α. To our knowledge, this is the first report of VHL mutations as an independent predictive biomarker for the ICI therapy in RCC, which, once validated by larger clinical trials, may help improve clinical decision-making in individualized treatment of RCC patients.
An active zone state switch concentrates and immobilizes voltage-gated Ca2+ channels to promote long-term plasticity
Authors: Ghelani Tina , Escher Marc , Thomas Ulrich , Esch Klara , Lützkendorf Janine , Depner Harald , Maglione Marta , Parutto Pierre , Gratz Scott , Ryglewski Stefanie , Walter Alexander , Holcman David , O'Connor-Giles Kate , Heine Martin , Sigrist Stephan 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
A molecularly diverse spectrum of plasticity mechanisms orchestrates brain information processing and storage via positive (“Hebbian”) and negative (“homeostatic”) feedbacks, which, however, mechanistically converge and functionally interact in vivo. The presynaptic scaffold proteins that orchestrate active zone (AZ) function undergo plastic remodeling to regulate release potentiation. Here, voltage-gated Ca2+ channel function and their exact AZ nanoscale distribution steer release, although how they are involved in AZ remodeling remains unknown. We here establish intravital, dynamic, single-molecule imaging of endogenously tagged Ca2+ channel Cacophony (Cac) at Drosophila AZs triggered towards homeostatic potentiation. At potentiating AZs, Cac channel numbers increased, and their mobility decreased, while their overall distribution compacted. Mechanistically, RIM-1 and RimBP proteins and their conserved bindings sites, within the Cac channel’s C-terminus, were dispensable for Cac immobilization and compaction. Conversely, the absence of ELKS-family homolog Bruchpilot precluded Cac immobilization and compaction. We show that AZs can undergo a state switch, likely via the ELKS scaffold to concentrate and immobilize Ca2+ channels and thus boost release.
The Characteristics of Laboratory Parameters and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Different Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Subtypes
Authors: Xia Wei , Zhang Yao , Liu Chanyuan , Guo Yu , He Yonglong , Peng Xuehua , Shao Jianbo , Ran Jun 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Objectives: To explore the characteristics of laboratory parameters, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and their relationship in different juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) subtypes. Methods: One hundred and sixty-five patients with JIA identified by diagnostic criteria were involved in the study. Clinical inflammatory biomarkers, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), C3, C4, and anti-nucleosome antibodies (ANA) was retrospectively reviewed. Semi-quantitative MRI score was calculated from symptomatic or suspected arthritis for each subject.Results: The median age of onset, median disease duration, ESR, CRP, PLT, IL-6, IL-10, C3, and C4 values were statistically significantly different among different JIA subtypes. The accumulative score of synovitis for different subtype JIA patients has a significant difference (P <0.001). A significant positive relationship between ESR, CRP, RF and C3 values with synovitis score for JIA patients (r= 0.234 and P =0.003, r=0.251 and P =0.001, r=0.208 and P =0.007, r=0.241 and P =0.002 respectively), and a negative relationship between gender and onset age with total synovitis score (r=-0.176 P =0.014 and r=0.-194 P =0.013 respectively) was found by the spearman correlation analyses. Young age at onset, elevated CRP and C3, the long duration of disease were risk factors for synovitis (P＜0.05).Conclusion: Although several risk factors were found for synovitis, the laboratory parameters could not fully explain the severity on MRI, timely baseline and follow-up MRI was still necessary for observing the involvement of symptomatic joints, synovitis especially.
m6A-related lncRNAs Are Potential Biomarkers for Predicting the Prognosis of PAAD Patients
Authors: Chen Yiyang , Zhou Wanbang , Gong Yiju , Liu Jikui , Ou Xi 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background: Pancreatic cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system, with insidious onset, difficult early diagnosis, easy metastasis and poor prognosis. N6-methyladenosine and long noncoding RNA play important roles in the prognostic value and immunotherapy response of PAAD. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize m6A-related lncRNAs in PAAD patients.Methods: in this study, m6A-related LncRNAs were obtained by co-expression analysis. Univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to construct m6A-related LncRNA prognostic models. Kaplan-Meier analysis, principal component analysis, feature-rich annotation, and nomogram were used to analyze the accuracy of risk models. Finally, potential drugs targeting this model are also discussed. Results: A prognostic model based on m6A-related LncRNA was constructed, potential drugs targeting this m6A-related LncRNA feature were discovered, and the relationship with immunotherapy response was studied. Finally, a nomogram was established to predict survival in PAAD patients.Conclusions: this m6A-based LncRNA risk prognostic model may be promising for clinical prediction of prognosis and immunotherapy response in PAAD patients.
Effect of Geometric Design and Materials on Section Properties of Additively Manufactured Lattice Elements
Authors: Almalki Abduladheem , Downing David , Lozanovski Bill , Tino Rance , Alghamdi Ahmad , Qian Ma , Brandt Milan , Leary Martin 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies such as Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion (LB-PBF) enables fabrication of complex lattice structures. However, LB-PBF processes inherently induce dimensional variation between idealised and as-manufactured specimens. This research proposes and implements a method to characterise the structurally relevant geometric properties of as-manufactured strut elements; as demonstrated to characterise the effect of LB-PBF material (aluminium alloy and titanium) and geometric design parameters (polygon order, effective diameter and inclination angle) on the stiffness and strength of as-manufactured strut elements. Micro-computed tomography is applied to algorithmically characterise the as-manufactured variation and identify a threshold below which additional geometric resolution does not result in increased part quality. This methodology provides an algorithmic and robust Design for AM (DFAM) tool to characterise the effect of manufacturing and design parameters on the functional response of AM strut elements, as is required for certification and optimisation.
A Feasibility Study of a Modified Treatment Strategy Combined External Beam Radiation Therapy and Brachytherapy for Cervical Cancer
Authors: Fu Qi , Li Wei , Zuo Jing , Yang Xi , Xu Yingjie , Huang Manni , An Jusheng , Jia Shuangzheng , Wu Lingying 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of a modified treatment strategy combined external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy (BT) for cervical cancer through a dosimetry analysis.Material and methods: This study retrospectively selected 12 cervical cancer patients treated with the conventional treatment strategy, which consisted of 45-50 Gy/25 fractions of EBRT using volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and image-guided BT with fraction dose of 5-7 Gy. The modified treatment strategy decreased the central EBRT dose while increasing the BT fractions. New target volumes were additionally contoured and new VMAT EBRT plans were generated for the modified treatment strategy. The dosimetric parameters for evaluation included the doses to the most irradiated 2 cc (D2cc) of the organs at risk (OARs) and the doses to at least 90% (D90) of the gross tumor volume (GTV) and high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV). The total doses to OARs and targets that obtained by adding the equivalent doses in 2 Gy fraction (EQD2) from the EBRT and BT plans were used for quantitative comparison between the modified and conventional treatment strategies.Results: Comparison to the conventional treatment strategy, the modified treatment strategy resulted in a higher bladder D2cc, a slightly lower rectal D2cc and a similar HR-CTV D90, all with no significant differences (p＞0.05). The GTV D90 of the modified treatment strategy was significantly higher than that of the conventional treatment strategy (p＜0.01). Conclusion: The modified treatment strategy can significantly increase the BT dose while remaining the total doses to the bladder and rectum basically unchanged, demonstrating its feasibility and promising prospect in clinical use.
Effects of laser process parameters on the hardness profile of AISI 4340 cylindrical samples: statistical and experimental analyses
Authors: Bensalem Karim , Barka Noureddine , Mouradi Mahmoud , Sadeghian Amirhossein , Karganroudi Sasan Sattarpanah 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
In the present paper, continuous Nd:YAG laser hardening of cylindrical AISI 4340 steel specimens was studied using experimental and statistical analyses. Three Laser parameters namely laser power, laser feed speed, and sample rotation speed were selected to evaluate their influence on the depth of the hardened zone, and the maximum surface hardness. Mathematical models were developed as a function of these three parameters and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to conduct the statistical study. Microhardness measurements revealed three distinct regions in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of all samples. The hardened zone (Z1) near the surface with the highest value of hardness, the hardness loss zone (Z2) where hardness started to decrease, and the overheated zone (Z3) adjacent to the core with hardness values that were less than the base metal. Based on experimental measurements, a maximum surface hardness of 60.8 HRC was attained. Furthermore, the maximum depth of the hardened zone was observed as 500 µm. The microstructures of laser-hardened samples were studied using optical and scanning electron (SEM) microscopies. The hardened region seemed to have hard martensitic microstructure. By comparing the predicted and measured data for maximum microhardness values it was revealed that the models represent the experimental values with correlations close to 100%.
Rare bacterial infection after arthroscopic continuous irrigation for autologous tendon reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament: case report
Authors: Peng Xu , Chen Shirong , Chen Xiangjun , Xie Xiaowei , Wu Chen 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Bacterial infection of the knee is a rare but serious complication after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, with an incidence ranging from 0.1% to 2.25% according to the literature. The causes are complex, such as contamination of surgical instruments and grafts, prolonged tourniquet, diabetes, anemia, infection in other parts of the body, history of smoking, history of previous surgery on the affected knee, etc.The treatment of postoperative infection includes conservative treatment with antibiotics and continuous lavage after debridement. Conservative treatment usually refers to the application of broad-spectrum antibiotics with topical medications, knee braking and cold compresses after confirmation of infection, while the latter usually involves arthroscopic debridement of pus and inflammatory degenerative tissue in the knee cavity, extensive irrigation and drainage with large amounts of saline, and even removal of the graft to control the infection. The most crucial thing in treating joint infection after ACL reconstruction is early detection and early diagnosis, especially in the early postoperative period, and timely diagnosis is more conducive to complete elimination of infection, protection of articular cartilage and preservation of grafts. In December 2021, a case of Paracoccus yeei (P. yeei) infection occurred in our department after early ACL reconstruction, which was treated with arthroscopic debridement and continuous lavage with satisfactory results.
Food Addiction And Emotional Eating Are Associated With Intradaily Rest–Activity Rhythm Variability
Authors: Borisenkov Mikhail F. , Tserne Tatyana A. , Bakutova Larisa A. , Gubin Denis G. 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the present study was to study the associations among parameters characterizing eating behavior and actimetry-derived indices of circadian rhythm of motor activity. Methods: The study involved 81 participants (average age: 21.5 ± 9.6 y, women: 77.8%). Each study participant provided personal data, filled out the Yale Food Addiction Scale and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and wore a wrist actimeter for seven consecutive days to record motor activity. Using time series treatments, we obtained three cosinor-derived parametric—MESOR, amplitude, and acrophase—and four nonparametric indices—interdaily stability, intradaily variability (IV), most active 10-h period (M10), and least active 5-h period—characterizing the 24-h rhythm of motor activity. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and BMI was performed to assess the associations among the studied indicators.Results: It was shown that IV is a predictor of symptoms of food addiction (β = 0.242, P = 0.037) and emotional eating (β = 0.390, P = 0.004), MESOR is a predictor of symptoms of food addiction (β = 0.342, P = 0.003), and M10 predicts restraint (β = 0.257, P = 0.015) and emotional eating (β = 0.464, P = 0.001). Conclusion: It was shown for the first time that an increase in symptom counts of food addiction is associated with an increase in the average level and fragmentation of 24-h rhythm of motor activity. Level of Evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
Comparative Effectiveness of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors vs the Other Hypoglycemic Drugs on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and Hospitalization for Heart Failure in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Kwon Chang Hee , Kim Ye-Jee , Kim Min-Ju , Cha Myung-Jin , Cho Min Soo , Nam Gi-Byoung , Choi Kee-Joon , Kim Jun 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background: In the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, evidence of the comparative effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors vs the other hypoglycemic drugs on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of SGLT2 inhibitors vs the other hypoglycemic drugs on major adverse cardiovascular events and heart failure for hospitalization in patients with T2DM and AF.Methods: A cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database compared the use of SGLT2 inhibitors vs the other hypoglycemic drugs for treatment of T2DM in AF patients. We identified 40,268 patients with T2DM and AF who were newly prescribed oral hypoglycemic drugs (2,977 individualst with SGLT2 inhibitors and 37,291 individuals without SGLT2 inhibitors) between 2014 and 2018. After 1:4 propensity score matching, patients who received SGLT2 inhibitors (n=2,958) and those who did not receive SGLT2 inhibitors (n=10,691) were enrolled, and followed up until December 31, 2018. The primary study outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke. Secondary outcoms were hospitalization for heart failure and all-cause mortality. The risks of study outcomes were assessed using a Cox proportional hazard model.Results: Mean age of all participants was 59.7 ± 11.9 years and 8.023 [58%] were male. During a mean follow-up duration of 2.1 ± 1.4 years, SGLT2 inhibitors were not significantly associated with reduced risk of MACE(hazard ratio [HR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-1.21) compared with the other hypoglycemic drugs. However, patients who received SGLT2 inhibitors had significantly lower risks of hospitalization for heart failure (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.53-0.93) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.98) than those who did not receive SGLT2 inhibitors. Conclusions: In this real-world cohort of Asian patients with T2DM and AF, new use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure compared with use of the other hypoglycemic drugs.