bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An ion-channel-gene-based prediction model for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Prognostic assessment and treatment guidance
Authors: Han Yanxun , Shi Yangyang , Chen Bangjie , Wang Jianpeng , Liu Yuchen , Sheng Shuyan , Fu Ziyue , Shen Chuanlu , Wang Xinyi , Yin Siyue , Li Haiwen 
Published: October 2022

PurposeHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a very diverse malignancy with a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to develop a new signature based on 12 ion channel genes to predict the outcome and immune status of HNSCC patients.MethodsClinicopathological information and gene sequencing data of HNSCC patients were generated from the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. A set of 323 ion channel genes was obtained from the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee database and literature review. Using univariate Cox regression analysis, the ion channel genes related to HNSCC prognosis were identified. A prognostic signature and nomogram were then created using machine learning methods. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to explore the relevance of the risk scores and overall survival (OS). We also investigated the association between risk scores, tumor immune infiltration, and gene mutational status. Finally, we detected the expression levels of the signature genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry.ResultsWe separated the patients into high- and low-risk groups according to the risk scores computed based on these 12 ion channel genes, and the OS of the low-risk group was significantly longer (p&lt;0.001). The area under the curve for predicting 3-year survival was 0.729. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the 12-ion-channel-gene risk model was an independent prognostic factor. We also developed a nomogram model based on risk scores and clinicopathological variables to forecast outcomes. Furthermore, immune cell infiltration, gene mutation status, immunotherapy response, and chemotherapeutic treatment sensitivity were all linked to risk scores. Moreover, high expression levels of ANO1, AQP9, and BEST2 were detected in HNSCC tissues, whereas AQP5, SCNN1G, and SCN4A expression was low in HNSCC tissues, as determined by experiments.ConclusionThe 12-ion-channel-gene prognostic signatures have been demonstrated to be highly efficient in predicting the prognosis, immune microenvironment, gene mutation status, immunotherapy response, and chemotherapeutic sensitivity of HNSCC patients.
Modeling of temperature dependence of Λ-graded InGaN solar cells for both strained and relaxed features
Authors: Sarollahi Mirsaeid , Zamani-Alavijeh Mohammad , Aldawsari Manal A. , Allaparthi Rohith , Maruf Md Helal Uddin , Refaei Malak , Alhelais Reem , Mazur Yuriy I. , Ware Morgan E. 
Published: October 2022

The temperature dependence of Λ-graded InGaN solar cells is studied through simulation using nextnano software. Λ-Graded structures have been designed by increasing and then decreasing the indium composition in epitaxial InGaN layers. Due to polarization doping, layers of p-type and n-type doping arise without the need for impurity doping. Different individual structures are designed by varying the indium alloy profile from GaN to maximum indium concentrations, xmax, ranging from 20% to 90% pseudomorphically strained to a GaN substrate and from 20% to 100% for completely strain-relaxed materials and linearly decreases back to GaN. For InxGa1-xN with x&gt;∼0.9, if the material is strained to the GaN lattice constant, it is predicted to have a negative band gap. So this case is not considered here. The temperature dependence of the electrical and optical properties as they relate to the solar efficiency of the Λ-graded structures under relaxed and strained conditions are studied. Additionally, the dimensionless absorption coefficients are fitted and plotted as functions of the band gap under both strained and relaxed conditions at different temperatures. As a result, the generation rates as functions of the penetration depth within a cell can be calculated in order to obtain the solar cell parameters including efficiency for each Λ-graded structure at different temperatures. Under the strained condition, the xmax, where the solar cell efficiency reaches its maximum for each temperature, decreases as the temperature increases. At the same time, under the relaxed condition, at low temperatures (T = 100–400 K), xmax is 100%, that is, grading to InN results in maximum efficiency, while at higher temperatures (T = 500–800 K), xmax decreases with the increasing temperature.
Chemical composition optimization of nanocomposites used for shed and core of outdoor composite insulators
Authors: Gafti Abdolah , Taherian Reza , Kiahoseini Seyed Rahim 
Published: October 2022

Outdoor 24-kV power transmission insulators include two main pieces, namely, the shed and core. In this study, these pieces were manufactured separately by roll/hot pressing and hand lay-up methods, respectively. Both shed and core were formed from polymer-based composites due to their low weight, high strength-to-weight ratio, and higher moisture and pollution resistance compared to those of ceramic and glass sheds. The sheds were made from silicone rubber as the matrix and alumina trihydrate (ATH) and TiO2 as additives in single- and double-filler composites. The characterization tests of the sheds included variable (max stability voltage) and constant (dry, wet, and notched max endurance voltage, as well as erosion) voltage tests, in addition to contact angle tests. The results of these analyses demonstrated that silicone rubber reinforced with 5 wt.% TiO2 was the best shed material based on its hydrophobicity. The core of the insulator was made of epoxy reinforced with different glass fiber percentages (10, 13, and 15 wt.%). The manufacturing method was hand lay-up. Tensile strength and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for characterization.
Use of radiomics containing an effective peritumoral area to predict early recurrence of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma ≤5 cm in diameter
Authors: Wang Fang , Cheng Ming , Du Binbin , Li Li-ming , Huang Wen-peng , Gao Jian-bo 
Published: October 2022

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth leading type of cancer worldwide. We aimed to develop a preoperative predictive model of the risk of early tumor recurrence after HCC treatment based on radiomic features of the peritumoral region and evaluate the performance of this model against postoperative pathology.MethodOur model was developed using a retrospective analysis of imaging and clinicopathological data of 175 patients with an isolated HCC ≤5 cm in diameter; 117 patients were used for model training and 58 for model validation. The peritumoral area was delineated layer-by-layer for the arterial and portal vein phase on preoperative dynamic enhanced computed tomography images. The volume area of interest was expanded by 5 and 10 mm and the radiomic features of these areas extracted. Lasso was used to select the most stable features.ResultsThe radiomic features of the 5-mm area were sufficient for prediction of early tumor recurrence, with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.706 for the validation set and 0.837 for the training set using combined images. The AUC of the model using clinicopathological information alone was 0.753 compared with 0.786 for the preoperative radiomics model (P &gt;0.05).ConclusionsRadiomic features of a 5-mm peritumoral region may provide a non-invasive biomarker for the preoperative prediction of the risk of early tumor recurrence for patients with a solitary HCC ≤5 cm in diameter. A fusion model that combines the radiomic features of the peritumoral region and postoperative pathology could contribute to individualized treatment of HCC.
Cause of death during upper tract urothelial carcinoma survivorship: A contemporary, population-based analysis
Authors: Peng Fu-Sheng , Wu Wan-Ting , Zhang Lu , Shen Jia-Hua , Yu Dong-Dong , Mao Li-Qi 
Published: October 2022

BackgroundVery few studies have been published on the causes of death of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). We sought to explore the mortality patterns of contemporary UTUC survivors.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study involving patients with upper urinary tract carcinoma from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2000 and 2015). We used standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) to compare death rates among patients with UTUC in the general population and excess absolute risks (EARs) to quantify the disease-specific death burden.ResultsA total of 10,179 patients with UTUC, including 7,133 who died, were included in our study. In total, 302 (17.17%) patients with the localized disease died of UTUC; however, patients who died from other causes were 4.8 times more likely to die from UTUC (n = 1,457 [82.83%]). Cardiovascular disease was the most common non-cancer cause of death (n = 393 [22.34% of all deaths]); SMR, 1.22; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.1–1.35; EAR, 35.96). A total of 4,046 (69.99%) patients with regional stage died within their follow-up, 1,413 (34.92%) of whom died from UTUC and 1,082 (26.74%) of whom died from non-cancer causes. UTUC was the main cause of death (SMR, 242.48; 95% CI, 230–255.47; EAR, 542.47), followed by non-tumor causes (SMR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.11–1.25; EAR, 63.74). Most patients (94.94%) with distant stage died within 3 years of initial diagnosis. Although UTUC was the leading cause of death (n = 721 [54.29%]), these patients also had a higher risk of death from non-cancer than the general population (SMR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.67–2.56; EAR, 288.26).ConclusionsNon-UTUC deaths accounted for 82.48% of UTUC survivors among those with localized disease. Patients with regional/distant stages were most likely to die of UTUC; however, there is an increased risk of dying from non-cancer causes that cannot be ignored. These data provide the latest and most comprehensive assessment of the causes of death in patients with UTUC.
Liver resection, radiofrequency ablation, and radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for very-early- and early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis for comparison of efficacy
Authors: Zhang Yunlong , Qin Yunlong , Dong Peng , Ning Houfa , Wang Guangzhi 
Published: October 2022

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy of liver resection (LR), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (RFA+TACE) in the treatment of very-early- and early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsWe systemically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational analyses with propensity score-matched cohort analyses (PSMs) comparing any two of the three treatments were included in this study. The primary result was overall survival (OS) and the secondary result was recurrence-free survival (RFS), which were analyzed by calculating the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsA total of 25 studies (4249 patients), including 10 RCTs and 15 PSM observational studies, met the inclusion criteria. Although there was no significant difference between LR and RFA in terms of one-year OS, though LR showed superior performance for three- and five-year OS (at three years, HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.56-0.96; at five years, HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55-0.94). In addition, significantly higher rates of RFS at one-, three- and five-year follow-up were found for LR than for RFA alone (at one year, HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51-0.92; at three years, HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.55-0.81; at five years, HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.48-0.78). The combination of RFA+TACE was superior to RFA alone based on one-year RFS (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.34-0.96), while there were no significant differences in OS at one, three, and five years, and in RFS at three and five years.ConclusionsFor very-early- and early-stage HCC, this systematic review and network meta-analysis showed that the efficacy of LR is superior to that of RFA alone, regardless of whether the evaluation is based on either OS or RFS. The advantages of RFA+TACE compared to RFA alone are limited, and further studies are needed to determine whether combination therapy is necessary, i.e., results in significantly improved outcomes. Systematic Review RegistrationThe study was registered with http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42022299269
Cost-utility analysis of empagliflozin in heart failure patients with reduced and preserved ejection fraction in China
Authors: Tang Yi , Sang Haiqiang 
Published: October 2022

Objective: EMPEROR-Reduced and EMPEROR-Preserved studies showed the benefits of empagliflozin along with a reduction in cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure (HF). Our aim was to evaluate the economics and effectiveness of adding empagliflozin to the standard therapy for HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HF preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in China.Methods: A multistate Markov model was constructed to yield the clinical and economic outcomes of adding empagliflozin to the standard therapy for 65-year-old patients with HFrEF and HFpEF. A cost-utility analysis was conducted, mostly derived from the EMPEROR-Reduced study, EMPEROR-Preserved study, and national statistical database. All costs and outcomes were discounted at the rate of 5% per annum. The primary outcomes were total and incremental costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Sensitivity analyses were also performed.Results: In the HFrEF population, the 10-year incremental cost was $827.52 and the 10-year incremental QALY was 0.15 QALYs, resulting in an ICER of $5,612.06/QALY, which was below the WTP of $12,652.5/QALY. In the HFpEF population, compared with the control group, the incremental cost was $1,271.27, and the incremental QALY was 0.11 QALYs, yielding an ICER of 11,312.65 $/QALY, which was also below the WTP of $12,652.5/QALY. In the HFrEF and HFpEF populations, the results of a one-way sensitivity analysis showed that the risk of cardiovascular death in both groups was the most influential parameter. In the HFrEF population, a probability sensitivity analysis (PSA) revealed that when the WTP thresholds were $12,652.5/QALY and $37,957.5/QALY, the probabilities of being cost-effective with empagliflozin as an add-on were 59.4% and 72.6%, respectively. In the HFpEF population, the PSA results revealed that the probabilities of being cost-effective with empagliflozin as an add-on were 53.1% and 72.2%, respectively.Conclusion: Considering that the WTP threshold was $12,652.5/QALY, adding empagliflozin to standard therapy was proven to be a slightly more cost-effective option for the treatment of HFrEF and HFpEF from a Chinese healthcare system perspective, which promoted the rational use of empagliflozin for HF.
Crohn’s disease patients with L4-esophagogastroduodenal phenotype is associated with a better prognosis: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Weng Jingrong , Lin Xutao , Chen Xi , Liang Yu-fan , Xu Yu-cheng , Cai Jia-wei , Lu Peng-cheng , Rong Yuming , Zou Yifeng , Zhu Lixin 
Published: October 2022

Background: In the Montreal classification, L4 Crohn’s disease (CD) is defined as an ileal disease, including L4-esophagogastric duodenum (EGD), L4-jejunum, and L4-proximal ileal involvement. According to the previous studies, the prognosis of L4 disease was worse than that of non-L4 disease. Among L4 diseases, the phenotypes of L4-jejunum and L4-proximal ileum indicated that the risk of abdominal surgery was higher. However, the prognosis of L4-esophagogastroduodenal remains largely elusive. Therefore, we aim to investigate whether the prognosis differs between CD patients with and without esophagogastroduodenal involvement.Methods: In this study, patients with L4-EGD phenotype (n = 74) who underwent gastroscopy, ileocolonoscopy, biopsies, and CTE from 2018 to 2020 were compared with L4 non-EGD controls (n = 148) who were randomly selected at a ratio of 1:2 in the same period. Demographic information inclusive of disease conduct and location, important points of the surgery, and hospitalization have been collected. The distinction between L4-EGD patients and non-L4-EGD patients was identified by way of multivariable logistic regression analysis. The Kaplan–Meier technique was used to consider the possibility of abdominal surgical operation and complications, observed by means of Cox percentage hazard fashions to decide if L4 EGD independently estimated the endpoints inclusive of the abdominal surgery and the occurrences of complications.Results: L4-EGD group (n = 74) had a lower proportion of intestinal fistula than the control group (n = 148) (17.6% versus 34.5%; p = 0.009), and the probabilities of requiring abdominal surgery and multiple abdominal surgeries were also lower (21.6% versus 36.5%; p = 0.025), (6.8% versus 18.9%; p = 0.016), respectively. The frequency of hospitalization was lower in the L4-EGD group than in the control group (3-7 versus 4–9; p = 0.013). L4-EGD phenotype was found to be an independent protective factor for abdominal surgery and intestinal fistula in the Cox regression model, with HRs of 0.536 (95%CI: 0.305–0.940; p = 0.030) and 0.478 (95%CI: 0.259–0.881; p = 0.018), respectively.Conclusion: Our data suggest that the L4-EGD phenotype may have a better prognosis compared to the Non-L4-EGD phenotype. Our data may advocate a revision of the Montreal classification including separate designations for L4-EGD disease.
Low FNDC5/Irisin expression is associated with aggressive phenotypes in gastric cancer
Authors: Xu Luyun , Ye Yan , Sun Yuqin , Zhong Wenting , Chi Liangjie , Lin Youyu , Liu Hongxia , Li ShengZhao , Chen Hui , Li Chengcheng , Lin Yuxuan , Wang Qingshui , Xue Fangqin , Lin Yao 
Published: October 2022

Background: FNDC5 belongs to the family of proteins called fibronectin type III domain-containing which carry out a variety of functions. The expression of FNDC5 is associated with the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the role of FNDC5 in gastric cancer remains relatively unknown.Methods: In the research, the expression of FNDC5 and its value for the prognosis of gastric cancer patients were observed with the TCGA database and GEO datasets of gastric cancer patients. The role of FNDC5 in the regulation of gastric cancer cells proliferation, invasion, and migration was determined. WGCNA and Enrichment analysis was performed on genes co-expressed with FNDC5 to identify potential FNDC5-related signaling pathways. Meanwhile, the LASSO Cox regression analysis based on FNDC5-related genes develops a risk score to predict the survival of gastric cancer patients.Results: The expression of FNDC5 was decreased in gastric cancer tissues compared to normal gastric tissues. However, survival analysis indicated that lower FNDC5 mRNA levels were associated with better overall survival and disease-free survival in gastric cancer patients. Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation was found between FNDC5 and the abundance of CD4+ memory T cells in gastric cancer. In vitro overexpression of FNDC5 inhibits the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, without affecting proliferation. Finally, A two-gene risk score module based on FNDC5 co-expressed gene was built to predict the overall clinical ending of patients.Conclusion: FNDC5 is low expressed in gastric cancer and low FNDC5 predicts a better prognosis. The better prognosis of low FNDC5 expression may be attributed to the increased number of CD4+ memory activated T-cell infiltration in tumors, but the exact mechanism of the effect needs to be further explored. Overexpressing FNDC5 inhibits the invasion and migration of gastric cancer but does not affect proliferation. At last, we constructed a clinical risk score model composed of two FNDC5-related genes, and this model may help lay the foundation for further in-depth research on the individualized treatment of gastric cancer patients.
Production and stably maintenance of strigolactone by transient expression of biosynthetic enzymes in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Yata Akira , Nosaki Shohei , Yoda Akiyoshi , Nomura Takahito , Miura Kenji 
Published: October 2022

Strigolactones (SLs) are phytohormones that play an essential role in plant–microbe interactions. The instability of SLs makes it challenging to use them for application to agriculture. In this study, we successfully produced a large amount of the 4-deoxyorobanchol (4DO), one of SLs, in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana, using a transient expression system to express SL biosynthetic enzymes. Using this system, the yield of 4DO was 2.1 ± 0.3 μg/gFM (fresh mass). Treatment of leaves at 80°C for 16 h killed Agrobacterium and approximately half amount of 4DO was left in the leaves (1.0 μg/gFM (calculated based on the original FM) ± 0.3). Interestingly, incubation of dried leaves at room temperature for 1 month maintained an almost equal amount of 4DO (0.9 ± 0.2 μg/gFM) in the leaves. These results suggest that high accumulation of 4DO with stability for long periods can be achieved in plant leaves.
Development of a highly sensitive lateral flow strip device for nucleic acid detection using molecular beacons
Authors: Moon Youngkwang , Moon Hyeokgyun , Chang Junhyuck , Kim Harold D. , Lee Jung Heon , Lee Jinkee 
Published: October 2022

Extensive research is focused on the development of highly sensitive, rapid on-site diagnostic devices. The lateral flow strip (LFS) is a paper-based point-of-care diagnostic device, which is highly promising because of its ease of use and low cost. Despite these advantages, LFS device is still less popular than other methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) due to its low sensitivity. Here, we have developed a fluorescence-based lateral flow strip (f-LFS) device for DNA detection using a molecular beacon (MB), a short hairpin-forming DNA strand tagged with a fluorophore-quencher pair. Each paper and membrane component of f-LFS device was carefully selected based on their physicochemical properties including porosity, surface functionality, and autofluorescence. The limit of detection (LOD) of this device was substantially improved to 2.1 fg/mL by adding MgCl2 to the reaction buffer and narrowing the test membrane dimension. Also, a portable fluorescence detection system for f-LFS was developed using a multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC), a sensitive detector detecting the signal on site. We anticipate that this highly sensitive paper-based diagnostic device can be utilized for on-site diagnosis of various diseases.