bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Local abnormal white matter microstructure in the spinothalamic tract in people with chronic neck and shoulder pain
Authors: Qiu Zhiqiang , Liu Tianci , Zeng Chengxi , Yang Maojiang , Xu Xiaoxue 
Published: January 2025

ObjectiveTo investigate differences in the microstructure of the spinothalamic tract (STT) white matter in people with chronic neck and shoulder pain (CNSP) using diffusion tensor imaging, and to assess its correlation with pain intensity and duration of the pain.Materials and methodsA 3.0T MRI scanner was used to perform diffusion tensor imaging scans on 31 people with CNSP and 24 healthy controls (HCs), employing the Automatic Fiber Segmentation and Quantification (AFQ) method to extract the STT and quantitatively analyze the fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), reflecting the microstructural integrity of nerve fibers. Correlations of these differences with duration of pain and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were analyzed.ResultsNo significant differences in the mean FA or MD values of the bilateral STT were observed between people with CNSP and HCs (p &gt; 0.05), as indicated by the two-sample t test. Further point-by-point comparison along 100 equidistant nodes within the STT pathway revealed significant reductions in FA values in the left (segments 12–18, 81–89) and right (segments 9–19, 76–80) STT in the CNSP group compared to HCs; significant increases in MD values were observed in the left (segments 1–13, 26–30, 71–91) and right (segments 8–17, 76–91) STT (p &lt; 0.05, FWE corrected). Partial correlation analysis indicates that in people with CNSP, the FA values of the STT in regions with damaged white matter structure show a negative correlation with VAS scores and duration of pain, whereas MD values show a positive correlation with VAS scores and duration of pain.ConclusionThis study found that people with CNSP exhibit white matter microstructural abnormalities in the specific segments of STT. These abnormalities are associated with the patient’s pain intensity and disease duration. The findings offer a new neuroimaging perspective on the pathophysiological basis of chronic pain in the ascending conduction process and its potential role in developing targeted intervention strategies. However, due to the limited sample size and the lack of statistical significance when analyzing the entire spinothalamic tract, these conclusions should be interpreted with caution. Further research with larger cohorts is necessary to validate these results.
Association between Life’s Crucial 9 and overactive bladder: the mediating role of weight-adjusted-waist index
Authors: Gong Hongyang , Duan Shuqin , Huang Shaoqun 
Published: January 2025

BackgroundResearch suggests a potential connection between cardiovascular health, obesity, and overactive bladder (OAB). However, the mechanisms by which obesity influences the relationship between cardiovascular health and OAB remain unclear. Life’s Crucial 9 (LC9) is a recently proposed method for assessing cardiovascular health, while the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) is a novel and more accurate measure of obesity. This study investigates the relationship between LC9 and OAB and assesses whether WWI moderates this relationship.MethodsData for this study came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We used subgroup analyses, restricted cubic spline curves (RCS), and multivariate logistic regression to explore the relationship between LC9 and OAB. Additionally, mediation analysis was conducted to investigate the potential association between WWI levels and the relationship between LC9 and OAB.ResultsA total of 25,319 participants were included in this study, among which 5,038 reported incidents of OAB. After adjusting for all variables using multivariable logistic regression, an increase of 10 units in LC9 was associated with a 28% reduction in the incidence of OAB (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.69, 0.76), while an increase of one unit in WWI was associated with a 40% increase in the incidence of OAB (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.29, 1.51). Consistent results were also observed when LC9 and WWI were categorized into quartiles, with a P for trend &lt;0.001. The analysis using restricted cubic splines indicated a linear negative correlation between the incidence of OAB and LC9. Mediation analysis revealed that 13.89% of the relationship between LC9 and OAB was mediated by WWI (p = 0.002).ConclusionThis study found a significant negative correlation between LC9 and OAB, with WWI acting as a partial mediator in this relationship. This study provides new insights for future research into the relationship between LC9 and OAB and the role of WWI as a mediator.
Prognostic risk factors of pneumonia associated with COVID-19 in patients with lymphoma
Authors: Liu Dan , Yin Xia , Wang Hui , Xing Lijie , Li Ping , Wei Haichen , Ma Ji , He Qiang , Xie Linna , Lu Ke , Li Zengjun 
Published: January 2025

ObjectivePatients with hematological malignancies have an elevated risk of developing pneumonia after contracting COVID-19. Lymphoma is the most prevalent hematologic malignancy. It is critical to identify patients at high risk of contracting COVID-19-associated pneumonia.MethodsFrom January 11–31, 2023, we distributed questionnaires to patients diagnosed with lymphoma according to 2016 World Health Organization diagnostic and classification criteria. COVID-19 infection was confirmed based on symptoms and laboratory tests. Pneumonia was confirmed using computed tomography scans.ResultsIn total, 257 patients were included in this study; 221 patients (86.0%) had COVID-19 infection and 61 (27.6%) of these had pneumonia. Patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) had a significantly higher pneumonia incidence than patients with other lymphoma types (31.8% vs. 27.6%, P=0.005). Higher incidence of pneumonia was observed in patients receiving anti-CD20 therapy (30.0% vs. 16.3%, P=0.048) and Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor therapy (51.3% vs. 22.5%, P=0.001). B-NHL (hazard ratio [HR]=3.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4–10.0, P=0.009), anti-CD20 therapy (HR=2.3, 95% CI 1.0–5.2, P=0.050), BTK inhibitor (HR=3.6, 95% CI 1.8–7.4, P&lt;0.001), active therapy (HR=3.0, 95% CI 1.5–5.7, P=0.001), and lack of disease remission (HR=3.7, 95% CI 1.8–7.4, P=0.001) were high-risk factors for developing pneumonia. Anti-PD-1 therapy was a protective factor against pneumonia development (HR=0.2, 95% CI 0.05–0.9, P=0.034). In multivariable analysis, BTK inhibitor (HR=3.5, 95% CI 1.6–8.0, P=0.003), active therapy (HR=3.3, 95% CI 1.6–6.8, P=0.001), and disease non-remission (HR=2.9, 1.3–6.4, P=0.007) were independent risk factors for pneumonia development after COVID-19 infection in patients with lymphoma.ConclusionsPatients with lymphoma receiving BTK inhibitors, undergoing active therapy, and lacking disease remission exhibited a higher risk for pneumonia associated with COVID-19.
Downregulation of hnRNPA1 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell progression by modulating alternative splicing of ZNF207 exon 9
Authors: Ouyang Qi , He Wenhui , Guo Yiping , Li Lin , Mao Ying , Li Xiang , Xiang Shuanglin , Hu Xiang , He Jun 
Published: January 2025

IntroductionHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) plays a critical role in RNA metabolism, including alternative splicing, which is linked to cancer progression. Our study investigated the role of hnRNPA1 in HCC and its potential as a therapeutic target.MethodsWe analyzed hnRNPA1 expression in HCC tissues compared to non-tumor tissues using RNA-seq and immunohistochemistry. hnRNPA1 was knocked down in Hep G2 cells to assess its impact on cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis using scratch assays, flow cytometry, qPCR, and Western blot. We also explored the interaction between hnRNPA1 and ZNF207, as well as its splicing effects and downstream signaling pathways by RIP assay, bioinformatics, qPCR and Western blot.ResultshnRNPA1 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues compared to normal tissues, correlating with poor patient survival. hnRNPA1 knockdown reduced Hep G2 cell proliferation and migration while increasing apoptosis. We identified that hnRNPA1 bound to ZNF207 and regulated its exon 9 skipping, influencing ZNF207 splicing and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, key regulators of cell growth and survival.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that hnRNPA1 promotes HCC progression by regulating ZNF207 splicing and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. hnRNPA1-ZNF207 interaction represents a potential therapeutic target for HCC, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC progression.
The accuracy of forecasted hospital admission for respiratory tract infections in children aged 0–5 years for 2017/2023
Authors: Methi Fredrik , Magnusson Karin 
Published: January 2025

AimHealthcare services are in need of tools that can help to ensure a sufficient capacity in periods with high prevalence of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). During the COVID-19 pandemic, we forecasted the number of hospital admissions for RTIs among children aged 0–5 years. Now, in 2024, we aim to examine the accuracy and usefulness of our forecast models.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis using data from 753,070 children aged 0–5 years, plotting the observed monthly number of RTI admissions, including influenza coded RTI, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) coded RTI, COVID-19 coded RTI, and other upper and lower RTI, from January 1st, 2017, until May 31st, 2023. We determined the accuracy of four different forecast models, all based on monthly hospital admissions and different assumptions regarding the pattern of virus transmission, computed with ordinary least squares regression adjusting for seasonal trends. We compared the observed vs. forecasted numbers of RTIs between October 31st, 2021, and May 31st, 2023, using metrics such as mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and dynamic time warping (DTW).ResultsIn our most accurate prediction, we assumed that the proportion of children who remained uninfected and non-hospitalized during the lockdown would be prone to hospitalization in the subsequent season, resulting in increased numbers when lockdown measures were eased. In this prediction, the difference between observed and forecasted numbers at the peak of hospitalizations requiring vs. not requiring respiratory support in November 2021 to January 2022 was 26 (394 vs. 420) vs. 48 (1810 vs. 1762).ConclusionIn scenarios similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the transmission of respiratory viruses is suppressed for an extended period, a simple regression model, assuming that non-hospitalized children would be hospitalized the following season, most accurately forecasted hospital admission numbers. These simple forecasts may be useful for capacity planning activities in hospitals.
The efficacy of Tripterygium Glycosides in the treatment of Chinese patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Mingzhe , Wei Bingchen , Gao Tianshu , Gao Chenghan 
Published: January 2025

ObjectiveThis study aims to conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness and safety of Tripterygium Glycosides interventions in the treatment of Chinese patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO).MethodsA literature search was conducted using PubMed for English sources, and the CNKI, Chinese Biomedical Database, Wanfang Database, and VIP Database for Chinese sources. The search period extended from the beginning of the databases’ creation to Dec. 2023. The keywords used in the search were hyperthyroidism, thyroid-related immune orbitopathy (TRIO), ophthalmopathy, and Tripterygium Glycosides. Various combinations of search terms were used, depending on the database being queried. All the trials included in the study were clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Results33 RCTs or quasi-RCTs that met the inclusion criteria were included. The meta-analysis included 27 RCTs. 6 RCTs were excluded from the analysis due to the absence of a control group, but they were still included in the systematic review. 27 RCTs or quasi-RCTs involving 2,134 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The TRIO patients in the treatment group received Tripterygium Glycosides in combination with Thiamazole, Prednisone, Levothyroxine sodium, or a combination of these medications. While the TRIO patients in the control group were treated with Thiamazole, Prednisone, Levothyroxine sodium, or a combination of these treatments, the meta-analysis results show that the overall effectiveness rate of the treatment group and the control group was P = 0.05, I2 = 0.33 &lt; 0.5 [MD = 4.45, 95% CI (3.31, 5.99), P &lt; 0.00001]. The former was significantly superior to the latter. At the same time, a risk assessment was conducted for the study of the 2 groups. The former was significantly superior to the latter. Furthermore, the clinical effectiveness rate of eyeball prominence was P &lt; 0.00001, I2 = 0.98 &gt; 0.5 [MD = 2.40, 95% CI (2.28, 2.51), P &lt; 0.00001]. The clinical effectiveness rate of CAS score was P &lt; 0.00001, I2 = 0.89 &gt; 0.5 [MD = 1.68, 95% CI (1.50, 1.85), P &lt; 0.00001]. The clinical effectiveness rate of FT3 was P &lt; 0.00001, I2 = 0.98 &gt; 0.5 [MD = 0.95, 95% CI (0.81, 1.08), P &lt; 0.00001], the clinical effectiveness rate of FT4 was P &lt; 0.00001, I2 = 0.95 &gt; 0.5 [MD = 2.12, 95% CI (1.99, 2.25), P &lt; 0.00001], and the clinical effectiveness rate of TSH was P &lt; 0.00001, I2 = 0.89 &gt; 0.5 [MD = −0.19, 95% CI (−0.21, −0.17), P &lt; 0.00001].ConclusionThe experience with the treatment of TAO using Tripterygium Glycosides was promising. The existing evidence suggests that treatment with Tripterygium Glycosides may be more effective in enhancing the response rate, quality of life, and FT3 levels compared to treatment with Prednisone, Levothyroxine sodium, and/or Thiamazole alone.
Survival analysis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma based on the ratio of platelet count to spleen diameter
Authors: Yan Huiwen , Zhou Dongdong , Liu Xiaoli , Wang Peng , Jiang Tingting , Yang Zhiyun 
Published: January 2025

BackgroundIn China, 80% of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is associated with cirrhosis. Portal hypertension, the most common outcome of cirrhosis progression, has a high incidence. Platelet count/spleen diameter ratio (PSL) with a cut-off value of 909 can predict the presence of esophagogastric varices and thus portal hypertension, which is also an independent risk factor for early recurrence and late recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after resection. Therefore, the effect of PSL on the overall survival (OS) of patients with HCC is necessary. The aim of this study was to apply a new method to establish and validate a model for predicting the prognosis of patients based on PSL with HCC.MethodsA total of 1,104 patients with clinical diagnosed with HCC following non-surgical therapy randomly divided the patients into a primary cohort and a validation cohort in a ratio of 7:3, in which 772 HCC patients were in the primary cohort and a total of 332 HCC patients were in the validation cohort. Through Lasso-Cox analysis, the independent predictors of OS of training cohort were included in nomogram1, and the independent predictors of Cox regression analysis were included in nomogram2. Nomogram1 and nomogram2 used consistency index (C-index), AUC and time-dependent ROC curves in the training cohort, respectively, and the calibration curves were plotted. All suggest that nomogram1 is better than nomogram2. We get similar results in the validation cohort.ResultsThe C-index of nomogram1was 0.792 (95%CI: 0.772–0.812), which was superior to nomogram2 (0.788) and traditional modes (0.631–0.712). The AUC of nomogram1 was 0.866 (95%CI: 0.840–0.889). In the validation cohort, the nomogram1 still gave good discrimination (C-index: 0.769, 95%CI: 0.740–0.798; AUC: 0.867, 95%CI: 0.826–0.902). Calibration plots for 3-year OS probabilities showed the good agreement between nomogram1 predictions and actual observations. In addition, we found that the decision curve analysis of nomogram1 and nomogram2 was also meaningful.ConclusionNovel nomogram containing PSL, based on LASSO Cox regression, had higher predictive efficacy for 3-year overall survival in patients with HCC.
Restraint stress effects on glutamate signaling protein levels in the rats’ frontal cortex: Does β1 adrenoceptor activity matter?
Authors: Zelek-Molik Agnieszka , Gądek-Michalska Anna , Wilczkowski Michał , Bielawski Adam , Maziarz Katarzyna , Kreiner Grzegorz , Nalepa Irena 
Published: January 2025

IntroductionStress-evoked dysfunctions of the frontal cortex (FC) are correlated with changes in the functioning of the glutamatergic system, and evidence demonstrates that noradrenergic transmission is an important regulator of this process. In the current study, we adopted a restraint stress (RS) model in male Wistar rats to investigate whether the blockade of β1 adrenergic receptors (β1AR) with betaxolol (BET) in stressed animals influences the body’s stress response and the expression of selected signaling proteins in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC).MethodsThe study was divided into two parts. In the first part, rats were exposed to RS for 3, 7, or 14 days, and the expression of glutamate signaling proteins (p(S845)/t GluA1, p(Y1472)/t GluN2B, VGLUT1, and VGLUT2) in the FC was analyzed to determine the optimal RS duration for studying the mechanisms of hypofrontality. In the second part, rats were exposed to RS for 14 days, and BET (5 mg/kg, p. o.) was administered during the last 8 days immediately after RS. The body’s stress reaction was assessed by analyzing body weight and blood levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT). Behavioral responses were evaluated using the novel object recognition (NOR) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests. The impact of RS and BET on the expression of p(Y530)/t Fyn and p (S133)/t CREB in the mPFC was measured via Western blotting.Results and DiscussionThe first part of the study demonstrated a decreased level of glutamate receptors in rats exposed to 14 days of RS, following an initial increase observed after 7 days of RS. Results from the second part revealed that chronic RS reduced body weight, impaired recognition memory in the NOR test, augmented blood levels of ACTH, and increased the expression of p(Y530) Fyn in the mPFC. However, β1AR blockade did not alter the effects of RS on weight gain, cognitive function, or the expression of p(Y530) Fyn. β1AR blockade normalized only the blood concentration of ACTH. These results suggest that decreased Fyn kinase activity, indicated by phosphorylation at Y530, underlies the stress-evoked downregulation of GluN2B in the FC in a manner independent of β1AR activity.
Elucidation of the mechanism of berberine against gastric mucosa injury in a rat model with chronic atrophic gastritis based on a combined strategy of multi-omics and molecular biology
Authors: Chen Lisheng , Wang Xin , Li Jianyu , Zhang Lijuan , Wu Wenbin , Wei Shizhang , Zou Wenjun , Zhao Yanling 
Published: January 2025

BackgroundBerberine (BBR) is widely used to treat gastrointestinal diseases. However, the pharmacological mechanism of action of BBR in anti-chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of BBR in CAG by integration of molecular biology and multi-omics studies strategy.MethodsThe CAG model was established by alternating drinking water of 0.1% ammonia and 20 mmol/L sodium deoxycholate, accompanied by an irregular diet. Serum biochemical indices including PGI, PGII, GAS-17, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α were analyzed. HE and AB-PAS staining were employed to assess pathological damage in gastric tissue. The underlying molecular mechanism of BBR in CAG treatment was explored via the integration of network pharmacology, transcriptomics, widely targeted metabolomics and intestinal flora analysis. Finally, relevant key targets and pathway were verified.ResultsThe results showed that BBR exerted therapeutic effects in improving CAG via alleviating inflammation response, maintaining the gastric mucosal barrier’s integrity and repairing gastric mucosal tissues. Network pharmacology showed that the treatment of CAG by BBR mainly involved in inflammatory response, apoptosis, angiogenesis and metabolic processes. Furthermore, 234 different expression genes were identified in the gastric tissue transcriptome, which were mainly involved in biological processes such as cell adhesion, angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell migration and lipids metabolism by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway. Metabolomics results showed that 125 differential metabolites were also identified, while the pathways were mainly involved in D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, and tyrosine metabolism, etc. Integrating transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses indicated that BBR directly regulated Carnitine C3:0, LPC (0:0/20:3), L-Glutamic Acid and FFA (15:0) by acting on SLC25A20, PNLIPRP1, PLA2G4C, GSR, GFPT2, GCLM, CTPS1, ACSL1, ACOT4 and ACOT2. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that BBR could restore the balance of gut microbiota dysbiosis by significantly regulating the relative abundance of unclassified_Muribaculaceae and Lactobacillus_johnsonii.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that BBR alleviates CAG through the regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway, metabolic disorders and gut microbiota dysbiosis, thereby revealing the complex mechanism of BBR in relation to alleviating CAG from multiple levels and perspectives.