bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Pointwise Encoding Time Reduction With Radial Acquisition MRA to Assess Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis Pre- and Post-stent Angioplasty: Comparison With 3D Time-of-Flight MRA and DSA
Authors: Zhang Feifei , Ran Yuncai , Zhu Ming , Lei Xiaowen , Niu Junxia , Wang Xiao , Zhang Yong , Li Shujian , Zhu Jinxia , Gao Xuemei , Mossa-Basha Mahmud , Cheng Jingliang , Zhu Chengcheng
Published: September 2021

Background and Purpose: 3D pointwise encoding time reduction magnetic resonance angiography (PETRA-MRA) is a promising non-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) technique for intracranial stenosis assessment but it has not been adequately validated against digital subtraction angiography (DSA) relative to 3D-time-of-flight (3D-TOF) MRA. The aim of this study was to compare PETRA-MRA and 3D-TOF-MRA using DSA as the reference standard for intracranial stenosis assessment before and after angioplasty and stenting in patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis.

Materials and Methods: Sixty-two patients with MCA stenosis (age 53 ± 12 years, 43 males) underwent MRA and DSA within a week for pre-intervention evaluation and 32 of them had intracranial angioplasty and stenting performed. The MRAs' image quality, flow visualization within the stents, and susceptibility artifact were graded on a 1–4 scale (1 = poor, 4 = excellent) independently by three radiologists. The degree of stenosis was measured by two radiologists independently on DSA and MRAs.

Results: There was an excellent inter-observer agreement for stenosis assessment on PETRA-MRA, 3D-TOF-MRA, and DSA (ICCs > 0.90). For pre-intervention evaluation, PETRA-MRA had better image quality than 3D-TOF-MRA (3.87 ± 0.34 vs. 3.38 ± 0.65, P < 0.001), and PETRA-MRA had better agreement with DSA for stenosis measurements compared to 3D-TOF-MRA (r = 0.96 vs. r = 0.85). For post-intervention evaluation, PETRA-MRA had better image quality than 3D-TOF-MRA for in-stent flow visualization and susceptibility artifacts (3.34 ± 0.60 vs. 1.50 ± 0.76, P < 0.001; 3.31 ± 0.64 vs. 1.41 ± 0.61, P < 0.001, respectively), and better agreement with DSA for stenosis measurements than 3D-TOF-MRA (r = 0.90 vs. r = 0.26). 3D-TOF-MRA significantly overestimated the stenosis post-stenting compared to DSA (84.9 ± 19.7 vs. 39.3 ± 13.6%, p < 0.001) while PETRA-MRA didn't (40.6 ± 13.7 vs. 39.3 ± 13.6%, p = 0.18).

Conclusions: PETRA-MRA is accurate and reproducible for quantifying MCA stenosis both pre- and post-stenting compared with DSA and performs better than 3D-TOF-MRA.
Loading Rate Dependence of Rock Strength Under Triaxial Compression
Authors: Tang Yang , Zhang Hailong , Xu Jiang , Okubo Seisuke , Liu Xinrong
Published: September 2021

Knowledge regarding the time-dependent behavior of rocks is essential to estimate the long-term deformation and stability of underground structures. The rock strength increases with the increasing loading rate. However, the loading rate dependence in postfailure regions under confining pressure remains unclear. In this study, triaxial compression tests were conducted on four types of rocks to examine the loading rate dependence in both peak and postfailure regions. Results demonstrate that an increase in residual strength with a tenfold increase in the strain rate was approximately proportional to 4% of the residual strength. Furthermore, the increase in peak strength with a tenfold increase in the strain rate increased at a rate of approximately 4% of peak strength. The obtained results were applicable to all the sample rocks and can be easily employed for improving the constitutive equations. Finally, the effect mechanism of the confining pressure on the loading rate dependence of rock strength is discussed.
Review and Harmonization of the Life-Cycle Global Warming Impact of PV-Powered Hydrogen Production by Electrolysis
Authors: Kanz Olga , Bittkau Karsten , Ding Kaining , Rau Uwe , Reinders Angèle
Published: September 2021

This work presents a review of life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies of hydrogen electrolysis using power from photovoltaic (PV) systems. The paper discusses the assumptions, strengths and weaknesses of 13 LCA studies and identifies the causes of the environmental impact. Differences in assumptions of system boundaries, system sizes, evaluation methods, and functional units make it challenging to directly compare the Global Warming Potential (GWP) resulting from different studies. To simplify this process, 13 selected LCA studies on PV-powered hydrogen production have been harmonized following a consistent framework described by this paper. The harmonized GWP values vary from 0.7 to 6.6 kg CO2-eq/kg H2 which can be considered a wide range. The maximum absolute difference between the original and harmonized GWP results of a study is 1.5 kg CO2-eq/kg H2. Yet even the highest GWP of this study is over four times lower than the GWP of grid-powered electrolysis in Germany. Due to the lack of transparency of most LCAs included in this review, full identification of the sources of discrepancies (methods applied, assumed production conditions) is not possible. Overall it can be concluded that the environmental impact of the electrolytic hydrogen production process is mainly caused by the GWP of the electricity supply. For future environmental impact studies on hydrogen production systems, it is highly recommended to 1) divide the whole system into well-defined subsystems using compression as the final stage of the LCA and 2) to provide energy inputs/GWP results for the different subsystems.
CGMS and Glycemic Variability, Relevance in Clinical Research to Evaluate Interventions in T2D, a Literature Review
Authors: Breyton Anne-Esther , Lambert-Porcheron Stéphanie , Laville Martine , Vinoy Sophie , Nazare Julie-Anne
Published: September 2021

Glycemic variability (GV) appears today as an integral component of glucose homeostasis for the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review aims at investigating the use and relevance of GV parameters in interventional and observational studies for glucose control management in T2D. It will first focus on the relationships between GV parameters measured by continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) and glycemic control and T2D-associated complications markers. The second part will be dedicated to the analysis of GV parameters from CGMS as outcomes in interventional studies (pharmacological, nutritional, physical activity) aimed at improving glycemic control in patients with T2D. From 243 articles first identified, 63 articles were included (27 for the first part and 38 for the second part). For both analyses, the majority of the identified studies were pharmacological. Lifestyle studies (including nutritional and physical activity-based studies, N-AP) were poorly represented. Concerning the relationships of GV parameters with those for glycemic control and T2D related-complications, the standard deviation (SD), the coefficient of variation (CV), the mean blood glucose (MBG), and the mean amplitude of the glycemic excursions (MAGEs) were the most studied, showing strong relationships, in particular with HbA1c. Regarding the use and relevance of GV as an outcome in interventional studies, in pharmacological ones, SD, MAGE, MBG, and time in range (TIR) were the GV parameters used as main criteria in most studies, showing significant improvement after intervention, in parallel or not with glycemic control parameters’ (HbA1c, FBG, and PPBG) improvement. In N-AP studies, the same results were observed for SD, MAGE, and TIR. Despite the small number of N-AP studies addressing both GV and glycemic control parameters compared to pharmacological ones, N-AP studies have shown promising results on GV parameters and would require more in-depth work. Evaluating CGMS-GV parameters as outcomes in interventional studies may provide a more integrative dimension of glucose control than the standard postprandial follow-up. GV appears to be a key component of T2D dysglycemia, and some parameters such as MAGE, SD, or TIR could be used routinely in addition to classical markers of glycemic control such as HbA1c, fasting, or postprandial glycemia.
Early-Life Exposure to Per- and Poly-Fluorinated Alkyl Substances and Growth, Adiposity, and Puberty in Children: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lee Yun Jeong , Jung Hae Woon , Kim Hwa Young , Choi Yoon-Jung , Lee Young Ah
Published: September 2021

Per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of synthetic polyfluorinated compounds, are widely used in consumer products. Ubiquitous exposures to PFAS, in consideration of their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicities have led to concerns regarding possible harmful effects during critical periods of development in early-life and long-term consequences on health. The potential effects of PFAS depend on various factors including the type of PFAS and the timing and level of exposure. We performed a systematic review of the epidemiologic literature to assess the effects of early-life PFAS exposure on prenatal and postnatal growth, adiposity, and puberty in children and adolescents. For birth size, most studies indicated that prenatal PFAS exposure, in particular long-chain PFAS, may impair fetal growth, albeit some reports of null associations with maternal PFAS. For growth within 2 years of age, prenatal PFAS exposure showed no associations with height and either null or negative associations with weight. However, postnatal PFAS exposures were inversely related to height and weight at 2 years in a cross-sectional study. For postnatal adiposity, prenatal PFAS may mostly have negative associations with body mass index in the first 2 years of life, but positive relationships with adiposity in childhood and adolescence, although some studies showed null associations. For puberty, the evidence for associations between early-life PFAS exposure and pubertal development or sex hormone levels were limited and inconclusive. From experimental studies, plausible mechanisms through which PFAS may affect early-life growth and puberty include PFAS-induced activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, alterations of thyroid or steroid hormone synthesis and metabolism, and their weak estrogenic or anti-androgenic properties. Although the published literature suggests possible effects of PFAS exposures on early-life growth, adiposity, and puberty, current human evidence is limited in establishing PFAS-induced effects on early-life physical development. Further investigation is warranted to clarify PFAS-induced effects on growth and physical development in consideration of the critical time-window of exposure, concomitant exposure to chemical mixtures including various PFAS types, and possible non-monotonic dose-response relationship for growth and adiposity trajectories.
Role of KNDy Neurons Expressing Kisspeptin, Neurokinin B, and Dynorphin A as a GnRH Pulse Generator Controlling Mammalian Reproduction
Authors: Uenoyama Yoshihisa , Nagae Mayuko , Tsuchida Hitomi , Inoue Naoko , Tsukamura Hiroko
Published: September 2021

Increasing evidence accumulated during the past two decades has demonstrated that the then-novel kisspeptin, which was discovered in 2001, the known neuropeptides neurokinin B and dynorphin A, which were discovered in 1983 and 1979, respectively, and their G-protein-coupled receptors, serve as key molecules that control reproduction in mammals. The present review provides a brief historical background and a summary of our recent understanding of the roles of hypothalamic neurons expressing kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A, referred to as KNDy neurons, in the central mechanism underlying gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generation and subsequent tonic gonadotropin release that controls mammalian reproduction.
Exergy Efficiency Promotion for the System of CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol in Habitable Confined Space
Authors: Xiong Kai , Yin Yong-Li , Cao Yong , Liu Xiao-Tian
Published: September 2021

Excess hydrogen and carbon dioxide will be produced during the operation of life support systems in the habitable confined space (HCS), and to eliminate the two excess gases by converting them into methanol is of great significance for maintenance of atmospheric balance and protection of crew’s life safety. Due to the limited energy supply ability within the HCS, it is important for the system of carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol (CDHM) to operate with high energy efficiency to reduce unnecessary external energy consumption and internal energy loss. In this paper, the exergy analysis method is adopted for exergy efficiency improvement. Specifically, a parametric study on the exergetic performance of the CDHM system is conducted based on the three key working condition parameters that have a huge impact on the reaction process and energy utilization quality, which is used to find the favorable working condition with low external energy consumption and exergy destruction per unit gas elimination and high exergy efficiency. Within the chosen three reaction parameters which are reaction pressure, temperature, and space velocity ranging from 5 to 8 MPa, from 483.15 to 543.15 K, and from 2,800 to 4000 h−1, respectively, the gas elimination of carbon dioxide and hydrogen increases by 13.3, 19.58, and 30.58%, respectively. Moreover, the input power, cold energy consumption, and exergy destruction per molar synthetic methanol all grow to some extent, leading to a 0.06% decline, a 0.46% promotion, and a 0.15% decrease, respectively, in the exergy efficiency. The results show that the high exergy efficiency can be realized with relatively low pressure, high temperature, and low space velocity in the working condition. Besides, the exergy destructions of each component in the CDHM system are also presented in this paper. The exergy destructions in the methanol synthesis reactor, heater, and heat exchanger hot end are found to be the three biggest, whose summation accounts for more than 90% of the total system exergy destruction. Thus, the exergy efficiency also can be improved by reducing the three biggest exergy destructions.
Systematic Evaluation of DNA Sequence Variations on in vivo Transcription Factor Binding Affinity
Authors: Jin Yutong , Jiang Jiahui , Wang Ruixuan , Qin Zhaohui S.
Published: September 2021

The majority of the single nucleotide variants (SNVs) identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) fall outside of the protein-coding regions. Elucidating the functional implications of these variants has been a major challenge. A possible mechanism for functional non-coding variants is that they disrupted the canonical transcription factor (TF) binding sites that affect the in vivo binding of the TF. However, their impact varies since many positions within a TF binding motif are not well conserved. Therefore, simply annotating all variants located in putative TF binding sites may overestimate the functional impact of these SNVs. We conducted a comprehensive survey to study the effect of SNVs on the TF binding affinity. A sequence-based machine learning method was used to estimate the change in binding affinity for each SNV located inside a putative motif site. From the results obtained on 18 TF binding motifs, we found that there is a substantial variation in terms of a SNV’s impact on TF binding affinity. We found that only about 20% of SNVs located inside putative TF binding sites would likely to have significant impact on the TF-DNA binding.
Development and Validation of a Prognostic Nomogram Based on DNA Methylation-Driven Genes for Patients With Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Zhou Min , Hong Shasha , Li Bingshu , Liu Cheng , Hu Ming , Min Jie , Tang Jianming , Hong Li
Published: September 2021

Background: DNA methylation affects the development, progression, and prognosis of various cancers. This study aimed to identify DNA methylated-differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and develop a methylation-driven gene model to evaluate the prognosis of ovarian cancer (OC).

Methods: DNA methylation and mRNA expression profiles of OC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas, Genotype-Tissue Expression, and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. We used the R package MethylMix to identify DNA methylation-regulated DEGs and built a prognostic signature using LASSO Cox regression. A quantitative nomogram was then drawn based on the risk score and clinicopathological features.

Results: We identified 56 methylation-related DEGs and constructed a prognostic risk signature with four genes according to the LASSO Cox regression algorithm. A higher risk score not only predicted poor prognosis, but also was an independent poor prognostic indicator, which was validated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the validation cohort. A nomogram consisting of the risk score, age, FIGO stage, and tumor status was generated to predict 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) in the training cohort. The joint survival analysis of DNA methylation and mRNA expression demonstrated that the two genes may serve as independent prognostic biomarkers for OS in OC.

Conclusion: The established qualitative risk score model was found to be robust for evaluating individualized prognosis of OC and in guiding therapy.
Identification of Autophagy Related circRNA-miRNA-mRNA-Subtypes Network With Radiotherapy Responses and Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Fan Liyuan , Li Baosheng , Li Zhao , Sun Liang
Published: September 2021

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and most LCs are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Radiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for patients with lung cancer, either alone or in combination with other treatment methods. However, radiotherapy responses vary considerably among NSCLC patients. The efficacy of radiotherapy is influenced by several factors, among which autophagy is of importance. Autophagy is induced by radiotherapy and also influences cell responses to radiation. We explored the clinical significance of autophagy-related genes (ARGs) and gene sets (ARGSs) and the underlying mechanism in NSCLC patients treated with radiotherapy. First, differentially expressed ARGs (SNCA, SESN3, DAPL1, and ELAPOR1) and miRNAs (miR-205-5p, miR-26a-1-3p, miR-6510-3p, miR-194-3p, miR-215-5p, and miR-375-3p) were identified between radiotherapy-resistant and radiotherapy-sensitive groups. An autophagy-related radiosensitivity risk signature (ARRS) by nine ARmRNAs/miRNAs and an autophagy-related overall survival risk signature (AROS) by three ARmRNAs were then constructed with estimated AUCs of 0.8854 (95% CI: 0.8131–0.9576) and 0.7901 (95% CI: 0.7168–0.8685), respectively. The correlations between ARGSs or prognostic signatures and clinicopathological factors, short-term radiotherapy responses (radiotherapy sensitivity), long-term radiotherapy responses (overall survival), and immune characteristics were analyzed. Both ARGSs and prognostic signatures were related to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), infiltration of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs), and the activity of the cancer immune cycle. Finally, after target prediction and correlation analysis, circRNA (hsa_circ_0019709, hsa_circ_0081983, hsa_circ_0112354, hsa_circ_0040569, hsa_circ_0135500, and hsa_circ_0098966)-regulated miRNA/ARmRNA axes (miR-194-3p/SESN3, miR-205-5p/ELAPOR1, and miR-26a-1-3p/SNCA) were considered potential modulatory mechanisms by influencing the regulation of autophagy, macroautophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy.
Evolution, Chance, and Aging
Authors: Frankel Stewart , Rogina Blanka
Published: September 2021

Aging has provided fruitful challenges for evolutionary theory, and evolutionary theory has deepened our understanding of aging. A great deal of genetic and molecular data now exists concerning mortality regulation and there is a growing body of knowledge concerning the life histories of diverse species. Assimilating all relevant data into a framework for the evolution of aging promises to significantly advance the field. We propose extensions of some key concepts to provide greater precision when applying these concepts to age-structured contexts. Secondary or byproduct effects of mutations are proposed as an important factor affecting survival patterns, including effects that may operate in small populations subject to genetic drift, widening the possibilities for mutation accumulation and pleiotropy. Molecular and genetic studies have indicated a diverse array of mechanisms that can modify aging and mortality rates, while transcriptome data indicate a high level of tissue and species specificity for genes affected by aging. The diversity of mechanisms and gene effects that can contribute to the pattern of aging in different organisms may mirror the complex evolutionary processes behind aging.
Integrating Genetic and Transcriptomic Data to Reveal Pathogenesis and Prognostic Markers of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Bai Kaisong , Zhao Tong , Li Yilong , Li Xinjian , Zhang Zhantian , Du Zuchao , Wang Zimin , Xu Yan , Sun Bei , Bai Xuewei
Published: September 2021

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is one of the deadliest malignancies and mortality for PAAD have remained increasing under the conditions of substantial improvements in mortality for other major cancers. Although multiple of studies exists on PAAD, few studies have dissected the oncogenic mechanisms of PAAD based on genomic variation. In this study, we integrated somatic mutation data and gene expression profiles obtained by high-throughput sequencing to characterize the pathogenesis of PAAD. The mutation profile containing 182 samples with 25,470 somatic mutations was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The mutation landscape was generated and somatic mutations in PAAD were found to have preference for mutation location. The combination of mutation matrix and gene expression profiles identified 31 driver genes that were closely associated with tumor cell invasion and apoptosis. Co-expression networks were constructed based on 461 genes significantly associated with driver genes and the hub gene FAM133A in the network was identified to be associated with tumor metastasis. Further, the cascade relationship of somatic mutation-Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-microRNA (miRNA) was constructed to reveal a new mechanism for the involvement of mutations in post-transcriptional regulation. We have also identified prognostic markers that are significantly associated with overall survival (OS) of PAAD patients and constructed a risk score model to identify patients’ survival risk. In summary, our study revealed the pathogenic mechanisms and prognostic markers of PAAD providing theoretical support for the development of precision medicine.
Metabolic Reprogramming of Immune Cells at the Maternal-Fetal Interface and the Development of Techniques for Immunometabolism
Authors: Wei Yiqiu , Ding Jinli , Li Jianan , Cai Songchen , Liu Su , Hong Ling , Yin Tailang , Zhang Yan , Diao Lianghui
Published: September 2021

Immunity and metabolism are interdependent and coordinated, which are the core mechanisms for the body to maintain homeostasis. In tumor immunology research, immunometabolism has been a research hotspot and has achieved groundbreaking changes in recent years. However, in the field of maternal-fetal medicine, research on immunometabolism is still lagging. Reports directly investigating the roles of immunometabolism in the endometrial microenvironment and regulation of maternal-fetal immune tolerance are relatively few. This review highlights the leading techniques used to study immunometabolism and their development, the immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface and their metabolic features required for the implementation of their functions, explores the interaction between immunometabolism and pregnancy regulation based on little evidence and clues, and attempts to propose some new research directions and perspectives.
Immunomonitoring of Human Breast Milk Cells During HCMV-Reactivation
Authors: Lazar Katrin , Kussmann Thorsten , Pawelec Graham , Pöschel Simone , Goelz Rangmar , Hamprecht Klaus , Wistuba-Hamprecht Kilian
Published: September 2021

Background

Breast milk leukocytes may play a role in protecting the infant from pathogens. The dynamics and the role of lymphocytes in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-seropositive mothers shedding HCMV into breast milk during the first months postpartum (p.p.) are mostly unclear.

Methods

Breast milk cells were analyzed by Pappenheim panoptic and alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase staining as well as by imaging and polychromatic flow cytometry to simultaneously establish their morphological and phenotypic properties. The latter were characterized in HCMV-seropositive and seronegative mothers´ breast milk cells at different time points p.p.

Results

Panoptic staining of breast milk cells revealed the presence of monocytes/macrophages, granulocytes and lymphocytes. Imaging flow cytometry data combining phenotypic and morphological analysis identified NKT-like cells, NK cells, epithelial cells, T cells and monocytes/macrophages. HCMV-seropositive but not -seronegative mothers had significantly higher T cell frequencies in mature milk.

Conclusions

The presence of lymphocyte subsets in breast milk may be more influenced by the HCMV-seropositivity of the mother than previously recognized.
Abundance and Potential Biological Removal of Common Dolphins Subject to Fishery Impacts in South Australian Waters
Authors: Parra Guido J. , Bilgmann Kerstin , Peters Katharina J. , Möller Luciana M.
Published: September 2021

Conservation management of wildlife species should be underpinned by knowledge of their distribution and abundance, as well as impacts of human activities on their populations and habitats. Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are subject to incidental capture in a range of Australia’s commercial fisheries including gill netting, purse seining and mid-water trawling. The impact these fishery interactions have on common dolphin populations is uncertain, as estimates of abundance are lacking, particularly for the segments of the populations at risk of bycatch and in greater need of protection. Here we used double-observer platform aerial surveys and mark-recapture distance sampling methods to estimate the abundance of common dolphins in 2011 over an area of 42,438 km2in central South Australia, where incidental mortality of common dolphins due to fisheries bycatch is the highest. We also used the potential biological removal (PBR) method to estimate sustainable levels of human-caused mortality for this segment of the population. The estimated abundance of common dolphins was 21,733 (CV = 0.25; 95% CI = 13,809–34,203) in austral summer/autumn and 26,504 in winter/spring (CV = 0.19; 95% CI = 19,488–36,046). Annual PBR estimates, assuming a conservative maximum population growth rate ofRmax= 0.02 and a recovery factor ofFr= 0.5 for species of unknown conservation status, ranged from 95 (summer/autumn) to 120 dolphins (winter/spring), and from 189 (summer/autumn) to 239 dolphins (winter/spring) with anRmax= 0.04. Our results indicate that common dolphins are an abundant dolphin species in waters over the central South Australian continental shelf (up to 100 m deep). Based on the 2011 abundance estimates of this species, the highest estimated bycatch of common dolphins (423 mortalities in 2004/05) in the southern Australian region exceeded the precautionary PBR estimates for this population segment. Recent bycatch levels appear to be below PBR estimates, but low observer coverage and underreporting of dolphin mortalities by fishers means that estimates of dolphin bycatch rates are not robust. The effects of cumulative human impacts on common dolphins are not well understood, and thus we recommend a precautionary management approach to manage common dolphin bycatch based on local abundance estimates.
Distribution of the Pearl Oyster Pinctada maxima off Eighty Mile Beach, Western Australia
Authors: Whalan Steve , Puotinen Marji , Wakeford Mary , Parnum Iain , Miller Karen
Published: September 2021

The silver-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima, is the primary species used for the culture of pearls in the Indo-Pacific region. The Western Australian fishery relies on wild-caught animals, and as such, knowledge of the status and distribution of P. maxima underpins sustainable management of the fishery. Eighty Mile Beach, in tropical Western Australia, is the key harvest area for P. maxima, with oysters collected by divers to depths of ∼35 m, although there are anecdotal accounts of oysters beyond diving depths. Image-based, and acoustic methods were used to elucidate distribution patterns of P. maxima off Eighty Mile Beach, including data from 862 km2 of multibeam survey and 119 towed video transects spanning an area from the 20 to 100 m contour lines. We quantified habitat characters including depth, substrate, and benthic community composition associated with pearl oyster distribution. Multibeam sonar data was also coupled with towed video data to produce predictive statistical models of P. maxima habitat. We found P. maxima to depths of 76 m, although more than 90% of individuals occurred shallower than 40 m and less than 2% were found deeper than 50 m. Oysters occupied flat, sandy habitats with neighbouring benthic communities of filter feeders (>98% of observations). These results show P. maxima predominantly occurs in depths <40 m, with no evidence that extensive populations extend into deep water in the region.
Yet Another Mitochondrial Genome of the Pacific Cupped Oyster: The Published Mitogenome of Alectryonella plicatula (Ostreinae) Is Based on a Misidentified Magallana gigas (Crassostreinae)
Authors: Salvi Daniele , Berrilli Emanuele , Garzia Matteo , Mariottini Paolo
Published: September 2021

The recently published mitochondrial genome of the fingerprint oyster Alectryonella plicatula (Gmelin, 1791) with GenBank accession number MW143047 was resolved in an unexpected phylogenetic position, as sister to the Pacific cupped oyster Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793) and share with this species three typical gene duplications that represent robust synapomorphies of the Magallana clade. In this study, we verified the identity of MW143047 using direct comparisons of single gene sequences, DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analyses. BLAST searches using as query each of the 12 protein coding genes (PCGs) and rRNA genes extracted from MW143047 retrieved M. gigas as best hit with 100% sequence identity for all genes. MW143047 is nested within the clade formed by M. gigas sequences, with virtually zero-length terminal branch, both in the cox1 gene tree (based on 3639 sequences) and in the 16S gene tree (based on 1839 sequences), as well as in the Maximum Likelihood mitogenomic tree based on concatenated sequence of 12 PCGs. Our findings suggest that the original specimen used for mitogenome sequencing was misidentified and represents an individual of M. gigas. This study reinforces the notion that morphological shell analysis alone is not sufficient for oyster identification, not even at high taxonomic ranks such as subfamilies. While it is well established that morphological identification of oysters should be validated by molecular data, this study emphasizes that also molecular data should be taxonomically verified by means of DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analyses. The implications of the publication of taxonomically misidentified sequences and mitogenomes are discussed.
Halide Electrolyte Li3InCl6-Based All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries With Slurry-Coated LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 Composite Cathode: Effect of Binders
Authors: Wang Kai , Ye Qing , Zhang Jun , Huang Hui , Gan Yongping , He Xinping , Zhang Wenkui
Published: September 2021

All-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) with solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) are considered as a promising next-generation energy storage technology due to their improved safety and higher energy density. Among various SSEs, halide Li3InCl6 is emerging as a promising candidate because of its high ionic conductivity, air-stability, and wide electrochemical window. Generally, most of the ASSLBs based on inorganic SSEs are assembled by mixed dry pressing, which is not easy, to achieve uniform dispersion of powder composite cathode. Here, a slurry coating method by dispersing active materials (LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2), SSEs (Li3InCl6), binders (ethyl cellulose, polymethyl methacrylate, styrene butadiene rubber, and nitrile rubber), and conductive carbon black in toluene solvent is used to fabricate cathodes. We studied the effects of different kinds of binders and their contents on the electrochemical performance of ASSLBs. The results show that polymethyl methacrylate, ethyl cellulose, styrene butadiene rubber, and nitrile rubber binders are all suitable for preparing cathodes, and a binder content of 2 wt% can achieve the best electrochemical performance of the ASSLBs. This work proves that the intimate contact between the active material and the halide SSE in the electrode can be realized by using slurry coating method with suitable binders, thus achieving stable electrochemical performance.
Control of Magnetic Properties of Barium Ferrite Thin Films With Unusual Valence Fe
Authors: Sakuda Masahiro , Yamahara Hiroyasu , Tabata Hitoshi , Seki Munetoshi
Published: September 2021

Thin films of BaFe1-xMxO3 (M = Hf, Zr, and Ce; 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75) were fabricated using pulsed laser deposition and their magnetic properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that oxygen-deficient BaFeOx (x < 3.0) with a monoclinic structure was formed when the deposition was conducted using a non-substituted target (x = 0.0). The as-grown BaFeOx films were converted into fully oxidized BaFeO3 with a perovskite structure by low-temperature oxidation in an ozone atmosphere. In contrast, the as-deposited films of Hf, Zr, and Ce-substituted films exhibited a perovskite structure, and their crystallinity did not change after low-temperature ozone annealing. The magnetic transition temperature Tc of the BaFeO3 film was 115 K, whereas the substituted BaFeO3 films showed ferromagnetic behavior even at 300 K. These results can be attributed to the weakening of the antiferromagnetic super-exchange coupling among Fe ions owing to the lattice expansion in the substituted BaFeO3. In addition, the magnetization of the films was found to increase with the decreasing ionic ratio of Fe4+/Fe3+, suggesting that the inherent carrier-induced ferromagnetic interaction is dominant in the films.
Association of Nutritional Risk Index With Postoperative Pain Outcomes in Elderly Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Surgeries: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zheng Hua , Duan Guangyou , Shen Shiqian , Zhang Xianwei
Published: September 2021

Background: Malnutrition is a major health problem, which is common in hospitalized elderly patients and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. However, studies on malnutrition and its effect on postoperative pain outcomes in elderly patients have been largely neglected. Here we investigated the relationship between nutritional risk and postoperative pain outcomes in elderly patients.

Methods: Between April 1, 2012, and August 31, 2015, 734 elderly patients (≥65 years) who underwent gastrointestinal surgeries were recruited and assigned into two groups according to geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI). All patients received standard anesthesia procedures and postoperative patient-controlled analgesia for 48 h. The preoperative epidemiology data and postoperative outcome data including pain intensities at rest and movement, the cumulative consumption of analgesics and its common side effects were recorded.

Results: The total number of patients with high nutritional risk (GNRI < 92) was 533 out of 734 (72.62%). When compared with low nutritional risk individuals (GNRI ≥ 92), the incidence of inadequate analgesia was significantly higher in elderly patients with GNRI < 92 at different time points. In addition, the cumulative consumption of analgesics was also significantly higher in elderly patients with GNRI < 92 at 0–6 h postoperatively. Through logistic regression analysis, high nutritional risk (OR = 3.113, 95% CI: 1.661–5.834, P < 0.001) and female gender (OR = 0.606, 95% CI: 0.394–0.932, P = 0.023) were identified as significant predictors for postoperative inadequate analgesia. Further sensitivity analyses showed high nutritional risk as a predictor for postoperative inadequate analgesia was more prominent in female patients and early elderly patients. Moreover, 88 was determined as an optimal cut-off value of GNRI for postoperative inadequate analgesia using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Conclusion: High nutritional risk is associated with poor postoperative pain outcomes in gastrointestinal elderly patients. Preoperative nutritional evaluation using simple nutritional screening instruments (e.g., GNRI) with the new suggested cut-off value (GNRI = 88) might be included as a standard procedure in routine clinical practice among these patients for postoperative analgesia.
Aerobic Respiration and Its Regulation in the Metal Reducer Shewanella oneidensis
Authors: Bertling Kristen , Banerjee Areen , Saffarini Daad
Published: September 2021

Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is a facultative anaerobe known for its ability to reduce metal oxides. Anaerobic respiration, especially metal reduction, has been the subject of extensive research. In contrast, S. oneidensis aerobic respiration has received less attention. S. oneidensis expresses cbb3- and aa3-type cytochrome c oxidases and a bd-type quinol oxidase. The aa3-type oxidase, which in other bacteria is the major oxygen reductase under oxygen replete conditions, does not appear to contribute to aerobic respiration and growth in S. oneidensis. Our results indicated that although the aa3-type oxidase does not play a role in aerobic growth on lactate, the preferred carbon source for S. oneidensis, it is involved in growth on pyruvate or acetate. These results highlight the importance of testing multiple carbon and energy sources when attempting to identify enzyme activities and mutant phenotypes. Several regulatory proteins contribute to the regulation of aerobic growth in S. oneidensis including CRP and ArcA. The 3',5'-cAMP phosphodiesterase (CpdA) appears to play a more significant role in aerobic growth than either CRP or ArcA, yet the deficiency does not appear to be the result of reduced oxidase genes expression. Interestingly, the ∆cpdA mutant was more deficient in aerobic respiration with several carbon sources tested compared to ∆crp, which was moderately deficient only in the presence of lactate. To identify the reason for ∆cpdA aerobic growth deficiency, we isolated a suppressor mutant with transposon insertion in SO_3550. Inactivation of this gene, which encodes an anti-sigma factor, restored aerobic growth in the cpdA mutant to wild-type levels. Inactivation of SO_3550 in wild-type cells, however, did not affect aerobic growth. The S. oneidensis genome encodes two additional CRP-like proteins that we designated CrpB and CrpC. Mutants that lack crpB and crpC were deficient in aerobic growth, but this deficiency was not due to the loss of oxidase gene expression.
Autophagy Activation by Hypoxia Regulates Angiogenesis and Apoptosis in Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein-Induced Preeclampsia
Authors: Li Yamei , Zhao Xueya , He Biwei , Wu Weibin , Zhang Huijuan , Yang Xingyu , Cheng Weiwei
Published: September 2021

Objective: Autophagy influences a wide range of physiological and pathological processes in the human body. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of autophagy in early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE); autophagy activation by hypoxia could rescue impaired angiogenesis and apoptosis in preeclampsia, leading by ox-LDL.

Methods: Transmission electron microscopy was applied to identify autolysosomes in trophoblast cells of the placenta apical region. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, flow cytometry, and wound-healing assays were adopted to determine autophagy activity, angiogenesis, and apoptosis in placenta tissues or HTR8/SVneo cells.

Results: Autophagy activity was inhibited in the placenta of women who experienced EOPE; autophagy activation by hypoxia enhanced the migration ability, rescued ox-LDL–mediated impaired angiogenesis in HTR8/SVneo cells [vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) downregulation and FMS-like tyrosine kinase-1 (FLT1) upregulation], and protected against cell apoptosis (BAX downregulation).

Conclusion: Autophagy could maintain the function of trophoblast cells by differentially regulating the expression of VEGFA and FLT1 and protecting against cell apoptosis at the maternal–fetal interface, potentially related to prevention of preeclampsia.
The Relationship Between Perifoveal L-Cone Isolating Visual Acuity and Cone Photoreceptor Spacing—Understanding the Transition Between Healthy Aging and Early AMD
Authors: Baraas Rigmor C. , Horjen Åshild , Gilson Stuart J. , Pedersen Hilde R.
Published: September 2021

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial degenerative disorder that can lead to irreversible loss of visual function, with aging being the prime risk factor. However, knowledge about the transition between healthy aging and early AMD is limited. We aimed to examine the relationship between psychophysical measures of perifoveal L-cone acuity and cone photoreceptor structure in healthy aging and early AMD.

Methods and Results: Thirty-nine healthy participants, 10 with early AMD and 29 healthy controls were included in the study. Multimodal high-resolution retinal images were obtained with adaptive-optics scanning-light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO), optical-coherence tomography (OCT), and color fundus photographs. At 5 degrees retinal eccentricity, perifoveal L-cone isolating letter acuity was measured with psychophysics, cone inner segment and outer segment lengths were measured using OCT, while cone density, spacing, and mosaic regularity were measured using AOSLO. The Nyquist sampling limit of cone mosaic (Nc) was calculated for each participant. Both L-cone acuity and photoreceptor inner segment length declined with age, but there was no association between cone density nor outer segment length and age. A multiple regression showed that 56% of the variation in log L-cone acuity was accounted for by Nc when age was taken into account. Six AMD participants with low risk of progression were well within confidence limits, while two with medium-to-severe risk of progression were outliers. The observable difference in cone structure between healthy aging and early AMD was a significant shortening of cone outer segments.

Conclusion: The results underscore the resilience of cone structure with age, with perifoveal functional changes preceding detectable changes in the cone photoreceptor mosaic. L-cone acuity is a sensitive measure for assessing age-related decline in this region. The transition between healthy aging of cone structures and changes in cone structures secondary to early AMD relates to outer segment shortening.
Thyroid Function and Anti-thyroid Antibodies in Pediatric Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis
Authors: Chen Lianfeng , Wu Wenlin , Tian Yang , Zeng Yiru , Hou Chi , Zhu Haixia , Zheng Kelu , Zhang Yani , Gao Yuanyuan , Peng Bingwei , Yang Sida , Wang Xiuying , Ning Shuyao , Liao Yinting , Lin Haisheng , Shi Kaili , Li Xiaojing , Chen Wen-Xiong
Published: September 2021

Objective: Recent studies found that changes of thyroid antibodies (ATAbs), thyroid hormone, and non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) characterized by thyroid hormone inactivation with low triiodothyronine and high reverse triiodothyronine followed by suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in adult anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis were associated with disease severity. This study aimed to explore thyroid function and ATAbs in pediatric anti-NMDAR encephalitis and their clinical association.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 51 pediatric cases with anti-NMDAR encephalitis hospitalized in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from August 2016 to 2019.

Results: A percentage of 52.9% of patients belonged to the ATAb (+) group, with 26 cases both positive for anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb), and one patient only positive for TPOAb. A percentage of 62.7% of patients had at least one abnormality in terms of FT3, free thyroxin (FT4), or TSH levels. Meanwhile, 45.1% of patients were diagnosed with NTIS. Among 25 cases retested for thyroid function 2 months after the initial test, the respectively decreased FT3 and FT4 in 13 and 11 cases on admission returned to normal or closer normal than before; TPOAb in eight cases and TGAb in 12 cases were changed from positivity to negativity. Compared with onset, the level of TPOAb and TGAb at relapse remained stable or significantly decreased, respectively. Compared with the ATAb (–) group, the ATAb (+) group had an older onset age, a higher ratio of movement disorders, elevated rate of sleep disorders, increased anti-nuclear antibody positivity rate, and higher ratio of more than one course of intravenous immunoglobulin treatment. There were no significant differences between the NTIS and non-NTIS groups in clinical characteristics.

Conclusion: Anti-thyroid antibody positivity, abnormality of FT3, FT4, or TSH levels and NTIS are frequent in pediatric anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Thyroid antibody and thyroid hormone abnormalities could be improved through the course of treatment of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Cases with ATAbs (+) are at older onset ages and more likely to be treated by intravenous immunoglobulin therapy more than once. Unlike adult anti-NMDAR encephalitis, NTIS might not be associated with the clinical characteristics of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in pediatric patients.
No Association Between Thrombus Perviousness and Cardioembolic Stroke Etiology in Basilar Artery Occlusion Stroke
Authors: Kufner Anna , Endres Matthias , Scheel Michael , Leithner Christoph , Nolte Christian H. , Schlemm Ludwig
Published: September 2021

Background: Thrombus perviousness (TP) quantified by thrombus attenuation increase (TAI) assessed on acute non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) and CT angiography (CTA) may be associated with stroke etiology in anterior circulation ischemic stroke. We investigated whether TP is associated with stroke etiology and recanalization after mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO).

Methods: Eighty patients with complete BAO and in-house acute imaging from a prospectively maintained database were included. Two raters independently segmented the complete thrombus on co-registered NCCT and CTA to determine TAI in Hounsfield units (HUCTA–HUNCCT); averaged values of the raters were used for analysis. Recanalization to modified treatment in cerebral ischemia (mTICI) score 2b/3 was considered successful, and 90-day modified Rankin Scale score 0–2 was considered favorable.

Results: TAI did not differ between patients with different stroke etiologies; median TAI in patients with cardioembolic stroke (n = 36) was −0.47 (interquartile range −4.08 to 7.72), 1.94 (−8.14 to 10.75) in patients with large artery atherosclerosis (LAA; n = 25), and −0.99 (−6.49 to 5.40) in patients with stroke of undetermined origin (n = 17; p = 0.955). Binary logistic regression analyses did not identify TAI as an independent indicator of cardioembolic stroke (adjusted odds ratio [OR] vs. LAA stroke: 1.0 [95% CI: 0.95–1.0], p = 0.751). There was no association with successful recanalization (adjusted OR 1.4 [0.70–2.7], p = 0.345) or favorable outcome (adjusted OR 1.1 [95% CI: 0.94–1.2], p = 0.304).

Conclusion: In contrast to proximal middle cerebral artery occlusions, TP in BAO patients is not associated with cardioembolic stroke etiology. Larger confirmatory studies to establish the potential role of TP for clinical applications should focus on patients with anterior circulation stroke.