bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Neutral Enzyme on Jute-Cotton Blended Denim Fabric
Authors: Helal Md Mazharul , Uddin Md Mutasim , Rahman Md Mahbubur , Alam Md Shariful
Published: November 2022

Garments washing is the process of altering the aesthetic look, luxury, fashion, and comfortability of a garment after it has been manufactured. Most garments nowadays go through many washing processes before being sold in retail outlets. As denim is one of the most adaptable fabrics available today, the aesthetics may be reinvented in an infinite number of ways through garments washing techniques. Because of the rough and stiff nature of jute fiber, it is not currently used as a popular material for garments manufacturing. A sustainable option may be possible by using jute and cotton blended fabric in manufacturing. Moreover, enzyme is a naturally occurring product. Therefore, the product is environmentally friendly. In a washing bath, the enzyme functions as a catalyst to hydrolyze fiber, soften the fiber surface, and decrease pilling. The experiment was conducted on a 70 percent cotton, 30 percent jute blended fabric with a weave construction of 2/1 twill. The goal of this study is to observe how an industrial enzyme wash affects a jutecotton blended denim fabric. For this investigation, neutral enzyme was used. Finally, the raw and washed samples was compared in terms of physical parameters such as EPI, PPI, GSM, warp strength, and weft strength. This research may unlock a way for enzymatic treatment on jute cotton blended denim fabric.
GUB JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, Vol 8, Dec 2021 P 24-28
ON ISSUE 4/2022 AND ACADEMIC PUBLISHING AMID THE WAR IN UKRAINE
Authors: Izarova Iryna
Published: November 2022

The old soviet traditions of publishing strangled the very idea of modern Ukrainian scholarly research being available to an international audience, combined with the absence of regulations, experience, and professionals. To remedy this situation, I started by seeking out a professional community and exchanging knowledge and experience, and my efforts led to the creation of the Ukrainian Regional Chapter of the European Association of Science Editors, as well as our University Hub for Academic Publishing. We have successfully organised a series of events related to academic integrity, quality of publishing, and peer review, and now we are holding the first School for Editors in Ukraine, together with the Association of Ukrainian Editors and the European Association of Science Editors. I am happy to be one of the authors of this initiative and truly believe in its useful and productive results.
Peningkatan Hasil Belajar dan Minat Belajar Matematika Melalui Metode Discovery dan Lembar Kerja Peserta Didik Siswa SMPN 38 Batam
Authors: Arianti Zainani , Gusfawati Gusfawati , Siadari Tuti
Published: November 2022

Pelajaran matematika yang selama ini selalu dianggap sulit dan menakutkan bagi siswa, berdasarkan hal tersebut guru mengupayakan sebuah solusi dengan mengupayakan penggunaan metode penemuan ( discovery) dan LKPD pada proses pembelajaran untuk dapat meningkatjan hasil belajar   dan minat belajar  siswa.  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar dan minat belajar siswa pada mata pelajaran matematikar. Jenis penelitian ini adalah Penelitian Tindakan kelas dengan Objek penelitian adalah Siswa dan siswi kelas IX-b SMP Negeri 38 Batam. Instrumen penelitian minat menggunakan kuesioner dan  untuk hasil belajar menggunakan model tes tulis setelah dilaksanakan pembelajaran dengan menggunakan metode penemuan ( discovery) dan LKPD. Analisis data penelitian dengan menggunakan perhitungan frekuensi dan Chi Square/χ2  dengan SPSS Versi 24. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan pada minat belajar siklus I kategori baik  terdapat 19 siswa (47.5%) dan siklus II terdapat 33 siswa (57,5%), artinya terjadi  peningkatan sebesar 10%, sedangakan siswa yang kategori sedang  19 siswa ( 47,5% ) berkurang pada siklus II menjadi 5 siswa  ( 2,5% ), dengan demikian terdapat peningkatan minat belajar siswa  dari sedang menjadi baik. Hasil belajar pada siklus I kategori tuntas terdapat 24 siswa (60%) dengan rerata nilai 72,725% dan  siklus II terdapat 33 siswa (82,5%) dengan  rerata  nilai siswa 77,10 %, terjadi peningkatan 22,5% siswa tuntas. Dari hasil perolehan siklus I dan siklus II terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara minat belajar dan hasil belajar siswa.
So-mathec media pembelajaran mobile berbasis android studio pada pembelajaran matematika SMP/MTs
Authors: Jayanti Anggreiny , Hartanto Suryo , Husna Asmaul
Published: November 2022

Perubahan sistem belajar offline menjadi online menjadikan media pembelajaran sulit digunakan, diperlukan upaya pengembangan media pembelajaran yang fleksibel berdasarkan waktu, tempat dan jumlah pengguna. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengembangkan media pembelajaran mobile learning berbasis android studio dengan nama So-MathEc yang valid, praktis dan efektif. Jenis penelitian ini adalah Research and Development (RD). Model pengembangan yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah model 4D yang terdiri dari 4 tahapan, yaitu define, design, develop dan dessiminate. Subjek penelitian ini adalah dosen Prodi Pendidikan Matematika, guru Matematika SMP/MTs dan peserta didik kelas 9 SMP/MTs. Instrumen penelitian ini menggunakan lembar penilaian ahli untuk uji validitas, lembar respon guru dan peserta didik untuk uji praktikalitas dan post-test untuk uji efektivitas. Seluruh  instrumen yang diterapkan pada subjek penelitian, telah dinyatakan valid oleh ahli. Instrument post-test dinyatakan reliabel dengan nilai ICC 0,798. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, media pembelajran dinyatakan valid oleh pakar dengan skor rata-rata 3,59. Uji praktikalitas diperoleh dari lembar respon guru dan siswa yang menghasilkan derajat pencapaian 97,50% untuk guru, 89,89% untuk peserta didik, dan  93,70%. Rata-rata keseluruhan derajat pencapian pada kategori “sangat praktis” yang berarti bahwa media dapat dikategorikan praktis. Uji efektivitas  media berdasarkan hasil post-test peserta didik menunjukkan hasil 90% ketuntasan klasikal dengan kategori efektif. Berdasarkan  penelitian dapat disimpulkan  bahwa media pembelajaran So-MathEc yang dikembangkan pada penelitian ini dinyatakan valid, efektif dan praktis
Association of gut microbiota with obesity in children and adolescents
Authors: Cho Ky Young
Published: November 2022

Pediatric obesity is among the most serious global health problems whose prevalence has increased over the past decade. Pediatric obesity increases concomitant health problems, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, fatty liver disease, and psychological problems, which often progress into adulthood. The gut microbiota is a new factor in the development of obesity, which is affected by renowned risk factors such as diet, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status. This review aimed to describe the association between the gut microbiota and childhood obesity. According to advances in gene sequencing technologies, many findings of experimental animal and human studies of adults and children demonstrated that compositional and functional changes in the gut microbiota (dysbiosis) are associated with the development of obesity. Many studies have reported that an increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio is a biomarker of obesity susceptibility; however, with the rapid accumulation of data, meta-analyses of human gut microbiota and obesity showed no clear association between F/B ratio and obesity status. The contribution of the microbiota to obesity has been considered using multifactorial approaches, such as supplying additional calories to the host, modulating blood lipopolysaccharide levels, favoring fat storage, and affecting satiety. Probiotics are proposed to manipulate the gut microbiota population to improve obesity; however, their clinical application remains limited because trials have shown different results. Further studies are required to better understand the mechanisms underlying the observed association between the gut microbiota and pediatric obesity.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Engineered T Cell Therapy in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
Authors: Paubelle Etienne , Rocher Clément , Julia Edith , Thomas Xavier
Published: November 2022

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a disease with a very poor outcome and remains an area of significant unmet need, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. The progress made in the field of immunotherapy, in particular chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells, has given rise to many hopes for pathologies such as B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and B cell lymphoma, and many studies have attempted to translate these successes to AML. This review summarises the recent advances in, and defines an ideal target for, CAR T cell therapy in AML.
Epstein–Barr Virus: A Biological Overview and Clinicopathological Changes of Two Epstein–Barr Virus-Related Lymphoproliferative Disorders in a World Health Organization (WHO) 2017 Report
Authors: Claudino Oliveira Cristiano
Published: November 2022

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most important viral causes for the development of tumours. The global geographical epidemiology of EBV shows prevalence differences between rich and poor countries across the world, and the impact on health suggests EBV should be an important target of research worldwide. This article will discuss the biology of the virus with an emphasis on its latency types, vital to understanding the possibilities of viral detection. The main objective is to discuss two lymphoproliferative diseases that are associated with EBV and appear in the World Health Organization (WHO) 2017 Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues: EBV-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma and EBV mucocutaneous ulcer. The name of the former was changed to support the better understanding of infection pathology, while the second was recently described and made its debut in the WHO classification. Pathologists must have knowledge on these diseases and how to investigate them, and oncologists and clinical doctors must be informed on the guidelines.
Eltrombopag-Induced Myelofibrosis in Patients with Adult Immune Thrombocytopenia: Scoping Review
Authors: Moustafa Iman , Abdulaziz Badawy M. Essam , Moustafa Fetouh Seham
Published: November 2022

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is a clinical syndrome of thrombocytopenia that manifests as a bleeding tendency, typical skin rashes, easy bruising, or extravasation of blood from the capillaries. Defects in the thrombopoietin-receptor (TPOR)/myeloproliferative leukaemia virus/JAK2 axis leads to haematological diseases such as thrombocytopenia or pancytopenia through the inhibition of the megakaryopoiesis process.

Thrombopoietin-receptor agonists (TPORA), such as eltrombopag, increase platelet count by stimulating the TPOR. Bone marrow (BM) fibrosis has been reported in patients receiving TPORA. Myelofibrosis (MF) may be induced by mutations in JAK2, CALR, and MPL genes. This review gives an insight on MF as a serious side effect induced by eltrombopag.

This review enriches the evidence of MF induced by eltrombopag after long-term administration ranging from 6 months to 7 years. MF is mostly spontaneous and decreases after discontinuation of medication; however, in a few cases it becomes persistent. This major issue should be treated with high concern. The authors recommend that any patient on eltrombopag treatment should be under vigilant observation and closely monitored for any sign of MF by clinical manifestation and any abnormal result from peripheral blood smear examination, and should additionally undergo BM biopsy for confirmation and detection of the severity of MF. The authors recommend discontinuing the medication if this side effect occurs. The authors also recommend to conduct larger studies for longer periods using serial BM before, and periodically after, eltrombopag treatment to evaluate the characteristics of this adverse effect.
Retrospective Review of the Role of Abdominal Imaging in Evaluation of Cytopenias
Authors: Yacoub Abdulraheem , Mahnken Jonathan , Holcomb Lauren
Published: November 2022

This study consists of a retrospective chart review to evaluate the use of abdominal imaging to aid in the diagnosis of chronic cytopenia. Patients with unclear aetiology of chronic cytopenia often require complex work-up, and it would be beneficial to develop an algorithm to make this process more efficient. Abdominal imaging is a non-invasive procedure that may provide useful clinical diagnostic information as part of an algorithm for this subset of patients. The medical records of 36 patients were reviewed to determine the association between abdominal imaging results and other components of diagnostic work-up. Abdominal imaging was positive for 21 (58.33%) individuals. Following imaging, 8 individuals (22.22%) required bone marrow biopsy and 12 individuals (33.33%) required frequent monitoring, which were non-significant associations. However, positive imaging results were significantly associated with increased BMI as well as severity of thrombocytopaenia. This study suggests that abdominal imaging warrants further study as a potentially useful addition to diagnostic work-up for chronic cytopenia of unknown aetiology.
New Insights in β-Thalassaemia
Authors: Paubelle Etienne , Thomas Xavier
Published: November 2022

Thalassaemia is a hereditary cause of hypochromic microcytic anaemia resulting from defects in haemoglobin production. β-thalassaemia, which is caused by a decrease in the production of β-globin chains, affects multiple organs and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. This review aims to highlight the significant progress being made in the areas of ineffective erythropoiesis control, metal chelation, and gene therapy, which is bringing new hope and should change patient management and prognosis in the near future.
Flavonoids From Leaves of Rhamnus pallasii Fisch. & C. A. Mey
Authors: Novruzov E. , Djafarova E. , Zeynalova A.
Published: November 2022

The article provides data on the qualitative composition of the flavonoids of the leaves of Rhamnus pallasii growing in Azerbaijan. In the alcoholic extract of Rhamnus pallasii leaves, collected at the beginning of flowering in the village of Amsar in the Quba district of Azerbaijan, by two-dimensional chromatography on paper in systems I and II, the presence of 9 compounds was found in the primary extract, of which 7 substances gave a characteristic reaction to flavonoids. It has been established that 5 of them are basic. Isolation of individual substances was carried out using column chromatography on polyamide. The structures of the isolated compounds were proved by the results of chromatography, spectral analysis, as well as the study of the products of acidic and enzymatic hydrolysis, alkaline melting and their comparison with the literature and reliable samples. Five individual substances were isolated, and they were identified as quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, rutin, isorhamnetin-3-glucoside. The results obtained make it possible to recommend the leaves of the plant as a source of raw materials for obtaining medicinal products and food additives.
Methodology of Adaptation of Satellite Measurements for the Assessment of Water Levels of Large Reservoirs (on the Example of Reservoirs in Russia)
Authors: Vuglinsky V. , Cretaux J.-F. , Izmailova A. , Gusev S. , Kurochkina L.
Published: November 2022

In the last 15-20 years, satellite altimetry has been actively used to determine the water levels of land water bodies. At the same time, satellite measurements contain significant errors, that can be eliminated by correcting them based on ground-based observations. As practice shows, the smallest deviations of satellite data from the results of ground observations are characteristic of the largest lakes, and the largest — for reservoirs. The article, using the example of five large Russian river-type reservoirs, examines the reasons for the reduced accuracy of satellite data and outlines a methodological approach for correcting real-time and monthly averaged water level values using the results of ground-based observations. Previously, the series of satellite values are ‘smoothed out’, and then corrected by removing ‘outliers’ and eliminating systematic errors. Further, the corrected (‘filtered’) satellite series are checked for representativeness, i. e. the degree of compliance with long-term series of ground-based observations. The verification criteria are acceptable differences in the values of standard deviations and coefficients of linear correlation of long-term series of corrected satellite and ground data. After correcting the satellite data on the reservoirs under consideration, performed according to the proposed methodology, and obtaining ‘filtered’ series, subsequent verification by quality criteria showed their representativeness and suitability for practical use.
Indicativo e congiuntivo a scuola: uso e sanzione
Authors: Zucchini Eleonora
Published: November 2022

Il contributo si pone, in primo luogo, l’obiettivo di indagare l’alternanza modale nelle frasi completive in un corpus di elaborati scolastici. In secondo luogo, intende osservare la sanzione applicata dai/dalle docenti all’indicativo pro congiuntivo, attraverso l’analisi delle correzioni incluse nei testi del corpus e la somministrazione di un compito di correzione. Si mostrerà, tramite esempi tratti dai dati e grazie ai risultati della rilevazione, che la recessione del congiuntivo non interessa in egual misura tutti i contesti. Per concludere, verranno illustrati alcuni spunti didattici riguardo ai vantaggi offerti da una riflessione in classe sul modo congiuntivo; può infatti rappresentare un’occasione per evidenziare lo stretto legame fra morfologia e sintassi e per riflettere sulla variabilità e stratificazione della lingua.
Listener judgements of speaker pitch and rate of articulation: a forensic perspective
Authors: Paver Alice , Braber Natalie , Wright David
Published: November 2022

When entering the legal system, people bring with them prejudices that they hold about voices. The experiments in this paper focus on perceptions of pitch and articulation rate (AR). We ran two voice rating tasks where listeners judged voices on ten traits and behaviours. Three different 15s samples were taken for three voices and manipulated so that we had ‘high’, ‘average’ and ‘low’ samples of pitch (Experiment 1) and AR (Experiment 2) for each accent (3 x 3 samples). 180 participants in each experiment were asked to listen to each of the nine voices, rating them using a 7-point Likert scale in relation to ten social traits and ten morally good, bad and ambiguous behaviours, including criminal offences. Results reveal that pitch and AR are subject to different listener perceptions which can have serious implications in forensic contexts. Our previous results regarding accents and stereotypes were also largely replicated.
Root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi is reduced in tomato plants sprayed with fungicides
Authors: Okiobe Simon Thierry , Meidl Peter , Koths Timon , Olschewsky Dustin , Rillig Matthias C. , Lammel Daniel R.
Published: November 2022

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbioses with many agricultural crops and can improve plant biomass and health. The performance of the AM symbiosis is context dependent, for example, usually the inoculation of the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis benefits plant biomass, but benefits can be suppressed by high soil fertility levels. Nevertheless, the importance of many other agricultural management practices on AMF, such as fungicides application, is poorly understood. Also, pesticide regulations usually neglect a comprehensive safety testing of fungicides on AMF and lawmakers require empirical support to improve such laws. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spraying fungicides on tomato plants and the subsequent root colonization of plants grown in natural soil containing AMF and inoculated with R. irregularis. We detected that the inoculation of R. irregularis increased the total root colonization of the control plants that did not receive fungicides and that spraying the plants with the fungicides Signum ® and Topas ® reduced total root colonization. The effect on specific AM fungal structures was variable according to the product. Signum ® reduced the occurrence of arbuscules, while Topas ® reduced the occurrence of AM hyphae in the colonized roots. Cuprozin ® did not reduce total root colonization but reduced the occurrence of AM vesicles. Sampling time was also relevant. Effects were detected at 90 days, but not at 35 days. Our results show that fungicides safety should be evaluated for their effects on root colonization of crops in non-sterilized soils and at adequate sampling time.
Automated mitral valve assessment for transcatheter mitral valve replacement planning
Authors: Lopes Patricia , Van Herck Paul L. , Ooms Joris F. , Van Mieghem Nicolas M. , Wirix-Speetjens Roel , Sijbers Jan , Vander Sloten Jos , Bosmans Johan
Published: November 2022

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative for treating patients suffering from mitral valve disease. The number of TMVR procedures is expected to rise as devices currently in clinical trials obtain approval for commercialization. Automating the planning of such interventions becomes, therefore, more relevant in an attempt to decrease inter-subject discrepancies and time spent in patient assessment. This study evaluates the performance of an automated method for detection of anatomical landmarks and generation of relevant measurements for device selection and positioning. Cardiac CT scans of 70 patients were collected retrospectively. Fifty scans were used to generate a statistical shape model (SSM) of the left heart chambers at ten different timepoints, whereas the remaining 20 scans were used for validation of the automated method. The clinical measurements resulting from the anatomical landmarks generated automatically were compared against the measurements obtained through the manual indication of the corresponding landmarks by three observers, during systole and diastole. The automatically generated measurements were in close agreement with the user-driven analysis, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) consistently lower for the saddle-shaped (ICCArea = 0.90, ICCPerimeter 2D = 0.95, ICCPerimeter 3D = 0.93, ICCAP-Diameter = 0.71, ICCML-Diameter = 0.90) compared to the D-shaped annulus (ICCArea = 0.94, ICCPerimeter 2D = 0.96, ICCPerimeter 3D = 0.96, ICCAP-Diameter = 0.95, ICCML-Diameter = 0.92). The larger differences observed for the saddle shape suggest that the main discrepancies occur in the aorto-mitral curtain. This is supported by the fact that statistically significant differences are observed between the two annulus configurations for area (p < 0.001), 3D perimeter (p = 0.009) and AP diameter (p < 0.001), whereas errors for 2D perimeter and ML diameter remained almost constant. The mitral valve center deviated in average 2.5 mm from the user-driven position, a value comparable to the inter-observer variability. The present study suggests that accurate mitral valve assessment can be achieved with a fully automated method, what could result in more consistent and shorter pre-interventional planning of TMVR procedures.
A prospective marker for the prediction of postoperative deep venous thrombosis: Neutrophil extracellular traps
Authors: Li Yin , Jiang Qinyi , Zhou Xiaohua , Wu Mengyuan , Chen Jian , Liu Hao , Dai Siming , Zheng Ziyang , Zhao Xuan , Zhang Chenxi , Shi Zhuoying , Zhang Haitao , Gu Jinyu , Huang Zhenfei , Yin Guoyong , Zhao Shujie
Published: November 2022

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a common medical complication in patients with lumbar fractures. The current study aimed to investigate the predictive value of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in postoperative DVT formation in patients with lumbar fractures and to develop a nomogram relating clinical admission information for prediction. Patients who underwent open reduction and pedicle screw internal fixation in the treatment of single-segment lumbar fracture in the Department of Spine Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, from December 2020 to June 2022 were enrolled in this study. Baseline data and laboratory results were collected from enrollees, and the primary study endpoint event was the occurrence of DVT in patients after surgery. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with higher odds of DVT after surgery. A nomogram was constructed using the results of the multivariable model. The calibration plot and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve were used to show the satisfactory predictive capacity of the model. Of these 393 patients who did not have DVT preoperatively, 79 patients developed it postoperatively, and 314 did not, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that higher body mass index (BMI) (BMI between 24 and 28: RR = 1.661, 95% CI = 0.891–3.094; BMI ≤28: RR = 5.625, 95% CI = 2.590–12.217; reference: BMI <24), neutrophils (RR = 1.157, 95% CI 1.042–1.285), D-dimer (RR = 1.098, 95% CI 1.000–1.206), and citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3) (RR = 1.043, 95% CI 1.026–1.060) were independent risk factors for postoperative DVT. Using the multivariable analysis, we then constructed a nomogram to predict DVT, which was found to have an area under the curve of 0.757 (95% CI = 0.693–0.820). Calibration plots also showed the satisfied discrimination and calibration of the nomogram. In conclusion, patients with lumbar fractures with postoperative DVT had higher levels of NETs in the circulation preoperatively compared to those without postoperative DVT. Furthermore, based on BMI, D-dimer, neutrophils, and CitH3, we developed a predictive model to predict postoperative DVT incidence in these patients.
Research advances of femtosecond laser-induced nanogratings for transparent materials
Authors: Lu Yue , Li Yunfei , Xie Xiaofan , Tang Ziqi , Li Lifang , Li Jiawei , Ding Yu
Published: November 2022

Femtosecond laser-induced nanogratings generation inside transparent materials has been the focus of research in the field of femtosecond laser precision processing. Due to the advantages of optical birefringence phenomenon, periodicity, thermal stability, controllability of delay value and optical axis direction, and re-writability, nanogratings are widely used in research fields such as optical storage and optical devices. This mini-review explores the existing mechanism of femtosecond laser-induced formation of nanogratings and the progress of inducing nanogratings in different types of glass and sapphire crystals. It also describes the prospects of nanogratings for a wide range of applications in optical components and optical devices.
Metagenomic characterization of sphingomyelinase C in the microbiome of humans and environments
Authors: Jeon Jehyun , Kang Seunghun , Hur Junho K. , Rho Mina
Published: November 2022

Bacterial sphingomyelinases (SMases) hydrolyze sphingomyelin and play an important role in membrane dynamics and the host immune system. While the number of sequenced genomes and metagenomes is increasing, a limited number of experimentally validated SMases have been reported, and the genomic diversity of SMases needs to be elucidated extensively. This study investigated the sequence and structural characteristics of SMases in bacterial genomes and metagenomes. Using previously identified SMases, such as the β-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus, we identified 276 putative SMases and 15 metagenomic SMases by a sequence homology search. Among the predicted metagenomic SMases, six non-redundant metagenomic SMases (M-SMase1−6) were selected for further analysis. The predicted SMases were confirmed to contain highly conserved residues in the central metal-binding site; however, the edge metal-binding site showed high diversity according to the taxon. In addition, protein structure modeling of metagenomic SMases confirmed structural conservation of the central metal-binding site and variance of the edge metal-binding site. From the activity assay on M-SMase2 and M-SMase5, we found that they displayed sphingomyelinase activity compared to Bacillus cereus SMase. This study elucidates a comprehensive genomic characterization of SMases and provides insight into the sequence-structure-activity relationship.
Serum level of calpains product as a novel biomarker of acute lung injury following cardiopulmonary bypass
Authors: Yi Chenlong , Chen Fangyu , Ma Rongrong , Fu Zhi , Song Meijuan , Zhang Zhuan , Chen Lingdi , Tang Xing , Lu Peng , Li Ben , Zhang Qingfen , Song Qifeng , Zhu Guangzheng , Wang Wei , Wang Qiang , Wang Xiaowei
Published: November 2022

Objective

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis whether serum level of calpains could become a meaningful biomarker for diagnosis of acute lung injury (ALI) in clinical after cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) technology.

Methods and results

Seventy consecutive adults underwent cardiac surgery with CPB were included in this prospective study. Based on the American-European Consensus Criteria (AECC), these patients were divided into ALI (n = 20, 28.57%) and non-ALI (n = 50, 71.43%) groups. Serum level of calpains in terms of calpains’ activity which was expressed as relative fluorescence unit (RFU) per microliter and measured at beginning of CPB (baseline), 1 h during CPB, end of CPB as well as 1, 12, and 24 h after CPB. Difference of serum level of calpains between two groups first appeared at the end of CPB and remained different at subsequent test points. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that serum level of calpains 1 h after CPB was an independent predictor for postoperative ALI (OR 1.011, 95% CI 1.001, 1.021, p = 0.033) and correlated with a lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio in the first 2 days (The first day: r = -0.389, p < 0.001 and the second day: r = -0.320, p = 0.007) as well as longer mechanical ventilation time (r = 0.440, p < 0.001), intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) (r = 0.419, p < 0.001) and hospital LOS (r = 0.297, p = 0.013).

Conclusion

Elevated serum level of calpains correlate with impaired lung function and poor clinical outcomes, indicating serum level of calpains could act as a potential biomarker for postoperative ALI following CPB in adults.

Clinical trial registration

[https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT05610475], identifier [NCT05610475].
Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 deficiency in bone marrow cells prevents plaque progression without decreasing atherogenic inflammation in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice
Authors: Paunel-Görgülü Adnana , Conforti Andreas , Mierau Natalia , Zierden Mario , Xiong Xiaolin , Wahlers Thorsten
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Despite multiple studies in the past, the role of peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) in atherosclerosis is currently insufficiently understood. In this regard, PAD4 deletion or inhibition of enzymatic activity was previously reported to ameliorate disease progression and inflammation. Besides, strong influence of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) on atherosclerosis burden has been proposed. Here, we studied the role of PAD4 for atherogenesis and plaque progression in a mouse model of atherosclerosis.

Methods and results

Lethally irradiated ApoE–/– mice were reconstituted with ApoE–/–/Pad4–/– bone marrow cells and fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 and 10 weeks, respectively. PAD4 deficiency did not prevent the development of atherosclerotic lesions after 4 weeks of HFD. However, after 10 weeks of HFD, mice with bone marrow cells-restricted PAD4 deficiency displayed significantly reduced lesion size, impaired lipid incorporation, decreased necrotic core area and less collagen when compared to ApoE–/– bone marrow-transplanted mice as demonstrated by histological staining. Moreover, flow cytometric analysis and quantitative real-time PCR revealed different macrophage subsets in atherosclerotic lesions and higher inflammatory response in these mice, as reflected by increased content of M1-like macrophages and upregulated aortic expression of the pro-inflammatory genes CCL2 and iNOS. Notably, diminished oxLDL uptake by in vitro-polarized M1-like macrophages was evidenced when compared to M2-like cells.

Conclusion

These results suggest that pharmacological inhibition of PAD4 may impede lipid accumulation and lesion progression despite no beneficial effects on vascular inflammation.
A role for steroid 5 alpha-reductase 1 in vascular remodeling during endometrial decidualization
Authors: Shaw Isaac W. , Kirkwood Phoebe M. , Rebourcet Diane , Cousins Fiona L. , Ainslie Rebecca J. , Livingstone Dawn E. W. , Smith Lee B. , Saunders Philippa T.K. , Gibson Douglas A.
Published: November 2022

Decidualization is the hormone-dependent process of endometrial remodeling that is essential for fertility and reproductive health. It is characterized by dynamic changes in the endometrial stromal compartment including differentiation of fibroblasts, immune cell trafficking and vascular remodeling. Deficits in decidualization are implicated in disorders of pregnancy such as implantation failure, intra-uterine growth restriction, and pre-eclampsia. Androgens are key regulators of decidualization that promote optimal differentiation of stromal fibroblasts and activation of downstream signaling pathways required for endometrial remodeling. We have shown that androgen biosynthesis, via 5α-reductase-dependent production of dihydrotestosterone, is required for optimal decidualization of human stromal fibroblasts in vitro, but whether this is required for decidualization in vivo has not been tested. In the current study we used steroid 5α-reductase type 1 (SRD5A1) deficient mice (Srd5a1-/- mice) and a validated model of induced decidualization to investigate the role of SRD5A1 and intracrine androgen signaling in endometrial decidualization. We measured decidualization response (weight/proportion), transcriptomic changes, and morphological and functional parameters of vascular development. These investigations revealed a striking effect of 5α-reductase deficiency on the decidualization response. Furthermore, vessel permeability and transcriptional regulation of angiogenesis signaling pathways, particularly those that involved vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), were disrupted in the absence of 5α-reductase. In Srd5a1-/- mice, injection of dihydrotestosterone co-incident with decidualization restored decidualization responses, vessel permeability, and expression of angiogenesis genes to wild type levels. Androgen availability declines with age which may contribute to age-related risk of pregnancy disorders. These findings show that intracrine androgen signaling is required for optimal decidualization in vivo and confirm a major role for androgens in the development of the vasculature during decidualization through regulation of the VEGF pathway. These findings highlight new opportunities for improving age-related deficits in fertility and pregnancy health by targeting androgen-dependent signaling in the endometrium.
Supplementation with myo-inositol and Selenium improves the clinical conditions and biochemical features of women with or at risk for subclinical hypothyroidism
Authors: Payer Juraj , Jackuliak Peter , Kužma Martin , Džupon Matúš , Vaňuga Peter
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The present study aims to evaluate the effect of myo-Inositol plus Selenium supplementation in patients affected by subclinical hypothyroidism.

Methods

One hundred and forty-eight patients were included in the study from 8 different centers of Slovakia, and treated for 6 months with a daily dose of 600 mg myo-Ins plus 83 mcg Se. The patients included at the enrollment were women of reproductive age (18-50), who exhibit values of TSH in the range 2.5-5 mU/l and positivity to antibodies TPO-Ab/TG-Ab, or otherwise values of TSH in the range 5-10 mU/l both with and without positivity to antibodies TPO-Ab/TG-Ab.

Results

Patients affected by subclinical hypothyroidism exhibited a significant improvement of their condition when treated for 6 months with a combination of myo-Inositol and Selenium. The TSH values significantly ameliorated along with the index of autoimmunity and the thyroid status. In a sub-class of patients, the auto-antibody titer decreased after myo-inositol + Selenium administration. The treatment also induces a regularization of the menstrual cycle and a reduction of the cholesterol in the patients enrolled for the study. Furthermore, a significant improvement is observed in the perception of the symptoms associated with subclinical hypothyroidism over the treatment period.

Conclusion

A dietary supplementation with of myo-Inositol and Selenium in the treatment of patients affected by subclinical hypothyroidism exhibits a beneficial role in the recovery of TSH values, in the improvement of the symptoms associated to this condition and in the maintenance of the thyroid functions.

The trial was approved by the Ethical Committee from National Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetology of Lubochna, Slovakia, date 18.12.2018, registration number: 3124/2018.
Psychological distress and resilience in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor
Authors: Song Lili , Cao Yanshuo , Li Jie , Lu Ming , Tang Lili
Published: November 2022

An increased incidence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) has been reported in many countries. However, the prevalence and impact factors of psychological distress and resilience in patients with GEP-NETs are unclear. We recruited 200 patients with GEP-NETs to assess psychological distress and resilience. Measures comprised the Distress Thermometer, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience scale and Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire. Our results found that the prevalence of distress, anxiety, depression and low resilience were 31.5%, 31%, 17.8%, and 25.9%, respectively. Female patients were more likely to be distressed, as were those with NET Grade 1, were partly aware of diagnosis, and had known the diagnosis less than 3 months. Distress positively correlated with acceptance-resignation, and resilience positively correlated with confrontation and avoidance. Resilience negatively correlated with psychological distress. Patients coping disease with acceptance-resignation had higher odds of anxiety, depression, and low resilience. Our findings indicate that psychological distress and low resilience were common in patients with GEP-NETs. This suggests a need to integrate psychosocial domain into GEP-NETs clinical practice.
Limited predictability of body length in a fish population
Authors: Wang Lin , Wang Ting
Published: November 2022

Recent theoretical studies have identified chaotic dynamics in eco-evolutionary models. Yet, empirical evidence for eco-evolutionary chaos in natural ecosystems is lacking. In this study, we combine analyses of empirical data and an eco-evolutionary model to uncover chaotic dynamics of body length in a fish population (northeast Arctic cod: Gadus morhua). Consistent with chaotic attractors, the largest Lyapunov exponent (LE) of empirical data is positive, and approximately matches the LE of the model calculation, thus suggesting the potential for chaotic dynamics in this fish population. We also find that the autocorrelation function (ACF) of both empirical data and eco-evolutionary model shows a similar lag of approximately 7 years. Our combined analyses of natural time series and mathematical models suggest that chaotic dynamics of a phenotypic trait may be driven by trait evolution. This finding supports a growing theory that eco-evolutionary feedbacks can produce chaotic dynamics.
The potential for storing carbon by harvested wood products
Authors: Zhao Jianheng , Wei Xinyuan , Li Ling
Published: November 2022

Forest ecosystems are a critical component of the global carbon cycle, which stores carbon in both vegetation biomass and soil organic matter. Timber harvesting can laterally move the carbon stored in forest sectors to harvested wood products (HWPs) and thus create an HWPs carbon pool. The carbon stored in HWPs is allocated to end-use wood products (e.g., paper, furniture), landfills (e.g., waste wood materials), and charcoal (e.g., non-energy use biochar). Environmental change is predicted to have far-reaching effects on the carbon stored in HWPs by altering the timber supply. In addition, technological advancement in the wood industry accelerates the carbon inflow rate by promoting processing efficiency and reduces the outflow rate by creating innovative wood products with a longer service life. Socioeconomic factors such as population and household income also contribute to the carbon stock changes in wood products by expanding or reducing the demand. Given numerous factors that are correlated with the size of HWPs carbon pool, an advanced and comprehensive understanding of these factors on modifying the HWPs carbon storage is essential to modeling and predicting the carbon stored in HWPs, atmospheric CO2 concentration, and global warming; therefore, we reviewed, summarized, and discussed the function of these factors in regulating the carbon stored in HWPs.
Tetraploidy accelerates adaptation under drug selection in a fungal pathogen
Authors: Avramovska Ognenka , Smith Amanda C. , Rego Emily , Hickman Meleah A.
Published: November 2022

Baseline ploidy significantly impacts evolutionary trajectories and, specifically, tetraploidy is associated with higher rates of adaptation relative to haploidy and diploidy. While the majority of experimental evolution studies investigating ploidy use the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerivisiae, the fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a powerful system to investigate ploidy dynamics, particularly in the context of acquiring antifungal drug resistance. C. albicans laboratory and clinical strains are predominantly diploid, but have been isolated as haploid and polyploid. Here, we evolved diploid and tetraploid C. albicans for ~60 days in the antifungal drug caspofungin. Tetraploid-evolved lines adapted faster than diploid-evolved lines and reached higher levels of caspofungin resistance. While diploid-evolved lines generally maintained their initial genome size, tetraploid-evolved lines rapidly underwent genome-size reductions and did so prior to caspofungin adaptation. While clinical resistance was largely due to mutations in FKS1, these mutations were caused by substitutions in diploid, and indels in tetraploid isolates. Furthermore, fitness costs in the absence of drug selection were significantly less in tetraploid-evolved lines compared to the diploid-evolved lines. Taken together, this work supports a model of adaptation in which the tetraploid state is transient but its ability to rapidly transition ploidy states improves adaptive outcomes and may drive drug resistance in fungal pathogens.
M7G-related LncRNAs: A comprehensive analysis of the prognosis and immunity in glioma
Authors: Wu Shuaishuai , Ballah Augustine K. , Che Wenqiang , Wang Xiangyu
Published: November 2022

Today, numerous international researchers have demonstrated that N7-methylguanosine (m7G) related long non-coding RNAs (m7G-related lncRNAs) are closely linked to the happenings and developments of various human beings’ cancers. However, the connection between m7G-related lncRNAs and glioma prognosis has not been investigated. We did this study to look for new potential biomarkers and construct an m7G-related lncRNA prognostic signature for glioma. We identified those lncRNAs associated with DEGs from glioma tissue sequences as m7G-related lncRNAs. First, we used Pearson’s correlation analysis to identify 28 DEGs by glioma and normal brain tissue gene sequences and predicated 657 m7G-related lncRNAs. Then, eight lncRNAs associated with prognosis were obtained and used to construct the m7G risk score model by lasso and Cox regression analysis methods. Furthermore, we used Kaplan-Meier analysis, time-dependent ROC, principal component analysis, clinical variables, independent prognostic analysis, nomograms, calibration curves, and expression levels of lncRNAs to determine the model’s accuracy. Importantly, we validated the model with external and internal validation methods and found it has strong predictive power. Finally, we performed functional enrichment analysis (GSEA, aaGSEA enrichment analyses) and analyzed immune checkpoints, associated pathways, and drug sensitivity based on predictors. In conclusion, we successfully constructed the formula of m7G-related lncRNAs with powerful predictive functions. Our study provides instructional value for analyzing glioma pathogenesis and offers potential research targets for glioma treatment and scientific research.
Short-term effect of different time interval between self-expanding metallic stent and surgery for left-sided malignant colorectal obstruction
Authors: Zhang Jiawei , Su Mingli , Lin Dezheng , Zhong Qinghua , Hu Jiancong , Deng Jiaxin , Lv Miwei , Xu Tian , Li Juan , Guo Xuefeng
Published: November 2022

Background

The optimal time interval between self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) placement and surgery in patients with left-sided malignant colorectal obstruction (LMCO) remains controversial. Intestinal obstruction and SEMS placement would lead to intestinal edema, local tumor infiltration, and fibrosis, which may have a certain impact on elective surgery. Although prolong time interval would reduce relative complications, the risk of tumor progression must be taken into account. Therefore, our study proposes whether there is a difference in short-term postoperative complication outcomes between waiting for an interval of ≤4weeks compared with an extended interval for neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery.

Methods

All patients who underwent SEMS placement as BTS treatment for LMCO between January 2012 and December 2021 were retrospectively identified. The primary outcomes of this study were short-term clinical postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grading ≥II).

Results

Of the 148 patients, 70.27% of patients underwent surgery ≤4 weeks of SEMS placement (Group 1) while 29.73% of patients underwent surgery >4 weeks of SEMS placement (Group 2). After SEMS placement, the patients in Group 2 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and then elective surgery. Significant differences were observed between both groups (Group 2 vs Group 1) for postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grading ≥II, 2.3% vs 14.4%, p=0.040), postoperative bowel function time (p<0.001), postoperative hospital stay (p=0.028) and total hospital stay (p=0.002).

Conclusions

A bridging interval of >4 weeks between SEMS placement and surgery for LMCO has better short-term clinical outcome.