bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the diagnostic efficacy of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay for preoperative differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis
Authors: Hu Xiaojiang , Zhang Hongqi , Li Yanbin , Zhang Guang , Tang Bo , Xu Dongcheng , Tang Mingxing , Guo Chaofeng , Liu Shaohua , Gao Qile
Published: September 2022

Background

Differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis is important for the clinical management of patients, especially in populations with spinal bone destruction. There are few effective tools for preoperative differential diagnosis in these populations. The QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test has good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, but its efficacy in preoperative diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis has rarely been investigated.

Method

A total of 123 consecutive patients with suspected spinal tuberculosis hospitalized from March 20, 2020, to April 10, 2022, were included, and the QFT-GIT test was performed on each patient. We retrospectively collected clinical data from these patients. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted with the TB Ag-Nil values. The cutoff point was calculated from the ROC curve of 61 patients in the study cohort, and the diagnostic validity of the cutoff point was verified in a new cohort of 62 patients. The correlations between TB Ag-Nil values and other clinical characteristics of the patients were analyzed.

Results

Of the 123 patients included in the study, 51 had confirmed tuberculosis, and 72 had non-tuberculosis disease (AUC=0.866, 95% CI: 0.798-0.933, P<0.0001). In patients with spinal tuberculosis, the QFT-GIT test sensitivity was 92.16% (95% CI: 80.25%-97.46%), and the specificity was 67.14% (95% CI: 54.77%-77.62%). The accuracy of diagnostic tests in the validation cohort increased from 77.42% to 80.65% when a new cutoff point was selected (1.58 IU/mL) from the ROC curve of the study cohort. The TB Ag-Nil values in tuberculosis patients were correlated with the duration of the patients’ disease (r=0.4148, P=0.0025).

Conclusion

The QFT-GIT test is an important test for preoperative differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis with high sensitivity but low specificity. The diagnostic efficacy of the QFT-GIT test can be significantly improved via application of a new threshold (1.58 IU/mL), and the intensity of the QFT-GIT test findings in spinal tuberculosis may be related to the duration of a patient’s disease.
Soil carbon stocks and nitrous oxide emissions of pasture systems in Orinoquía region of Colombia: Potential for developing land-based greenhouse gas removal projects
Authors: Costa Ciniro , Villegas Daniel M. , Bastidas Mike , Matiz-Rubio Natalia , Rao Idupulapati , Arango Jacobo
Published: September 2022

Improving grassland conditions under grazing has the potential not only to accumulate carbon in soils, but also to reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from animal urine deposition. However, measurements in developing countries are still scarce. In the Orinoquia region, permanent grasslands (PG; this unimproved, native pasture is considered as at some state of degradation) based on unimproved grasses are found due to extensive, inefficient grazing combined with annual burning of pastures. We hypothesized that, compared to PG, improved grasslands (IG) managed through rotational grazing of introduced, productive and deep-rooted pasture grass species promote soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation and reduce N2O emission from urine deposited by grazing cattle. We determined SOC and N2O emissions from urine deposited on soils in an area of PG and in a 6.5 year-old IG area of Urochloa (Syn. Brachiaria) humidicola grass pasture in a beef cattle ranch in Orinoquía region (Colombia). In both areas, we sampled soil for chemical/physical analysis, and measured N2O emissions by simulating urine deposition over 21 days. We applied two-way analysis of variance considering pasture type and soil depth as fixed factors. Estimated SOC stocks (0–100 cm) were in the range of 224.8 Mg C ha−1 for the PG and 259.0 Mg C ha−1 for the IG, with a significant (p < 0.05) average accumulation of 2.0 Mg C ha−1 y−1 (0–20 cm) in the IG area. N2O emissions were 10 times lower in the IG compared to the PG. The introduction of U. humidicola grass influenced SOC accumulation probably through its more abundant root system and greater turnover together with higher (14%) forage dry matter production compared to PG. The reduced N2O emissions observed from urine patches in IG were attributed to biological nitrification inhibition ability and greater nitrogen uptake of U. humidicola grass. Compared to the reference default value of IPCC for, the SOC stock found in PG was almost 40% higher, whereas the N2O emission factor (5%) was within the uncertainty range (0.7–6%). The Orinoquía region shows significant potential for SOC storage and reduced N2O emissions in improved pastures with deep root systems. Thus, scaling the implementation of land-based SOC storage practices/projects could significantly contribute to reducing net emissions from beef production from this region.
Impact of community-based rehabilitation on attainment of sustainable development goals: The case of selected districts in Zimbabwe
Authors: Pasara Michael Takudzwa
Published: September 2022

Several factors including droughts, cyclones, COVID-19, and inconsistent economic policies contributed to the challenges faced by children and persons with disabilities (PwDs) in rural areas of Zimbabwe. Consequently, there was a higher risk of low quality of life, poverty, and limited access to basic services such as education and healthcare. Various community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programs were implemented to address the violation of rights and access to services and participation by PwDs in general. This study used a mixed method approach to analyze the impact of CBR programs taking into account the five themes of the United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN-CRPD): education, health, livelihoods, social protection, and participation. Respondents included core beneficiaries, caregivers, teachers, community health workers, and other key stakeholders. Results indicated that 61% were female respondents and 39% were males. Approximately 84% of rural families survive on less than USD 20.00 per month with the modal household having 5 to 9 members per household. Approximately 81% have received at least secondary education although some did not complete Ordinary Level mostly due to lack of funding for registration fees at the time of writing. However, none had tertiary education. The reach of CBR was as high as 92% of respondents received training on disability management; 71% on income generating projects (IGPs) and 84% on Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) although only 32% received funding. The study recommends funding for self-help groups, increased technical support, functional disability-friendly toilets, and orthopedic centers, scaling up of programs at a national level and adoption by the relevant agencies, decentralization by government officials to reduce red tape and accelerate programs, and training of trainers for additional capacity building. Improved latitude for NGOs and consistent economic policies are also needed to sustain IGPs.
Livestock supply to an imperial sacrificial site of the early Chinese empires evidenced by strontium isotope ratios
Authors: Tang Zihua , Wang Xueye , Xiao Jun , Chen Xianglong , Hu Songmei , Yang Miaomiao , Tian Yaqi , Yuan Jing
Published: September 2022

A newly excavated ritual site, Xuechi, exposed abundant sacrificial livestock, allowing to understand the supplies and managements of livestock during the early Chinese Qin-Han Empires. Here we reported animal enamel 87Sr/86Sr values from the Xuechi site that are obviously higher than those of local snails and surface water, as well as calcites of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) where the site was located, strongly suggesting that these sacrificial animals were not raised in the vicinity of the site. The regional bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr isoscape further indicates that some livestock were probably derived more than one hundred kilometers away, suggesting a complex social network for recruiting and managing the sacrificial activities. In the context of other Neolithic-Bronze Age records on the CLP, an increasing trend in variation of faunal 87Sr/86Sr values shows a robust correlation to Chinese states’ trajectory, in concordance with the territorial expansion model for state formation.
Applying the behavior change wheel to identify pandemic-related attitudes and feelings about physical activity as predictors of physical activity level among university students in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wibowo Rakhmat Ari , Sofyana Meida , Agustiningsih Denny
Published: September 2022

A recent systematic review found a significant drop in physical activity (PA) among university students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Identifying students’ attitudes and feelings about PA and coronavirus, which could facilitate or hinder PA, is essential to guide intervention planning. Therefore, this study aimed to examine attitudes and feelings about PA and coronavirus as predictors of PA levels. We conducted a cross-sectional study among undergraduate university students in Indonesia to collect their PA levels using the global PA questionnaire version 2 and their attitudes and feelings about PA in pandemic situations. A binomial logistic regression has been conducted to predict whether students will sufficiently engage in PA based on their attitudes and feelings related to PA, coronavirus, and demographic characteristics. Results from 588 undergraduate students (75% female) showed that students perceived the health benefits of PA, perceived feeling guilty about wanting to do PA during the pandemic, body mass index (BMI), and field of study were statistically significant predictors of PA levels. An increase of one unit of perceived health benefits of PA increases the odds of meeting the PA guidelines by 2.313 (95% confidence interval 1.708–3.132, p < 0.001). On the other hand, raising one point of feeling guilty about conducting PA was associated with 1.285 times lower odds (95% confidence interval 1.062–1.558, p = 0.01) of meeting the PA guidelines. Thus, intervention should increase students’ awareness of the physical health benefits of PA during the pandemic and reduce their feeling of guilty about conducting the PA.
Metabolomics analysis of stool in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus after single-anastomosis duodenal–ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy
Authors: Wang Lun , Wang Zeyu , Yu Yang , Ren Zhaoheng , Jia Yongheng , Wang Jinfa , Li Shixing , Jiang Tao
Published: September 2022

Background

Single-anastomosis duodenal-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S) is one of the most effective bariatric procedures in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the mechanisms by which SADI-S improves T2DM are not well-known.

Objective

To explore the effects of SADI-S on metabolites in the stool of rats with T2DM.

Methods

Twenty rats were fed on high-fat diet and administered with a low-dose (30mg/kg) of streptozotocin to establish T2DM models. The rats were then randomly assigned to the SADI-S group (n=10) and sham operation group (n=9). Stool samples were collected from all rats at 8 weeks after surgery and stored at -80 °C. Metabolomics analysis was performed to identify differential metabolites through ultra- performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results

At 8-week after surgery, rats of the SADI-S group showed significantly decreased fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance test 2-hour, glycated haemoglobin, and body weight compared with those of the sham group. A total of 245 differential metabolites were identified between the two groups, among which 8 metabolites were detectable under both the positive ion model and negative ion model. Therefore, a total of 237 differential metabolites were identified in our study which were mainly involved in tryptophan metabolism; cysteine and methionine metabolism; phenylalanine metabolism; phenylalanine; tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis; arginine biosynthesis; alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism; Arginine and proline metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism; Linoleic acid metabolism; riboflavin metabolism; nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism; pyrimidine metabolism; porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism.

Conclusion

SADI-S significantly improved the glucose metabolism in T2DM rats. In addition, SADI-S significantly changed the composition of metabolites in T2DM rats which were involved in tryptophan metabolism pathway, linoleic acid metabolism pathway and so on. This may be the mechanism by which SADI-S improved T2DM.
Adaptive forecasting of diverse electrical and heating loads in community integrated energy system based on deep transfer learning
Authors: Wang Kangsheng , Yu Hao , Song Guanyu , Xu Jing , Li Juan , Li Peng
Published: September 2022

The economic operation and scheduling of community integrated energy system (CIES) depend on accurate day-ahead multi-energy load forecasting. Considering the high randomness, obvious seasonality, and strong correlations between the multiple energy demands of CIES, this paper proposes an adaptive forecasting method for diverse loads of CIES based on deep transfer learning. First, a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1DCNN) is formulated to extract hour-level local features, and the long short-term memory network (LSTM) is constructed to extract day-level coarse-grained features. In particular, an attention mechanism module is introduced to focus on critical load features. Second, a hard-sharing mechanism is adopted to learn the mutual coupling relationship between diverse loads, where the weather information is added to the shared layer as an auxiliary. Furthermore, considering the differences in the degree of uncertainty of multiple loads, dynamic weights are assigned to different tasks to facilitate their simultaneous optimization during training. Finally, a deep transfer learning strategy is constructed in the forecasting model to guarantee its adaptivity in various scenarios, where the maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) is used to measure the gradual deviation of the load properties and the external environment. Simulation experiments on two practical CIES cases show that compared with the four benchmark models, the electrical and heating load forecasting accuracy (measured by MAPE) increased by at least 4.99 and 18.22%, respectively.
Energy and exergy analysis of wind power plant: A case study of Gharo, Pakistan
Authors: Tahir Muhammad Faizan , Haoyong Chen , Guangze Han , Mehmood Kashif
Published: September 2022

Sustainable, inexhaustible, economical, and clean energy has become a vital prerequisite to replace fossil fuel sources for power production. In such a context, countries like Pakistan, which are heavily skewed towards fossil fuel-fired plants, are diverting attention to install more and more indigenous renewable energy sources projects such as solar-photovoltaic and wind turbine power plants. In order to harness the maximum energy of wind turbines, it is crucial to factually and precisely assess system performance, which is traditionally inferred by energy analysis (first law analysis). Nevertheless, this analysis only computes the nominal power generation output and ignores the effect of meteorological variables that can lead to some serious errors during the energy planning phase. Consequently, this case study presents both the energy and exergy analysis of a wind farm located in Gharo town of Thatta District along the coastline of the Indus Delta. Energy analysis is carried out to quantify energy efficiency, while exergy analysis computes exergy efficiency by taking into account the effect of pressure, temperature, and wind speed. Comparisons of both efficiencies are provided, and the result substantiates that exergy efficiency turns out to be lower than energy efficiency. However, exergy is a more viable index due to the inclusion of exergy destruction, and in comparison to the energy indicator, it presents the actual performance of a thermodynamic system. The monthly energy and exergy efficiency of the general electric wind turbines are maximum in July having values of 0.5 and 0.41, respectively.
Characteristics of chemical composition and source apportionment of PM2.5 during a regional haze episode in the yangtze river delta, china
Authors: Diao Yiwei , Liu Ankang , Hu Qun , Yang Meng , Zhao Tianliang , Cui Yi , Shi Shuangshuang , Kong Xiangchen
Published: September 2022

The source of PM2.5 varies at different stages of urban haze pollution. In addition, there is obvious regional transport of pollutants between urban agglomerations. PM2.5 and its major chemical compositions in a regional haze episode were measured continuously from 16 to 27 November 2018 in Nanjing, China. The types of primary sources resolved by principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) were similar, and the result of PMF was more refined. The average contribution of each source by PMF was: secondary nitrate (64.01%), secondary sulfate (11.62%), incomplete combustion (4.49%), sea salt (8.61%), biomass burning (6.90%), and crustal dust (4.37%). In different haze stages, the distribution characteristics of air pollutants differed. The concentrations of SO42-, NO3−, NH4+, and black carbon were the highest in the haze developing stage, which was 2.0, 3.1, 3.0, and 2.4 times, respectively, higher than that under clean conditions. The increment of NO3− dominated the development of haze, and the proportion of NO3− from haze generation to development increased by 4.05%. The concentration contributions of secondary nitrate, sea salt, and biomass burning were highest in haze development, secondary sulfate was highest in haze generation, and incomplete combustion was highest in haze dissipation, which was 3.5, 1.8, 3.3, 1.7, and 9.5 times higher than the clean stage, respectively. In the haze episode, the contribution of crustal dust was lower than in the clean stage. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) revealed that the major source area of air pollutants in Nanjing came from the southeast, and the northwest was the major impact area.
Evaluation of the bioluminescence activity, biokinetics, and the effects of binary mixtures of inducers on the Pm-lux recombinant strain
Authors: Kong In Chul , Lee Sohyeon , Ha Kyoochul , Ko Kyung-Seok
Published: September 2022

The bioluminescence activity and biokinetics of a recombinant Pseudomonas putida mt-2 were investigated in the presence of various inducers: three chlorotoluenes (CTs) and two nitrotoluenes (NTs). The effects of binary mixtures (40 combinations) of eleven inducers on the bioluminescence activity were also studied. Different responses and toxicities were observed depending on the type of inducers and concentrations. The intensity of the bioluminescent response at 1 mM of individual inducers was in the following order: o-CT > p-CT > m-CT > o-NT and p-NT. The biokinetics calculated based on the bioluminescence activity was in the range of 0.109–8.417 mM for the half-saturation constant (Ks) and 6.083–19.880 h−1 for the maximum SBR (µmax). In the case of binary mixtures, the observed bioluminescence was 4–810% (avg. 80.4%) of the expected bioluminescence intensity depending on the combinations (0.0001 < p < 0.5226). Among these binary mixture combinations, 27 out of 40 combinations indicated antagonistic effects (3–83% of expected activity; p < 0.0391) under the exposure of inducer mixtures. Overall, this study demonstrated that the proper biomonitoring for specific chemicals could be established by considering the characteristics of mixture pollutants for their possible usages as a preliminary rapid and field analytical bio-tool.
Fine root biomass of European beech trees in different soil layers show different responses to season, climate, and soil nutrients
Authors: Likulunga Likulunga Emmanuel , Clausing Simon , Krüger Jaane , Lang Friederike , Polle Andrea
Published: September 2022

Fine roots are crucial for water and nutrient acquisition in plants; yet it is unknown how nutrient inputs and soil fertility in forests influence fine root biomass seasonal trajectories. Here, we hypothesized that standing fine root biomass increases with addition of a limited resource and shows different seasonal patterns depending on nutrient availability and phenology. We further hypothesized that the influence of climate is greater in the organic layer, causing larger responses of root biomass to climate in the organic layer and stronger responses to nutrient changes in mineral soil. We conducted our study in three European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests representing a soil fertility gradient with high, medium, and low phosphorus (P) contents. A fully factorial fertilization regime with N and P was applied at each forest site. To test our hypotheses, we conducted soil coring in spring and fall for 2.5 years. Soil cores were fractionated into organic layer (Oe + Oa layer) and mineral soil (A horizon) and used to determine fine root biomass, soil pH and moisture, total concentrations of soil and root nutrients (basic cations, micronutrients, S, P, N, C), soluble concentrations of soil and root P. Fine root biomass in the mineral soil at the forest site with the lowest soil P content increased in response to P addition. Pheno-seasonal changes caused increases in soil P and N in spring and opposing cycling of biomass and fine root labile P contents at the P-medium and P-high sites. Contrary to our expectation, we observed stronger climatic effects on fine root biomass in the mineral soil, whereas soil moisture was more important in explaining fine root biomass variation in the organic layer. Our results show that seasonal patterns of fine root biomass are dependent on the stratification of environmental factors with soil depth and imply negative consequences for fine root biomass in the organic soil layer due to acute soil water content fluctuations and climate change effects in the mineral horizon due to long-term precipitation changes.
High-progesterone environment preserves T cell competency by evading glucocorticoid effects on immune regulation
Authors: Kashiwagi Hirofumi , Seki Toshiro , Oshima Shino , Ohno Yusuke , Shimizu Tomoka , Yamada Soga , Katano Nagi , Goto Yumiko , Yasuda Atsushi , Tsuda Banri , Ito Ryoji , Izumi Shun-ichiro , Ishimoto Hitoshi , Shiina Takashi , Kametani Yoshie
Published: September 2022

Progesterone (P4) and glucocorticoid (GC) play crucial roles in the immunoregulation of a mother to accept and maintain a semi-allogenic fetus. P4 concentration increases during pregnancy and becomes much higher in the placenta than in the other peripheral tissues, wherein the concentration of cortisol (COR), the most abundant GC and a strong immunosuppressor, remains uniform throughout the rest of the body. Here, we evaluated the effect of a high-P4 environment on pregnant immunity by comparing it with COR. Naïve T cell proportion increased transiently in peripheral blood of pregnant women just after delivery and decreased after one month. T cells stimulated with superantigen toxic-shock-syndrome-1 (TSST-1) in the presence of P4 stayed in the naïve state and did not increase, irrespective of the presence of COR, and reactive T cells could not survive. Treatment of T cells with P4 without T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation transiently suppressed T cell activation and proliferation, whereas the levels remain unaltered if P4 was not given before stimulation. Comparison of the engraftment and response against specific antigens using hu-PBL-NOG-hIL-4-Tg mice showed that P4-pretreated lymphocytes preserved CD62L expression and engrafted effectively in the spleen. Moreover, they produced antigen-specific antibodies, whereas COR-pretreated lymphocytes did not. These results suggest that a high-P4 environment suppresses T cell activation and induces T cell migration into lymphoid tissues, where they maintain the ability to produce anti-pathogen antibodies, whereas COR does not preserve T cell function. The mechanism may be pivotal in maintaining non-fetus-specific T cell function in pregnancy.
Complement and endothelial cell activation in COVID-19 patients compared to controls with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Bruni Flavio , Charitos Panteleimon , Lampart Maurin , Moser Stephan , Siegemund Martin , Bingisser Roland , Osswald Stefan , Bassetti Stefano , Twerenbold Raphael , Trendelenburg Marten , Rentsch Katharina M. , Osthoff Michael
Published: September 2022

Background

Thromboinflammation may influence disease outcome in COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate complement and endothelial cell activation in patients with confirmed COVID-19 compared to controls with clinically suspected but excluded SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

In a prospective, observational, single-center study, patients presenting with clinically suspected COVID-19 were recruited in the emergency department. Blood samples on presentation were obtained for analysis of C5a, sC5b-9, E-selectin, Galectin-3, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1.

Results

153 cases and 166 controls (suffering mainly from non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viral infections, non-infectious inflammatory conditions and bacterial pneumonia) were included. Hospital admission occurred in 62% and 45% of cases and controls, respectively. C5a and VCAM-1 concentrations were significantly elevated and E-selectin concentrations decreased in COVID-19 out- and inpatients compared to the respective controls. However, relative differences in outpatients vs. inpatients in most biomarkers were comparable between cases and controls. Elevated concentrations of C5a, Galectin-3, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on presentation were associated with the composite outcome of ICU- admission or 30-day mortality in COVID-19 and controls, yet more pronounced in COVID-19. C5a and sC5b-9 concentrations were significantly higher in COVID-19 males vs. females, which was not observed in the control group.

Conclusions

Our data indicate an activation of the complement cascade and endothelium in COVID-19 beyond a nonspecific inflammatory trigger as observed in controls (i.e., “over”-activation).
Identification of cuproptosis -related subtypes, the development of a prognosis model, and characterization of tumor microenvironment infiltration in prostate cancer
Authors: Jin Liang , Mei Wangli , Liu Xiang , Sun Xianchao , Xin Shiyong , Zhou Zhen , Zhang Jiaxin , Zhang Bihui , Chen Ping , Cai Ming , Ye Lin
Published: September 2022

Cuproptosis, Copper Induced Cell Death, is a newly defined type of programmed cell death, involving in the regulation of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Dysfunction of cuproptosis induces cytotoxicity and influences the proliferation of multiple tumors. However, the direct prognostic effect of cuproptosis related genes and corresponding regulating mechanisms amid prostate cancer remains unknown. A multi-omics analysis strategy was adopted to explore the role of ten cuproptosis related genes in The Cancer Genome Atlas- Prostate Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-PRAD). Firstly, mRNA expression, Copy Number Variance (CNV), mutation, DNA methylation and prognostic power of the ten genes were illustrated. Based on transcriptomic data, we developed a novel prognostic model named the Cuproptosis-related gene score (CRGScore), Their biological functions were then detected by enrichment analysis and unsupervised cluster analysis. Following that, their correlation with Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME), immunotherapy, Biochemical Recurrence (BCR) and chemotherapeutic resistance were elaborated by relevant bioinformatics algorithms. Ten cuproptosis related genes exhibited extensive alteration of CNV and DNA methylation and showed significant influence on the prognosis of prostate cancer patients. These genes mainly enriched in E2F and G2M targets and mitosis pathways, Samples with high CRGScore showed enhancement resulting in the increased infiltration of T cell, B cell, NK cells. They also demonstrated close correlations with the BCR status, expression of eight immune checkpoints and chemotherapeutic resistances in prostate cancer. Our comprehensive analysis of CRGScore revealed an extensive regulatory mechanism by which they affect the tumor-immune-stromal microenvironment, clinicopathological features, and prognosis. We also determined the therapeutic liability of CRGScore in targeted therapy and immunotherapy. These findings highlight the crucial clinical implications of CRGScore and provide new ideas for guiding personalized immunotherapy strategies for patients with Pca.
NRF2-directed PRPS1 upregulation to promote the progression and metastasis of melanoma
Authors: Xiong Guohang , Feng Yu , Yi Xiaojia , Zhang Xuedan , Li Xiaoyu , Yang Lijuan , Yi Zihan , Sai Buqing , Yang Zhe , Zhang Qiao , Kuang Yingmin , Zhu Yuechun
Published: September 2022

Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase 1 (PRPS1) is the first enzyme in the de novo purine nucleotide synthesis pathway and is essential for cell development. However, the effect of PRPS1 on melanoma proliferation and metastasis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of PRPS1 in the malignant progression of melanoma. Here, we found PRPS1 was upregulated in melanoma and melanoma cells. In addition, our data indicated that PRPS1 could promote the proliferation and migration and invasion of melanoma both in vitro and in vivo. PRPS1 also could inhibit melanoma cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we found NRF2 is an upstream transcription factor of PRPS1 that drive malignant progression of melanoma.
Intracellular survival of Streptococcus pneumoniae in human alveolar macrophages is augmented with HIV infection
Authors: Nyazika Tinashe K. , Sibale Lusako , Phiri Joseph , De Ste Croix Megan , Jasiunaite Zydrune , Mkandawire Christopher , Malamba Rose , Kankwatira Anstead , Manduwa Miriam , Ferreira Daniela M. , Nyirenda Tonney S. , Oggioni Marco R. , Mwandumba Henry C. , Jambo Kondwani C.
Published: September 2022

People Living with HIV (PLHIV) are at an increased risk of pneumococcal pneumonia than HIV-uninfected adults, but the reasons for this are still not well understood. We investigated whether alveolar macrophages (AM) mediated control of pneumococcal infection is impaired in PLHIV compared to HIV-uninfected adults. We assessed anti-bactericidal activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae of primary human AM obtained from PLHIV and HIV-uninfected adults. We found that pneumococcus survived intracellularly in AMs at least 24 hours post ex vivo infection, and this was more frequent in PLHIV than HIV-uninfected adults. Corroborating these findings, in vivo evidence showed that PLHIV had a higher propensity for harboring S. pneumoniae within their AMs than HIV-uninfected adults. Moreover, bacterial intracellular survival in AMs was associated with extracellular propagation of pneumococcal infection. Our data suggest that failure of AMs to eliminate S. pneumoniae intracellularly could contribute to the increased risk of pneumococcal pneumonia in PLHIV.
Using a social-ecological systems perspective to identify context specific actions to build resilience in small scale fisheries in Mexico
Authors: Valdez-Rojas Carmen , Beas-Luna Rodrigo , Lorda Julio , Zepeda-Domínguez José A. , Montáño-Moctezuma Gabriela , Medellín-Ortíz Alfonso , Torre Jorge , Micheli Fiorenza
Published: September 2022

To promote the resilience and sustainability of coastal social-ecological systems (SES), it is necessary to implement adaptive and participatory management schemes. Successful examples of adaptation to the rapid change in coastal SES exist, but the question of whether these cases may be scalable to other regions and contexts remains. To this end, the present study aimed to identify how successful management strategies implemented in a fishing cooperative in Baja California, Mexico, can be adapted to other coastal SES. In particular, this study aimed to understand whether adaptive co-management of Isla Natividad (IN) could be replicated in Isla Todos Santos (ITS), a biophysically similar coastal SES to IN but with different results with regard to fisheries management. We found that the resource systems and resources in both SESs were similar. However, there were substantial differences with regard to governance and resource users. In Isla Natividad, the level of organization orchestrated by the resource users has contributed to establishing rules and sanctions that have supported the sustainable use of fishery resources. On the contrary, in ITS, the number of resource users and their socioeconomic attributes have impeded the establishment of effective rules or sanctions. The results of this study suggest that the ITS governance system needs to be improved in order to adapt some of the IN management strategies to increase its adaptive capacity. To promote successful adaptive management, it is necessary to develop context-specific adaptive pathways that contribute to greater resilience in the SESs of this region and in other regions that face similar conditions.
Grazing, egg production and carbon budgets for Calanus finmarchicus across the Fram Strait
Authors: Jenkins Holly E. , Atherden Florence , Cook Kathryn B. , Anderson Thomas R. , Thornton Barry , Mitchell Elaine , Jacob Elodie , Mayor Daniel J.
Published: September 2022

Calanoid copepods comprise around 90% of Arctic zooplankton biomass and are fundamental to the ecological and biogeochemical functioning of high-latitude pelagic ecosystems. They accumulate lipid reserves during the productive months and represent an energy-rich food source for higher trophic levels. Rapidly changing climate in the Arctic may alter the quantity and composition of the food environment for one of the key copepod species, Calanus finmarchicus, with as yet unquantified effects on its production. Here we present rates of feeding and egg production in female C. finmarchicus exposed to the range of feeding conditions encountered across the Fram Strait in May/June 2018. Carbon (C) budgets were constructed and used to examine the relationship between feeding and growth (= egg production) in these animals. C-specific ingestion rates (mean ± standard deviation) were highly variable, ranging from 0.015 ± 0.004 to 0.645 ± 0.017 day-1 (mean = 0.295 ± 0.223 day-1), and were positively correlated with food availability. C-specific egg production rates ranged from 0.00 to 0.049 day-1 (mean = 0.012 ± 0.011) and were not correlated with either food availability or ingestion rate. Calculated gross growth efficiencies (GGE: growth/ingestion) were low, 0.12 ± 0.13 (range = 0.01 to 0.39). The assembled C budgets indicate that the average fraction of ingested food that was surplus to the requirements for egg production, respiration and losses to faecal pellets was 0.17 ± 0.42. We suggest that this excess occurred, at least in part, because many of the incubated females were still undergoing the energetically (C-) expensive process of gonad maturation at the time of sampling, an assertion that is supported by the relatively high C:N (nitrogen) ratios of the incubated females, the typically low egg production rates, and gonad maturation status. Ontogenetic development may thus explain the large variability seen in the relationship between egg production and ingestion. The apparently excessive ingestion rates may additionally indicate that recently moulted females must acquire additional N via ingestion to complete the maturation process and begin spawning. Our results highlight the need for improved fundamental understanding of the physiology of high-latitude copepods and its response to environmental change.
The non-linear relationship between triglyceride-glucose index and risk of chronic kidney disease in hypertensive patients with abnormal glucose metabolism: A cohort study
Authors: Zhu Qing , Chen Yuan , Cai Xintian , Cai Li , Hong Jing , Luo Qin , Ren Yingli , Guo Yanying , Li Nanfang
Published: September 2022

Background

Triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few studies have focused on TyG index and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Thus, this study aims to explore the relationship between TyG index and CKD.

Methods

A total of 2,033 participants with hypertension between January 2012 and May 2019 were included in the longitudinal observational study. All patients are grouped according to the TyG index quartile. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 and/or positive proteinuria. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the relationship between TyG index and CKD.

Results

During a median follow-up of 31 months, 302 participants developed CKD, with a mean age of 55.5 years and median TyG of 8.94. Compared with those in the lowest quartile of TyG index, participants in the highest quartile of TyG index exhibited 1.63-fold higher hazard ratio (95% CI: 1.14–2.33, P = 0.007) for presence of CKD. And restricted cubic spline analysis showed the relationship between TyG index and CKD is non-linear (P non-linearity = 0.021). The hazard ratio for CKD first fell and after rising until around 8.94 of TyG index and started to increase rapidly afterward (P for TyG < 0.001).

Conclusion

Higher TyG index is associated with the increased risk for CKD. Early intervention of metabolic factors may prevent the occurrence of CKD, thereby reducing the incidence of CVD and premature death.
Reduced serum magnesium is associated with the occurrence of diabetic macular edema in patients with diabetic retinopathy: A retrospective study
Authors: Xiang Xiaoli , Ji Zijia , Jiang Tingwang , Huang Zhengru , Yan Jing
Published: September 2022

Serum magnesium levels have been reported to reflect the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR); however, the effect of serum magnesium level on diabetic macular edema (DME) remains unclear. Here, we investigated the association between the serum magnesium levels and DME in patients with DR. Patients with DR were recruited between January 2018 and June 2021. A total of 519 such patients were included in this study. All patients underwent a standardized clinical ophthalmic examination by an experienced ophthalmologist, and an assay was conducted to determine the serum magnesium concentration. Compared with the non-DME group, the DME group had a higher proportion of insulin use and a higher level of serum ischemia-modified albumin and fasting plasma glucose. The serum magnesium and calcium levels were lower in the DME group than in the non-DME group (P < 0.05). Higher magnesium levels were negatively associated with DME after adjustment for relevant covariates. Compared with the participants in the lowest magnesium quartile, those in the fourth quartile showed a significantly lower risk of DME after adjustment [odds ratio (OR), 0.294; 95% confidence interval, 0.153–0.566; P < 0.0001]. Considering the potentially different effects of serum magnesium on the development of DME in patients with DR based on age, DR staging and insulin use, stratified analysis was performed by considering these factors. Among insulin-using patients with non-proliferative DR who were < 66 years of age, those in the third and fourth quartile of serum magnesium were less likely to develop DME than those in the lowest quartile of serum magnesium [OR (95% CI), 0.095 (0.014–0.620), 0.057 (0.011–0.305); P = 0.014, 0.001]. Overall, a higher serum magnesium level was associated with a lower risk of DME in patients with DR. Furthermore, patients with DR who used insulin were more likely to develop DME. Long-term studies on oral magnesium supplements are needed to determine whether maintaining the serum magnesium levels in a higher physiological range can reduce the risk of DME in patients with DR.
Epidemiological trends and incidence prediction of lung cancer in China based on the Global Burden of Disease study 2019
Authors: Li Han , Zhao Meng , Fei Gaoqiang , Wang Zemin , Wang Shuai , Wei Pingmin , Li Wei
Published: September 2022

Lung cancer remains the most common malignancy in China. This study aims to provide scientific support for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer by analyzing the epidemiological trends of lung cancer in China from 1990 to 2019. Based on the global health exchange database (GHDx), joinpoint and age-period-cohort analyses were performed to explore the trend of lung cancer incidence and mortality rates from 1990 to 2019. According to incidence rates from 1990 to 2019, a model was constructed to predict the incidence rates in the next 5 years. In addition, changes in risk factors associated with lung cancer deaths were compared between 1990 and 2019 and between males and females in 2019. The results are as follows. The age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs), and age-standardized death rates (ASDRs) of lung cancer among Chinese had overall upward trends from 1990 to 2019. The ASDRs of females and males in China decreased since 2010. Interestingly, from 2016 to 2019, the ASIRs and ASDRs of females rose significantly. The age-period-cohort model showed that the incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer in China increased with age, and the growth rate accelerated after 45 years old. After 2004, the relative risks of lung cancer incidence increased with the passage of the period. Also, after the 1950–1954 birth cohort, the risks of lung cancer incidence and death began to decrease. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model predicted that the incidence rates of lung cancer in China would continue to rise in the next 5 years. The top five risk factors for lung cancer deaths of both genders in 2019 were smoking, ambient particulate matter pollution, secondhand smoke, high fasting plasma glucose, and household air pollution from solid fuels. The above results provided precise clues for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer in China.
Global coordination of the mutation and growth rates across the genetic and nutritional variety in Escherichia coli
Authors: Lao Zehui , Matsui Yuichiro , Ijichi Shinya , Ying Bei-Wen
Published: September 2022

Fitness and mutability are the primary traits of living organisms for adaptation and evolution. However, their quantitative linkage remained largely deficient. Whether there is any general relationship between the two features and how genetic and environmental variables influence them remained unclear and were addressed here. The mutation and growth rates of an assortment of Escherichia coli strain collections, including the wild-type strains and the genetically disturbed strains of either reduced genomes or deletion of the genes involved in the DNA replication fidelity, were evaluated in various media. The contribution of media to the mutation and growth rates was differentiated depending on the types of genetic disturbance. Nevertheless, the negative correlation between the mutation and growth rates was observed across the genotypes and was common in all media. It indicated the comprehensive association of the correlated mutation and growth rates with the genetic and medium variation. Multiple linear regression and support vector machine successfully predicted the mutation and growth rates and the categories of genotypes and media, respectively. Taken together, the study provided a quantitative dataset linking the mutation and growth rates, genotype, and medium and presented a simple and successful example of predicting bacterial growth and mutability by data-driven approaches.
Developmental errors in the common marmoset retina
Authors: Haverkamp Silke , Mietsch Matthias , Briggman Kevin L.
Published: September 2022

Although retinal organization is remarkably conserved, morphological anomalies can be found to different extents and varieties across animal species with each presenting unique characteristics and patterns of displaced and misplaced neurons. One of the most widely used non-human primates in research, the common marmoset (Callithrix jaccus) could potentially also be of interest for visual research, but is unfortunately not well characterized in this regard. Therefore, the aim of our study was to provide a first time description of structural retinal layering including morphological differences and distinctive features in this species. Retinas from animals (n = 26) of both sexes and different ages were immunostained with cell specific antibodies to label a variety of bipolar, amacrine and ganglion cells. Misplaced ganglion cells with somata in the outermost part of the inner nuclear layer and rod bipolar cells with axon terminals projecting into the outer plexiform layer instead of the inner plexiform layer independent of age or sex of the animals were the most obvious findings, whereas misplaced amacrine cells and misplaced cone bipolar axon terminals occurred to a lesser extent. With this first time description of developmental retinal errors over a wide age range, we provide a basic characterization of the retinal system of the common marmosets, which can be taken into account for future studies in this and other animal species. The finding of misplaced ganglion cells and misplaced bipolar cell axon terminals was not reported before and displays an anatomic variation worthwhile for future analyzes of their physiological and functional impact.
Identification of the molecular subgroups in Alzheimer's disease by transcriptomic data
Authors: Li He , Wei Meiqi , Ye Tianyuan , Liu Yiduan , Qi Dongmei , Cheng Xiaorui
Published: September 2022

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous pathological disease with genetic background accompanied by aging. This inconsistency is present among molecular subtypes, which has led to diagnostic ambiguity and failure in drug development. We precisely distinguished patients of AD at the transcriptome level.

Methods

We collected 1,240 AD brain tissue samples collected from the GEO dataset. Consensus clustering was used to identify molecular subtypes, and the clinical characteristics were focused on. To reveal transcriptome differences among subgroups, we certificated specific upregulated genes and annotated the biological function. According to RANK METRIC SCORE in GSEA, TOP10 was defined as the hub gene. In addition, the systematic correlation between the hub gene and “A/T/N” was analyzed. Finally, we used external data sets to verify the diagnostic value of hub genes.

Results

We identified three molecular subtypes of AD from 743 AD samples, among which subtypes I and III had high-risk factors, and subtype II had protective factors. All three subgroups had higher neuritis plaque density, and subgroups I and III had higher clinical dementia scores and neurofibrillary tangles than subgroup II. Our results confirmed a positive association between neurofibrillary tangles and dementia, but not neuritis plaques. Subgroup I genes clustered in viral infection, hypoxia injury, and angiogenesis. Subgroup II showed heterogeneity in synaptic pathology, and we found several essential beneficial synaptic proteins. Due to presenilin one amplification, Subgroup III was a risk subgroup suspected of familial AD, involving abnormal neurogenic signals, glial cell differentiation, and proliferation. Among the three subgroups, the highest combined diagnostic value of the hub genes were 0.95, 0.92, and 0.83, respectively, indicating that the hub genes had sound typing and diagnostic ability.

Conclusion

The transcriptome classification of AD cases played out the pathological heterogeneity of different subgroups. It throws daylight on the personalized diagnosis and treatment of AD.