bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of cannabis use disorder with cardiovascular diseases: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Chen Miao , Lu Yun-long , Chen Xiao-fan , Wang Zhen , Ma Liang
Published: October 2022

Background

The use of cannabis has increased globally due to more regions decriminalizing marijuana use for therapeutic and recreational aims. Several observational studies have revealed that cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular pathologies and diseases. Nevertheless, the causal associations between cannabis use and cardiovascular diseases remain unclear. Hence, we performed single-variable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) to evaluate the association between cannabis use disorder and various cardiovascular diseases.

Materials and methods

Summary statistics were collected from the largest-to-date genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of cannabis use disorder. The 12 SNPs for cannabis use disorder were used as instrumental variables in this study. MR estimates were pooled using a random-effects inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method. Simple median and weighted median methods were conducted as sensitivity analyses.

Results

The genetic liability to cannabis use disorder was associated with an augmented risk of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and stroke. Except for stroke, the results were inconsistent in the sensitivity analyses. The overall patterns for the associations of cannabis use disorder with atrial fibrillation, heart failure, pulmonary embolism and stroke remained in multivariable MR analyses adjusting for potential mediators, including smoking, alcohol, body mass index, blood lipid, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and depression. However, the association with coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and deep venous thrombosis did not persist in multivariable MR analyses. Mediation analysis demonstrated that smoking, body mass index, low-density lipoprotein, hypertension, and depression have more significant mediation effects, which suggests that these factors partly mediate the link from cannabis use disorder to coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and deep venous thrombosis.

Conclusion

The genetic liability to cannabis use disorder was associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, pulmonary embolism, and stroke. The evidence for the association between cannabis use disorder, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and deep venous thrombosis was weak. Hence, future use of cannabis for therapeutic and recreational aims should consider its potential impact on cardiovascular diseases.
A comparative study of pre-service teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of, and attitudes toward, inclusive education
Authors: Jacob Udeme Samuel , Pillay Jace
Published: October 2022

This study examined pre-service teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of, and attitudes toward, inclusive education. A total of 131 pre-service teachers from two programs—one at a College of Education and a university program through the Faculty of Education—were surveyed using a cross-sectional survey research design. Data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire. The questionnaire was pilot tested among pre-service teachers from the Faculty of Education at a university which did not participate in the study. We used a 3 × 2 factorial multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to analyze the descriptive and inferential data (means, standard deviations). The study revealed a statistically significant difference between pre-service teachers’ gender (male and female) and programs (university and college of education) regarding their knowledge and perceptions of, and attitudes toward, inclusive education. The results indicated a significant MANOVA. In the follow-up analysis of the variance test, pre-service teachers’ perceptions and attitudes differed between genders and programs. In addition, the study found a significant difference between pre-service teachers’ perceptions and attitudes toward inclusive education based on their educational programs. Pre-service teachers from the College of Education scored higher than those from the Faculty of Education at a university. We discuss the implications of an egalitarian learning environment.
Positive association between weight-adjusted-waist index and hyperuricemia in patients with hypertension: The China H-type hypertension registry study
Authors: Zhao Peixu , Shi Weidong , Shi Yumeng , Xiong Yurong , Ding Congcong , Song Xiaoli , Qiu Guosheng , Li Junpei , Zhou Wei , Yu Chao , Wang Tao , Zhu Lingjuan , Cheng Xiaoshu , Bao Huihui
Published: October 2022

Background and aims

The relationship between the new obesity index weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) and hyperuricemia is unclear. We aimed to explore the association of the WWI and hyperuricemia among the hypertensive population.

Methods

A total of 14,078 hypertension participants with complete data were included in our study. WWI was calculated by waist circumference divided by the square root of weight. Specifically, men with 420 μmol/L and women with 360 μmol/L were considered to have hyperuricemia.

Results

The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 61.1% in men and 51.4% in women. On the whole, multivariate logistic regression analyses found that there was a linear positive correlation of WWI with hyperuricemia in both men (OR: 1.37; 95%CI: 1.25, 1.49) and women (OR: 1.35; 95%CI: 1.26, 1.45). Subgroup analysis found that the relationship between WWI and hyperuricemia was stable in stratified subgroups (all P-interactions >.05).

Conclusion

WWI showed a positive association with hyperuricemia among hypertension patients.
Higher scanning frequency is correlated with less fear of hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes patients using isCGM
Authors: Hohendorff Jerzy , Witek Przemyslaw , Kania Michal , Sudol Maria , Hajduk Katarzyna , Stepien Adam , Cyganek Katarzyna , Kiec-Wilk Beata , Klupa Tomasz , Malecki Maciej T.
Published: October 2022

Background

Frequent scanning of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) devices is associated with improvements in glycemic indices. Limited data is available for its correlation with fear of hypoglycemia (FOH), an established factor affecting quality of life and glycemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1DM).

Aim

The aim of the study was to analyze the association of sensor scanning frequency with FOH and glycemic indices in T1DM patients using isCGM.

Subjects and methods

T1DM patients using isCGM were eligible. Clinical data and Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP) reports were obtained from medical records. At outpatient visits, AGP of last 14 days prior to visit were analyzed and FOH was assessed using Hypoglycemia Fear Survey II (HFS II).

Results

We included 77 consecutive T1DM patients (58 females, 19 males). Mean age was 34.1 ± 10.2 years and mean T1DM duration was 14.7 ± 12.0 years. Baseline mean glycemic indices were as follows: mean glucose - 155.8 ± 29.8 mg/dL; GMI - 53.3 ± 7.5 mmol/mol; TIR - 66.4 ± 17.8%; TBR70 - 4.5 ± 4.1%; TBR54 - 0.6 ± 1.2%; TAR180 - 29.2 ± 17.9%; TAR250 - 9.6 ± 10.4%; %CV - 36.7 ± 8.3. Average scanning frequency was 13.8 ± 7.8 scans/day. Mean HFS II scores were 16.1 ± 7.2 and 18.7 ± 12.2 in behavior and worry subscale, respectively. Correlation was confirmed between scanning frequency and mean glucose, GMI, TIR, TBR70, TAR180, TAR250, %CV and HFS II total, and HFS II - B (p<0.05 for all statistics).

Conclusions

For the first time, we report that higher scanning frequency is associated not only with better glycemic indices but also with less FOH in T1DM adult patients using isCGM.
Evaluation and prediction of high-quality development in China: A time-spatial analysis from Hubei province
Authors: Huang Jin , Tian Ye , Khanal Ribesh , Wen Faguang , Deng Chaohui
Published: October 2022

High-quality sustainable development is the common goal pursued by all countries in the world. China’s high-quality development (HQD) includes five concepts of “innovation, coordination, green, opening-up, and sharing”. In this context, we established an evaluation system that included these five fundamental characteristics, used the comprehensive entropy method and BP neural network to evaluate and predict the high-quality development of Hubei Province in China, and conducted a spatiotemporal deductive analysis. The study found that: 1) Economic growth still has an important impact on HQD, for all the five main indicators, “opening-up” and “innovation” have the highest impact weights, which are 0.379 and 0.278, respectively, while the proportions of coordination and sharing are both less than 0.1. 2) There are huge differences in the level of high-quality development between regions in Hubei Province. From 2010 to 2020, the average comprehensive index of Wuhan City was greater than 0.5, which is 7 times that of the second Xiangyang City, and 46 times that of the last Shennongjia district. 3) In the past few years, the overall high-quality development of Hubei Province has shown a fluctuating upward trend. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, during the following years, its comprehensive development index will decline by an average of 5% annually, but starting from 2022, it will gradually increase. As a result, tailored and coordinated sustainable environmental policies of integrating institutional and open-market measures should be provided.
Soil organic carbon primarily control the soil moisture characteristic during forest restoration in subtropical China
Authors: Zhao Xinyu , Zhang Weiqiang , Feng Yingjie , Mo Qifeng , Su Yuqiao , Njoroge Brian , Qu Chao , Gan Xianhua , Liu Xiaodong
Published: October 2022

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a crucial component of the soil carbon pool that regulates fundamental soil properties and water status. In the global context of restoring vegetation, the soil carbon-water coupling relationship has gained attention. In particular, the regulatory mechanism of SOC on soil moisture requires further research. In this study, three typical forests in subtropical China were chosen as restoration sequences to investigate the changes in SOC and soil moisture during subtropical forest restoration and its regulation mechanisms: broadleaf-conifer mixed forest (EF), broad-leaved forest (MF), and old-growth forest (LF). The soil water content (35.71 ± 1.52%), maximum water holding capacity (47.74 ± 1.91%), capillary water holding capacity (43.92 ± 1.43%), and field water holding capacity (41.07 ± 1.65%) in LF were significantly higher than those in EF (p < 0.01). As forest restoration progressed, the amount of litter returning to the soil increased gradually, and the SOC content (0–100 cm) increased from 9.51 ± 1.42 g/kg (EF) to 15.60 ± 2.30 g/kg (LF). The SOC storage increased from 29.49 ± 3.59 to 42.62 ± 5.78 Mg/ha. On one hand, forest restoration led to a change in SOC content, which optimizes the soil structure and enhances soil porosity (path coefficient of 0.537, p < 0.01), further leading to a change in soil water content (path coefficient of 0.940, p < 0.01). On the other hand, the increase in SOC influenced the change in soil nutrient content, i.e., total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) (path coefficient of 0.842, p < 0.01). Changes in SOC and soil nutrients stimulated changes in the stoichiometric ratio, i.e., C:P and N:P (path coefficients of 0.988 and –0.968, respectively, p < 0.01), and the biological activity in soil changed appropriately, which eventually led to a change in soil water content (path coefficient of –0.257, p < 0.01). These results highlight the changes in SOC and soil water content (SWC), as well as the mechanism of SOC controlling SWC as a result of vegetation restoration, which is of tremendous importance for advancing our understanding of the eco-hydrological process of subtropical forest restoration.
EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 is a predictive biomarker and therapeutic target in uveal melanoma
Authors: Hou Chen , Xiao Lirong , Ren Xiang , Cheng Lin , Guo Bo , Zhang Meixia , Yan Naihong
Published: October 2022

Although gene mutations and aberrant chromosomes are associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of uveal melanoma (UM), potential therapeutic targets still need to be explored. We aim to determine the predictive value and potential therapeutic target of EZH2 in uveal melanoma. Eighty-five uveal melanoma samples were recruited in our study, including 19 metastatic and 66 nonmetastatic samples. qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining, and western blotting were applied to detect the expression of EZH2 and H3K27me3. We found that EZH2 (41/85, 48.24%) and H3K27me3 (49/85, 57.65%) were overexpressed in uveal melanoma. The expression of EZH2 was not significantly associated with metastasis. High H3K27me3 expression was correlated with poor patient prognosis. UNC 1999, an EZH2 inhibitor, can downregulate H3K27me3 expression and has the most potency to inhibit OMM1 cell growth by the cell cycle and ferroptosis pathway. These results indicate that H3K27me3 can be a biomarker predicting a poor prognosis of UM. EZH2 is the potential therapeutic target for UM.
DHRS7 is an immune-related prognostic biomarker of KIRC and pan-cancer
Authors: Tang Sheng , Zhao Zhenyu , Wang Yuhang , El Akkawi Mariya M. , Tan Zhennan , Liu Dongbin , Chen Guoxiong , Liu Hu
Published: October 2022

Renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one malignancy whose development and prognosis have been associated with aberrant DHRS7 expression. However, the catalytic activity and pathophysiology of KIRC are poorly understood, and no sensitive tumor biomarkers have yet been discovered. In our study, we examined the significant influence of DHRS7 on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor progression using an overall predictable and prognostic evaluation approach. We found novel cancer staging, particularly in KIRC, as well as potential therapeutic drugs out of 27 drug sensitivity tests. Using Perl scripts, it was possible to determine the number of somatic mutations present in 33 tumors, as well as the relative scores of 22 immune cells using CIBERSORT, the relationship between immune infiltration and differential expression using TCGA data, and the immune microenvironment score using the estimate technique. Our results show that DHRS7 is abnormally expressed in pan-cancer patients, which influences their survival. Low DHRS7 expression was associated with late clinical stages and a low survival rate in KIRC patients, suggesting a poor prognosis and course of treatment, in HNSG, MESO, and KIRC patients. We also found that DHRS7 was associated with TMB and MSI in certain tumors. Using KIRC as an example, we discovered a negative correlation between DHRS7 expression and immunological assessments, suggesting that this substance might be used as a tumor biomarker.
A novel cell senescence-related IncRNA survival model associated with the tumor immune environment in colorectal cancer
Authors: Xu Chengfei , Li Fanghan , Liu Zilin , Yan Chuanjing , Xiao Jiangwei
Published: October 2022

Long noncoding RNAs have a major role in tumorigenesis, development, and metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC), participate in the regulation of cell senescence and are related to the prognosis of CRC. Therefore, it is important to validate cell senescence-related lncRNAs that correlate with prognosis in CRC.

Methods

CRC expression profile data and clinical information were downloaded from TCGA. A gene list related to cellular senescence was obtained from Human Aging Genomic Resources. A coexpression network of cell senescence-related mRNA−lncRNA was explored with R. Six cell senescence-related lncRNA signatures were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. The cell senescence-related risk model was generated by using six cell senescence-related lncRNAs, and the risk score was calculated. Furthermore, an internal validation set and GSE17537 were used to verify the risk model. The risk model demonstrated good stability and accuracy. Finally, we investigated the correlation between cell senescence-related risk scores and immune infiltration, immune function, immune checkpoints, and drug sensitivity.

Result

We established a signature of six cell senescence-related lncRNAs. The cell senescence-related risk model revealed an exceptional ability to assess the prognosis of colorectal cancer and was correlated with clinical features. Additionally, we observed that risk models correlate with the tumor microenvironment and immune checkpoints, potentially predicting patient response to clinical immunotherapy. Finally, we validated the correlation between the cell senescence-related risk model and drug susceptibility. Our findings indicated that AICAR, cisplatin, nilotinib, and bexarotene exhibited lower IC50 values in the high-risk group.

Conclusion

Our current study identified 6 cell senescence-associated lncRNA signatures that may be vital biomarkers to predict the prognostic features and immune and chemotherapy responses in CRC.
Identification of copper metabolism and cuproptosis-related subtypes for predicting prognosis tumor microenvironment and drug candidates in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Liu Xianglong , Sun Bo , Yao Yiyang , Lai Linying , Wang Xueyuan , Xiong Jie , Zhang Xiaoan , Jiang Jie
Published: October 2022

Copper (Cu) is an essential element of organisms, which can affect the survival of cells. However, the role of copper metabolism and cuproptosis on hepatic carcinoma is still unclear. In this study, the TCGA database was used as the test set, and the ICGC database and self-built database were used as the validation set. We screened out a class of copper metabolism and cuproptosis-related genes (CMCRGs) that could influence hepatic carcinoma prognosis by survival analysis and differential comparison. Based on CMCRGs, patients were divided into two subtypes by cluster analysis. The C2 subtype was defined as the high copper related subtype, while the C1 subtype was defied as the low copper related subtype. At the clinical level, compared with the C1 subtype, the C2 subtype had higher grade pathological features, risk scores, and worse survival. In addition, the immune response and metabolic status also differed between C1 and C2. Specifically, C2 subtype had a higher proportion of immune cell composition and highly expressed immune checkpoint genes. C2 subtype had a higher TIDE score with a higher proportion of tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion. At the molecular level, the C2 subtype had a higher frequency of driver gene mutations (TP53 and OBSCN). Mechanistically, the single nucleotide polymorphisms of C2 subtype had a very strong transcriptional strand bias for C>A mutations. Copy number variations in the C2 subtype were characterized by LOXL3 CNV gain, which also showed high association with PDCD1/CTLA4. Finally, drug sensitivity responsiveness was assessed in both subtypes. C2 subtype had lower IC50 values for targeted and chemotherapeutic agents (sorafenib, imatinib and methotrexate, etc.). Thus, CMCRGs related subtypes showed poor response to immunotherapy and better responsiveness to targeted agents, and the results might provide a reference for precision treatment of hepatic carcinoma.
The practical dilemma and solutions of international ship-aircraft encounter rules on sea: A Chinese perspective
Authors: Li Wei , Khan Mehran Idris
Published: October 2022

The fragmentation of international ship-aircraft encounter (SAE) rules has led to practical difficulties; as such, it is necessary to establish an integrated set of regulations for international SAEs. Based on the theoretical considerations of international law and the rules of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) and other SAEs, dispute resolution mechanisms such as international arbitration, diplomatic channels, the International Court of Justice, and Alternate Dispute Resolution have been carefully selected as implementation pathways. However, the global stakeholders are facing the fragmentation of such rules in different ways. To this end, this study thoroughly analyses the fragmentation of the international SEA rules and unresolved pertinent issues. While highlighting the reasons and potential threats of the fragmentation, the present paper also provides Chinese and global perspectives to resolve the issues with appropriate recommendations collectively. It concludes that such fragmentation of navigation rules and dispute resolution mechanisms—if effectively addressed with harmonising existing rules and unified international rules—can centrally resolve the encounters between ships and aircraft in the process of international voyages and form a basic, unified understanding of some of the most representative issues.
Robust segmentation of underwater fish based on multi-level feature accumulation
Authors: Haider Adnan , Arsalan Muhammad , Choi Jiho , Sultan Haseeb , Park Kang Ryoung
Published: October 2022

Because fish are vital to marine ecosystems, monitoring and accurate detection are crucial for assessing the potential for fisheries in these environments. Conventionally, fish-related assessment is conducted manually, which makes it labor-intensive and time-consuming. In addition, the assessments are challenging owing to underwater visibility limitations, which leads to poor detection accuracy. To overcome these problems, we propose two novel architectures for the automatic and high-performance segmentation of fish populations. In this study, the efficient fish segmentation network (EFS-Net) and multi-level feature accumulation-based segmentation network (MFAS-Net) are the base and final networks, respectively. In deep convolutional neural networks, the initial layers usually contain potential spatial information. Therefore, the EFS-Net employs a series of convolution layers in the early stage of the network for optimal feature extraction. To boost segmentation accuracy, the MFAS-Net uses an initial feature refinement and transfer block to refine potential low-level information and subsequently transfers it to the deep stages of the network. Moreover, the MFAS-Net employs multi-level feature accumulation that improves pixel-wise prediction for fish that are indistinct. The proposed networks are evaluated using two publicly available datasets, namely DeepFish and semantic segmentation of underwater imagery (SUIM), both of which contain challenging underwater fish segmentation images. The experimental results reveal that mean intersection-over-unions of 76.42% and 92.0% are attained by the proposed method for the DeepFish and SUIM datasets, respectively; these values are higher than those by the state-of-the-art methods such as A-LCFCN+PM and DPANet. In addition, high segmentation performance is achieved without compromising the computational efficiency of the networks. The MFAS-Net requires only 3.57 million trainable parameters to be fully trained. The proposed model and the complete code will be made available1.
Role of ocean circulation and settling of particulate organic matter in the decoupling between the oxygen minimum zone and the phytoplankton productive zone in the Arabian Sea: A modeling study
Authors: Zhang Zhiwei , Ma Wentao , Chai Fei
Published: October 2022

The oxygen minimum zone has a significant effect on primary production, marine biodiversity, food web structure, and marine biogeochemical cycle. The Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone (ASOMZ) is one of the largest and most extreme oxygen minimum zones in the world, with a positional decoupling from the region of phytoplankton blooms. The core of the ASOMZ is located to the east of the high primary production region in the western Arabian Sea. In this study, a coupled physical–biogeochemical numerical model was used to quantify the impact of ocean circulation and settling of particulate organic matters (POMs) on the decoupling of the ASOMZ. Model results demonstrate that the increased (decreased) dissolved oxygen replenishment in the western (central) Arabian Sea is responsible for decoupling. The oxygen-rich intermediate water (200–1,000 m) from the southern Arabian Sea enters the Arabian Sea along the west coast and hardly reaches the central Arabian Sea, resulting in a significant oxygen replenishment in the western Arabian Sea high-productivity region (Gulf of Aden) but only a minor contribution in the central Arabian Sea. Besides that, the POMs that are remineralized to consume central Arabian Sea dissolved oxygen comprises not only local productivity in winter bloom but also the transport from the western Arabian Sea high-productivity region (Oman coast) in summer bloom. More dissolved oxygen replenishment in the western Arabian Sea, and higher dissolved oxygen consumption and fewer dissolved oxygen replenishment in the central Arabian Sea could contribute to the decoupling of the ASOMZ and phytoplankton productive zone.
The structure, characterization and dual-activity of exopolysaccharide produced by Bacillus enclensis AP-4 from deep-sea sediments
Authors: Hu Xin , Li Fengshu , Zhang Xiuli , Pan Yaping , Lu Jinren , Li Yiming , Bao Mutai
Published: October 2022

In recent years, the exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by deep-sea bacteria has attracted the interest of various researchers. In the present study, we have explored the properties and structure of a novel exopolysaccharide (called BPS) produced by Bacillus enclensis AP-4 from deep-sea sediments. The maximum yield of BPS was 4.23 ± 0.17 g L−1 in a 2216E modified medium. 1H NMR studies of the purified BPS displayed α and β-configuration sugar residues, including mannose, glucosamine, glucose, galactose, and xylose in a molar ratio of 1.00: 0.09: 0.04: 0.09: 0.07. BPS showed a molecular weight of 23,434 Da and was abundant in hydroxyl and amino residues. In addition, BPS exhibited a rod-like structure with a rough surface and was dominated by C, N, and O elements. The exopolysaccharide demonstrated remarkable thermal stability, high degradation temperature, and excellent emulsification capacity compared to most reported exopolysaccharides. Moreover, BPS displayed better quenching activities against the four radicals, which provided favorable protection for the strain. Finally, the freezing experiment investigated the cryoprotective effect of BPS on E. coli and S. aureus. BPS effectively improved the cell survival ratio and maintained the activity of Na+/K+-ATPase, which facilitates culture preservation. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first report suggesting that marine exopolysaccharide has dual-activity. This work presents the foundation for the analysis of the structure and properties of exopolysaccharides produced by deep-sea bacteria.
Different life strategies of the three commercially exploited scallop species living under the same environmental conditions
Authors: Ezgeta-Balić Daria , Peharda Melita , Schöne Bernd R. , Uvanović Hana , Vrgoč Nedo , Markulin Krešimir , Radonić Ivana , Denamiel Cléa , Kovač Žarko
Published: October 2022

To understand the response of marine species to a changing environment, it is crucial to have deep insight into their main biological traits. This study used a multi-species approach to comparatively analyse the reproductive and growth strategies of three commercially important scallop species. Target taxa were larger sized Mediterranean scallop Pecten jacobeaus, and two smaller sized species Aequipecten opercularis and Flexopecten glaber. Specimens were collected at approximate monthly intervals from February 2017 to October 2018 from a commercial beam trawl in the northern Adriatic area (west coast of the Istria peninsula, 25-35 m depth). Three different complementary methods were applied to obtain comprehensive knowledge about the reproductive cycle including assessment of the gonadosomatic index (GSI), histological analysis of gonad tissue, and measuring oocyte size. Growth strategies of three target species were analyzed using high-resolution stable oxygen isotope data that were temporally aligned on sea water temperature data obtained by AdriSC ROMS model. Results indicate diverse strategies employed by these taxonomically related species exposed to the same environmental conditions. Pecten jacobaeus spawned in the late summer and early fall, while shell growth slowed down during warmer season. Aequipecten opercularis spawned in the winter and slowed down shell deposition process during the cold season. Spawning of F. glaber occurred during early to mid-summer and growth slowed down during warmer season. This study provides an important scientific baseline for sustainable management and future aquaculture attempts of scallops.
ANCA-associated vasculitis following Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Brazil: Is there a causal relationship? A case report
Authors: Zamoner Welder , Scardini Julia Baldon , De Dio Bruna Jordana , Marques Amanda de Melo , Silva Vanessa dos Santos , Garcia Aline Lutz , dos Santos Daniela Cristina , Viero Rosa Marlene
Published: October 2022

This article presents a case of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis following the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in a female patient 58 years old. After 5 days, she presented fatigue, paleness, arthralgia on hands, knees, ankles, foamy urine, and elevated blood pressure. Exams showed serum creatinine of 2.2 mg/dL (baseline creatinine of 1.0 mg/dL). Urinalysis revealed hematuria, and her 24-h urinary protein excretion was 4.4 g. Additional exams showed hypercholesterolemia, severe anemia, and normal serum albumin. Testing of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies anti-myeloperoxidase was positive at a titer of 1/80. Serum and urine protein electrophoresis and other exams showed no alterations. She was started on steroid pulse therapy after worsening kidney function, reaching serum creatinine of 3.3 mg/dL. A kidney biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis with glomerular sclerosis, fibrous crescents, interstitial fibrosis, and tubular atrophy. Induction therapy was given with intravenous cyclophosphamide 0.5 g/m2 for 6-monthly pulses, followed by maintenance therapy with oral azathioprine at 2 mg/kg and prednisone tapering. The patient did not develop any complications during the induction therapy, and is currently on maintenance therapy with a serum creatinine of 1.87 mg/dL.
Does the intubation timeline affect the in-hospital mortality of COVID-19 patients? A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Rehman Shazia , Shahiman Muhammad Ali , Khaleel Mundher A. , Holý Ondřej
Published: October 2022

Background

Effective strategies for managing coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) patients suffering from acute respiratory distress are constantly evolving. The timeline and threshold for transitioning from non-invasive ventilation to intermittent mandatory ventilation in critical cases who develop COVID-19-related respiratory distress are undetermined. The present research intends to investigate if emergency room intubations in COVID-19 patients affect mortality.

Methods

Between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021, we retrospectively reviewed chart analysis on all patients with confirmed positive COVID-19 screening and who underwent endotracheal intubation. Depending on when the intubation was performed; early in the emergency room or delayed outside the emergency room, patients were separated into two cohorts. In addition to comorbid clinical manifestations, the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score, and in-hospital mortality were all recorded as demographic and clinical information.

Results

Fifty-eight of the 224 corona-positive patients who underwent intubation had their intubations performed in the emergency room. Age, sex, alcohol use, and smoking status did not significantly differ between the two categories at the baseline. The mean qSOFA score was higher in the early intubation cohort (3.5; p < 0.000) along with more underlying comorbidities (3.0; p < 0.000). When compared to the late intubation cohort (45.78%), patients treated with early intubation had a significantly greater death rate (67.24%).

Conclusion

In summary, we discovered that patients who underwent intubation in the emergency units exhibited a high quick SOFA score as well as maximum co-morbid conditions than patients intubated somewhere else in the hospital. The findings of our investigation imply that intubating patients too early might be risky.
Long-term continuous mono-cropping of Macadamia integrifolia greatly affects soil physicochemical properties, rhizospheric bacterial diversity, and metabolite contents
Authors: Tao Liang , Zhang Chunsheng , Ying Zhiping , Xiong Zhi , Vaisman Haim Shalom , Wang Changming , Shi Zhuogong , Shi Rui
Published: October 2022

Macadamia integrifolia is the most economically important Proteaceae crop known for its edible nuts. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of continuous cultivation (for 1, 5, and 20 years) of M. integrifolia on soil quality, bacterial diversity, and metabolites. Soil rhizospheres from three different Macadamia rhizosphere orchards, 1-year monoculture orchard (CK), 5-year monoculture orchard (Y5), and 20-year monoculture orchard (Y20), were analyzed through metagenomic and metabolomic profiling. The soil physicochemical properties, including organic matter, and available nutrients (P, N, and K) were first increased significantly (p < 0.05) from the CK to the Y5 group and then decreased (p < 0.05) from the Y5 to the Y20 group. The soil pH continuously decreased (p < 0.05) over time from CK to Y20. Metagenomic profiling revealed that Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria were the top three abundant phyla with their inconsistent relative abundance patterns from CK to Y20 (CK: 23.76%, Y5: 34. 06%, and Y20: 31.55%), (CK: 13.59%, Y5: 18.59%, and Y20: 21.35%), and (CK: 27.59%, Y5: 15.98%, and Y20: 17.08%), respectively. Furthermore, the Y5 rhizospheres had a higher number of beneficial bacterial genera belonging to Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria than the Y20 rhizospheres. The KEGG annotation analysis revealed that cellular processes, organism systems, metabolism, and genetic information were the most enriched functional categories. CAZy database screening indicated the highest enrichment of glycoside hydrolases following the glycoside transferases and carbohydrate-binding modules. Differential metabolite analysis revealed the highest number of metabolites (11) in the Y5 group than in the Y20 group (6). It is concluded that continuous monoculture of M. integrifolia improves the soil physicochemical properties, bacterial diversity, and metabolite contents in short-term planted orchards which, however, are deteriorated in long-term planted orchards.
Capripoxviruses, leporipoxviruses, and orthopoxviruses: Occurrences of recombination
Authors: Sprygin Alexander , Mazloum Ali , van Schalkwyk Antoinette , Babiuk Shawn
Published: October 2022

Poxviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses with several members displaying restricted host ranges. They are genetically stable with low nucleotide mutation rates compared to other viruses, due to the poxviral high-fidelity DNA polymerase. Despite the low accumulation of mutations per replication cycle, poxvirus genomes can recombine with each other to generate genetically rearranged viruses through recombination, a process directly associated with replication and the aforementioned DNA polymerase. Orthopoxvirus replication is intimately tethered to high frequencies of homologous recombination between co-infecting viruses, duplicated sequences of the same virus, and plasmid DNA transfected into poxvirus-infected cells. Unfortunately, the effect of these genomic alterations on the cellular context for all poxviruses across the family Poxviridae remains elusive. However, emerging sequence data on currently circulating and archived poxviruses, such as the genera orthopoxviruses and capripoxviruses, display a wide degree of divergence. This genetic variability cannot be explained by clonality or genetic drift alone, but are probably a result of significant genomic alterations, such as homologous recombination, gene loss and gain, or gene duplications as the major selection forces acting on viral progeny. The objective of this review is to cross-sectionally overview the currently available findings on natural and laboratory observations of recombination in orthopoxviruses, capripoxviruses, and leporipoxviruses, as well as the possible mechanisms involved. Overall, the reviewed available evidence allows us to conclude that the current state of knowledge is limited in terms of the relevance of genetic variations across even a genus of poxviruses as well as fundamental features governing and precipitating intrinsic gene flow and recombination events.
PCRRT-ICONIC critical care pediatric nephrology course: the global prevalence of COVID-19 and associated sequelae
Authors: Raina Rupesh , Vijayvargiya Nina , Kalra Riti , Yap Hui-Kim , Nair Nikhil , Alhasan Khalid , Montini Giovanni , Narang Aarushi , McCulloch Mignon , Bonilla-Felix Melvin , Bagga Arvind , Mok Quen , Tavares Marcelo de Sousa , Koch Vera , Schaefer Franz , Felipe Cavagnaro , Bunchman Tim , Sethi Sidharth
Published: October 2022

After nearly three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has affirmed that COVID-19 is more than just a respiratory virus. There have been significant breakthroughs made surrounding the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), in pediatric populations. Additionally, patient populations susceptible to renal complications consist of pediatric transplant recipients, multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), and dialysis. Although research is gradually becoming more available surrounding this prevalent topic, knowledge is sparse on the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on pediatric patients with kidney disease and requires more in-depth analysis. The virtual international conference, Pediatric Critical Care Nephrology & Dialysis Course, on August 7th, 2021, reviewed the severe cases of COVID-19 in the global pediatric population. By integrating international perspectives, statistics, techniques, and treatments for managing renal complications, we further develop scientific understanding of the renal complications seen in children with COVID-19 globally.
Commercial oats in gluten-free diet: A persistent risk for celiac patients
Authors: Rodríguez Juan Manuel , Estévez Virginia , Bascuñán Karla , Ayala Jimena , Araya Magdalena
Published: October 2022

Background

Gluten-free diet is the treatment of celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders and excludes wheat, rye, and barley, while oats inclusion/exclusion has long been a matter of debate. A logo or catchphrase indicating the gluten-free condition in a product is all the consumer relies on to accept the product as suitable for his/her treatment. The oat-based gluten-free products represents a small market, which may have changed, and become more limited during COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

To assess gluten contamination in all labeled oat-based gluten-free local and imported products available in the market, comparing them to matched regular gluten containing counterparts. As a secondary objective, unconventional flours available in the same sale points were also assessed.

Results

The search yielded 25 gluten-free labeled oat flours, rolled, and instant cereals, which were compared to 27 regular gluten containing equivalents. Gluten content was above the local (5 ppm) and the Codex Alimentarius cutoff (20 ppm) in 40 and 36% of the gluten-free labeled products, respectively. When all positive products were analyzed together, there were no differences in gluten content between labeled and unlabeled products. Locally produced products were more expensive, while rolled/instant oats were less contaminated than flours (p = 0.01). Precautionary labels advising presence of gluten as allergen was omitted in 37.0% of regular products. Only 33.3% of unconventional flours obtained from open markets and sold in bulk, were gluten contaminated.

Conclusion

Oat-based gluten-free products are currently highly contaminated. It is urgent to regulate them and implement protocols that allow safe consumption of these products.
The ALLgorithMM: How to define the hemodilution of bone marrow samples in lymphoproliferative diseases
Authors: Vigliotta Ilaria , Armuzzi Silvia , Barone Martina , Solli Vincenza , Pistis Ignazia , Borsi Enrica , Taurisano Barbara , Mazzocchetti Gaia , Martello Marina , Poletti Andrea , Sartor Chiara , Rizzello Ilaria , Pantani Lucia , Tacchetti Paola , Papayannidis Cristina , Mancuso Katia , Rocchi Serena , Zamagni Elena , Curti Antonio , Arpinati Mario , Cavo Michele , Terragna Carolina
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is commonly assessed in bone marrow (BM) aspirate. However, sample quality can impair the MRD measurement, leading to underestimated residual cells and to false negative results. To define a reliable and reproducible method for the assessment of BM hemodilution, several flow cytometry (FC) strategies for hemodilution evaluation have been compared.

Methods

For each BM sample, cells populations with a well-known distribution in BM and peripheral blood - e.g., mast cells (MC), immature (IG) and mature granulocytes (N) – have been studied by FC and quantified alongside the BM differential count.

Results

The frequencies of cells’ populations were correlated to the IG/N ratio, highlighting a mild correlation with MCs and erythroblasts (R=0.25 and R=0.38 respectively, with p-value=0.0006 and 0.0000052), whereas no significant correlation was found with B or T-cells. The mild correlation between IG/N, erythroblasts and MCs supported the combined use of these parameters to evaluate BM hemodilution, hence the optimization of the ALLgorithMM. Once validated, the ALLgorithMM was employed to evaluate the dilution status of BM samples in the context of MRD assessment. Overall, we found that 32% of FC and 52% of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analyses were MRD negative in samples resulted hemodiluted (HD) or at least mildly hemodiluted (mHD).

Conclusions

The high frequency of MRD-negative results in both HD and mHD samples implies the presence of possible false negative MRD measurements, impairing the correct assessment of patients’ response to therapy and highlighs the importance to evaluate BM hemodilution.
A cuproptosis-related genes signature associated with prognosis and immune cell infiltration in osteosarcoma
Authors: Yang Weiguang , Wu Haiyang , Tong Linjian , Wang Yulin , Guo Qiang , Xu Lixia , Yan Hua , Yin Chengliang , Sun Zhiming
Published: October 2022

Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most prevalent primary bone tumors at all ages of human development. The objective of our study was to develop a model of Cuproptosis-Related Genes (CRGs) for predicting prognosis in OS patients. All datasets of OS patients were obtained from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) database and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We obtained the gene set (81 CRGs) related to cuproptosis by accessing the database and previous literature. All the CRGs were analyzed by univariate COX regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) COX regression analysis to screen for CRGs associated with prognosis in OS patients. Then these CRGs were used to construct a prognostic signature, which was further verified by independent cohort (GSE21257) and clinical correlation analysis. Afterward, to identify underlying mechanisms, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were used for the high-risk group by using the GSEA method. The association between the prognostic signature and 28 types of immune infiltrating cells in the tumor microenvironment was assessed. Ultimately, Lipoic Acid Synthetase (LIAS) (HR=0.632, P=0.004), Lipoyltransferase 1 (LIPT1) (HR=0.524, P=0.011), BCL2 Like 1 (BCL2L1/BCL-XL) (HR=0.593, P=0.022), and Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 1 (PDK1) (HR=0.662, P=0.025) were identified. Subsequently, they were used to calculate the risk score and build a prognostic model. In the training cohort, risk score (HR=1.878, P=0.003) could be considered as an independent prognostic factor, and OS patients with high-risk scores showed lower survival rates. Biological pathways related to substance metabolism and transport were enriched. There were significant differences in immune infiltrating cells in the tumor microenvironment. All in all, The CRGs signature is related to the tumor immune microenvironment and could be used as a credible predictor of the prognostic status in OS patients.
Clinical application of regional and intermittent hepatic inflow occlusion in laparoscopic hepatectomy
Authors: Shi Longqing , Luo Baoyang , Yang Yong , Miao Yurong , Li Xin , Sun Donglin , Zhu Qiang
Published: October 2022

Aim

The aim of this study is to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of regional and intermittent hepatic inflow occlusion in laparoscopic hepatectomy.

Methods

The clinical data of 180 patients who underwent laparoscopic liver surgery in Taizhou People’s Hospital from 2015 to 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into the regional occlusion group (n = 74) and the Pringle’s maneuver occlusion group (n = 106) according to the technique used in the intraoperative hepatic inflow occlusion. The pre- and intra-operative indicators, postoperative recovery indicators, and complications of the two groups were compared.

Results

There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the groups in terms of sex, age, preoperative alanine aminotransferase (ALT), preoperative aspartate aminotransferase (AST), preoperative albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, liver cirrhosis, hepatitis B, tumor location, gas embolism, intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative albumin, postoperative total bilirubin (TBIL), postoperative hospital stays, and complications. The preoperative TBIL and operation time were higher in the regional occlusion group than in the Pringle’s maneuver occlusion group, while the amount of intraoperative bleeding, postoperative ALT, and AST in the regional occlusion group were significantly lower than those in the Pringle’s maneuver occlusion group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The two occlusion techniques are equally safe and effective, but regional hepatic inflow occlusion is more advantageous in operation continuity, intraoperative bleeding, and postoperative liver function recovery. The long duration and high precision of the regional blood flow occlusion technique demands a more experienced physician with a higher level of operation; therefore, it can be performed by experienced laparoscopic liver surgeons.
Case report: Conversion therapy to permit resection of initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Chen Kang , Luo Cheng-Piao , Ge De-Xiang , Wang Ke-Lin , Luo Qin , Li Yan-Zhi , You Xue-Mei , Xiang Bang-De , Li Le-Qun , Ma Liang , Zhong Jian-Hong
Published: October 2022

Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are diagnosed when the disease is already at an advanced stage, so they are not eligible for resection and their prognosis is poor. The combination of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with immune checkpoint inhibitors or tyrosine kinase inhibitors can improve unresectable HCC to the point that patients can be treated with surgery. Here we describe two cases of such “conversion therapy”. One patient was a 52-year-old man in Child-Pugh class A with treatment-naive HCC whose 11.3-cm tumor had invaded the middle hepatic vein and right branch of the portal vein. He was treated with TACE plus camrelizumab, and radical resection was performed 3 months later. No evidence of recurrence was observed during 5-month follow-up. The other patient was a 42-year-old man in Child-Pugh class A with HCC involving a 11.4-cm tumor and severe liver cirrhosis. The patient was treated with TACE and lenvatinib, but the embolic effect after one month was unsatisfactory, so the regional treatment was changed to hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy and transcatheter arterial embolization. Radical resection was performed 2 months later, and no recurrence was evident at 1-month follow-up. These cases demonstrate two conversion therapies that may allow patients with initially unresectable HCC to benefit from resection.