bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intellectual property rights to the research results of a Ukrainian scientist working abroad and foreign scientists, working in Ukraine
Authors: Kapitsa Yurii , Makhnovskyi Dmytro , Shakhbazian Karyna
Published: March 2023

Keywords: protection of intellectual property, researcher, international scientific cooperation,research, work abroad

The practice of universities and scientific organizations in the EU, the USA, the documents ofthe EU Framework Programs for Research and Innovation, WIPO on the regulation ofintellectual property rights on inventions and other objects used or created by a researchertemporarily working in another scientific organization or university, includingabroad is considered. It is noted that, as a rule, institutions apply two approaches: determiningthe specifics of the researcher's stay in the partner institution in the cooperationagreement. And also, in the case of individual grants, scholarships, the definition of theterms of settlement of IP rights in the IP policy of the institution and the contract withthe researcher. In cooperation agreements, it is essential to define the background IPused during research, as well as the conditions for acquiring rights to foreground IP, includingthose created jointly by the parties.In the case of individual grants, scholarships, it is relevant to determine whether duringthe research it is intended to use background IP, the rights to which belong to the researcher'sinstitution. If so, this provides for the need to conclude an agreement betweenthe host institution and the institution of the researcher on the use of the background.Depending on the degree of use of background IP by the institutions of the researcherand the financial contribution or provision of equipment at the host institution, the issueof distribution of IP rights to foreground IP should be envisaged in such an agreement.In the case of the researcher's obligations to preserve confidential information abouthis institution, the host institution must make sure that such confidential information isnot used when conducting research. In the event that such use may be necessary, thehost institution and the researcher institution should enter into a non-disclosure agreement.The article provides recommendations of the Center for Intellectual Property Studiesand Technology Transfer of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine regarding thesettlement of IP protection issues in various options for a researcher, visiting foreign scientificinstitution (university). Academic mobility provided for by Ukrainian legislationcan also be a tool for the settlement of these issues, with the possibility of regulation of IPissues in agreement between partner institutions and contract with the researcher.
Issue Responsiveness in Canadian Politics: Are Political Parties Responsive to Climate Change's Public Salience in the Question Period?
Authors: Alvarez R. Michael , Morrier Jacob
Published: March 2023

Are political representatives responsive to the public in determining the issues they publicly address? Our paper takes a novel approach to this question with innovative data and state-of-the-art methodology. While previous research on issue responsiveness has focused on the United States and its unique political institutions, we study a multi-party parliamentary setting: the Canadian House of Commons. We focus our analysis on a prominent policy issue: climate change. Using transcripts from the Question Period between April 2006 and June 2021, we measure the attention political parties attribute to the various policy issues. We use Google Trends data to measure policy issues' public salience. We implement an instrumental variable estimation strategy to causally estimate how much climate change's public salience drives elite attention. Our analysis reveals that climate change's public salience significantly affects the attention political parties pay to that policy issue, though with significant partisan heterogeneity.
The effect of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block combined with dexmedetomidine for postoperative pain management in lumbar spine surgery: A case-based discussion
Authors: Coppolino Francesco , Sansone Pasquale , Porfidia Carmela , Passavanti Maria Beatrice , Pota Vincenzo , Giaccari Luca Gregorio , Aurilio Caterina , Pace Maria Caterina
Published: March 2023

Background

Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane blocks (US-ESPB) can be valid resources of simple and safe execution in a multimodal approach to postoperative pain management in lumbar spine surgery. It has been shown that the use of multimodal anesthesia reduces the use of intraoperative and postoperative opioids, and also improves analgesia. A growing body of evidence supports that the adjuvant use of dexmedetomidine in locoregional anesthesia significantly prolongs the analgesia and potentiates the effect of the block, without clinically significant side effects.

Case presentation

A series of six consecutive patients received bilateral ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane blocks with local anesthetics and dexmedetomidine as part of a multimodal analgesic therapy after lumbar spine surgery. Treatment adequacy was evaluated using numerical rating scale (NRS) and overall benefit of analgesic score (OBAS); overall the observed results were satisfactory for all patients.

Conclusion

Bilateral US-ESPB appears to be helpful in providing adequate postoperative analgesia after lumbar spine surgery. It is simple and safe, and so it is unique when compared to other blockages. The addition of Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant seems to improve analgesic effectiveness and durability.
Review of technologies for carbon monoxide recovery from nitrogen- containing industrial streams
Authors: James Jebin , Lücking Leonie E. , van Dijk H.A.J. , Boon Jurriaan
Published: March 2023

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an important gas required for various industrial processes. Whether produced directly from syngas or as part of by-product gas streams, valorization of CO streams will play an important role in the decarbonization of industry. CO is often generated in mixtures with other gases such as H2, CO2, CH4, and N2 and therefore separation of CO from the other gases is required. In particular, separation of CO from N2 is difficult given their similar molecular properties. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on the four processes for separation of CO from gas mixtures: cryogenic purification, absorption, adsorption and membrane separation. Particular emphasis is placed on technical processes for industrial applications and separation of N2 and CO. Cryogenic processes are not suitable for separation of CO from N2. Absorption developments focus on the use of ionic liquids to replace solvents, with promising progress being made in the field of CO solubility in ionic liquids. Advancements in adsorption processes have focused on the development of new materials however future work is required to develop materials that do not require vacuum regeneration. Membrane processes are most promising in the form of solid state and mixed matrix membranes. In general, there is limited development beyond lab scale for new advancements in CO separation from gas streams. This highlights an opportunity and need to investigate and develop beyond state-of-the-art processes for CO separation at industrial scale, especially for separation of CO from N2.
PVD growth of spiral pyramid-shaped WS2 on SiO2/Si driven by screw dislocations
Authors: Madoune Yassine , Yang DingBang , Ahmed Yameen , Al-Makeen Mansour M. , Huang Han
Published: March 2023

Atomically thin layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), such as MoS2 and WS2, have been getting much attention recently due to their interesting electronic and optoelectronic properties. Especially, spiral TMDs provide a variety of candidates for examining the light-matter interaction resulting from the broken inversion symmetry, as well as the potential new utilization in functional optoelectronic, electromagnetic and nanoelectronics devices. To realize their potential device applications, it is desirable to achieve controlled growth of these layered nanomaterials with a tunable stacking. Here, we demonstrate the Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) growth of spiral pyramid-shaped WS2 with ∼200 μm in size and the interesting optical properties via AFM and Raman spectroscopy. By controlling the precursors concentration and changing the initial nucleation rates in PVD growth, WS2 in different nanoarchitectures can be obtained. We discuss the growth mechanism for these spiral-patterned WS2 nanostructures based on the screw dislocations. This study provides a simple, scalable approach of screw dislocation-driven (SDD) growth of distinct TMD nanostructures with varying morphologies, and stacking.
An image-based high-content screening for compounds targeting Toxoplasma gondii repurposed inhibitors effective against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Honfozo Ariane , Houngue Rodrigue , Vandeputte Alexandre , Dechavanne Sébastien , Nouatin Odilon , Atindehou Ménonvè Cynthia , Fanou Lucie Ayi , Massougbodji Achille , Dechavanne Célia , Brodin Priscille , Tomavo Stanislas
Published: March 2023

Apicomplexa phylum includes numerous obligate intracellular protozoan parasites that are life threatening for humans and animals. In this context, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii are of particular interest, as they are responsible for malaria and toxoplasmosis, respectively, for which efficient vaccines are presently lacking and therapies need to be improved. Apicomplexan parasites have a highly polarized morphology, with their apical end containing specific secretory organelles named rhoptries and micronemes, which depend on the unique receptor and transporter sortilin TgSORT for their biogenesis. In the present study, we took advantage of the subcellular polarity of the parasite to engineer a clonal transgenic Toxoplasma line that expresses simultaneously the green fluorescent protein TgSORT-GFP in the post-Golgi-endosome-like compartment and the red fluorescent protein rhoptry ROP1-mCherry near the apical end. We utilized this fluorescent transgenic T. gondii to develop a miniaturized image-based phenotype assay coupled to an automated image analysis. By applying this methodology to 1,120 compounds, we identified 12 that are capable of disrupting the T. gondii morphology and inhibiting intracellular replication. Analysis of the selected compounds confirmed that all 12 are kinase inhibitors and intramembrane pumps, with some exhibiting potent activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Our findings highlight the advantage of comparative and targeted phenotypic analysis involving two related parasite species as a means of identifying molecules with a conserved mode of action.
Long-term outcomes of less drug-eluting stents by the use of drug-coated balloons in de novo coronary chronic total occlusion intervention: A multicenter observational study
Authors: Wang Xi , Yang Xinyue , Lu Wenjie , Pan Liang , Han Zhanying , Pan Sancong , Shan Yingguang , Wang Xule , Zheng Xiaolin , Li Ran , Zhu Yongjian , Qin Peng , Shi Qiangwei , Zhou Shuai , Zhang Wencai , Guo Sen , Zhang Peisheng , Qin Xiaofei , Sun Guoju , Qin Zhongsheng , Huang Zhenwen , Qiu Chunguang
Published: March 2023

Background

Data on drug-coated balloons (DCB) for de novo coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) are limited. We aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of substitution of drug-eluting stents (DES) by DCB.

Methods

We compared the outcomes of less DES strategy (DCB alone or combined with DES) and DES-only strategy in treating de novo coronary CTO in this prospective, observational, multicenter study. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), target vessel revascularization, myocardial infarction, and death during 3-year follow-up. The secondary endpoints were late lumen loss (LLL) and restenosis until 1-year after operation.

Results

Of the 591 eligible patients consecutively enrolled between January 2015 and December 2019, 281 (290 lesions) were treated with DCB (DCB-only or combined with DES) and 310 (319 lesions) with DES only. In the DCB group, 147 (50.7%) lesions were treated using DCB-only, and the bailout stenting rate was relatively low (3.1%). The average stent length per lesion in the DCB group was significantly shorter compared with the DES-only group (21.5 ± 25.5 mm vs. 54.5 ± 26.0 mm, p < 0.001). A total of 112 patients in the DCB group and 71 patients in the DES-only group (38.6% vs. 22.3%, p < 0.001) completed angiographic follow-up until 1-year, and LLL was much less in the DCB group (−0.08 ± 0.65 mm vs. 0.35 ± 0.62 mm, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in restenosis occurrence between the two groups (20.5% vs. 19.7%, p > 0.999). The Kaplan–Meier estimates of MACE at 3-year (11.8% vs. 12.0%, log-rank p = 0.688) was similar between the groups.

Conclusion

Percutaneous coronary intervention with DCB is a potential “stent-less” therapy for de novo CTO lesions with satisfactory long-term clinical results compared to the DES-only approach.
Case report: A rare homozygous variation in the ENPP1 gene, presenting with generalized arterial calcification of infancy in a Chinese infant
Authors: Lu Pengtao , Chen Jinglong , Chen Mei , Wang Ling , Xiang Dandan , Yin Jie , Yang Shiwei
Published: March 2023

Generalized arterial calcification of infancy (GACI) is a rare genetic disease characterized by arterial calcifications or stenoses and hypertension. GACI is caused by mutations in the ENPP1 or ABCC6 genes, and it often causes intrauterine or early infancy death. Here, we report a case of rare GACI caused by a homozygous variation in ENPP1, in a Chinese infant initially presenting with hypertension. The proband was an 8-month-old boy with in utero tricuspid valve calcification, presenting with hypertension at birth. Enhanced computed tomography revealed extensive arterial calcification. Genetic testing identified a homozygous variation in ENPP1 (c.783C > G p.Y261X), which led to the diagnosis of GACI. This mutation has been reported in only three Chinese patients, which all initially presented with hypophosphatemic rickets rather than GACI. This case enriches the clinical and genetic spectrum of ENPP1 mutations and reminds us that GACI should be considered in an infant presenting with hypertension and extensive arterial calcification, and that genetic testing should be performed.
A proposed scenario to improve the Ncut algorithm in segmentation
Authors: Tran Nhu Y. , Hieu Huynh Trung , Bao Pham The
Published: March 2023

In image segmentation, there are many methods to accomplish the result of segmenting an image into k clusters. However, the number of clusters k is always defined before running the process. It is defined by some observation or knowledge based on the application. In this paper, we propose a new scenario in order to define the value k clusters automatically using histogram information. This scenario is applied to Ncut algorithm and speeds up the running time by using CUDA language to parallel computing in GPU. The Ncut is improved in four steps: determination of number of clusters in segmentation, computing the similarity matrix W, computing the similarity matrix's eigenvalues, and grouping on the Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering algorithm. Some experimental results are shown to prove that our scenario is 20 times faster than the Ncut algorithm while keeping the same accuracy.
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and its relationship to the autonomic nervous system in patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction
Authors: Xu Jinzhou , Chen Yinwei , Gu Longjie , Liu Xiaming , Yang Jun , Li Mingchao , Rao Ke , Dong Xiyuan , Yang Shulin , Huang Bo , Jin Lei , Wang Tao , Liu Jihong , Wang Shaogang , Bai Jian
Published: March 2023

Background

Psychological stress and its two stress response systems, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), are closely related to psychogenic erectile dysfunction (pED). However, the analyses of perceived stress and stress systems in pED patients need to be more in-depth, especially the interactions between them.

Methods

Our study included 75 patients with pEDs and 75 healthy men. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were used for assessing the severity of ED and perceived stress. All participants collected saliva samples on three consecutive days at eight specific times with strict reference to the time of morning awakening for measuring cortisol parameters and wore electrocardiography for 24 h to derive heart rate variability (HRV).

Results

The PSS-10 scores of pED patients were significantly higher than the control group (p<0.001). Although PSS-10 and IIEF-5 scores were negatively correlated in pED patients, there was no statistical significance between them (r=−0.049, p=0.677). Compared with the control group, the HRV parameters of pED patients were significantly increased in LF/HF ratio (p=0.014) but significantly decreased in LF, HF, and pNN50 (p<0.001). However, the two groups had no statistically significant differences in cortisol variables (all p>0.05). The interaction between sympathovagal modulation (HF, rMSSD) and cortisol awakening response (CAR AUCi) explained significantly greater variance in perceived stress than either stress system alone. Higher parasympathetic activity combined with a higher cortisol awakening response was associated with greater perceived stress.

Conclusion

Our results suggested that the interrelation between ANS and HPA axis activity might enhance our comprehension of how stress affected the physical and mental health of pED patients.
Pediatric thyroid surgery: Retrospective analysis on the first 25 pediatric thyroidectomies performed in a reference center for adult thyroid diseases
Authors: Quaglino Francesco , Bellocchia Alex Bruno , Tuli Gerdi , Munarin Jessica , Matarazzo Patrizia , Cestino Luca , Festa Federico , Carbonaro Giulia , Oleandri Salvatore , Manini Claudia , Vergano Riccardo , De Sanctis Luisa
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Pediatric thyroid carcinoma represents about 4-5% of all pediatric carcinoma with an incidence of 0.5 cases/100,000, compared to 2-10/100000 cases in the adult population. The aim of this study is to present the experience of a reference adult endocrine surgery unit in charge of the treatment of pediatric thyroid diseases.

Materials and methods

From January 2019 to September 2022, 25 patients, aged 5-17, underwent thyroid surgery. We analysed indications for surgery, use of intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM), definitive histological examination, postoperative outcomes and risk factors related.

Results

Surgical indication was performed for Graves’ disease (27%) and for nodular pathology (73%): of these, four were malignant lesions (TIR4/TIR5), eight with indeterminate characteristics (TIR3A/TIR3B) and four characterized as benign (TIR1/TIR2). Total thyroidectomy (TT) was performed in 76% of cases, three of which were prophylactic for the activation of the RET gene mutation in MEN 2A. IONM was used in eight cases (32%), all patients aged 11 years or less. FNA’s accuracy was 100% for lesions typified as benign and malignant (TIR1/TIR2 and TIR4/TIR5). The overall malignancy rate achieved was 40% and in the final histological examination 75% of the TIR 3B lesions were malignant. Six patients (24%) developed hypoparathyroidism in the first postoperative day, with normalization of calcium values within thirty days in 5 patients.

Conclusions

Pediatric thyroid nodules are rare and distinguished from adult thyroid disease by a worse prognosis and higher malignancy rates. Our work reports a much higher malignancy rate among indeterminate TIR 3B lesions than observed in the adult population and the three patients who underwent prophylactic total thyroidectomy for activating RET gene mutation had all a definitive histological diagnosis of medullary carcinoma. Post-surgical hypoparathyroidism is a common finding in these patients: in most cases the condition is transient and it benefits from supportive therapy. Intraoperative finding of a thinner recurrent laryngeal nerve in younger patients makes nerve isolation more difficult than in adult surgery: IONM is recommended in patients under 12. Pediatric thyroid surgery is challenging, we sustain it requires referral thyroid Centers for thyroid disease with highly skilled general endocrine surgeons.
Case report: A case of Culler-Jones syndrome caused by a novel mutation of GLI2 gene and literature review
Authors: Zhang Yiwen , Dong Bingzi , Xue Yu , Wang Yunyang , Yan Jing , Xu Lili
Published: March 2023

Culler-Jones syndrome is a rare clinical phenomenon with diverse manifestations and is prone to misdiagnosis. We report one patient who presented with a 10-year history of anosmia and a 1-year history of epididymal pain. Kallmann syndrome was suspected initially. The results of his laboratory tests, imaging, and genetic testing, however, combined to provide a conclusive diagnosis of Culler-Jones syndrome. With the aid of high-throughput sequencing technology, the GLI2 gene c.527A>G (p.Tyr176Cys) heterozygous mutation in the child was identified. No published works have yet described this mutation site. We described Culler-Jones syndrome in a child at length. We recommend that Culler-Jones syndrome be taken into account when considering the spectrum of disorders associated with abnormal growth and development in children. Once diagnosed, individualized hormone replacement treatment is required for each patient.
Identify incipient faults through similarity comparison with waveform split-recognition framework
Authors: Tang Xinlu , Cui Qiushi , Weng Yang , Su Yuxiang , Li Dongdong
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Incipient faults of distribution networks, if not detected at an early stage, could evolve into permanent faults and result in significant economic losses. It is necessary to detect incipient faults to improve power grid security. However, due to the short duration and unapparent waveform distortion, incipient faults are difficult to identify. In addition, incipient faults usually have a small data volume, which compromises their pattern recognition.

Methods: In this paper, an incipient fault identification method is proposed to address these problems. First, a Waveform Split-Recognition Framework (WSRF) is proposed to provide a two-step process: 1) split waveform into several segments according to cycles, and 2) recognize incipient faults through the similarity of decomposed segments. Second, we design a Similarity Comparison Network (SCN) to learn the waveform by sharing the weights of two Convolution Neural Networks (CNNs), and then calculate the gap between them through a non-linear function in high-dimensional space. Last, disassembled filters are devised to extract features from the waveform.

Results: The method of initializing weights can improve the speed and Accuracy of training, and some existing datasets like MNIST consisting of 250 handwritten numbers from different people are able to provide initial weights to disassembled filters through the adaptive data distribution method. This paper uses field data and simulation data to verify the performance of SCN and WSRF.

Discussion: WSRF can achieve more than 95% Accuracy in identifying incipient faults, which is much higher than three other methods in literature. And this method can achieve good results at different fault locations and different fault times. Which compromises their pattern recognition.
Hydrogen cyanide, a key plant defense, as a potential driver of root-associated nematode communities along urbanization gradients
Authors: Qu Jiao , Bonte Dries , Vandegehuchte Martijn L.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Plant chemical defenses can influence the distribution, community composition, and abundance of soil biota. Urbanization plays a key role in shaping soil biotic communities either directly through changes in soil properties or indirectlyviachanges in plant characteristics such as defense traits. The effects of urbanization and plant defenses on the abundance and structure of aboveground plant-associated communities have been studied, yet their effects on belowground root-associated communities are poorly understood.

Methods

Here we sampled white clover (Trifolium repensL.) leaves and roots along urban–rural gradients in the cities of Antwerp and Ghent, Belgium. We measured production of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in leaves, a known defense trait against herbivores, and abundances of different feeding guilds of nematodes associated with the roots.

Results

We found that HCN production decreased with increasing levels of urbanization in both cities. Urbanization was significantly correlated with shifts in root-associated nematode community structure in Antwerp but not in Ghent. Responses of nematode feeding guilds and trophic groups to urbanization were highly dependent on the clovers’ HCN production, especially in Ghent. Changes in nematode channel ratio in Antwerp indicated that urban root-associated nematode communities of white clover were more strongly dominated by fungivorous nematodes.

Discussion

Our results demonstrate that urbanization is driving changes in a plant phenotypic trait and in the community structure of root-associated nematodes, as well as that both changes interact. Plant defense mechanisms could thus help elucidate the effects of urbanization on root-associated biota communities. As strong differences existed between the two studied cities, the particular properties of cities should be taken into account to better understand the direction and strength of phenotypic trait changes driven by urbanization.
Exploring the mycobiome and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with the rizosphere of the genus Inga in the pristine Ecuadorian Amazon
Authors: Arévalo-Granda Valentina , Hickey-Darquea Aileen , Prado-Vivar Belén , Zapata Sonia , Duchicela Jéssica , van ‘t Hof Pieter
Published: March 2023

This study explored the composition of the mycobiome in the rhizosphere of Inga seedlings in two different but neighboring forest ecosystems in the undisturbed tropical Amazon rainforest at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in Ecuador. In terra firme plots, which were situated higher up and therefore typically outside of the influence of river floods, and in várzea plots, the lower part of the forest located near the riverbanks and therefore seasonally flooded, tree seedlings of the genus Inga were randomly collected and measured, and the rhizosphere soils surrounding the root systems was collected. Members of the Fabaceae family and the genus Inga were highly abundant in both forest ecosystems. Inga sp. seedlings collected in terra firme showed a lower shoot to root ratio compared to seedlings that were collected in várzea, suggesting that Inga seedlings which germinated in várzea soils could invest more resources in vegetative growth with shorter roots. Results of the physical-chemical properties of soil samples indicated higher proportions of N, Mo, and V in terra firme soils, whereas várzea soils present higher concentrations of all other macro- and micronutrients, which confirmed the nutrient deposition effect of seasonal flooding by the nearby river. ITS metabarcoding was used to explore the mycobiome associated with roots of the genus Inga. Bioinformatic analysis was performed using Qiime 2 to calculate the alpha and beta diversity, species taxonomy and the differential abundance of fungi and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The fungal community represented 75% of the total ITS ASVs, and although present in all samples, the subphylum Glomeromycotina represented 1.42% of all ITS ASVs with annotations to 13 distinct families, including Glomeraceae (72,23%), Gigasporaceae (0,57%), Acaulosporaceae (0,49%). AMF spores of these three AMF families were morphologically identified by microscopy. Results of this study indicate that AMF surround the rhizosphere of Inga seedlings in relatively low proportions compared to other fungal groups but present in both terra firme and várzea Neotropical ecosystems.
Case report: Identification of novel fibrillin-2 variants impacting disulfide bond and causing congenital contractural arachnodactyly
Authors: Li An-Lei , He Ji-Qiang , Zeng Lei , Hu Yi-Qiao , Wang Min , Long Jie-Yi , Chang Si-Hua , Jin Jie-Yuan , Xiang Rong
Published: March 2023

Background: Congenital contractural arachnodactyly (CCA) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder with clinical features of arthrogryposis, arachnodactyly, crumpled ears, scoliosis, and muscular hypoplasia. The heterozygous pathogenic variants in FBN2 have been shown to cause CCA. Fibrillin-2 is related to the elasticity of the tissue and has been demonstrated to play an important role in the constitution of extracellular microfibrils in elastic fibers, providing strength and flexibility to the connective tissue that sustains the body’s joints and organs.

Methods: We recruited two Chinese families with arachnodactyly and bilateral arthrogryposis of the fingers. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and co-segregation analysis were employed to identify their genetic etiologies. Three-dimensional protein models were used to analyze the pathogenic mechanism of the identified variants.

Results: We have reported two CCA families and identified two novel missense variants in FBN2 (NM_001999.3: c.4093T>C, p.C1365R and c.2384G>T, p.C795F). The structural models of the mutant FBN2 protein in rats exhibited that both the variants could break disulfide bonds.

Conclusion: We detected two FBN2 variants in two families with CCA. Our description expands the genetic profile of CCA and emphasizes the pathogenicity of disulfide bond disruption in FBN2.
Genetic polymorphisms and population genetic analyses of 57 autosomal InDel loci in Hubei Tujia group
Authors: Lan Jiangwei , Zhang Xingru , Cui Wei , Mei Shuyan , Xu Jingtao , Zhu Bofeng
Published: March 2023

Introduction: The Tujia is the eighth most populous population in China, but its genetic structure has not been fully studied.

Methods: In this study, we utilized 57 autosomal Insertion/deletion (InDel) loci to evaluate the genetic polymorphisms and efficiency of forensic applications in the Chinese Hubei Tujia group, and analyzed the genetic structure variances among the studied group and other 26 different reference populations from five continents in 1000 Genomes Project (1KG).

Results: The results showed that 57 InDels have no significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and linkage equilibrium. The combined power of discrimination (CPD) and the combined probability of exclusion (CPE) values for 57 InDels were 0.99999999999999999999999699822 and 0.999975177214539 in the Hubei Tujia group, respectively. In addition, the results of genetic structure analyses indicated that the Hubei Tujia group has close genetic relationships with the Chinese Han population and other East Asian populations.

Discussion: These 57 autosomal InDels can be used as reliable tools for forensic individual identification and paternity testing, and are more suitable for East Asian populations. Furthermore, three InDels (rs72085595, rs145941537, and rs34529639) are promising for inferring ancestral information.
Characterization of a novel potency endpoint for the evaluation of immune checkpoint blockade in humanized mice
Authors: Matas-Céspedes Alba , Lapointe Jean-Martin , Elder Matthew J. , Browne Gareth J. , Dovedi Simon J. , de Haan Lolke , Maguire Shaun , Stebbings Richard
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Humanized mice are emerging as valuable models to experimentally evaluate the impact of different immunotherapeutics on the human immune system. These immunodeficient mice are engrafted with human cells or tissues, that then mimic the human immune system, offering an alternative and potentially more predictive preclinical model. Immunodeficient NSG mice engrafted with human CD34+ cord blood stem cells develop human T cells educated against murine MHC. However, autoimmune graft versus host disease (GvHD), mediated by T cells, typically develops 1 year post engraftment.

Methods

Here, we have used the development of GvHD in NSG mice, using donors with HLA alleles predisposed to autoimmunity (psoriasis) to weight in favor of GvHD, as an endpoint to evaluate the relative potency of monoclonal and BiSpecific antibodies targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 to break immune tolerance.

Results

We found that treatment with either a combination of anti-PD-1 & anti-CTLA-4 mAbs or a quadrivalent anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 BiSpecific (MEDI8500), had enhanced potency compared to treatment with anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA-4 monotherapies, increasing T cell activity both in vitro and in vivo. This resulted in accelerated development of GvHD and shorter survival of the humanized mice in these treatment groups commensurate with their on target activity.

Discussion

Our findings demonstrate the potential of humanized mouse models for preclinical evaluation of different immunotherapies and combinations, using acceleration of GvHD development as a surrogate of aggravated antigenic T-cell response against host.
Characterization of immature ovarian teratomas through single-cell transcriptome
Authors: Cao Minyuan , Deng Yun , Deng Yiqi , Wu Jing , Yang Chongyi , Wang Zijun , Hou Qianqian , Fu Huancheng , Ren Zhixiang , Xia Xuyang , Li Yue , Wang Wei , Xu Heng , Liao Xin , Shu Yang
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Immature ovarian teratomas are a type of malignant germ cell tumor composed of complicated cell types and are characterized by pathological features of immature neuroectodermal tubules/rosettes. However, there is a lack of understanding of patient-derived immature ovarian teratomas (PDT) at the single cell level. Moreover, whether stem cell lines derived from immature teratomas (CDT) can be used as models for research on PDT remains to be elucidated.

Methods

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and subsequent bioinformatic analysis was performed on three patient-derived immature ovarian teratomas (PDT) samples to reveal the heterogeneity, evolution trajectory, and cell communication within the tumor microenvironment of PDT. Validations were conducted in additional seven samples through multiplex immunofluorescence.

Result

A total of qualified 22,153 cells were obtained and divided into 28 clusters, which can match to the scRNA-seq annotation of CDT as well as human fetal Cell Atlas, but with higher heterogeneity and more prolific cell-cell crosstalk. Radial glia cells (tagged by SOX2) and immature neuron (tagged by DCX) exhibited mutually exclusive expression and differentiated along distinct evolutionary trajectory from cycling neural progenitors. Proportions of these neuroectodermal cell subtypes may play important roles in PDT through contributing to the internal heterogeneity of PDTs. Moreover, the immune cells in PDTs were infiltrated rather than teratoma-derived, with more abundant macrophage in immature neuron than those in radial glia cells, and the infiltrated macrophage subtypes (i.e., M1 and M2) were significantly correlated to clinical grade. Overall, suppressed evolution process and transcriptome regulation in neuroectodermal cells, reduced cell-cell crosstalk, higher M1/M2 proportion ratio, and enhanced T cell effects in tumor microenvironment are enriched in patients with favorable prognosis.

Discussion

This study provides a comprehensive profile of PDT at the single cell level, shedding light on the heterogeneity and evolution of neuroectodermal cells within PDTs and the role of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. Also, our findings highlight the potential usage of CDTs as a model for research on PDT.
The material deformation modes of monocrystalline gallium antimonide (GaSb) under nano-scratching
Authors: Wang Ziguang , Yan Feng , Zhang Yu , Ma Jiaheng , Zhou Ping , Kang Chengwei , Sha Zhihua , Zhang Shengfang
Published: March 2023

The deformation characteristics of GaSb are investigated by employing nano-scratch tests to understand the material removal mechanism during ultra-precision grinding. The nano-scratches are obtained by a cube-corner tip under the two linear normal load conditions (0–30 mN and 0–60 mN). The normal force/scratch distance-penetration depth curves and the characteristics of chips and cracks are analyzed to understand the transition mechanism of ductile to brittle removal. In addition, the maximum principal stress near the bottom of the scratch is calculated to analyze the deformation behavior. The results revealed that the deformation behavior of three zones of deformation is plastic deformation, the transition from plastic to brittle deformation, and brittle deformation, respectively. The change rate of stress is significant differences in the zone of brittle-ductile transition. The critical ratio between mean contact pressures and hardness in the transition region is determined as 0.39 and 0.21, respectively.
Case report: SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells are associated with myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination with mRNA-1273
Authors: Stervbo Ulrik , Van Bracht Marc , Philippou Stathis , Babel Nina , Westhoff Timm H.
Published: March 2023

Vaccination of SARS-CoV-2 with BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 both have a low incidence of induction of myocarditis. Here we report on utilizing adaptive immune receptor repertoire sequencing (AIRR-Seq) as a way to assess the specificity of tissue infiltrating immune cells.
Simultaneous removal of nitrogen and arsenite by heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification bacterium Hydrogenophaga sp. H7
Authors: Fan Xia , Nie Li , Chen Zhengjun , Zheng Yongliang , Wang Gejiao , Shi Kaixiang
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Nitrogen and arsenic contaminants often coexist in groundwater, and microbes show the potential for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and arsenic. Here, we reported that Hydrogenophaga sp. H7 was heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification (HNAD) and arsenite [As(III)] oxidation bacterium.

Methods

The appearance of nitrogen removal and As(III) oxidation of Hydrogenophaga sp. H7 in liquid culture medium was studied. The effect of carbon source, C/N ratio, temperature, pH values, and shaking speeds were analyzed. The impact of strains H7 treatment with FeCl3 on nitrogen and As(III) in wastewater was assessed. The key pathways that participate in simultaneous nitrogen removal and As(III) oxidation was analyzed by genome and proteomic analysis.

Results and discussion

Strain H7 presented efficient capacities for simultaneous NH4+-N, NO3−-N, or NO2−-N removal with As(III) oxidation during aerobic cultivation. Strikingly, the bacterial ability to remove nitrogen and oxidize As(III) has remained high across a wide range of pH values, and shaking speeds, exceeding that of the most commonly reported HNAD bacteria. Additionally, the previous HNAD strains exhibited a high denitrification efficiency, but a suboptimal concentration of nitrogen remained in the wastewater. Here, strain H7 combined with FeCl3 efficiently removed 96.14% of NH4+-N, 99.08% of NO3−-N, and 94.68% of total nitrogen (TN), and it oxidized 100% of As(III), even at a low nitrogen concentration (35 mg/L). The residues in the wastewater still met the V of Surface Water Environmental Quality Standard of China after five continuous wastewater treatment cycles. Furthermore, genome and proteomic analyses led us to propose that the shortcut nitrification-denitrification pathway and As(III) oxidase AioBA are the key pathways that participate in simultaneous nitrogen removal and As(III) oxidation.
MukBEF-dependent chromosomal organization in widened Escherichia coli
Authors: Japaridze Aleksandre , van Wee Raman , Gogou Christos , Kerssemakers Jacob W. J. , van den Berg Daan F. , Dekker Cees
Published: March 2023

The bacterial chromosome is spatially organized through protein-mediated compaction, supercoiling, and cell-boundary confinement. Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) complexes are a major class of chromosome-organizing proteins present throughout all domains of life. Here, we study the role of the Escherichia coli SMC complex MukBEF in chromosome architecture and segregation. Using quantitative live-cell imaging of shape-manipulated cells, we show that MukBEF is crucial to preserve the toroidal topology of the Escherichia coli chromosome and that it is non-uniformly distributed along the chromosome: it prefers locations toward the origin and away from the terminus of replication, and it is unevenly distributed over the origin of replication along the two chromosome arms. Using an ATP hydrolysis-deficient MukB mutant, we confirm that MukBEF translocation along the chromosome is ATP-dependent, in contrast to its loading onto DNA. MukBEF and MatP are furthermore found to be essential for sister chromosome decatenation. We propose a model that explains how MukBEF, MatP, and their interacting partners organize the chromosome and contribute to sister segregation. The combination of bacterial cell-shape modification and quantitative fluorescence microscopy paves way to investigating chromosome-organization factors in vivo.
Phylogeny and systematics of the genus Clonostachys
Authors: Wang Yao , Tang De-Xiang , Luo Run , Wang Yuan-Bing , Thanarut Chinnapan , Dao Van-Minh , Yu Hong
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Clonostachys, a genus with rich morphological and ecological diversity in Bionectriaceae, has a wide distribution among diverse habitats.

Methods and Results

In the present study, a phylogenetic framework is reconstructed for the family Bionectriaceae focusing on Clonostachys through increased taxon-sampling using the nrLSU sequence. Through surveying Clonostachys in China, Vietnam, and Thailand over the past 3 years, seven Clonostachys spp. were found and identified. Two new species, C. chuyangsinensis and C. kunmingensis, are described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and molecular data. The phylogenetic positions of the seven species were evaluated based on four genomic loci (ITS, nrLSU, TUB2, and TEF1).

Discussion

Moreover, the genetic divergence comparisons of Clonostachys species for three markers (ITS, TUB2, and TEF1) are also provided. The results indicated that the TEF1 sequence data provided the best resolution for distinguishing species of Clonostachys, followed by sequence data for the TUB2 and ITS regions.
A microfluidic device for simultaneous detection of enzyme secretion and elongation of a single hypha
Authors: Itani Ayaka , Shida Yosuke , Ogasawara Wataru
Published: March 2023

Filamentous fungi grow through elongation of their apical region by exocytosis and secrete enzymes that can be of commercial or industrial importance. Their hyphae exhibit extensive branching, making it difficult to control hyphal growth for observation and analysis. Therefore, although hyphal morphology and productivity are closely related, the relationship between the two has not yet been clarified. Conventional morphology and productivity studies have only compared the results of macro imaging of fungal pellets cultured in bulk with the averaged products in the culture medium. Filamentous fungi are multicellular and their expression differs between different hyphae. To truly understand the relationship between morphology and productivity, it is necessary to compare the morphology and productivity of individual hyphae. To achieve this, we developed a microfluidic system that confines hyphae to individual channels for observation and investigated the relationship between their growth, morphology, and enzyme productivity. Furthermore, using Trichoderma reesei, a potent cellulase-producing fungus, as a model, we developed a cellulase detection assay with 4-MUC substrate to detect hyphal growth and enzyme secretion in a microfluidic device in real time. Using a strain that expresses cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) fused with AcGFP1, we compared fluorescence from the detection assay with GFP fluorescence intensity, which showed a strong correlation between the two. These results indicate that extracellular enzymes can be easily detected in the microfluidic device in real time because the production of cellulase is synchronized in T. reesei. This microfluidic system enables real-time visualization of the dynamics of hypha and enzymes during carbon source exchange and the quantitative dynamics of gene expression. This technology can be applied to many biosystems from bioenergy production to human health.
Adding functional properties to beer with jasmine tea extract
Authors: Chen De-Quan , Zou Chun , Huang Yi-Bin , Zhu Xuan , Contursi Patrizia , Yin Jun-Feng , Xu Yong-Quan
Published: March 2023

Hops provide the characteristic bitter taste and attractive aroma to beer; in this study, hops were replaced by jasmine tea extract (JTE) during late-hopping. The addition of JTE improved the beer foam stability 1.52-fold, and increased the polyphenol and organic acid contents. Linalool was the most important aroma compound in hopped (HOPB) and jasmine tea beer (JTB), but other flavor components were markedly different, including dimeric catechins, flavone/flavonol glycosides, and bitter acids and derivatives. Sensory evaluation indicated that addition of JTE increased the floral and fresh-scent aromas, reduced bitterness and improved the organoleptic quality of the beer. The antioxidant capacity of JTB was much higher than that of HOPB. The inhibition of amylase activity by JTB was 30.5% higher than that of HOPB. Functional properties to beer were added by substituting jasmine tea extract for hops during late hopping.
Case report: Type 2 diabetes mellitus with plantar malignant melanoma: Report of two cases
Authors: Huang Bi-Ling , Tan Min , Li Ming-Liu , Teng Yuan-Yuan , Zhou Min , Wang Min
Published: March 2023

Malignant melanoma is a highly malignant tumor that originates from melanocytes. It has a poor prognosis and rarely occurs on the foot. Diabetic foot ulcer is one of the most serious chronic complications of diabetes. This paper reports two cases of type 2 diabetes patients with malignant melanoma on the foot. Clinicians should improve their understanding of patients with diabetes with acral malignant melanoma. When diabetic foot ulcers occur repeatedly and continue not to heal, the clinical features of the cutaneous lesions are similar to malignant melanoma, and a pathological biopsy of the lesions should be performed promptly to obtain a clear diagnosis, avoid a missed diagnosis and improve the survival rate.
Diagnosis and prognosis prediction model for digestive system tumors based on immunologic gene sets
Authors: Zhou Lin , Wang Chunyu
Published: March 2023

According to 2020 global cancer statistics, digestive system tumors (DST) are ranked first in both incidence and mortality. This study systematically investigated the immunologic gene set (IGS) to discover effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Gene set variation (GSVA) analysis was used to calculate enrichment scores for 4,872 IGSs in patients with digestive system tumors. Using the machine learning algorithm XGBoost to build a classifier that distinguishes between normal samples and cancer samples, it shows high specificity and sensitivity on both the validation set and the overall dataset (area under the receptor operating characteristic curve [AUC]: validation set = 0.993, overall dataset = 0.999). IGS-based digestive system tumor subtypes (IGTS) were constructed using a consistent clustering approach. A risk prediction model was developed using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method. DST is divided into three subtypes: subtype 1 has the best prognosis, subtype 3 is the second, and subtype 2 is the worst. The prognosis model constructed using nine gene sets can effectively predict prognosis. Prognostic models were significantly associated with tumor mutational burden (TMB), tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), immune checkpoints, and somatic mutations. A composite nomogram was constructed based on the risk score and the patient’s clinical information, with a well-fitted calibration curve (AUC = 0.762). We further confirmed the reliability and validity of the diagnostic and prognostic models using other cohorts from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We identified diagnostic and prognostic models based on IGS that provide a strong basis for early diagnosis and effective treatment of digestive system tumors.