bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circulating free T3 associates longitudinally with cardio-metabolic risk factors in euthyroid children with higher TSH
Authors: Carreras-Badosa Gemma , Puerto-Carranza Elsa , Mas-Parés Berta , Gómez-Vilarrubla Ariadna , Cebrià-Fondevila Helena , Díaz-Roldán Ferran , Riera-Pérez Elena , de Zegher Francis , Ibañez Lourdes , Bassols Judit , López-Bermejo Abel
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Thyroid hormones play major roles in the regulation of body composition and metabolism, and therefore, the relationship between thyroid hormones and cardio-metabolic risk has been extensively studied in adults. In this study, we aimed to test whether free triiodothyronine (fT3) associates longitudinally with cardio-metabolic risk factors in euthyroid children.

Methods

A prospective study cohort of 599 apparently healthy school-age children were assessed at baseline (mean age 8.1 ± 2.1 years), of whom 270 children were also assessed at follow-up (4 years later). Circulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), and fT3 were measured, and cardio-metabolic risk was assessed by means of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, visceral fat (by ultrasound), blood pressure, circulating lipids, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, both at baseline and at follow-up.

Results

All studied children had normal thyroid function tests. Independent associations between baseline fT3 and both baseline and follow-up BMI, systolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure, triglycerides, and HOMA-IR were found using multivariate regression analysis (adjusting for sex and baseline age and BMI). Analyses of effect sizes showed that for each 1 unit-increase in baseline fT3 (pg/ml), follow-up BMI–standard deviation score (SDS) increased by 0.31 units (z-score) and systolic blood pressure by 6.6 units (mmHg). The observed longitudinal associations were more robust in children belonging to the upper TSH tertile who showed higher TSH levels and were characterized by weighing more and having the highest fT3 levels. In these children, for each 1 unit-increase in baseline fT3 (pg/ml), follow-up BMI-SDS increased by 0.67 units (z-score) and systolic blood pressure by 10.2 units (mmHg).

Conclusions

Circulating fT3 associates longitudinally with cardio-metabolic risk factors in euthyroid children with higher TSH. The observed associations of thyroid hormones in these children could conceivably respond to a homeostatic attempt to reduce their cardio-metabolic risk.
A case-control study about markers of stress in normal-/overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome and in controls
Authors: Marschalek Marie-Louise , Marculescu Rodrig , Schneeberger Christian , Marschalek Julian , Dewailly Didier , Ott Johannes
Published: May 2023

Background

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is linked to an elevated risk of psychological disorders, decreased quality of life and emotional distress. Serum cortisol as a potential stress marker has been found to be increased in women with PCOS. The aim of this study was to evaluate both saliva stress markers and subjective psychological distress in women with PCOS.

Methods

In a prospective case-control study, 31 PCOS women and 31 healthy controls were included. Salivary cortisol, and metanephrines were collected in the morning and in the evening. Emotional distress and quality of life were assessed by means of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Multivariable generalized linear models were applied to test the influence of various parameters on numerical outcome parameters.

Results

After correction for age and body mass index (BMI), there were no statistically significant differences of salivary biomarkers between PCOS women and healthy controls (p>0.05). PCOS patients revealed significantly higher increased PSS total scores and lower quality of life in all SF-36 modules apart from pain (p< 0.05). The PSS total score was positively correlated to prolactin in PCOS women (r= 0.450; p= 0.011). In overweight/obese PCOS patients, a higher BMI, a higher Ferriman Gallwey score and higher age significantly predicted the PSS total score (p< 0.05).

Conclusion

Stress measured by salivary biomarkers did not differ between PCOS women and healthy controls, whereas stress scores evaluated by questionnaires were significantly greater in women with PCOS. A higher BMI, hirsutism and a higher age seem to be the main modulators of subjective stress in PCOS. Prolactin might serve as a biomarker for chronic stress in PCOS women.
Obesity contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma development via immunosuppressive microenvironment remodeling
Authors: Yang Jian , He Jialuo , Feng Yiting , Xiang Ming
Published: May 2023

It is generally recognized that the initiation of obesity-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely associated with hepatic inflammation. However, the paradoxical role of inflammation in the initiation and progression of HCC is highlighted by the fact that the inflammatory HCC is accompanied by significant immune effector cells infiltration compared to non-inflammatory HCC and HCC with enhanced immune response exhibits better survival. Importantly, the cancer progression has been primarily attributed to the immunosuppression, which can also be induced by obesity. Furthermore, the increased risk of viral infection and thus viral-HCC in obese individuals supports the view that obesity contributes to HCC via immunosuppression. Here, we have reviewed the various mechanisms responsible for obesity-induced tumor immune microenvironment and immunosuppression in obesity-related HCC. We highlight that the obesity-induced immunosuppression originates from lipid disorder as well as metabolic reprogramming and propose potential therapeutic strategy for HCC based on the current success of immunotherapy.
Cellular activation pathways and interaction networks in vascularized composite allotransplantation
Authors: Knoedler Leonard , Knoedler Samuel , Panayi Adriana C. , Lee Catherine A. A. , Sadigh Sam , Huelsboemer Lioba , Stoegner Viola A. , Schroeter Andreas , Kern Barbara , Mookerjee Vikram , Lian Christine G. , Tullius Stefan G. , Murphy George F. , Pomahac Bohdan , Kauke-Navarro Martin
Published: May 2023

Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is an evolving field of reconstructive surgery that has revolutionized the treatment of patients with devastating injuries, including those with limb losses or facial disfigurement. The transplanted units are typically comprised of different tissue types, including skin, mucosa, blood and lymphatic vasculature, muscle, and bone. It is widely accepted that the antigenicity of some VCA components, such as skin, is particularly potent in eliciting a strong recipient rejection response following transplantation. The fine line between tolerance and rejection of the graft is orchestrated by different cell types, including both donor and recipient-derived lymphocytes, macrophages, and other immune and donor-derived tissue cells (e.g., endothelium). Here, we delineate the role of different cell and tissue types during VCA rejection. Rejection of VCA grafts and the necessity of life-long multidrug immunosuppression remains one of the major challenges in this field. This review sheds light on recent developments in decoding the cellular signature of graft rejection in VCA and how these may, ultimately, influence the clinical management of VCA patients by way of novel therapies that target specific cellular processes.
Management of eosinophil-associated inflammatory diseases: the importance of a multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Quirce Santiago , Cosío Borja G. , España Agustín , Blanco Ricardo , Mullol Joaquim , Santander Cecilio , del Pozo Victoria
Published: May 2023

Elevated eosinophil counts in blood and tissue are a feature of many pathological processes. Eosinophils can migrate and accumulate in a wide variety of tissues and, by infiltrating a target organ, can mediate the development of several inflammatory diseases. The normalization of eosinophilia is a common biomarker of a treatable trait and can also be used as a prognostic and predictive biomarker since it implies a reduction in type 2 inflammation that contributes to disease pathogenesis. Biological therapies targeting this cell type and its proinflammatory mediators have been shown to be effective in the management of a number of eosinophilic diseases, and for this reason they constitute a potential common strategy in the treatment of patients with various multimorbidities that present with type 2 inflammation. Various biological options are available that could be used to simultaneously treat multiple target organs with a single drug, bearing in mind the need to offer personalized treatments under the umbrella of precision medicine in all patients with eosinophil-associated diseases (EADs). In addition to reviewing these issues, we also discuss a series of perspectives addressing the management of EAD patients from a multidisciplinary approach, with the collaboration of health professionals from different specialties who manage the different multimorbidities that frequently occur in these patients. We examine the basic principles of care that this multidisciplinary approach must cover and present a multidisciplinary expert opinion regarding the ideal management of patients with EADs, from diagnosis to therapeutic approach and follow-up.
Caribbean scleractinian corals exhibit highly variable tolerances to acute hypoxia
Authors: Pontes Emma , Langdon Chris , Al-Horani Fuad A.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Climate change, and the increase in sea surface temperature, is exacerbating ocean deoxygenation because of the inherent property of seawater to sequester less dissolved gas, such as oxygen, at warmer temperatures. While most coral reef studies focus on the effects of thermal stress and ocean acidification, few studies acknowledge the threat of hypoxia. Hypoxia is traditionally defined as 6.3 kPa (2 mg L-1 O2), however, a universal hypoxia threshold is not useful given the vast range of responses among marine organisms. The range of metabolic responses and tolerances to hypoxia are unknown for Caribbean coral species and their algal symbionts.

Objective

Here, we quantified the spectrum of acute hypoxia tolerances and the range of metabolic responses of six ecologically and structurally important Caribbean coral species (Acropora cervicornis, Siderastrea radians, Siderastrea siderea, Porites astreoides, Porites porites, and Orbicella faveolata) and their algal symbionts (Symbiodinium, Breviolum, and Durusdinium spp.).

Methods

A total of 24 coral fragments (4 individuals per species) were exposed to 10 distinct oxygen concentrations ranging from normoxia (20.38 kPa) to severe hypoxia (3.3 kPa). We used intermittent flow respirometry to measure coral host respiration in the dark and algal symbiont photosynthesis in the light at each oxygen level. We determined a line of best fit for the metabolic rate vs. PO2 data and calculated the critical oxygen partial pressure (PO2 crit), a method that has not been tested on symbiotic species.

Results

Coral species and their algal symbionts measured here displayed a wide range of hypoxia tolerances. For the coral hosts, PO2 crit values differed roughly two-fold ranging from 5.74 kPa to 16.93 kPa, and for the algal symbionts, PO2 crit values differed roughly three-fold ranging from 3.9 kPa to 11.3 kPa.

Discussion

These results should be regarded as a first step to characterizing the metabolic response and acute tolerance of multiple coral hosts and algal symbionts to a wide range of oxygen concentrations. Given that some PO2 crit values were above the generally accepted hypoxia threshold, these results have implications for the community composition of reefs under a rapidly changing climate and can guide purposeful reef restoration.
Eye development and developmental expression of crystallin genes in the long arm octopus, Octopus minor
Authors: Ryu Kyoung-Bin , Jo Gun-Hee , Gil Young-Chun , Jeon Donggu , Choi Na-Rae , Jung Seung-Hyun , Jo Seonmi , An Hye Suck , Lee Hae-Youn , Eyun Seong-il , Cho Sung-Jin
Published: May 2023

The eye of a cephalopod is a well-known example of convergent evolution and resembles the vertebrate eye. Although cephalopods and vertebrates exhibit similar eye form and function, they differ in visual origin and structure. The common long-arm octopus (Octopus minor) is a good model system in evolutionary and developmental studies due to its highly centralized nervous system, shorter life cycle, and specific camera-type eyes that contribute to convergence with vertebrate eye. Lens-containing eyes represent a significant improvement of simple eye and have evolved by convergent mechanisms, a variety of lenses and corneas containing diverse crystallin. The diversity and taxon-specificity of lens crystallin is indicative of convergent evolution of crystallin roles. Previous studies have focused on morphological, ontogenetic and phylogenetic analysis of crystallin to understand the evolution of lens-containing eyes. However, little is known about the functional analysis of taxon-specific crystallin genes at the molecular level in the eye of O. minor. Using an embryonic staging system of Octopus minor as a model system, we investigated fifteen genomes and the structure of eye by immunohistochemistry, phalloidin staining and the three-dimensional structures. We also obtained the crystallin-related genes (i.e., α-, S-, and Ω-crystallin) from the transcriptome data of O. minor. Subsequent molecular phylogenetic analysis based on these genes revealed a distinct divergence pattern among the three gene classes and further suggested the evidence supporting the taxon-specific convergent evolutionary trend. We analyzed the expression pattern of crystallin genes via in situ hybridization during developmental stages. All crystallin genes are commonly expressed in the lentigenic cells of ciliary body. The α-crystallin found in cephalopods was also expressed at the peripheral region of the lens including ciliary body, suggesting a possible role in lens formation in cephalopods. This study will provide information on the eye development of O. minor and support the typical models of convergent evolution by demonstrating independent recruitment of different types of proteins to fulfill their unique visual role.
Skin gluten-related disorders: new and old cutaneous manifestations to be considered
Authors: Verdelli Alice , Corrà Alberto , Mariotti Elena Biancamaria , Aimo Cristina , Quintarelli Lavinia , Ruffo di Calabria Valentina , Donati Marta Elettra , Bonciolini Veronica , Antiga Emiliano , Caproni Marzia
Published: May 2023

The term gluten-related disorders (GRD) refer to a spectrum of different clinical manifestations triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals, including coeliac disease (CD), wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). GRD are characterized by a large variety of clinical presentations with both intestinal and extra-intestinal manifestations. The latter may affect almost every organ of the body, including the skin. Besides the well-known association between CD and dermatitis herpetiformis, considered as the cutaneous specific manifestation of CD, many other muco-cutaneous disorders have been associated to GRD. In this review, we analyzed the main features of dermatological diseases with a proven association with GRD and those that improve after a gluten-free diet, focusing on the newly described cutaneous manifestations associated with NCGS. Our main hypothesis is that a “cutaneous-gluten sensitivity,” as specific cutaneous manifestation of NCGS, may exist and could represent a diagnostic marker of NCGS.
Targeted transcriptomic analysis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in EUS-FNA samples by NanoString technology
Authors: Pedrosa L. , Araujo I. K. , Cuatrecasas M. , Soy G. , López S. , Maurel J. , Sánchez-Montes C. , Montironi C. , Saurí T. , Sendino O. , Pérez F. M. , Ausania F. , Fernández-Esparrach G. , Espósito F. M. , Vaquero E. C. , Ginès A.
Published: May 2023

Background: Integration of transcriptomic testing into EUS-FNA samples is a growing need for precision oncology in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The NanoString platform is suitable for transcriptome profiling in low yield RNA samples.

Methods: Inclusion of patients that underwent EUS-FNA cytological diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma using 19G and/or 22G needles and subsequent surgical resection. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cytological and surgical samples underwent RNA extraction and transcriptomic analysis using a custom 52-gene NanoString panel of stromal PDAC features. Cell type abundance was quantified in FFPE specimens and correlated.

Results: 18 PDAC patients were included. Mean EUS-FNA passes was 2 + 0.7. All FFPE passed the RNA quality control for genomic analysis. Hierarchical clustering on the global gene expression data showed that genes were differentially expressed between EUS and surgical samples. A more enriched cancer-associated fibroblasts and epithelial-mesenchymal transition transcriptomic profile was observed across surgical specimens whereas immunological biomarkers were more represented in EUS-FNA samples. Cytological examination confirmed a scanty representation of CAF and more immunological cell abundance in cytological samples in comparison to surgical specimens.

Conclusion: Targeted transcriptomic NanoString profiling of PDAC samples obtained by EUS-FNA is a feasible approach for pre-surgical molecular analysis although stromal CAF/EMT mRNA biomarkers are underrepresented.
Expert opinion on the diagnostic odyssey and management of late-onset Pompe disease: a neurologist's perspective
Authors: Erdem Ozdamar Sevim , Koc Ayse Filiz , Durmus Tekce Hacer , Kotan Dilcan , Ekmekci Ahmet Hakan , Sengun Ihsan Sukru , Yuceyar Ayse Nur , Uluc Kayihan
Published: May 2023

This consensus statement by a panel of neurology experts aimed to provide a practical and implementable guidance document to assist clinicians with the best clinical practice in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). The participating experts consider the clinical suspicion of LOPD by the physician to be of utmost importance in the prevention of diagnostic and therapeutic delay in LOPD patients. A diagnostic algorithm is proposed to facilitate the diagnosis of LOPD in patients presenting with unexplained proximal/axial weakness (with or without respiratory symptoms) or restrictive respiratory insufficiency with hyperCKemia and/or exercise intolerance as the red flag symptoms/signs that raise the index of suspicion for LOPD diagnosis. The diagnosis is based on the subsequent use of dried blood spot (DBS) assay, and the DBS assay can be confirmed by acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) tissue analysis in leukocytes, fibroblasts, or muscle fibers and/or genetic mutation analysis. Accordingly, experts consider increased awareness among physicians about potential presenting characteristics with a high index of suspicion for LOPD to be crucial to suspect and consider LOPD in the differential diagnosis, while strongly suggesting the use of a diagnostic algorithm combined with DBS assay and confirmatory tests in the timely diagnosis of LOPD and implementation of best practice patterns.
Spatial-temporal data-augmentation-based functional brain network analysis for brain disorders identification
Authors: Liu Qinghua , Zhang Yangyang , Guo Lingyun , Wang ZhengXia
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Due to the lack of devices and the difficulty of gathering patients, the small sample size is one of the most challenging problems in functional brain network (FBN) analysis. Previous studies have attempted to solve this problem of sample limitation through data augmentation methods, such as sample transformation and noise addition. However, these methods ignore the unique spatial-temporal information of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, which is essential for FBN analysis.

Methods

To address this issue, we propose a spatial-temporal data-augmentation-based classification (STDAC) scheme that can fuse the spatial-temporal information, increase the samples, while improving the classification performance. Firstly, we propose a spatial augmentation module utilizing the spatial prior knowledge, which was ignored by previous augmentation methods. Secondly, we design a temporal augmentation module by random discontinuous sampling period, which can generate more samples than former approaches. Finally, a tensor fusion method is used to combine the features from the above two modules, which can make efficient use of spatial-temporal information of fMRI simultaneously. Besides, we apply our scheme to different types of classifiers to verify the generalization performance. To evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme, we conduct extensive experiments on the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset and REST-meta-MDD Project (MDD) dataset.

Results

Experimental results show that the proposed scheme achieves superior classification accuracy (ADNI: 82.942%, MDD: 63.406%) and feature interpretation on the benchmark datasets.

Discussion

The proposed STDAC scheme, utilizing both spatial and temporal information, can generate more diverse samples than former augmentation methods for brain disorder classification and analysis.
Alzheimer’s disease pathogenetic progression is associated with changes in regulated retained introns and editing of circular RNAs
Authors: Arizaca Maquera Karol Andrea , Welden Justin Ralph , Margvelani Giorgi , Miranda Sardón Sandra C. , Hart Samantha , Robil Noémie , Hernandez Alvaro Gonzalo , de la Grange Pierre , Nelson Peter T. , Stamm Stefan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The molecular changes leading to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression are poorly understood. A decisive factor in the disease occurs when neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) composed of microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT) form in the entorhinal cortex and then spread throughout the brain.

Methods

We therefore determined mRNA and circular RNA changes during AD progression, comparing Braak NFT stages I-VI. Total RNA was isolated from human brain (entorhinal and frontotemporal cortex). Poly(A)+ RNA was subjected to Nanopore sequencing, and total RNA was analyzed by standard Illumina sequencing. Circular RNAs were sequenced from RNase R treated and rRNA depleted total RNA. The sequences were analyzed using different bioinformatic tools, and expression constructs for circRNAs were analyzed in transfection experiments.

Results

We detected 11,873 circRNAs of which 276 correlated with Braak NFT stages. Adenosine to inosine RNA editing increased about threefold in circRNAs during AD progression. Importantly, this correlation cannot be detected with mRNAs. CircMAN2A1 expression correlated with AD progression and transfection experiments indicated that RNA editing promoted its translation using start codons out of frame with linear mRNAs, which generates novel proteins.

Discussion

Thus, we identified novel regulated retained introns that correlate with NFT Braak stages and provide evidence for a role of translated circRNAs in AD development.
Pediatric paragonimiasis: a retrospective analysis of cases from a county in south-west China
Authors: Jiang Yong-xin , Li Gong-qiang , Pan Cheng-jing , He Zhong-qiu , Wang Chao , Mu Qi-ru , Cao Lu-lu
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The clinical manifestations of paragonimiasis are diverse and non-specific, and can easily lead to misdiagnosis. We aimed to analyze the clinical manifestations, laboratory features, treatment, and clinical outcome of children with paragonimiasis in order to improve recognition of this disease and avoid misdiagnosis.

Methods

Children diagnosed with paragonimiasis from August 2016 to July 2022 were included in the study. Information on population informatics, medical history, and laboratory features was extracted from case data. The clinical features of paragonimiasis were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

A total of 45 children were included in this study. All children had, at least, one risk factor. The clinical features mainly included fever, cough, pleural effusion, peritoneal effusion, and subcutaneous nodules. The main imaging findings were alveolar exudation, peritoneal effusion, pleural thickening, and local nodules. The “tunnel sign” finding on computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was helpful in establishing the diagnosis of paragonimiasis. After praziquantel treatment, most of the children improved, and one child with cerebral paragonimiasis experienced sequelae.

Conclusion

Most children with paragonimiasis have a good prognosis, but few children can experience sequelae. Avoidance of untreated water and raw food is a simple, feasible, and effective preventive measure.
Leuprolide and triptorelin treatment in children with idiopathic central precocious puberty: an efficacy/tolerability comparison study
Authors: Valenzise M. , Nasso C. , Scarfone A. , Rottura M. , Cafarella G. , Pallio G. , Visalli G. , Di Prima E. , Nasso E. , Squadrito V. , Wasniewska M. , Irrera P. , Arcoraci V. , Squadrito F.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Central precocious puberty (CPP) results from premature activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, with the consequent increase of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH); GnRH agonists (GnRHa) represent the gold-standard therapy in children with CPP although their use might be responsible for pituitary GnRH receptors down-regulation, that in turn suppresses luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and blocks of gonadal sex hormones release. The most prescribed GnRHa in the clinical practice are leuprolide and triptorelin, whose use is generally safe and well tolerated; however, mild menopausal-like side effects could appear. The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the efficacy and tolerability profile of leuprolide and triptorelin in CPP patients.

Methods

110 girls affected by CPP were enrolled in this retrospective study, carried out from 2018 to 2020. The enrolled patients received leuprolide (n = 48) or triptorelin (n = 62). Efficacy was investigated by the means of clinical parameters and radiological changes and side effects were also recorded to evaluate the possible relationship between the two GnRHa treatments and side effects appearance.

Results

At baseline triptorelin patients had significantly higher LH and LH peak levels than leuprolide patients, whereas no significant difference in other patient characteristics was observed between the two groups. The leuprolide treatment lasted 971 days [790–1,171 days] while the duration of triptorelin administration was 792 days [760–1,003 days] (p < 0.001). Overall 46 (41.8%) of the studied patients reported mild menopausal-like symptoms: among these 27 were treated with triptorelin and 19 with leuprolide (p = 0.558). Patients treated with triptorelin, or leuprolide showed headache (27.4% vs. 16.7%), mood swings (12.9% vs. 16.7%), increased appetite (12.9% vs. 18.8%) and nausea (1.6% vs. 10.4%) respectively. Moreover, the onset of side effects appearance related to GnRHa therapy significantly reduces with the increase of the initial bone age (p = 0.038).

Conclusion

Leuprolide and triptorelin treatment appear to be effective and safe without significant difference between the two drugs in term of efficacy and tolerability, making both good options for treating CPP.
Medial septum glutamatergic neurons modulate nociception in chronic neuropathic pain via projections to lateral hypothalamus
Authors: Fan Bing-Qian , Xia Jun-Ming , Chen Dan-Dan , Feng Li-Li , Ding Jia-Hui , Li Shuang-Shuang , Li Wen-Xian , Han Yuan
Published: May 2023

The medial septum (MS) contributes in pain processing and regulation, especially concerning persistent nociception. However, the role of MS glutamatergic neurons in pain and the underlying neural circuit mechanisms in pain remain poorly understood. In this study, chronic constrictive injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI) surgery was performed to induce thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in mice. The chemogenetic activation of MS glutamatergic neurons decreased pain thresholds in naïve mice. In contrast, inhibition or ablation of these neurons has improved nociception thresholds in naïve mice and relieved thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in CCI mice. Anterograde viral tracing revealed that MS glutamatergic neurons had projections to the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and supramammillary nucleus (SuM). We further demonstrated that MS glutamatergic neurons regulate pain thresholds by projecting to LH but not SuM, because the inhibition of MS-LH glutamatergic projections suppressed pain thresholds in CCI and naïve mice, yet, optogenetic activation or inhibition of MS-SuM glutamatergic projections had no effect on pain thresholds in naïve mice. In conclusion, our results reveal that MS glutamatergic neurons play a significant role in regulating pain perception and decipher that MS glutamatergic neurons modulate nociception via projections to LH.
A randomized, double-blind pilot study of analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of naproxen sodium and acetaminophen following dental implant placement surgery
Authors: Theken Katherine N. , Chen Mengxiang , Wall D. Lucas , Pham Truongan , Secreto Stacey A. , Yoo Thomas H. , Rascon Allison N. , Chang Yu-Cheng , Korostoff Jonathan M. , Mitchell Claire H. , Hersh Elliot V.
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Post-surgical pain following dental implant placement surgery is typically managed with non-opioid analgesics, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen. However, the comparative analgesic efficacy of over-the-counter doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen in implant patients is unknown. Therefore, we compared the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of naproxen sodium and acetaminophen after surgical placement of one or two dental implants.

Methods: Adult patients were treated with naproxen sodium (440 mg loading dose +220 mg q8h, n = 15) or acetaminophen (1,000 mg q6h—max daily dose 3,000 mg, n = 15) for 3 days after implant placement in a randomized, double-blind design. Pain was assessed on a 0–10 scale every 20 min for 6 h after study medication treatment. Tramadol (50 mg) was available as a rescue medication. Plasma and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were collected prior to the surgery and 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, and 72 h after surgery for quantification of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-1β levels.

Results: Pain scores were significantly lower in patients treated with naproxen sodium compared to those treated with acetaminophen. Inflammatory mediator levels in plasma and gingival crevicular fluid increased after surgery and returned to near baseline levels by 72 h. Plasma IL-6 levels were significantly lower 6 h after surgery in patients treated with naproxen sodium compared to acetaminophen. No differences in inflammatory mediator concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid were observed between the treatment groups. The number of implants placed and body mass index (BMI) influenced inflammatory mediator concentrations in plasma and gingival crevicular fluid, respectively.

Discussion: Naproxen sodium was more effective than acetaminophen in reducing post-operative pain and systemic inflammation following surgical placement of one or two dental implants. Further studies are needed to determine whether these findings are applicable to more complex implant cases and how they affect clinical outcomes following implant placement.

Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04694300
Transcriptome and co-expression network analysis reveals the molecular mechanism of inosine monophosphate-specific deposition in chicken muscle
Authors: Yu Baojun , Cai Zhengyun , Liu Jiamin , Zhao Wei , Fu Xi , Gu Yaling , Zhang Juan
Published: May 2023

The inosine monophosphate (IMP) content in chicken meat is closely related to muscle quality and is an important factor affecting meat flavor. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the IMP-specific deposition in muscle remain unclear. This study performed transcriptome analysis of muscle tissues from different parts, feeding methods, sexes, and breeds of 180-day-old Jingyuan chickens, combined with differential expression and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), to identify the functional genes that regulate IMP deposition. Out of the four comparison groups, 1,775, 409, 102, and 60 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which PDHA2, ACSS2, PGAM1, GAPDH, PGM1, GPI, and TPI1 may be involved in the anabolic process of muscle IMP in the form of energy metabolism or amino acid metabolism. WGCNA identified 11 biofunctional modules associated with IMP deposition. The brown, midnight blue, red, and yellow modules were strongly correlated with IMP and cooking loss (p < 0.05). Functional enrichment analysis showed that glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, arginine and proline metabolism, and pyruvate metabolism, regulated by PYCR1, SMOX, and ACSS2, were necessary for muscle IMP-specific deposition. In addition, combined analyses of DEGs and four WGCNA modules identified TGIF1 and THBS1 as potential candidate genes affecting IMP deposition in muscle. This study explored the functional genes that regulate muscle development and IMP synthesis from multiple perspectives, providing an important theoretical basis for improving the meat quality and molecular breeding of Jingyuan chickens.
The network structure of ego depletion in Chinese male young adults
Authors: Ying Junji , Ren Lei , Zhang Jiaxi , Zhou Yue , Zhang Xiaofang , Xiao Wei , Liu Xufeng
Published: May 2023

Ego depletion refers to the state of low self-control ability as defined by the limited resource model of self-control. The ego depletion aftereffects scale (EDA-S) is a relatively mature tool for evaluating ego depletion. However, the internal structure of EDA-S is not clear. A deeper understanding of its internal structure, especially the core variables, is required to design better interventions to improve people’s ego depletion outcomes and self-control. In the present study, we estimated an unregularized partial correlation network of ego depletion in a sample of 499 male young adults in China, who participated in the EDA-S test, and calculated the centrality index. The results showed that all nodes in the ego depletion network were positively correlated. The five strongest edges were between somatic distress and fatigue, emotional regulation disorder and social withdrawal, work burnout and low self-efficacy, low adherence and low self-efficacy, and fatigue and low processing fluency. Fatigue, low self-efficacy, and emotional regulation disorder had the highest strength centrality, indicating that these three variables may play an important role in the network of ego depletion. This study conceptualizes ego depletion from the perspective of networks in order to provide potential targets for related interventions and insights for future studies.
Choosing connection: relational values as a career choice motivation predict teachers’ relational goal setting
Authors: Oberhauser Lia , Hertel Silke
Published: May 2023

Relational goals have a positive impact on teachers’ classroom performance, but little is known about the antecedents of these goals. One of the most important reasons for choosing teaching as a career is the desire to work with children/adolescents. This study examined this reason along with other relational career choice motives as predictors of relational goal orientation, complementing other studies that have examined the relationship between reasons for career choice and goal orientations but did not consider the relational component. We hypothesized that relational motives for career choice would predict relational goal setting for teaching better than other reasons for career choice. The sample comprised N = 167 student teachers at a large German university who answered an online questionnaire assessing motivations for choosing teaching as a career, professional self-concepts and relational goal orientation. Adopting an expectancy-value perspective, we set up a structural equation (N = 167) and two linear regression models (n1 = 86, n2 = 81) to examine the effects of student teachers’ career choice motives on relational goal orientation. Analyses showed that the relational motive of educational interest was the only significant predictor in a structural equation model with educational interest, subject-specific interest, and general ability beliefs as predictors and relational goal orientation as the criterion. The first regression model found that the social utility motive work with children/adolescents was a significant predictor of relational goal orientation when combined with other career choice motives, namely educational interest, subject-specific interest, general abilitiy beliefs, and three other social utility factors. The second regression model found no significant effects of educational interest, subject-specific interest, educational self-concept and subject-specific self-concept on relational goal orientation. The results suggest that teachers who choose their profession because they enjoy working with children and adolescents are likely to strive to build satisfactory student-teacher relationships. Implications for future research and teacher education are discussed.
A perspective: Challenges and opportunities of a novel national dental benefit
Authors: Ness Anna , Sihuay-Torres Kamila , Singhal Sonica
Published: May 2023

In Canada, the federal government launched the interim Canada Dental Benefit (CDB) on December 1, 2022, to support access to dental care for children <12 years. The interim benefit shows government's assurance to develop a long-term national dental care program. The benefit will be a cash transfer through Canada's revenue services agency, ranging from $260 to $650 annually. This perspective examines the federal initiative and reflects on its strengths and challenges to learn lessons, which can support the long-term solution that is being currently planned. This article outlines a number of positive aspects as well as challenges from the perspectives of varied stakeholders; the feasibility of the application process; remaining potential gaps due to restricted eligibility criteria; possible effects of unrestricted oral health care services and reimbursement rates; valuing of patient autonomy; guidelines for the expansion of the program to other populations; and remaining barriers to oral health care access are analyzed. The CDB is cause for excitement for the Canadian population because it is an opportunity to reduce affordability barriers to accessing dental care. That said, it is important to discuss anticipated challenges and indirect consequences, particularly through the lens of equity, to support the new CDB and the proposed national dental care program in achieving the much-awaited goal of putting the mouth back into the body.
Prompt responses of magnetospheric whistler-mode waves to solar wind dynamic pressure pulses
Authors: Liu Nigang , Su Zhenpeng
Published: May 2023

Whistler-mode waves play a critical role in shaping the Earth’s radiation belts, and their spatiotemporal distribution is vital for forecasting and modeling geospace weather. Previous works have extensively investigated the influences of geomagnetic activities, such as storms and substorms, on the modification of whistler-mode waves, but the direct impacts of solar wind disturbances have received relatively less attention. Recently, increasing research has highlighted the prompt impacts of solar wind dynamic pressure pulses on magnetospheric whistler-mode waves. This paper reviews the current progress in this field, specifically the prompt responses of chorus waves and plasmaspheric hiss to the solar wind dynamic pressure pulses. It will summarize the underlying mechanisms and pose some outstanding questions.
A single-center initial experience on laparoscopic pancreatic operation combined with hepatic arterial resection and reconstruction
Authors: Xu Jie , Wang Jia-Guo , Lei Kai , Liu Zuo-Jin
Published: May 2023

Objective

This study aims to summarize our single-center initial experience in laparoscopic pancreatic operation (LPO) combined with hepatic arterial resection and reconstruction, as well as to demonstrate the feasibility, safety, and key surgical procedure for LPO.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 7 patients who had undergone LPO combined with hepatic arterial resection and reconstruction in our center from January 2021 to December 2022. The clinical data of these 7 patients were collected and analyzed.

Results

In our case series, two patients underwent passive arterial resection and reconstruction due to iatrogenic arterial injury, and five patients underwent forward arterial resection and reconstruction due to arterial invasion. The arterial anastomosis was successful in 5 cases, including 2 cases of end-to-end in situ and 3 cases of arterial transposition, and the vascular reconstruction time was 38.28 ± 15.32 min. There were two conversions to laparotomy. The postoperative recovery of all patients was uneventful, with one liver abscess (Segment 4) and no Clavien III–IV complications. We also share valuable technical feedback and experience gained from the initial practice.

Conclusions

Based on the surgeon's proficiency in open arterial resection and reconstruction and laparoscopic technique. This study demonstrated the feasibility of total laparoscopic hepatic arterial resection and reconstruction in properly selected cases of arterial involvement or iatrogenic arterial injury. Our initial experience provides valuable information for laparoscopic pancreas surgery with arterial resection and reconstruction.
Functional characterization of Vibrio alginolyticus T3SS regulator ExsA and evaluation of its mutant as a live attenuated vaccine candidate in zebrafish (Danio rerio) model
Authors: Zhang Weijie , Chen Liangchuan , Feng Haiyun , Wang Junlin , Zeng Fuyuan , Xiao Xing , Jian Jichang , Wang Na , Pang Huanying
Published: May 2023

Vibrio alginolyticus, a Gram-negative bacterium, is an opportunistic pathogen of both marine animals and humans, resulting in significant losses in the aquaculture industry. Type III secretion system (T3SS) is a crucial virulence mechanism of V. alginolyticus. In this study, the T3SS regulatory gene exsA, which was cloned from V. alginolyticus wild-type strain HY9901, is 861 bp encoding a protein of 286 amino acids. The ΔexsA was constructed by homologous recombination and Overlap-PCR. Although there was no difference in growth between HY9901 and ΔexsA, the ΔexsA exhibited significantly decreased extracellular protease activity and biofilm formation. Besides, the ΔexsA showed a weakened swarming phenotype and an ~100-fold decrease in virulence to zebrafish. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed the HY9901ΔexsA was more sensitive to kanamycin, minocycline, tetracycline, gentamicin, doxycycline and neomycin. Compared to HY9901 there were 541 up-regulated genes and 663 down-regulated genes in ΔexsA, screened by transcriptome sequencing. qRT-PCR and β-galactosidase reporter assays were used to analyze the transcription levels of hop gene revealing that exsA gene could facilitate the expression of hop gene. Finally, Danio rerio, vaccinated with ΔexsA through intramuscular injection, induced a relative percent survival (RPS) value of 66.7% after challenging with HY9901 wild type strain. qRT-PCR assays showed that vaccination with ΔexsA increased the expression of immune-related genes, including GATA-1, IL6, IgM, and TNF-α in zebrafish. In summary, these results demonstrate the importance of exsA in V. alginolyticus and provide a basis for further investigations into the virulence and infection mechanism.
A Quantitative Assessment of Trainers-Dolphins’ Interactions in the Absence of Food Reward
Authors: Platto Sara , Serres Agathe
Published: May 2023

All the studies that have considered the motivation of the dolphins to interact with their trainers as a possible welfare indicator have been carried out in facilities where the trainer-dolphin interactions (TDIs) sessions were reinforced with food. Therefore, in these specific circumstances, it was difficult to separate the motivation of the dolphins interacting with the trainers from the food drive. The current study aims to assess the interaction between the trainers and the dolphins in the absence of food rewards. The research was carried out at The Dolphin Reef (Eilat, Israel), a facility where the interaction between the trainers and 14 bottlenose dolphins of different sex and age classes did not involve food rewards. A total of 531 TDIs were recorded, with dolphins participating in 94.5% of the sessions and an average of three dolphins per session. The dolphins participated in a higher number and more frequently in the TDIs when toys were provided by the trainers. Diel and seasonal differences were also observed, with the dolphins participating more during the morning sessions and the neutral season. The latency of response of the dolphins to the presence of the trainers on the platform or in the water, whether or not advertised by the trainers’ signal (“call” or “no-call”), was very short (usually less than 1 min), and the dolphins often anticipated the beginning of the sessions by arriving at the trainers’ location before or upon the caretakers’ arrival (96% of the time). Individual differences in the participation in the TDIs were also recorded, which might be linked to both the dolphin’s health/welfare status or their personality. The current study shows that the separation of the TDIs from the food reward allows for a better understanding of the willingness of dolphins under human care to interact with their trainers. In addition, the results presented in this paper show that such TDIs are an important part of these dolphins’ lives, which suggests that these interactions might be an additional tool to improve the animals’ social environment and monitor their welfare.
Mixing Performance Prediction of Detergent Mixing Process Based on the Discrete Element Method and Machine Learning
Authors: Cañamero Francisco J. , Doraisingam Anand R. , Álvarez-Leal Marta
Published: May 2023

The DIY approach promotes small-scale digital manufacturing for the production of customized, fast moving consumer goods, including powder detergent. In this context, a machine was developed to manufacture a customized detergent according to the needs of the clients indicated on a digital platform connected to the machine. The detergent is produced by a mixing process of the formulation components carried out in a 3D mixer. Analysing the mixing performance of the process is essential to obtain a quality product. In this study, the mixing process of the powder detergent was modelled using the discrete element method. After validating it with experimental test, this model was utilized to study the mixing performance considering the allowable mass fraction range of every formulation component and a mixer speed of 45 rpm, and the dataset generated from this study was employed along with a machine learning algorithm to obtain a model to predict the mixing index. In this sense, twenty-five different combinations of the defined components were simulated and a mixing index of 0.98–0.99 was obtained in a time of 60 s, revealing that all the combinations were completely mixed. In addition, the developed model was validated with results obtained from the DEM model. The model predicts the mixing index in advance and with accuracy.