bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highlighting the novel effects of high-intensity interval training on some histopathological and molecular indices in the heart of type 2 diabetic rats
Authors: Rami Mohammad , Rahdar Samane , Ahmadi Hekmatikar Amirhoseein , Awang Daud D. Maryama
Published: May 2023

Background

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases in recent years and has become an important risk factor for cardiovascular disorders. The first goal is to reduce type 2 diabetes, and in the case of cardiovascular disease, the second goal is to reduce and manage that disorder.

Materials and methods

The rats were divided into 4 groups: Healthy Control (n=8), Diabetes Control (n=8), Diabetes Training (n=8), and Healthy Training (n=8). The protocol consisted of 8 weeks of High-intensity interval (5 sessions per week), where the training started with 80% of the peak speed in the first week, and 10% was added to this speed every week. To measure the level of B-catenin, c-MYC, GSK3B, and Bcl-2 proteins using the western blot method, cardiac pathological changes were measured using hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson’s trichrome and PAS staining and apoptosis using the TUNEL method.

Findings

Histological results showed that diabetes causes significant pathological hypertrophy, fibrosis, and severe apoptosis in heart tissue. HIIT training significantly reduced pathological hypertrophy and fibrosis in heart tissue, and the rate of cardiomyocyte apoptosis was greatly reduced. This research showed that diabetes disorder increases the levels of B-catenin and c-Myc proteins and causes a decrease in the expression of GSK3B and Bcl-2 proteins. After eight weeks of HIIT training, the levels of B-catenin and c-Myc proteins decreased significantly, and the levels of GSK3B and Bcl-2 proteins increased.

Conclusion

This study showed that HIIT could be a suitable strategy to reduce cardiomyopathy in type 2 diabetic rats. However, it is suggested that in future studies, researchers should perform different intensities and exercises to promote exercise goals in type 2 diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Synthesis of plant-soil feedback effects on eastern North American tree species: implications for climate-adaptive forestry
Authors: Refsland Tyler K. , Adams Bryce , Bronson Dustin , Kern Christel C. , Marquardt Paula , McGraw Amanda M. , Royo Alejandro A. , Miesel Jessica R.
Published: May 2023

Climate change represents an existential threat to many forest ecosystems because tree populations are often adapted to local climate means and variability. If tree populations cannot migrate or adapt, they risk becoming increasingly maladapted with climate change. This emerging mismatch underscores the need for climate adaptive management techniques, such as assisted migration of tree species, to help mitigate climate change impacts on forest ecosystems. Although biotic and abiotic factors are known to constrain tree establishment success, the extent to which they may determine the success of assisted migration plantings is poorly understood. Thus, defining the extent to which trees affect—and in turn are affected by local soil environments and microbial communities (i.e., plant-soil feedbacks; hereafter PSFs) remains important for guiding effective climate-adaptive forest management. Our objectives were to synthesize the current state of knowledge about the direction and magnitude of PSF effects on temperate tree species of eastern North America, and to identify key hypotheses important for guiding future research. To accomplish these goals, we conducted a meta-analysis of 26 peer-reviewed publications that addressed our criteria. Our compiled database included 61 tree species and was composed primarily of short-term greenhouse experiments that studied PSF effects by manipulating the soil biota in three ways: (1) soil was previously inoculated by a conspecific or heterospecific tree species (i.e., home vs. away), (2) soil was live or sterilized, or (3) soil was untreated or treated with fungicide. We found that PSF had significant effects on tree growth, with the direction and magnitude of PSF strongly dependent on tree mycorrhizal guild. Arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species grown in live or home soils grew 13–33% less than those in sterile or away soils, while ectomycorrhizal tree species grew 11–44% more in live or home than sterile or away soils. PSF effects were associated with several plant functional traits, including specific leaf area, tissue nitrogen, and specific root length. We provide suggestions on incorporating PSFs into assisted migration trials and outline key knowledge gaps for future research. Our synthesis of context-dependent effects of PSFs on tree performance will help inform management decisions involving assisted migration.
Make the environment protect you from disease: elevated CO2 inhibits antagonists of the fungus-farming termite symbiosis
Authors: Schmidt Suzanne , Bos Nick , Murphy Robert , Koné N’Golo A. , Silué Kolotchelema S. , Meyling Nicolai V. , Poulsen Michael
Published: May 2023

Fungus-farming termite colonies maintain monoculture fungus combs in underground chambers without apparent problems with diseases. Multiple lines of defense contribute to the suppression or removal of antagonists of the symbiosis, but the role of the termite-manipulated environment within mounds has yet to be tested. Specifically, termite mounds have extremely high levels of CO2 compared to atmospheric levels. We tested the effect of 5% CO2 on the growth of fungal crops from Macrotermes bellicosus colonies, generalist fungi that could challenge the symbiosis, as well as a specialist stowaway fungus, Pseudoxylaria. For sporulating fungi, we also quantified the effects on conidia production. We found that elevated CO2 significantly reduces mycelial growth and conidia production of the generalist fungi Aspergillus sp., Beauveria bassiana, and Metarhizium brunneum, whereas it overall had a net positive effect on the growth of the fungal crop Termitomyces and Pseudoxylaria; albeit, with variation between fungal strains within genera. Our findings point to elevated CO2 being of adaptive significance to the fungus-farming termite symbiosis as an additional layer of defense that helps keep termite fungus gardens free from fungal infections. The mound-building activities that make termites ecosystem engineers may thus also generate environmental conditions that impact the fate of fungi inhabiting the extended phenotypes that massive termite mounds represent.
Libido–sexual disorders and abandonment of injectable contraceptives among users of the Ivorian Association for Family Well-Being in Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Essis Esme Marie-Laure , Yeo Katienin Jeanne , Amalaman Djedou Martin , Konan Loukou Leandres , Bamba Iba , Coulibaly Koné S. Aminata , Kpebo D. Olga Denise , Orsot Tetchi , Delafosse Joseph , Aka Joseph
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The recent introduction of modern contraceptive methods in resource-limited countries is confronted with the occurrence of undesirable effects that hinder their use in the long term. This study conducted among the users of the Ivorian Association for Family Well-Being in Korhogo describes the libido–sexual problems associated with the discontinuation of injectable contraceptives in former users. The objective of the study was to identify the factors that led to the abandonment of injectable contraceptives among female users of the Ivorian Association for Family Well-Being in Korhogo between 2018 and 2019.

Materials and methods

Qualitative data were collected from 15 former users (24–38 years old) of injectable contraceptives duration of 2–3 months. Additional data were collected from five health workers aged 35–60 years. In-depth interviews were conducted to explore the experience with injectable contraceptives and reasons for discontinuation. Following data collection, audio-recorded data were transcribed, translated, and coded using thematic analysis through an inductive approach.

Results

Side effects identified as associated with injectable contraceptives include libido–sexual disorders, unusual bleeding, and weight gain. The most common reason for discontinuation were libido–sexual disorders, which impacted the households’ intimacy and provoked their abandonment or the change of contraceptive methods among injectable contraceptive users.

Conclusion

Adverse events were dominated by libido–sexual disorders, unusual bleeding, and weight gain leading to the abandonment or change of the contraceptive. These results suggest points of intervention for increasing continuation among users. This intervention should include training of health workers to investigate and manage adverse events related to the use of injectable contraceptives and the improvement of communication between health workers and users on adverse events of injectable contraceptive use.
An update on the biologics for the treatment of antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Yun Zelin , Duan Lizhi , Liu Xiangjun , Cai Qingmeng , Li Chun
Published: May 2023

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity with the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs). Although anticoagulation is the primary treatment for APS, it fails in approximately 20-30% of obstetric APS cases and more than 30% of thrombotic APS cases. Therefore, there is a need for new, targeted treatments beyond anticoagulants. Biologics, such as rituximab and eculizumab, have been recommended for refractory catastrophic APS. This review focuses on the recent advancements in the pathogenesis of APS and explores the potential of targeted treatments, including eculizumab, rituximab, belimumab, daratumumab, obinutuzumab, and anti-TNF-α antibodies, for APS management.
Machine learning-based prognostic modeling of lysosome-related genes for predicting prognosis and immune status of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Li Wenhua , Wang Qianwen , Lu Junxia , Zhao Bin , Geng Yuqing , Wu Xiangwei , Chen Xueling
Published: May 2023

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Lysosomes are organelles that play an important role in cancer progression by breaking down biomolecules. However, the molecular mechanisms of lysosome-related genes in HCC are not fully understood.

Methods

We downloaded HCC datasets from TCGA and GEO as well as lysosome-related gene sets from AIMGO. After univariate Cox screening of the set of lysosome-associated genes differentially expressed in HCC and normal tissues, risk models were built by machine learning. Model effects were assessed using the concordance index (C-index), Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC). Additionally, we explored the biological function and immune microenvironment between the high- and low-risk groups, and analyzed the response of the high- and low-risk groups to immunotherapy responsiveness and chemotherapeutic agents. Finally, we explored the function of a key gene (RAMP3) at the cellular level.

Results

Univariate Cox yielded 46 differentially and prognostically significant lysosome-related genes, and risk models were constructed using eight genes (RAMP3, GPLD1, FABP5, CD68, CSPG4, SORT1, CSPG5, CSF3R) derived from machine learning. The risk model was a better predictor of clinical outcomes, with the higher risk group having worse clinical outcomes. There were significant differences in biological function, immune microenvironment, and responsiveness to immunotherapy and drug sensitivity between the high and low-risk groups. Finally, we found that RAMP3 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells and correlated with the sensitivity of HCC cells to Idarubicin.

Conclusion

Lysosome-associated gene risk models built by machine learning can effectively predict patient prognosis and offer new prospects for chemotherapy and immunotherapy in HCC. In addition, cellular-level experiments suggest that RAMP3 may be a new target for the treatment of HCC.
A tetravalent nanoparticle vaccine elicits a balanced and potent immune response against dengue viruses without inducing antibody-dependent enhancement
Authors: Chen Qier , Li Rong , Wu Bolin , Zhang Xu , Zhang Hui , Chen Ran
Published: May 2023

Dengue fever is a global health threat caused by the dengue virus (DENV), a vector-borne and single-stranded RNA virus. Development of a safe and efficacious vaccine against DENV is a demanding challenge. The greatest pitfall in the development of vaccines is antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), which is closely associated with disease exacerbation. We displayed the modified envelope proteins from the four serotypes of the DENV on a 24-mer ferritin nanoparticle, respectively. This tetravalent nanoparticle vaccine induced potent humoral and cellular immunity in mice without ADE and conferred efficient protection against the lethal challenge of DENV-2 and DENV-3 in AG6 mice. Further exploration of immunization strategies showed that even single-dose vaccination could reduce pathologic damage in BALB/c mice infected with high doses of DENV-2. Treatment with cyclic-di-guanosine monophosphate facilitated a higher titer of neutralizing antibodies and a stronger type-1 T-helper cell-biased immune response, thereby revealing it to be an effective adjuvant for dengue nanoparticle vaccines. These data suggest that a promising tetravalent nanoparticle vaccine could be produced to prevent DENV infection.
Lupus-associated NCF2 variant p.R395W in the NADPH oxidase 2 complex results in a reduced production of reactive oxygen species by myeloid cells
Authors: Song Zhimin , Yoo Dae-Goon , Idol Rachel A. , Barbu Emilia Alina , Jacob Chaim O. , Dinauer Mary C.
Published: May 2023

The leukocyte NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) generates superoxide, and derivative reactive oxygen species play important roles in both host defense and immunoregulation. The rs13306575 genetic variant, resulting in an Arginine395→Tryptophan (R395W) substitution in the NOX2 NCF2 subunit, is associated with an increased risk of lupus in patients of Hispanic-American or of Korean ancestry. Arginine395 resides within the NCF2 PB1 domain and participates in a constitutive high-affinity interaction with the NOX2 NCF4 subunit to stabilize their expression. However, whether this variant impacts NCF2 function and NOX2 activity is unknown. To answer this question, mice expressing NCF2-R395W were generated using CRISPR/Cas9. NCF2 and NCF4 expression were reduced by twofold in neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells homozygous for NCF2-R395W. Moreover, following stimulation with soluble or particulate stimuli, reactive oxygen species production at the plasma membrane and within cells was reduced in all three myeloid lineages expressing NCF2-R395W. Additional studies on Ncf2+/− mice, which have a reduced expression of wild-type NCF2 but not of NCF4, suggest that the reduced expression of both NCF2 and NCF4 contributes to the diminished NOX2 activity in NCF2-R395 mice. These results establish that the lupus-associated rs13306575 p.R395W allele is a functional hypomorph. The findings add to growing evidence implicating deficient NOX2 activity in the pathogenesis of lupus.
Using reproductive hormones extracted from archived muscle tissue to assess maturity and reproductive status in porbeagles Lamna nasus
Authors: Anderson Brooke N. , Kaloczi Juliana , Holden Courtney , Einig Amanda , Donaldson Linda , Malone Hunter , Passerotti Michelle S. , Natanson Lisa J. , Bowlby Heather D. , Sulikowski James A.
Published: May 2023

While lethal sampling can be the most effective technique to collect critical reproductive data for elasmobranchs, non-lethal techniques need to be validated for future use. Concentrations of reproductive hormones in plasma and muscle have been found to correlate to sexual maturity and/or reproductive cycles in oviparous as well as yolk-sac, placental, and histotrophic viviparous elasmobranchs, offering a potentially non-lethal technique to study reproduction. However, reproductive hormone analysis is scant for oophagous sharks. This study utilized muscle tissues from porbeagles Lamna nasus that were dissected for other life history studies and were stored frozen for up to 37 years to quantify testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) concentrations in relation to previously-known maturity and reproductive stage. A total of 207 samples (92 males, 115 females) from porbeagles ranging in size from 80 to 256.5 cm fork length were analyzed. Muscle T and E2 concentrations were related to maturity and reproductive stage in porbeagles, with the highest T concentrations found in mature males during the spermatogenic season (summer) and the highest E2 concentrations found in gravid females. These results suggest muscle hormone concentrations have the potential to serve as a non-lethal proxy of reproductive stage in oophagous sharks. This study also demonstrates the value of specimen sharing and the potential for continued use of stored vertebral muscle tissue for reproductive hormone analysis in order to optimize the amount of data gained from biological samples. Future use of these methods would be particularly valuable for threatened species for which lethal sampling is restricted.
Deformation analysis of underwater shield tunnelling based on HSS model parameter obtained by the Bayesian approach
Authors: Lu Yao , Yu Peng , Zhang Yan , Chen Jian , Liu Tao , Wang Han , Liu Hongjun
Published: May 2023

Deformation analysis and control of underwater large-diameter shield tunnels is a prerequisite for safe tunnel construction. Reasonable selection of constitutive model and its parameters is the key to accurately predicting the deformation induced by underwater shield tunnelling. In this paper, the finite element analysis of cavity expansion during the piezocone penetration test (CPTU) based on the hardening soil model with small strain stiffness (HSS) model was carried out, and the correlation model of the normalized cone tip resistance Q with the reference secant modulus E50ref and the effective internal friction angle φ’ was established and verified using mini CPTU chamber test. Then, a Bayesian probability characterization approach for E50ref of silty clay based on CPTU was proposed. Furthermore, the deformation analysis of Jinan Yellow River tunnel crossing the south embankment was carried out to verify the reliability of the proposed approach. The good agreement between the field measurement and numerical simulation confirms that the parameters obtained by the Bayesian approach are reliable. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed to study the law of riverbed settlement induced by underwater large-diameter shield tunnelling. The results show that the increasing support pressure could effectively reduce the riverbed settlement, but there is an upper limit. The optimal support pressure of established model is between 0.45 MPa and 0.5 MPa. The uphill section causes greater riverbed settlement than the downhill section. Under the same condition, increasing buried depth and water level will lead to a more significant settlement.
ACDC: a general approach for detecting phenotype or exposure associated co-expression
Authors: Queen Katelyn , Nguyen My-Nhi , Gilliland Frank D. , Chun Sung , Raby Benjamin A. , Millstein Joshua
Published: May 2023

Background

Existing module-based differential co-expression methods identify differences in gene-gene relationships across phenotype or exposure structures by testing for consistent changes in transcription abundance. Current methods only allow for assessment of co-expression variation across a singular, binary or categorical exposure or phenotype, limiting the information that can be obtained from these analyses.

Methods

Here, we propose a novel approach for detection of differential co-expression that simultaneously accommodates multiple phenotypes or exposures with binary, ordinal, or continuous data types.

Results

We report an application to two cohorts of asthmatic patients with varying levels of asthma control to identify associations between gene co-expression and asthma control test scores. Results suggest that both expression levels and covariances of ADORA3, ALOX15, and IDO1 are associated with asthma control.

Conclusion

ACDC is a flexible extension to existing methodology that can detect differential co-expression across varying external variables.
Deep learning predicts malignancy and metastasis of solid pulmonary nodules from CT scans
Authors: Mu Junhao , Kuang Kaiming , Ao Min , Li Weiyi , Dai Haiyun , Ouyang Zubin , Li Jingyu , Huang Jing , Guo Shuliang , Yang Jiancheng , Yang Li
Published: May 2023

In the clinic, it is difficult to distinguish the malignancy and aggressiveness of solid pulmonary nodules (PNs). Incorrect assessments may lead to delayed diagnosis and an increased risk of complications. We developed and validated a deep learning-based model for the prediction of malignancy as well as local or distant metastasis in solid PNs based on CT images of primary lesions during initial diagnosis. In this study, we reviewed the data from multiple patients with solid PNs at our institution from 1 January 2019 to 30 April 2022. The patients were divided into three groups: benign, Ia-stage lung cancer, and T1-stage lung cancer with metastasis. Each cohort was further split into training and testing groups. The deep learning system predicted the malignancy and metastasis status of solid PNs based on CT images, and then we compared the malignancy prediction results among four different levels of clinicians. Experiments confirmed that human–computer collaboration can further enhance diagnostic accuracy. We made a held-out testing set of 134 cases, with 689 cases in total. Our convolutional neural network model reached an area under the ROC (AUC) of 80.37% for malignancy prediction and an AUC of 86.44% for metastasis prediction. In observer studies involving four clinicians, the proposed deep learning method outperformed a junior respiratory clinician and a 5-year respiratory clinician by considerable margins; it was on par with a senior respiratory clinician and was only slightly inferior to a senior radiologist. Our human–computer collaboration experiment showed that by simply adding binary human diagnosis into model prediction probabilities, model AUC scores improved to 81.80–88.70% when combined with three out of four clinicians. In summary, the deep learning method can accurately diagnose the malignancy of solid PNs, improve its performance when collaborating with human experts, predict local or distant metastasis in patients with T1-stage lung cancer, and facilitate the application of precision medicine.
Diversity of the protease-producing bacteria and their extracellular protease in the coastal mudflat of Jiaozhou Bay, China: in response to clam naturally growing and aquaculture
Authors: Liu Zhiyun , Liu Guangchao , Guo Xuzhen , Li Yang , Ji Na , Xu Xingfeng , Sun Qingjie , Yang Jie
Published: May 2023

The booming mudflat aquaculture poses an accumulation of organic matter and a certain environmental threat. Protease-producing bacteria are key players in regulating the nitrogen content in ecosystems. However, knowledge of the diversity of protease-producing bacteria in coastal mudflats is limited. This study investigated the bacterial diversity in the coastal mudflat, especially protease-producing bacteria and their extracellular proteases, by using culture-independent methods and culture-dependent methods. The clam aquaculture area exhibited a higher concentration of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus when compared with the non-clam area, and a lower richness and diversity of bacterial community when compared with the clam naturally growing area. The major classes in the coastal mud samples were Bacteroidia, Gammaproteobacteria, and Alphaproteobacteria. The Bacillus-like bacterial community was the dominant cultivated protease-producing group, accounting for 52.94% in the non-clam area, 30.77% in the clam naturally growing area, and 50% in the clam aquaculture area, respectively. Additionally, serine protease and metalloprotease were the principal extracellular protease of the isolated coastal bacteria. These findings shed light on the understanding of the microbes involved in organic nitrogen degradation in coastal mudflats and lays a foundation for the development of novel protease-producing bacterial agents for coastal mudflat purification.
Whole-brain mapping of long-range inputs to the VIP-expressing inhibitory neurons in the primary motor cortex
Authors: Lee Candice , Côté Sandrine L. , Raman Nima , Chaudhary Hritvic , Mercado Bryan C. , Chen Simon X.
Published: May 2023

The primary motor cortex (MOp) is an important site for motor skill learning. Interestingly, neurons in MOp possess reward-related activity, presumably to facilitate reward-based motor learning. While pyramidal neurons (PNs) and different subtypes of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons (INs) in MOp all undergo cell-type specific plastic changes during motor learning, the vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing inhibitory interneurons (VIP-INs) in MOp have been shown to preferentially respond to reward and play a critical role in the early phases of motor learning by triggering local circuit plasticity. To understand how VIP-INs might integrate various streams of information, such as sensory, pre-motor, and reward-related inputs, to regulate local plasticity in MOp, we performed monosynaptic rabies tracing experiments and employed an automated cell counting pipeline to generate a comprehensive map of brain-wide inputs to VIP-INs in MOp. We then compared this input profile to the brain-wide inputs to somatostatin-expressing inhibitory interneurons (SST-INs) and parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons (PV-INs) in MOp. We found that while all cell types received major inputs from sensory, motor, and prefrontal cortical regions, as well as from various thalamic nuclei, VIP-INs received more inputs from the orbital frontal cortex (ORB) – a region associated with reinforcement learning and value predictions. Our findings provide insight on how the brain leverages microcircuit motifs by both integrating and partitioning different streams of long-range input to modulate local circuit activity and plasticity.
Long-term high-altitude exposure influences task-related representations in visual working memory
Authors: Bao Xiaohua , Zhang Delong , Li Xiaoyan , Liu Ming , Ma Hailin
Published: May 2023

Objective

Human working memory is impaired when individuals are exposed to high altitudes, however, whether the capacity of visual working memory is affected remains unclear. This study combined a lateralized change detection task and event-related potentials analysis to explore changes in visual working memory capacity among individuals who emigrated from a low-altitude environment to Tibet (a high-altitude environment).

Materials and methods

Thirty-five college students were recruited from Tibet University as the high-altitude (HA) group, and thirty-six low-altitude (LA) students were enrolled from South China Normal University (sea level) as the LA group. We measured participants' contralateral delay activity (CDA) under different memory loads.

Results

ERP component analysis showed that both the HA and LA groups reached an asymptote at memory load four. However, the contralateral and ipsilateral activity of the HA and LA groups shows different patterns. The results showed a significantly larger contralateral activity for the LA group than for the HA group at memory load one (p = 0.04, Cohen's d = 0.52) and load three (p = 0.02, Cohen's d = 0.61). Additionally, we found marginally larger contralateral activity at memory load four for the LA group (p = 0.06, Cohen's d = 0.47), but not at memory load two (p = 0.10) or load five (p = 0.12). No significant differences were observed for ipsilateral activity. In addition, we observed that the HA group performed larger ipsilateral activity than contralateral activity under each memory load, compared with the LA group.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrated that the attentional resource of long-term HA exposure is more captured by task-irrelevant information, potentially due to impaired inhibitory control, which makes it difficult for them to exclude the interference of task-irrelevant information.
Stress hyperglycemia as a modifiable predictor of futile recanalization in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Merlino Giovanni , Pez Sara , Sartor Roberto , Kuris Fedra , Tereshko Yan , Nesi Lorenzo , Lorenzut Simone , Janes Francesco , Sponza Massimo , Gavrilovic Vladimir , Marotti Nicola , Pellegrin Andrea , Dapoto Annarita , Vit Alessandro , Pauro Alessandro , Gigli Gian Luigi , Valente Mariarosaria
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is the first line treatment in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). Approximately half of patients treated with MT does not have a favorable outcome 3 months after stroke. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of futile recanalization (FR) in patients with LVO treated with MT.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation LVO who underwent MT. Patients with a TICI score of 2b or 3 were included. We distinguished two groups, FR and meaningful recanalization (MR), according to patients' disability three months after stroke (FR: mRS score > 2; MR: mRS score < 2).

Results

We enrolled 238 patients (FR, n = 129, 54.2%; MR, n = 109, 45.8%). Age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01–1.09, p = 0.012), female sex (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.12–5.30, p = 0.025), stress hyperglycemia, as measured by the GAR index, (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.06–1.29, p = 0.002), NIHSS at admission (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07–1.25, p = 0.001) and time from symptoms onset to MT (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.01, p = 0.020) were independent predictors of FR. The AUC for the model combining age, female sex, GAR index, NIHSS at admission and time from symptoms onset to MT was 0.81 (95% CI 0.76–0.87; p < 0.001). The optimal GAR index cut-off score to predict FR was 17.9.

Discussion

FR is common after MT. We recognized older age, female sex and baseline NIHSS as non-modifiable predictors of FR. On the other hand, time from symptoms onset to MT and stress hyperglycemia were modifiable pre- and post-MT factors, respectively. Any effort should be encouraged to reduce the impact of these modifiable predictors.
Integrating LC-MS and HS-GC-MS for the metabolite characterization of the Chinese medicinal plant Platostoma palustre under different processing methods
Authors: Tang Danfeng , Quan Changqian , Huang Suhua , Wei Fan
Published: May 2023

Platostoma palustre (or Mesona chinensis Benth) is an important medicinal and edible plant in China and Southeast Asian countries. To study the effects of different processing methods on the quality, nutrition, and flavor of P. palustre, we adopted the LC-MS and HS-GC-MS to compare the influences of tedding (S), sweating (M), and drying (H) on the metabolites and volatile substances of P. palustre. Biochemical determinations revealed that the M treatment could promote the accumulation of the contents of total sugar, soluble sugar, and total pectin compared with the H and S treatments but decrease the total flavonoid contents. LC-MS and HS-GC-MS uncovered 98 differential metabolites and 27 differential volatile substances among the three treatments, respectively. Overall, the M treatment facilitated the stabilization and improvement of the quality of polysaccharides and volatile substances, while the H treatment could promote the level of amino acids in P. palustre. The current study provided a theoretical reference for establishing standardized processing methods and sustaining the quality stability of P. palustre in future.
Telomere biology: from disorders to hematological diseases
Authors: Roka Kleoniki , Solomou Elena E. , Kattamis Antonis
Published: May 2023

Variations in the length of telomeres and pathogenic variants involved in telomere length maintenance have been correlated with several human diseases. Recent breakthroughs in telomere biology knowledge have contributed to the identification of illnesses named “telomeropathies” and revealed an association between telomere length and disease outcome. This review emphasizes the biology and physiology aspects of telomeres and describes prototype diseases in which telomeres are implicated in their pathophysiology. We also provide information on the role of telomeres in hematological diseases ranging from bone marrow failure syndromes to acute and chronic leukemias.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy treatment of chronic pain and comorbid depression: a pilot study of two approaches
Authors: Batievsky Daniella , Weiner Michelle , Kaplan Shari B. , Thase Michael Edward , Maglione Domenick Nicholas , Vidot Denise Christina
Published: May 2023

Chronic pain and depression diagnoses are skyrocketing. There is an urgent need for more effective treatments. Ketamine was recently established to alleviate pain and depression, but many gaps remain in the scientific literature. This paper reports the findings of an observational preliminary study that explored the efficacy of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAPT) for chronic pain/major depressive disorder (MDD) comorbidity. Researchers evaluated two KAPT approaches to determine optimal route of administration/dose. Ten individuals diagnosed with a chronic pain disorder and MDD receiving KAPT were recruited: five individuals pursuing the psychedelic approach (high doses administered intramuscularly 24 h before therapy) and five individuals pursuing the psycholytic approach (low doses administered sublingually via oral lozenges during therapy). To evaluate differences between altered states of consciousness each approach induces, participants completed the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) after their first (T-1), third (T-2) and sixth/final (T-3) treatment sessions. Primary outcomes were change in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores and Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Short Form scores from baseline (T0) to (T-1)–(T-3). Secondary outcomes were changes in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale scores and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) scores at each timepoint. Statistically significant differences between each approach were not observed, but the small sample’s limited statistical power makes changes seen worth noting. All participants’ symptoms declined throughout treatment. Psychedelic treatment participants saw a larger, more consistent decrease. Researchers conclude that KAPT may be effective for treating chronic pain/MDD comorbidity, anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Findings imply that the psychedelic approach may be more effective. This pilot study serves as a basis for more extensive research that will inform how clinicians administer treatment to optimize outcomes.
Incidence of tuberculosis and its predictors among under-five children with severe acute malnutrition in North Shoa, Amhara region, Ethiopia: a retrospective follow-up study
Authors: Aynalem Yared Asmare , Getacher Lemma , Ashene Yonatan Eshete , Yirga Akalu Tadesse , Yideg Yitbarek Getachew , Yeshanew Ayele Fanos , Aklilu Dawit , Marfo Emmanuel Akwasi , Alene Tamiru , Shibabaw Shiferaw Wondimeneh
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Although tuberculosis (TB) is one of the significant public health challenges in severely malnourished children throughout the globe, it is a severe issue for countries such as Ethiopia, with significant resource limitations. Few studies have examined the incidence of tuberculosis and its predictors among children under five years of age with severe acute malnutrition in developing countries, and there is a paucity of data. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of tuberculosis and its predictors among under-five children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in North Shoa, Amhara region, Ethiopia.

Methods

An institution-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted between January 20, 2017, and June 20, 2019. The sample size was calculated using STATA, which yields a total of 345 charts that were selected with systematic random sampling. Data entry was performed using Epi-data version 4.2 and analyzed with STATA 14. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were computed. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to detect the determinants of tuberculosis. The hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval was subsequently calculated. Variables with p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

The incidence rate of tuberculosis among children under five years of age with SAM was 4.6 per 100 person-day observations (95% CI: 3.29, 8.9). Predictors of TB were a history of contact with known TB cases [AHR: 1.4 (95% CI: 1.00, 2.8], HIV/AIDS [AHR: 3.71 (95% CI: 2.10, 8.71)], baseline pneumonia [AHR: 2.10 (1.76,12)], not supplying zinc at baseline [AHR: 3.1 (1.91, 4.70)], and failed appetite taste at the diagnosis of SAM [AHR: 2.4 (1.35, 3.82)].

Conclusions

In this study, the incidence rate of TB was high. Not supplying zinc at baseline, failed appetite taste at the diagnosis of SAM, history of contact with known TB cases, and baseline pneumonia were significant predictors of TB. Prioritizing regular TB screenings, nutritional support, and zinc supplementation for under-five children with SAM should be implemented to reduce the risk of TB.
Case report: “Major fetal cardiac pathology associated with a novel CTNND1 mutation”
Authors: Zhao Xuliang , Li Xu , Sun Weiwei , Wei Zhuojun , Yu Min , Zhang Man , Tian Ruixia
Published: May 2023

Background

The p120-ctn protein, encoded by CTNND1, is involved in intercellular connections and regulates epithelial–mesenchymal transformation. CTNND1 mutations can lead to blepharocheilodontic syndrome (BCDS). Increasing evidence shows that although BCDS mainly manifests as craniofacial and oral deformities, it can also present as congenital heart disease, limb deformities, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Case description

We report a prenatal case of a major cardiac malformation at 24+3 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound examination revealed a hypoplastic left ventricular, aortic coarctation, and a ventricular septal defect. Genetic analysis of the fetal tissues showed the presence of a novel mutation in CTNND1 (NM_001085458.2: c.566_c.567insG; p.Pro190fs*15), which may lead to premature termination of protein coding, while both the parents harbored wild-type CTNND1. To date, only 15 CTNND1 mutations have been reported in 19 patients worldwide, of which approximately 31% (6/19) had a cardiac phenotype.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of fetal complicated cardiac malformations caused by this CTNND1 mutation. Our findings provide new clinical references for prenatal diagnosis and suggest an important role for CTNND1 in early cardiac development.
Relationships of the gut microbiome with cognitive development among healthy school-age children
Authors: Lapidot Yelena , Maya Maayan , Reshef Leah , Cohen Dani , Ornoy Asher , Gophna Uri , Muhsen Khitam
Published: May 2023

Background

The gut microbiome might play a role in neurodevelopment, however, evidence remains elusive. We aimed to examine the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and cognitive development of school-age children.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included healthy Israeli Arab children from different socioeconomic status (SES). The microbiome was characterized in fecal samples by implementing 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Cognitive function was measured using Stanford-Binet test, yielding full-scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) score. Sociodemographics and anthropometric and hemoglobin measurements were obtained. Multivariate models were implemented to assess adjusted associations between the gut microbiome and FSIQ score, while controlling for age, sex, SES, physical growth, and hemoglobin levels.

Results

Overall, 165 children (41.2% females) aged 6–9 years were enrolled. SES score was strongly related to both FSIQ score and the gut microbiome. Measures of α-diversity were significantly associated with FSIQ score, demonstrating a more diverse, even, and rich microbiome with increased FSIQ score. Significant differences in fecal bacterial composition were found; FSIQ score explained the highest variance in bacterial β-diversity, followed by SES score. Several taxonomic differences were significantly associated with FSIQ score, including Prevotella, Dialister, Sutterella, Ruminococcus callidus, and Bacteroides uniformis.

Conclusions

We demonstrated significant independent associations between the gut microbiome and cognitive development in school-age children.
Existential insecurity and deference to authority: the pandemic as a natural experiment
Authors: Foa Roberto Stefan , Welzel Christian
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The global coronavirus pandemic offers a quasi-experimental setting for understanding the impact of sudden exposure to heightened existential risk upon both individual and societal values.

Methods

We examined the effect of the pandemic on political attitudes by comparing data from eight countries surveyed before and after the worldwide spread of COVID-19 in March 2020 with continuous weekly polling tracker data from the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2021. Multilevel models were used to explore the drivers of change, and the results indicated that reported emotions of fear and stress were positively associated with institutional approval during periods of greater pathogen risk.

Results

Our findings revealed that support for political and technocratic authority, as well as satisfaction with political institutions, rose significantly above long-term historical baselines during the pandemic.

Discussion

The results support the hypothesis that exposure to existential risk results in greater support for authority and that individual feelings of insecurity may be linked to less critical citizen orientations.
Differences in impact of official development assistance on foreign direct investment by aid types
Authors: Ono Saori , Sekiyama Takashi
Published: May 2023

This study examined the impact of Official Development Assistance (ODA) on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by aid type, which has been largely overlooked in previous studies. Using the Generalized Method of Moments with a gravity model, five major donor countries (France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and 63 recipient country pairs from 1996 to 2020 were analyzed. Granger causality tests, impulse response analyses and variance decomposition analyses using a panel vector autoregressive model were conducted to identify causal relationships in the time series and to quantitatively capture the impact. The results suggest that ODA Loans from Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom promote FDI. Their ODA Loans have a high proportion of economic infrastructure and productive-sector support. Hence, their ODA Loans may attract FDI to recipient countries by developing infrastructure in recipient countries such as transportation, telecommunications, energy, and finance. This study contributes to an academic community by highlighting the differences of aid type in attracting FDI and provides practical implications for policymakers and practitioners in the field of international development.
Self-perceived views on offender rehabilitation in detained adolescent boys: a qualitative analysis in the context of the good lives model
Authors: Serie Colinda M. B. , De Ruiter Corine , Pleysier Stefaan , Put Johan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

An upcoming offender rehabilitation model, the Good Lives Model (GLM), proposes that effective offender rehabilitation should adopt a dual focus: reducing recidivism risk as well as enhancing the offender’s well-being. To achieve this, the GLM suggests rehabilitation should include the prosocial fulfilment of a universal set of human needs termed “primary goods.” A focus on primary goods attainment and well-being is hypothesized to improve treatment motivation and achieve more sustainable desistance from future offending. Although this model sounds promising, empirical evidence for these assumptions is limited, especially among youth.

Methods

Twenty Flemish and Dutch detained adolescent boys (14 to 17 years old at the time of their arrest) were interviewed during their detention using a semi-structured interview. They were asked about their well-being, needs and goals during rehabilitation, their treatment motivation, and their views on recidivism and rehabilitation.

Results

The results show that a match between the boys’ well-being needs, and the treatment goals set in collaboration with the institution could improve treatment motivation and rehabilitation efforts. The boys also mentioned other factors with a positive impact on their treatment motivation: increased levels of freedom and autonomy; having a future (prosocial) perspective; investing in a therapeutic alliance; and, working on individual factors (i.e., improving coping skills, school or work skills, and relationships with prosocial friends and family).

Discussion

These factors closely align with working on the GLM primary goods of “excellence in work and play,” “excellence in agency,” and “relatedness,” which can be helpful in enhancing well-being and treatment motivation in offender rehabilitation.
Trauma-related disorders and the bodily self: current perspectives and future directions
Authors: Laricchiuta Daniela , Garofalo Carlo , Mazzeschi Claudia
Published: May 2023

Trauma-related disorders are debilitating psychiatric conditions that influence people who have directly or indirectly witnessed adversities. Dramatic brain/body transformations and altered person's relationship with self, others, and the world occur when experiencing multiple types of traumas. In turn, these unfortunate modifications may contribute to predisposition to trauma-related vulnerability conditions, such as externalizing (aggression, delinquency, and conduct disorders) problems. This mini-review analyzes the relations between traumatic experiences (encoded as implicit and embodied procedural memories) and bodily self, sense of safety for the own body, and relationship with others, also in the presence of externalizing conducts. Furthermore, an emerging research area is also considered, highlighting principles and techniques of body-oriented and sensorimotor therapies designed to remodel bodily self-aspects in the presence of trauma, discussing their potential application with individuals showing externalizing problems.