bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cystatin C predicts renal function impairment after partial or radical tumor nephrectomy
Authors: Wenzel Mike , Yu Hang , Uhlig Annemarie , Würnschimmel Christoph , Wallbach Manuel , Becker Andreas , Fisch Margit , Chun Felix K. H. , Meyer Christian P. , Leitsmann Marianne
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To test the value of preoperative and postoperative cystatin C (CysC) as a predictor on kidney function after partial (PN) or radical nephrectomy (RN) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients with normal preoperative renal function.

Methods

From 01/2011 to 12/2014, 195 consecutive RCC patients with a preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) > 60 ml/min/1.73m2 underwent surgical RCC treatment with either PN or RN. Logistic and linear regression models tested for the effect of CysC as a predictor of new-onset chronic kidney disease in follow-up (eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2). Moreover, postoperative CysC and creatinine values were compared for kidney function estimation.

Results

Of 195 patients, 129 (66.2%) underwent PN. In postoperative and in follow-up setting (median 14 months, IQR 10–20), rates of eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 were 55.9 and 30.2%. In multivariable logistic regression models, preoperative CysC [odds ratio (OR): 18.3] and RN (OR: 13.5) were independent predictors for a reduced eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 in follow-up (both p < 0.01), while creatinine was not. In multivariable linear regression models, a difference of the preoperative CysC level of 0.1 mg/dl estimated an eGFR decline in follow-up of about 5.8 ml/min/1.73m2. Finally, we observed a plateau of postoperative creatinine values in the range of 1.2–1.3 mg/dl, when graphically depicted vs. postoperative CysC values (‘creatinine blind area’).

Conclusion

Preoperative CysC predicts renal function impairment following RCC surgery. Furthermore, CysC might be superior to creatinine for renal function monitoring in the early postoperative setting.
Imaging of Joint and Soft Tissue Involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Di Matteo Andrea , Smerilli Gianluca , Cipolletta Edoardo , Salaffi Fausto , De Angelis Rossella , Di Carlo Marco , Filippucci Emilio , Grassi Walter
Published: July 2021

Purpose of Review

To highlight the potential uses and applications of imaging in the assessment of the most common and relevant musculoskeletal (MSK) manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Recent Findings

Ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are accurate and sensitive in the assessment of inflammation and structural damage at the joint and soft tissue structures in patients with SLE. The US is particularly helpful for the detection of joint and/or tendon inflammation in patients with arthralgia but without clinical synovitis, and for the early identification of bone erosions. MRI plays a key role in the early diagnosis of osteonecrosis and in the assessment of muscle involvement (i.e., myositis and myopathy). Conventional radiography (CR) remains the traditional gold standard for the evaluation of structural damage in patients with joint involvement, and for the study of bone pathology. The diagnostic value of CR is affected by the poor sensitivity in demonstrating early structural changes at joint and soft tissue level. Computed tomography allows a detailed evaluation of bone damage. However, the inability to distinguish different soft tissues and the need for ionizing radiation limit its use to selected clinical circumstances. Nuclear imaging techniques are valuable resources in patients with suspected bone infection (i.e., osteomyelitis), especially when MRI is contraindicated. Finally, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry represents the imaging mainstay for the assessment and monitoring of bone status in patients with or at-risk of osteoporosis.

Imaging provides relevant and valuable information in the assessment of MSK involvement in SLE.
Exploring Co-Construction of Learning Environments at the Boundary of School and Work Through the Lens of Vocational Practice
Authors: Bouw Erica , Zitter Ilya , de Bruijn Elly
Published: July 2021

Educational institutions and vocational practices need to collaborate to design learning environments that meet current-day societal demands and support the development of learners’ vocational competence. Integration of learning experiences across contexts can be facilitated by intentionally structured learning environments at the boundary of school and work. Such learning environments are co-constructed by educational institutions and vocational practices. However, co-construction is challenged by differences between the practices of school and work, which can lead to discontinuities across the school–work boundary. More understanding is needed about the nature of these discontinuities and about design considerations to counterbalance these discontinuities. Studies on the co-construction of learning environments are scarce, especially studies from the perspective of representatives of work practice. Therefore, the present study explores design considerations for co-construction through the lens of vocational practice. The study reveals a variety of discontinuities related to the designable elements of learning environments (i.e. epistemic, spatial, instrumental, temporal, and social elements). The findings help to improve understanding of design strategies for counterbalancing discontinuities at the interpersonal and institutional levels of the learning environment. The findings confirm that work practice has a different orientation than school practice since there is a stronger focus on productivity and on the quality of the services provided. However, various strategies for co-construction also seem to take into account the mutually beneficial learning potential of the school–work boundary.
A patient with liver cirrhosis and hepatic lesions
Authors: Meischl Tobias , Tamandl Dietmar , Pinter Matthias
Published: July 2021

We report an unusual case of a cirrhotic patient with two different types of hepatic lesions: Eventually, the patient was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic splenosis. Possible diagnostic strategies and the differentiation between these two entities are discussed.
Toward the recognition of spacecraft feature components: A new benchmark and a new model
Authors: Qiu Linwei , Tang Liang , Zhong Rui
Published: July 2021

Countries are increasingly interested in spacecraft surveillance and recognition which play an important role in on-orbit maintenance, space docking, and other applications. Traditional detection methods, including radar, have many restrictions, such as excessive costs and energy supply problems. For many on-orbit servicing spacecraft, image recognition is a simple but relatively accurate method for obtaining sufficient position and direction information to offer services. However, to the best of our knowledge, few practical machine-learning models focusing on the recognition of spacecraft feature components have been reported. In addition, it is difficult to find substantial on-orbit images with which to train or evaluate such a model. In this study, we first created a new dataset containing numerous artificial images of on-orbit spacecraft with labeled components. Our base images were derived from 3D Max and STK software. These images include many types of satellites and satellite postures. Considering real-world illumination conditions and imperfect camera observations, we developed a degradation algorithm that enabled us to produce thousands of artificial images of spacecraft. The feature components of the spacecraft in all images were labeled manually. We discovered that direct utilization of the DeepLab V3+ model leads to poor edge recognition. Poorly defined edges provide imprecise position or direction information and degrade the performance of on-orbit services. Thus, the edge information of the target was taken as a supervisory guide, and was used to develop the proposed Edge Auxiliary Supervision DeepLab Network (EASDN). The main idea of EASDN is to provide a new edge auxiliary loss by calculating the L2 loss between the predicted edge masks and ground-truth edge masks during training. Our extensive experiments demonstrate that our network can perform well both on our benchmark and on real on-orbit spacecraft images from the Internet. Furthermore, the device usage and processing time meet the demands of engineering applications.
“What Are You Looking For?” Investigating the Association Between Dating App Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors
Authors: Flesia Luca , Fietta Valentina , Foresta Carlo , Monaro Merylin
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Literature on the association between dating app use and sexual risk behaviors is still scant and inconclusive.

Aim

To investigate the association between dating app use and sexual risk behaviors, considering the role of motives for using them.

Methods

1,278 Italian respondents completed an online questionnaire assessing demographics, motives and patterns of dating app use, sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnoses. One-way ANOVA and Chi-squared analyses were used to investigate differences among the three subsamples (active vs former vs non-users). Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were run to investigate the role of demographics, motives and patterns of dating app use on sexual risk taking and sexual health.

Main outcome measures

Number of protected and unprotected full sexual partners in the last year; frequency of hook-ups in the last year; STIs lifetime.

Results

Active users, even more than former app users, were more likely to report risky behaviors and STI diagnoses than non-users (χ2 = 26.37, P < .001). Installing the apps to find friends or romantic partners was associated with less protected (find friends B = −0.364, P = .015; find romantic partners B = −0.300, P = .006) and unprotected (find friends B = −0.346, P = .016; find romantic partners B = −0.360, P < .001) sexual intercourses. Installing the apps to find sexual partners predicted higher odds of unprotected sexual activity (B = 0.193, P = .048), hook-ups (B = 0.496, P < .001) and STIs diagnoses (OR = 2.835, P = .025). Accessing apps more frequently and more years of usage was associated with reporting risky sexual behaviors and STI diagnoses among active users (app access frequency OR = 1.461, P = .003; usage years OR = 1.089, P = .013).

Conclusion

Installing the apps to search for sexual partners, using them at length since first installation and accessing them frequently are significant factors in influencing the association between dating app use and sexual risk behaviors. Flesia L, Fietta V, Foresta C, Monaro M. “What Are You Looking For?” Investigating the Association Between Dating App Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors. Sex Med 2021;9:100405.
Handwritten in Lagos: Selfhood and Textuality in Colonial Petitions
Authors: Decker Tunde
Published: July 2021

This paper asks a methodological question: In what way can petitions written in the colonial period introduce us to the persona of the writers – that is, as against mainstream interpretation given to them as mere archival sources? Doesn’t the very nature of the petitions introduce us to the selfhood of those “caught up” in the often-mentioned “sophisticated” concepts of nationalism, politics, power, imperialism, urbanity, and colonialism? What, and how, do petitions tell us about the “interior version” of colonial society as seen in the individual? In an attempt at a deeper understanding of colonial Lagos, this paper examines an alternative feature of petitions as entry into the selfhood of colonial subjects rather than mainstream interpretations of the documents as qualitative exposition to “grand” historical phenomena. Selfhood as examined here is presented as it was constructed by petitions written in Lagos between 1940 and 1960 with a particular focus on three. Their deficiencies in “standards of grammar” notwithstanding, the words are also examined to allow for a demonstration of their qualities as texts: their meanings in singular and collaborative contexts, the gaps they exposed, the information they concealed, the disconnections in chronology they indicated, the “ethics” of grammar they “relegated” for more “substantial expose” of the self, the information they privileged the reader to hear, the identity they formed in the personas they constructed and the voice they generated. This paper suggests that these strands analyzed together affirm the textuality of petitions written by everyday people in colonial Lagos and that these point to the potentiality of such documents to further contribute to the substantial comprehension of the inner qualities of self-identity in Lagos and Nigeria’s colonial history.
Navigating a Limited ‘World of Possibilities’: Refugee Journeys of Jewish Children and Youth in the Aftermath of the Holocaust
Authors: Burgard Antoine
Published: July 2021

What can historians bring to the current discussion about refugee journeys? Building on the example of a group of 1,115 young Jewish survivors who went to Canada in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust, this article addresses two essential questions: why did they leave and why did they go to Canada and not elsewhere? Drawing on Nicolas Mariot and Claire Zalc's notion of a ‘world of possibilities’ and taking into consideration age as a category of analysis, I argue that one can formulate hypotheses about these journeys by, first, mapping what was and was not available to the young survivors at different moments of their displacement and, second, by looking at how individuals navigated these possibilities and constraints. In so doing, this article aims to nuance approaches that uncritically emphasise agency, and therefore erase the specificity of young people's experiences of displacement.
The origins of the negative historical representations of burghers in Hungary
Authors: Czoch Gábor
Published: July 2021

Hungarian historiography needs to review its negative representation of towns and burghers typical of the first half of nineteenth-century Hungary, as Vera Bácskai, a major figure of Hungarian urban history suggested in a paradigmatic paper. Starting from her statements, this article examines the historical narratives of secondary school textbooks and wider historical syntheses of Hungarian history published in the age of Austria-Hungary (1867–1918). The author shows that the burghers’ negative image was rooted in the political fights prior to the 1848 Revolution and the emergence of modern nationalism.
Vera Bácskai and her significance in the development of European urban history: a personal account
Authors: Clark Peter
Published: July 2021

This account of Vera Bacskai's contribution to European urban history after 1990 is a personal narrative, written by a friend and collaborator. It argues that her role was multi-dimensional. It was founded on her major publications on Budapest and small towns, shedding a crucial East Central European light on European urbanization. It was underpinned by her participation in various international projects like the EU TEMPUS programme which created strong institutional bonds with Western universities as well as opportunities for Hungarian students through exchange programmes, international workshops and the like. Not least, she was a strong pillar in the construction of the European Association for Urban History. When she joined the committee in 1991, it was still an embryonic body. In 1996, she organized the successful and important Budapest conference. When she retired from EAUH in 2004, its conferences were attracting many hundreds of researchers, from across Europe and beyond.
Preparation of Samples for Large-Scale Automated Electron Microscopy of Tissue and Cell Ultrastructure
Authors: Dittmayer Carsten , Goebel Hans-Hilmar , Heppner Frank L. , Stenzel Werner , Bachmann Sebastian
Published: July 2021

Manual selection of targets in experimental or diagnostic samples by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), based on single overview and detail micrographs, has been time-consuming and susceptible to bias. Substantial information and throughput gain may now be achieved by the automated acquisition of virtually all structures in a given EM section. Resulting datasets allow the convenient pan-and-zoom examination of tissue ultrastructure with preserved microanatomical orientation. The technique is, however, critically sensitive to artifacts in sample preparation. We, therefore, established a methodology to prepare large-scale digitization samples (LDS) designed to acquire entire sections free of obscuring flaws. For evaluation, we highlight the supreme performance of scanning EM in transmission mode compared with other EM technology. The use of LDS will substantially facilitate access to EM data for a broad range of applications.
Lernstörungen: Ein unvermeidbares Schicksal?
Authors: Hasselhorn Marcus
Published: July 2021

Zusammenfassung. Etwa jedes dritte Kind in Deutschland leidet im Laufe der Grundschule unter besonderen Lernschwierigkeiten beim Erwerb von Lesen, Rechtschreiben und Rechnen. Mindestens jedes achte Grundschulkind erfüllt sogar die Kriterien der Weltgesundheitsorganisation für die Vergabe der Diagnose „Lernstörung“. In diesem Beitrag wird erläutert, was unter Lernstörungen im Einzelnen zu verstehen ist und was über die biogenetischen und sozialen (einschließlich didaktischen) Risiken für das Entstehen von Lernstörungen bekannt ist. Außerdem wird auf den Forschungsstand zu der Frage eingegangen, welche eingeschränkten kognitiven Funktionen mit einem hohen individuellen Risiko für das Entstehen einer Lernstörung einhergehen. Es folgt ein Überblick über den Forschungsstand zu (vorschulischen) Präventionsansätzen, die sich als wirksam zur Vermeidung von Lernstörungen erwiesen haben, und zur Frage, welche Interventionsansätze bei Auftreten besonderer Lernschwierigkeiten beim Erwerb von Schriftsprache und Mathematik in der Schule am ehesten geeignet sind, diese zu überwinden. Darauf aufbauend werden abschließend Vorschläge zu einer sequentiellen Strategie für die weitgehende Vermeidung von Lernstörungen und ihren negativen Langzeitfolgen unterbreitet und die Potenziale digitaler diagnosebasierter Förderprogramme diskutiert.
Analytical Solutions for Fresh Groundwater Lenses in Small Strip Islands With Spatially Variable Recharge
Authors: Tang Yuening , Yan Min , Wang Xiaoxiong , Lu Chunhui , Luo Jian
Published: July 2021

Groundwater lens may provide the primary freshwater supply for the inhabitants of small islands. The lens profile and volume are sensitive to spatially variable recharge caused by topography, soil type, land cover, evapotranspiration and human activities. We derive analytical solutions based on the sharp‐interface approximation to describe transient and steady‐state lens profiles for spatially variable recharge rates in small strip islands. The derived solutions are validated by a steady‐state solution for simple spatial recharge patterns and numerical simulations. Numerical investigations show that the spatial recharge pattern has a significant impact on the lens profile. For a given constant total recharge, smaller recharge areas or a more concentrated recharge rate can result in a larger lens volume. The volume increase can be over 20% compared with the lens volume of a uniform recharge. For the steady‐state lens profile corresponding to a point recharge, the squared lens thickness peaks at the recharge location and linearly decreases to the boundary, resulting in a triangle shape for the profile of squared lens thickness. Moreover, compared with recharges in other locations, recharge in a small area at the domain center has the greatest impact. Uncertainty analysis can be conveniently implemented based on the derived analytical solution to investigate the lens behavior under spatially variable recharge with uncertainties. Results show that the lens volume tends to have a larger variance for a recharge rate with a higher variance and longer correlation length.
Where Do the Metals Go?
Authors: Beurteaux Danielle
Published: July 2021

Volcanic eruptions spread harmful metals in the environment. Now the biggest study to date details exactly where they end up.
Importance of Parameter and Climate Data Uncertainty for Future Changes in Boreal Hydrology
Authors: Marshall Adrienne M. , Link Timothy E. , Flerchinger Gerald N. , Lucash Melissa S.
Published: July 2021

Soil moisture and evapotranspiration (ET) are important components of boreal forest hydrology that affect ecological processes and land‐atmosphere feedbacks. Future trends in soil moisture in particular are uncertain. Therefore, accurate modeling of these dynamics and understanding of concomitant sources of uncertainty are critical. Here, we conduct a global sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo parameterization, and analysis of parameter uncertainty and its contribution to future soil moisture and ET uncertainty using a physically based ecohydrologic model in multiple boreal forest types. Soil and plant hydraulic parameters and LAI have the largest effects on simulated summer soil moisture at two contrasting sites. In future scenario simulations, the selection of parameters and global climate model (GCM) choice between two GCMs influence projected changes in soil moisture and ET about as much as the projected effects of climate change in the less sensitive GCM with a late‐century, high‐emissions scenario, though the relative effects of parameters, GCM, and climate vary among hydrologic variables and study sites. Saturated volumetric water content and sensitivity of stomatal conductance to vapor pressure deficit have the most statistically significant effects on change in ET and soil moisture, though there is considerable variability between sites and GCMs. The results of this study provide estimates of: (a) parameter importance and statistical significance for soil moisture modeling, (b) parameter values for physically based soil‐vegetation‐atmosphere transfer models in multiple boreal forest types, and (c) the contributions of uncertainty in these parameters to soil moisture and ET uncertainty in future climates.
Dexamethasone enhances the lung metastasis of breast cancer via a PI3K-SGK1-CTGF pathway
Authors: Zhang Yujing , Shi Gang , Zhang Hantao , Xiong Qi , Cheng Fuyi , Wang Huiling , Luo Jieyan , Zhang Yong , Shi Pengyi , Xu Jia , Fu Jiamei , Chen Na , Cheng Lin , Li Yiming , Dai Lei , Yang Yang , Yu Dechao , Zhang Shuang , Deng Hongxin
Published: July 2021

Dexamethasone (Dex), as a pretreatment agent, is widely used to attenuate the side effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer treatment. However, whether and how Dex affects breast cancer metastasis remain to be furtherly understood. In this study, we established several mouse breast cancer metastatic models to study the effect of Dex in vitro and in vivo. Transwell, Western Blot and RNA interference were applied to study the molecular mechanism of Dex in promoting breast cancer cell migration. Meanwhile, the effect of Dex on lung metastasis of breast cancer in Dex combined with PTX chemotherapy was discussed. Our results confirmed that Dex could promote breast cancer cell metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that this pro-metastatic effect of Dex was mediated by the GR-PI3K-SGK1-CTGF pathway in tumor cells. Ligation of Dex and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) on tumor cells activated the PI3K signaling pathway and upregulated serum glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) expression, and then increased the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) through Nedd4l-Smad2. Moreover, Dex was the leading factor for lung metastasis in a standard regimen for breast cancer treatment with paclitaxel and Dex. Importantly, targeting SGK1 with the inhibitor GSK650394 remarkably reduced lung metastasis in this regimen. Our present data provide new insights into Dex-induced breast cancer metastasis and indicate that SGK1 could be a candidate target for the treatment of breast cancer metastasis.
An ERG and OCT study of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis CLN2 Battens retinopathy
Authors: Thompson Dorothy A. , Handley Siân E. , Henderson Robert H. , Marmoy Oliver R. , Gissen Paul
Published: July 2021

Background

Late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN2 Batten disease) is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease of childhood. The natural history of motor and language regression is used to monitor the efficacy of CNS treatments. Less is known about CLN2 retinopathy. Our aim is to elaborate the nature, age of onset, and symmetry of CLN2 retinopathy using visual electrophysiology and ophthalmic imaging.

Subjects and methods

We reviewed 22 patients with genetically confirmed CLN2 disease; seventeen showing classical and five atypical disease. Flash electroretinograms (ERGs), flash and pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (VEPs), recorded from awake children were collated. Available fundus images were graded, optical coherence tomography (OCT) central subfoveal thickness (CST) measured, and genotype, age, clinical vision assessment and motor language grades assembled.

Results

ERGs show cone/rod system dysfunction preceded by localised macular ellipsoid zone disruption on OCT from 4.8 years. Electroencephalogram (EEG) time-locked spikes confounded both pattern 6/17 (35%) and flash VEPs 12/16 (75%). Paired right eye (RE) and left eye (LE) ERG amplitudes did not differ significantly for each flash stimulus at the p 0.001 level, Wilcoxon ranked signed test. Cone ERGs show a functional deficit before CST thinning in classical disease. Optomap hyper fundus autofluorescence (FAF) at the fovea was noted in three patients with normal ERGs. The oldest patient showed an ovoid aggregate above the external limiting membrane at the fovea, which did not affect the PERG.

Conclusion

ERG findings in CLN2 retinopathy show symmetrical cone-rod dysfunction, from 4y10m in this series, but a broad range of ages when ERG function is preserved.
Sex, gender, and retinoblastoma: analysis of 4351 patients from 153 countries
Authors: Fabian Ido Didi , Khetan Vikas , Stacey Andrew W. , Allen Foster  , Ademola-Popoola Dupe S. , Berry Jesse L. , Cassoux Nathalie , Chantada Guillermo L. , Hessissen Laila , Kaliki Swathi , Kivelä Tero T. , Luna-Fineman Sandra , Munier Francis L. , Reddy M. Ashwin , Rojanaporn Duangnate , Blum Sharon , Sherief Sadik T. , Staffieri Sandra E. , Theophile Tuyisabe , Waddell Keith , Ji Xunda , Astbury Nicholas J. , Bascaran Covadonga , Burton Matthew , Zondervan Marcia , Bowman Richard ,   On behalf of the Global Retinoblastoma Study Group
Published: July 2021

Objective

To investigate in a large global sample of patients with retinoblastoma whether sex predilection exists for this childhood eye cancer.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis including 4351 treatment-naive retinoblastoma patients from 153 countries who presented to 278 treatment centers across the world in 2017. The sex ratio (male/female) in the sample was compared to the sex ratio at birth by means of a two-sided proportions test at global level, country economic grouping, continent, and for selected countries.

Results

For the entire sample, the mean retinoblastoma sex ratio, 1.20, was higher than the weighted global sex ratio at birth, 1.07 (p < 0.001). Analysis at economic grouping, continent, and country-level demonstrated differences in the sex ratio in the sample compared to the ratio at birth in lower-middle-income countries (n = 1940), 1.23 vs. 1.07 (p = 0.019); Asia (n = 2276), 1.28 vs. 1.06 (p < 0.001); and India (n = 558), 1.52 vs. 1.11 (p = 0.008). Sensitivity analysis, excluding data from India, showed that differences remained significant for the remaining sample (χ2 = 6.925, corrected p = 0.025) and for Asia (χ2 = 5.084, corrected p = 0.036). Excluding data from Asia, differences for the remaining sample were nonsignificant (χ2 = 2.205, p = 0.14).

Conclusions

No proof of sex predilection in retinoblastoma was found in the present study, which is estimated to include over half of new retinoblastoma patients worldwide in 2017. A high male to female ratio in Asian countries, India in specific, which may have had an impact on global-level analysis, is likely due to gender discrimination in access to care in these countries, rather than a biological difference between sexes.
In vitro efficacy of artemisinin-based treatments against SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Zhou Yuyong , Gilmore Kerry , Ramirez Santseharay , Settels Eva , Gammeltoft Karen A. , Pham Long V. , Fahnøe Ulrik , Feng Shan , Offersgaard Anna , Trimpert Jakob , Bukh Jens , Osterrieder Klaus , Gottwein Judith M. , Seeberger Peter H.
Published: July 2021

Effective and affordable treatments for patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), are needed. We report in vitro efficacy of Artemisia annua extracts as well as artemisinin, artesunate, and artemether against SARS-CoV-2. The latter two are approved active pharmaceutical ingredients of anti-malarial drugs. Concentration–response antiviral treatment assays, based on immunostaining of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, revealed that treatment with all studied extracts and compounds inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection of VeroE6 cells, human hepatoma Huh7.5 cells and human lung cancer A549-hACE2 cells, without obvious influence of the cell type on antiviral efficacy. In treatment assays, artesunate proved most potent (range of 50% effective concentrations (EC50) in different cell types: 7–12 µg/mL), followed by artemether (53–98 µg/mL), A. annua extracts (83–260 µg/mL) and artemisinin (151 to at least 208 µg/mL). The selectivity indices (SI), calculated based on treatment and cell viability assays, were mostly below 10 (range 2 to 54), suggesting a small therapeutic window. Time-of-addition experiments in A549-hACE2 cells revealed that artesunate targeted SARS-CoV-2 at the post-entry level. Peak plasma concentrations of artesunate exceeding EC50 values can be achieved. Clinical studies are required to further evaluate the utility of these compounds as COVID-19 treatment.
All shallow coastal habitats matter as nurseries for Mediterranean juvenile fish
Authors: Cheminée Adrien , Le Direach Laurence , Rouanet Elodie , Astruch Patrick , Goujard Adrien , Blanfuné Aurélie , Bonhomme Denis , Chassaing Laureline , Jouvenel Jean-Yves , Ruitton Sandrine , Thibaut Thierry , Harmelin-Vivien Mireille
Published: July 2021

Coastal zones are ecosystems of high economic value but exposed to numerous disturbances, while they represent nurseries for many fish species, raising the issue of the preservation of their functions and services. In this context, the juvenile fish assemblages of all types of habitats present in shallow coastal zones were studied on the south-east coast of France using underwater visual censuses in warm (June–July 2014) and cold (April 2015) periods. A total of fourteen habitat types were characterized, which could be grouped into three broad categories, rocky substrates (natural and artificial), sedimentary bottoms with all levels of granulometry, and seagrass beds including Cymodocea nodosa and Posidonia oceanica meadows; the ecotones or interfaces between the three broad habitat categories were individualized as particular habitat types. The abiotic and biotic descriptors of the 14 habitat types individualized did not vary with time, except for a higher cover percentage and canopy height of macrophytes in the warm period, which increased the three-dimensional structure of some habitats. The taxonomic composition and density of juvenile fish assemblages were analyzed using both multivariate and univariate descriptors, after grouping the 57 fish species recorded into 41 well-individualized taxa. Juvenile fishes were recorded in all habitat types, with higher mean species richness and abundance during the warm than the cold period. The richest habitats in terms of both fish species richness and abundance were the natural rocky substrates and the interfaces between Posidonia beds and the other habitats. Although juvenile fish assemblage composition differed among habitat types and between periods, the most abundant fish species were Atherina sp., Sarpa salpa, Gobiidae, Symphodus spp., Pagellus spp. and several Diplodus species, which colonized 7 up to 14 different habitat types (depending on taxa) during their juvenile life. Most species settled in one or a few specific habitats but rapidly colonized adjacent habitats when growing. This study provided evidence of the role of all types of shallow coastal habitats as fish nurseries and their varying pattern of occupation in space and time by the different juvenile stages. It highlighted the importance of the mosaic of habitats and interfaces for the complete development of all juvenile life stages of fishes, and for the preservation of a high diversity of coastal fish assemblages and fisheries resources in the Mediterranean Sea.
A Mendelian randomization analysis of the relationship between cardioembolic risk factors and ischemic stroke
Authors: Tian Danyang , Zhang Linjing , Zhuang Zhenhuang , Huang Tao , Fan Dongsheng
Published: July 2021

Observational studies have shown that several risk factors are associated with cardioembolic stroke. However, whether such associations reflect causality remains unknown. We aimed to determine whether established and provisional cardioembolic risk factors are causally associated with cardioembolic stroke. Genetic instruments for atrial fibrillation (AF), myocardial infarction (MI), electrocardiogram (ECG) indices and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) were obtained from large genetic consortiums. Summarized data of ischemic stroke and its subtypes were extracted from the MEGASTROKE consortium. Causal estimates were calculated by applying inverse-variance weighted analysis, weighted median analysis, simple median analysis and Mendelian randomization (MR)-Egger regression. Genetically predicted AF was significantly associated with higher odds of ischemic stroke (odds ratio (OR): 1.20, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.16–1.24, P = 6.53 × 10–30) and cardioembolic stroke (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.85–2.06, P = 8.81 × 10–125). Suggestive associations were found between genetically determined resting heart rate and higher odds of ischemic stroke (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02, P = 0.005), large-artery atherosclerotic stroke (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.04, P = 0.026) and cardioembolic stroke (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.04, P = 0.028). There was no causal association of P‐wave terminal force in the precordial lead V1 (PTFVI), P-wave duration (PWD), NT-pro BNP or PR interval with ischemic stroke or any subtype.
Molecular dynamics of rolling and twisting motion of amorphous nanoparticles
Authors: Umstätter Philipp , Urbassek Herbert M.
Published: July 2021

Granular mechanics codes use macroscopic laws to describe the damping of rolling and twisting motion in granular ensembles. We employ molecular dynamics simulation of amorphous Lennard–Jones grains to explore the applicability of these laws for nm-sized particles. We find the adhesive force to be linear in the intergrain attraction, as in the macroscopic theory. However, the damping torque of rolling motion is strongly superlinear in the intergrain attraction. This is caused by the strong increase of the ‘lever arm’ responsible for the damping torque—characterizing the asymmetry of the adhesive neck during rolling motion—with the surface energy of the grains. Also the damping torque of twisting motion follows the macroscopic theory based on sliding friction, which predicts the torque to increase whit the cube of the contact radius; here the dynamic increase of the contact radius with angular velocity is taken into account.
Prediction of hypotension after postural change in robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy using esophageal Doppler monitoring: a prospective observational trial
Authors: Kim Na Young , Kim Ki Jun , Kim Tae Lim , Shin Hye Jung , Oh Chaerim , Lee Min Huiy , Min Ji Young , Kim So Yeon
Published: July 2021

Postural change from a steep Trendelenburg position to a supine position (T-off) during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) induces a considerable abrupt decrease in the mean arterial pressure (MAP). We investigated the variables for predicting postural hypotension induced by T-off using esophageal Doppler monitoring (EDM). One hundred and twenty-five patients undergoing RALP were enrolled. Data on the MAP, heart rate, stroke volume index (SVI), cardiac index, peak velocity, corrected flow time, stroke volume variation, pulse pressure variation, arterial elastance (Ea), and dynamic arterial elastance were collected before T-off and at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 min after T-off using EDM. MAP < 60 mmHg within 10 min after T-off was considered to indicate hypotension, and 25 patients developed hypotension. The areas under the curves of the MAP, SVI, and Ea were 0.734 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.623–0.846; P < 0.001), 0.712 (95% CI 0.598–0.825; P < 0.001), and 0.760 (95% CI 0.646–0.875; P < 0.001), respectively, with threshold values of ≤ 74 mmHg, ≥ 42.5 mL/m2, and ≤ 1.08 mmHg/mL, respectively. If patients have MAP < 75 mmHg with SVI ≥ 42.5 mL/m2 or Ea ≤ 1.08 mmHg/mL before postural change from T-off during RALP, prompt management for ensuing hypotension should be considered.

Trial registration: NCT03882697 (ClinicalTrial.gov, March 20, 2019).
KCNE4-dependent functional consequences of Kv1.3-related leukocyte physiology
Authors: Vallejo-Gracia Albert , Sastre Daniel , Colomer-Molera Magalí , Solé Laura , Navarro-Pérez María , Capera Jesusa , Roig Sara R. , Pedrós-Gámez Oriol , Estadella Irene , Szilágyi Orsolya , Panyi Gyorgy , Hajdú Péter , Felipe Antonio
Published: July 2021

The voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv1.3 plays essential roles in the immune system, participating in leukocyte activation, proliferation and apoptosis. The regulatory subunit KCNE4 acts as an ancillary peptide of Kv1.3, modulates K+currents and controls channel abundance at the cell surface. KCNE4-dependent regulation of the oligomeric complex fine-tunes the physiological role of Kv1.3. Thus, KCNE4 is crucial for Ca2+-dependent Kv1.3-related leukocyte functions. To better understand the role of KCNE4 in the regulation of the immune system, we manipulated its expression in various leukocyte cell lines. Jurkat T lymphocytes exhibit low KCNE4 levels, whereas CY15 dendritic cells, a model of professional antigen-presenting cells, robustly express KCNE4. When the cellular KCNE4 abundance was increased in T cells, the interaction between KCNE4 and Kv1.3 affected important T cell physiological features, such as channel rearrangement in the immunological synapse, cell growth, apoptosis and activation, as indicated by decreased IL-2 production. Conversely, ablation of KCNE4 in dendritic cells augmented proliferation. Furthermore, the LPS-dependent activation of CY15 cells, which induced Kv1.3 but not KCNE4, increased the Kv1.3-KCNE4 ratio and increased the expression of free Kv1.3 without KCNE4 interaction. Our results demonstrate that KCNE4 is a pivotal regulator of the Kv1.3 channelosome, which fine-tunes immune system physiology by modulating Kv1.3-associated leukocyte functions.
Zinc status in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Ghoreishy Seyed Mojtaba , Ebrahimi Mousavi Sara , Asoudeh Farzaneh , Mohammadi Hamed
Published: July 2021

Previous studies regarding the zinc status in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) yielded inconsistent results. Thus, the present meta-analysis was aimed to estimate the association between hair and serum/plasma zinc levels and ADHD. Online databases of Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched up to October 2020 with no limitation in time and language. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) of hair and serum/plasma zinc levels were calculated using a random-effects model. Overall, 22 articles with 1280 subjects with ADHD and 1200 controls were included. The pooled effect size indicated that serum/plasma zinc levels in subjects with ADHD were not statistically different than their controls (WMD = − 1.26 µmol/L; 95% CI − 3.72, 1.20). Interestingly, the exclusion of one study from the analysis showed that people with ADHD significantly have lower circulating levels of zinc compared to their controls (WMD: − 2.49 µmol/L; 95% CI − 4.29, − 0.69). Also, the pooled effect size indicated that hair zinc levels in cases with ADHD were not statistically different than their controls (WMD = − 24.19 μg/g; 95% CI − 61.80, 13.42). Present meta-analysis raises the possibility that subjects with ADHD are prone to have declined levels of zinc levels. Based on current findings, screening the zinc levels in subjects with ADHD could be reasonable. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify the role of zinc in the etiology of ADHD.
Air pollution mitigation can reduce the brightness of the night sky in and near cities
Authors: Kocifaj Miroslav , Barentine John C.
Published: July 2021

Light pollution is a novel environmental problem whose extent and severity are rapidly increasing. Among other concerns, it threatens global biodiversity, nocturnal animal migration, and the integrity of the ground-based astronomy research enterprise. The most familiar manifestation of light pollution is skyglow, the result of the interplay of outdoor artificial light at night (ALAN) and atmospheric scattering that obscures views of naturally dark night skies. Interventions to reduce night sky brightness (NSB) involving the adoption of modern lighting technologies are expected to yield the greatest positive environmental consequences, but other aspects of the problem have not been fully explored as bases for public policies aimed at reducing light pollution. Here we show that reducing air pollution, specifically aerosols, decreases NSB by tens of percent at relatively small distances from light sources. Cleaner city air lowers aerosol optical depth and darkens night skies, particularly in directions toward light sources, due to relatively short path lengths traversed by photons from source to observer. A field experiment demonstrating the expected changes when transitioning from conditions of elevated turbidity to cleaner air validated our hypothesis. Our results suggest new policy actions to augment and enhance existing light pollution reduction techniques targeting lighting technology and design.
Proteomics and metabonomics analyses of Covid-19 complications in patients with pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Yang Jianrong , Chen Chunxia , Chen Wan , Huang Luying , Fu Zhao , Ye Kun , Lv Liwen , Nong Zhihuang , Zhou Xing , Lu Wensheng , Zhong Mei
Published: July 2021

Pulmonary fibrosis is a devastating disease, and the pathogenesis of this disease is not completely clear. Here, the medical records of 85 Covid-19 cases were collected, among which fibrosis and progression of fibrosis were analyzed in detail. Next, data independent acquisition (DIA) quantification proteomics and untargeted metabolomics were used to screen disease-related signaling pathways through clustering and enrichment analysis of the differential expression of proteins and metabolites. The main imaging features were lesions located in the bilateral lower lobes and involvement in five lobes. The closed association pathways were FcγR-mediated phagocytosis, PPAR signaling, TRP-inflammatory pathways, and the urea cycle. Our results provide evidence for the detection of serum biomarkers and targeted therapy in patients with Covid-19.
Assessment of quarter billion primary care prescriptions from a nationwide antimicrobial stewardship program
Authors: Gönen Mehmet , Aksoy Mesil , İşli Fatma , Gürpınar Umut Emre , Göbel Pınar , Gürsöz Hakkı , Ergönül Önder
Published: July 2021

We described the significance of systematic monitoring nationwide antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) in primary care. All the prescriptions given by family physicians were recorded in Prescription Information System established by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Ministry of Health. We calculated, for each prescription, “antibiotics amount” as number of boxes times number of items per box for medicines that belong to antiinfectives for systemic use (i.e., J01 block in the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System). We compared the antibiotics amount before (2015) and after (2016) the extensive training programs for the family physicians. We included 266,389,209 prescriptions from state-operated family healthcare units (FHUs) between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016. These prescriptions were given by 26,313 individual family physicians in 22,518 FHUs for 50,713,181 individual patients. At least one antimicrobial was given in 37,024,232 (28.31%) prescriptions in 2015 and 36,154,684 (26.66%) prescriptions in 2016. The most common diagnosis was “acute upper respiratory infections (AURI)” (i.e., J00-J06 block in the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) with 28.05%. The average antibiotics amount over prescriptions with AURI decreased in 79 out of 81 provinces, and overall rate of decrease in average antibiotics amount was 8.33%, where 28 and 53 provinces experienced decreases (range is between 28.63% and −3.05%) above and below this value, respectively. In the most successful province, the highest decrease in average amount of “other beta-lactam antibacterials” per prescription for AURI was 49.63% in January. Computational analyses on a big data set collected from a nationwide healthcare system brought a significant contribution in improving ASPs.
Megapixel scanning transmission soft X-ray microscopy imaging coupled with compressive sensing X-ray fluorescence for fast investigation of large biological tissues
Authors: Kourousias George , Billè Fulvio , Borghes Roberto , Pascolo Lorella , Gianoncelli Alessandra
Published: July 2021

Soft X-ray microscopy combined with X-ray Fluorescence is a powerful tool for analysing biological samples but it can be time consuming. Intelligent methods like Compressive Sensing allow for faster acquisitions by excluding areas of lesser interest.
An ion transport switch based on light-responsive conformation-dependent G-quadruplex transmembrane channels
Authors: Li Chunying , Chen Hui , Yang Xiaohai , Wang Kemin , Liu Jianbo
Published: July 2021

A light-responsive ion transport switch has been developed based on conformation-dependent azobenzene-incorporated lipophilic G-quadruplex channels, which provides a new smart approach for the selective transport of K+ ions across the lipid membrane.
Rigorous assessment of CO2 electroreduction products in a flow cell
Authors: Niu Zhuang-Zhuang , Chi Li-Ping , Liu Ren , Chen Zhi , Gao Min-Rui
Published: July 2021

Four overlooked measurement pitfalls during CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) in flow cells are identified. A modified flow-cell system has been proposed, permitting the establishment of benchmarks by which CO2RR products can be accurately assessed.
Sustainable mesoporous carbon nanostructures derived from lignin for early detection of glucose
Authors: Beaucamp Anne , Culebras Mario , Collins Maurice N.
Published: July 2021

A sustainable glucose sensor was developed from lignin-based carbon nanofibres with hierarchical porosity.
Plasmonic carriers responsive to pulsed laser irradiation: a review of mechanisms, design, and applications
Authors: Trout Cory J. , Clapp Jamie A. , Griepenburg Julianne C.
Published: July 2021

This review focuses on interactions which govern release from plasmonic carrier systems including liposomes, polymersomes, and nanodroplets under pulsed irradiation.
Hierarchical tube brush-like Co3S4@NiCo-LDH on Ni foam as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting
Authors: Xu Xiaohu , Su Le , Zhang Yujie , Dong Lijuan , Miao Xiangyang
Published: July 2021

The Co3S4@NiCo-LDH/NF nanocomposite exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic performances toward both the HER and OER at high current densities, along with a remarkable durability.