bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatio-temporal impacts of typhoon events on agriculture: Economic losses and flood control construction
Authors: Wei Wei , Qian Xiaoyan , Zheng Qiongjie , Lin Qing , Chou Li-Chen , Chen Xiding
Published: January 2023

Agricultural production has high correlations with natural hazards and water resource dynamic. Extreme rainfall brought by typhoons has a profound impact on agriculture in Taiwan. How typhoons impact agricultural activities and outputs is lacking research, especially in coastal regions such as Taiwan. In this report, the impacts of typhoon on agricultural loss from 2006 to 2019 in Taiwan was measured and called attention to the role of flood control construction in sustaining agricultural activities. With the help of Data Envelopment Analysis and geographical mapping, it is found that there are spatial differences in agricultural losses caused by typhoons. The main results indicate that the efficiency scores bring a inverse U-shape trend from the year 2007 (efficiency .718) to 2019 (efficiency .708). Looking further, Tainan City, Yunlin City, Chiayi County and other plain areas are vulnerable to hazards because the efficiency scores in these counties all below than 70%. However, some areas with prominent flood control construction showed a trend of agricultural damage reduction. This paper suggests that scholars should collect relevant data in the future and pay attention to the macro relationship between regional flood control construction and agricultural damage.
Meteorological impacts on surface ozone: A case study based on Kolmogorov–Zurbenko filtering and multiple linear regression
Authors: Li Menghui , Geng Chunmei , Li Liming , Zheng Zhensen , Xu Bo , Yang Wen , Wang Xinhua
Published: January 2023

Ozone variation, excluding meteorological effects, is very important to assess the effects of air pollution control policies. In this study, the Kolmogorov-Zurbenko (KZ) filter method and multiple linear stepwise regression are combined to study the impact of meteorological parameters on ozone concentration over the past 5 years (2016–2020) in a petrochemical industrial city in northern China. Monte Carlo simulations were used to evaluate the reliability for the potential quasi quantitative prediction of the baseline component. The average level of the city and the details of five stations in the city were studied. The results show that the short-term, seasonal, and long-term component variances of maximum daily running average 8 h (MDA8) ozone in Zibo city (City) decomposed by the KZ filter account for 32.06%, 61.67% and 1.15% of the total variance, for a specific station, the values were 32.37%–34.90%, 56.64%–62.00%, and .35%–3.14%, respectively. The average long-term component increase rate is 3.19 μg m−3 yr−1 on average for the city, while it is 1.52–5.95 μg m−3 yr−1 for a specific station. The overall meteorological impact was not stable and fluctuated between −2.60 μg m−3 and +3.77 μg m−3. This difference in trends between the city and specific stations implied that the O3 precursor’s mitigation strategy should be more precise to improve its practical effects.
Disaster cassification net: A disaster classification algorithm on remote sensing imagery
Authors: Yuan Jianye , Ding Xinwang , Liu Fangyuan , Cai Xin
Published: January 2023

As we all know, natural disasters have a great impact on people’s lives and properties, and it is very necessary to deal with disaster categories in a timely and effective manner. In light of this, we propose using tandem stitching to create a new Disaster Cassification network D-Net (Disaster Cassification Net) using the D-Conv, D-Linear, D-model, and D-Layer modules. During the experiment, we compared the proposed method with “CNN” and “Transformer”, we found that disaster cassification net compared to CNN algorithm Params decreased by 26–608 times, FLOPs decreased by up to 21 times, Precision increased by 1.6%–43.5%; we found that disaster cassification net compared to Transformer algorithm Params decreased by 23–149 times, FLOPs decreased by 1.7–10 times, Precision increased by 3.9%–25.9%. Precision increased by 3.9%–25.9%. And found that disaster cassification net achieves the effect of SOTA(State-Of-The-Art) on the disaster dataset; After that, we compared the above-mentioned MobileNet_v2 with the best performance on the classification dataset and CCT network are compared with disaster cassification net on fashion_mnist and CIFAR_100 public datasets, respectively, and the results show that disaster cassification net can still achieve the state-of-the-art classification effect. Therefore, our proposed algorithm can be applied not only to disaster tasks, but also to other classification tasks.
Urban water health: A conceptual framework and assessment system
Authors: He Jing , Li Yunyan , Su Jiafu , Liao Bo
Published: January 2023

The quantitative evaluation of urban water health (UWH) is a crucial decision-making process in water management. Healthy water not only encompasses excellent water quality and a diverse ecology but also has other characteristics, such as the amount of water resources, supply-use-drainage problems, flooding, water cycle, and so on. This study proposes a theoretical framework and an indicator system for UWH that integrates ecosystem health and water cycle health. Subsequently, considering the time scale and regional characteristics, an objective evaluation model that combined the real coding accelerated genetic algorithm (RAGA) method and the projection pursuit (PP) method was applied to calculate indicator weights and thresholds for the urban water health index (UWHI). UWHI standard thresholds were calculated as (0.04, 0.87], (0.87, 1.80], (1.80, 2.73], (2.73, 3.50], and (3.50, 4.01] corresponding to the categories of Sick, Unhealthy, Subhealthy, Healthy, and Excellent, respectively. Using Chongqing as a case study, the results showed that the UWHI increased from 1.796 to 2.668 in 2011–2020, and the health level improved from Unhealthy to Subhealthy, approaching Healthy. For each subsystem, the results indicated that the health status of the water cycle was superior to that of the water ecosystem. Finally, a detailed analysis of the changes in the indicators identified important factors affecting water health. The results of this study revealed that the main weaknesses in Chongqing were severe soil erosion, large domestic water use, high water consumption rates, and unsatisfactory water functional areas and indicated key priorities on the path to future water management.
Genome-wide imputed differential expression enrichment analysis identifies trait-relevant tissues
Authors: Ghaffar Ammarah , Nyholt Dale R.
Published: January 2023

The identification of pathogenically-relevant genes and tissues for complex traits can be a difficult task. We developed an approach named genome-wide imputed differential expression enrichment (GIDEE), to prioritise trait-relevant tissues by combining genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistic data with tissue-specific expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data from 49 GTEx tissues. Our GIDEE approach analyses robustly imputed gene expression and tests for enrichment of differentially expressed genes in each tissue. Two tests (mean squared z-score and empirical Brown’s method) utilise the full distribution of differential expression p-values across all genes, while two binomial tests assess the proportion of genes with tissue-wide significant differential expression. GIDEE was applied to nine training datasets with known trait-relevant tissues and ranked 49 GTEx tissues using the individual and combined enrichment tests. The best-performing enrichment test produced an average rank of 1.55 out of 49 for the known trait-relevant tissue across the nine training datasets—ranking the correct tissue first five times, second three times, and third once. Subsequent application of the GIDEE approach to 20 test datasets—whose pathogenic tissues or cell types are uncertain or unknown—provided important prioritisation of tissues relevant to the trait’s regulatory architecture. GIDEE prioritisation may thus help identify both pathogenic tissues and suitable proxy tissue/cell models (e.g., using enriched tissues/cells that are more easily accessible). The application of our GIDEE approach to GWAS datasets will facilitate follow-up in silico and in vitro research to determine the functional consequence(s) of their risk loci.
Immune infiltration and a necroptosis-related gene signature for predicting the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer
Authors: Xing Xuewei , Tian Yanan , Jin Xuan
Published: January 2023

Background: Cervical cancer (CC), the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, has high morbidity and mortality. Necroptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death that plays an important role in cancer development, progression, and metastasis. However, the expression of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) in CC and their relationship with CC prognosis remain unclear. Therefore, we screened the signature NRGs in CC and constructed a risk prognostic model.

Methods: We downloaded gene data and clinical information of patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We performed functional enrichment analysis on the differentially expressed NRGs (DENRGs). We constructed prognostic models and evaluated them by Cox and LASSO regressions for DENRGs, and validated them using the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) dataset. We used the obtained risk score to classify patients into high- and low-risk groups. We employed the ESTIMATE and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithms to explore the relationship between the risk score and the clinical phenotype and the tumor immune microenvironment.

Results: With LASSO regression, we established a prognostic model of CC including 16 signature DENRGs (TMP3, CHMP4C, EEF1A1, FASN, TNF, S100A10, IL1A, H1.2, SLC25A5, GLTP, IFNG, H2AC13, TUBB4B, AKNA, TYK2, and H1.5). The risk score was associated with poor prognosis in CC. Survival was lower in the high-risk group than the low-risk group. The nomogram based on the risk score, T stage, and N stage showed good prognostic predictive power. We found significant differences in immune scores, immune infiltration analysis, and immune checkpoints between the high- and low-risk groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: We screened for DENRGs based on the TCGA database by using bioinformatics methods, and constructed prognostic models based on the signature DENRGs, which we confirmed as possibly having important biological functions in CC. Our study provides a new perspective on CC prognosis and immunity, and offers a series of new targets for future treatment.
A potential three-gene-based diagnostic signature for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Wu Yi , Zhong Lin , Qiu Li , Dong Liqun , Yang Lin , Chen Lina
Published: January 2023

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a life-threatening disease whose etiology remains unknown. This study aims to explore diagnostic biomarkers and pathways involved in IPF using bioinformatics analysis.

Methods: IPF-related gene expression datasets were retrieved and downloaded from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened, and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify key module and genes. Functional enrichment analysis was performed on genes in the clinically significant module. Then least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) algorithms were run to screen candidate biomarkers. The expression and diagnostic value of the biomarkers in IPF were further validated in external test datasets (GSE110147).

Results: 292 samples and 1,163 DEGs were screened to construct WGCNA. In WGCNA, the blue module was identified as the key module, and 59 genes in this module correlated highly with IPF. Functional enrichment analysis of blue module genes revealed the importance of extracellular matrix-associated pathways in IPF. IL13RA2, CDH3, and COMP were identified as diagnostic markers of IPF via LASSO and SVM-RFE. These genes showed good diagnostic value for IPF and were significantly upregulated in IPF.

Conclusion: This study indicates that IL13RA2, CDH3, and COMP could serve as diagnostic signature for IPF and might offer new insights in the underlying diagnosis of IPF.
Understanding maternal choices and experiences of care by skilled providers: Voices of mothers who delivered at home in selected communities of Lusaka city, Zambia
Authors: Jacobs Choolwe , Michelo Charles , Hyder Adnan
Published: January 2023

Background

Significant proportions of women living in urban areas including the capital cities continue to deliver at home. We aimed to understand why mothers in a selected densely populated community of Lusaka city in Zambia deliver from home without assistance from a skilled provider during childbirth.

Methods

Using a phenomenological case study design, we conducted Focus Group Discussions and In-depth Interviews with mothers who delivered at home without assistance from a skilled provider. The study was conducted between November 2020 and January 2021 among 19 participants. Data were analysed using content analysis.

Results

Individual-related factors including the belief that childbirth is a natural and easy process that did not require assistance, lack of transport to get to the health facility, influence and preference for care from older women who were perceived to have the experience and better care, failure to afford baby supplies, and waiting for partner to provide the supplies that were required at the health facility influenced mothers’ choices to seek care from skilled providers. Health system-related factors included mistreatment and disrespectful care such as verbal and physical abuse by skilled healthcare providers, stigma and discrimination, institutional fines, and guidelines such as need to attend antenatal care with a spouse and need to provide health facility demanded supplies.

Conclusion

Individual and health system access related factors largely drive the choice to involve skilled providers during childbirth. The socioeconomic position particularly contributes to limited decision-making autonomy of mothers, thus, creating challenges to accessing care in health facilities. The health system-related factors found in this study such as mistreatment and disrespectful care suggests the need for redesigning effective and sustainable urban resource-limited context maternal health strategies that are culturally acceptable, non-discriminatory, and locally responsive and inclusive. Rethinking these strategies this way has the potential to strengthening equitable responsive health systems that could accelerate attainment of sustainable developmental goal (SDG) 3 targets.
Immune response following traumatic spinal cord injury: Pathophysiology and therapies
Authors: Sterner Robert C. , Sterner Rosalie M.
Published: January 2023

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition that is often associated with significant loss of function and/or permanent disability. The pathophysiology of SCI is complex and occurs in two phases. First, the mechanical damage from the trauma causes immediate acute cell dysfunction and cell death. Then, secondary mechanisms of injury further propagate the cell dysfunction and cell death over the course of days, weeks, or even months. Among the secondary injury mechanisms, inflammation has been shown to be a key determinant of the secondary injury severity and significantly worsens cell death and functional outcomes. Thus, in addition to surgical management of SCI, selectively targeting the immune response following SCI could substantially decrease the progression of secondary injury and improve patient outcomes. In order to develop such therapies, a detailed molecular understanding of the timing of the immune response following SCI is necessary. Recently, several studies have mapped the cytokine/chemokine and cell proliferation patterns following SCI. In this review, we examine the immune response underlying the pathophysiology of SCI and assess both current and future therapies including pharmaceutical therapies, stem cell therapy, and the exciting potential of extracellular vesicle therapy.
Neutrophils drive pulmonary vascular leakage in MHV-1 infection of susceptible A/J mice
Authors: Gong Henry H. , Worley Matthew J. , Carver Kyle A. , Goldstein Daniel R. , Deng Jane C.
Published: January 2023

Background

Lung inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, and pulmonary vascular leakage are pathological hallmarks of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which can lethally complicate respiratory viral infections. Despite similar comorbidities, however, infections in some patients may be asymptomatic while others develop ARDS as seen with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections for example.

Methods

In this study, we infected resistant C57BL/6 and susceptible A/J strains of mice with pulmonary administration of murine hepatitis virus strain 1 (MHV-1) to determine mechanisms underlying susceptibility to pulmonary vascular leakage in a respiratory coronavirus infection model.

Results

A/J animals displayed increased lung injury parameters, pulmonary neutrophil influx, and deficient recruitment of other leukocytes early in the infection. Moreover, under basal conditions, A/J neutrophils overexpressed primary granule protein genes for myeloperoxidase and multiple serine proteases. During infection, myeloperoxidase and elastase protein were released in the bronchoalveolar spaces at higher concentrations compared to C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, genes from other granule types were not differentially expressed between these 2 strains. We found that depletion of neutrophils led to mitigation of lung injury in infected A/J mice while having no effect in the C57BL/6 mice, demonstrating that an altered neutrophil phenotype and recruitment profile is a major driver of lung immunopathology in susceptible mice.

Conclusions

These results suggest that host susceptibility to pulmonary coronaviral infections may be governed in part by underlying differences in neutrophil phenotypes, which can vary between mice strains, through mechanisms involving primary granule proteins as mediators of neutrophil-driven lung injury.
Clinical effect and biological mechanism of exercise for rheumatoid arthritis: A mini review
Authors: Li Zongpan , Wang Xue-Qiang
Published: January 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common systematic, chronic inflammatory, autoimmune, and polyarticular disease, causing a range of clinical manifestations, including joint swelling, redness, pain, stiffness, fatigue, decreased quality of life, progressive disability, cardiovascular problems, and other comorbidities. Strong evidence has shown that exercise is effective for RA treatment in various clinical domains. Exercise training for relatively longer periods (e.g., ≥ 12 weeks) can decrease disease activity of RA. However, the mechanism underlying the effectiveness of exercise in reducing RA disease activity remains unclear. This review first summarizes and highlights the effectiveness of exercise in RA treatment. Then, we integrate current evidence and propose biological mechanisms responsible for the potential effects of exercise on immune cells and immunity, inflammatory response, matrix metalloproteinases, oxidative stress, and epigenetic regulation. However, a large body of evidence was obtained from the non-RA populations. Future studies are needed to further examine the proposed biological mechanisms responsible for the effectiveness of exercise in decreasing disease activity in RA populations. Such knowledge will contribute to the basic science and strengthen the scientific basis of the prescription of exercise therapy for RA in the clinical routine.
Acoustic methods improve the detection of the endangered African manatee
Authors: Factheu Clinton , Rycyk Athena M. , Kekeunou Sévilor , Keith-Diagne Lucy W. , Ramos Eric A. , Kikuchi Mumi , Takoukam Kamla Aristide
Published: January 2023

The African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) is an elusive, data-deficient, and endangered species which inhabits marine and freshwater systems throughout Western and Central Africa. A major challenge in understanding the species ecology and distribution is the difficulty in detecting it using traditional visual surveys. The recent invasion of Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta) at the most important site for the species in Cameroon further limits their detectability and may restrict their movements and habitat use. To investigate methods’ effectiveness in detecting African manatees, we conducted monthly vessel surveys from which visual point scans, 360° sonar scans, and passive acoustic monitoring were conducted simultaneously at ten locations and over 12 months in Lake Ossa, Cameroon. Manatee detection frequency was calculated for each method and the influence of some environmental conditions on the methods’ effectiveness and manatee detection likelihood was assessed by fitting a binary logistic regression to our data. Detection frequencies were significantly different between methods (p < 0.01) with passive acoustics being the most successful (24.17%; n = 120), followed by the 360° sonar scan (11.67%; n = 120), and the visual point scan (3.33%; n = 120). The likelihood of detecting manatees in Lake Ossa was significantly influenced by water depth (p = 0.02) and transparency (p < 0.01). It was more likely to detect manatees in shallower water depths and higher water transparency. Passive acoustic detections were more effective in uninvaded areas of the Lake. We recommend using passive acoustics to enhance African manatee detections in future surveys.
Evaluation of adalimumab effects on left ventricle performance by echocardiography indexes among patients with immunosuppressant refractory ulcerative colitis
Authors: Hatamnejad Mohammad Reza , Karvandi Mersedeh , Jodatfar Fateme , Ebrahimi Nastaran , Shojaeian Fatemeh , Baradaran Ghavami Shaghayegh , Balaii Hedieh , Moeeni Mahdi , Rajabnia Mohsen , Shahrokh Shabnam , Asadzadeh Aghdaei Hamid
Published: January 2023

Background and aims

Inflammatory bases lead to a simultaneous flourishing of cardiovascular complications with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As a released cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) can either disrupt or preserve cardiovascular performance. Due to this controversy, this study aimed to appraise the short-term anti-TNF (adalimumab [ADA]) relics on cardiac function by gauging the echocardiography indexes in patients with immunosuppressant refractory ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods

All cases with a definite diagnosis of UC were included based on providing written informed consent and owning the severe form of active disease (Mayo score ≥7), which did not dampen with immunosuppressant. Patients were excluded in the case of previous cardiac ailments/risk factors and prior related surgical or pharmaceutical intervention. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was carried out before and 3 months after biological regimen allocation and changes in indexes [ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV)/left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), and global longitudinal strain (GLS) in standard parasternal short axis from mid-ventricular level, two-, three-, and four-chamber apical long axes] were compared via statistical analyses.

Results

The study consisted of 13 (65%) men and 7 (35%) women, with a mean age of 36.54 ± 11.3 years. Participants mainly possessed Montreal class I (45%) and an average of 3.25 years of disease duration. The intervention significantly controlled inflammation [endoscopic Mayo score (P = 0.001), partial Mayo score (P = 0.001), and C-reactive protein (P = 0.001)]. Endoscopic and clinical remission was obtained in 7 (35%) and 9 (45%) patients, respectively; however, no significant discrepancy related to the LVEDV (P = 0.86), LVESV (P-value = 0.25), EF (P-value = 0.06), and GLS in standard parasternal short axis (P = 0.73), long axis [apical 2-chamber (P-value = 0.61), apical 3-chamber (P-value = 0.15), and apical 4-chamber (P-value = 0.19) views] was observed before and after the intervention. Furthermore, no statistically significant correlation between disease activity and cardiac function was found, neither before nor after ADA administration.

Conclusion

The present perusal found no deterioration in left ventricular function indexes with ADA intervention among patients with IBD without cardiac ailment. Thus, prescribing the anti-TNF to alleviate the inflammation can be carried out with less concern about cardiac consequences and considering other adverse traces in the target group.
Risk factors for falls among community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Ying , Hou Lingyu , Zhao Hanping , Xie Rongrong , Yi Yue , Ding Xiaorong
Published: January 2023

Background and objective

The prevalence of falls among older adults living in the community is ~30% each year. The impacts of falls are not only confined to the individual but also affect families and the community. Injury from a fall also imposes a heavy financial burden on patients and their families. Currently, there are different reports on the risk factors for falls among older adults in the community. A retrospective analysis was used in this study to identify risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older adults. This research aimed to collect published studies to find risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

We searched for literature from the founding of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the China Science and Technology Periodicals Database (VIP), and the Wanfang database until September 2022. The studies were selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. We collected information from relevant studies to compare the impact of potential risk factors such as age, female gender, fear of falling, history of falls, unclear vision, depression, and balance disorder on falls among community-dwelling older adults.

Results

A total of 31 studies were included with 70,868 community seniors. A significant risk factor for falls in the community of older adults was dementia (2.01, 95% CI: 1.41–2.86), age (1.15, 95% CI: 1.09–1.22), female gender (1.52, 95% CI: 1.27–1.81), fear of falling (2.82, 95% CI: 1.68–4.74), history of falls (3.22, 95% CI: 1.98–5.23), vision unclear (1.56, 95% CI: 1.29–1.89), depression (1.23, 95% CI: 1.10–1.37), and balance disorder (3.00, 95% CI: 2.05–4.39).

Conclusion

This study provides preliminary evidence that falls among community-dwelling older adults are associated with factors such as age, female gender, fear of falling, history of falls, unclear vision, depression, and balance disorders. The results of this research may help improve clinician awareness, risk stratification, and fall prevention among community-dwelling older adults.

Systematic review registration

identifier INPLASY2022120080.
Indications for hand and glove disinfection in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support: A manikin simulation study
Authors: Bushuven Stefan , Bansbach Joachim , Bentele Michael , Bentele Stefanie , Gerber Bianka , Reinoso-Schiller Nicolas , Scheithauer Simone
Published: January 2023

Background and aim

There are no investigations on hand hygiene during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), even though these patients are at high risk for healthcare-associated infections. We aimed to evaluate the number of indicated hand hygiene per CPR case in general and the fraction that could be accomplished without delay for other life-saving techniques through standardized observations.

Materials and methods

In 2022, we conducted Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) courses over 4 days, practicing 33 ACLS case vignettes with standard measurements of chest compression fractions and hand hygiene indications. A total of nine healthcare workers (six nurses and three physicians) participated.

Results

A total of 33 training scenarios resulted in 613 indications for hand disinfection. Of these, 150 (24%) occurred before patient contact and 310 (51%) before aseptic activities. In 282 out of 310 (91%) indications, which have the highest impact on patient safety, the medication administrator was responsible; in 28 out of 310 (9%) indications, the airway manager was responsible. Depending on the scenario and assuming 15 s to be sufficient for alcoholic disinfection, 56–100% (mean 84.1%, SD ± 13.1%) of all indications could have been accomplished without delaying patient resuscitation. Percentages were lower for 30-s of exposure time.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the feasibility of hand hygiene in a manikin CPR study. Even if the feasibility is overestimated due to the study setup, the fundamental conclusion is that a relevant part of the WHO indications for hand disinfection can be implemented without compromising quality in acute care, thus increasing the overall quality of patient care.
Probable vertical transmission of Alpha variant of concern (B.1.1.7) with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the syncytiotrophoblast, a case report
Authors: Bullock Hannah A. , Fuchs Erika , Martines Roosecelis B. , Lush Mamie , Bollweg Brigid , Rutan Alyssa , Nelson Amy , Brisso Mark , Owusu-Ansah Albert , Sitzman Craig , Ketterl Laurie , Timmons Tim , Lopez Patricia , Mitchell Elizabeth , McCutchen Emily , Figliomeni Jonathan , Iwen Peter , Uyeki Timothy M. , Reagan-Steiner Sarah , Donahue Matthew
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Definitive vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been rarely reported. We present a case of a third trimester pregnancy with fetal distress necessitating cesarean section that demonstrated maternal, placental, and infant infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant/B.1.1.7.

Methods

CDC's Influenza SARS-CoV-2 Multiplex RT-PCR Assay was used to test for SARS-CoV-2 in a maternal NP swab, maternal plasma, infant NP swab, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) placental tissue specimens. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on maternal plasma, infant, and placental specimens to determine the SARS-CoV-2 genotype. Histopathological evaluation, SARS-CoV-2 immunohistochemistry testing (IHC), and electron microscopy (EM) analysis were performed on placenta, umbilical cord, and membrane FFPE blocks.

Results

All specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. WGS further revealed identical SARS-CoV-2 sequences from clade 20I/501Y.V1 (lineage Alpha/B.1.1.7) in maternal plasma, infant, and placental specimens. Histopathologic evaluation of the placenta showed histiocytic and neutrophilic intervillositis with fibrin deposition and trophoblast necrosis with positive SARS-CoV-2 immunostaining in the syncytiotrophoblast and electron microscopy evidence of coronavirus.

Discussion

These findings suggest vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2, supported by clinical course timing, identical SARS-CoV-2 genotypes from maternal, placental, and infant samples, and IHC and EM evidence of placental infection. However, determination of the timing or distinction between prepartum and peripartum SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains unclear.
A research program-linked, course-based undergraduate research experience that allows undergraduates to participate in current research on mycobacterial gene regulation
Authors: Roberts Louis Anthony , Shell Scarlet S.
Published: January 2023

Undergraduate instructional biology laboratories are typically taught within two paradigms. Some labs focus on protocols and techniques delivered in “cookbook” format with defined experimental outcomes. There is increasing momentum to alternatively employ student-driven, open-ended, and discovery-based strategies, often via course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) using crowd-sourcing initiatives. A fraction of students also participate in funded research in faculty research labs, where they have opportunities to work on projects designed to expand the frontiers of human knowledge. These experiences are widely recognized as valuable but are not scalable, as most institutions have many more undergraduates than research lab positions. We sought to address this gap through our department’s curriculum by creating an opportunity for students to participate in the real-world research process within a laboratory course. We conceived, developed, and delivered an authentic, guided research experience to students in an upper-level molecular biology laboratory course. We refer to this model as a “research program-linked CURE.” The research questions come directly from a faculty member’s research lab and evolve along with that research program. Students study post-transcriptional regulation in mycobacteria. We use current molecular biology methodologies to test hypotheses like “UTRs affect RNA and protein expression levels,” “there is functional redundancy among RNA helicases,” and “carbon starvation alters mRNA 5′ end chemistries.” We conducted standard assessments and developed a customized “Skills and Concepts Inventory” survey to gauge how well the course met our student learning outcomes. We report the results of our assessments and describe challenges addressed during development and execution of the course, including organizing activities to fit within an instructional lab, balancing breadth with depth, and maintaining authenticity while giving students the experience of obtaining interpretable and novel results. Our data suggest student learning was enhanced through this truly authentic research approach. Further, students were able to perceive they were participants and contributors within an active research paradigm. Students reported increases in their self-identification as scientists, and a positive impact on their career trajectories. An additional benefit was reciprocation back to the funded research laboratory, by funneling course alumni, results, materials, and protocols.
Physical activity is a potential measure of physical resilience in older adults receiving hemodialysis
Authors: Lucas Anika , Rutledge Jeanette , Sloane Richard , Hall Katherine , Green Ciara , Pieper Carl , Colón-Emeric Cathleen , Hall Rasheeda
Published: January 2023

Background

Physical resilience, or the ability to recover after a physical stressor, declines with aging. Efforts to preserve physical resilience in the older dialysis population are critically needed; however, validated, patient-centered measures that are sensitive to change are also needed. Our objective was to assess accelerometer-derived step count variability, or a measure of intra-individual variation in physical activity, as a potential measure of physical resilience among older adults receiving hemodialysis.

Methods

Community-dwelling ambulatory older adults receiving in-center hemodialysis were prospectively enrolled. Participants wore wrist accelerometers during daytime hours on both dialysis and non-dialysis days up to 14 days, and the feasibility of accelerometer use was assessed from wear time. We used accelerometer data to compute step counts in 4-hour blocks and step count variability. Physical function was assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB which includes gait speed test), grip strength, activities of daily living (ADLs) instruments, and life space mobility. We assessed interval fatigue (subjective rating from 0 to 10) on dialysis and non-dialysis days and self-reported recovery time. We assessed the correlations of step count variability with measures of physical function and step count and interval fatigue.

Results

Of 37 enrolled participants, 29 had sufficient accelerometer data for analyses. Among the 29 participants, mean (SD) age was 70.6(4.8) years, and 55% (n=16) were male and 72% (n=21) were Black race. Participants were largely sedentary with median (Q1-Q3) self-reported total kilocalories per week of 200 (36–552). Step count variability was positively correlated with measures of physical function: SPPB (r=0.50, p<0.05), gait speed (r=0.59, p<0.05), handgrip strength (r=0.71, p<0.05), Instrumental ADLs (r=0.44, p<0.05) and life space mobility (r=0.54, p<0.05).There was a weak inverse correlation between post-dialysis step counts (4-hour blocks after a dialysis session) and post-dialysis interval fatigue [r=-0.19 (n=102, p=0.06).

Conclusions

Physical activity assessment via accelerometer is feasible for older adults receiving hemodialysis. Step count variability correlated with physical function, so it may be a novel measure of physical resilience. Further studies are needed to validate this measure.
Utility of movement disorder society-unified Parkinson's disease rating scale for evaluating effect of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation
Authors: Yamamoto Tatsuya , Yamanaka Yoshitaka , Hirano Shigeki , Higuchi Yoshinori , Kuwabara Satoshi
Published: January 2023

Background

The Movement Disorders Society (MDS)-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) is increasingly used to assess motor dysfunction before and after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS).

Objectives

We, therefore, investigated whether the MDS-UPDRS can detect longitudinal changes in motor function after STN-DBS in the same way as UPDRS.

Methods

We examined 21 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) (mean age 59.2 ± 10.6 years, mean disease duration 12.0 ± 3.0 years) who underwent STN-DBS and whose motor functions were assessed by the UPDRS and MDS-UPDRS before, 3 months after, and 1 year after STN-DBS. We then evaluated the consistency between the scores of Parts II and III of the UPDRS and MDS-UPDRS during the off phase using Lin's concordance coefficient (LCC) and a Bland-Altman plot.

Results

The scores of Parts II and III of both the UPDRS and MDS-UPDRS were significantly decreased 3 months and 1 year after STN-DBS during the off phase. Scores of the UPDRS and MDS-UPDRS showed significant positive correlations before and after STN-DBS. We calculated estimated MDS-UPDRS scores from the UPDRS scores using a regression line and calculated the LCC between the MDS-UPDRS and the estimated MDS-UPDRS scores. The LCC value was 0.59–0.91, which suggests a relatively high consistency between the UPDRS and MDS-UPDRS. The Bland-Altman plot showed that differences between both scores were basically within ±1.96 standard deviations of the difference.

Conclusion

The present preliminary study indicated that the utility of the MDS-UPDRS in evaluating motor function before and after STN-DBS demonstrates its potential equivalency to the UPDRS.
Probing fMRI brain connectivity and activity changes during emotion regulation by EEG neurofeedback
Authors: Dehghani Amin , Soltanian-Zadeh Hamid , Hossein-Zadeh Gholam-Ali
Published: January 2023

Despite the existence of several emotion regulation studies using neurofeedback, interactions among a small number of regions were evaluated, and therefore, further investigation is needed to understand the interactions of the brain regions involved in emotion regulation. We implemented electroencephalography (EEG) neurofeedback with simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a modified happiness-inducing task through autobiographical memories to upregulate positive emotion. Then, an explorative analysis of whole brain regions was done to understand the effect of neurofeedback on brain activity and the interaction of whole brain regions involved in emotion regulation. The participants in the control and experimental groups were asked to do emotion regulation while viewing positive images of autobiographical memories and getting sham or real (based on alpha asymmetry) EEG neurofeedback, respectively. The proposed multimodal approach quantified the effects of EEG neurofeedback in changing EEG alpha power, fMRI blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) activity of prefrontal, occipital, parietal, and limbic regions (up to 1.9% increase), and functional connectivity in/between prefrontal, parietal, limbic system, and insula in the experimental group. New connectivity links were identified by comparing the brain functional connectivity between experimental conditions (Upregulation and View blocks) and also by comparing the brain connectivity of the experimental and control groups. Psychometric assessments confirmed significant changes in positive and negative mood states in the experimental group by neurofeedback. Based on the exploratory analysis of activity and connectivity among all brain regions involved in emotion regions, we found significant BOLD and functional connectivity increases due to EEG neurofeedback in the experimental group, but no learning effect was observed in the control group. The results reveal several new connections among brain regions as a result of EEG neurofeedback which can be justified according to emotion regulation models and the role of those regions in emotion regulation and recalling positive autobiographical memories.
A functional network of highly pure enteric neurons in a dish
Authors: Caillaud Martial , Le Dréan Morgane E. , De-Guilhem-de-Lataillade Adrien , Le Berre-Scoul Catherine , Montnach Jérôme , Nedellec Steven , Loussouarn Gildas , Paillé Vincent , Neunlist Michel , Boudin Hélène
Published: January 2023

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the intrinsic nervous system that innervates the entire digestive tract and regulates major digestive functions. Recent evidence has shown that functions of the ENS critically rely on enteric neuronal connectivity; however, experimental models to decipher the underlying mechanisms are limited. Compared to the central nervous system, for which pure neuronal cultures have been developed for decades and are recognized as a reference in the field of neuroscience, an equivalent model for enteric neurons is lacking. In this study, we developed a novel model of highly pure rat embryonic enteric neurons with dense and functional synaptic networks. The methodology is simple and relatively fast. We characterized enteric neurons using immunohistochemical, morphological, and electrophysiological approaches. In particular, we demonstrated the applicability of this culture model to multi-electrode array technology as a new approach for monitoring enteric neuronal network activity. This in vitro model of highly pure enteric neurons represents a valuable new tool for better understanding the mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of enteric neuron synaptic connectivity and functional networks.
Ex vivo analysis platforms for monitoring amyloid precursor protein cleavage
Authors: Kamikubo Yuji , Jin Hao , Zhou Yiyao , Niisato Kazue , Hashimoto Yoshie , Takasugi Nobumasa , Sakurai Takashi
Published: January 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder and the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. The presence of large numbers of senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and cerebral atrophy is the characteristic feature of AD. Amyloid β peptide (Aβ), derived from the amyloid precursor protein (APP), is the main component of senile plaques. AD has been extensively studied using methods involving cell lines, primary cultures of neural cells, and animal models; however, discrepancies have been observed between these methods. Dissociated cultures lose the brain’s tissue architecture, including neural circuits, glial cells, and extracellular matrix. Experiments with animal models are lengthy and require laborious monitoring of multiple parameters. Therefore, it is necessary to combine these experimental models to understand the pathology of AD. An experimental platform amenable to continuous observation and experimental manipulation is required to analyze long-term neuronal development, plasticity, and progressive neurodegenerative diseases. In the current study, we provide a practical method to slice and cultivate rodent hippocampus to investigate the cleavage of APP and secretion of Aβ in an ex vivo model. Furthermore, we provide basic information on Aβ secretion using slice cultures. Using our optimized method, dozens to hundreds of long-term stable slice cultures can be coordinated simultaneously. Our findings are valuable for analyses of AD mouse models and senile plaque formation culture models.
A review of the mechanisms underlying the role of the GIPC3 gene in hereditary deafness
Authors: Li Xinxin , Shi Lin , Wang Liang
Published: January 2023

The GAIP interacting protein c terminus (GIPC) genes encode a small family of proteins characterized by centrally located PDZ domains. GIPC3 encodes a 312 amino acid protein. Variants of human GIPC3 are associated with non-syndromic hearing loss. GIPC3 is one of over a hundred different genes with variants causing human deafness. Screening for variants of GIPC3 is essential for early detection of hearing loss in children and eventually treatment of deafness. Accordingly, this paper assesses the status of research developments on the role of GIPC3 in hereditary deafness and the effects of pathogenic variants on the auditory system.
Analysis of malnutrition factors for inpatients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Xi Wei-zhen , Wu Chen , Liang Ya-li , Wang Ling-Ling , Cao Yu-han
Published: January 2023

Objective

Malnutrition is a common complication of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), and it is the risk factor of CKD prognosis. This study aim to evaluate the nutritional status of inpatients with CKD by using the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and to analyze the related factors of malnutrition; and to provide effective reference for early detection of malnutrition status in patients with CKD and timely nutrition intervention.

Methods

A total of 426 patients (238 male patients, 188 female patients) aged 62.62 ± 14.61 and 61.14 ± 14.82, respectively admitted to the Nephrology Department of Wannan Medical College from February 2020 to December 2020 were selected and included in to this study by convenience sampling. 426 patients with CKD were evaluated by SGA. Human body weight, hemoglobin (Hb), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), pre-albumin (PA), qualitative analysis of urinary protein and other laboratory indexes were collected and measured. The correlation between malnutrition and age, education, gender, diet, CKD stage and other factors was analyzed by spearman correlation analysis.

Results

The incidence of malnutrition was 85.7% among 426 patients with CKD. Gender, age, education level, CKD stage, diabetes mellitus, weight loss and reduced food intake were related to SGA nutritional assessment (P < 0.05). The expression levels of ALB, PA and Hb in the malnutrition group were significantly lower than those in the normal group (P < 0.05). The degree of malnutrition in CKD patients was significant negatively correlated with the expression levels of ALB (r = −0.188), PA (r = −0.262) and Hb (r = −0.176) (P < 0.05). The multivariate Logistic regression analysis model showed that female (OR = 2.155), ≥60 years old (OR = 7.671), weight loss (OR = 10.691), reduced food intake (OR = 28.953), moderate and severe serum ALB expression (OR = 3.391 and 8.326) were risk factors for malnutrition in patients with CKD (P < 0.05). Malnutrition was correlated with the results of qualitative examination of urinary protein (r = 0.268, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Gender, age, weight loss, reduced food intake, serum ALB expression were independently associated with malnutrition in patients with chronic kidney disease, Hence, the medical staff should take timely and effective nutrition intervention for the patients with malnutrition, delay the renal function damage of patients with CKD and improve the quality of life of patients. Inpatients with CKD, especially women, should increase their dietary intake, maintain normal weight and improve their nutritional status.