bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Value of Tumor Mutational Burden Related to Immune Infiltration in Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wen Fang , Ruan Shuai , Huang Wenjie , Chen Xiaoxue , Wang Yulan , Gu Suping , Liu Jiatong , Liu Shenlin , Shu Peng
Published: November 2021

Cervical squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most common causes of female cancer deaths worldwide. At present, immunotherapy using immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has improved the prognosis of many cancer patients, and neoantigens generated by mutations may serve as potential biomarkers for predicting the outcome of ICB therapy. In this study, we identified missense mutations as the most frequent in landscapes of gene mutation in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) samples. Patients with higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) presented higher overall survival (OS). In addition, there was a significant correlation between the high TMB group and fractions of most immune cells. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses identified five hub genes (IFNG, SERPINA3, CCL4L2, TNFSF15, and IL1R1) that were used to build a prognostic model. In the prognostic model, the low-risk group achieved better OS. Mutations in the five hub genes mainly affected the infiltration level of CD8+ T cells and dendritic cells. In conclusion, our study is valuable for exploring the role of TMB and its relationship with immune infiltration in CESC. Moreover, the prognosis model may help predict the sensitivity of patients to immunotherapy and provide underlying biomarkers for personalized immunotherapy.
Identification of the Important Genes of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens 113-2 Involved in Soybean Nodule Development and Senescence
Authors: Yuan Songli , Zhou Shunxin , Feng Yong , Zhang Chanjuan , Huang Yi , Shan Zhihui , Chen Shuilian , Guo Wei , Yang Hongli , Yang Zhonglu , Qiu Dezhen , Chen Haifeng , Zhou Xinan
Published: November 2021

Legume nodule development and senescence directly affect nitrogen fixation efficiency and involve a programmed series of molecular events. These molecular events are carried out synchronously by legumes and rhizobia. The characteristics and molecular mechanisms of nitrogen fixation at soybean important developmental stages play critical roles in soybean cultivation and fertilizer application. Although the gene expression of soybean were analyzed in nodules at five important soybean developmental stages, information on the expression of rhizobial genes in these nodule samples is limited. In the present study, we investigated the expression of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens 113-2 genes in the nodule samples from five developmental stages of soybean (Branching stage, flowering stage, fruiting stage, pod stage and harvest stage). Similar gene expression patterns of B. diazoefficiens 113-2 were existed during optimal symbiotic functioning, while different expression patterns were found among early nodule development, nitrogen fixation progress and nodule senescence. Besides, we identified 164 important different expression genes (DEGs) associated with nodule development and senescence. These DEGs included those encoding nod, nif, fix proteins and T3SS secretion system-related proteins, as well as proteins involved in nitrogen metabolism, ABC transporters and two-component system pathways. Gene Ontology, KEGG pathway and homology analysis of the identified DEGs revealed that most of these DEGs are uncharacterized genes associated with nodule development and senescence, and they are not core genes among the rhizobia genomes. Our results provide new clues for the understanding of the genetic determinants of soil rhizobia in nodule development and senescence, and supply theoretical basis for the creation of high efficiency soybean cultivation technology.
Histone-Like Nucleoid Structuring Protein Modulates the Fitness of tet(X4)-Bearing IncX1 Plasmids in Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Cai Wenhui , Tang Feifei , Jiang Lijie , Li Ruichao , Wang Zhiqiang , Liu Yuan
Published: November 2021

The emergence of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene tet(X4) poses a challenging threat to public health. Based on the analysis of tet(X4)-positive plasmids in the NCBI database, we found that the IncX1-type plasmid is one of the most common vectors for spreading tet(X4) gene, but the mechanisms by which these plasmids adapt to host bacteria and maintain the persistence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remain unclear. Herein, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of how host bacteria modulate the fitness cost of IncX1 plasmids carrying tet(X4) gene. Interestingly, we found that the tet(X4)-bearing IncX1 plasmids encoding H-NS protein imposed low or no fitness cost in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae; instead, they partially promoted the virulence and biofilm formation in host bacteria. Regression analysis revealed that the expression of hns gene in plasmids was positively linked to the relative fitness of host bacteria. Furthermore, when pCE2::hns was introduced, the fitness of tet(X4)-positive IncX1 plasmid pRF55-1 without hns gene was significantly improved, indicating that hns mediates the improvement of fitness. Finally, we showed that the expression of hns gene is negatively correlated with the expression of tet(X4) gene, suggesting that the regulatory effect of H-NS on adaptability may be attributed to its inhibitory effect on the expression of ARGs. Together, our findings suggest the important role of plasmid-encoded H-NS protein in modulating the fitness of tet(X4)-bearing IncX1 plasmids, which shed new insight into the dissemination of tet(X4) gene in a biological environment.
Machine Learning to Predict Brain Amyloid Pathology in Pre-dementia Alzheimer’s Disease Using QEEG Features and Genetic Algorithm Heuristic
Authors: Kim Nam Heon , Yang Dong Won , Choi Seong Hye , Kang Seung Wan
Published: November 2021

The use of positron emission tomography (PET) as the initial or sole biomarker of β-amyloid (Aβ) brain pathology may inhibit Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drug development and clinical use due to cost, access, and tolerability. We developed a qEEG-ML algorithm to predict Aβ pathology among subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, and validated it using Aβ PET. We compared QEEG data between patients with MCI and those with SCD with and without PET-confirmed beta-amyloid plaque. We compared resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalograms (EEG) patterns between the amyloid positive and negative groups using relative power measures from 19 channels (Fp1, Fp2, F7, F3, Fz, F4, F8, T3, C3, Cz, C4, T4, T5, P3, Pz, P4, T6, O1, O2), divided into eight frequency bands, delta (1–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha 1 (8–10 Hz), alpha 2 (10–12 Hz), beta 1 (12–15 Hz), beta 2 (15–20 Hz), beta 3 (20–30 Hz), and gamma (30–45 Hz) calculated by FFT and denoised by iSyncBrain®. The resulting 152 features were analyzed using a genetic algorithm strategy to identify optimal feature combinations and maximize classification accuracy. Guided by gene modeling methods, we treated each channel and frequency band of EEG power as a gene and modeled it with every possible combination within a given dimension. We then collected the models that showed the best performance and identified the genes that appeared most frequently in the superior models. By repeating this process, we converged on a model that approximates the optimum. We found that the average performance increased as this iterative development of the genetic algorithm progressed. We ultimately achieved 85.7% sensitivity, 89.3% specificity, and 88.6% accuracy in SCD amyloid positive/negative classification, and 83.3% sensitivity, 85.7% specificity, and 84.6% accuracy in MCI amyloid positive/negative classification.
Alteration of Whole Brain ALFF/fALFF and Degree Centrality in Adolescents With Depression and Suicidal Ideation After Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Resting-State fMRI Study
Authors: Li Xiao , Yu Renqiang , Huang Qian , Chen Xiaolu , Ai Ming , Zhou Yi , Dai Linqi , Qin Xiaoyue , Kuang Li
Published: November 2021

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most widespread mental disorders and can result in suicide. Suicidal ideation (SI) is strongly predictive of death by suicide, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective for MDD, especially in patients with SI. In the present study, we aimed to determine differences in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in 14 adolescents aged 12–17 with MDD and SI at baseline and after ECT. All participants were administered the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI) and received rs-fMRI scans at baseline and after ECT. Following ECT, the amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional ALFF (fALFF) significantly decreased in the right precentral gyrus, and the degree centrality (DC) decreased in the left triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus and increased in the left hippocampus. There were significant negative correlations between the change of HAMD (ΔHAMD) and ALFF in the right precentral gyrus at baseline, and between the change of BSSI and the change of fALFF in the right precentral gyrus. The ΔHAMD was positively correlated with the DC value of the left hippocampus at baseline. We suggest that these brain regions may be indicators of response to ECT in adolescents with MDD and SI.
Brain Processes Involved in Motor Planning Are a Dominant Factor for Inducing Event-Related Desynchronization
Authors: Nakayashiki Kosei , Tojiki Hajime , Hayashi Yoshikatsu , Yano Shiro , Kondo Toshiyuki
Published: November 2021

Event-related desynchronization (ERD) is a relative attenuation in the spectral power of an electroencephalogram (EEG) observed over the sensorimotor area during motor execution and motor imagery. It is a well-known EEG feature and is commonly employed in brain-computer interfaces. However, its underlying neural mechanisms are not fully understood, as ERD is a single variable correlated with external events involving numerous pathways, such as motor intention, planning, and execution. In this study, we aimed to identify a dominant factor for inducing ERD. Participants were instructed to grasp their right hand with three different (10, 25, or 40%MVF: maximum voluntary force) levels under two distinct experimental conditions: a closed-loop condition involving real-time visual force feedback (VF) or an open-loop condition in a feedforward (FF) manner. In each condition, participants were instructed to repeat the grasping task a certain number of times with a timeline of Rest (10.0 s), Preparation (1.0 s), and Motor Execution (4.0 s) periods, respectively. EEG signals were recorded simultaneously with the motor task to evaluate the time-course of the event-related spectrum perturbation for each condition and dissect the modulation of EEG power. We performed statistical analysis of mu and beta-ERD under the instructed grasping force levels and the feedback conditions. In the FF condition (i.e., no force feedback), mu and beta-ERD were significantly attenuated in the contralateral motor cortex during the middle of the motor execution period, while ERD in the VF condition was maintained even during keep grasping. Only mu-ERD at the somatosensory cortex tended to be slightly stronger in high load conditions. The results suggest that the extent of ERD reflects neural activity involved in the motor planning process for changing virtual equilibrium point rather than the motor control process for recruiting motor neurons to regulate grasping force.
Pollution-Induced Food Safety Problem in China: Trends and Policies
Authors: Li Qianhui , Zhu Kunyang , Liu Lei , Sun Xinyi
Published: November 2021

Based on systematic literature study and policy document analysis, this paper investigates the environmental pollution-induced food safety problem in China, including the impact of environmental pollution on food safety and the policy response of Chinese government since 1970's. The results show that, to different degrees, food safety of China is affected by large but inefficient chemical fertilizer and pesticides residue (although the consumption began to decline after around 2015), cropland heavy metal pollution (especially cadmium), water pollution, and high ozone concentration. The evolution of pollution-induced food safety policies of China can be divided into four stages, i.e., preparation stage (1974–1994), construction stage (1995–2005), elaboration stage (2006–2013), and intensification stage (2014–). Through the four stages, the increasingly stringent policy system has been featured by “from supply-safety balance to safety first,” “from multi-agency management to integrated management,” and “from ex post supervision to ex ante risk control.” To further prevent pollution and control food quality, more collaborations between the agricultural and environmental agencies and more specific policies should be anticipated.
Delayed Rebound of Glycemia During Recovery Following Short-Duration High-Intensity Exercise: Are There Lactate and Glucose Metabolism Interactions?
Authors: Messonnier Laurent A. , Chatel Benjamin , Emhoff Chi-An W. , Blervaque Léo , Oyono-Enguéllé Samuel
Published: November 2021

Lactate constitutes the primary gluconeogenic precursor in healthy humans at rest and during low-intensity exercise. Data on the interactions between lactate and glucose metabolisms during recovery after short-duration high-intensity exercise are sparse. The aim of the present study was to describe blood glucose ([glucose]b) and lactate ([lactate]b) concentration curves during recovery following short-duration high-intensity exercise. Fifteen healthy Cameroonian subjects took part in the study and performed successively (i) an incremental exercise to exhaustion to determine maximal work rate (Pmax) and (ii) a 2-min 110% Pmax exercise after which blood lactate and glucose concentrations were measured during the 80-min passive recovery. In response to the 2-min 110% Pmax exercise, [glucose]b remained stable (from 4.93 ± 1.13 to 4.65 ± 0.74 mmol.L−1, NS) while [lactate]b increased (from 1.35 ± 0.36 to 7.87 ± 1.66 mmol.L−1, p < 0.0001). During recovery, blood lactate concentrations displayed the classic biphasic curve while blood glucose concentrations displayed a singular shape including a delayed and transitory rebound of glycemia. This rebound began at 27.7 ± 6.2 min and peaked at 6.78 ± 0.53 mmol.L−1 at 56.3 ± 9.7 min into recovery. The area under the curve (AUC) of [lactate]b during the rebound of glycemia was positively correlated with the peak value of glycemia and the AUC of [glucose]b during the rebound. In conclusion, the delayed rebound of glycemia observed in the present study was associated with lactate availability during this period.
Effects of Management, Dietary Intake, and Genotype on Rumen Morphology, Fermentation, and Microbiota, and on Meat Quality in Yaks and Cattle
Authors: Hu Changsheng , Ding Luming , Jiang Cuixia , Ma Chengfang , Liu Botao , Li Donglin , Degen Abraham Allan
Published: November 2021

Traditionally, yaks graze only natural grassland, even in harsh winters. Meat from grazing yaks is considered very healthy; however, feedlot fattening, which includes concentrate, has been introduced. We questioned whether this change in management and diet would have an impact on the rumen and meat quality of yaks. This study examined the morphology, fermentation, and microbiota of the rumen and the quality of meat of three groups of bovines: (1) grazing yaks (GYs, 4-year olds), without dietary supplements; (2) yaks (FYs, 2.5-year olds) feedlot-fattened for 5 months after grazing natural pasture; and (3) feedlot-fattened cattle (FC, Simmental, 2-year olds). This design allowed us to determine the role of diet (with and without concentrate) and genotype (yaks vs. cattle) on variables measured. Ruminal papillae surface area was greater in the FYs than in the GYs (P = 0.02), and ruminal microbial diversity was greater but richness was lesser in the GYs than in the FC and FYs. Concentrations of ruminal volatile fatty acids were greater in the yaks than in the cattle. In addition, both yak groups had higher protein and lower fat contents in meat than the FC. Meat of GY had a lower n6:n3 ratio than FY and FC, and was the only group with a ratio below r, which is recommended for healthy food. Essential amino acids (EAA), as a proportion of total AA and of non-essential AA of yak meat, met WHO criteria for healthy food; whereas FC did not.
Clinical Relevance of Vitamins and Carotenoids With Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis Detected by Transient Elastography in Adults
Authors: Liu Xiaohui , Shen Hong , Chen Mingfeng , Shao Jun
Published: November 2021

Background: Vitamins and carotenoids may be involved in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Previously related publications mainly focused on vitamin D and vitamin E, and studies on other vitamins and carotenoids and NAFLD are scarce.

Methods: This study aimed to explore the clinical relevance of vitamin A, B vitamins (vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and choline), vitamin C and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein + zeaxanthin) with liver steatosis and fibrosis in the 2017–2018 NHANES (N = 4,352). Liver steatosis and fibrosis were detected by transient elastography. Logistic regression, linear regression and restricted cubic splines were adopted to explore the non-linear dose-response relationships.

Results: Higher intakes of vitamin C [0.68 (0.50–0.93)] and β-carotene [0.71 (0.54–0.93)] were inversely associated with liver steatosis. Higher levels of serum vitamin C [0.45 (0.32–0.62)] were inversely associated with liver fibrosis, while higher intakes of choline [1.43 (1.04–1.98)] and α-carotene [1.67 (1.01–2.74)] were positively associated with liver fibrosis. In addition, marginally inverse association between lutein + zeaxanthin and liver steatosis and positive association between vitamin B12 and liver fibrosis were found. In linear regression, the above-mentioned associations between vitamin C, β-carotene, and lutein + zeaxanthin and liver steatosis, and serum vitamin C, choline, α-carotene, and vitamin B12 and liver fibrosis were also found. The above-mentioned associations were mainly linear, while the relationship between β-carotene and liver steatosis might be non-linear.

Conclusion: Vitamin C, α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein + zeaxanthin, choline and vitamin B12 may be associated with liver steatosis and fibrosis.
Effects of Dietary Supplementation With Clostridium butyricum on the Amelioration of Growth Performance, Rumen Fermentation, and Rumen Microbiota of Holstein Heifers
Authors: Li Yang , Wang Yiqiang , Lv Jingyi , Dou Xiujing , Zhang Yonggen
Published: November 2021

In China, the use of antibiotics growth promoters as feed additives has been banned. The goal of raising dairy heifers is to gain a relatively high body weight on a high-fiber diet at first mating or calving, thus increasing economic benefits. The objective of this experiment was to explore the effects of supplemental Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) on growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbiota, and blood parameters in Holstein heifers. Twenty Holstein heifers [mean ± standard deviation (SD); age = 182 ± 4.20 d, body weight = 197.53 ± 5.94 kg, dry matter intake (DMI) = 6.10 ± 0.38 kg] were randomly assigned to one of two diets group for a 42-day feeding period: (1) basal diet (an untreated control group, i.e., the CON group) or (2) basal diet plus daily 2 × 108 (colony-forming unit, CFU) of C. butyricum per kg of DMI per heifer (the CB group). The results demonstrated that C. butyricum supplementation increased the average daily gain from d 21 to 42 and DMI compared to the control group. Supplementation with C. butyricum significantly decreased the molar proportion of acetate and the acetate to propionate ratio but increased the molar proportion of butyrate and propionate. Compared with the control group, the relative abundance of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Ruminococcus albus, Ruminobacter amylophilus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Streptococcus bovis increased during the trial period in the CB group. However, C. butyricum had no significant effect on the blood parameters in Holstein heifers. In conclusion, these results show that feeding C. butyricum can improve growth performance and rumen fermentation without any negative impact on blood parameters in Holstein heifers.
Hypermethylation of the Promoter of miR-338-5p Mediates Aberrant Expression of ETS-1 and Is Correlated With Disease Severity Of Astrocytoma Patients
Authors: Wang Junping , Huo Cheng , Yin Jinzhu , Tian Lixia , Ma Lili , Wang Dongsheng
Published: November 2021

The pro-oncogene ETS-1 (E26 transformation-specific sequence 1) is a key regulator of the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells. The present work examined the correlation of the aberrant expression of ETS-1 with histological or clinical classification of astrocytoma: grade I (pilocytic astrocytoma), grade II (diffuse astrocytoma), grade III (anaplastic astrocytoma), and grade IV (glioblastoma multiforme). MicroRNA, miR-338-5p, was predicted by an online tool (miRDB) to potentially target the 3’ untranslated region of ETS-1; this was confirmed by multi-assays, including western blot experiments or the point mutation of the targeting sites of miR-338-5p in ETS-1’s 3’untralation region (3’UTR). The expression of miR-338-5p was negatively associated with that of ETS-1 in astrocytoma, and deficiency of miR-338-5p would mediate aberrant expression of ETS-1 in astrocytoma. Mechanistically, hypermethylation of miR-338-5p by DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) resulted in repression of miR-338-5p expression and the aberrant expression of ETS-1. Knockdown or deactivation of DNMT1 decreased the methylation rate of the miR-338-5p promoter, increased the expression of miR-338-5p, and repressed the expression of ETS-1 in astrocytoma cell lines U251 and U87. These results indicate that hypermethylation of the miR-338-5p promoter by DNMT1 mediates the aberrant expression of ETS-1 related to disease severity of patients with astrocytoma.
Variation of Neonatal Outcomes and Care Practices for Preterm Infants <34 Weeks' Gestation in Different Regions of China: A Cohort Study
Authors: Bai Ruimiao , Jiang Siyuan , Guo Jinzhen , Jiang Shanyu , Lee Shoo K. , Li Zhankui , Cao Yun
Published: November 2021

Background: To compare outcomes and care practices of preterm infants born at <34 weeks' gestation in the different regions of China from 2015 to 2018.

Methods: This cohort study enrolled all infants born at <34 weeks and admitted to 25 tertiary neonatal intensive care units across China from May 1st, 2015, to April 30th, 2018. The participating hospitals were categorized into three groups according to their distinct geographic locations: eastern China, central China, and western China. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess the independent association between neonatal outcomes and regions.

Results: A total of 27,532 infants at <34 weeks' gestation were enrolled in our study. Overall, 14,178 (51.5%) infants were from 12 hospitals in eastern China, 8,069 (29.3%) from 9 hospitals in central China, and 5,285 (19.2%) from 4 hospitals in western China. Infants in eastern China had the lowest rates of mortality or any morbidity (23.3%), overall mortality (7.6%), in-hospital mortality (3.7%), and discharge against medical advice (DAMA, 6.3%), compared with central (27.8, 11.3, 5.0, and 10.6%, respectively) and western China (37.4, 19.4, 7.7, and 19.4%, respectively). Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression showed that infants in western China were exposed to the highest risks of mortality or any morbidity, overall mortality, in-hospital mortality, and DAMA. Significant variations of care practices existed in three regions. Infants in central China had the longest duration of the first course of invasive ventilation, the lowest rate of continuous positive airway pressure within 24 h after birth, the lowest rate of breast milk feeding, the latest initiation of feeds, and the longest duration of total parenteral nutrition among the three regions.

Conclusions: We identified marked disparities in outcomes and clinical care practices of preterm infants born at <34 weeks' gestation in different regions of China. Targeted quality improvement efforts are needed to improve the outcomes of premature infants in different regions of China.
Use of Eculizumab in Pediatric Patients With Transplant Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy
Authors: Gomez-Ganda Laura , Benitez-Carabante Maria Isabel , Fernandez-Polo Aurora , Muñoz-Lopez Marina , Renedo-Miro Berta , Ariceta Gema , Diaz De Heredia Cristina
Published: November 2021

Background: Transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is a serious complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) associated with high morbidity and mortality. High-risk TA-TMA (hrTA-TMA) is characterized by multifactorial endothelial damage caused by environmental stressors, dysregulation of the complement system, and genetic predisposition. Complement inhibitors have significantly decreased mortality and are the current treatment of choice. In this article, we describe our experience with the use of eculizumab in pediatric patients diagnosed with hrT-TMA after HSCT.

Method: Retrospective study of pediatric patients with hrTA-TMA treated with eculizumab between January 2016 and December 2020.

Results: Four pediatric patients aged 1, 12, 14, and 17 years at the time of HSCT were diagnosed with hrTA-TMA and treated with eculizumab during the study. At diagnosis, they all had renal impairment with proteinuria, and hypertension under treatment with at least two antihypertensive drugs. The patient who presented multisystemic involvement died instead of treatment. The three patients with exclusive renal involvement achieved TA-TMA resolution after treatment with eculizumab for 65, 52, and 40.6 weeks and were able to stop treatment. The two patients with follow-up data one year after eculizumab withdrawal sustained a favorable response. Eculizumab was well tolerated, and with adequate vaccination and antibiotic prophylaxis, did not increase the risk of infection.

Conclusions: Eculizumab appears to be both safe and effective for the treatment of hrTA-TMA in patients with renal impairment. Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment may improve response. Eculizumab withdrawal can be contemplated in patients who achieve laboratory and clinical resolution of TA-TMA.
Assessment of Myocardial Work in Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction and Analysis of CTRCD Prediction by Echocardiography
Authors: Guan Jingyuan , Bao Wuyun , Xu Yao , Yang Wei , Li Mengmeng , Xu Mingjun , Zhang Yu , Zhang Mei
Published: November 2021

No study has examined myocardial work in subjects with cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). Myocardial work, as a new ultrasonic indicator, reflects the metabolism and oxygen consumption of the left ventricle. The aim of this study was to test the relative value of new indices of myocardial work and global longitudinal strain (GLS) in detecting changes in myocardial function during the treatment of breast cancer by two-dimensional and three-dimensional echocardiography. We enrolled 79 breast cancer patients undergoing different tumor treatment regimens. Follow-up observation was conducted before and after chemotherapy. The effects of breast cancer chemotherapy and targeted therapy on the development of CTRCD [defined as an absolute reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of >5% to <53%] were detected by two-dimensional and three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Our findings further indicate that LVEF, myocardial work index (GWI) and myocardial work efficiency (GWE) showed significant changes after the T6 cycle, and GLS showed significant changes after the T4 cycle (p < 0.05). The three-dimensional strain changes after T6 and T8 had no advantages compared with GLS. Body mass index (BMI), the GLS change rate after the second cycle of chemotherapy (G2v) and the 3D-GCS change rate after the second cycle of chemotherapy (C2v) were independent factors that could predict the occurrence of CTRCD during follow-up, among which BMI was the best predictor (area under the curve, 0.922). In conclusion, the current study determined that GLS was superior to GWI in predicting cardiac function in patients with tumors with little variation in blood pressure. BMI, G2v and C2v can be used to predict the occurrence of CTRCD.
Child Heritage Language Development: An Interplay Between Cross-Linguistic Influence and Language-External Factors
Authors: Meir Natalia , Janssen Bibi
Published: November 2021

The current study investigated the mechanisms of heritage language (HL) development with a focus on case morphology. First, the effects of cross-linguistic influence (i.e., the influence of the properties of the societal language (SL) on the acquisition of the HL) was assessed by performing bilingual vs. monolingual, and between-bilingual group comparisons (Russian–Dutch vs. Russian–Hebrew bilinguals). Russian, Hebrew, and Dutch show differences in the marking of the accusative (ACC) and genitive (GEN) cases, and these differences were used as a basis for the evaluation of cross-linguistic influences. Second, the study evaluated the contribution of language-external factors such as chronological age, age of onset of bilingualism (AoO), languages spoken by the parent to the child (only HL, only SL, both HL and SL), and family language type (both parents are HL speakers, mixed families). Finally, we assessed how language-external factors might potentially mitigate the effects of cross-linguistic influences in bilinguals. Russian-Dutch bilinguals from the Netherlands (n = 39, MAGE = 5.1, SD = 0.8), Russian-Hebrew bilinguals from Israel (n = 36, MAGE = 4.9, SD = 0.9) and monolingual Russian-speaking children (n = 41, MAGE = 4.8, SD = 0.8), along with adult controls residing in the Russian Federation, participated in the study. The case production of ACC and GEN cases was evaluated using elicitation tasks. For the bilinguals, the background data on individual language-external factors were elicited from the participants. The results show that case morphology is challenging under HL acquisition—case acquisition in the HL is impeded under the influence of the properties of the SL. This is evident in the lower performance of both bilingual groups, compared with the monolingual controls who showed ceiling performance in the production of target inflection in the ACC and GEN contexts. More specifically, the acquisition of morphology is hindered when there are differences in the mapping of functional features (such as with Russian-Hebrew bilinguals) and/or the absence of this feature marking (such as with Russian-Dutch bilinguals). But the findings also point to the involvement of language-external factors as important mitigators of potential negative effects of cross-linguistic influence. In summary, HL development is an intricate interplay between cross-linguistic influence and language-external factors.
Pseudoexpertise: A Conceptual and Theoretical Analysis
Authors: Fuhrer Joffrey , Cova Florian , Gauvrit Nicolas , Dieguez Sebastian
Published: November 2021

Some people publicly pretend to be experts while not being ones. They are pseudoexperts, and their presence seems to be ubiquitous in the current cultural landscape. This manuscript explores the nature and mechanisms of pseudoexpertise. We first provide a conceptual analysis of pseudoexperts based on prototypical cases of pseudoexpertise and recent philosophical work on the concept of expertise. This allows us to propose a definition that captures real-world cases of pseudoexpertise, distinguishes it from related but different concepts such as pseudoscience, and highlights what is wrong with pseudoexpertise. Next, based on this conceptual analysis, we propose a framework for further research on pseudoexpertise, built on relevant empirical and theoretical approaches to cultural cognition. We provide exploratory answers to three questions: why is there pseudoexpertise at all; how can pseudoexperts be successful despite not being experts; and what becomes of pseudoexperts in the long run. Together, these conceptual and theoretical approaches to pseudoexpertise draw a preliminary framework from which to approach the very troubling problem posed by persons usurping the capacities and reputations of genuine experts.
Distance Learning During the First Lockdown: Impact on the Family and Its Effect on Students' Engagement
Authors: Chifari Antonella , Allegra Mario , Benigno Vincenza , Caruso Giovanni , Fulantelli Giovanni , Gentile Manuel , Ferlino Lucia
Published: November 2021

This contribute investigates how Emergency Remote Education (ERE) impacted families during the spring 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, and in particular, the extent to which the impact of ERE on families, measured in terms of space and equipment sharing, moderates the effect of student and family characteristics on students' engagement. The study derived from the administration of an online survey to 19,527 families with children attending schools, from nursery to upper secondary grade. The total number of student records collected amounted to 31,805, since parents had to provide data for each school-age child in the family. The survey contains 58 questions, divided into three sections, with the first two sections designed to get a reading at family level and the third section to gather data for each school-age child in the family. After verifying the validity of the engagement construct through confirmatory factor analysis, two structural equation models were used to analyze the students' engagement. The main findings reveal how the impact of the ERE on the families has had a significant role in predicting students' level of engagement observed by parents with respect to different predictor variables. Finally, we argue that it is necessary to follow a holistic approach to observe the challenges imposed by the switch of the process of deferring teaching from presence to distance, imposed by the pandemic emergency on families. In fact, a holistic approach can promote student engagement and prevent the onset of cognitive-behavioral and affective problems linked to disengagement in ERE.
Sustainable Development of African Countries: Minding Public Life, Education, and Welfare
Authors: Li Danyang , He Guosheng , Jin Hui , Tsai Fu-Sheng
Published: November 2021

Sustainable development (SD) has increasingly played a key background role in government policymaking across the world, especially for the least developed countries in Africa. Therefore, the purpose of our research is to study the SD of African countries in public life, education, and welfare, and then to help policy makers better monitor the status of sustainable development and formulate development policies in these aspects. We firstly propose a new method to assess the SD in public life, education, and welfare. Then we assess the SD status in 51 African countries as well as other countries in the world. After that, we also make a comparison between African countries and the countries in other continents.
The Early Diagnosis of Scrub Typhus by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Liu Xianghong , Zhang Ye , Zhang Jun , Lou Zheng , Xia Han , Lu Zhijuan
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Scrub typhus is a mite-borne infection widespread in Southeast Asia, with clinical symptoms such as fever, chills, skin rash, eschar at the bite site, and other signs of acute febrile illness. The Rickettsia pathogen (Orientia tsutsugamushi) is always difficult to be diagnosed at an early stage by traditional clinical diagnostic methods, especially for patients without typical eschar. This greatly increases the mortality of patients with scrub typhus. A new approach should be introduced to improve its clinical diagnosis.

Methods: During May 2018 to March 2021, 13 samples from 10 patients with suspected scrub typhus were collected. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and other diagnostic methods (including serology using Weil–Felix reaction and indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) for scrub typhus and respiratory tract profile IgM as well as culture for routine bacteria) were used to identify the pathogens in this study.

Results: The results of mNGS were all positive, with mapped reads of O. tsutsugamushi ranging from 1 to 460. Eight patients (80%) were diagnosed as scrub typhus. The other two were diagnosed as suspected scrub typhus due to the limited number of reads of the pathogen (one and two, respectively). According to clinical evidences, nine of the 10 patients were finally diagnosed as scrub typhus, except for patient 9 (suspected scrub typhus by mNGS with one specific reads of the pathogen) diagnosed as acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For the five scrub typhus patients without typical eschar, mNGS gave all positive results (4–460 specific reads). For other methods, only Weil–Felix reaction of one patient detected the pathogen. In addition, the respiratory tract profile (IgM) detected various pathogens, but all were confirmed to be false positive.

Conclusions: mNGS performed better than conventional clinical methods to early diagnose scrub typhus. This approach can be routinely carried out for early and precise diagnosis in clinical infections, especially for those hard to be identified by traditional diagnostic methods.
Avena sativa AV25-T (Altoandina) Supplementation as Alternative for Colombia's High-Altitude Dairy Systems: An Economic Analysis
Authors: Enciso Karen , Castillo Javier , Albarracín Luis Orlando , Campuzano Luis Fernando , Sotelo Mauricio , Burkart Stefan
Published: November 2021

In the Colombian high-altitude tropics (2,200–3,000 m.a.s.l.), Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) is the main feed source for the dairy system. This grass species has good characteristics regarding adaptability and productivity, but is affected by frost, grass bugs (Collaria spp.) and precipitation-related production seasonality. Forage deficits might thus be a problem at several times in a year. As a strategy to maintain production stable, dairy farmers use commercial feed concentrates increasing their production costs. Agrosavia, as a response to this, started in 2005 with the evaluation and selection of new forage species for the Colombian high-altitude tropics. The oat Avena sativa AV25-T was identified as promising alternative to supply the requirements of dry matter in times of deficit and released as cultivar in 2018 under the name Altoandina. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic viability of Altoandina in Colombia's high-altitude dairy systems. Altoandina (Aa) was provided as silage in two different diets: 35%Aa−65% Kikuyu (Yellow Diet) and 65%Aa-35% Kikuyu (Red Diet). The diet for comparison was traditional grazing with 100% Kikuyu grass (Blue Diet). All diets were supplemented with 6kg commercial feed concentrate, 0.5 kg cotton seeds and 0.5 kg Alfalfa meal per cow/day, respectively. To estimate economic indicators, we used a cashflow model and risk assessment under a Monte Carlo simulation model. Including Altoandina incremented productivity per hectare by 82.3 and 220% in the Yellow and Red Diets, respectively. According to the results of our economic model, the Yellow Diet is the best alternative. Its average Net Present Value (NPV) was superior in >80% and showed a lower variability. The indicators Value at Risk (VaR) and probability (NPV < 0) show the Yellow Diet to have the lowest risk for economic loss under different yield/market scenarios. The Yellow Diet also has the lowest unit production costs and uncertainty of productive parameters. According to our findings, supplementation with Altoandina at 35%, i.e., during critical times, has high potential to improve efficiency and profitability. This information is key for the decision-making process of dairy farmers on whether to adopt this technology.
Socio-demographic features of HIV infection in Primorsky Territory
Authors: Tupikova Ekaterina Vladimirovna , Beniova Svetlana Nikolaevna , Kiku Pavel Fedorovich , Sklyar Lidiya Fedorovna , Miroshnichenko Elena Ivanovna , Cherlanova Tatyana Stanislavovna , Borovskaya Natalya Aleksandrovna , Kalinin Andrey Veniaminovich , Varavina Elena Aleksandrovna
Published: November 2021

The article presents an analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics of HIV infection in the Primorsky Territory. The data for analysis were taken from the reporting forms of statistical data (information on the results of blood tests for antibodies to HIV, information on the disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus) GBUZ «Regional Clinical Hospital No. 2» Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious Diseases for the period of 2018–2020. In recent years, the disease has been diagnosed in older age groups. In the general structure of newly diagnosed persons with HIV infection, there remain a consistently high proportion of adults who are the most able-bodied and sexually active. There is a stable increase in the proportion of morbidity and mortality among men in the general structure of patients diagnosed for the first time in the Primorsky Territory. In the total population of HIV-infected patients, the dominant route of HIV transmission is still parenteral (with intravenous drug use), although there is an annual stable decrease in its share in the total number of newly diagnosed patients. Mortality due to the parenteral (narcotic) route of HIV transmission among HIV-positive men is significantly higher in the general structure of HIV-infected. Among the population of Primorsky Krai, the largest number of HIV-infected people are unemployed patients. The proportion of women of reproductive age is increasing, but the detection rate of HIV infection among pregnant women is decreasing. HIV infection affects the most working-age population, affecting demographic indicators. Despite the efforts aimed at combating the epidemic, HIV infection still remains one of the main socially significant threats to the health of all mankind.
Hygienic assessment of the influence of working conditions and the psychological situation in the team on the risk of emotional burnout in medical workers
Authors: Ratushnaya Neilya Shavketovna , Eliseeva Yuliya Viktorovna
Published: November 2021

The article presents the results of the risk of developing the burnout syndrome in medical workers, taking into account the influence of hygienic working conditions and the psychological situation in the team. 134 medical workers with working conditions class 2.0, 3.1, and 3.2 were under observation. The ratio of the working conditions of medical workers to the corresponding class was established according to the Manual 2.2006–05 «Hygienic assessment of factors of the working environment and the labor process. Criteria and classification of working conditions». The methodological basis for assessing the level of emotional burnout of a medical worker in a team was a questionnaire developed by V. V. Boyko; the psychological situation in the team was assessed using a questionnaire by A. F. Fiedler. The conducted studies found that with the class of working conditions of doctors at the level of 2.0, the risk of developing emotional burnout after five years of work is 30.7 %. At the level of the class of working conditions 3.2, after five years of work, the burnout among doctors will reach 46.7 %. Against the background of a favorable psychological situation in the team, the probability of developing an emotional burnout syndrome was 20.0 %, with an unfavorable one, it increased to 46.6 %. The results obtained in the course of this study were used as the basis for the development of a method for predicting the risk of developing burnout syndrome in medical professionals in the first five years of work with a sensitivity of 78 % and a specificity of 68 %.
The main directions of non-specific prevention of infectious diseases
Authors: Nozdrachevа Аnna Valer’evna , Gotvyanskaya Tat’yana Pavlovna , Semenenko Anatoly Victorovich , Afonin Sergej Aleksandrovich
Published: November 2021

Infectious pathology continues to occupy one of the leading places in the structure of causes of death worldwide and in developing countries prevails over somatic. The most cost-effective way to prevent infectious diseases is vaccination. However, the use of vaccines cannot be implemented to combat all known infectious diseases, given their massive nature and often occurring polyetiology. In this regard, non-specific prevention is of particular relevance. In order to systematize and generalize the data of the scientific literature on methods and means of non-specific prevention, as well as to assess their effectiveness, a search for literary sources using electronic bibliographic resources was carried out https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ and https://elibrary.ru/ according to the keywords «non-specific prevention», «prevention of infections». The analysis of scientific works made it possible to evaluate non-specific prevention from the standpoint of classical epidemiology and the population approach to the organization of epidemiological studies and planning of preventive measures. The measures aimed at the source of infection, the mechanism of transmission and the susceptible organism in relation to different groups of infection are considered. Priority preventive and anti-epidemic measures were identified in relation to infections with aerosol, fecal-oral, contact and transmissible transmission mechanisms, and their effectiveness was evaluated. Special attention is paid to measures for the prevention of zoonotic and natural focal infections, as well as measures for the sanitary protection of the territory of the state from the import and spread of infectious diseases. The applicability of non-specific prevention of infectious morbidity in the conditions of the emergence of new biological threats is considered on the example of a new coronavirus infection COVID-19. It is established that the scientifically based tactics and methodology of non-specific prevention of infectious diseases are the property of domestic and world epidemiology, and its effectiveness has been tested by time and does not lose relevance today. The risk of new threats indicates that the improvement of this approach is a promising direction for the prevention of infectious diseases.