bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Intestinal Bacteria and Allergic Diseases—Cause or Consequence?
Authors: Han Pei , Gu Jian-Qing , Li Li-Sha , Wang Xue-Yan , Wang Hong-Tian , Wang Yan , Chang Christopher , Sun Jin-Lyu
Published: April 2021

The incidence of allergic disorders has been increasing over the past few decades, especially in industrialized countries. Allergies can affect people of any age. The pathogenesis of allergic diseases is complex and involves genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, and the response to medication is very variable. For some patients, avoidance is the sole effective therapy, and only when the triggers are identifiable. In recent years, the intestinal microbiota has emerged as a significant contributor to the development of allergic diseases. However, the precise mechanisms related to the effects of the microbiome on the pathogenesis of allergic diseases are unknown. This review summarizes the recent association between allergic disorders and intestinal bacterial dysbiosis, describes the function of gut microbes in allergic disease development from both preclinical and clinical studies, discusses the factors that influence gut microbial diversity and advanced techniques used in microbial analysis. Ultimately, more studies are required to define the host-microbial relationship relevant to allergic disorders and amenable to new therapeutic interventions.
Human Cytomegalovirus Genome Diversity in Longitudinally Collected Breast Milk Samples
Authors: Götting Jasper , Lazar Katrin , Suárez Nicolás M. , Steinbrück Lars , Rabe Tabea , Goelz Rangmar , Schulz Thomas F. , Davison Andrew J. , Hamprecht Klaus , Ganzenmueller Tina
Published: April 2021

Reactivation and shedding of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in breast milk during lactation is highly frequent in HCMV-seropositive mothers. This represents a key transmission route for postnatal HCMV infection and can lead to severe disease in preterm neonates. Little is known about HCMV strain composition or longitudinal intrahost viral population dynamics in breast milk from immunocompetent women. We performed HCMV-specific target enrichment and high-throughput sequencing of 38 breast milk samples obtained in Germany between days 10 and 60 postpartum from 15 mothers with HCMV DNA lactia, and assembled HCMV consensus sequences de novo. The genotype distribution and number of HCMV strains present in each sample were determined by quantifying genotype-specific sequence motifs in 12 hypervariable viral genes, revealing a wide range of genotypes (82/109) for these genes in the cohort and a unique, longitudinally stable strain composition in each mother. Reactivation of up to three distinct HCMV strains was detected in 8/15 of mothers, indicating that a representative subset of the woman’s HCMV reservoir might be locally reactivated early during lactation. As described previously, nucleotide diversity of samples with multiple strains was much higher than that of samples with single strains. Breast milk as a main source of postnatal mother-to-infant transmission may serve as a repository for viral diversity and thus play an essential role in the natural epidemiology of HCMV.
Association Between Sex-Specific Serum Gamma-Glutamyltransferase and Incidence of Hypertension in a Chinese Population Without Metabolic Syndrome: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Wu Xiaoyun , Liang Dongjie , Sun Junfang , Lin Yanyan , Wu Shengjie
Published: April 2021

Background: Higher serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is associated with high risk of hypertension. We aimed to examine the association between sex-specific serum GGT levels and incident of hypertension in a Chinese population without metabolic syndrome.

Methods: Participants who were free of hypertension and metabolic syndrome from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between 2009 and 2014 were included. Participants were grouped into sex-specific quartiles of GGT levels (Q1–Q4) defined as: ≤19, 20–26, 27–38, and ≥39 U/L for male; ≤12, 13–15, 16–19, and ≥20 U/L for female. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incidence of hypertension according to sex-specific quartiles of GGT levels. Kaplan–Meier analysis and interaction analysis were conducted.

Results: Among 38,806 participants included (average age 36.0 years, 54.0% men), 4,505 of them developed hypertension. In the overall study population, using Q1 as the reference group, participants in Q2, Q3, and Q4 showed a higher risk of developing hypertension, with HRs (95% CIs) of 1.126 (1.029–1.232), 1.187 (1.083–1.302), and 1.300 (1.182–1.431), respectively (P < 0.001), after adjusting for known confounders. Sex-specific analysis showed that the adjusted HRs for participants in Q4 (reference: Q1) were greater in females [1.321 (1.100–1.586, P < 0.001)] than in males [1.268 (1.133–1.420, P < 0.001)] (P for interaction = 0.047). Moreover, interaction analysis showed that this association was consistently observed when the participants were stratified by age, body mass index, and fatty liver status.

Conclusion: Among Chinese adults without metabolic syndrome, serum GGT level was positively associated with incidence of hypertension, and the association was stronger in females than in males.
An Update on Cardiovascular Risk Factors After Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Zeng Yuan-Yuan , Zhang Min , Ko Syeun , Chen Feng
Published: April 2021

First described in Japan 50 years ago, Kawasaki disease is a worldwide multisystem disease. It is an acute self-limited vasculitis of unknown etiology that can lead to coronary artery lesions, such as dilatation, aneurysms, and stenosis in children. It is one of the common causes of acquired heart disease among children in developed countries. The coronary aneurysm is a severe complication in the acute stage, possibly leading to stenotic lesions or myocardial ischemia. More concerns have centered on endothelial damage and the early onset of atherosclerosis in patients with KD. Although the coronary artery aneurysm is small or degenerated, the vascular structure does not return to normal, vascular endothelial dysfunction and remodeling continue. Most patients diagnosed with coronary artery sequelae are at risk of long-term complications. There are still many unknown aspects regarding the long-term prognosis of patients. Concerns have centered on the early onset of atherosclerosis in patients with KD. There is still no consensus on the relationship between Kawasaki disease and atherosclerosis. This study aimed to evaluate if patients with a history of KD were at risk of accelerated atherosclerosis.
Predicting Admissions From a Paediatric Emergency Department – Protocol for Developing and Validating a Low-Dimensional Machine Learning Prediction Model
Authors: Leonard Fiona , Gilligan John , Barrett Michael J.
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Patients boarding in the Emergency Department can contribute to overcrowding, leading to longer waiting times and patients leaving without being seen or completing their treatment. The early identification of potential admissions could act as an additional decision support tool to alert clinicians that a patient needs to be reviewed for admission and would also be of benefit to bed managers in advance bed planning for the patient. We aim to create a low-dimensional model predicting admissions early from the paediatric Emergency Department.

Methods and Analysis: The methodology Cross Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) will be followed. The dataset will comprise of 2 years of data, ~76,000 records. Potential predictors were identified from previous research, comprising of demographics, registration details, triage assessment, hospital usage and past medical history. Fifteen models will be developed comprised of 3 machine learning algorithms (Logistic regression, naïve Bayes and gradient boosting machine) and 5 sampling methods, 4 of which are aimed at addressing class imbalance (undersampling, oversampling, and synthetic oversampling techniques). The variables of importance will then be identified from the optimal model (selected based on the highest Area under the curve) and used to develop an additional low-dimensional model for deployment.

Discussion: A low-dimensional model comprised of routinely collected data, captured up to post triage assessment would benefit many hospitals without data rich platforms for the development of models with a high number of predictors. Novel to the planned study is the use of data from the Republic of Ireland and the application of sampling techniques aimed at improving model performance impacted by an imbalance between admissions and discharges in the outcome variable.
Pre-emptive Innovation Infrastructure for Medical Emergencies: Accelerating Healthcare Innovation in the Wake of a Global Pandemic
Authors: Ramadi Khalil B. , Srinivasan Shriya S.
Published: April 2021

Healthcare innovation is impeded by high costs, the need for diverse skillsets, and complex regulatory processes. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in the current framework, especially those lying at the boundary between cutting-edge academic research and industry-scale manufacturing and production. While many resource-rich geographies were equipped with the required expertise to solve challenges posed by the pandemic, mechanisms to unite the appropriate institutions and scale up, fund, and mobilize solutions at a time-scale relevant to the emergency were lacking. We characterize the orthogonal spatial and temporal axes that dictate innovation. Improving on their limitations, we propose a “pre-emptive innovation infrastructure” incorporating in-house hospital innovation teams, consortia-based assembly of expertise, and novel funding mechanisms to combat future emergencies. By leveraging the strengths of academic, medical, government, and industrial institutions, this framework could improve ongoing innovation and supercharge the infrastructure for healthcare emergencies.
Geochemical Comparison of the Deep Gases From the Sichuan and Tarim Basins, China
Authors: Ni Yunyan , Yao Limiao , Liao Fengrong , Chen Jianping , Yu Cong , Zhu Guangyou
Published: April 2021

In order to have a better understanding of the geochemical characteristics of gases from deep depths, gases from the clastic sandstone reservoirs in the Dabei and Keshen gas fields in the Kuqa depression, Tarim Basin, and gases from the marine carbonate reservoirs (Ordovician and Cambrian) in the craton area of Tarim Basin and Sichuan Basin (Yuanba, Longgang, Puguang gas fields) are investigated based on the molecular composition, stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes. Deep gas, either from the clastic sandstone reservoirs or from the marine carbonate reservoirs, is dominated by alkane gas. Gases from Kuqa depression and Sichuan Basin are dry gas, with high gas dryness coefficient, 0.976 and 0.999, respectively. Deep gas from the craton area in Tarim Basin includes both dry and wet gases. N2 and CO2 are the common non-hydrocarbon components in the deep gas. Gases from the continental sandstone reservoirs have no H2S, while gases from the marine carbonate reservoirs often have H2S. The relatively high δ13C2 value in the Kuqa depression indicates the gas was generated from humic type III kerogen, while the relatively low δ13C2 value in the craton area of Tarim Basin indicates most of the gas was generated from the marine sapropelic organic matter. Deep gas in Sichuan Basin, which has medium δ13C2 value, was generated from both humic type III and sapropelic type II organic matter. Carbon isotopic anomaly such as partial carbon isotopic reversal or relatively heavy carbon isotope is common in the deep gas, which is caused by secondary alteration. Gases from the Dabei gas field have a mean δ2H1 value of –156‰, while gases from the craton area of Tarim Basin, and Yuanba and Puguang gas fields in Sichuan Basin have relatively heavier δ2H1 value, i.e., average at −130 and −122‰, respectively. The abnormally heavier δ2H1 value in Dabei gas field is due to the high thermal maturity and possible saline depositional environment of the source rocks. This study performed a comprehensive comparison of the geochemical characteristics of the deep gases with different origins, which may provide a hint for future exploration of deep gas in the world.
Optimal Placement and Sizing of Distributed Generators Based on Swarm Moth Flame Optimization
Authors: Tan Zhukui , Zeng Ming , Sun Liming
Published: April 2021

In order to deal with the problem of environmental pollution and energy consumption, developing clean and renewable energy to maintain the sustainable development of society has become an urgent matter for human beings. Therefore, distributed generation (DG) is widely concerned by engineers. However, the output of DG is generally random and intermittent. When it is connected to different locations, different capacities and different types of power grids, the safe and stable operation of the power system will be affected to different degrees. When selecting the optimal DG access scheme, power grid planners must consider the influence of capacity, type and location to ensure a safer, more stable, more reliable and more efficient power grid operation. Therefore, this paper proposes an objective function considering integrated power losses, voltage profile and pollution emission, and swarm moth flame optimization algorithm (SMFO) is used to solve. Finally, based on IEEE-33 bus, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified.
One-Pot Synthesis of CeO2 Modified SBA-15 With No Pore Clogging for NO Reduction by CO
Authors: Ma Kaili , Zhang Hongliang , Tang Changjin , Dong Lin
Published: April 2021

CeO2 modified SBA-15 composites have been prepared by adding cerium precursor (Ce(NO3)3·6H2O) directly into the mixture of soft template (P123), silica precursor (TEOS) and urea aqueous solution but without mineral acid. The products were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 physisorption and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results indicated that ceria were successfully grafted onto mesoporous silica matrix and no pore clogging was observed. Both ceria content and mesoporous ordering of the final products were found to depend on urea amount. Compared to CeO2/SBA-15 from conventional impregnation method, the one-pot synthesis not only showed simple and green operation, but also superior catalytic performance in NO+CO reaction after loaded with CuO. It was revealed that both the presence and location of ceria had great influence on the reducibility of CuO, and the catalytic performances were intimately related to the redox properties of crystalline CuO. That is, higher NO conversion and N2 selectivity were achieved over catalyst with easier reduction of crystalline CuO.
Improving Source Apportionment of Urban Aerosol Using Multi-Isotopic Fingerprints (MIF) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF): Cross-Validation and New Insights
Authors: Souto-Oliveira Carlos Eduardo , Kamigauti Leonardo Yoshiaki , Andrade Maria de Fatima , Babinski Marly
Published: April 2021

Urban air pollution is a matter of concern due to its health hazards and the continuous population growth exposed to it at different urban areas worldwide. Nowadays, more than 55% of the world population live in urban areas. One of the main challenges to guide pollution control policies is related to pollutant source assessment. In this line, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Positive Matrix Factorization (EPA-PMF) has been extensively employed worldwide as a reference model for quantification of source contributions. However, EPA-PMF presents issues associated to source identification and discrimination due to the collinearities among the source tracers. Multi-Isotopic Fingerprints (MIF) have demonstrated good resolution for source discrimination, since urban sources are characterized by specific isotopic signatures. Source quantification based on total aerosol mass is the main limitation of MIF. This study reports strategies for PMF and MIF combination to improve source identification/discrimination and its quantification in urban areas. We have three main findings: (1) cross-validation of PMF source identification based on Pb and Zn isotopic fingerprints, (2) source apportionment in the MIF model for total PM mass, and (3) new insights into potential Zn isotopic signatures of biomass burning and secondary aerosol. We support future studies on the improvement of isotopic fingerprints database of sources based on diverse elements or compounds to boost advances of MIF model applications in atmospheric sciences.
Evaluating Asymmetric Approaches to the Estimation of Standard Uncertainties for Emission Factors in the Fuel Sector of Costa Rica
Authors: Molina-Castro Gabriel , Calderón-Jiménez Bryan
Published: April 2021

A new environmental challenge for Costa Rica involves the precise and reliable quantification of data from its fossil-fueled transportation sector. In the context of greenhouse gas inventories (measurement), uncertainty assessment, as the best quality parameter of any estimation or measurement, takes on a new relevance by becoming a mandatory requirement on ISO 14064-1:2018. However, a significant limitation has been found by users when quantifying standard (measurement) uncertainties associated with emission factors with asymmetric probability distributions. The present article sought to take advantage of fitting asymmetric distributions to estimate and compare possible standard uncertainties for the official emission factors of Costa Rica, specifically for the fuel sector. Five asymmetric distributions and a “symmetrization” method (symmetric approximation of an asymmetric distribution) were chosen and fitted to the data based on their application and previous use. Standard uncertainties were estimated from each distribution parameters as standard deviations. To evaluate the fit, quantiles of interest were extracted from simulated populations compared with the original data values. A systematically better fit was evidenced for the asymmetric triangular and generalized extreme value distributions, both for CO2 emission factors with less asymmetries and CH4 and N2O emission factors with greater asymmetries. This was not the case for the other distributions, where the log-normal distribution applying the correction factor suggested in the literature showed the worst fit. The use of the former distributions is recommended to estimate the standard uncertainties associated with the emission factors from the official Costa Rican database and other emission factors with similar asymmetries.
Valuation and Appreciation of Biodiversity: The “Maintenance of Options” Provided by the Variety of Life
Authors: Faith Daniel P.
Published: April 2021

“Nature’s contributions to people” (NCP) is an important expansion beyond the standard ecosystem services framework, particularly as a pathway to better address global/regional biodiversity values. NCP18, “maintenance of options,” refers broadly to the capacity of ecosystems, habitats, species, or genotypes to keep options open to support a good quality of life. “Biodiversity,” interpreted as living variation, is an important, but under-appreciated, aspect of “maintenance of options.” IPBES refers to “the “option values of biodiversity,” that is, the value of maintaining living variation in order to provide possible future uses and benefits.” IPBES assessments include biodiversity option value, and use phylogenetic diversity (PD) as an indicator of change in status of NCP18. At the same time, IPBES notes the need for greater appreciation of option values of biodiversity. Popular ecosystem services framings forget the long history of consideration of these global benefits of biotic diversity to humanity, and their normative links. Popular ecological definitions mean that many current valuations of “biodiversity” neglect the benefits of biodiversity-as-variety. Economic valuations of “biodiversity” typically have focused on ecosystem aspects, not variety; related ecosystems framings value “biodiversity” with a focus on those critical elements relating to functioning of ecosystems. Greater appreciation of biodiversity option value and NCP18 may depend on clearer messaging from academia, better highlighting of the link between biodiversity and intergenerational justice, and greater communication of stories of past surprising discoveries of benefits from species that highlight biodiversity as an ongoing source of future benefits. An important pathway for better appreciation of insurance and investment benefits of variety is to understand and communicate the reasons why we value these benefits from variety. Biodiversity-as-variety is valued because we care about the welfare of future generations.
Identification and Functional Prediction of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Dilated Cardiomyopathy by Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Chen Yu-Xiao , Ding Jie , Zhou Wei-Er , Zhang Xuan , Sun Xiao-Tong , Wang Xi-Ying , Zhang Chi , Li Ni , Shao Guo-Feng , Hu Shen-Jiang , Yang Jian
Published: April 2021

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a relatively common cause of heart failure and the leading cause of heart transplantation. Aberrant changes in long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in DCM disorder; however, the detailed mechanisms underlying DCM initiation and progression require further investigation, and new molecular targets are needed. Here, we obtained lncRNA-expression profiles associated with DCM and non-failing hearts through microarray probe-sequence re-annotation. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed a module highly associated with DCM status. Then eight hub lncRNAs in this module (FGD5-AS1, AC009113.1, WDFY3-AS2, NIFK-AS1, ZNF571-AS1, MIR100HG, AC079089.1, and EIF3J-AS1) were identified. All hub lncRNAs except ZNF571-AS1 were predicted as localizing to the cytoplasm. As a possible mechanism of DCM pathogenesis, we predicted that these hub lncRNAs might exert functions by acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). Furthermore, we found that the above results can be essentially reproduced in an independent external dataset. We observed the localization of hub lncRNAs by RNA-FISH in human aortic smooth muscle cells and confirmed the upregulation of the hub lncRNAs in DCM patients through quantitative RT-PCR. In conclusion, these findings identified eight candidate lncRNAs associated with DCM disease and revealed their potential involvement in DCM partly through ceRNA crosstalk. Our results facilitate the discovery of therapeutic targets and enhance the understanding of DCM pathogenesis.
Chromosomal Aneuploidy Associated With Clinical Characteristics of Pregnancy Loss
Authors: Gu Chongjuan , Li Kuanrong , Li Ru , Li Ling , Li Xiaojun , Dai Xinyu , He Yaojuan
Published: April 2021

Objective

Embryonic aneuploidy is found in about half of sporadic pregnancy losses and the associations between the chromosomal aneuploidy and clinical characteristics of pregnancy loss remain unclear. The aims of this study were to evaluate the associations between chromosomal aneuploidy of products of conception (POC) and clinical features of pregnancy loss.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 1,102 women experienced singleton pregnancy loss and underwent chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) detection of POC in our hospital. The results of molecular karyotypes and clinical features including maternal age, history of pregnancy loss, gestational age, vaginal bleeding and ultrasonographic findings were extracted from the medical records. χ2test was used to compare categorical data between groups.

Results

631 (57.26%) POC specimens were detected to be chromosomal aneuploidy. Aneuploid rates were significantly higher in women >35 years (P< 0.001) and pregnancy loss <11 gestational weeks (P= 0.044), but the rates of sex chromosome abnormalities and triploid were significantly higher in women ≤35 years (P< 0.001,P= 0.002) and the rates of viable autosomal trisomy and sex chromosome abnormalities were significantly high in those women with pregnancy loss ≥11 weeks (P < 0.001,P< 0.001). Aneuploid rate was overall similar between the sporadic and the recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) (P= 0.404), but the rate of sex chromosome abnormalities was higher in women with sporadic pregnancy loss (P= 0.03). Aneuploid rates were higher in subjects with yolk sac or embryo than in those without (P< 0.001 andP= 0.001).

Conclusion

Advanced maternal age is mainly associated with autosomal trisomy, while sex chromosome abnormalities and triploid might be more likely to occur in younger women. Aneuploidy rates might be no association with previous pregnancy loss except for sex chromosome abnormalities. Pregnancy loss without yolk sac or embryo might be less related to embryonic aneuploidy, and other factors should be emphasized.
Early Strength Development of Soft Clay Stabilized by One-Part Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag and Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer
Authors: Zheng Xiyao , Wu Jun
Published: April 2021

One-part or “just add water” geopolymer is a cementitious material, which is friendly to environment and users in applications. However, the mechanical behavior of the soft soil stabilized by one-part geopolymer is not well acknowledged. In this study, soft clay was stabilized with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and fly ash (FA)-based geopolymer, which is a mixture of solid aluminosilicate precursor (Al-Si raw materials: GGBFS and FA), solid alkali activator, and water. The objective was to adopt one-part geopolymer as an alternative soil binder to completely replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC) for stabilizing the soft clay and evaluate the effect of the factors (i.e., GBFS/FA ratio in Al-Si precursor, activator/Al-Si precursor ratio, and water/binder ratio) that influenced the early strength. Results showed that the increase of the FA content in the Al-Si precursor increased the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) values significantly through the geopolymerization process. The highest UCS values were achieved with 90% GGBFS to 10% FA in the precursor when the activator/precursor and water/binder ratio is 0.15 and 0.7, respectively. The UCS values of geopolymer-stabilized clay could reach 1.5 MPa at 14 days at ambient temperature, which is much higher than that of OPC-stabilized clay. The microstructure and mineralogy analyses indicated that the prolific hydration products, such as calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), calcium aluminum hydrate (C-A-H), and calcium aluminum silicate hydrate (C-A-S-H), contributed greatly to strengthen the soft clay by forming the soil skeleton and infilling among clay particles, while sodium aluminosilicate (N-A-S-H) gel is only served to fill the part of porosities in the soil and cannot effectively enhance the UCS of the one-part geopolymer-stabilized soft clay. This paper results suggested that one-part GGBFS-FA–based geopolymers have the potential to replace OPC in the manufacture of stabilized soft clay.
A Short Review of Organic Nanofluids: Preparation, Surfactants, and Applications
Authors: Deb Majumder Samarpan , Das Ankit
Published: April 2021

Recently, there has been significant advancement in efforts toward achieving zero-energy buildings. It is quite evident that the HVAC systems consume a considerable percentage of the total energy consumption of a building; therefore, making them sustainable is of the utmost importance. Nanofluid serves as a simple, yet innovative, approach in decreasing the power consumption of the HVAC systems by improving the thermophysical properties of the coolants and enhancing heat transfer. As a result, this has attracted the attention of many researchers across the globe. This manuscript reviews the different preparation methods of nanofluid, surfactants used in stabilizing the nanofluid, and the different areas in which it can be used.
Urine Cadmium as a Risk Factor for Osteoporosis and Osteopenia: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Dong , Lin HaoJie , Zhang Min , Meng Jing , Hu LiYou , Yu Bo
Published: April 2021

Background: As society ages, the incidence of osteoporosis increases. In several studies, cadmium (Cd) is thought to be related to osteoporosis. However, there are conflicting reports about the relationship between Cd and the risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to explore the relationship between Cd and osteoporosis and osteopenia.

Methods: Through a review of the literature, articles published in PubMed as of December 2020 were identified and the references of related publications and reviews were reviewed. Ultimately, 17 eligible articles were selected to determine the relationship between blood and urine Cd concentrations for the risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia. In this study, we performed a classification analysis, heterogeneity test, subgroup analysis, and evaluated publication bias.

Results: A total of 17 studies were included, including seven on blood Cd and 10 on urine Cd. By combining the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the lowest and highest categories, the odds ratio of blood Cd concentration that increased the risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia was OR 1.21 (95% CI: 0.84–1.58) and that of urine Cd concentration that increased the risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia was OR 1.80 (95% CI: 1.42–2.18), and the results of the subgroup analysis were also consistent.

Conclusions: Our research indicates that while urine cadmium (Cd) concentration may be related to increased risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia, blood Cd concentration may not. Therefore, compared to blood Cd concentration, urine Cd concentration may be more reliable as a risk factor for osteoporosis and osteopenia. This result should be interpreted with caution. Currently. research on the relationship between Cd concentration and osteoporosis and osteopenia is limited, thus, further large, high-quality prospective studies are required to elucidate the relationship between Cd concentration and osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Effects of the Administration of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis CECT 7210 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and Their Synbiotic Combination With Galacto-Oligosaccharides Against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F4 in an Early Weaned Piglet Model
Authors: Rodríguez-Sorrento Agustina , Castillejos Lorena , López-Colom Paola , Cifuentes-Orjuela Gloria , Rodríguez-Palmero María , Moreno-Muñoz José Antonio , Luise Diana , Trevisi Paolo , Martín-Orúe Susana María
Published: April 2021

We evaluated the potential of multi-strain probiotic (Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis CECT 7210 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001) with or without galacto-oligosaccharides against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) F4 infection in post-weaning pigs. Ninety-six piglets were distributed into 32 pens assigned to five treatments: one non-challenged (CTR+) and four challenged: control diet (CTR−), with probiotics (>3 × 1010 CFU/kg body weight each, PRO), prebiotic (5%, PRE), or their combination (SYN). After 1 week, animals were orally inoculated with ETEC F4. Feed intake, weight, and clinical signs were recorded. On days 4 and 8 post-inoculation (PI), one animal per pen was euthanized and samples from blood, digesta, and tissues collected. Microbiological counts, ETEC F4 real-time PCR (qPCR) quantification, fermentation products, serum biomarkers, ileal histomorphometry, and genotype for mucin 4 (MUC4) polymorphism were determined. Animals in the PRO group had similar enterobacteria and coliform numbers to the CTR+ group, and the ETEC F4 prevalence, the number of mitotic cells at day 4 PI, and villus height at day 8 PI were between that observed in the CTR+ and CTR− groups. The PRO group exhibited reduced pig major acute-phase protein (Pig-MAP) levels on day 4 PI. The PRE diet group presented similar reductions in ETEC F4 and Pig-MAP, but there was no effect on microbial groups. The SYN group showed reduced fecal enterobacteria and coliform counts after the adaptation week but, after the inoculation, the SYN group showed lower performance and more animals with high ETEC F4 counts at day 8 PI. SYN treatment modified the colonic fermentation differently depending on the MUC4 polymorphism. These results confirm the potential of the probiotic strains and the prebiotic to fight ETEC F4, but do not show any synergy when administered together, at least in this animal model.
Multiple Roles in Neuroprotection for the Exercise Derived Myokine Irisin
Authors: Jodeiri Farshbaf Mohammad , Alviña Karina
Published: April 2021

Exercise has multiple beneficial effects on health including decreasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Such effects are thought to be mediated (at least in part) by myokines, a collection of cytokines and other small proteins released from skeletal muscles. As an endocrine organ, skeletal muscle synthesizes and secretes a wide range of myokines which contribute to different functions in different organs, including the brain. One such myokine is the recently discovered protein Irisin, which is secreted into circulation from skeletal muscle during exercise from its membrane bound precursor Fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5). Irisin contributes to metabolic processes such as glucose homeostasis and browning of white adipose tissue. Irisin also crosses the blood brain barrier and initiates a neuroprotective genetic program in the hippocampus that culminates with increased expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Furthermore, exercise and FNDC5/Irisin have been shown to have several neuroprotective effects against injuries in ischemia and neurodegenerative disease models, including Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, Irisin has anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. In this review we present and summarize recent findings on the multiple effects of Irisin on neural function, including signaling pathways and mechanisms involved. We also discuss how exercise can positively influence brain function and mental health via the “skeletal muscle-brain axis.” While there are still many unanswered questions, we put forward the idea that Irisin is a potentially essential mediator of the skeletal muscle-brain crosstalk.
3D Reconstruction of the Morpho-Functional Topography of the Human Vagal Trigone
Authors: Emmi Aron , Porzionato Andrea , Contran Martina , De Rose Enrico , Macchi Veronica , De Caro Raffaele
Published: April 2021

The Vagal Trigone, often referred to as Ala Cinerea, is a triangular-shaped area of the floor of the fourth ventricle that is strictly involved in the network of chardiochronotropic, baroceptive, respiratory, and gastrointestinal control systems of the medulla oblongata. While it is frequently identified as the superficial landmark for the underlying Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the Vagus, this correspondence is not univocal in anatomical literature and is often oversimplified in neuroanatomy textbooks and neurosurgical atlases. As the structure represents an important landmark for neurosurgical procedures involving the floor of the fourth ventricle, accurate morphological characterization is required to avoid unwanted side effects (e.g., bradychardia, hypertension) during neuorphysiological monitoring and cranial nerve nuclei stimulation in intraoperative settings. The aim of this study was to address the anatomo-topographical relationships of the Vagal Trigone with the underlying nuclei. For this purpose, we have conducted an anatomo-microscopical examination of serial sections deriving from 54 Human Brainstems followed by 3D reconstruction and rendering of the specimens. Our findings indicate that the Vagal Trigone corresponds only partially with the Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the Vagus, while most of its axial profile is occupied by the dorsal regions of the Solitary Tract Nucleus. Furthermore, basing on literature and our findings we speculate that the neuroblasts of the Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the Vagus undergo neurobiotaxic migration induced by the neuroblasts of the dorsolaterally located solitary tract nucleus, giving rise to the Ala Cinerea, a topographically defined area for parasympathetic visceral control.
Oscillatory Neural Networks Using VO2 Based Phase Encoded Logic
Authors: Núñez Juan , Avedillo María J. , Jiménez Manuel , Quintana José M. , Todri-Sanial Aida , Corti Elisabetta , Karg Siegfried , Linares-Barranco Bernabé
Published: April 2021

Nano-oscillators based on phase-transition materials are being explored for the implementation of different non-conventional computing paradigms. In particular, vanadium dioxide (VO2) devices are used to design autonomous non-linear oscillators from which oscillatory neural networks (ONNs) can be developed. In this work, we propose a new architecture for ONNs in which sub-harmonic injection locking (SHIL) is exploited to ensure that the phase information encoded in each neuron can only take two values. In this sense, the implementation of ONNs from neurons that inherently encode information with two-phase values has advantages in terms of robustness and tolerance to variability present in VO2 devices. Unlike conventional interconnection schemes, in which the sign of the weights is coded in the value of the resistances, in our proposal the negative (positive) weights are coded using static inverting (non-inverting) logic at the output of the oscillator. The operation of the proposed architecture is shown for pattern recognition applications.
Chrono-Nutrition Has Potential in Preventing Age-Related Muscle Loss and Dysfunction
Authors: Aoyama Shinya , Nakahata Yasukazu , Shinohara Kazuyuki
Published: April 2021

The mammalian circadian clock systems regulate the day–night variation of several physiological functions such as the sleep/wake cycle and core body temperature. Disturbance in the circadian clock due to shiftwork and chronic jetlag is related to the risk of several disorders such as metabolic syndrome and cancer. Recently, it has been thought that shiftwork increases the risk of sarcopenia which is characterized by age-related decline of muscle mass and its dysfunctions including muscle strength and/or physical performance. First, we summarize the association between circadian rhythm and the occurrence of sarcopenia and discuss its mechanistic insight by focusing on the muscle function and molecular clock gene in knockout or mutant mice. The clock gene knockout or mutant mice showed early aging phenotypes, including low survival rate and muscle loss. It suggests that improvement in the disturbance of the circadian clock plays an important role in the aging process of healthy muscles. Nutritional intake has the potential to augment muscle growth and entrain the peripheral clock. Second, we discuss the potential of chrono-nutrition in preventing aging-related muscle loss and dysfunction. We also focus on the effects of time-restricted feeding (TRF) and the distribution of protein intake across three meals.
Comparison of Scalp ERP to Faces in Macaques and Humans
Authors: Orczyk John , Schroeder Charles E. , Abeles Ilana Y. , Gomez-Ramirez Manuel , Butler Pamela D. , Kajikawa Yoshinao
Published: April 2021

Face recognition is an essential activity of social living, common to many primate species. Underlying processes in the brain have been investigated using various techniques and compared between species. Functional imaging studies have shown face-selective cortical regions and their degree of correspondence across species. However, the temporal dynamics of face processing, particularly processing speed, are likely different between them. Across sensory modalities activation of primary sensory cortices in macaque monkeys occurs at about 3/5 the latency of corresponding activation in humans, though this human simian difference may diminish or disappear in higher cortical regions. We recorded scalp event-related potentials (ERPs) to presentation of faces in macaques and estimated the peak latency of ERP components. Comparisons of latencies between macaques (112 ms) and humans (192 ms) suggested that the 3:5 ratio could be preserved in higher cognitive regions of face processing between those species.
Systematic Chromatin Accessibility Analysis Based on Different Immunological Subtypes of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Shiqiang , Zheng Wenzhong , Jiang Donggen , Xiong Haiyun , Liao Guolong , Yang Xiangwei , Ma He , Li Jun , Qiu Miaojuan , Li Binbin , Sun Chunhui , Zhao Jing , Wang Liling , Pang Jun
Published: April 2021

Background

Recent research of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is focused on the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Chromatin accessibility is critical for regulation of gene expression. However, its role in different immunological subtypes of ccRCC based on immune cell infiltration has not been systematically studied.

Methods

Five hundred thirty patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA-KIRC) were adopted to estimate immune cell infiltration. Twenty-four types of immune cells were evaluated with single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA). Patients were divided into two clusters based on immune cell infiltration. Systematic chromatin accessibility analysis was conducted based on the two clusters.

Results

We compared the relative expression of the immune gene signatures among 530 patients of TCGA-KIRC using ssGSEA. Overall survival (OS) analysis revealed 10 types of immune cells were significantly associated with prognosis. Patients were divided into two clusters based on 24 types of immune cell infiltration. Immune cell signals as well as PD-1/PD-L1 signal were higher in cluster 1. Among the two clusters, 2,400 differential peaks were found in TCGA-KIRC Transposase Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) data. The distribution of differential peaks and prognosis-related immune cells in 23 chromosomes are essentially the same. There is no peak distribution downstream. The proportion of peaks upstream of the 5’ transcription start site decreases, and both sides of binding regions of the TSS 0.1-1 kb becomes smaller. Enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG of these differential peaks showed that they are remarkably related to the immune regulation in tumor microenvironment. Known motifs and de novo motifs were found by linking motif annotations to different peaks. Survival analysis of related motif transcription factors were prognostic. The GSEA enrichment analysis showed that high SP1 expression positively correlates with TGF-beta signaling and inflammatory response, while negatively correlates with TNF-alpha signaling via NFKB. High KLF12 expression negatively correlates with interferon gamma response, IL2-STAT5 signaling, TNF-alpha signaling via NFKB, IL6-JAK-STAT3 signaling.

Conclusion

The abnormality of chromatin accessibility may play an important regulatory role in ccRCC immunity.
Three-Dimensional Radiomics Features From Multi-Parameter MRI Combined With Clinical Characteristics Predict Postoperative Cerebral Edema Exacerbation in Patients With Meningioma
Authors: Xiao Bing , Fan Yanghua , Zhang Zhe , Tan Zilong , Yang Huan , Tu Wei , Wu Lei , Shen Xiaoli , Guo Hua , Wu Zhen , Zhu Xingen
Published: April 2021

Background

Postoperative cerebral edema is common in patients with meningioma. It is of great clinical significance to predict the postoperative cerebral edema exacerbation (CEE) for the development of individual treatment programs in patients with meningioma.

Objective

To evaluate the value of three-dimensional radiomics Features from Multi-Parameter MRI in predicting the postoperative CEE in patients with meningioma.

Methods

A total of 136 meningioma patients with complete clinical and radiological data were collected for this retrospective study, and they were randomly divided into primary and validation cohorts. Three-dimensional radiomics features were extracted from multisequence MR images, and then screened through Wilcoxon rank sum test, elastic net and recursive feature elimination algorithms. A radiomics signature was established based support vector machine method. By combining clinical with the radiomics signature, a clin-radiomics combined model was constructed for individual CEE prediction.

Results

Three significance radiomics features were selected to construct a radiomics signature, with areas under the curves (AUCs) of 0.86 and 0.800 in the primary and validation cohorts, respectively. Two clinical characteristics (peritumoral edema and tumor size) and radiomics signature were determined to establish the clin-radiomics combined model, with an AUC of 0.91 in the primary cohort and 0.83 in the validation cohort. The clin-radiomics combined model showed good discrimination, calibration, and clinically useful for postoperative CEE prediction.

Conclusions

By integrating clinical characteristics with radiomics signature, the clin-radiomics combined model could assist in postoperative CEE prediction before surgery, and provide a basis for surgical treatment decisions in patients with meningioma.
A Novel Immune-Related Prognostic Biomarker and Target Associated With Malignant Progression of Glioma
Authors: Zhang Yu , Yang Xin , Zhu Xiao-Lin , Wang Zhuang-Zhuang , Bai Hao , Zhang Jun-Jie , Hao Chun-Yan , Duan Hu-Bin
Published: April 2021

Background

Glioma is one of the most common malignancies in the central nervous system and has limited effective therapeutic options. Therefore, we sought to identify a suitable target for immunotherapy.

Materials and Methods

We screened prognostic genes for glioma in the CGGA database and GSE43378 dataset using survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, independent prognostic analysis, and clinical correlation analysis. The results were intersected with immune genes from the ImmPort database through Venn diagrams to obtain likely target genes. The target genes were validated as prognostically relevant immune genes for glioma using survival, ROC curve, independent prognostic, and clinical correlation analyses in samples from the CGGA database and GSE43378 dataset, respectively. We also constructed a nomogram using statistically significant glioma prognostic factors in the CGGA samples and verified their sensitivity and specificity with ROC curves. The functions, pathways, and co-expression-related genes for the glioma target genes were assessed using PPI networks, enrichment analysis, and correlation analysis. The correlation between target gene expression and immune cell infiltration in glioma and the relationship with the survival of glioma patients were investigated using the TIMER database. Finally, target gene expression in normal brain, low-grade glioma, and high-grade glioma tissues was detected using immunohistochemical staining.

Results

We identified TNFRSF12A as the target gene. Satisfactory results from survival, ROC curve, independent prognosis, and clinical correlation analyses in the CGGA and GSE43378 samples verified that TNFRSF12A was significantly associated with the prognosis of glioma patients. A nomogram was constructed using glioma prognostic correlates, including TNFRSF12A expression, primary-recurrent-secondary (PRS) type, grade, age, chemotherapy, IDH mutation, and 1p19q co-deletion in CGGA samples with an AUC value of 0.860, which illustrated the accuracy of the prognosis prediction. The results of the TIMER analysis validated the significant correlation of TNFRSF12A with immune cell infiltration and glioma survival. The immunohistochemical staining results verified the progressive up-regulation of TNFRSF12A expression in normal brain, low-grade glioma, and high-grade glioma tissues.

Conclusion

We concluded that TNFRSF12A was a viable prognostic biomarker and a potential immunotherapeutic target for glioma.