bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Importância da engenharia de custos no orçamento de um projeto de construção civil
Authors: Silva Jose Regis Ferreira da , Coelho Francisco Guilherme de Araújo , Leitão Filho Antonio Carlos , Oliveira Joel Prado , Saldanha Norony Rocha , Frota Samuel Cruz , Torres José Nathan Pereira , Rodrigues Anderson Sousa , Gomes Mikael Gustavo Farias , Prado Lumara Rodrigues
Published: December 2022

Objetivou-se avaliar a importância da elaboração de um plano de custos dentro da construção civil com intuito de evitar prejuízos futuros nas obras e maximizar o lucro dos clientes. Dessa forma, uma avaliação acerca dos custos que mais oneram os projetos de construção civil foi realizada para se chegar à raiz do problema. Qualquer falha na execução de um projeto pode acarretar em gastos que não estavam previstos, daí a importância de um planejamento eficiente. A metodologia foi baseada em uma revisão sistemática. Os resultados apontam que é necessário conhecer o conceito e aplicabilidade dos custos, compreendendo que são vários os itens indispensáveis numa obra que devem ser levados em consideração, principalmente o preço dos materiais e mão de obra qualificada, visando sempre a viabilidade financeira e qualidade do serviço ofertado, levando lucro aos construtores e mostrando que pode ser feito um projeto de excelência que atenda às necessidades dos clientes. Através dos recursos disponibilizados é possível projetar com maior precisão a finalização da obra, pois é desafiador entregar um projeto compatível com a ideia inicial, em virtude dos aditivos presentes nas obras. Dessa forma, devido ao alto preço dos insumos torna-se extremamente relevante a adoção de medidas que promovam a redução orçamentária das construções civis, como por exemplo o planejamento financeiro acerca dos custos fixos e variáveis além da avaliação constante de fornecedores, buscando sempre o equilíbrio adequado entre os gastos, qualidade do serviço ofertado e tempo.
Papel da enfermagem no cuidado a mulheres profissionais do sexo
Authors: Pontes Alice Fonseca , Paixão Talita Bianca Lima da , Santos João Victor Barbosa dos , Rodrigues Natália Almeida , Bastos Maria Eduarda da Silva , Santos Amanda Monteiro dos , Araújo Sanmyra Lopes , Estelita Rafaela Ribeiro de Oliveira , Monteiro Simone Fernandes , Andrade Ângela Roberta Lessa de
Published: December 2022

Viu-se a necessidade de explanar o papel da enfermagem no cuidado e a atenção integral voltada para as profissionais do sexo, a fim de se diminuir riscos e malefícios para saúde dessas mulheres, tendo como objetivo descrever sobre a atenção integral voltada para mulheres profissionais do sexo e o papel da enfermagem no cuidado a esta população. Os dados foram colhidos de 13 artigos filtrados na BVS em duas bases de dados: LILACS e a BDENF acerca das mulheres profissionais do sexo. Foram utilizados o NANDA edição 2018-2020 e o NIC 6º Edição para realização dos Diagnósticos de Enfermagem e intervenções. Os resultados obtidos relatam que o perfil sociodemográfico dessa população colabora para o negligenciamento, pois trata-se em grande parte de mulheres negras cisgenero e/ou transsexuais, com baixo nível de escolaridade, integrantes de classe sociais menos abastadas e financeiramente instáveis, além disso, comumente encontram obstáculos por estas no acesso à saúde. Soma-se ainda a questão atual da pandemia causada pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2 que tornou mais difícil a atuação profissional dessas mulheres, agravando ainda mais a situação de vulnerabilidade. A partir dos Diagnósticos do NANDA-I e das intervenções do NIC, é possível guiar um cuidado de enfermagem integral, equânime e eficiente para esse público.É fundamental que a enfermagem desenvolva um olhar holístico, desprendido de preconceitos para desenvolver um cuidado que atenda às necessidades humanas básicas das profissionais do sexo, com a prestação de serviço pautada na ética profissional, aliada ao respeito e responsabilidade para com estas mulheres.
Métodos de encapsulamento de fungos entomopatogênicos para sua aplicação no controle biológico
Authors: Celestino Matheus Felipe , Oliveira João Arthur dos Santos
Published: December 2022

Atualmente a proteção das lavouras tem sido realizada utilizando agrotóxicos, entretanto, a utilização inadequada e os longos períodos de exposição desses produtos têm causado uma série de problemas ao meio ambiente e à saúde humana. O controle biológico, mais especificamente empregando os fungos entomopatogênicos, surge como uma alternativa eficaz e eco-friendly aos agrotóxicos, porém, esses microrganismos são altamente sensíveis à algumas condições ambientais, como a variação de temperatura e luz ultravioleta. Assim, alguns métodos de encapsulamento têm sido desenvolvidos para proteger os fungos contra esses fatores. Para compreender a respeito desses métodos, neste trabalho, realizamos uma revisão da literatura abordando algumas técnicas de encapsulamento de fungos entomopatogênicos para sua aplicação no controle biológico. Os materiais de revestimento utilizados no encapsulamento são os polímeros sintéticos (poliuretano, poliacrilato e álcool polivinílico) ou naturais (alginato, amido, celulose, gelatina, entre outros). O material selecionado deve formar uma proteção estável, inerte, resistente e capaz de liberar o conteúdo no tempo e nas condições ideais. Dentre as técnicas para encapsulamento de fungos entomopatogênicos, podemos destacar a Gelificação térmica, Gelificação iônica, spray-drying, Coacervação e LentiKats®. Encapsulados de Trichoderma harzianum por meio da gelificação iônica e de Beauveria bassiana por gelificação iônica e spray-drying já foram relatados com sucesso. No geral, as técnicas de encapsulamento protegem os fungos contra os fatores ambientais e aumentam a eficiência e a viabilidade desses microrganismos no campo.
Procesos de empoderamiento espacial de mujeres en la agroecología urbana en Bogotá
Authors: Hoinle Birgit
Published: December 2022

¿De qué manera configuran los huertos urbanos lugares para el empoderamiento de grupos excluidos? ¿De qué forma contribuyen a que las mujeres de las periferias urbanas se empoderen de nuevos espacios y roles? Este capítulo analiza el potencial emancipatorio de la agroecología urbana en el caso de Bogotá (Colombia) y sus alrededores, la Sabana de Bogotá. El análisis está basado en un proceso de investigación-acción participativa realizado entre 2014 y 2017 con grupos agroecológicos y circuitos agroalimentarios que conectan el campo con la ciudad. Partiendo de un marco teórico de la geografía crítica y feminista, el capítulo desarrolla una teoría de empoderamiento espacial y la conecta con ejemplos empíricos. El capítulo destaca el potencial de la economía solidaria practicada dentro de la agroecología para desencadenar procesos de empoderamiento espacial y discute tanto los factores que contribuyen como los que frenan estas potencialidades.

In which way do urban gardens form places for empowerment of excluded groups? Does the organization in agroecological networks open up new spaces and roles for women? This chapter explores the emancipatory potential of urban agroecology in the case of Bogotá (Colombia) and its surrounding region called Sabana de Bogotá. The analysis is based on a process of participatory action-reasearch, conducted between 2014 and 2017 with agroecological groups and networks of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that link countryside with the city. Combining conceptual perspectives of critical and feminist geography, this chapter develops a theory of spatial empowerment and connects it with the empirical work. Highlighting the potential of solidarity economy within the movement of urban agroecology to unfold spatial empowerment this study elaborates the factors which favor and hinder this kind of processes.
The Relationship among socioeconomic status, attitude towards science, school climate and students' science achievement: A cross-country comparison of TIMSS: A cross-country comparison of TIMSS 2019
Authors:   Faculty of Education, İstanbul Medipol University, Turkey, Kaya Metin
Published: December 2022

Students’ socioeconomic status, school climate, and students’ attitudes stand out as important factors that determine academic achievement. The current study investigated the relationship among socioeconomic status, attitude towards science, school climate, and academic achievement comparatively in terms of countries. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 data from Turkey, United Kingdom, and Singapore were used for comparison. The study adopted a correlation design for each comparison. The participants were eighth grade students from these three countries. The data were analyzed with Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and hierarchical multiple regression. The Singapore sample had an auto-correlation problem, so it was not included in the regression analysis. Socioeconomic status explained 16.6% and attitude towards science explained 9.8% of the change in the academic achievement in the United Kingdom sample while these values were 21.9% and 14.4% for the Turkey sample, respectively. The sub-dimensions of the independent variable were also examined in the study. One the most important factors associated with students’ academic achievement in Turkey is their socioeconomic status. In this sense, the limitations of students in their access to home resources for learning are reflected negatively to their academic performance.
Editorial
Authors:   College of Education, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sexton Steven S.
Published: December 2022

Editorial, Volume 33, Issue 4, 2022
Aktivitas Antibakteri Ekstrak Etanolik Daun Jeruk (Citrus nobilis, Citrus sinensis, dan Citrus maxima) Terhadap Bakteri Staphylococcus aureus dan Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Ifandari  , Nuryandani Einstivina
Published: December 2022

Bakteri Staphylococcus aureus dan Pseudomonas aeruginosa dapat menjadi patogen pada manusia. Bakteri ini diketahui bersifat resisten terhadap antibiotik tertentu. Salah satu bahan alam yang berpotensi memiliki aktivitas antibakteri sebagai alternatif penggunaan antibiotik adalah daun jeruk. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui daya hambat ekstrak daun jeruk dari tiga jenis jeruk (Citrus nobilis, Citrus sinensis, and Citrus maxima) terhadap pertumbuhan bakteri S. aureus dan P. aeruginosa. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode difusi cakram kertas (paper disk) dengan persentase 12,5%, 25%, dan 50% ekstrak yang dilarutkan dalam karboksimetil selulosa (CMC) 2%. Kontrol negatif menggunakan CMC 2%, sedangkan kontrol positif menggunakan antibiotik siprofloksasin. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa aktifitas antibakteri ketiga macam ekstrak berbeda signifikan dengan kontrol negatif, namun aktifitas antara ketiga macam ekstrak daun jeruk tidak berbeda secara signifikan. Ekstrak daun C. nobilis dengan konsentrasi 50% memiliki aktivitas antibakteri S. aureus relatif lebih tinggi dibandingkan kedua ekstrak daun jeruk yang lain, sedangkan pada bakteri P. aeruginosa aktivitas antibakteri ekstrak daun C. maxima relatif lebih tinggi daripada ekstrak daun jeruk yang lain. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak daun jeruk dari C. nobilis, C. sinensis, dan C. maxima memiliki daya hambat terhadap pertumbuhan S. aureus dan P. aeruginosa.Bakteri Staphylococcus aureus dan Pseudomonas aeruginosa dapat menjadi patogen pada manusia. Bakteri ini diketahui bersifat resisten terhadap antibiotik tertentu. Salah satu bahan alam yang berpotensi memiliki aktivitas antibakteri sebagai alternatif penggunaan antibiotik adalah daun jeruk. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui daya hambat ekstrak daun jeruk dari tiga jenis jeruk (Citrus nobilis, Citrus sinensis, and Citrus maxima) terhadap pertumbuhan bakteri S. aureus dan P. aeruginosa. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode difusi cakram kertas (paper disk) dengan persentase 12,5%, 25%, dan 50% ekstrak yang dilarutkan dalam karboksimetil selulosa (CMC) 2%. Kontrol negatif menggunakan CMC 2%, sedangkan kontrol positif menggunakan antibiotik siprofloksasin. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa aktifitas antibakteri ketiga macam ekstrak berbeda signifikan dengan kontrol negatif, namun aktifitas antara ketiga macam ekstrak daun jeruk tidak berbeda secara signifikan. Ekstrak daun C. nobilis dengan konsentrasi 50% memiliki aktivitas antibakteri S. aureus relatif lebih tinggi dibandingkan kedua ekstrak daun jeruk yang lain, sedangkan pada bakteri P. aeruginosa aktivitas antibakteri ekstrak daun C. maxima relatif lebih tinggi daripada ekstrak daun jeruk yang lain. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak daun jeruk dari C. nobilis, C. sinensis, dan C. maxima memiliki daya hambat terhadap pertumbuhan S. aureus dan P. aeruginosa.
The Teacher-Student Chatroom Corpus version 2: more lessons, new annotation, automatic detection of sequence shifts
Authors: Caines Andrew , Yannakoudakis Helen , Allen Helen , Pérez-Paredes Pascual , Byrne Bill , Buttery Paula
Published: December 2022

The first version of the Teacher-Student Chatroom Corpus (TSCC) was released in 2020 and contained 102 chatroom dialogues between 2 teachers and 8 learners of English, amounting to 13.5K conversational turns and 133K word tokens. In this second version of the corpus, we release an additional 158 chatroom dialogues, amounting to an extra 27.9K conversational turns and 230K word tokens. In total there are now 260 chatroom lessons, 41.4K conversational turns and 363K word tokens, involving 2 teachers and 13 students with seven different first languages. The content of the lessons was, as before, guided by the teacher, and the proficiency level of the learners is judged to range from B1 to C2 on the CEFR scale. Annotation of the dialogue continued with conversational analysis of sequence types, pedagogical focus, and correction of grammatical errors. In addition, we have annotated fifty of the dialogues using the Self-Evaluation of Teacher Talk framework which is intended for self-reflection on interactional aspects of language teaching. Finally, we conducted machine learning experiments to automatically detect shifts in discourse sequences from turn to turn, using modern transfer learning methods with large pretrained language models. The TSCC v2 is freely available for research use.
Generating and authoring high-variability exercises from authentic texts
Authors: Heck Tanja , Meurers Detmar
Published: December 2022

Integrating adaptivity into Task-Based Language Teaching requires exercises that transmit a specific content but whose complexity is adjusted to the learner’s level. Thus, exercises of varying complexity based on the same text are needed. Revising generated exercise variants is time consuming and redundant where the same underlying linguistic annotations can be used for exercise generation. We present a fully implemented approach to generate generalized exercise specifications as an interim step before turning them into concrete exercises, as well as an interface for efficient reviewing of the specifications.
Predicting genetic interactions, cell line dependencies and drug sensitivities with variational graph auto-encoder
Authors: Gervits Asia , Sharan Roded
Published: December 2022

Large scale cancer genomics data provide crucial information about the disease and reveal points of intervention. However, systematic data have been collected in specific cell lines and their collection is laborious and costly. Hence, there is a need to develop computational models that can predict such data for any genomic context of interest. Here we develop novel models that build on variational graph auto-encoders and can integrate diverse types of data to provide high quality predictions of genetic interactions, cell line dependencies and drug sensitivities, outperforming previous methods. Our models, data and implementation are available at: https://github.com/aijag/drugGraphNet.
Biomechanical consequences of cement discoplasty: An in vitro study on thoraco-lumbar human spines
Authors: Techens Chloé , Montanari Sara , Bereczki Ferenc , Eltes Peter Endre , Lazary Aron , Cristofolini Luca
Published: December 2022

With the ageing of the population, there is an increasing need for minimally invasive spine surgeries to relieve pain and improve quality of life. Percutaneous Cement Discoplasty is a minimally invasive technique to treat advanced disc degeneration, including vacuum phenomenon. The present study aimed to develop an in vitro model of percutaneous cement discoplasty to investigate its consequences on the spine biomechanics in comparison with the degenerated condition. Human spinal segments (n = 27) were tested at 50% body weight in flexion and extension. Posterior disc height, range of motion, segment stiffness, and strains were measured using Digital Image Correlation. The cement distribution was also studied on CT scans. As main result, percutaneous cement discoplasty restored the posterior disc height by 41% for flexion and 35% for extension. Range of motion was significantly reduced only in flexion by 27%, and stiffness increased accordingly. The injected cement volume was 4.56 ± 1.78 ml (mean ± SD). Some specimens (n = 7) exhibited cement perforation of one endplate. The thickness of the cement mass moderately correlated with the posterior disc height and range of motion with different trends for flexions vs. extension. Finally, extreme strains on the discs were reduced by percutaneous cement discoplasty, with modified patterns of the distribution. To conclude, this study supported clinical observations in term of recovered disc height close to the foramen, while percutaneous cement discoplasty helped stabilize the spine in flexion and did not increase the risk of tissue damage in the annulus.
The role of retinal Müller cells in diabetic retinopathy and related therapeutic advances
Authors: Yang Shuo , Qi Shounan , Wang Chenguang
Published: December 2022

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a significant complication of diabetes. During the pathogenesis of retinal microangiopathy and neuronopathy, activated retinal Müller cells (RMCs) undergo morphological and structural changes such as increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, disturbance of potassium and water transport regulation, and onset of production of a large number of inflammatory and vascular growth factors as well as chemokines. Evidently, activated RMCs are necessary for the pathogenesis of DR; therefore, exploring the role of RMCs in DR may provide a new target for the treatment thereof. This article reviews the mechanism of RMCs involvement in DR and the progress in related treatments.
1D micro-nanopatterned integrin ligand surfaces for directed cell movement
Authors: Levario-Diaz Victoria , Alvarado Rebecca Elizabeth , Rodriguez-Quinteros Cristina Marcela , Fink Andreas , Christian Joel , Feng Wenqian , Cavalcanti-Adam Elisabetta Ada
Published: December 2022

Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion mediated by integrins is a highly regulated process involved in many vital cellular functions such as motility, proliferation and survival. However, the influence of lateral integrin clustering in the coordination of cell front and rear dynamics during cell migration remains unresolved. For this purpose, we describe a novel protocol to fabricate 1D micro-nanopatterned stripes by integrating the block copolymer micelle nanolithography (BCMNL) technique and maskless near UV lithography-based photopatterning. The photopatterned 10 μm-wide stripes consist of a quasi-perfect hexagonal arrangement of gold nanoparticles, decorated with the RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartate) motif for single integrin heterodimer binding, and placed at a distance of 50, 80, and 100 nm to regulate integrin clustering and focal adhesion dynamics. By employing time-lapse microscopy and immunostaining, we show that the displacement and speed of fibroblasts changes according to the nanoscale spacing of adhesion sites. We found that as the lateral spacing of adhesive peptides increased, fibroblast morphology was more elongated. This was accompanied by a decreased formation of mature focal adhesions and stress fibers, which increased cell displacement and speed. These results provide new insights into the migratory behavior of fibroblasts in 1D environments and our protocol offers a new platform to design and manufacture confined environments in 1D for integrin-mediated cell adhesion.
Optimal planting density of Agave for maximising aboveground biomass: A systematic literature review
Authors: Crawford William , Tan Daniel K. Y. , Van Ogtrop Floris
Published: December 2022

There are hundreds of species of Agaves found globally in natural and anthropogenic systems. Agaves are used to produce fibres, alcoholic beverages like tequila, and in biofuel production. The objectives of this study were to assess the research available into Agave planting density and to use PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) to suggest an optimum planting density for the highest dry aboveground productivity. Background research into Agave planting densities found little data on the effect of planting density on biomass production, with most studies focusing on other independent variables affecting productivity. There were 13 data points included in the analysis. The meta-analysis suggested that the optimal planting density of Agave is approximately 2,600 plants ha−1, which provides optimal dry aboveground biomass of 28.8 Mg ha−1 yr−1. These findings provide a framework for further experimentation in Australian conditions using a Nelder design density experiment to ground-truth the meta-analysis.
Performance evaluation and clinical validation of optimized nucleotide MALDI-TOF-MS for mycobacterial identification
Authors: Li Baiying , Zhu Chi , Sun Lifang , Dong Hang , Sun Yaping , Cao Shangzhi , Zhen Libo , Qi Qi , Zhang Quanquan , Mo Ting , Wang Huijie , Qiu Meihua , Song Chao , Cai Qingshan
Published: December 2022

Objective

To evaluate the performance and validate the diagnostic value of a nucleotide matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) with the analysis process optimized in identification of mycobacterium species.

Methods

The optimized analysis process was used for mycobacterial identification in the nucleic MALDI-TOF-MS. 108 samples were used for assessing the performance of nucleic MALDI-TOF-MS, including 25 reference standards, 37 clinical isolates, 37 BALF, and 9 plasmids. The BALF of 38 patients suspected of pulmonary mycobacterial infection was collected for validation. Clinical etiological diagnosis was used as the gold standard to evaluate the diagnostic value of nucleotide MALDI-TOF-MS.

Results

The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the nucleotide MALDI-TOF-MS in mycobacterial identification were 96.91%, 100% and 97.22%, respectively, and the limit of detection for mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) was 50 bacteria/mL. Among 38 patients suspected of pulmonary mycobacterial infection, 33 were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis infection, and 5 with non-mycobacterial infection. In clinical validation, the positive rates of MALDI-TOF-MS, Xpert MTB/RIF, culture and AFS in BALF of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis infection were 72.7%, 63.6%, 54.5% and 27.3%, respectively. The sensitivity/specificity of MALDI-TOF-MS, Xpert, culture and AFS in diagnosing MTB were 72.7%/100%, 63.6%/100%, 54.5%/100%, 27.3%/100%, with the areas under the curve of 0.864, 0.818, 0.773, and 0.636, respectively.

Conclusion

Optimized nucleotide MALDI-TOF-MS has satisfactory sensitivity, specificity and low LOD in the identification of mycobacteria, which may serve as a potential assay for mycobacterial identification.
Effect of alirocumab and evolocumab on all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular events: A meta-analysis focusing on the number needed to treat
Authors: Wang Hong-Fei , Mao Yu-Cheng , Xu Xin-Yi , Zhao Si-Yu , Han Dan-Dan , Ge Shi-Yao , Song Kai , Geng Chang , Tian Qing-Bao
Published: December 2022

Aims

The efficacy of anti-proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) monoclonal antibodies in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effect of PCSK9 inhibitors (alirocumab and evolocumab) on ASCVD patients considering the number needed to treat (NNT).

Methods

We reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which compared the effects of alirocumab or evolocumab and placebo or standards of care. All articles were published in English up to May 2022. Using random effect models, we estimated risk ratios (RRs), NNT, and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

We incorporated 12 RCTs with 53 486 patients total, of which 27 674 received PCSK9 inhibitors and 25 812 received placebos. The mean follow-up duration was 1.56 years. The effect of PCSK9 inhibitors on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was statistically significant, and the corresponding mean NNT was 36. Alirocumab reduced the risk of MACE, stroke, and coronary revascularization; the corresponding mean NNT were 37, 319, and 107, respectively. Evolocumab positively affected MACE, myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary revascularization; the corresponding mean NNT were 32, 78, 267, and 65, respectively. The effects of alirocumab or evolocumab on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

This study suggests that preventing one patient from MACE needed to treat 36 patients with ASCVD with PCSK9 inhibitors for 1.56 years. Both alirocumab and evolocumab reduced MACE, stroke, and coronary revascularization. Evolocumab had a positive effect on myocardial infarction, but no effects were noted for alirocumab. In addition, alirocumab may not be as effective as evolocumab. NNT visualizes the magnitude of efficacy to assist in clinical decisions.

Systematic review registration

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=344908], identifier [CRD42022344908].
Psychological burden predicts new-onset diabetes in men: A longitudinal observational study in the Fukushima Health Management Survey after the Great East Japan earthquake
Authors: Hirai Hiroyuki , Nagao Masanori , Ohira Tetsuya , Maeda Masaharu , Okazaki Kanako , Nakano Hironori , Hayashi Fumikazu , Harigane Mayumi , Suzuki Yuriko , Takahashi Atsushi , Sakai Akira , Kazama Junichiro J. , Hosoya Mitsuaki , Yabe Hirooki , Yasumura Seiji , Ohto Hitoshi , Kamiya Kenji , Shimabukuro Michio
Published: December 2022

Background

The burden of psychological distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been suggested as a factor in developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, longitudinal features in psychological distress- and PTSD-related new-onset diabetes mellitus have not been thoroughly evaluated.

Methods

The association between probable depression and probable PTSD and the risk of developing new-onset diabetes mellitus was evaluated in a 7-year prospective cohort of evacuees of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Probable depression was defined as a Kessler 6 scale (K6) ≥ 13 and probable PTSD as a PTSD Checklist—Stressor-Specific Version (PCL-S) ≥ 44.

Results

The log-rank test for the Kaplan–Meier curve for new-onset diabetes mellitus was significant between K6 ≥ 13 vs. < 13 and PCL-S ≥ 44 vs. < 44 in men but not in women. In men, both K6 ≥ 13 and PCL-S ≥ 44 remained significant in the Cox proportional hazards model after multivariate adjustment for established risk factors and disaster-related factors, including evacuation, change in work situation, sleep dissatisfaction, and education.

Conclusion

The post-disaster psychological burden of probable depression and probable PTSD was related to new-onset diabetes in men but not in women. In post-disaster circumstances, prevention strategies for new-onset diabetes might consider sex differences in terms of psychological burden.
Individualized medical treatment options in Cushing disease
Authors: Gilis-Januszewska Aleksandra , Bogusławska Anna , Rzepka Ewelina , Ziaja Witold , Hubalewska-Dydejczyk Alicja
Published: December 2022

Cushing disease (CD) is caused by a pituitary tumor which oversecretes adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). It is a serious endocrine disease associated with increased mortality and impaired quality of life. The management of CD remains challenging. Although transsphenoidal surgery is the treatment of choice in most cases, in approximately half of CD patients, second or third-line treatment options are needed. Currently, new medical therapies are available which target adrenal steroidogenesis, pituitary somatostatin and dopamine receptors, and glucocorticoid receptors. Selection of which medication to use should be individualized and is determined by many factors including severity of the disease, possible side effects, patients preferences and local availability. The aim of this article is to describe currently available medical therapy to help clinicians individualize the treatment options in the context of recently updated Pituitary Society recommendations.
A systematic review of lived experiences of people with polycystic ovary syndrome highlights the need for holistic care and co-creation of educational resources
Authors: Lau Gar Mun , Elghobashy Mirna , Thanki Mansi , Ibegbulam Shirley , Latthe Pallavi , Gillett Caroline D. T. , O’Reilly Michael W. , Arlt Wiebke , Lindenmeyer Antje , Kempegowda Punith ,   PCOS SEva Working Group
Published: December 2022

Introduction

PCOS-related literature is mostly dominated by the medical perspective. However, the condition’s lifelong, far reaching, and multifaceted impacts highlight the importance to gain the perspectives from those with PCOS. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to explore the current literatures and gaps around the experiences and perceptions of those living with PCOS

Method

A comprehensive search of seven electronic databases was conducted between July and October 2021. A total 34 from 1615 screened articles were included in this systematic review and subsequently coded using NVivo 12 software. The quality of individual studies was assessed by adaptation to the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) quality assessment tool.

Results

Five domains were generated from the data: Signs/Symptoms, Diagnosis, Management, Perceptions, Resources and Improving Outcomes. Dissatisfaction surrounding the experience of diagnosis was common. Concerns surrounded perceived lack of knowledge from healthcare professionals and delays in diagnosis. Individual studies on adults and adolescents shared similar feelings. The consensus was found to be that current management was vague and generalised. Symptoms such as hirsutism, obesity, irregular menstruation challenge personal and societal expectations of femininity. Online PCOS resources are popular amongst those with PCOS but most of them lack evidence. A call for more culturally specific resources was found to be common ground amongst those with PCOS.

Conclusion

Overall dissatisfaction amongst adults and adolescents regarding their diagnostic journey of PCOS. Tailored and culturally specific PCOS advice and management is necessary and can be achieved through co-creation of resources between healthcare professionals and those with PCOS.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42021272371.
Synthesis of perovskite-type high-entropy oxides as potential candidates for oxygen evolution
Authors: Schweidler Simon , Tang Yushu , Lin Ling , Karkera Guruprakash , Alsawaf Alaa , Bernadet Lucile , Breitung Ben , Hahn Horst , Fichtner Maximilian , Tarancón Albert , Botros Miriam
Published: December 2022

High-entropy materials offer a wide range of possibilities for synthesizing new functional ceramics for different applications. Many synthesis methods have been explored to achieve a single-phase structure incorporating several different elements, yet a comparison between the synthesis methods is crucial to identify the new dimension such complex ceramics bring to material properties. As known for ceramic materials, the synthesis procedure usually has a significant influence on powder morphology, elemental distribution, particle size and powder processability. Properties that need to be tailored according to specific applications. Therefore, in this study perovskite-type high-entropy materials (Gd0.2La0.2–xSrxNd0.2Sm0.2Y0.2) (Co0.2Cr0.2Fe0.2Mn0.2Ni0.2)O3 (x = 0 and x = 0.2) are synthesized for the first time using mechanochemical synthesis and a modified Pechini method. The comparison of different syntheses allows, not only tailoring of the constituent elements of high-entropy materials, but also to optimize the synthesis method as needed to overcome limitations of conventional ceramics. To exploit the novel materials for a variety of energy applications, their catalytic activity for oxygen evolution reaction was characterized. This paves the way for their integration into, e.g., regenerative fuel cells and metal air batteries.
Influential factors of urinary arsenic levels in the population residing close to one heavy-industrial area in Taiwan - A case study
Authors: Kaewlaoyoong Acharee , Huang Shih-Ting , Wang Shu-Li , Sun Chien-Wen , Chen Jia-Jen , Kuo Chao-Hung , Hung Chih-Hsing , Chen Szu-Chia , Liang Ching-Chao , Tsai Hsiao-Wen , Wu Chia-Fang , Lin Wen-Yi , Wu Ming-Tsang
Published: December 2022

The public in southwestern Taiwan’s Kaohsiung City have expressed concern over risk of arsenic (As) to people living in six villages of that city nearby a coastal heavy-industrial area. To investigate, we first analyzed urinary total As (TAs) levels in 328 adult subjects from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan in 2005-2008 (NAHSIT 2005-8). We found the top three highest median urinary TAs levels in residents from the Penghu islands (150.90 µg/L, n = 21) and the upper northern region (78.04 µg/L, n = 56) and the southern region (75.21 µg/L, n = 33) of Taiwan. Then, urinary TAs levels in 1,801 and 1,695 voluntary adult residents of the above-mentioned six villages in 2016 and 2018 respectively were compared with those from the top three highest TAs levels of NAHSIT 2005-8. Median urinary As levels were 84.60 µg/L in 2016 and 73.40 µg/L in 2018, similar to those in the southern region of Taiwan, but far below those in the Penghu islands (p < 0.05). Finally, in 2020, we interviewed 116 healthy adult residents from the same six villages and analyzed one-spot urine samples of total inorganic-related As (TiAs), a summation of As3+, As5+, monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid. Subjects consuming seafood 2 days before urine sampling (n = 15) were significantly higher TiAs levels than those not (n = 101, p = 0.028). These findings suggest that seafood consumption is probably the main source of urinary TAs and TiAs in people residing close to that coastal heavy-industrial area.
Prognostic implications of necroptosis-related long noncoding RNA signatures in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Jiang Kan , Wu Lingyun , Yin Xin , Tang Qiuying , Yin Jie , Zhou Ziyang , Yu Hao , Yan Senxiang
Published: December 2022

Background: Bladder cancer (BLCA) is the sixth most common cancer in men, with an increasing incidence of morbidity and mortality. Necroptosis is a type of programmed cell death and plays a critical role in the biological processes of bladder cancer (BLCA). However, current studies focusing on long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and necroptosis in cancer are limited, and there is no research about necroptosis-related lncRNAs (NRLs) in BLCA.

Methods: We obtained the RNA-seq data and corresponding clinical information of BLCA from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The seven determined prognostic NLRs were analyzed by several methods and verified by RT-qPCR. Then, a risk signature was established based on the aforementioned prognostic NLRs. To identify it, we evaluated its prognostic value by Kaplan–Meier (K-M) survival curve and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. Moreover, the relationships between risk signature and clinical features, functional enrichment, immune landscape, and drug resistance were explored as well.

Results: We constructed a signature based on seven defined NLRs (HMGA2-AS1, LINC02489, ETV7-AS1, EMSLR, AC005954.1, STAG3L5P-PVRIG2P-PILRB, and LINC02178). Patients in the low-risk cohort had longer survival times than those in the high-risk cohort, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of risk signature was higher than other clinical variables. Functional analyses, the infiltrating level of immune cells and functions, ESTIMATE score, and immune checkpoint analysis all indicated that the high-risk group was in a relatively immune-activated state. In terms of treatments, patients in the high-risk group were more sensitive to immunotherapy, especially anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapy and conventional chemotherapy.

Conclusion: The novel NLR signature acts as an invaluable tool for predicting prognosis, immune microenvironment, and drug resistance in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients.
Prediction of potential small molecule−miRNA associations based on heterogeneous network representation learning
Authors: Li Jianwei , Lin Hongxin , Wang Yinfei , Li Zhiguang , Wu Baoqin
Published: December 2022

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are closely associated with the occurrences and developments of many complex human diseases. Increasing studies have shown that miRNAs emerge as new therapeutic targets of small molecule (SM) drugs. Since traditional experiment methods are expensive and time consuming, it is particularly crucial to find efficient computational approaches to predict potential small molecule-miRNA (SM-miRNA) associations. Considering that integrating multi-source heterogeneous information related with SM-miRNA association prediction would provide a comprehensive insight into the features of both SMs and miRNAs, we proposed a novel model of Small Molecule-MiRNA Association prediction based on Heterogeneous Network Representation Learning (SMMA-HNRL) for more precisely predicting the potential SM-miRNA associations. In SMMA-HNRL, a novel heterogeneous information network was constructed with SM nodes, miRNA nodes and disease nodes. To access and utilize of the topological information of the heterogeneous information network, feature vectors of SM and miRNA nodes were obtained by two different heterogeneous network representation learning algorithms (HeGAN and HIN2Vec) respectively and merged with connect operation. Finally, LightGBM was chosen as the classifier of SMMA-HNRL for predicting potential SM-miRNA associations. The 10-fold cross validations were conducted to evaluate the prediction performance of SMMA-HNRL, it achieved an area under of ROC curve of 0.9875, which was superior to other three state-of-the-art models. With two independent validation datasets, the test experiment results revealed the robustness of our model. Moreover, three case studies were performed. As a result, 35, 37, and 22 miRNAs among the top 50 predicting miRNAs associated with 5-FU, cisplatin, and imatinib were validated by experimental literature works respectively, which confirmed the effectiveness of SMMA-HNRL. The source code and experimental data of SMMA-HNRL are available at https://github.com/SMMA-HNRL/SMMA-HNRL.
T cell exhaustion assessment algorism in tumor microenvironment predicted clinical outcomes and immunotherapy effects in glioma
Authors: Chen Lie , Fu Biao
Published: December 2022

Despite the recent increase in the use of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), no ICB medications have been approved or are undergoing large-scale clinical trials for glioma. T cells, the main mediators of adaptive immunity, are important components of the tumor immune microenvironment. Depletion of T cells in tumors plays a key role in assessing the sensitivity of patients to immunotherapy. In this study, the bioinformatics approach was applied to construct T cell depletion-related risk assessment to investigate the impact of T cell depletion on prognosis and ICB response in glioma patients. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE108474 glioma cohorts and IMvigor210 immunotherapy datasets were collected, including complete mRNA expression profiles and clinical information. We used cell lines to verify the gene expression and the R 3.6.3 tool and GraphPad for bioinformatics analysis and mapping. T cell depletion in glioma patients displayed significant heterogeneity. The T cell depletion-related prognostic model was developed based on seven prognostic genes (HSPB1, HOXD10, HOXA5, SEC61G, H19, ANXA2P2, HOXC10) in glioma. The overall survival of patients with a high TEXScore was significantly lower than that of patients with a low TEXScore. In addition, high TEXScore scores were followed by intense immune responses and a more complex tumor immune microenvironment. The “hot tumors” were predominantly enriched in the high-risk group, which patients expressed high levels of suppressive immune checkpoints, such as PD1, PD-L1, and TIM3. However, patients with a low TEXScore had a more significant clinical response to immunotherapy. In addition, HSPB1 expression was higher in the U251 cells than in the normal HEB cells. In conclusion, the TEXScore related to T cell exhaustion combined with other pathological profiles can effectively assess the clinical status of glioma patients. The TEXScore constructed in this study enables the effective assessment of the immunotherapy response of glioma patients and provides therapeutic possibilities.
High-dimensional intravital microscopy reveals major changes in splenic immune system during postnatal development
Authors: Porto-Pedrosa Maria Luiza Mundim , de Miranda Camila Dutra Moreira , Lopes Mateus Eustáquio , Nakagaki Brenda Naemi , Mafra Kassiana , de Paula Cristina Maria Pinto , Diniz Ariane Barros , Costa Karen Marques de Oliveira , Antunes Maisa Mota , Oliveira André Gustavo , Balderas Robert , Lopes Rodrigo Pestana , Menezes Gustavo Batista
Published: December 2022

Spleen is a key organ for immunologic surveillance, acting as a firewall for antigens and parasites that spread through the blood. However, how spleen leukocytes evolve across the developmental phase, and how they spatially organize and interact in vivo is still poorly understood. Using a novel combination of selected antibodies and fluorophores to image in vivo the spleen immune environment, we described for the first time the dynamics of immune development across postnatal period. We found that spleens from adults and infants had similar numbers and arrangement of lymphoid cells. In contrast, splenic immune environment in newborns is sharply different from adults in almost all parameters analysed. Using this in vivo approach, B cells were the most frequent subtype throughout the development. Also, we revealed how infections – using a model of malaria - can change the spleen immune profile in adults and infants, which could become the key to understanding different severity grades of infection. Our new imaging solutions can be extremely useful for different groups in all areas of biological investigation, paving a way for new intravital approaches and advances.
FCGR2C: An emerging immune gene for predicting sepsis outcome
Authors: Liu Si , Zhang Yao Lu , Zhang Lu Yao , Zhao Guang Ju , Lu Zhong Qiu
Published: December 2022

Background

Sepsis is a life-threatening disease associated with immunosuppression. Immunosuppression could ultimately increase sepsis mortality. This study aimed to identify the prognostic biomarkers related to immunity in sepsis.

Methods

Public datasets of sepsis downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were divided into the discovery cohort and the first validation cohort. We used R software to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and analyzed DEGs’ functional enrichment in the discovery dataset. Immune-related genes (IRGs) were filtered from the GeneCards website. A Lasso regression model was used to screen candidate prognostic genes from the intersection of DEGs and IRGs. Then, the candidate prognostic genes with significant differences were identified as prognostic genes in the first validation cohort. We further validated the expression of the prognostic genes in the second validation cohort of 81 septic patients recruited from our hospital. In addition, we used four immune infiltration methods (MCP-counter, ssGSEA, ImmuCellAI, and CIBERSORT) to analyze immune cell composition in sepsis. We also explored the correlation between the prognostic biomarker and immune cells.

Results

First, 140 genes were identified as prognostic-related immune genes from the intersection of DEGs and IRGs. We screened 18 candidate prognostic genes in the discovery cohort with the lasso regression model. Second, in the first validation cohort, we identified 4 genes (CFHR2, FCGR2C, GFI1, and TICAM1) as prognostic immune genes. Subsequently, we found that FCGR2C was the only gene differentially expressed between survivors and non-survivors in 81 septic patients. In the discovery and first validation cohorts, the AUC values of FCGR2C were 0.73 and 0.67, respectively. FCGR2C (AUC=0.84) had more value than SOFA (AUC=0.80) and APACHE II (AUC=0.69) in evaluating the prognosis of septic patients in our recruitment cohort. Moreover, FCGR2C may be closely related to many immune cells and functions, such as B cells, NK cells, neutrophils, cytolytic activity, and inflammatory promotion. Finally, enrichment analysis showed that FCGR2C was enriched in the phagosome signaling pathway.

Conclusion

FCGR2C could be an immune biomarker associated with prognosis, which may be a new direction of immunotherapy to reduce sepsis mortality.