bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Corneal Transplantation: A Report From the Italian Association of Eye Banks
Authors: Mencucci Rita , Cennamo Michela , Ponzin Diego , Genzano Besso Federico , Pocobelli Giulio , Buzzi Matilde , Nucci Carlo , Aiello Francesco
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To analyze the impact of COVID-19 on Italian corneal transplantation from March-2020 to February 2021 compared to the same timeframe of the 2 previous years, in order to identify potential consequences of a global pandemic on corneal procurement and transplantation services during this time.

Methods

This national, multicentric, retrospective cohort study evaluated data collected from 12 (100%) Italian eye banks from March 2020 to February 2021 (Group A). The number of tissues collected, distributed and discarded were compared with the same time-frame of the 2 previous years: 2019 and 2018 (group B and C, respectively). The different type of transplants performed were reported. Data were analyzed using a non-parametric Friedman test.

Results

Corneal procurement and the percentage of distributed tissues reduced in 2020 by more than 30 and 15%, respectively, compared to the 2 previous years. During the pandemic corneal transplant surgery showed only a modest drop: the number of the penetrating keratoplasties (PKs) and the anterior lamellar keratoplasties (ALKs) decreased by about 30 and 20% in comparison with groups B and C, respectively; between the Endothelial Keratoplasties (EKs), the Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) increased slightly from March 2020 to February 2021.

Conclusions

Italy was one of the first countries most affected by the outbreak of COVID-19, and the Italian government adopted severe measures to limit viral transmission. The pandemic generated several implications in corneal transplant activity during the first lockdown. Then an efficacious reaction with constant, vigorous work led to a resumption of transplant surgery to a near-normal standard. The increase of EKs, despite the pandemic, is a sign that the advance in corneal transplantation has gone ahead and it continues to evolve.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis From 2001 to 2021
Authors: Liu Shixu , Cui Xiangning , Xia Kun , Wang Dandan , Han Jing , Yao Xiaoyan , Liu Xiaohong , Bian Lingjie , Zhang Jinzhi , Li Guangxi
Published: March 2022

Background

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare syndrome first described by Rosen et al. in 1958. Despite our considerably evolved understanding of PAP over the past decades, no bibliometric studies have been reported on this field. We aimed to analyze and visualize the research hotspots and current trends of the PAP research field using a bibliometric analysis to help understand the future development of basic and clinical research.

Methods

The literature regarding PAP was culled from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Data were extracted from the relevant articles and visually analyzed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software.

Results

Nine hundred and nine qualifying articles were included in the analysis. Publications regarding PAP increased over time. These articles mainly come from 407 institutions of 57 countries. The leading countries were the USA and Japan. University of Cincinnati (USA) and Niigata University (Japan) featured the highest number of publications among all institutions. Bruce C Trapnell exerts a significant publication impact and has made the most outstanding contributions in the field of PAP. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology was the journal with the most publications, and American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine was the most commonly cited journal. All the top 5 co-cited journals belong to Q1. Keyword citation bursts revealed that inflammation, deficiency, tissue resident macrophage, classification, autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, sarcoidosis, gm csf, high resolution ct, and fetal monocyte were the emerging research hotspots.

Conclusion

Research on PAP is prosperous. International cooperation is also expected to deepen and strengthen in the future. Our results indicated that the etiology and pathogenesis of PAP, current and emerging therapies, especially the novel pathogenesis-based options will remain research hotspots in the future.
Alterations in Functional Network Topology Within Normal Hemispheres Contralateral to Anterior Circulation Steno-Occlusive Disease: A Resting-State BOLD Study
Authors: Wu Junjie , Nahab Fadi , Allen Jason W. , Hu Ranliang , Dehkharghani Seena , Qiu Deqiang
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this study was to assess spatially remote effects of hemodynamic impairment on functional network topology contralateral to unilateral anterior circulation steno-occlusive disease (SOD) using resting-state blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) imaging, and to investigate the relationships between network connectivity and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), a measure of hemodynamic stress. Twenty patients with unilateral, chronic anterior circulation SOD and 20 age-matched healthy controls underwent resting-state BOLD imaging. Five-minute standardized baseline BOLD acquisition was followed by acetazolamide infusion to measure CVR. The BOLD baseline was used to analyze network connectivity contralateral to the diseased hemispheres of SOD patients. Compared to healthy controls, reduced network degree (z-score = −1.158 ± 1.217, P < 0.001, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected), local efficiency (z-score = −1.213 ± 1.120, P < 0.001, FDR corrected), global efficiency (z-score = −1.346 ± 1.119, P < 0.001, FDR corrected), and enhanced modularity (z-score = 1.000 ± 1.205, P = 0.002, FDR corrected) were observed in the contralateral, normal hemispheres of SOD patients. Network degree (P = 0.089, FDR corrected; P = 0.027, uncorrected) and nodal efficiency (P = 0.089, FDR corrected; P = 0.045, uncorrected) showed a trend toward a positive association with CVR. The results indicate remote abnormalities in functional connectivity contralateral to the diseased hemispheres in patients with unilateral SOD, despite the absence of macrovascular disease or demonstrable hemodynamic impairment. The clinical impact of remote functional disruptions requires dedicated investigation but may portend far reaching consequence for even putatively unilateral cerebrovascular disease.
Immunoregulatory Effect of Preventive Supplementation of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in a Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I Model in Mice
Authors: Fernandes Paula Franson , Galassi Taynah de Oliveira , Horewicz Verônica Vargas , Salgado Afonso Shiguemi Inoue , Mack Josiel Mileno , Baldança Heloiza dos Santos , Ferreira da Silva Ana Paula , Bruehl Stephen , Bittencourt Edsel B. , Seim Lynsey A. , Martins Daniel Fernandes , Bobinski Franciane
Published: March 2022

Objective

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is usually triggered by trauma or a surgical procedure, and it typically becomes an established one after an intense inflammatory process with chronic pain and edema as the main symptoms. Available treatments for CRPS have low efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and immunoregulatory effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation on paw edema and anti- and pro-inflammatory cytokines and macrophage phenotypes in the chronic post-ischemia pain (CPIP) preclinical model of CRPS-Type I.

Methods

Female Swiss mice were supplemented with omega-3, corn oil, or saline and then submitted to the CPIP model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Supplementation was carried out for 30 days prior to and up to 2 or 15 days after the induction of CPIP, according to experimental protocols. The supplementation protocol included 1,500 mg/kg of omega-3 or corn oil through an intragastric route (gavage). Paw edema, interleukin- (IL-) 4, IL-10, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were then measured in the paw skin and muscle by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and macrophage phenotypes (M1 and M2) assessed in the paw muscle by Western blotting.

Results

The CPIP model induced an increase in paw thickness up to 72 h post-I/R. Mice supplemented with omega-3 compared to the saline group displayed reduced edema but neither altered skin IL-4 or skin and muscle TGF-β1, TNF, and MCP-1 concentrations, nor did they exhibit significantly altered muscle macrophage phenotype on the 2nd-day post-CPIP. However, omega-3 supplementation reversed the I/R-related reduction in IL-4 in the paw muscle compared to groups supplemented with saline and corn oil. Furthermore, omega-3 promoted the reduction of IL-10 levels in the paw skin, compared to animals with lesions supplemented with saline, until the 2nd-day post-CPIP. On the 15th day post-CPIP, IL-10 was significantly increased in the muscle of animals supplemented with omega-3 compared to the saline group.

Conclusion

The results suggest that omega-3 PUFA supplementation has anti-inflammatory effects in the CPIP model of CRPS-Type I, significantly reducing paw edema and regulating concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-10.
Gene Expression and Mutational Landscape in a PMEC Patient With Low to Intermediate-High Grade Transition
Authors: Dong Weijie , Zhu Bing , You Yan , Wang Bing , Fu Dan , Wang Daoxin , Li He , Li Changyi
Published: March 2022

Primary pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (PMEC) is a very rare form of lung carcinoma. Due to the low incidence, little is known about its inherent genetic variation characteristics. The uniform treatment for PMEC has not been determined. In this case, we present a 45-year-old male with stage IA PMEC. The surgical specimens contained changes from low- to intermediate-to-high grade. We performed integrative analysis of whole-exome sequencing (WES-seq) and messenger ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq) to compare the molecular changes in the different lesions. Molecular testing exhibits the specimens harboring CRTC3-MAML2 fusion. The copy number gain of PDPK1 is only present in high-grade regional specimens. We also explored the level of immune infiltration by CIBERSORT. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe a case of PMEC in the low- to intermediate–high-grade transition with multiomics analysis.
Biology and Treatment of Richter Transformation
Authors: Condoluci Adalgisa , Rossi Davide
Published: March 2022

Richter transformation (RT), defined as the development of an aggressive lymphoma on a background of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), represents a clinical unmet need because of its dismal prognosis. An increasing body of knowledge in the field of RT is arising from the recent development of preclinical models depicting the biology underlying this aggressive disease. Consistently, new therapeutic strategies based on a genetic rationale are exploring actionable pathogenic pathways to improve the outcome of patients in this setting. In this review, we summarize the current understandings on RT biology and the available treatment options.
PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway: Role in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Regulatory Mechanisms and Opportunities for Targeted Therapy
Authors: Luo Qian , Du Ruijuan , Liu Wenting , Huang Guojing , Dong Zigang , Li Xiang
Published: March 2022

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), is the most common type of esophageal cancer worldwide, mainly occurring in the Asian esophageal cancer belt, including northern China, Iran, and parts of Africa. Phosphatidlinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is one of the most important cellular signaling pathways, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, migration, metabolism and proliferation. In addition, mutations in some molecules of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway are closely associated with survival and prognosis in ESCC patients. A large number of studies have found that there are many molecules in ESCC that can regulate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Overexpression of these molecules often causes aberrant activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Currently, several effective PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibitors have been developed, which can play anticancer roles either alone or in combination with other inhibitors. This review mainly introduces the general situation of ESCC, the composition and function of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and regulatory factors that interact with PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Meanwhile, mutations and inhibitors of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in ESCC are also elucidated.
Comprehensive Molecular Analyses of a TNF Family-Based Gene Signature as a Potentially Novel Prognostic Biomarker for Cervical Cancer
Authors: Ma Yan , Zhang Xiaoyan , Yang Jiancheng , Jin Yanping , Xu Ying , Qiu Jianping
Published: March 2022

Background

Increasing evidence suggests that tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family genes play important roles in cervical cancer (CC). However, whether TNF family genes can be used as prognostic biomarkers of CC and the molecular mechanisms of TNF family genes remain unclear.

Methods

A total of 306 CC and 13 normal samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. We identified differentially expressed TNF family genes between CC and normal samples and subjected them to univariate Cox regression analysis for selecting prognostic TNF family genes. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to screen genes to establish a TNF family gene signature. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to investigate the biological functions of the TNF family gene signature. Finally, methylation and copy number variation data of CC were used to analyse the potential molecular mechanisms of TNF family genes.

Results

A total of 26 differentially expressed TNF family genes were identified between the CC and normal samples. Next, a TNF family gene signature, including CD27, EDA, TNF, TNFRSF12A, TNFRSF13C, and TNFRSF9 was constructed based on univariate Cox, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The TNF family gene signature was related to age, pathological stages M and N, and could predict patient survival independently of clinical factors. Moreover, KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that the TNF family gene signature was mainly involved in the TGF-β signaling pathway, and the TNF family gene signature could affect the immunotherapy response. Finally, we confirmed that the mRNA expressions of CD27, TNF, TNFRSF12A, TNFRSF13C, and TNFRSF9 were upregulated in CC, while that of EDA was downregulated. The mRNA expressions of CD27, EDA, TNF, TNFRSF12A, TNFRSF13C, and TNFRSF9 might be influenced by gene methylation and copy number variation.

Conclusion

Our study is the first to demonstrate that CD27, EDA, TNF, TNFRSF12A, TNFRSF13C, and TNFRSF9 might be used as prognostic biomarkers of CC and are associated with the immunotherapy response of CC.
Abnormal ECA-Binding Membrane Glycans and Galactosylated CAT and P4HB in Lesion Tissues as Potential Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis
Authors: Kong Ying , Chen Hao , Chen Mengyu , Li Yongshuai , Li Jiarong , Liu Qi , Xiong Huan , Guo Tangxi , Xie Yan , Yuan Yufeng , Zhang Xiao-Lian
Published: March 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of cancer. Despite decades of research efforts, the search for novel biomarkers is still urgently needed for the diagnosis of HCC and the improvement of clinical outcomes. Previous studies of HCC clinical biomarkers have usually focused on serum and urine samples (e.g., serum Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). However, cellular membrane proteins in lesion tissues are less used in HCC diagnosis. The abnormal expression of membrane glycoproteins in tumor lesions are considered as potential targets for tumor diagnosis and tumor therapies. Here, a lectin array has been employed to screen and identify abnormal glycopatterns and cellular membrane glycans in HCC lesion tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues. We found that there was significantly less expression of Erythrina cristagalli (ECA) lectin binding (Galβ1-3/β1-4) glycans on the cellular membrane of HCC lesion tissues compared with those of adjacent non-tumor tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis further showed that ECA-binding ability on the membrane proteins of HCC tissues progressively decreased in different tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages (stage I to stage III) as the malignancy of liver cancer increased. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed ECA-binding ability yielding a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 75%, and a combination of ECA and AFP has better clinical diagnostic efficiency, yielding a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 85%, than ECA or AFP assay alone. ECA pull-down followed by mass spectrometry further showed that there was significantly less expression of ECA binding membrane catalase (CAT) and prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta polypeptide (P4HB) in HCC tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues. The abnormally increased expression of total CAT and P4HB and decreased expression of galactosylated membrane CAT and P4HB in HCC cell lines were correlated with an HCC metastasis status. Our findings suggest that abnormal declined ECA-binding galatosylated membrane glycans and two galactosylated-CAT and P4HB glycoproteins in lesion tissues are potential biomarkers in the diagnosis and/or metastasis prediction for HCC.
Shift in Clinical Profile of Hospitalized Pneumonia in Children in the Non-pharmaceutical Interventions Period During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Multicenter Study
Authors: Rybak Alexis , Ouldali Naïm , Angoulvant François , Minodier Philippe , Biscardi Sandra , Madhi Fouad , Hau Isabelle , Santos Audrey , Bouvy Emilie , Dubos François , Martinot Alain , Dommergues Marie-Aliette , Gras-Le Guen Christèle , Launay Elise , Levieux Karine , Zenkhri Ferielle , Craiu Irina , Lorrot Mathie , Gillet Yves , Mezgueldi Ellia , Faye Albert , Béchet Stéphane , Varon Emmanuelle , Cohen Robert , Levy Corinne
Published: March 2022

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against coronavirus disease 2019 were implemented in March 2020. These measures were followed by a major impact on viral and non-viral diseases. We aimed to assess the impact of NPI implementation in France on hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (hCAP) frequency and the clinical and biological characteristics of the remaining cases in children. We performed a quasi-experimental interrupted time-series analysis. Between June 2014 and December 2020, eight pediatric emergency departments throughout France reported prospectively all cases of hCAP in children from age 1 month to 15 years. We estimated the impact on the monthly number of hCAP using segmented linear regression with autoregressive error model. We included 2,972 hCAP cases; 115 occurred during the NPI implementation period. We observed a sharp decrease in the monthly number of hCAP after NPI implementation [−63.0% (95 confidence interval, −86.8 to −39.2%); p < 0.001]. Children with hCAP were significantly older during than before the NPI period (median age, 3.9 vs. 2.3 years; p < 0.0001), and we observed a higher proportion of low inflammatory marker status (43.5 vs. 33.1%; p = 0.02). Furthermore, we observed a trend with a decrease in the proportion of cases with pleural effusion (5.3% during the NPI period vs. 10.9% before the NPI; p = 0.06). NPI implementation during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic led not only to a strong decrease in the number of hCAP cases but also a modification in the clinical profile of children affected, which may reflect a change in pathogens involved.
Retrospective Analysis of Pediatric Hepatoblastoma With Tumor Rupture: Experience From a Single Center
Authors: Zhang Yu-Tong , Zhao Yu-Fei , Yang Dian-Fei , Chang Jian
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Hepatoblastoma (HB) tumor rupture is currently considered as a high-risk factor in some risk stratification systems. This study aimed to investigate the value of HB tumor rupture in predicting the poor prognosis.

Methods

The clinical data from children with high-risk HB or HB tumor rupture at our institution from October 2008 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.

Results

Together, 34 children with high-risk HB or HB tumor rupture were retrospected, including 25 in the high-risk group and nine in tumor rupture group. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate in tumor rupture group was significantly higher than that of the high-risk group (100 vs. 64%, p = 0.0427). In tumor rupture group, seven (77.8%) of nine patients had a hemoglobin level ≤ 8 g/L and 3 of them (33.3%) had ≤ 6 g/L at the time of diagnosis. Peritoneal perfusion with interleukin-2 was implemented for each patient. At the end of the treatment, seven (77.8%) of nine patients achieved complete response (CR). No patient died at the last follow-up.

Conclusions

HB tumor rupture might not be predictive of poor prognosis with the risk of peritoneal dissemination/relapse, in which peritoneal perfusion with interleukin-2 could play a role.
Continuous Magnesium Sulfate Infusions for Status Asthmaticus in Children: A Systematic Review
Authors: Johnson Peter N. , Drury Anna Sahlstrom , Gupta Neha
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Magnesium sulfate is a second-tier therapy for asthma exacerbations in children; guidelines recommend a single-dose to improve pulmonary function and decrease the odds of admission to the in-patient setting. However, many clinicians utilize prolonged magnesium sulfate infusions for children with refractory asthma. The purpose of this review is to describe the efficacy and safety of magnesium sulfate infusions administered over ≥ 1 h in children with status asthmaticus.

Methods

Medline was searched using the keywords “magnesium sulfate” and “children.” Articles evaluating the use of magnesium sulfate infusions for ≥1 h published between 1946 and August 2021 were included. Published abstracts were not included because of lack of essential details. All articles were screened by two reviewers.

Results

Eight reports including 447 children were included. The magnesium regimens evaluated included magnesium delivered over 1 h (n = 148; 33.1%), over 4–5 h (n = 105; 23.5%), and over >24 h (n = 194; 43.4%). Majority of patients received a bolus dose of 25–75 mg/kg/dose prior to initiation of a prolonged infusion (n = 299; 66.9%). For the patients receiving magnesium infusions over 4–5 h, the dosing regimen varied between 40 and 50 mg/kg/h. For those receiving magnesium infusions >24 h, the dosing varied between 18.4 and 25 mg/kg/h for a duration between 53.4 and 177.5 h. Only three reports including 186 patients (41.6%) included an evaluation of clinical outcomes including evaluation of lung function parameters, reduction in PICU transfers, and/or decrease in emergency department length of stay. Five reports including 261 patients (58.4%) evaluated magnesium serum concentrations. In most reports, the goal concentrations were between 4 and 6 mg/dL. Only 3 (1.1%) out of the 261 patients had supratherapeutic magnesium concentrations. The only reports finding adverse events attributed to magnesium were noted in those receiving infusions for >24 h. Clinically significant adverse events included hypotension (n = 74; 16.6%), nausea/vomiting (n = 35; 7.8%), mild muscle weakness (n = 22; 4.9%), flushing (n = 10; 2.2%), and sedation (n = 2; 0.4%).

Conclusion

Significant variability was noted in magnesium dosing regimens, with most children receiving magnesium infusions over >4 h. Most reports did not assess clinical outcomes. Until future research is conducted, the use of prolonged magnesium sulfate infusions should be reserved for refractory asthma therapy.
Therapeutic Efficacy of Intravesical Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome—A Comparative Study of Different Injection Number, Additives and Concentrations
Authors: Jiang Yuan-Hong , Jhang Jia-Fong , Lin Teng-Yi , Ho Han-Chen , Hsu Yung-Hsiang , Kuo Hann-Chorng
Published: March 2022

Purpose: Intravesical platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have been demonstrated effective in relieving symptoms among patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). This study compared the clinical efficacy among different injection number, adding solution, and concentrations of PRP.

Methods: A total of 63 patients with IC/BPS were enrolled and randomly allocated to four subgroups who received single high-dose PRP (from 100 ml whole blood) plus 10 ml of normal saline or plasma injected over 20 or 40 sites. Patients were followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months for changes in the IC symptom index (ICSI) and problem index (ICPI), visual analog scale (VAS), global response assessment (GRA), and urodynamic parameters. Furthermore, we compared the clinical outcome with our previous study in a group of 55 IC/BPS patients who underwent four monthly low-dose PRP (from 50 ml whole blood) injections.

Results: The result of this study showed significant improvements in IC symptoms (ICSI 11.9 ± 4.4 vs. 10.2 ± 4.9, p = 0.009; ICPI 12.3 ± 3.4 vs. 10.6 ± 4.7, p = 0.003); VAS (5.46 ± 2.96 vs. 3.83 ± 3.1, p 0.000), and maximum flow rate (10.4 ± 4.9 vs. 17.1 ± 11.5 ml/s, p = 0.000) at 3 months after single high-dose PRP injection. However, no significant differences in therapeutic results were observed among subgroups, regardless of the added component or injecting site. The improvements of ICSI, ICPI, and GRA at 6 months were lower in comparison with the results of four low-dose PRP injections. All patients were free of dysuria, urinary retention, or urinary tract infection after PRP treatment.

Conclusion: Intravesical PRP injection is effective for IC/BPS. The addition of normal saline or plasma and injection site had no influence on therapeutic efficacy. However, the symptom improvement and GRA after a single high-dose PRP injection was lower than that after four low-dose PRP injections 6 months after the first treatment. Limitation of the study is lack of sham control group.
Impact of the Endocannabinoid System on Bone Formation and Remodeling in p62 KO Mice
Authors: Keller Christina , Yorgan Timur Alexander , Rading Sebastian , Schinke Thorsten , Karsak Meliha
Published: March 2022

Several studies have shown that the G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptor CB2 and its interaction partner p62 are molecularly involved in bone remodeling processes. Pharmacological activation of the CB2 receptor enhanced bone volume in postmenopausal osteoporosis and arthritis models in rodents, whereas knockout or mutation of the p62 protein in aged mice led to Paget’s disease of bone-like conditions. Studies of pharmacological CB2 agonist effects on bone metabolism in p62 KO mice have not been performed to date. Here, we assessed the effect of the CB2-specific agonist JWH133 after a short-term (5 days in 3-month-old mice) or long-term (4 weeks in 6-month-old mice) treatment on structural, dynamic, and cellular bone morphometry obtained by μCT of the femur and histomorphometry of the vertebral bodies in p62 KO mice and their WT littermates in vivo. A genotype-independent stimulatory effect of CB2 on bone formation, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness after short-term treatment and on tissue mineral density after long-term treatment was detected, indicating a weak osteoanabolic function of this CB2 agonist. Moreover, after short-term systemic CB2 receptor activation, we found significant differences at the cellular level in the number of osteoblasts and osteoclasts only in p62 KO mice, together with a weak increase in trabecular number and a decrease in trabecular separation. Long-term treatment showed an opposite JWH133 effect on osteoclasts in WT versus p62 KO animals and decreased cortical thickness only in treated p62 KO mice. Our results provide new insights into CB2 receptor signaling in vivo and suggest that CB2 agonist activity may be regulated by the presence of its macromolecular binding partner p62.
Two Novel One-Way Delay Clock Skew Estimators and Their Performances for the Fractional Gaussian Noise/Generalized Fractional Gaussian Noise Environment Applicable for the IEEE 1588v2 (PTP) Case
Authors: Avraham Yehonatan , Pinchas Monika
Published: March 2022

Papers in the literature dealing with the Ethernet network characterize packet delay variation (PDV) as a long-range dependence (LRD) process. The fractional Gaussian noise (fGn) or the generalized fractional Gaussian noise (gfGn) belong to the LRD process. The IEEE1588v2 is a two-way delay (TWD) protocol that uses the messages from the Forward (Master to Slave) and the Reverse (Slave to Master) paths. Suppose we have a significant difference between the PDV variances of the Forward and the Reverse paths. Thus, if we can use only the path with the lowest PDV variance (namely, only the one-way delay (OWD) technique), we might get a better clock skew performance from the mean square error (MSE) point of view compared with the traditional TWD method. This paper proposes two OWD clock skew estimators, one for the Forward path and one for the Reverse path applicable for the white-Gaussian, fGn and gfGn environment. Those OWD estimators do not depend on the unknown asymmetry between the fixed delays in the Forward and Reverse paths and nor on the clock offset between the Master and Slave. We also supply two closed-form approximated expressions for the MSE related to our new proposed OWD clock skew estimators. In addition, we supply some conditions, summarized in a table, guiding us whether we should use the OWD clock skew estimator for the Forward path or for the Reverse path, or just use the TWD algorithm. Simulation results confirm that our new proposed OWD clock skew estimators achieve better clock skew performances from the MSE point of view, compared with the TWD clock skew estimator recently proposed by the same authors and compared with two literature known OWD methods (the maximum likelihood and Kalman clock skew estimators).
Sex Matters: A Comprehensive Comparison of Female and Male Hearts
Authors: St. Pierre Sarah R. , Peirlinck Mathias , Kuhl Ellen
Published: March 2022

Cardiovascular disease in women remains under-diagnosed and under-treated. Recent studies suggest that this is caused, at least in part, by the lack of sex-specific diagnostic criteria. While it is widely recognized that the female heart is smaller than the male heart, it has long been ignored that it also has a different microstructural architecture. This has severe implications on a multitude of cardiac parameters. Here, we systematically review and compare geometric, functional, and structural parameters of female and male hearts, both in the healthy population and in athletes. Our study finds that, compared to the male heart, the female heart has a larger ejection fraction and beats at a faster rate but generates a smaller cardiac output. It has a lower blood pressure but produces universally larger contractile strains. Critically, allometric scaling, e.g., by lean body mass, reduces but does not completely eliminate the sex differences between female and male hearts. Our results suggest that the sex differences in cardiac form and function are too complex to be ignored: the female heart is not just a small version of the male heart. When using similar diagnostic criteria for female and male hearts, cardiac disease in women is frequently overlooked by routine exams, and it is diagnosed later and with more severe symptoms than in men. Clearly, there is an urgent need to better understand the female heart and design sex-specific diagnostic criteria that will allow us to diagnose cardiac disease in women equally as early, robustly, and reliably as in men.

Systematic Review Registration

https://livingmatter.stanford.edu/.
Human Hypertension Blood Flow Model Using Fractional Calculus
Authors: Bahloul Mohamed A. , Aboelkassem Yasser , Laleg-Kirati Taous-Meriem
Published: March 2022

The blood flow dynamics in human arteries with hypertension disease is modeled using fractional calculus. The mathematical model is constructed using five-element lumped parameter arterial Windkessel representation. Fractional-order capacitors are used to represent the elastic properties of both proximal large arteries and distal small arteries measured from the heart aortic root. The proposed fractional model offers high flexibility in characterizing the arterial complex tree network. The results illustrate the validity of the new model and the physiological interpretability of the fractional differentiation order through a set of validation using human hypertensive patients. In addition, the results show that the fractional-order modeling approach yield a great potential to improve the understanding of the structural and functional changes in the large and small arteries due to hypertension disease.
Disrupting AMPK-Glycogen Binding in Mice Increases Carbohydrate Utilization and Reduces Exercise Capacity
Authors: Janzen Natalie R. , Whitfield Jamie , Murray-Segal Lisa , Kemp Bruce E. , Hawley John A. , Hoffman Nolan J.
Published: March 2022

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a central regulator of cellular energy balance and metabolism and binds glycogen, the primary storage form of glucose in liver and skeletal muscle. The effects of disrupting whole-body AMPK-glycogen interactions on exercise capacity and substrate utilization during exercise in vivo remain unknown. We used male whole-body AMPK double knock-in (DKI) mice with chronic disruption of AMPK-glycogen binding to determine the effects of DKI mutation on exercise capacity, patterns of whole-body substrate utilization, and tissue metabolism during exercise. Maximal treadmill running speed and whole-body energy utilization during submaximal running were determined in wild type (WT) and DKI mice. Liver and skeletal muscle glycogen and skeletal muscle AMPK α and β2 subunit content and signaling were assessed in rested and maximally exercised WT and DKI mice. Despite a reduced maximal running speed and exercise time, DKI mice utilized similar absolute amounts of liver and skeletal muscle glycogen compared to WT. DKI skeletal muscle displayed reduced AMPK α and β2 content versus WT, but intact relative AMPK phosphorylation and downstream signaling at rest and following exercise. During submaximal running, DKI mice displayed an increased respiratory exchange ratio, indicative of greater reliance on carbohydrate-based fuels. In summary, whole-body disruption of AMPK-glycogen interactions reduces maximal running capacity and skeletal muscle AMPK α and β2 content and is associated with increased skeletal muscle glycogen utilization. These findings highlight potential unappreciated roles for AMPK in regulating tissue glycogen dynamics and expand AMPK’s known roles in exercise and metabolism.
“I’ll Worry About It Tomorrow” – Fostering Emotion Regulation Skills to Overcome Procrastination
Authors: Schuenemann Laura , Scherenberg Viviane , von Salisch Maria , Eckert Marcus
Published: March 2022

Procrastination remains an omnipresent phenomenon impeding especially students’ academic performance and well-being. Preliminary findings suggest that procrastination emerges due to dysfunctional emotion regulation efforts to regulate aversive emotions. This study’s objective was to clarify whether the enhancement of general adaptive emotion regulation skills reduces subsequent procrastination. For the purpose of this study, data from a two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) with (N = 148) university students, comprising an active intervention (IG) and a passive wait-list control (WLC) group, was collected. Participants of the intervention group were provided with an online emotion regulation training over a period of 9 weeks. The results showed that the enhancement of general emotion regulation skills significantly reduced subsequent procrastination behavior within the IG as compared to the untreated WLC. Moreover, subsequent mediation analyses revealed that the reduction of procrastination was significantly mediated by the increase in general ER skills. The present results suggest that trainings which enhance general ER skills are an appropriate measure to reduce procrastination behavior among university students. The practical value of ER training interventions, particularly for student populations, is discussed.
Differences in Health-Related Physical Fitness and Academic School Performance in Male Middle-School Students in Qatar: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Hermassi Souhail , Hayes Lawrence D. , Sanal-Hayes Nilihan E. M. , Schwesig René
Published: March 2022

This study examined the differences in the level of physical fitness and academic performance among male middle-school children based on different body status categories. A total of 69 male children [age: 12.4 ± 0.7 years; body mass: 58.5 ± 7.2 kg; height: 1.62 ± 0.09 m; and body mass index (BMI): 22.4 ± 3.3 kg/m2] participated and were divided into BMI age-adjusted groups (i.e., lowest, middle, and highest BMI). Height, mass, BMI, stork test of static balance, 10 and 15 m sprint as an indicator for speed, hand-grip strength test, agility T-half test, medicine ball throw (MBT), and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) were assessed. School records were retrieved for grade point averages (GPA) of mathematics, science, and Arabic. We found significant group differences regarding anthropometric (height: ηp2 = 0.24, mass: ηp2 = 0.33, and BMI: ηp2 = 0.66), physical (sprint 10 m: ηp2 = 0.26), and academic (mathematics: ηp2 = 0.19 and science: ηp2 = 0.15) performance parameters. The largest difference (p < 0.001) was observed between the lowest and highest group for the 10 m sprint. All pairwise differences were between the lowest and highest BMI group or the lowest and middle BMI group. No relevant (r > 0.5) correlation between parameters of different dimensions (e.g., anthropometric vs. physical performance parameters) was found. In conclusion, the highest BMI group exhibited similar physical and academic performances than the lowest group. Thus, these data emphasize the importance and appropriateness to engage young Qatari schoolchildren in physical activity as it associates with superior academic performance.
Face-to-Face Lying: Gender and Motivation to Deceive
Authors: Elaad Eitan , Gonen-Gal Ye’ela
Published: March 2022

Two studies examined gender differences in lying when the truth-telling bias prevailed (study 1) and when inspiring lying and disbelief (study 2). The first study used 156 community participants (91 women) in pairs. First, participants completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, the Lie- and Truth Ability Assessment Scale (LTAAS), and the Rational-Experiential Inventory. Then, they participated in a deception game where they performed as senders and receivers of true and false communications. Their goal was to retain as many points as possible according to a payoff matrix that specified the reward they would gain for any possible outcome. Results indicated that men lied more and were more successful lie-tellers than women. In addition, men believed the sender less than women but were not more successful detectors of lies and truths. Higher perceived lie-telling ability, narcissistic features, and experiential thinking style explained men’s performance. The second study used 100 volunteers (40 women) who underwent the same procedure. However, the payoff matrix encouraged lying and disbelieving. Results showed again that men lied more than women. As to performance, men were more successful lie detectors than women, but there was no truth detection difference. Women did not differ in their success in telling and detecting lies and truths. The inconsistent gender differences in production and detection lies and truths dictate caution in interpreting them.
Creating a Culture to Avoid Knowledge Hiding Within an Organization: The Role of Management Support
Authors: Jasimuddin Sajjad M. , Saci Fateh
Published: March 2022

Knowledge hiding is known to have negative consequences on organizational performance. The existing literature mainly focuses on the identification of antecedents and consequences of knowledge hiding. The studies pertaining to the top management role in creating a culture that stops concealing knowledge within an organization are limited. To fill that gap, the paper empirically address the knowledge sharing culture and to explore the management support to avoid knowledge hiding culture in an organization. This study based on an empirical study carried out in a United Kingdom-based laboratory within a high-tech global corporation, in which the atmosphere appeared conducive to knowledge sharing, and knowledge transfer appeared voluntary and spontaneous. The paper seeks to address why members of the case organization is reluctant about knowledge hiding among themselves. The study reveals that the management role is important in creating a culture that help discourage employees to withhold knowledge. The paper identifies the actions that top management takes to stop concealing knowledge within an organization. This study has provided several contributions. The findings of the study may be useful to managers and practitioners. For managers, this paper presents some important organizational factors that can be nurtured to avoid a knowledge-hiding culture in the organization. They can also take the management actions of the case organization as lessons to create a culture that encourage their employees to avoid knowledge hiding behavior.
Color Sensitivity of the Duration Aftereffect Depends on Sub- and Supra-second Durations
Authors: Lin Bingxin , Chen Youguo , Pan Li , Du Gang , Huang Xiting
Published: March 2022

The perception of duration becomes biased after repetitive duration adaptation; this is known as the duration aftereffect. The duration aftereffect exists in both the sub-second and supra-second ranges. However, it is unknown whether the properties and mechanisms of the adaptation aftereffect differ between sub-second and supra-second durations. In the present study, we addressed this question by investigating the color sensitivity of the duration aftereffect in the sub-second (Experiment 1) and supra-second (Experiment 2) ranges separately. We found that the duration aftereffect in the sub-second range could only partly transfer across different visual colors, whereas the duration aftereffect in the supra-second range could completely transfer across different visual colors. That is, the color-sensitivity of the duration aftereffect in the sub-second duration was stronger than that in the supra-second duration. These results imply that the mechanisms underlying the adaptation aftereffects of the sub-second and supra-second ranges are distinct.
The Intervention Areas of the Psychologist in Pediatric Palliative Care: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Santini Anna , Avagnina Irene , Marinetto Anna , De Tommasi Valentina , Lazzarin Pierina , Perilongo Giorgio , Benini Franca
Published: March 2022

Infants, children and adolescents with life-limiting and life-threatening disease need long-term care that may change according to disease’s natural history. With the primary goal of quality of life, the psychologist of pediatric palliative care (PPC) network deals with a large variety of issues. Little consideration has been given to the variety of intervention areas of psychology in PPC that concern the whole life span of the patient and family. The PPC network is composed by a multidisciplinary team of palliative care specialists that intervenes at home, in the hospital and in every place where the patient is living. The network coordinates different public health services to respond to clinical, psychosocial and spiritual needs. In these scenarios, the psychological need is not a single event but a moment inserted in the complexity of the child’s needs. This retrospective monocentric project consists of an analysis of characteristics of psychological interventions in our PPC service. The time frame taken into consideration is 2019–2020, analyzing the clinical records of 186 patients of Pediatric Palliative Care and Pain Service of Veneto Region (Italy). The areas that emerged in the analysis show how the intervention of the psychologist in PPC does not concern only end-of-life, but a series of topics that are significant for the family to guarantee psycho-social wellbeing oriented toward the best quality of life. In conclusion, these different topics highlight the complexity of the child and family experience. This variety must be taken into consideration, the psychologist must increase holistic support with a dedicated skills curriculum.
Disability Weights Estimates From India in 2018: Measurements From Community Members From Two Distinct States of India
Authors: Nanda Lipika , Lobo Eunice , Menon Geetha R. , Dhopte Pratik , Akhouri Shuchi Sree , Shrivastava Chandni , Ronghang Roshan , Anilkumar Aiswarya , Dutta Ambarish
Published: March 2022

Background

India is undergoing a rapid demographic and epidemiologic transition. Thus demanding prioritization of diseases based on burden estimation is befitting our cultural diversity. Disability weights (DWs) by Global burden of disease (GBD) studies may not be representative. Hence, a study was conducted to estimate state-specific disability weights to capture the community health perceptions that included urban–rural settings as well as different socio-economic and literacy levels.

Methods

A total of 2,055 community members (participants) from two distinct states of India, Odisha and Telangana, were interviewed to assign disability weights to the selected 14 health states based on the state burden and relevance. Each health state was described to the participants using pictorial representations of the health states and valuated using visual analog scale and card sort methods.

Results

We noted that DWs in Odisha ranged from 0.32 (0.30–0.34) for upper limb fracture due to road traffic accident (least severe) to 0.90 (0.88–0.93) for breast cancer (most severe) among the 14 health states. While, in Telangana, diarrhea was considered least severe [DW = 0.22 (0.19–0.24)] and breast cancer remained most severe [DW = 0.85 (0.83–0.88)] as in Odisha. Marked difference in the DWs for other health states was also seen. Further, on comparison of community weights with GBD weights using Spearman correlation, we observed a low correlation (ρ = 0.104).

Conclusion

Our study provides community-based findings that show how participants valued noncommunicable diseases higher than short-term ailments or infectious diseases. Additionally, the low correlation between GBD also suggests the need for local disability weights rather than universal acceptance. We therefore recommend that decisions in policy-making, especially for resource allocation and priority setting, need to be based not only on expert opinion but also include community in accordance with high scientific standards.
Lifestyle Behaviors and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents Using Regression and fsQCA Models
Authors: Mei Songli , Lv Jianping , Ren Hui , Guo Xinmeng , Meng Cuicui , Fei Junsong , Yuan Tongshuang , Yue Jingyi , Gao Ren , Song Qianqian , Zhao Xixi , Ao Yu , Li Yumei
Published: March 2022

The study was to compare the performance of the regression models and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) models in analyzing the possible effects of sociodemographic variables (age and sex) and lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sedentary time, sleep duration, physical education class and screen time) on depressive symptoms in adolescents. This cross-sectional surgery was conducted among 726 adolescents in Jilin Province of China, selected by random cluster sampling. The regression model showed that age, physical education (PE) class and sleep duration were associated with depressive symptoms. Meanwhile, the fsQCA models showed that shorter physical activity, PE class and sleep duration as well as longer sedentary and screen time were related to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Both regression and fsQCA models indicated that promoting lifestyle behaviors could affect depressive symptoms. Considering the differences between the two methods, they are not superior to the other method, but complementary and should be used in other studies at the same time.