bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A double-edged sword of using opioids and COVID-19: a toxicological view
Authors: Ataei Mahshid , Shirazi Farshad M. , Lamarine Roland J. , Nakhaee Samaneh , Mehrpour Omid
Published: December 2020

Today, COVID-19 is spreading around the world. Information about its mechanism, prognostic factors, and management is minimal. COVID-19, as a human disease, has several identifying phases. Physicians of patients with COVID-19 may be interested in knowing whether opioid use disorder may affect their patients’ course or prognosis. This information may be crucial when considering the opioid epidemic in the US and other parts of the world. Opioid use at high doses and over several months duration can mitigate the immune system’s function, which may complicate the course of COVID-19 disease. Potential suppression of parts of the immune response may be important in prevention, clinical support, and therapeutic use of medications in various phases of the COVID-19. Specifically, opioid use disorders via an inhalation route may enhance the “late hyper-inflammatory phase” or result in end-organ damage. It is well established that opioids decrease ventilation as their effect on the medullary respiratory centers increases the risk of pneumonia. This increased risk has been associated with immune-suppressive opioids. The ultimate role of opioids in COVID-19 is not clear. This paper endorses the need for clinical studies to decipher the role and impact of chronic opioid use on viral diseases such as COVID-19.
Risk factors for adjacent segment degeneration after posterior lumbar fusion surgery in treatment for degenerative lumbar disorders: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Tao , Ding Wenyuan
Published: December 2020

Study design

A meta-analysis.

Objective

We performed a meta-analysis to explore the incidence and risk factors of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after posterior lumbar fusion surgery.

Methods

An extensive search of the literature was performed in English database of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and Chinese database of CNKI and WANFANG (up to May 2020). We collected factors including demographic data, surgical factor, and sagittal parameters. Data analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.3 and STATA 12.0.

Results

Finally, 19 studies were included in the final analysis. In our study, the rate of ASD after posterior lumbar fusion surgery was 18.6% (540 of 2896). Our data also showed that mean age, body mass index (BMI), the history of smoking and hypertension, preoperative adjacent disc degeneration, long-segment fusion, preoperative superior facet violation, high lumbosacral joint angle, pre- and post-operative L1-S1 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), post-operative lumbar lordosis (LL), and preoperative pelvic incidence (PI) were associated with the development of ASD. However, gender, history of diabetes, bone mineral density (BMD), preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA), the type of fusion (PLIF vs TLIF), type of bone graft (auto- vs allograft), fusion to S1(vs non-fusion to S1), diagnose (lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar spondylolisthesis), preoperative pelvic tilt (PT), LL and sacral slope (SS), post-operative SS, PT and PI were not associated with the development of ASD.

Conclusions

In our study, many factors were correlated with the risk of ASD after posterior lumbar fusion surgery. We hope this article can provide a reference for spinal surgeons in treatment for lumbar degenerative diseases.
Knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms among women in a refugee settlement: a cross-sectional study in northern Uganda
Authors: Adoch Winnie , Garimoi Christopher Orach , Scott Suzanne E. , Okeny Geoffrey Goddie , Moodley Jennifer , Komakech Henry , Walter Fiona M. , Mwaka Amos Deogratius
Published: December 2020

Background

There are limited data on awareness of cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms among refugee populations living in Uganda. In this study, we sought to determine the awareness and knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms among women in Palabek refugee settlement, northern Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study. 815 women (aged 18–60 years) were randomly selected using multistage sampling in Palabek refugee settlement. Data were collected using pre-tested, structured questionnaires. Logistic regression models were used to determine magnitudes of association between socio-demographic and health system factors, and knowledge on cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms.

Results

The majority of participants (53%, n = 433) were young (18–29 years), married (68%, n = 553), and did not have formal employment (93%, n = 759). Less than half (40%, n = 325) had heard of cervical cancer. Of those who had heard, most recognized multiple male sexual partners, early onset of sexual intercourse and HPV infections as risk factors for cervical cancer (93%, n = 295; 89%, n = 283; and 86%, n = 271 respectively). Median knowledge score for risk factor recognition = 7 (IQR: 3–9). Median knowledge score for symptoms recognition = 7 (IQR: 1–10). Half of women (50%, n = 409) correctly recognized 7 to 11 symptoms of cervical cancer, with vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods, pelvic pain, and vaginal bleeding during/after sexual intercourse recognized by 58, 52 and 54% respectively. Single women (OR = 0.59 (95%CI: 0.38–0.94), and women that lived farther than 1 kilo meter from nearest health facility in South Sudan (OR = 0.36–0.49 (95%CI: 0.26–0.84) were less likely to be knowledgeable of symptoms of cervical cancer.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of women in Palabek refugee settlement had not heard about cervical cancer. Refugee health services providers could increase awareness of cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms through health education in order to promote risk reduction behaviours and guide women during symptoms appraisal. Single women and those who lived more than one kilo metre from nearest health facility in home country could be a priority group for awareness intervention in the settlement.
The effectiveness of battlefield acupuncture in addition to standard physical therapy treatment after shoulder surgery: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Crowell Michael S. , Brindle Richard A. , Mason John S. , Pitt Will , Miller Erin M. , Posner Matthew A. , Cameron Kenneth L. , Goss Donald L.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

There is a large incidence of shoulder instability among active young athletes and military personnel. Shoulder stabilization surgery is the commonly employed intervention for treating individuals with instability. Following surgery, a substantial proportion of individuals experience acute post-operative pain, which is usually managed with opioid pain medications. Unfortunately, the extended use of opioid medications can have adverse effects that impair function and reduce military operational readiness, but there are currently few alternatives. However, battlefield acupuncture (BFA) is a minimally invasive therapy demonstrating promise as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for managing acute post-operative pain.

Methods

This is a parallel, two-arm, single-blind randomized clinical trial. The two independent variables are intervention (2 levels, standard physical therapy and standard physical therapy plus battlefield acupuncture) and time (5 levels, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 1 week, and 4 weeks post shoulder stabilization surgery). The primary dependent variables are worst and average pain as measured on the visual analog scale. Secondary outcomes include medication usage, Profile of Mood States, and Global Rating of Change.

Discussion

The magnitude of the effect of BFA is uncertain; current studies report confidence intervals of between-group differences that include minimal clinically important differences between intervention and control groups. The results of this study may help determine if BFA is an effective adjunct to physical therapy in reducing pain and opioid usage in acute pain conditions.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04094246. Registered on 16 September 2019.
Correction to: Association of dietary inflammatory potential with cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Aslani Zahra , Sadeghi Omid , Heidari-Beni Motahar , Zahedi Hoda , Baygi Fereshteh , Shivappa Nitin , Hébert James R. , Moradi Sajjad , Sotoudeh Gity , Asayesh Hamid , Djalalinia Shirin , Qorbani Mostafa
Published: December 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Discriminative validity of the lower and upper quarter Y balance test performance: a comparison between healthy trained and untrained youth
Authors: Schwiertz Gerrit , Beurskens Rainer , Muehlbauer Thomas
Published: December 2020

Background

The Lower (YBT-LQ) and Upper (YBT-UQ) Quarter Y Balance Test have been widely used for the assessment of dynamic balance and shoulder mobility/stability, respectively. However, investigations on the validity of the two tests in youth are lacking. Therefore, we performed two studies to determine discriminative validity of the YBT-LQ (study 1) and the YBT-UQ (study 2) in healthy youth.

Methods

Sixty-nine male soccer players (age: 14.4 ± 1.9 yrs) and 69 age-matched untrained male subjects (14.3 ± 1.6 yrs) participated in study 1 and 37 young swimmers (age: 12.3 ± 2.1 yrs) as well as 37 age−/sex-matched individuals (age: 12.5 ± 2.0 yrs) took part in study 2. Absolute (cm) and relative (% leg/arm length) maximal reach distances per reach direction and the composite score of the YBT-LQ/UQ were used as outcome measures. One-way analysis of variance and the receiver operator characteristic curve analysis (i.e., calculating the area under the curve [AUC]) were conducted to assess discriminative validity.

Results

Concerning the relative values, youth athletes showed significantly better YBT-LQ (study 1: p < 0.001, d = 0.86–1.21) and YBT-UQ (study 2: p < 0.001, d = 0.88–1.48) test performances compared to age- and sex-matched untrained subjects. Further, AUC-values indicated a chance of ≥74% (YBT-LQ) and ≥ 71% (YBT-UQ) to discriminate between youth athletes and controls. These findings were confirmed when using the absolute data for analysis.

Conclusions

According to our results, the YBT-LQ and the YBT-UQ seem to be useful test instruments to discriminate trained and untrained healthy youth performance for dynamic balance and shoulder mobility/stability, respectively.
Priority domains, aims, and testable hypotheses for implementation research: Protocol for a scoping review and evidence map
Authors: Garner Bryan R. , Patel Sheila V. , Kirk M. Alexis
Published: December 2020

Background

The challenge of implementing evidence-based innovations within practice settings is a significant public health issue that the field of implementation research (IR) is focused on addressing. Significant amounts of funding, time, and effort have been invested in IR to date, yet there remains significant room for advancement, especially regarding IR’s development of scientific theories as defined by the National Academy of Sciences (i.e., a comprehensive explanation of the relationship between variables that is supported by a vast body of evidence). Research priority setting (i.e., promoting consensus about areas where research effort will have wide benefits to society) is a key approach to helping accelerate research advancements. Thus, building upon existing IR, general principles of data reduction, and a general framework for moderated mediation, this article identifies four priority domains, three priority aims, and four testable hypotheses for IR, which we organize in the priority aims and testable hypotheses (PATH) diagram.

Methods

The objective of this scoping review is to map the extent to which IR has examined the identified PATH priorities to date. Our sample will include IR published in leading implementation-focused journals (i.e., Implementation Science, Implementation Science Communications, and Implementation Research and Practice) between their inception and December 2020. The protocol for the current scoping review and evidence map has been developed in accordance with the approach developed by Arksey and O’Malley and advanced by Levac, Colquhoun, and O’Brien. Because scoping reviews seek to provide an overview of the identified evidence base rather than synthesize findings from across studies, we plan to use our data-charting form to provide a descriptive overview of implementation research to date and summarize the research via one or more summary tables. We will use the PATH diagram to organize a map of the evidence to date.

Discussion

This scoping review and evidence map is intended to help accelerate IR focused on suggested priority aims and testable hypotheses, which in turn will accelerate IR’s development of National Academy of Sciences-defined scientific theories and, subsequently, improvements in public health.

Systematic review registration

Open Science Framework https://osf.io/3vhuj/
Lipopolysaccharide exposure induces oxidative damage in Caenorhabditis elegans: protective effects of carnosine
Authors: Ma Jing , Xu Xiaoyuan , Wang Ranran , Yan Haijing , Yao Huijuan , Zhang Hongmei , Jiang Shaowei , Xu Ajing
Published: December 2020

Background

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of carnosine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced injury in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Methods

C. elegans individuals were stimulated for 24 h with LPS (100 μg/mL), with or without carnosine (0.1, 1, 10 mM). The survival rates and behaviors were determined. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and catalase (CAT) and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were determined using the respective kits. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to validate the differential expression of sod-1, sod-2, sod-3, daf-16, ced-3, ced-9, sek-1, and pmk-1. Western blotting was used to determine the levels of SEK1, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), cleaved caspase3, and Bcl-2. C. elegans sek-1 (km2) mutants and pmk-1 (km25) mutants were used to elucidate the role of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Results

Carnosine improved the survival of LPS-treated C. elegans and rescued behavioral phenotypes. It also restrained oxidative stress by decreasing MDA levels and increasing SOD, GR, CAT, and GSH levels. RT-PCR results showed that carnosine treatment of wild-type C. elegans up-regulated the mRNA expression of the antioxidant-related genes sod-1, sod-2, sod-3, and daf-16. The expression of the anti-apoptosis-related gene ced-9 and apoptosis-related gene ced-3 was reversed by carnosine. In addition, carnosine treatment significantly decreased cleaved caspase3 levels and increased Bcl-2 levels in LPS-treated C. elegans. Apoptosis in the loss-of-function strains of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway was suppressed under LPS stress; however, the apoptotic effects of LPS were blocked in the sek-1 and pmk-1 mutants. The expression levels of sek-1 and pmk-1 mRNAs were up-regulated by LPS and reversed by carnosine. Finally, the expression of p-p38MAPK and SEK1 was significantly increased by LPS, which was reversed by carnosine.

Conclusion

Carnosine treatment protected against LPS injury by decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting apoptosis through the p38 MAPK pathway.
Neuroinflammation and protein pathology in Parkinson’s disease dementia
Authors: Kouli Antonina , Camacho Marta , Allinson Kieren , Williams-Gray Caroline H.
Published: December 2020

Parkinson’s disease dementia is neuropathologically characterized by aggregates of α-synuclein (Lewy bodies) in limbic and neocortical areas of the brain with additional involvement of Alzheimer’s disease-type pathology. Whilst immune activation is well-described in Parkinson’s disease (PD), how it links to protein aggregation and its role in PD dementia has not been explored. We hypothesized that neuroinflammatory processes are a critical contributor to the pathology of PDD. To address this hypothesis, we examined 7 brain regions at postmortem from 17 PD patients with no dementia (PDND), 11 patients with PD dementia (PDD), and 14 age and sex-matched neurologically healthy controls. Digital quantification after immunohistochemical staining showed a significant increase in the severity of α-synuclein pathology in the hippocampus, entorhinal and occipitotemporal cortex of PDD compared to PDND cases. In contrast, there was no difference in either tau or amyloid-β pathology between the groups in any of the examined regions. Importantly, we found an increase in activated microglia in the amygdala of demented PD brains compared to controls which correlated significantly with the extent of α-synuclein pathology in this region. Significant infiltration of CD4+ T lymphocytes into the brain parenchyma was commonly observed in PDND and PDD cases compared to controls, in both the substantia nigra and the amygdala. Amongst PDND/PDD cases, CD4+ T cell counts in the amygdala correlated with activated microglia, α-synuclein and tau pathology. Upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1β was also evident in the substantia nigra as well as the frontal cortex in PDND/PDD versus controls with a concomitant upregulation in Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in these regions, as well as the amygdala. The evidence presented in this study show an increased immune response in limbic and cortical brain regions, including increased microglial activation, infiltration of T lymphocytes, upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and TLR gene expression, which has not been previously reported in the postmortem PDD brain.
Cellphone laws and teens’ calling while driving: analysis of repeated cross-sectional surveys in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019
Authors: Li Li , Pope Caitlin N. , Andridge Rebecca R. , Bower Julie K. , Hu Guoqing , Zhu Motao
Published: December 2020

Background

Distracted driving among teens is a public health and safety concern. Most states in the U.S. have sought to restrict cellphone use while driving by enacting laws. This study examines the difference in prevalence of self-reported calling while driving (CWD) between states with different cellphone bans.

Methods

Demographics and CWD data were extracted from state Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) from 14 states in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. The state YRBS is conducted every 2 years with a representative sample of 9th through 12th grade students attending public school. States were grouped by type of cellphone law(s): no ban (the absence of both handheld calling ban and young driver ban), young driver ban (a ban on all forms of cellphone use while driving, for young drivers only), or concurrent ban (a young driver ban plus a ban on handheld calling for all drivers irrespective of age). Poisson regression models with robust variance were used to estimate prevalence ratios comparing CWD prevalence across ban types.

Results

In total, 157,423 high school students participated in the surveys, and 65,044 (45%) participants reached the minimum age to obtain an intermediate license and drove during the 30 days prior the survey. Approximately 53% of participants reported CWD at least once during the previous 30 days, and the percentages varied widely by states (range: 51–55%). Compared to students from states with no ban, those from states with concurrent bans were 19%(95% CI: 14–24%) less likely to engage in CWD. Students in states with concurrent bans were 23% less likely to engage in CWD compared to students in states with young driver bans (95% CI:17–27%).

Conclusions

Engaging in CWD is common among teen drivers. The concurrent implementation of a handheld calling ban and a young driver ban was associated with a lower prevalence of CWD.
Interfacial assessment of degraded amorphous silicon module using scanning probe microscopy
Authors: Meyer E. L. , Osayemwenre G. O.
Published: December 2020

This is a study of the degradation of amorphous silicon solar cells. The study accessed structural defects and the mechanical stress of solar cells at nanoscale level. Interface morphology, deformation, and internal delamination of the cells were analyzed. Adequate analysis of roughness parameters was performed to investigate the state of degradation of the amorphous silicon solar modules (a-Si:H) used in this study. Roughness parametric test is necessary in thin film solar cells production process because it is used to quantify the relationship that exists between roughness parameters and electrical efficiencies of solar cells. However, in this study, a roughness analysis was not only performed to quantify the performance of the a-Si:H module but to also compliment their mechanical degradation analysis. Roughness indicators such as root means square (RMS) roughness and average roughness were acquired from line profiles. Measurements were taken with scanning probe microscope (SPM) and PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical (QNM) technique was used through the cross sectional area of the analyzed samples. The method was validated with adhesive force and deformation analyses; it was established that high roughness values result from mechanical degradation. Results from the roughness parameters and the mechanical degradation analysis were further observed from in situ measurements and these showed good compatibility. The benefit of this technique is that it provides a good procedure for the evaluation of mechanical degradation without destroying any part of the intrinsic layers in a-Si:H modules.
Extraluminal recanalization for postoperative biliary obstruction using transseptal needle
Authors: Horinouchi Hiroki , Ueshima Eisuke , Sofue Keitaro , Komatsu Shohei , Okada Takuya , Yamaguchi Masato , Fukumoto Takumi , Sugimoto Koji , Murakami Takamichi
Published: December 2020

Background

Postoperative biliary strictures are commonly related to accidental bile duct injuries or occur at the site of biliary anastomosis. The first-line treatment for benign biliary strictures is endoscopic therapy, which is less invasive and repeatable. However, recanalization for biliary complete obstruction is technically challenging to treat. The present report describes a successful case of treatment by extraluminal recanalization for postoperative biliary obstruction using a transseptal needle.

Case presentation

A 66-year-old woman had undergone caudal lobectomy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The posterior segmental branch of the bile duct was injured and repaired intraoperatively. Three months after the surgery, the patient had developed biliary leakage from the right hepatic bile duct, resulting in complete biliary obstruction. Since intraluminal recanalization with conventional endoscopic and percutaneous approaches with a guidewire failed, extraluminal recanalization using a transseptal needle with an internal lumen via percutaneous approach was performed under fluoroscopic guidance. The left lateral inferior segmental duct was punctured, and an 8-F transseptal sheath was introduced into the ostium of right hepatic duct. A transseptal needle was advanced, and the right hepatic duct was punctured by targeting an inflated balloon that was placed at the end of the obstructed right hepatic bile duct. After confirming successful puncture using contrast agent injected through the internal lumen of the needle, a 0.014-in. guidewire was advanced into the right hepatic duct. Finally, an 8.5-F internal–external biliary drainage tube was successfully placed without complications. One month after the procedure, the drainage tube was replaced with a 10.2-F drainage tube to dilate the created tract. Subsequent endoscopic internalization was performed 5 months after the procedure. At the 1-year follow-up examination, there was no sign of biliary obstruction and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Conclusions

Recanalization using a transseptal needle can be an alternative technique for rigid biliary obstruction when conventional techniques fail.
Recurrent and Subsequent Injuries in Professional and Elite Sport: a Systematic Review
Authors: Bitchell Charlotte Leah , Varley-Campbell Jo , Robinson Gemma , Stiles Victoria , Mathema Prabhat , Moore Isabel Sarah
Published: December 2020

Background

Injury surveillance in professional sport categorises injuries as either “new” or “recurrent”. In an attempt to make categorisation more specific, subsequent injury categorisation models have been developed, but it is not known how often these models are used. The aim was to assess how recurrent and subsequent injuries are reported within professional and elite sport.

Methods

Online databases were searched using a search strategy. Studies needed to prospectively report injury rates within professional or elite sports that have published consensus statements for injury surveillance.

Results

A total of 1322 titles and abstract were identified and screened. One hundred and ninety-nine studies were screened at full text resulting in 81 eligible studies. Thirty studies did not report recurrent injuries and were excluded from data extraction. Within the studies that reported recurrent injuries, 21 reported the number and percentage; 13 reported only the proportion within all injuries; three reported only the number; five reported the number, percentage and incidence; and two only reported the incidence. Seven studies used subsequent injury terminology, with three reporting subsequent injury following concussion, one using an amended subsequent injury model and three using specific subsequent injury categorisation models. The majority of subsequent injuries (ranging from 51 to 80%) were categorised as different and unrelated to the index injury. The proportion of recurrent injuries (exact same body area and nature related to index injury) ranged from 5 to 21%.

Conclusions

Reporting recurrent or subsequent injuries remains inconsistent, and few studies have utilised subsequent injury models. There is limited understanding of subsequent injury risk, which may affect the development of injury prevention strategies.

Trial Registration

CRD42019119264
Applying multivariate-fractionally integrated volatility analysis on emerging market bond portfolios
Authors: Demirel Mustafa , Unal Gazanfer
Published: December 2020

This study examines emerging market (EM) local bonds from a portfolio risk perspective and suggests methodologies for risk evaluation, on which the literature is limited. Despite the growth of EM bond funds in recent years, comprehensive studies regarding this industry have been scarce. In light of this, 203 different local bonds of EM countries—Indonesia, Brazil, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Turkey—are elaborated in terms of return, volatility, and cross-correlation features. This study focuses on an untouched field—long memory properties—and the application of fractional models to EM bond portfolios. Based on the outcomes of a dynamic conditional correlation and fractionally integrated generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity approach and related value at risk analysis, the study finds that fractional models are useful tools for risk management, as they deliver satisfactory empirical results for several static and dynamic versions of EM bond portfolios.
Nodal histiocytic disorder in children: report of three cases and review of literature
Authors: Ainer Indumathi , Gendeh Hardip Singh , Husain Salina Binti , Mohd Nor Khadijah
Published: December 2020

Background

Histiocytic system consists of phagocytes and dendritic cells. Both are found in lymph nodes. Usually, this disorder presents with painless cervical lymph node enlargement hence frequently mistaken for lymphoma or tuberculosis.

Case presentation

Here, we report three pediatric cases: one of Langerhans cell histiocytosis and two of sinus histiocytosis and massive lymphadenopathy with neck mass as initial presentation. The final diagnosis was made with fine needle aspiration cytology, biopsy, and ancillary tests.

Conclusion

Biopsy and immunohistochemistry studies are recommended for determining subtypes of histiocytosis and further management of patient.
Effects of Obesity and Insulin on Tissue-Specific Recycling Between Cortisol and Cortisone in Men
Authors: Anderson Anna J , Andrew Ruth , Homer Natalie Z M , Hughes Katherine A , Boyle Luke D , Nixon Mark , Karpe Fredrik , Stimson Roland H , Walker Brian R
Published: December 2020

Context

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11βHSD1) reduces inert cortisone into active cortisol but also catalyzes reverse dehydrogenase activity. Drivers of cortisol/cortisone equilibrium are unclear. With obesity, 11βHSD1 transcripts are more abundant in adipose, but the consequences for oxidation vs reduction remain unknown.

Objective

This work aimed to determine whether 11βHSD1 equilibrium in metabolic tissues is regulated by insulin and obesity.

Methods

A 2-phase, randomized, crossover, single-blinded study in a clinical research facility was conducted of 10 lean and obese healthy men. 11β-Reductase and 11β-dehydrogenase activities were measured during infusion of 9,11,12,12-[2H]4-cortisol and 1,2-[2H]2-cortisone, respectively, on 2 occasions: once during saline infusion and once during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Arterialized and venous samples were obtained across forearm skeletal muscle and abdominal subcutaneous adipose. Steroids were quantified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and adipose tissue transcripts by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Neither whole-body nor tissue-specific rates of production of cortisol or cortisone differed between lean and obese men, however insulin attenuated the diurnal decrease. Whole-body 11β-HSD1 reductase activity tended to be higher in obesity (~ 10%) and was further increased by insulin. Across adipose tissue, 11β-reductase activity was detected in obese individuals only and increased in the presence of insulin (18.99 ± 9.62 vs placebo 11.68 ± 3.63 pmol/100 g/minute; P < .05). Across skeletal muscle, 11β-dehydrogenase activity was reduced by insulin in lean men only (2.55 ± 0.90 vs 4.50 ± 1.42 pmol/100 g/minute, P < .05).

Conclusions

Regeneration of cortisol is upregulated by insulin in adipose tissue but not skeletal muscle. In obesity, the equilibrium between 11β-reductase and 11β-dehydrogenase activities likely promotes cortisol accumulation in adipose, which may lead to adverse metabolic consequences.
Eugenics and the Interwar Approach to Inventors and Invention
Authors: Ballandonne Matthieu
Published: December 2020

Seabury Gilfillan was an American sociologist who is considered a seminal but neglected author in invention studies. Gilfillan published his first important contributions to the sociology of invention at the end of the 1920s, and he corresponded with Schumpeter in the 1930s. Comparisons between the two authors show that they are closer than we might expect. Gilfillan rejected the hero and genius accounts of inventors and supported instead an anonymous view of the invention process. Nevertheless, as shown by previous literature, Gilfillan could not fully get rid of a genius representation of inventors. We argue that Gilfillan’s elitism can be explained by his lifelong support of eugenics, which he also used in his policy prescriptions to increase the “quality” of inventors. Engaging with Gilfillan’s adoption of eugenics is indispensable to understand his approach to inventors and inventions.
Dispossession, Un-freedom, Precarity
Authors: Chaudhury Sabyasachi Basu Ray
Published: December 2020

The partition of the Indian subcontinent forced millions of people to flee to the other side of the borders, freshly demarcated by the British colonial rulers just on the eve of their departure from South Asia. Almost a decade-long migration of people could not, however, settle the boundaries and lives of the people once and for all. The postcolonial rulers retained many of the draconian laws of the late colonial period, like the Foreigners’ Act in India, and laced them with new laws and regulations, thus leading to greater dispossession of people of homes, generating widespread situations of un-freedom, and creating countless refugees and stateless persons, mostly forced to survive in sites of precarious life, without any right to have rights. The concern of this contribution is this politics of dispossession in postcolonial South Asia and its relation with citizenship laws of the region.
The Aesthetic Death Drive of Modernism
Authors: Gannon Matthew
Published: December 2020

This essay argues not only that Wilhelm Worringer’s concept of the urge to abstraction from his work of art history Abstraction and Empathy (1908) prefigures Sigmund Freud’s notion of the death drive in Beyond the Pleasure Principle (1920) but also that Worringer’s aesthetics of nonrepresentational art solves in advance some key problems that Freud had in accounting for the modernism of his day. Though Worringer and Freud did not appear to ever engage with each other, their two central concepts share a high degree of compatibility, and it is possible to think of Worringer’s urge to abstraction as an aesthetic death drive. But because Freud argues that art is fundamentally pleasurable and rooted in mimetic representation, his own aesthetics remains insistently Aristotelian. By rejecting an Aristotelian paradigm, Worringer provides a modernist aesthetic theory of the death drive that Freud himself was never able to envision.
Towards understanding the origin of animal development
Authors: Ruiz-Trillo Iñaki , de Mendoza Alex
Published: December 2020

Almost all animals undergo embryonic development, going from a single-celled zygote to a complex multicellular adult. We know that the patterning and morphogenetic processes involved in development are deeply conserved within the animal kingdom. However, the origins of these developmental processes are just beginning to be unveiled. Here, we focus on how the protist lineages sister to animals are reshaping our view of animal development. Most intriguingly, many of these protistan lineages display transient multicellular structures, which are governed by similar morphogenetic and gene regulatory processes as animal development. We discuss here two potential alternative scenarios to explain the origin of animal embryonic development: either it originated concomitantly at the onset of animals or it evolved from morphogenetic processes already present in their unicellular ancestors. We propose that an integrative study of several unicellular taxa closely related to animals will allow a more refined picture of how the last common ancestor of animals underwent embryonic development.
An interview with Claude Desplan
Authors: Brown Katherine
Published: December 2020

Claude Desplan is Silver Professor in the Department of Biology and Director of the Center for Developmental Genetics at New York University. A biochemist by training, Claude began working on Drosophila embryogenesis in the 1980s, and his work now focuses on how neural diversity is established during the development of the Drosophila visual system. In 2020, Claude was awarded the Society for Developmental Biology's Edwin G. Conklin Medal, which recognises both his outstanding contribution to developmental biology research and his excellence in mentorship. We recently met with Claude (via Zoom) to find out more about his career and his research.
Recent insights into the regulatory networks of NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Authors: Weber Alexander N. R. , Bittner Zsófia A. , Shankar Sangeetha , Liu Xiao , Chang Tzu-Hsuan , Jin Tengchuan , Tapia-Abellán Ana
Published: December 2020

The NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a fascinating cellular machinery endowed with the capacity for rapid proteolytic processing of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β and the cell death effector gasdermin D (GSDMD). Although its activity is essential to fight infection and support tissue homeostasis, the inflammasome complex, which consists of the danger sensor NLRP3, the adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC; also known as PYCARD), caspase-1 and probably other regulatory proteins, also bears considerable potential for detrimental inflammation, as observed in human conditions such as gout, heart attack, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Thus, multi-layered regulatory networks are required to ensure the fine balance between rapid responsiveness versus erroneous activation (sufficient and temporally restricted versus excessive and chronic activity) of the inflammasome. These involve multiple activation, secretion and cell death pathways, as well as modulation of the subcellular localization of NLRP3, and its structure and activity, owing to post-translational modification by other cellular proteins. Here, we discuss the exciting progress that has recently been made in deciphering the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Additionally, we highlight open questions and describe areas of research that warrant further exploration to obtain a more comprehensive molecular and cellular understanding of the NLRP3 inflammasome.
The Change in Core Temperature and Sweating Response during Exercise Are Unaffected by Time of Day within the Wake Period
Authors: RAVANELLI NICHOLAS , JAY OLLIE
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Exercise thermoregulation studies typically control for time of day. The present study assessed whether circadian rhythm independently alters time-dependent changes in core temperature and sweating during exercise at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production (H
prod) during the wake period.

Methods

Ten men (26 ± 2 yr, 76.6 ± 6.3 kg, 1.95 ± 0.10 m2) cycled for 60 min in three combinations of ambient temperature and H
prod (23°C–7.5 W·kg−1, 33°C–5.5 W·kg−1, and 33°C–7.5 W·kg−1) at two times of day (a.m.: 0800 h, p.m.: 1600 h). Rectal temperature (T
re), local sweat rate, and whole-body sweat losses were measured.

Results

Absolute T
re was lower at baseline in a.m. versus p.m. for all three conditions (a.m.: 36.8°C ± 0.2°C, p.m.: 37.0°C ± 0.2°C, P < 0.01). The ΔT
re was not altered by time of day (P > 0.22) and not different at 60 min between a.m. and p.m. for 23°C–7.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 0.83°C ± 0.14°C, p.m.: 0.75°C ± 0.20°C; P = 0.20), 33°C–5.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 0.51°C ± 0.14°C, p.m.: 0.47°C ± 0.14°C; P = 0.22), and 33°C–7.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 0.77°C ± 0.20°C, p.m.: 0.73°C ± 0.21°C; P = 0.80). The change in local sweat rate was unaffected by time of day (P > 0.16) and not different at 60 min in 23°C–7.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 0.67 ± 0.20 mg·cm−2·min−1, p.m.: 0.62 ± 0.21 mg·cm−2·min−1; P = 0.55), 33°C–5.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 0.59 ± 0.13 mg·cm−2·min−1, p.m.: 0.57 ± 0.12 mg·cm−2·min−1; P = 0.65), and 33°C–7.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 0.91 ± 0.19 mg·cm−2·min−1, p.m.: 0.84 ± 0.15 mg·cm−2·min−1; P = 0.33). Whole-body sweat loss was not different between a.m. and p.m. for 23°C–7.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 579 ± 72 g, p.m.: 579 ± 96 g; P = 0.99), 33°C–5.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 558 ± 48 g, p.m.: 555 ± 83 g; P = 0.89), and 33°C–7.5 W·kg−1 (a.m.: 796 ± 72 g, p.m.: 783 ± 75 g; P = 0.31).

Conclusions

The change in core temperature and sweating throughout a 60-min exercise bout in 23°C and 33°C were unaffected by circadian rhythm during the wake period when exercise intensity was prescribed to elicit comparable rates of H
prod, suggesting that scheduling thermoregulatory exercise trials for the same time of day is unnecessary.
Deflating the RNA Mg2+ bubble: stereochemistry to the rescue!
Authors: Auffinger Pascal , Ennifar Eric , D'Ascenzo Luigi
Published: December 2020

Proper evaluation of the ionic structure of biomolecular systems through X-ray and cryo-EM techniques remains challenging but is essential for advancing our understanding of the underlying structure/activity/solvent relationships. However, numerous studies overestimate the number of Mg2+ in deposited structures due to assignment errors finding their origin in improper consideration of stereochemical rules. Herein, to tackle such issues, we reevaluate the PDBid 6QNR and 6SJ6 models of the ribosome ionic structure. We establish that stereochemical principles need to be carefully pondered when examining ion binding features, even when K+ anomalous signals are available as is the case for the 6QNR PDB entry. For ribosomes, assignment errors can result in misleading conceptions of their solvent structure. For instance, present stereochemical analysis results in a significant decrease of the number of assigned Mg2+ in 6QNR, suggesting that K+ and not Mg2+ is the prevalent ion in the ribosome first solvation shell. We stress that the use of proper stereochemical guidelines in combination or not with other identification techniques, such as those pertaining to the detection of transition metals, of some anions and of K+ anomalous signals, is critical for deflating the current Mg2+ bubble witnessed in many ribosome and other RNA structures. We also stress that for the identification of lighter ions such as Mg2+, Na+, …, for which no anomalous signals can be detected, stereochemistry coupled with high resolution structures (<2.4 Å) remains the best currently available option.
Phylogenetic analysis of the betacoronavirus S1 subunit
Authors: Zyrianova Irina
Published: December 2020

The ongoing pandemic outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been caused by the new betacoronavirus (BetaCoV) severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Together with other epidemic outbreaks of BetaCoV infectious diseases (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003 in China and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012 in the Middle East, which have been caused by SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, respectively), these events have generated interest in the coronaviruses (CoVs). Although many phylogenetic analyzes have been reported at a gene or protein level, there is no study as yet encompassing the many sequences publicly available for BetaCoVs, including those that have been manipulated in the lab. In this study, the phylogenetic analysis of 679 different S1 protein sequences of BetaCoVs from a total of 1595, which are publicly available in GenBank from the beginning of the pandemic event to April 2020, has been carried out. The S1 subunit is one part of the S (spike) protein, one of three CoV envelope proteins. The S1 subunit contains a host cell receptor binding domain. This domain is essential in the initiation of the infectious process. Therefore, its phylogenetic analysis is very important for studying CoV evolution. The phylogenetic analysis of BetaCoV S1 protein presented herein shows the evolutionary history of BetaCoVs from bovine CoV to SARS-CoV-2.
Understanding Justice: Analyzing Focus Group Results Using the Example of Student Youth
Authors: Chernyaeva A. , Shestakova N. , Yurkov D.
Published: December 2020

The appeal to the study of the concept of "justice" is due to several reasons: the ambiguity of the concept itself, its evolution in various socio-cultural contexts, the social need for a reflexive analysis of justice itself as a value that is being transformed in the process of social change, realized by researchers, justice has a special meaning for the self-determination of young people, who, in the process of upbringing, assimilated the transmitted values of an industrial society, but right now in society there are changes in morality, value attitudes, the system of ideals and norms, and an important place in this foundation should be given to "justice" as a category of moral, legal and socio-political. In this regard, the phenomenon of justice requires study and reflective analysis. Of particular interest is the study of the following questions: How does justice fit into the new structure of social space? Doesn't this concept of integrity and universality lose? Does society retain the value perception of justice in its "traditional" form, or is there a value erosion, as a result of which value actually disappears, turning into a simulacrum? The authors made an attempt to record the dynamics of the meanings of justice at different stages of social development, and also, through the focus group method, to establish that the concept of justice among young people, on the one hand, has not yet been fully reflected, but at the same time is an element of their value system, The “new” understanding of justice among young people is associated with the idea of the existence of conditions that provide an opportunity for self-realization for everyone, the disclosure of a person's inner resources. Young people consider the aspect of caring for people with disabilities, disabled, unemployed to be important in defining justice.
Turning over a new leaf this season
Authors: Burgoyne Ruth
Published: December 2020

2020 may have dampened our spirits, but we can all learn from nature's ability to adapt and blossom once again. Here, dental nurse Ruth Burgoyne inspires us all with a passion for the role that will seemingly never wilt
How to distance yourself from social media problems
Authors: Collier Andrew
Published: December 2020

This year certainly highlighted the benefits of social media for staying in touch with friends and family. But what are the risks? Here, Andrew Collier provides guidance for the dental nurse when posting photos online

Aim

To consider the personal and professional implications and potential pitfalls in the use of social media

Objectives

Enhance the understanding of professional behaviour and obligations both inside and outside of the dental surgery, including the use of social media Consider possible patient perception of unprofessional behaviour Review GDC guidance regarding social media use GDC development outcome D
‘I light up when talking about teeth’
Authors: Edwards Natasha
Published: December 2020

Trainee dental nurse and mum-of-two Natasha Edwards shares her passion for the profession
Stronger together
Authors: O'Neill Michaela
Published: December 2020

A look at the debate surrounding the effectiveness and safety of skill mix within the dental practice…
How to reduce skin damage in a COVID-19 world
Authors: Schroven Danielle
Published: December 2020

Hand hygiene is one of the most preventative ways to reduce the spread of viruses, but at what cost to your skin? Dental nurse Danielle Schroven talks about her ‘clean, protect and restore’ approach to avoiding skin damage
Proposal for a Secure Forensic Data Storage
Authors: Vinzenz Nico , Eggendorfer Tobias
Published: December 2020

A forensically sound and secure data storage architecture is proposed in this paper.A design focus was on its tamper-proof and memory saving, yet cost-efficient ability to store information valuable for both post-crash and post-crime investigations in a privacy protecting manner.Current privacy regulations were extensively taken into consideration by its architecture design.The implementation requires only minor changes to the vehicle software architecture, leaving the vehicular hardware completely untouched.
Patchwork metasurface quantum well photodetectors with broadened photoresponse
Authors: Hainey Mel F. , Mano Takaaki , Kasaya Takeshi , Jimba Yoji , Miyazaki Hiroshi , Ochiai Tetsuyuki , Osato Hirotaka , Watanabe Kazuhiro , Sugimoto Yoshimasa , Kawazu Takuya , Arai Yukinaga , Shigetou Akitsu , Miyazaki Hideki T.
Published: December 2020

Complex lightwave manipulation such as broadband absorption has been realized with metasurfaces based on laterally arranged metal-dielectric-metal cavities with different geometries. However, application of these metasurfaces for optoelectronic devices by incorporating functional dielectrics remains challenging. Here, we integrate a quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) with a metasurface made of a patchwork of square cavities with different dimensions arranged in a subwavelength unit cell. Our detector realizes wideband photoresponse approaching the entire responsivity spectrum of the QWIP—single-sized square cavities can utilize only 60% of the possible bandwidth—and external quantum efficiencies of up to 78% at 6.8 µm. Our highly flexible design scheme enables integration of photodetectors and metasurfaces with arbitrary arrangements of cavities selectively responding to incidence with a specific wavefront.