bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Verificación de exploración radicular profunda de Eucalyptus grandis hasta rocas sedimentarias pérmicas del noreste uruguayo
Authors: Mármol Sebastián , Bentancor Luis , Francia Martín , Hirigoyen Andrés , Pérez Bidegain Mario , Blanco Gonzalo , Pérez Martín Marcelo
Published: November 2022

Estudios han demostrado que las plantaciones de Eucalyptus spp. desarrollan un rápido y profundo sistema radicular, alcanzando relaciones casi simétricas con la parte aérea de los árboles. En el presente trabajo se relevó información preliminar sobre el desarrollo radicular profundo de E. grandis y su interacción con suelos, saprolitos y rocas en el noroeste de Uruguay. Partiendo de una base geológica, se realizaron tres calicatas profundas, que se clasificaron según una nueva propuesta de saprolitos. Se realizaron análisis químicos y físicos de los perfiles, descripciones macroscópicas de las raíces in situ y observaciones microscópicas (lupa, microscopia electrónica y cortes anatómicos) de raíces, saprolitos y rocas. El desarrollo radicular profundo fue corroborado, mostrando variadas y adaptadas raíces que alcanzan hasta las rocas, observándose indicios de comportamientos radiculares diferentes según las diferentes partes del perfil (suelo, saprolita o roca). Finalmente se discute cómo enfocar el estudio a futuro del sistema radicular profundo de E. grandis., la caracterización del saprolito y la roca en función de este cultivo, y los posibles efectos en el manejo productivo y en el ambiente.
Prof. Dr. Jorge Bossi (1934-2020): father of modern Uruguayan geology
Authors: Gaucher Claudio , Cingolani Carlos Alberto , Blanco Gonzalo , Piñeyro Daniel , Celio Antonella , Ribot Alejandro
Published: November 2022

A synthesis of the academic and scientific activity developed by Prof. Dr. Jorge Bossi, during more than 60 years dedicated to the study of the geology of Uruguay, is offered. This work is a review of his university teaching work and a tribute to his fruitful academic and scientific work on the geology of Uruguay and the region. His contributions have decisively influenced the current understanding of the tectonic evolution, stratigraphy and mineral resources of an important part of South America and southern Africa.
MEMBUKA PASAR PRODUK ENTREPRENEURSHIP BERBASIS SORGUM DI KALANGAN KAUM MUDA TERPELAJAR
Authors: Noerhartati Endang , Puspitasari Diana , Wedowati Endang Retno
Published: November 2022

Developing an entrepreneurial spirit and motivation to produce graduates who can create jobs must be done continuously through an education program, starting from high school to the younger generation of educated people, continuing to tertiary institutions. One of the potential entrepreneurial products is sorghum as an alternative food. The purpose of the activity is to foster an entrepreneurial spirit, increase knowledge about digital-based alternative food sorghum, create the next generation that can increase food diversification based on sorghum, and support the Food National self-reliance. The implementation method begins with preparing sorghum materials and products, materials, and preparation of online activities. Continued implementation, evaluation of activities, reporting, and publication. Participants are students of SMA GIKI 2 Surabaya. The results of the action: participating students understand the concept and development of entrepreneurship in the industrial era 4.0, identify new business development, develop motivation and organize entrepreneurship, and develop sorghum products as alternative food and various entrepreneurial products, business strategies in the industrial era 4.0, business feasibility studies, and can develop entrepreneurial and profitable work plans.
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY SYSTEM IN THE ACTIVATION OF HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS
Authors: Reis Milena de Souza Morais , Paula Vanderson Rabelo de , Volpato Carlos Eduardo Silva , Barbosa Ronald Leite , Reis Luis Lessi dos
Published: November 2022

The expected increase in the energy consumption in the coming years could lead to the depletion of energy resources compromising among other sectors the guarantee of food production in Brazil. Therefore, with the need for sustainable production photovoltaic energy is a promising alternative that can be combined with a sustainable form of production that is the hydroponic cultivation. In this sense, this work was developed with the objective of evaluating the economic viability of a photovoltaic energy system in the activation of a hydroponic bench. For this, two hydroponic benches with the same characteristics were considered differing each other for the form of pumping the nutrient solution, one of them maintained in a conventional pumping system connected to the electrical grid and the other with a pumping system activated by photovoltaic energy. From the survey of the mean cost value and the life expectancy of the equipment as well as the hourly cost of the conventional electricity it was possible to determine the total hourly cost of pumping of each system. The results showed that the adoption of the photovoltaic energy system provided an 87.6% reduction in the pumping costs compared to the system when using conventional electricity.
Cognitive Neuroscience of Conscious Dreaming: Investigating Methodological Approaches to Detect Dream Lucidity in Sleep Studies
Authors: Maciejewicz Berenika , Maciejewicz Berenika
Published: November 2022

Background: It is uncommon for dreamers to be aware of their dreaming status while being inside their own dream. Yet, it is possible to become mindful and conscious of the fact that one is dreaming. This fairly rare phenomenon is called lucid dreaming. Cognitive functions are preserved while sleeping, and in the case of trained and experienced lucid dreamers, this also permits them to manage and influence their own dream environment, characters present, own actions, and the progression and plot of the dream itself. The neuroscience of lucid dreaming is novel but started to gain interest across a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary fields, including neurology, psychotherapy, philosophy, and sports sciences.
Aim of the Study: To evaluate approaches currently practiced during dream lucidity sleep experiments, as well as to suggest new methodologies and protocols that can be adopted to detect the emergence of self-awareness during sleep.
Materials and Methods: Analysis and evaluation of some of the existing methods was performed and combined with their own methodological and theoretical insights. Analysed were selected sleep studies and medical literature.
Results: Neuroimaging employing electroencephalography, electrooculogram and sleep polysomnography simultaneously can be effective in objectively measuring and validating dream lucidity. Agreed-upon sequence patterns involving a left-right-left-right eye movement as a cue from a lucid dreamer signaling, they have entered an awareness state in parallel with polysomnography data can be effectively employed.
Conclusion: Further studies are vital for investigating the clinical and non-clinical applications of lucid dreaming. Dream lucidity, becoming conscious of dreaming while dreaming, might be therapeutically beneficial in various biological and psychological applications, including as a therapy for nightmares or narcolepsy. Diagnostic indications of emerging self-awareness based on more accurate neuroimaging protocols could also be therapeutically applicable to conditions like anaesthesia awareness and locked-in syndrome.
Proposta de implementação do sistema Customer Relationship Management – CRM em uma escola: estudo de caso no Centro Educacional Passinho de Anjo
Authors: Oliveira Caiane Cassia Alves de , Costa Isabela Mantoan , Roberto José Carlos Alves , Pinto Junior José Roberto Lira
Published: November 2022

Este artigo visa demonstrar a importância de uma empresa do ramo educacional conhecer seu público-alvo para oferecer serviços em conformidade com os anseios e expectativas dos clientes (alunos), os fidelizando. À vista disso, a questão norteadora deste estudo foi: como a ferramenta CRM pode contribuir para a melhoria na escola investigada? Sendo assim, este estudo teve como objetivo propor a implementação do sistema de CRM (Customer Relationship Management) no Centro Educacional Passinho de Anjo (CEPA), com o intuito de otimizar o processo de relacionamento com os clientes. Como ferramenta metodológica, utilizou-se o estudo de caso de natureza aplicada, quanto aos fins, buscou-se desenvolver de forma descritiva e explicativa. A proposta de melhoria da empresa foi desenvolvida após o diagnóstico organizacional, onde verificou-se que a falta de um software de gestão escolar, afetava o setor administrativo e o setor de marketing da instituição. Desta forma, foi proposto a implementação do sistema CRM para administração do relacionamento com os clientes.
The Negative Effects of Maternal Postpartum Depression on Infant Directed Speech (IDS) and Infant Cognitive Ability
Authors: Almuways Yasir
Published: November 2022

The language used by caregivers plays an essential role in the development of an infant’s language and cognitive ability. This refers to both the quality and the quantity of language used by the caregiver. In cases where the primary caregiver is a mother who is suffering from maternal postpartum depression, the quality and quantity of speech and language used to suffer greatly. This article examines how maternal postpartum depression negatively affects a mother’s use of Infant Directed Speech (IDS) and how this results in delayed language learning in infants. It first seeks to define the linguistic and emotional aspects of IDS in order to place maternal depression in its context. It then examines how children are negatively impacted by this and briefly looks at gender influences and possible solutions for this problem. This study makes use of and combines the results of previous research conducted on varying aspects of the effects of maternal postpartum depression on IDS and infant cognitive ability. The studies used tracked the cognitive developments of infants ranging from 2 months to 4 years of age; They each collected data from infants who had depressed and non-depressed mothers. In all cases, the results showed that maternal postpartum depression negatively affects IDS and infant cognitive ability.
Perbandingan Biaya dan Waktu Pekerjaan Pelapis Dinding Luar antara Konvensional dan Alumunium Composite Panel (ACP) (Studi Kasus: Pembangunan Gedung Universitas Muara Bungo)
Authors: Radinal Radinal , Putra M Riga , Wijaya Sucitra
Published: November 2022

Gedung Universitas Muara Bungo adalah sebuah proyek yang telah dilaksanakan semenjak tahun 2019 hinga sekarang. Dalam perencanaan pembangunan gedung ini menggunakan dinding konvensional. Peneliti memberi opsional perencanaan dengan menggunakan Aluminium Composite Panel. Rencana Anggaran Biaya (RAB) adalah perhitungan biaya bangunan berdasarkan gambar bangunan dan spesifikasi pekerjaan konstruksi yang akan di bangun, sehingga dapat dijadikan sebagai acuan pelaksanaan pekerjaan. Sebagai dasar perkiraan modal atau dana yang harus diadakan. Rencana anggaran biaya dibuat sebelum proyek dilaksanakan, jadi masih merupakan anggaran biaya perkiraan, bukan anggaran biaya yang sebenarnya berdasarkan pelaksanaan. Analisa Standar Nasional Indonesia (SNI) merupakan sistem koefisien analisa harga satuan bangunan yang dikeluarkan oleh pusat penelitian dan pengembangan permukiman yang mengacu pada Peraturan Menteri Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat Nomor: 28/PRT/M/2016 tentang Pedoman Analisis Harga Satuan Pekerjaan Bidang Pekerjaan Umum. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan dinding konvensional jauh lebih ekonomis dibanding penggunaan dinding Aluminium Composite Panel. Namun dalam hal waktu pekerjaan dan keindahan dinding Aluminium Composite Panel lebih efektif dibanding dinding konvensional.
Hyperactive CREB subpopulations increase during therapy in pediatric B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Masic Dino , Fee Kayleigh , Bell Hayden , Case Marian , Witherington Gabby , Lansbury Sophie , Ojeda-Garcia Juan , McDonald David , Schwab Claire , Van Delft Frederik W. , Filby Andrew , Irving Julie Anne Elizabeth
Published: November 2022

Persistence of residual disease in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during the initial stages of chemotherapy is associated with inferior survival. To better understand clonal evolution and mechanisms of chemoresistance, we used multiparameter mass cytometry, at single-cell resolution, to functionally characterize pediatric B-ALL cells at disease presentation and those persisting during induction therapy. Analysis of ALL cells from presentation samples (n=42) showed that the most abundant phosphosignals were pCREB, pH2AX and pHH3 and we identified JAK-STAT and RAS pathway activation in five of six patients with JAK or RAS genetic aberrations. The clonal composition of ALL was heterogeneous and dynamic during treatment but all viable cell clusters showed pCREB activation. Levels of pCREB in ALL cells were increased or maintained during therapy and high dimensional analysis revealed a subpopulation of ALL cells at presentation that was positive for pCREB/pHH3/pS6 which increased during treatment in some patients, implicating this signaling node in conferring a survival advantage to multi-agent induction therapy. The small molecule CREB inhibitor, 666-15, was shown to reduce CREB transcriptional activity and induce apoptosis in ALL patient-derived xenograft cells of varying cytogenetic subtypes in vitro, both in the presence and absence of stromal support. Together, these data suggest that the cAMP signaling pathway may provide an opportunity for minimal residual disease-directed therapy for many patients at high risk of relapse.
A Case of Extranodal Natural Killer/T Cell Lymphoma Combined With Actinomycosis
Authors: Kim Jun Seop , An Tae Hoon , Yeo Nam-Kyung
Published: November 2022

Actinomycosis is a rare anaerobic, gram-positive bacterial infection caused by Actinomyces. As an infection site for the disease, the cervicofacial area is common but the nasal cavity and the nasopharynx are rare. Actinomycosis causes chronic purulent granulomatous infection and is characterized by extensive infiltration, necrosis, and bone destruction on CT. Extranodal natural killer/T cell (NK/T cell) lymphoma, nasal type is more common in East Asia than elsewhere, comprising up to 7%-10% of all non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Early nasal symptoms are nonspecific and similar to chronic rhinosinusitis, such as nasal obstruction and nasal bleeding. With disease progression, inflammation and necrosis of the mucosa increase. We experienced a case of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma in a 60-year-old female, who was diagnosed with opportunistic infection of actinomycosis. We report this case with a review of literature.
Assessment of denosumab treatment efficiency in patients with giant cell tumor of bone using CT and MRI (own results and literature review)
Authors: Fedorova A. V. , Spirina O. G. , Tararykova A. A. , Sushentsov E. A. , Kochergina N. V. , Bludov A. B. , Shchipakhina Ya. A. , Batyrova G. S.
Published: November 2022

Relevance. Giant cell tumor of the bone is most common in people of working age, which determines the high social significance of successful treatment of this category of patients. The main method of treatment is surgical. Currently, the targeted drug denosumab has appeared, the criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of therapy for which, according to the data of radiation methods, are not clearly defined.

Target. To analyze and compare the possibilities of CT and MRI in evaluating the effectiveness of denosumab therapy for giant cell tumors.

Materials and methods. The data of CT and MRI of 19 patients with giant cell tumor of tubular bones on the background of denosumab therapy were analyzed.

Results. Before treatment, the extraosseous component was determined in 57.9 % (n = 11), after – 31.6 % (n = 6). The decrease occurred in 100 %, the disappearance – in 45 % (n = 11) of cases. The thickness of the extraosseous component before treatment ranged from 4 to 43 mm (Me = 15 mm), after treatment it ranged from 0 to 30 mm (Me = 8 mm). The decrease occurred in the range from 4 to 14 mm (M ± SD = 7 ± 4 mm). In 100 % of cases, a sclerotic rim appeared, the thickness of which after treatment ranged from 1 to 5 mm (Me = 3 mm). In the structure of the tumor, fibrosis occurred in 95 % (n = 18), a decrease in the cystic component occurred in 82 % (n = 9) of cases. Perifocal changes decreased in 100 % of cases. In 100 %, the average tumor density increased. The mean tumor density before treatment ranged from 27 to 65 HU (M ± SD = 42 ± 11 HU), after treatment it ranged from 69 to 500 HU (Me = 150 HU). The increase in density occurred in the range from 41 to 454 HU (Me = 101 HU). All differences are statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusions. Evaluation of effectiveness with the definition of quantitative and qualitative indicators is possible according to the data of both CT and MRI; with CT, changes are recorded longer, and more indicators available for quantitative measurement are determined.
A facile and efficient synthesis approach of salidroside esters by whole-cell biocatalysts in organic solvents
Authors: Yang Rongling , Wang Yu , Zhao Xiangjie , Tong Zheng , Zhu Qianlin , He Xiaoxi , Wang Zhaoyu , Luo Hongzhen , Fang Fang
Published: November 2022

Salidroside, the main bioactive compound isolated from the plant source of Rhodiola rosea L, possesses broad-spectrum pharmacological activities, but suffers from the low cell membranes permeability and alimentary absorption due to its high polarity. Therefore, a whole-cell catalytic strategy for the synthesis of salidroside esters was explored to improve its lipophilicity. The results showed that Aspergillus oryzae demonstrated the highest biocatalytic activity among the microbial strains tested. For the synthesis of salidroside caprylate, the optimum conditions of reaction medium, Aspergillus oryzae amount, molar ratio of vinyl caprylate to salidroside and reaction temperature were acetone, 30 mg/ml, 10°C and 40°C, respectively. Under these conditions, the initial reaction rate was 15.36 mM/h, and substrate conversion and regioselectivity all reached 99%. Moreover, the results indicated that although various 6′-monoesters derivatives of salidroside were exclusively obtained with excellent conversions (96%–99%), the reaction rate varied greatly with different chain-length acyl donors. This study details an efficient and cost-effective biocatalytic approach for the synthesis of salidroside esters by using Aspergillus oryzae as a catalyst for the first time. Considering the whole cell catalytic efficiency and operational stability, this strategy may provide a new opportunity to develop green industrial processes production for ester derivatives of salidroside and its analogues.
Monitoring diacylglycerols in biofluids by non-isotopically paired charge derivatization combined with LC-MS/MS
Authors: Liu Yang-Dan , Liu Hua-Jun , Gong Guan-Wen
Published: November 2022

Diacylglycerols (DAGs) are important lipid mediators in cellular signaling transduction and metabolism. Imbalanced production or consumption of DAGs has a negative impact on the physiological functions of the body. However, comprehensive monitoring of structurally diverse DAGs remains a daunting task due to the rapid metabolism and ion suppression characteristics in biofluids. These bottlenecks call for developing a method that enables sensitive quantification of DAGs in biological sample. In this work, a straightforward charge derivatization strategy was developed to insert a series of structure analogs charge label, i.e., N, N-dimethylglycine (DMG) and N, N-dimethylalanine (DMA), on the free hydroxyl group of the DAGs. Owing to the existence of tertiary amino groups in charge label, the mass spectrometry ionization response of the derivatized DAGs was significantly increased in comparison with traditional metal ion adducts. After charge derivatization, the specific neutral loss diagnostic ions (DMG, 103 Da and DMA, 117 Da) were captured by mass spectrometry. Then, the DMG/DMA-oriented paired multiple reaction monitoring methods based on the characteristic diagnostic ions of the derivatized DAGs have been developed as sensitive methods for the detection (detection limit = 16 aM) and quantification (quantification limit = 62.5 aM) of DAGs in serum. Moreover, the tagged 1,2-DAGs and 1,3-DAGs sn-isomers have been well separated on the reversed-phase column in combination with ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Finally, metabolic characterizations of the tagged DAGs were further explored in L-Arginine-induced acute pancreatitis mice and resveratrol treated model mice. The results indicated that 1,2-DAGs were increased in the serum of model mice relative to normal controls and resveratrol significantly altered this metabolic abnormality. The currently established DMG/DMA-oriented paired charge derivatization strategy is promising for depicting DAGs changes more accurately in metabolic studies of lipid-related diseases and accurately evaluating drug treatment strategies.
Comparative genomic and phenotypic analyses of the virulence potential in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121:H7 and O121:H10
Authors: Carter Michelle Qiu , Laniohan Nicole , Pham Antares , Quiñones Beatriz
Published: November 2022

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O121 is among the top six non-O157 serogroups that are most frequently associated with severe disease in humans. While O121:H19 is predominant, other O121 serotypes have been frequently isolated from environmental samples, but their virulence repertoire is poorly characterized. Here, we sequenced the complete genomes of two animal isolates belonging to O121:H7 and O121:H10 and performed comparative genomic analysis with O121:H19 to assess their virulence potential. Both O121:H7 and O121:H10 strains carry a genome comparable in size with the O121:H19 genomes and belong to phylogroup B1. However, both strains appear to have evolved from a different lineage than the O121:H19 strains according to the core genes-based phylogeny and Multi Locus Sequence Typing. A systematic search of over 300 E. coli virulence genes listed in the Virulence Factor DataBase revealed a total of 73 and 71 in O121:H7 and O121:H10 strains, respectively, in comparison with an average of 135 in the O121:H19 strains. This variation in the virulence genes repertoire was mainly attributed to the reduction in the number of genes related to the Type III Secretion System in the O121:H7 and O121:H10 strains. Compared to the O121:H19 strains, the O121:H7 strain carries more adherence and toxin genes while the O121:H10 strain carries more genes related to the Type VI Secretion System. Although both O121:H7 and O121:H10 strains carry the large virulence plasmid pEHEC, they do not harbor all pEHEC virulence genes in O121:H19. Furthermore, unlike the O121:H19 strains, neither the O121:H7 nor O121:H10 strain carried the Locus of Enterocyte Effacement, OI-122, nor the tellurite resistance island. Although an incomplete Locus of Adhesion and Autoaggregation (LAA) was identified in the O121:H7 and O121:H10 strains, a limited number of virulence genes were present. Consistently, both O121:H7 and O121:H10 strains displayed significant reduced cytotoxicity than either the O157:H7 strain EDL933 or the O121:H19 strain RM8352. In fact, the O121:H7 strain RM8082 appeared to cause minimal cytotoxicity to Vero cells. Our study demonstrated distinct evolutionary lineages among the strains of serotypes O121:H19, O121:H10, and O121:H7 and suggested reduced virulence potentials in STEC strains of O121:H10 and O121:H7.
The role of gut microbiota in gout: Is gut microbiota a potential target for gout treatment
Authors: Tong Shuting , Zhang Peiyu , Cheng Qi , Chen Mo , Chen Xin , Wang Zitao , Lu Xiaoyong , Wu Huaxiang
Published: November 2022

Numerous studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota is essential for the host’s health because it regulates the host’s metabolism, endocrine, and immune systems. In recent years, increasing evidence has shown that gut microbiota plays a role in the onset and progression of gout. Changes in the composition and metabolism of the gut microbiota, result in abnormalities of uric acid degradation, increasing uric acid generation, releasing pro-inflammatory mediators, and intestinal barrier damage in developing gout. As a result, gout therapy that targets gut microbiota has drawn significant interest. This review summarized how the gut microbiota contributes to the pathophysiology of gout and how gout affects the gut microbiota. Additionally, this study explained how gut microbiota might serve as a unique index for the diagnosis of gout and how conventional gout treatment medicines interact with it. Finally, prospective therapeutic approaches focusing on gut microbiota for the prevention and treatment of gout were highlighted, which may represent a future avenue in gout treatment.
Elevated hypertriglyceridemia and decreased gallstones in the etiological composition ratio of acute pancreatitis as affected by seasons and festivals: A two-center real-world study from China
Authors: He Wenhua , Wang Gang , Yu Bingjun , Xia Liang , Zhu Yong , Liu Pi , Chen Hua , Kong Rui , Zhu Yin , Sun Bei , Lu Nonghua
Published: November 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study was to observe the annual variation in the etiology of acute pancreatitis (AP) and its relationship with seasons and festivals.

Methods

From 2011 to 2017, 5146 adult patients with AP were studied, including 4110 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (South center) and 1036 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University (North center). We analyzed the overall annual variation in the etiology of AP and then compared the differences in etiology between the two regions, as well as the effects of seasons and festivals on the etiology of AP.

Results

Gallstones, hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) and alcohol were the top three etiologies of AP. Gallstone AP showed a downward trend (P<0.001), and HTG-AP and alcohol AP showed an upward trend (both P<0.01). Among the etiologies of AP, gallstones and HTG were affected by seasons and festivals. The composition ratio of HTG-AP increased, while gallstone AP decreased in winter and in months with long holidays (all P<0.01). The composition ratio of gallstone AP in the south center was higher than that in the north center (59.5% vs. 49%), especially in summer (62.9% vs. 44.0%) and autumn (61.5% vs. 45.7%, all P<0.001).

Conclusions

The composition ratio of HTG-AP increased while gallstone AP decreased in the past 7 years, and they were affected by seasons and festivals.
Assessment of the potential of radiography and ultrasonography to record flow dynamics in cohesive sediments (mud)
Authors: Brouwers Bart , van Beeck Jeroen , Meire Dieter , Lataire Evert
Published: November 2022

The possible use of both radiography and ultrasonography to visualise flow dynamics in cohesive sediments, also known as fluid mud, has been assessed. Ultimately, these techniques are intended to enable the application of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in experimental fluid dynamics using such fluid mud. This research takes into account the specific requirements arising from this objective. Those requirements are primarily penetration depth, adequate frame rate and the preference not to seed with tracer particles. The evaluation of both techniques is elaborated in detail based the properties of mud originating from the Port of Zeebrugge (Belgium). The assessment of radiography starts with a chemical element analysis of the fluid mud, the results of which are used to determine the attenuation for high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Using various research software, the maximum thickness of the mud layer could be determined as a function of the maximum recordable flow velocities for different radiation sources. However, for the flow velocities expected in nautical research experiments, these thicknesses proved insufficient. Supplemented by the results of a particle size distribution analysis, it is found that high frequency ultrasound radiation will scatter in mud. In case of a great number of scatterers, the scattered ultrasound waves will interact, eventually resulting in speckle images, which are ideally suited for tracking. These findings were confirmed in a test setup with a standard medical ultrasound scanner. The penetration depth of ultrasonography with standard medical equipment is also limited. However, since ultrasonography is based on reflection, this is less of an issue compared to radiography, for which full penetration of the mud layer is required. Ultrasonography is therefore suggested as the preferred technique for the intended application.
Immunosuppressive environment in response to androgen deprivation treatment in prostate cancer
Authors: Qin Caipeng , Wang Jing , Du Yiqing , Xu Tao
Published: November 2022

Rationale

To invest the role of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on the tumor immune microenvironment of prostate cancer.

Methods

Here we have profiled the transcriptomes of 19,227 single cells from 4 prostate tumors, including two cases who received ADT. To validated the single-cell analysis we use another group of patients receiving neoadjuvant ADT.

Results

After receiving ADT treatment, the killing effect of prostate cancer immune cells on tumors is weakened, the interaction between immune cells and tumor cells is weakened, and the proportion of immunosuppressive cells Myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) and Regulatory T cells (Treg) cells increases.

Conclusions

Our results highlight that ADT induces immunosuppressive in the prostate tumor microenvironment. These data have important implications for combining ADT with immunotherapy.
Different responses of soil bacterial species diversity and phylogenetic diversity to short-term nitrogen input in an alpine steppe at the source of Brahmaputra
Authors: Huang Shaolin , Yu Chengqun , Fu Gang , Sun Wei , Li Shaowei , Xiao Jianyu
Published: November 2022

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has experienced an increase in N deposition/input due to global change. However, it remains unclear how the responses and whether the responses of soil bacterial diversity to short-term N input are consistent at different levels. Here, we investigated soil bacterial species and phylogenetic α-diversity and community composition based on a short-term nitrogen input experiment (five levels: 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 g N m−2 y−1) in an alpine steppe at the source of Brahmaputra, using high-throughput sequencing technology. Short-term nitrogen input did not affect the species α-diversity and β-diversity of soil bacteria. However, soil bacterial phylogenetic α-diversity and dissimilarity increased with increasing nitrogen input. Different relative contributions and correlations of primary factors to species and phylogenetic diversity under short-term nitrogen input may result in different responses, in which ecological processes also play a role. Therefore, studying the response of soil bacteria to short-term nitrogen input should take into account not only the species level but also the phylogenetic level. We should pay close attention to the potential influence of short-term nitrogen deposition/fertilization on the soil bacterial community in the alpine steppe on the Tibetan Plateau.
The relationship between 896A/G (rs4986790) polymorphism of TLR4 and infectious diseases: A meta-analysis
Authors: Silva Marcos Jessé Abrahão , Santana Davi Silva , de Oliveira Letícia Gomes , Monteiro Ellerson Oliveira Loureiro , Lima Luana Nepomuceno Gondim Costa
Published: November 2022

Toll-like Receptors (TLRs), such as the TLR4, are genes encoding transmembrane receptors of the same name, which induce a pro- or anti-inflammatory response according to their expression as the host’s first line of defense against pathogens, such as infectious ones. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common type of mutation in the human genome and can generate functional modification in genes. The aim of this article is to review in which infectious diseases there is an association of susceptibility or protection by the TLR4 SNP rs4986790. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was conducted in the Science Direct, PUBMED, MEDLINE, and SciELO databases between 2011 and 2021 based on the dominant genotypic model of this SNP for general and subgroup analysis of infectious agent type in random effect. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for genotypic comparison. I2 statistics were calculated to assess the presence of heterogeneity between studies and funnel plots were inspected for indication of publication bias. A total of 27 articles were included, all in English. Among the results achieved, the categories of diseases that were most associated with the SNP studied were in decreasing order of number of articles: infections by bacteria (29.63%); caused by viruses (22.23%); urinary tract infection—UTI (7.4%), while 11 studies (40.74%) demonstrated a nonsignificant association. In this meta-analysis, a total of 5599 cases and 5871 controls were finalized. The present meta-analysis suggests that there is no significant association between TLR4-rs4986790 SNP and infections (OR = 1,11; 95% CI: 0,75–1,66; p = 0,59), but in the virus subgroup it was associated with a higher risk (OR = 2,16; 95% CI: 1,09–4,30; p = 0,03). The subgroups of bacteria and parasites did not show statistical significance (OR = 0,86; 95% CI: 0,56–1,30; p = 0,47, and no estimate of effects, respectively). Therefore, it has been shown that a diversity of infectious diseases is related to this polymorphism, either by susceptibility or even severity to them, and the receptor generated is also crucial for the generation of cell signaling pathways and immune response against pathogens.
Arrival declaration forms. A new gateway for mapping migration to Luxembourg
Authors: Venken Machteld , Sauer Arnaud
Published: November 2022

Since the late 19th century, foreigners moving to Luxembourg have been required to declare their residency at the local municipality upon arrival. New digital technologies have made it possible to analyze the wealth of information contained in arrival declaration forms. This article offers a first digital analysis of a selection of these sources for the municipalities of Dudelange and Differdange in the mid-1920s. This was a pivotal period during which migratory flows to the Minett region, one of Europe's most dynamic industrial regions characterized by its iron mines and steelworks, were increasing and diversifying. Using a digital hermeneutic approach, the article evaluates the choices, opportunities and difficulties involved in using these sources within the virtual environment nodegoat. It presents insights gained by visualizing migration paths and settlement patterns: differences in mobility between Italian and German (un)married migrants, the case of the owner of a café and hostel (café-pension) in Dudelange who hosted Italian migrants from his place of birth, and the fact that social networks among family members and friends were also active on the road, with family members waiting for each other in the French transit town of Trieux. We end our article by identifying avenues for further research.
The usefulness of pretreatment controlling nutritional status score for predicting recurrence in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy: A real-world study
Authors: Feng Jifeng , Wang Liang , Yang Xun , Chen Qixun , Cheng Xiangdong
Published: November 2022

Background

The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, as an immune-nutritional index, has been reported to be related to prognosis in several cancers. Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (nICT) is an emerging pattern for cancer treatment in recent years. However, the usefulness of CONUT in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with nICT has not been reported so far. This study attempted to clarify the usefulness of CONUT in predicting disease-free survival (DFS) in ESCC with nICT.

Methods

Two hundred sixteen ESCC patients receiving nICT between 2019 and 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. Based on CONUT, the patients were divided into two groups: low groups (score ≤ 2) and high (score ≥ 3) groups. The relationships between CONUT and clinical characteristics were estimated. Cox regression analyses with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also performed to evaluate the prognostic factors of DFS.

Results

Fifty-nine (27.3%) patients achieved pathologic complete response (pCR), and 30 (13.9%) cases had a recurrence. There were 150 cases (69.4%) in low CONUT group and 66 cases (30.6%) in high CONUT group, respectively. The results revealed that vessel invasion (P = 0.037), postoperative pneumonia (P = 0.001), advanced ypT stage (P = 0.011), cTNM stage (P = 0.007), and ypTNM stage (P < 0.001) were significantly related to patients with a high CONUT score. A high pCR rate was found in patients with a low CONUT score (33.3% vs. 13.6%, P = 0.003), and a high recurrence rate was found in patients with a high CONUT score (24.2% vs. 9.3%, P = 0.004), respectively. Patients with a low CONUT score had a better 1-year DFS than those with a high CONUT score (90.7% vs. 75.8%, P = 0.004). Multivariate analyses indicated that the pretreatment CONUT score was an independent predictor regarding DFS (HR = 2.221, 95% CI: 1.067–4.625, P = 0.033).

Conclusion

A better response and a lower recurrence were found in ESCC patients with a lower pretreatment CONUT. As a useful index for immune-nutritional status, the CONUT might be a reliable prognostic indicator in ESCC patients with nICT.
Acircadian rhythm-related gene signature for predicting survival and drug response in HNSC
Authors: Zhang Chuan , Dang Dan , Wang Hongrui , Shi Shuyou , Dai Jiayu , Yang Ming
Published: November 2022

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) represents one of the most common malignant carcinomas worldwide. Because the 5-year survival rate of patients with HNSC is poor, it is necessary to develop an effective signature for predicting the risk of HNSC. To identify a circadian rhythm (CR)-related predictive signature, we analyzed the RNA-seq data of patients with HNSC from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus cohorts. Nine CR-related genes (PER2, PER3, GHRL, CSF2, HDAC3, KLF10, PRKAA2, PTGDS, and RORB) were identified to develop a CR-related signature. The area under the curve values for 5-year overall survival were 0.681, 0.700, and 0.729 in the training set, validation set, and an external independent test set (GSE41613), respectively. The Kaplan‒Meier curve analysis showed that the high-risk group had a reduced relapse-free survival compared with the low-risk group in the training set, validation set, and test set (P < 0.05). Finally, we observed that the CR-related gene signature was associated with the tumor immune microenvironment, somatic nucleotide variation, and drug response in HNSC. In conclusion, we developed a circadian rhythm-related gene signature for predicting overall survival in HNSC.
Type I interferon subtypes differentially activate the anti-leukaemic function of natural killer cells
Authors: Barnes Samantha A. , Audsley Katherine M. , Newnes Hannah V. , Fernandez Sonia , de Jong Emma , Waithman Jason , Foley Bree
Published: November 2022

Natural killer (NK) cells have an intrinsic ability to detect and eliminate leukaemic cells. Cellular therapies using cytokine-activated NK cells have emerged as promising treatments for patients with advanced leukaemia. However, not all patients respond to current NK cell therapies, and thus improvements in efficacy are required. Type I interferons (IFN-I) are a family of potent immunomodulatory cytokines with a known ability to modulate NK cell responses against cancer. Although the human IFN-I family comprises 16 distinct subtypes, only IFNα2 has been widely explored as an anti-cancer agent. Here, we investigated the individual immunomodulatory effects each IFNα subtype and IFNβ had on NK cell functionality to determine whether a particular subtype confers enhanced effector activity against leukaemia. Importantly, IFNα14 and IFNβ were identified as superior activators of NK cell effector function in vitro. To test the ability of these subtypes to enhance NK cell activity in vivo, IFN-I stimulation was overlaid onto a standard ex vivo expansion protocol to generate NK cells for adoptive cell therapy. Interestingly, infusion of NK cells pre-activated with IFNα14, but not IFNβ, significantly prolonged survival in a preclinical model of leukaemia compared to NK cells expanded without IFN-I. Collectively, these results highlight the diverse immunomodulatory potencies of individual IFN-I subtypes and support further investigation into the use of IFNα14 to favourably modulate NK cells against leukaemia.
Dissecting the impact of molecular T-cell HLA mismatches in kidney transplant failure: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lemieux William , Fleischer David , Yang Archer Yi , Niemann Matthias , Oualkacha Karim , Klement William , Richard Lucie , Polychronakos Constantin , Liwski Robert , Claas Frans , Gebel Howard M. , Keown Paul A. , Lewin Antoine , Sapir-Pichhadze Ruth
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment in end-stage kidney disease, but de-novo donor specific antibody development continues to negatively impact patients undergoing kidney transplantation. One of the recent advances in solid organ transplantation has been the definition of molecular mismatching between donors and recipients’ Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA). While not fully integrated in standard clinical care, cumulative molecular mismatch at the level of eplets (EMM) as well as the PIRCHE-II score have shown promise in predicting transplant outcomes. In this manuscript, we sought to study whether certain T-cell molecular mismatches (TcEMM) were highly predictive of death-censored graft failure (DCGF).

Methods

We studied a retrospective cohort of kidney donor:recipient pairs from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (2000-2015). Allele level HLA-A, B, C, DRB1 and DQB1 types were imputed from serologic types using the NMDP algorithm. TcEMMs were then estimated using the PIRCHE-II algorithm. Multivariable Accelerated Failure Time (AFT) models assessed the association between each TcEMM and DCGF. To discriminate between TcEMMs most predictive of DCGF, we fit multivariable Lasso penalized regression models. We identified co-expressed TcEMMs using weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Finally, we conducted sensitivity analyses to address PIRCHE and IMGT/HLA version updates.

Results

A total of 118,309 donor:recipient pairs meeting the eligibility criteria were studied. When applying the PIRCHE-II algorithm, we identified 1,935 distinct TcEMMs at the population level. A total of 218 of the observed TcEMM were independently associated with DCGF by AFT models. The Lasso penalized regression model with post selection inference identified a smaller subset of 86 TcEMMs (56 and 30 TcEMM derived from HLA Class I and II, respectively) to be highly predictive of DCGF. Of the observed TcEMM, 38.14% appeared as profiles of highly co-expressed TcEMMs. In addition, sensitivity analyses identified that the selected TcEMM were congruent across IMGT/HLA versions.

Conclusion

In this study, we identified subsets of TcEMMs highly predictive of DCGF and profiles of co-expressed mismatches. Experimental verification of these TcEMMs determining immune responses and how they may interact with EMM as predictors of transplant outcomes would justify their consideration in organ allocation schemes and for modifying immunosuppression regimens.
Nitrogen occurrence forms and bacterial community in sediment influenced by Bellamya purificata bioturbation
Authors: Zhang Yiyun , Hou Yiran , Jia Rui , Li Bing , Zhu Jian , Ge Xianping
Published: November 2022

Endogenous water pollution and excessive nitrogen in ponds have always been prominent problems threatening aquaculture. To solve this problem, a 70-day indoor simulation experiment was conducted. The snail Bellamya purificata was stocked at four different densities: 0, 15, 30, and 60 individuals/tank, represented as CON (control), LD (low density), MD (medium density), and HD (high density), respectively, to investigate the effects of B. purificata on the nitrogen occurrence forms and bacterial communities in the sediment. At the end of the experiment, the nitrate concentration was significantly higher, while the total nitrogen content was significantly lower in the MD group than in the other three groups. Ammonia monooxygenase activity was significantly lower in the CON group than in the other three groups, and hydroxylamine oxidase activity was significantly higher in the HD group than in the other three groups. The CON and MD groups showed the highest and lowest values in nitrate reductase activity, respectively. The hydroxylamine reductase activity decreased significantly with increasing density. Through 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) high-throughput sequencing, significantly affected bacterial communities by B. purificata were found. Alpha diversity results showed that, a significantly lower Shannon index was observed in the MD group than in the other three groups. The LD and MD groups showed the highest and lowest Chao1 index values, respectively. Phyla Nitrospinae and family Nitrosomonadaceae were significantly enriched in the HD and MD groups, respectively. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated a significant correlation between differential bacterial taxa and TN content. Predicted functional analysis based on FAPROTAX (Functional annotation of prokaryotic taxa) database showed that functional groups aerobic ammonia oxidation and aerobic nitrite oxidation were significantly enriched in the MD group. Overall, B. purificata significantly altered the bacterial community composition, increased hydroxylamine oxidase and ammonia monooxygenase activities, enhanced the bacterial nitrification process, and promoted the transformation of total nitrogen to nitrate. Moreover, B. purificata stocked at 30 and 60 individuals/tank appeared to have a significant promotion effect on the bacterial community and nitrogen occurrence forms in the sediment. Hence, co-culturing B. purificata may be a feasible and effective ecological restoration method to alleviate excess nitrogen and reduce water eutrophication.