bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Performance of MnO2/Graphene Flower-like Microspheres Prepared by Thermally-Exfoliated Graphite
Authors: Liu Xuyue , Liang Bing , Hong Xiaodong , Long Jiapeng
Published: April 2022

To enhance the electrochemical performance of MnO2/graphene composite, herein, thermally-exfoliated graphite (TE-G) is adopted as a raw material, and a hydrothermal reaction is conducted to achieve the exfoliation of TE-G and the loading of MnO2 nanosheets. Through optimizing the TE-G/KMnO4 ratio in the redox reaction between carbon and KMnO4, flower-like MnO2/G microspheres (MnO2/G-10) are obtained with 83.2% MnO2 and 16.8% residual graphene. Meanwhile, corresponding MnO2/rGO composites are prepared by using rGO as raw materials. Serving as a working electrode in a three-electrode system, MnO2/G-10 composite displays a specific capacitance of 500 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, outstanding rate performance, and capacitance retention of 85.3% for 5,000 cycles. The performance is much better than that of optimized MnO2/rGO composite. We ascribe this to the high carbon fraction in TE-G resulting in a high fraction of MnO2 in composite, and the oxygen-containing groups in rGO reduce the resulting MnO2 fraction in the composite. The superior electrochemical performance of MnO2/G-10 is dependent on the hierarchical porous structure constructed by MnO2 nanosheet arrays and the residual graphene layer in the composite. In addition, a supercapacitor assembled by TE-G negative electrode and MnO2/G positive electrode also exhibits superior performance. In consideration of the low cost of raw materials, the MnO2/G composite exhibits great application potential in the field of supercapacitors.
An Overview of Autophagy in Helicobacter pylori Infection and Related Gastric Cancer
Authors: Yang Yihan , Shu Xu , Xie Chuan
Published: April 2022

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is considered a class I carcinogen in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. In recent years, the interaction relationship between H. pylori infection and autophagy has attracted increasing attention. Most investigators believe that the pathogenesis of gastric cancer is closely related to the formation of an autophagosome-mediated downstream signaling pathway by H. pylori infection-induced cells. Autophagy is involved in H. pylori infection and affects the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. In this paper, the possible mechanism by which H. pylori infection affects autophagy and the progression of related gastric cancer signaling pathways are reviewed.
Parameter Estimation Using Adaptive Observations Toward Maximum Total Variance Reduction With Ensemble Adjustment Kalman Filter
Authors: Shen Zheqi , Zhong Qian , Chen Zengsi
Published: April 2022

In real applications, one common issue of parameter estimation using ensemble-based data assimilation methods is the accumulation of sampling errors when a large number of observations are used to update single-value parameters. In this article, a new parameter estimation method which assimilates a large number of observations to estimate the states while assimilates adaptive observations to update the parameters is introduced. The observations resulting in maximum total variance reduction to the parameter ensembles are identified to perform parameter estimation. To validate this new method, the two-scale Lorenz-96 model is used to generate true states, while a parameterized one-scale Lorenz-96 model is used to perform state and parameter estimation experiments. The comparison between state estimation and parameter estimation with fixed or adaptive observations shows the new method can be more effective in estimating the model parameters and providing more accurate analyses. This method also shows its potential to be used in the data assimilation with large general circulation models to better produce reanalyzes.
Analysis of Stress State and Damage Characteristics of the Cement Sheath
Authors: Xu Feng , Ren Qingyang , Ling Hao , Yin Hongwu , Zhou Xiaogui , Liu Zhongshuai , Yang Guangqing
Published: April 2022

The sealing problem of the cement sheath often appears in gas wells for underground energy exploitation, especially when horizontal multistage fracturing technology is used in the shale gas industry. In this article, according to the elastic–plastic mechanics and Mohr–Coulomb yield criteria, an analytical solution of the equations is obtained by considering the effect of pressure on the fluid column, volume shrinkage, or expansion and geological characteristics on the initial stress of the cement sheath. The analysis of the example indicates that the smaller the initial stress of the cement sheath, the lower its radial stress and circumferential stress, which is under the maximum inner casing pressure of 150 MPa. With the increase of initial stress of the cement sheath, it is easier for the first and second interfaces to enter the plastic and damage state for the cement sheath. The smaller the initial stress of the cement sheath, the earlier the damage appears, and it develops with the increase of inner casing pressure more quickly. When the initial stress of the cement sheath is less than 7.9 MPa, the damage factor finally reaches 1 with the increase of internal casing pressure; however, when the initial stress of the cement sheath is greater than 34.2 MPa, the damage factor always remains 0 with the increase of inner casing pressure. The results preliminarily revealed that the initial stress of the cement sheath plays a decisive role in promoting its integrity and may provide guidance for the choice of the formula of cement and construction methods in the oil field.
Exploration of Reduced Mitochondrial Content–Associated Gene Signature and Immunocyte Infiltration in Colon Adenocarcinoma by an Integrated Bioinformatic Analysis
Authors: Kang Jinlin , li Na , Wang Fen , Wei Yan , Zeng Yangyang , Luo Qifan , Sun Xuehua , Xu Hui , Peng Jin , Zhou Fuxiang
Published: April 2022

Purpose: Mitochondrial dysfunction refers to cancer immune evasion. A novel 7-gene prognostic signature related to the mitochondrial DNA copy number was utilized to evaluate the immunocyte infiltration in colon cancer according to the risk scores and to predict the survival for colon cancer.

Experimental design: We performed an integrated bioinformatic analysis to analyze transcriptome profiling of the EB-treated mitochondrial DNA–defected NCM460 cell line with differentially expressed genes between tumor and normal tissues of COAD in TCGA. The LASSO analysis was utilized to establish a prognostic signature. ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT validated the differences of immunocyte infiltration between colon cancer patients with high- and low-risk scores.

Results: Our study identified a 7-gene prognostic signature (LRRN2, ANKLE1, GPRASP1, PRAME, TCF7L1, RAB6B, and CALB2). Patients with colon cancer were split into the high- and low-risk group by the risk scores in TCGA (training cohort: HR = 2.50 p < 0.0001) and GSE39582 (validation cohort: HR = 1.43 p < 0.05). ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT revealed diverseness of immune infiltration in the two groups, especially downregulated T-cell infiltration in the patients with high-risk scores. Finally, we validated the colon patients with a low expression of the mitochondrial number biomarker TFAM had less CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell infiltration in clinical specimens.

Conclusion: An mtDNA copy number-related 7-gene prognostic signature was investigated and evaluated, which may help to predict the prognosis of colon cancer patients and to guide clinical immunotherapy via immunocyte infiltration evaluation.
The Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination on Lactating Women: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Muyldermans Joke , De Weerdt Louise , De Brabandere Larissa , Maertens Kirsten , Tommelein Eline
Published: April 2022

Objectives

The availability of new vaccines against COVID-19 urges for guidance about vaccination during lactation. We aimed to review the literature to get an insight into the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on lactating women.

Design

Systematic review.

Data Sources

We searched Ovid Embase Classic+Embase, PubMed and BioMed Central for articles published between December 1st 2020 and December 31st 2021.

Review Methods

The search strategy contained terms and combinations related to COVID-19 vaccination during lactation, including the MeSH terms “COVID-19”, “COVID-19 Vaccines”, “SARS-CoV-2”, “Lactation”, “Breast Feeding”, “Pregnancy” and “Postpartum period”. The database search was completed with a manual search of the reference lists of included articles. Data concerning country, study period, number of participants, type of applied vaccine, time points of sampling and outcome measures were collected from the selected manuscripts. The data are summarized and synthesized in a descriptive way.

Results

30 manuscripts were included in this review. Data on safety of COVID-19 vaccination during lactation indicate no severe vaccine-related local and systemic reactions, both after first and second dose, neither in the mother nor the nursing child. No significant amount of vaccine components seems to appear in breast milk. Milk supply data after vaccination are inconclusive as there are no quantitative data available. Some women however observe a temporary increase or reduction in milk supply, without long-term effects. All prospective cohort studies demonstrated the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in breast milk of nursing mothers vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. Nearly all studies were conducted with mRNA vaccines.

Conclusion

There is evidence that the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine is safe and poses no additional risk to the breastfeeding woman or the breastfed baby. After vaccination of the mother during the lactation period, antibodies appear in the milk, which could protect the infant against COVID-19. Professional associations and government health authorities should therefore recommend offering COVID-19 vaccines to breastfeeding women, as the potential benefits of maternal vaccination while breastfeeding outweigh the risks.
Bycatch of a Critically Endangered Shark Glyphis glyphis in a Crab Pot Fishery: Implications for Management
Authors: Pillans Richard D. , Fry Gary C. , Carlin Geoff D. , Patterson Toby A.
Published: April 2022

The speartooth shark Glyphis glyphis is a Critically Endangered whaler shark known from a few tropical river systems in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. There is limited genetic exchange in populations residing in northern Australian rivers that are greater than 100 km apart. In Queensland, the species is only found in the Wenlock and Ducie River that flow into Port Musgrave. Juveniles are confined to upstream reaches of these rivers with seasonal downstream movement related to freshwater influx. This region also supports commercial and recreational fisheries including crab pot and gillnet fisheries. Being obligate ram-ventilators, entrapment in crab pots results in mortality of bycaught speartooth sharks after a few hours. Following anecdotal reports of juvenile speartooth sharks being captured in crab pots, we investigated catch rates in crab pots experimentally and examined commercial fishing effort in the Wenlock and Ducie River from logbook data. Twenty four juvenile (55–80 cm TL) speartooth sharks were captured in experimental crab pots in the Ducie River and Tentpole Creek (a tributary of the Wenlock River) with catch rates high; up to 0.82 (±1.86 SD) sharks pot–1 day–1. Experimental catch rates in crab pots varied between rivers and with distance upstream and were highest in areas of highest shark density based on detection of acoustically tagged sharks over 7 years and line fishing catch per unit effort data. Although commercial crab effort varies spatially and temporally in relation to current catch rates and market demands, consistent monthly overlap with juvenile speartooth shark core distribution occurred throughout the year. Using CPUE data multiplied by fishing effort in Tentpole Creek, we estimate that in November alone, between 51 and 279 speartooth sharks are potentially captured in years with high fishing effort. Bycatch of juvenile speartooth sharks in commercial and recreational crab pots poses a significant threat to this genetically isolated and small population. Urgent management intervention to drastically reduce bycatch mortality either through gear modifications or spatial closures are required to ensure the viability of this population.
Filter-Feeding Bivalve Weakens Food Competition Between Crustaceans (Portunus trituberculatus, Marsupenaeus japonicus) in Integrated Culture Ponds: Evidence From 18S rDNA Barcoding and Stable Isotope Analysis
Authors: Xu Xian , Dong Shipeng , Zhang Dongxu , Yu Liye , Pu Weijia , Xie Yicheng , Shan Hongwei , Wang Fang
Published: April 2022

In order to investigate the effects of razor clams (Sinonovacula constricta) on the food composition and isotopic niches of swimming crabs (Portunus trituberculatus) and kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) in polyculture systems, this study analyzed 60 P. trituberculatus, 60 M. japonicus and 30 S. constricta to quantify the food sources, food source contributions, and isotopic niches of cultured organisms using 18S rDNA barcoding and stable isotope techniques. The results were as follows: (1) In the P. trituberculatus-M. japonicus (PM) polyculture system, the Sobs and Shannon-Wiener indices of the stomach contents of P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus were not significantly different (P > 0.05). In the P. trituberculatus-M. japonicus-S. constricta polyculture (PMS) system, the Sobs and Shannon-Wiener indices of the stomach contents of P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus were also not significantly different (P > 0.05), but the Sobs indices of P. trituberculatus in the PMS system were significantly higher than those in the PM system (P < 0.05), M. japonicus shows a similar pattern. (2) 18S rDNA barcoding analysis showed the dominant taxa in the stomach contents of both P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus in the PM system were Trebouxiophyceae, Embryophyta and Rotifera, and the food overlap between them was 0.8992, which was significant (Q > 0.6). In the PMS system, the dominant taxa in the stomach contents of P. trituberculatus were Chrysophyceae, Intramacronucleata, and Embryophyta, and in M. japonicus were Chrysophyceae, Embryophyta, and Bacillariophyceae, in this system the food overlap was 0.2061, which was not significant (Q < 0.6). (3) Stable isotope analysis suggested, in both systems, the main food sources of P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus were iced trash fish, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and organic particulate matter (POM). Iced trash fish accounted 77.67% of food sources for P. trituberculatus and 69.42% for M. japonicus in the PM system, and 60.82% and 57.60% in the PMS system. (4) The isotopic niche overlap between P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus was 5.69% in the PM system and 1.21% in the PMS system. These results suggested food competition between P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus, and S. constricta can reduce the competition and isotopic niche overlap, improve the contribution of food sources such as phytoplankton. Razor clams also serve to purify the water and improve the utilization of iced trash fish by filtering phytoplankton (51.10%), POM (32.25%), SOM (7.47%), and iced trash fish (9.18%). Thus, P. trituberculatus-M. japonicus-S. constricta is a healthy and sustainable culture model.
Investigating the Drinking Water Quality and Associated Health Risks in Metropolis Area of Pakistan
Authors: Sohail Muhammad Tayyab , Ehsan Muhsan , Riaz Sidra , Elkaeed Eslam B. , Awwad Nasser S. , Ibrahium Hala A.
Published: April 2022

Water is the basic need of human beings with no substitute for it. This research aims to investigate the drinking water quality and dissociated risk calculations of the metropolis area in Pakistan. The present study was based on public awareness toward water quality and the real situation of water quality of filtration plants in Islamabad. A questionnaire was designed with the help of existing literature about public awareness on water quality. In the present study, 450 completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed with the help of statistical tools. To investigate the real situation of water quality in the study area, 32 samples were analyzed from installed filtration plants. The results presented that electrical arsenic, conductivity (EC), and alkalinity were higher, and 26 samples were found to be unsafe for drinking under poor water quality (water quality index >100). The hazard index of arsenic was found to be <1 in adults (7.03E+01) and children (1.06E+02) in Islamabad. The microbiological situation was included as well for health risk assessment. There is a need of comprehensive management for the sustainability of filtration plants. Public satisfaction can be enhanced by dissemination of the significant importance of water quality in annual government reports to the public via local social media, print media, and television.
Serological Phenotyping Analysis Uncovers a Unique Metabolomic Pattern Associated With Early Onset of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Zhu Linmin , Huang Qianyang , Li Xiao , Jin Bo , Ding Yun , Chou C. James , Su Kuo-Jung , Zhang Yani , Chen Xingguo , Hwa Kuo Yuan , Thyparambil Sheeno , Liao Weili , Han Zhi , Mortensen Richard , Jin Yi , Li Zhen , Schilling James , Li Zhen , Sylvester Karl G. , Sun Xuguo , Ling Xuefeng B.
Published: April 2022

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifaceted disorder affecting epidemic proportion at global scope. Defective insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells and the inability of insulin-sensitive tissues to respond effectively to insulin are the underlying biology of T2DM. However, circulating biomarkers indicative of early diabetic onset at the asymptomatic stage have not been well described. We hypothesized that global and targeted mass spectrometry (MS) based metabolomic discovery can identify novel serological metabolic biomarkers specifically associated with T2DM. We further hypothesized that these markers can have a unique pattern associated with latent or early asymptomatic stage, promising an effective liquid biopsy approach for population T2DM risk stratification and screening.

Methods: Four independent cohorts were assembled for the study. The T2DM cohort included sera from 25 patients with T2DM and 25 healthy individuals for the biomarker discovery and sera from 15 patients with T2DM and 15 healthy controls for the testing. The Pre-T2DM cohort included sera from 76 with prediabetes and 62 healthy controls for the model training and sera from 35 patients with prediabetes and 27 healthy controls for the model testing. Both global and targeted (amino acid, acylcarnitine, and fatty acid) approaches were used to deep phenotype the serological metabolome by high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. Different machine learning approaches (Random Forest, XGBoost, and ElasticNet) were applied to model the unique T2DM/Pre-T2DM metabolic patterns and contrasted with their effectiness to differentiate T2DM/Pre-T2DM from controls.

Results: The univariate analysis identified unique panel of metabolites (n = 22) significantly associated with T2DM. Global metabolomics and subsequent structure determination led to the identification of 8 T2DM biomarkers while targeted LCMS profiling discovered 14 T2DM biomarkers. Our panel can effectively differentiate T2DM (ROC AUC = 1.00) or Pre-T2DM (ROC AUC = 0.84) from the controls in the respective testing cohort.

Conclusion: Our serological metabolite panel can be utilized to identifiy asymptomatic population at risk of T2DM, which may provide utility in identifying population at risk at an early stage of diabetic development to allow for clinical intervention. This early detection would guide ehanced levels of care and accelerate development of clinical strategies to prevent T2DM.
Prediction of Site Directed miRNAs as Key Players of Transcriptional Regulators Against Influenza C Virus Infection Through Computational Approaches
Authors: Hassan Mubashir , Iqbal Muhammad Shahzad , Naqvi Sawaira , Alashwal Hany , Moustafa Ahmed A. , Kloczkowski Andrzej
Published: April 2022

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play critical roles in gene expression, cell differentiation, and immunity against viral infections. In this study, we have used the computational tools, RNA22, RNAhybrid, and miRanda, to predict the microRNA-mRNA binding sites to find the putative microRNAs playing role in the host response to influenza C virus infection. This computational research screened the following four miRNAs: hsa-mir-3155a, hsa-mir-6796-5p, hsa-mir-3194-3p and hsa-mir-4673, which were further investigated for binding site prediction to the influenza C genome. Moreover, multiple sites in protein-coding region (HEF, CM2, M1-M2, NP, NS1- NS2, NSF, P3, PB1 and PB2) were predicted by RNA22, RNAhybrid and miRanda. Furthermore, 3D structures of all miRNAs and HEF were predicted and checked for their binding potential through molecular docking analysis. The comparative results showed that among all proteins, HEF is higher in prevalence throughout the analysis as a potential (human-derived) microRNAs target. The target-site conservation results showed that core nucleotide sequence in three different strains is responsible for potential miRNA binding to different viral strains. Further steps to use these microRNAs may lead to new therapeutic insights on fighting influenza virus infection.
Construction of a Two-Gene Immunogenomic-Related Prognostic Signature in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Xiaoting , Xiao Jing , Fu Xian , Qin Guicheng , Yu Mengli , Chen Guihong , Li Xiaofeng
Published: April 2022

Lung cancer has the highest tumor incidence in China. Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is the most common type, accounting for 40–51% of primary lung cancers. LUSC is slow in growth and late in metastasis. Immune-related genes (IRGs) and immune infiltrating cells play a vital role in the clinical outcomes of LUSC. It is important to systematically study its immune gene map to help the prognosis of cancer patients. In this study, we combined the prognostic landscape and expression status of IRGs downloaded from the TCGA and InnatedDB databases and systematically analyzed the prognostic information of LUSC patients to obtain IRGs. After systematically exploring the survival analysis, prognosis-related genes were found, and the PPI network revealed that a total of 11 genes were hub genes. A two-gene prognosis risk model was established by multivariate Cox analysis. Two IRGs were closely correlated with the prognosis of LUSC. Based on these two genes, a new independent prognostic risk model was established, and this model was further verified in the GEO database. Moreover, the risk score of the model was correlated with sex, survival status, and lymphatic metastasis in LUSC patients, and the predictive risk of the prognostic risk model was significantly positively correlated with five kinds of immune cells (CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells). This study comprehensively analyzed immunogenomics and presented immune-related prognostic biomarkers for LUSC.
Silver Chitosan Nanocomposites are Effective to Combat Sporotrichosis
Authors: Artunduaga Bonilla Jhon Jhamilton , Honorato Leandro , Guimarães Allan J. , Miranda Kildare , Nimrichter Leonardo
Published: April 2022

The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) embedded in polymeric matrix has acquired special attention as a strategy to reduce metal toxicity without losing its antimicrobial effect. In this work, the green synthesis of AgNPs and their functionalization with chitosan (AgNPs@Chi) was performed, and their antifungal activity investigated against the foremost species responsible for causing sporotrichosis, Sporothrix brasiliensis and Sporothrix schenckii. In vitro studies revealed inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.12–1 μg/ml for both nanocomposites (NCs). Silver release in suspension displayed chitosan as a potential vehicle for continuous silver discharge, with a complete release after 52 days. No synergistic effects were observed in vitro when the NCs were combined with itraconazole or amphotericin B. Treatment of S. brasiliensis with NCs caused morphological deformities, cell membrane discontinuity and an intense cytoplasmic degeneration. Remarkably, both NCs induced the growth and migration of keratinocytes and fibroblasts when compared to control conditions. In addition, functionalization of AgNPs with chitosan significantly reduced its hemolytic activity, suggesting their potential use in vivo. Finally, silver nanocomposites were used as a daily topical treatment in a murine model of subcutaneous sporotrichosis, showing the ability to reduce the Sporothrix infection and stimulate tissue repair. In combination, our results demonstrate that AgNPs@Chi can be a non-toxic and efficient alternative for sporotrichosis.
Brain–Computer Interface-Robot Training Enhances Upper Extremity Performance and Changes the Cortical Activation in Stroke Patients: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study
Authors: Liu Lingyu , Jin Minxia , Zhang Linguo , Zhang Qiuzhen , Hu Dunrong , Jin Lingjing , Nie Zhiyu
Published: April 2022

Introduction

We evaluated the efficacy of brain–computer interface (BCI) training to explore the hypothesized beneficial effects of physiotherapy alone in chronic stroke patients with moderate or severe paresis. We also focused on the neuroplastic changes in the primary motor cortex (M1) after BCI training.

Methods

In this study, 18 hospitalized chronic stroke patients with moderate or severe motor deficits participated. Patients were operated on for 20 sessions and followed up after 1 month. Functional assessments were performed at five points, namely, pre1-, pre2-, mid-, post-training, and 1-month follow-up. Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) was used as the primary outcome measure, while Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), its wrist and hand (FMA-WH) sub-score and its shoulder and elbow (FMA-SE) sub-score served as secondary outcome measures. Neuroplastic changes were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) at baseline and after 20 sessions of BCI training. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate functional connectivity (FC) across time points.

Results

Compared to the baseline, better functional outcome was observed after BCI training and 1-month follow-up, including a significantly higher probability of achieving a clinically relevant increase in the WMFT full score (ΔWMFT score = 12.39 points, F = 30.28, and P < 0.001), WMFT completion time (ΔWMFT time = 248.39 s, F = 16.83, and P < 0.001), and FMA full score (ΔFMA-UE = 12.72 points, F = 106.07, and P < 0.001), FMA-WH sub-score (ΔFMA-WH = 5.6 points, F = 35.53, and P < 0.001), and FMA-SE sub-score (ΔFMA-SE = 8.06 points, F = 22.38, and P < 0.001). Compared to the baseline, after BCI training the FC between the ipsilateral M1 and the contralateral M1 was increased (P < 0.05), which was the same as the FC between the ipsilateral M1 and the ipsilateral frontal lobe, and the FC between the contralateral M1 and the contralateral frontal lobe was also increased (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate that BCI-based rehabilitation could be an effective intervention for the motor performance of patients after stroke with moderate or severe upper limb paresis and represents a potential strategy in stroke neurorehabilitation. Our results suggest that FC between ipsilesional M1 and frontal cortex might be enhanced after BCI training.

Clinical Trial Registration

www.chictr.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR2100046301.
Association Study of TAF1 Variants in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Zeng Qian , Pan Hongxu , Zhao Yuwen , Wang Yige , Xu Qian , Tan Jieqiong , Yan Xinxiang , Li Jinchen , Tang Beisha , Guo Jifeng
Published: April 2022

Increasing evidence reveals sex as an important factor in the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but associations between genes on the sex chromosomes and PD remain unknown. TAF1 is a gene located on the X chromosome which is known to cause X-linked syndromic mental retardation-33 (MRXS33) and X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism (XDP). In this study, we conducted whole-exome sequencing (WES) among 1,917 patients with early-onset or familial PD and 1,652 controls in a Chinese population. We detected a hemizygous frameshift variant c.29_53dupGGA(CAG)2CTACCATCA(CTG)2C (p.A19Dfs*50) in two unrelated male patients. Further segregation analysis showed an unaffected family member carried this variant, which suggested the penetrance of the variant may be age-related and incomplete. To verify the effects of TAF1 on PD, genetic analyses were carried separately by gender. Analysis of rare variants by optimal sequence kernel association (SKAT-O) test showed a nominally significant difference in variant burden between the male PD patients and controls (2.01 vs. 1.38%, p = 0.027). In the female group, none of the variant types showed significant association with PD in this study. In conclusion, we found rare variants in TAF1 may be implicated in PD, but further genetic and functional analyses were needed.
Preclinical Evidence of Paeoniflorin Effectiveness for the Management of Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Anzhu , Zhao Wei , Yan Kaituo , Huang Pingping , Zhang Hongwei , Ma Xiaochang
Published: April 2022

Background: Vessel recanalization is the main treatment for ischemic stroke; however, not all patients benefit from it. This lack of treatment benefit is related to the accompanying ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Therefore, neuroprotective therapy for I/R Injury needs to be further studied. Paeonia lactiflora Pall. is a commonly used for ischemic stroke management in traditional Chinese medicine; its main active ingredient is paeoniflorin (PF). We aimed to determine the PF’s effects and the underlying mechanisms in instances of cerebral I/R injury.

Methods: We searched seven databases from their inception to July 2021.SYRCLE’s risk of bias tool was used to assess methodological quality. Review Manager 5.3 and STATA 12.0 software were used for meta-analysis.

Results: Thirteen studies, including 282 animals overall, were selected. The meta-analyses showed compared to control treatment, PF significantly reduced neurological severity scores, cerebral infarction size, and brain water content (p = 0.000). In the PF treatment groups, the apoptosis cells and levels of inflammatory factors (IL-1β) decreased compared to those in the control groups (p = 0.000).

Conclusion: Our results suggest that PF is a promising therapeutic for cerebral I/R injury management. However, to evaluate the effects and safety of PF in a more accurate manner, additional preclinical studies are necessary.
Neurological Adverse Events Associated With Esketamine: A Disproportionality Analysis for Signal Detection Leveraging the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System
Authors: Guo Haoning , Wang Bin , Yuan Shuying , Wu Silin , Liu Jing , He Miaoquan , Wang Jisheng
Published: April 2022

Esketamine was approved for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression in 2019. After the approval of esketamine, numerous concerns have been raised regarding its long-term safety and tolerability. A previous systematic pharmacovigilance study on esketamine-related adverse events (AEs) was published in 2020; however, it has not been updated 2 years later. The primary aim of this study was to detect and characterize neurological safety signals of esketamine to partially update the knowledge in this field using the FDA pharmacovigilance database. Reporting odds ratio (ROR) was calculated for esketamine-related neurological AEs from 2019 to 2021 with a signal considered when the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of ROR (ROR025) exceeded one. Severe and non-severe cases were compared using an independent samples t-test or chi-squared (χ2) test, and a rating scale was used to prioritize the signals. The database contained 720 cases of esketamine-associated neurological AEs, with 21 signals detected, ranging from a ROR025 of 1.05 (disturbance in attention) to 204.00 (sedation). 16 latest neurological AEs emerged in the second year of marketing approval of esketamine, with eight signals detected. The associations between esketamine and nervous system disorders persisted when stratifying by sex, age, and reporter type, whereas the spectrum of neurological AEs differed in stratification regimens. Esketamine dosage, antidepressant polypharmacy, or co-prescription with benzodiazepines affected AEs severity (t = 2.41, p = 0.017; χ2 = 6.75, p = 0.009; and χ2 = 4.10, p = 0.043; respectively), while age and sex did not (p = 0.053 and p = 0.397, respectively). Three signals were categorized as moderate clinical priority [i.e., sedation, dizziness, and dysgeusia (priority points 7, 5, and 5, respectively)], showing the same early failure type profiles. Notably, seven detected disproportionality signals were not previously detected in clinical trials. Although the majority of results were in line with those obtained in the previous study, there were discrepancies in the spectrum of neurological AEs and the effects of several risk factors on AEs severity among the two studies that should be recognized and managed early in clinical treatments.
Porous Media Microstructure Determines the Diffusion of Active Matter: Experiments and Simulations
Authors: Modica Kevin J. , Xi Yuchen , Takatori Sho C.
Published: April 2022

Active swimmers are known to accumulate along external boundaries owing to their persistent self-motion, resulting in a significant reduction in their effective mobility through heterogeneous and tortuous materials. The dynamic interplay between the slowdown experienced by the active constituents near boundaries and their long-time diffusivity is critical for understanding and predicting active transport in porous media. In this work, we study the impact of boundary layer accumulation on the effective diffusivity of active matter by analyzing the motion of active Brownian particles in an array of fixed obstacles. We combine Janus particle experiments, Brownian dynamics simulations, and a theoretical analysis based on the Smoluchowski equation. We find that the shape, curvature, and microstructure of the obstacles play a critical role in governing the effective diffusivity of active particles. Indeed, even at dilute packing fractions of obstacles, ϕ = 12%, we observed a 25% reduction in the effective diffusivity of active particles, which is much larger than the hindrance experienced by passive Brownian particles. Our combined experimental and computational results demonstrate a strong coupling between the active force and the porous media microstructure. This work provides a framework to predict and control the transport of active matter in heterogeneous materials.
ZmPP2C26 Alternative Splicing Variants Negatively Regulate Drought Tolerance in Maize
Authors: Lu Fengzhong , Li Wanchen , Peng Yalin , Cao Yang , Qu Jingtao , Sun Fuai , Yang Qingqing , Lu Yanli , Zhang Xuehai , Zheng Lanjie , Fu Fengling , Yu Haoqiang
Published: April 2022

Serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) dephosphorylates proteins and plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, and stress response. In this study, we characterized a clade B member of maize PP2C family, i.e., ZmPP2C26, that negatively regulated drought tolerance by dephosphorylating ZmMAPK3 and ZmMAPK7 in maize. The ZmPP2C26 gene generated ZmPP2C26L and ZmPP2C26S isoforms through untypical alternative splicing. ZmPP2C26S lost 71 amino acids including an MAPK interaction motif and showed higher phosphatase activity than ZmPP2C26L. ZmPP2C26L directly interacted with, dephosphorylated ZmMAPK3 and ZmMAPK7, and localized in chloroplast and nucleus, but ZmPP2C26S only dephosphorylated ZmMAPK3 and localized in cytosol and nucleus. The expression of ZmPP2C26L and ZmPP2C26 was significantly inhibited by drought stress. Meanwhile, the maize zmpp2c26 mutant exhibited enhancement of drought tolerance with higher root length, root weight, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic rate compared with wild type. However, overexpression of ZmPP2C26L and ZmPP2C26S significantly decreased drought tolerance in Arabidopsis and rice with lower root length, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic rate. Phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that the ZmPP2C26 protein also altered phosphorylation level of proteins involved in photosynthesis. This study provides insights into understanding the mechanism of PP2C in response to abiotic stress.
Identification With All Humanity Predicts Prosocial and Political Action Intentions During COVID-19
Authors: Lantos Nóra Anna , Engyel Márton , Hadarics Márton , Nyúl Boglárka , Csaba Sára , Kende Anna
Published: April 2022

In case of a global crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, inclusive identities are essential for coordinated action and for pro-social behavior on behalf of vulnerable groups. We tested how identification with all humanity vs. the national ingroup play a role in supporting vulnerable groups by prosocial action on one hand, and on the other hand, how these factors mobilize people to be willing to put pressure on authorities for the interest of their communities. We hypothesized that identification with all humanity (compared to national identity) leads to empathy for vulnerable groups and prosocial action intention on behalf of them to a higher degree, and unlike national identity, it also predicts political action intention. Data was collected with an online survey at four timepoints in Hungary. Our path analyses showed that both human and national identity predicted empathy and prosocial action intentions toward groups in need. Human identification was a positive, and national identification a negative predictor of political action intention. While both identification with all humanity and national identity united people in caring for others in a crisis, the two forms of identification divided them in questioning governmental measures. Identification with all humanity made people not only sensitive to vulnerable groups, but critical to the government and made them more willing to challenge political decisions. Identification with all humanity became a predictor of political action intention, showing that solidarity could manifest both in prosocial and political action tendency in the context of COVID-19.
Influence Mechanism of Social Support of Online Travel Platform on Customer Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Ning Yu-mei , Hu Chuan
Published: April 2022

Customer citizenship behavior has attracted widespread attention from scholars due to its capacity of enabling enterprises to gain competitive advantages of low costs and high efficiency by giving full play to the initiative of customers. Based on the S-O-R Model, we have established the theoretical model to study the influence imposed by social support of online travel platform enterprises on customer citizenship behavior against the backdrop of the sharing economy. This research tests the fitting of the theoretical model and its fundamental hypotheses using 626 samples acquired from the investigation with SPSS26.0 and AMOS25.0. Results indicate that the social support has a positive influence on customer citizenship behavior. Social support could have a positive influence on positive emotions. Social support has no significant negative effect on negative emotions. Positive emotions have a positive influence on customer citizenship behavior. Negative emotions have a negative influence on customer citizenship behavior. Positive emotions play a mediating effect in the positive influence of social support on customer citizenship behavior. Social support could have a positive influence on customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction has a positive influence on customer citizenship behavior. Customer satisfaction plays a mediating effect in the positive effect of social support on customer citizenship behavior. Positive emotions and customer satisfaction play a chain mediating effect in the positive effect of social support on customer citizenship behavior.
Maternal Anxiety Symptoms and Chinese Adolescents' Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Protective Role of Adolescents' Self-Compassion
Authors: Zhou Tong , Bian Xiaohua , Zhang Kening , Zheng Shanyun , Lin Yinuo , Zheng Hong , Liu Junsheng , Finan Julia
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 outbreak triggered dramatic changes to family life. Parents, especially mothers, were found to experience more psychological distress during the pandemic, which may have had an impact on their children's mental health. The primary goal of this study was to examine the potential protective role of adolescents' self-compassion in the relationship between maternal anxiety and adolescents' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included 5,720 adolescents (48.9% girls; Mage = 11.60, SDage = 1.36) and their mothers from Zhengzhou city, Henan province, in Mainland China. Adolescents reported their level of self-compassion, PTSD symptoms, and negative affect during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mothers reported their own anxiety symptoms and their children's depression and anxiety symptoms. Results indicated that older female adolescents reported higher levels of PTSD symptoms and negative affect and lower levels of self-compassion than their counterparts. Maternal anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic was consistently positively associated with adolescents' psychological maladjustment. These associations were buffered by adolescents' self-compassion. Specifically, adolescents with higher levels of self-compassion were found to be less psychologically affected by their mothers' anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings highlighted the possibility of improving adolescents' mental health through fostering their self-compassion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Disparities in Pharmacy Practice Within the Community: Let's Brainstorm for Solutions
Authors: Hurley-Kim Keri , Unonu Jacqueise , Wisseh Cheryl , Cadiz Christine , Knox Erin , Ozaki Aya F. , Chan Alexandre
Published: April 2022

Health disparity is defined as a type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic and/or environmental disadvantage. Over the past two decades, major efforts have been undertaken to mitigate health disparities and promote health equity in the United States. Within pharmacy practice, health disparities have also been identified to play a role in influencing pharmacists' practice across various clinical settings. However, well-characterized solutions to address such disparities, particularly within pharmacy practice, are lacking in the literature. Recognizing that a significant amount of work will be necessary to reduce or eliminate health disparities, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences held a webinar in June 2021 to explore pertinent issues related to this topic. During the session, participants were given the opportunity to propose and discuss innovative solutions to overcome health disparities in pharmacy practice. The goal of this perspective article is to distill the essence of the presentations and discussions from this interactive session, and to synthesize ideas for practical solutions that can be translated to practice to address this public health problem.
Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and the Deterioration of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate: A Cohort Study in Patients With Pre-End-Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Wu Yu-Hsien , Wu Chih-Da , Chung Mu-Chi , Chen Cheng-Hsu , Wu Laing-You , Chung Chi-Jung , Hsu Hui-Tsung
Published: April 2022

Limited literature has explored the effect of air pollutants on chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, especially for patients with pre-end-stage renal disease (pre-ESRD). In this study, we reported the linear and nonlinear relationships of air pollutants of particles with diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) deterioration after adjusting for smoking status and other traditional clinical factors. This study adopted a retrospective cohort of patients with stage 3b to stage 5 CKD (N = 11,479) from Taichung Veterans General Hospital during January 2006 to December 2020. The eGFR deterioration was defined as a decline in eGFR > 5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year. Hybrid kriging/land-use regression models were used to estimate the individual exposure levels of PM2.5 and NO2. The relationships of air pollutants with eGFR deterioration were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard models. After adjusting for smoking status, baseline eGFR stages, and other traditional clinical factors, the risk of eGFR deterioration was found to increase with increasing PM2.5 and NO2 level (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.041, respectively), especially for those exposed to PM2.5 ≥ 31.44 μg/m3 or NO2 ≥ 15.00 ppb. Similar results were also found in the two-pollutant models. Nonlinear dose–response relationships of eGFR deterioration were observed for concentrations of 26.11 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 15.06 ppb for NO2. In conclusion, linear and nonlinear associations between PM2.5 and NO2 levels and the incidence risk of eGFR deterioration were observed in patients with pre-ESRD.
Impact of Different Styles of Online Course Videos on Students' Attention During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Gao Qi , Tan Ying
Published: April 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic interfered with normal campus life, resulting in the need for the course to be conducted in an ideal online format. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of different styles of online political course videos on students' attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Four college students participated in this small sample study. They were required to conduct two sessions of the experiment, in which they were required to watch three different styles of course videos in each session. While watching the videos, their EEG signals were acquired. For the acquired EEG signals, the sample entropy (SampEn) features were extracted. On the other hand, Mayer's theories of multimedia technology provide guidance for teachers' online courses to enhance students' attention levels. The results of EEG signals analysis and Mayer's theories of multimedia technology were combined to compare and analyze the effects of three styles of instructional videos.

Results

Based on comparisons of the SampEn and Mayer's theories of multimedia technology analysis, the results suggest that online instruction in a style where the instructor and content appear on the screen at the same time and the instructor points out the location of the content as it is explained is more likely to elicit higher levels of students' attention.

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online instructional methods have an impact on students' classroom attention. It is essential for teachers to design online instructional methods based on students' classroom attention levels and some multimedia instructional techniques to improve students' learning efficiency.