bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INSIDE THE BLACK BOX: TRACKING DECISION-MAKING IN AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY
Authors: Smith Cathryn
Published: April 2022

Action research has been described as “designing the plane while flying it” (Herr & Anderson, 2005, p. 69). A black box documented the researcher’s decisions while facilitating leadership development sessions with teacher leaders. Ten process folio steps informed the study through six iterations. Planning steps included a design frame, researcher’s action research cycle, session agenda, facilitator’s guide and researcher’s checklist. Observation steps included videotape transcriptions and written participant and researcher reflections. Analytical steps included a logic model, session summary and cumulative themes. Secondary analysis across the data sets crystalized the research contributions. The black box effectively documented complex action research.
WIKI’S AND AR: A THEMED ISSUE
Authors: Clausen Kurt
Published: April 2022

When I was approached by Bill Hunter at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) I was at a loss as to how to handle his request. He had been working with students on collaborative, self-reflective projects within a course and wanted to put their research to the test of blind review. I was happy to oblige, but felt like a dinosaur as he talked about his use of “wiki’s” within the classroom setting. I did know that this included the creation of websites on which users were able to collaboratively modify the content and structure. However, I wondered how this could be used in a classroom, or what possible relationship it may have with Action Research.
STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF BELONGING: A PHOTOVOICE PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT
Authors: Stack Michelle , Wang Fei
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we analyze a PhotoVoice project - the Belonging Project that included 22 youth co-researchers and three researchers from the University of British Columbia. The project focused on concepts of belonging and exclusion and resulted in recommendations to a school district in Canada, a photo exhibit, and two of the co-researchers being interviewed by a local radio station about the project. This paper details the tensions between what the co- researchers saw as necessary for schools to be places that create a sense of belonging and how the role of students is constructed through policies from the district to provincial levels and through societal attitudes about schooling and young people. We also detail debates in the school district (simultaneous to the Belonging Project) concerning policy to address homophobia. Finally, this paper is a story about the challenge of undertaking youth participatory oriented research within the confines of schooling.
Rowell, L. L., Bruce, C. D., Shosh, J. S. & Riel, M. M. (Eds.). (2017). The Palgrave international handbook of action research. NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Authors: Judd Dr. Joel
Published: April 2022

The ambitious goal of The Palgrave International Handbook on Action Research is “to present a fairly comprehensive overview and illustrative examples of the work being done internationally by people affiliated with what we call the global action research community” (p. xi). The editors represent a breadth of AR experience: an editor of Educational Action Research and founding member of ARNA (Rowell), another founding member of ARNA and collaborative action researcher in schools (Bruce), Education Department chair and director of an AR-based graduate education program at Moravian College (Shosh), and the director of CCAR and co-editor of the International Handbook of Action Research (Riel). They emphasize that the Handbook is not a “How To” for organizing action research, but rather a compendium of information with the goal of contributing to an “alternative globalization,” (p. 5 and Chapter 49) one that would arise from the kind of “knowledge democracies”(p. xiii and Chapter 5) inspired by the work of Fals Borda, Freire, and others. The editors’ unabashed aim is to promote action research (AR) in the service of social justice (p. xvi).
Canadian Association of Action Research in Education (CAARE) Conference 2019, June 1-5, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: ANNUAL CONFERENCE CSSE
Published: April 2022

We are inviting you to submit a presentation proposal to our collaborative and dynamic special interest group, the Canadian Association of Action Research in Education (CAARE). CAARE is a special interest group of The Canadian Association for Teacher Education (CATE) and hosts annual conference events at Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE). CSSE will be hosted at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia from June 1 to 5, 2019. The call for presentations deadline is October 1, 2018 and further information is available on the CSSE 2019 website at https://csse-scee.ca/conference/. The criteria for proposals includes: proposals are no more than 3 pages, not including references and 200 word abstract; and double spaced 11-point sans-serif style font (e.g., Arial, Calibri, and Verdana). Accepted submissions will be later published in the proceedings of the Canadian Journal of Action Research.
A Quantitative Study on the Behaviours of Public Toward Covid-19 in East London district of South Africa
Authors: Fernandez Simon Christopher , Fernandez John Percival
Published: April 2022

Background. COVID-19 is a highly dangerous Coronavirus disease which originated in China. The wide spread of this disease to other countries at a high pace led the World Health Organization to announce COVID-19 as a global health crisis. As the fatality rate rapidly increased globally, it affected people’s behaviours to a large extent in the form of fear, panic emotion and unwanted anxiety. The aim of this research was to evaluate public behaviours toward COVID-19 in South Africa.
Methods. The research employed a quantitative methodology, and descriptive design was used to collect the data. Using virtual snowball sampling technique, a total of 160 individuals who were above 17 years of age and literate in English were selected from East London district in the Eastern Cape State of South Africa. A two point Likert-scale questionnaire was developed in Google Form, and the responses collected from the online survey were entered in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance were used to analyse the data.
Results. The results showed that the participants kept social distancing of at least one meter, carried hand sanitizer whenever they went out and washed their hands frequently to avoid the contamination of the Coronavirus. The results also revealed that males and females did not have any difference in behaviour toward COVID-19. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the age categories of individuals in their behaviours toward COVID-19.
Conclusion. Overall, the public in East London city of South Africa showed positive behaviours toward COVID-19.
Keywords: behaviours, SARS-CoV-2, Coronavirus, World Health Organization, South Africa.
Ultra-Pulsed CO2 Laser Osteotomy: A New Method for the Bone Preparation of Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Ran Tianfei , Lin Chuanchuan , Ma Tianying , Qin Yinyin , Li Jie , Zhang Yuan , Xu Yuan , Li Changqing , Wang Min
Published: April 2022

Cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can achieve long-term biological fixation, but its application is limited by the risk of early aseptic loosening. One of the important reasons for early aseptic loosening is that mechanical osteotomy tools cannot achieve ideal bone preparation because of poor accuracy and serious bone tissue damage produced by them. Therefore, we designed an ultra-pulsed CO2 laser osteotomy system to solve these problems. To reveal the safety at the tissue and cell levels of the ultra-pulsed CO2 laser osteotomy system, a series of experiments on distal femur osteotomy in animals were performed. Then, the bone surface characteristics were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy, and the bone thermal and mechanical damage was evaluated via histological analysis. Finally, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were inoculated on the bone surfaces prepared by the two osteotomy tools, and the effect of cell adhesion was analyzed through a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). We successfully achieved TKA bone preparation of animal knees with the ultra-pulsed CO2 laser osteotomy system. Moreover, the biological evaluation results indicated that compared with the traditional mechanical saw, the laser can preserve the natural bone structure and cause no thermal damage to the bone. In addition, CLSM examination results showed that the laser-cut bone surface was more conducive to cell adhesion and infiltration than the bone surface cut by a mechanical saw. Overall, these results indicate that ultra-pulsed CO2 laser can achieve non-invasive bone cutting, which can be a new option for TKA bone preparation and has the potential to lead in the future.
Three-Phases Interface Induced Local Alkalinity Generation Enables Electrocatalytic Glucose Oxidation in Neutral Electrolyte
Authors: Chen Yangru , Zhang Jun , Ding Zhenyao , Chen Liping , Wang Haili , Zhang Man , Feng Xinjian
Published: April 2022

Electrocatalytic glucose oxidation is crucial to the development of non-enzymatic sensors, an attractive alternative for enzymatic biosensors. However, due to OH− consumption during the catalytic process, non-enzymatic detection generally requires electrolytes having an alkaline pH value, limiting its practical application since biofluids are neutral. Herein, via interfacial microenvironment design, we addressed this limitation by developing a non-enzymatic sensor with an air–solid–liquid triphase interface electrodes that synergistically integrates the functions of local alkalinity generation and electrocatalytic glucose oxidation. A sufficiently high local pH value was achieved via oxygen reduction reaction at the triphase interface, which consequently enabled the electrochemical oxidation (detection) of glucose in neutral solution. Moreover, we found that the linear detection range and sensitivity of triphase non-enzymatic sensor can be tuned by changing the electrocatalysts of the detection electrode. The triphase electrode architecture provides a new platform for further exploration and promotes practical application of non-enzymatic sensors.
Metal Ion-Catalyzed Low-Temperature Curing of Urushiol-Based Polybenzoxazine
Authors: Yang Wen , Xie Yaofeng , Chen Jipeng , Huang Chunmei , Xu Yanlian , Lin Yucai
Published: April 2022

In this work, urushiol-based polybenzoxazine is cured by the Lewis acid (FeCl3, AlCl3, and CuCl2) at low temperature instead of high thermal curing temperature. The effect of the Lewis acid on structures and properties of the polymers is revealed. The relating urushiol-based benzoxazine monomer (BZ) was synthesized by natural urushiol, formaldehyde, and n-octylamine. The monomer was reacted with the Lewis acid with a molar ratio of 6:1 (Nmonomer: NMetal) at 80°C to obtain films that can be cured at room temperature. The chemical structures of benzoxazine monomers were identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR). The interaction between the metal ion and the polymers is revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and attenuated total reflectance-FTIR (ATR-FTIR). The effect of the Lewis acid on the mechanical properties, wettability, and thermal stability was investigated. The results show that the benzoxazine cured by Cu2+ has a better performance than that cured by Al3+ and Fe3+.
Comodulation of Dengue and Chikungunya Virus Infection During a Coinfection Scenario in Human Cell Lines
Authors: Taraphdar Debjani , Singh Bharati , Pattanayak Sabyasachi , Kiran Avula , Kokavalla Poornima , Alam Mohd. Faraz , Syed Gulam Hussain
Published: April 2022

The Dengue virus (DENV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are the arboviruses that pose a threat to global public health. Coinfection and antibody-dependent enhancement are major areas of concern during DENV and CHIKV infections, which can alter the clinical severity. Acute hepatic illness is a common manifestation and major sign of disease severity upon infection with either dengue or chikungunya. Hence, in this study, we characterized the coexistence and interaction between both the viruses in human hepatic (Huh7) cells during the coinfection/superinfection scenario. We observed that prior presence of or subsequent superinfection with DENV enhanced CHIKV replication. However, prior CHIKV infection negatively affected DENV. In comparison to monoinfection, coinfection with both DENV and CHIKV resulted in lower infectivity as compared to monoinfections with modest suppression of CHIKV but dramatic suppression of DENV replication. Subsequent investigations revealed that subneutralizing levels of DENV or CHIKV anti-sera can respectively promote the ADE of CHIKV or DENV infection in FcγRII bearing human myelogenous leukemia cell line K562. Our observations suggest that CHIKV has a fitness advantage over DENV in hepatic cells and prior DENV infection may enhance CHIKV disease severity if the patient subsequently contracts CHIKV. This study highlights the natural possibility of dengue–chikungunya coinfection and their subsequent modulation in human hepatic cells. These observations have important implications in regions where both viruses are prevalent and calls for proper management of DENV-CHIKV coinfected patients.
Mechanisms by Which Traditional Chinese Medicines Influence the Intestinal Flora and Intestinal Barrier
Authors: Che Qingya , Luo Tingting , Shi Junhua , He Yihuai , Xu De-Lin
Published: April 2022

The effect of a drug on the intestinal flora and the intestinal barrier is an important evaluation index for drug safety and efficacy. Chemical synthetic drugs are widely used due to their advantages of fast efficacy and low doses, but they are prone to cause drug resistance and inhibit proton pumps, which may harm intestinal health. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been applied clinically for thousands of years, and how TCMs regulate intestinal health to achieve their effects of disease treatment has become a hot research topic that needs to be resolved. This paper reviews the recent research on the effects of TCMs on intestinal microorganisms and the intestinal mucosal barrier after entering the intestine, discusses the interaction mechanisms between TCMs and intestinal flora, and details the repair effect of TCMs on the intestinal mucosal barrier to provide a reference for the development, utilization, and modernization of TCM.
Unifying Virulence Evaluation in Toxoplasma gondii: A Timely Task
Authors: Calero-Bernal Rafael , Fernández-Escobar Mercedes , Katzer Frank , Su Chunlei , Ortega-Mora Luis Miguel
Published: April 2022

Toxoplasma gondii, a major zoonotic pathogen, possess a significant genetic and phenotypic diversity that have been proposed to be responsible for the variation in clinical outcomes, mainly related to reproductive failure and ocular and neurological signs. Different T. gondii haplogroups showed strong phenotypic differences in laboratory mouse infections, which provide a suitable model for mimicking acute and chronic infections. In addition, it has been observed that degrees of virulence might be related to the physiological status of the host and its genetic background. Currently, mortality rate (lethality) in outbred laboratory mice is the most significant phenotypic marker, which has been well defined for the three archetypal clonal types (I, II and III) of T. gondii; nevertheless, such a trait seems to be insufficient to discriminate between different degrees of virulence of field isolates. Many other non-lethal parameters, observed both in in vivo and in vitro experimental models, have been suggested as highly informative, yielding promising discriminatory power. Although intra-genotype variations have been observed in phenotypic characteristics, there is no clear picture of the phenotypes circulating worldwide; therefore, a global overview of T. gondii strain mortality in mice is presented here. Molecular characterization has been normalized to some extent, but this is not the case for the phenotypic characterization and definition of virulence. The present paper proposes a baseline (minimum required information) for the phenotypic characterization of T. gondii virulence and intends to highlight the needs for consistent methods when a panel of T. gondii isolates is evaluated for virulence.
Machine Learning and Its Applications for Protozoal Pathogens and Protozoal Infectious Diseases
Authors: Hu Rui-Si , Hesham Abd El-Latif , Zou Quan
Published: April 2022

In recent years, massive attention has been attracted to the development and application of machine learning (ML) in the field of infectious diseases, not only serving as a catalyst for academic studies but also as a key means of detecting pathogenic microorganisms, implementing public health surveillance, exploring host-pathogen interactions, discovering drug and vaccine candidates, and so forth. These applications also include the management of infectious diseases caused by protozoal pathogens, such as Plasmodium, Trypanosoma, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia, a class of fatal or life-threatening causative agents capable of infecting humans and a wide range of animals. With the reduction of computational cost, availability of effective ML algorithms, popularization of ML tools, and accumulation of high-throughput data, it is possible to implement the integration of ML applications into increasing scientific research related to protozoal infection. Here, we will present a brief overview of important concepts in ML serving as background knowledge, with a focus on basic workflows, popular algorithms (e.g., support vector machine, random forest, and neural networks), feature extraction and selection, and model evaluation metrics. We will then review current ML applications and major advances concerning protozoal pathogens and protozoal infectious diseases through combination with correlative biology expertise and provide forward-looking insights for perspectives and opportunities in future advances in ML techniques in this field.
Climate Change Communication and Engagement With Older People in England
Authors: Latter Briony
Published: April 2022

Although an important and influential demographic, older people have largely been forgotten about in the field of climate change communication and engagement. Despite the United Kingdom (UK) having an ageing population, little is known about how best to involve them in the climate conversation. Based on Climate Outreach's Narrative Workshop methodology, this research contributes towards addressing this gap in the literature by providing some evidence towards what language, values and framing could work well with older people in England, as well as areas to potentially avoid and explore further. The findings of this research demonstrate the importance of community, consideration, responsibility and an international outlook to the research participants, as well as their views that governments and organisations hold important power in relation to climate change.
Novel Analysis of Coronary Angiography in Predicting the Formation of Ventricular Aneurysm in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Yu Pujiao , Xi Peng , Tang Yu , Xu Jiahong , Liu Yang
Published: April 2022

Background

Ventricular aneurysm (VA) is a serious complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), with a very poor prognosis. Early-stage prophylactic treatment is effective in preventing the formation of VAs. However, the existing predictive models for VA formation lack the sensitivity and specificity necessary for evaluating patients with MI. This study aimed to explore the potential use of coronary angiography and establish a more precise prediction model for VA in patients with MI.

Methods

Patients with VA (n = 52) admitted to our medical center between June 2020 and July 2021 with previous emergency percutaneous coronary intervention for AMI were retrospectively included in this database study. Controls that matched 4:1 with the VA cases during the same period were enrolled. The baseline characteristics and coronary angiograms of the enrolled individuals were obtained from the electronic medical record system. The curve length of the distance from the main criminal lesion to its ostia (DLO) and distal (DLD) in the coronary artery were measured with ImageJ. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictive factors. The model performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Results

Binary analysis revealed maximum serum cardiac troponin I level (odds ratio [OR] = 1.046, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.027–1.066, P < 0.001), serum brain natriuretic peptide level (OR = 1.001, 95% CI = 1.000–1.002, P = 0.007), left anterior descending artery as the culprit lesion (OR = 5.091, 95% CI = 2.080–12.457, P < 0.001), and that single-vessel disease (OR = 1.809, 95% CI = 0.967–3.385, P < 0.001), stenosis in the main lesion (OR = 1.247, 95% CI = 1.173–1.327, P < 0.001), DLO (OR = 1.034, 95% CI = 1.019–1.049, P < 0.001), DLD (OR = 1.061, 95% CI = 1.043–1.079, P < 0.001), and DLD/DLD (OR = 0.033, 95% CI = 0.010–0.117, P < 0.001) were the independent variables for predicting VA formation in MI patients.

Conclusion

Our study first used quantified information of coronary lesions to establish a predictive model and proved that a longer DLD had the greatest potential in predicting the incidence of VA. Its related parameters including DLO and DLO/DLD ratio were also correlated with the incidence of VA. These findings may provide a new reference for the early identification of high-risk MI patients and preventing VA.
Regulatory Considerations Specific to Liposome Drug Development as Complex Drug Products
Authors: Wang Yuwei , Grainger David W.
Published: April 2022

Nearly a half-century after original liposome discovery as a prospective lipid pharmaceutical carrier, the global liposomal drug delivery market has increased dramatically, with an annual market growth rate of 13.2%, valued at ∼$6,993 million by 2027. As an intrinsically complex delivery system, liposomal formulations face much greater characterization and regulatory review challenges than traditional small molecule drugs and biologics. Due to rapid liposomal drug development, both European Medicines Agency (EMA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now provide regulatory guidance for new liposomal drug application reviews. The expanding global liposome drug market and associated driving forces for increased research and development (R&D) in novel liposomal products are key factors propelling liposomal drug interests. We review and compare EU and US regulations on liposomal drug submissions, and provide insights into regulatory strategies throughout the entire liposomal drug development process. This addresses current gaps noted between liposome-based drug development in research labs and current regulatory guidance for liposomal drug approvals in order to facilitate more efficient, less costly, and less risky complex drug development.
The Effectiveness of Experiential Learning in Teaching Arithmetic and Geometry in Sixth Grade
Authors: Uyen Bui Phuong , Tong Duong Huu , Lien Nguyen Bich
Published: April 2022

Many educators and policymakers worldwide have noticed the burgeoning field of experiential learning in the twenty-first century. Learning theory and practice together is beneficial to education in general, and mathematics education in particular, because it enables students to realize their full potential for knowledge and skill, and it connects the two aspects of knowledge. A focus on the cross-cutting and critical role of experience activities within the framework was emphasized in Vietnam’s general education program in mathematics, released in 2018 and included views on the content and methods of teaching and learning mathematics in the country. Experiential learning in mathematics was studied to see if this method could positively help students participate, increase their motivation and interest in learning, and impact their math outcomes. A series of pedagogical experiments with 29 sixth-grade students on arithmetic and geometric topics was conducted to confirm the research goals. Students were required to develop solutions to real-world problems related to their studying subjects. The experimental and control classes are subjected to a pre-test and a post-test design. Mixed methods, including qualitative and quantitative analysis, are handled by the statistical data processing software (SPSS) program and the results of observations and surveys of learners’ opinions. The results were found that experiential learning activities positively influenced math learning attitudes and student achievement progress in the classroom.
Exploring English as a Foreign Language Instructors’ Self-Derived English Language Policies at Higher Education Level: A Case Study in the Saudi Context
Authors: Alnasser Suliman M. N.
Published: April 2022

Education in Saudi Arabia employs English as a foreign language. Several researchers have examined language policies governing English use. Current research suggests that official policies do not exist and self-English language policies (ELPs) are in place without any type of governance. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the nature of self-ELPs in Saudi Arabia and how the country can benefit from engendering institutional changes. An eight-item survey was conducted with an open-ended section and received responses from faculty members affiliated with English departments around the country (n= 213). Semi-structured interviews with eight chairpersons from different English departments were also organized. The findings reveal that the majority of faculty practice self-ELPs very frequently, in both official and non-official situations. It is concluded that English departments in the academia in Saudi Arabia are ready to enforce official ELPs and accept the idea of internationalizing their academic services worldwide.
The Reported Effects of the Pandemic on the Academic and Developmental Progress of Pupils in Specialist Provisions in England. Using Estimates From School and College Leaders to Determine Differences Between Economically Disadvantaged and Non-economically Disadvantaged Pupils With Special Educational Needs
Authors: Webster Rob , Skipp Amy , Tyers Claire
Published: April 2022

This paper addresses an identified gap in research during the COVID-19 pandemic: how the disruption impacted on pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) attending specialist (i.e., non-mainstream) settings in England. Estimates provided by around 200 special school and college leaders at two timepoints during the pandemic are used to provide overall estimates of the extent to which the pandemic and time spent out of school had on the academic and developmental progress of pupils in these settings. We find that the reported effects are greater than those reported elsewhere for pupils in mainstream settings. In line with research involving the mainstream school population in England, we find that the reported effects on academic and developmental progress were greater for pupils facing economic disadvantage. Additional data from our survey of leaders reveal that the reasons for the reported impact on pupils were: (i) limited access to school or college and the extended periods of non-attendance; (ii) the widespread disruption to the delivery of health and care provision for pupils with complex SEND; (iii) the particular way in which COVID protections and restrictions impacted the curriculum offer in specialist provisions; and (iv) limited digital access, which affected home learning. Looking to post-COVID recovery, special school and college leaders identify an urgent need for tailored support for their communities.
Brief Developmental Exposure to Fluoxetine Causes Life-Long Alteration of the Brain Transcriptome in Zebrafish
Authors: Nozari Amin , Gagné Remi , Lu Chunyu , Yauk Carole , Trudeau Vance L.
Published: April 2022

Fluoxetine (FLX) and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are widely used to treat depressive disorders during pregnancy. Early-life exposure to FLX is known to disrupt the normal function of the stress axis in humans, rodents, and teleosts. We used a zebrafish line with a cortisol-inducible fluorescent transgene to study the effects of developmental daily exposure to FLX (54 µg/L) on the transcriptomic profile of brain tissues in exposed larvae and later as 6-month-old adults. High throughput RNA sequencing was conducted on brain tissues in unstressed and stressed conditions. Long-lasting effects of FLX were observed in telencephalon (Tel) and hypothalamus (Hyp) of adult zebrafish with 1927 and 5055 genes significantly (≥1.2 fold-change, false-discovery p-value < 0.05) dysregulated in unstressed condition, respectively. Similar findings were observed in Hyp with 1245 and 723 genes being significantly dysregulated in stressed adults, respectively. Differentially expressed genes converted to Homo sapiens orthologues were used for Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. The results showed alteration of pathways involved in neuroendocrine signaling, cholesterol metabolism and synaptogenesis. Enriched networks included lipid metabolism, molecular transport, and nervous system development. Analysis of putative upstream transcription regulators showed potential dysregulation of clocka and nr3c1 which control circadian rhythm, stress response, cholesterol metabolism and histone modifications. Several genes involved in epigenetic regulation were also affected by FLX, including dnmt3a, adarb1, adarb2, hdac4, hdac5, hdac8, and atf2. We report life-long disruptive effects of FLX on pathways associated with neuroendocrine signaling, stress response and the circadian rhythm, and all of which are implicated in the development of depressive disorders in humans. Our results raise concern for the persistent endocrine-disrupting potential of brief antidepressant exposure during embryonic development.
Parametric Design Optimization of Reverse Thrust Blades and Analysis of Fluid-Solid Coupling
Authors: Huicheng Yang , Qingzhen Yang , Canliang Wang , Jin Bai
Published: April 2022

The parametric design method of equal and unequal thickness reverse thrust blades is studied based on the cubic Bessel curve controlled by four control points. In order to improve the aerodynamic performance of the thrust reverser and reduce the structure weight, the geometry shape of the blade in the three-dimensional thrust reverser cascade assembly was optimized by using a genetic algorithm based on BP artificial neural network, and the fluid-structure coupling and modal analysis of the optimized thrust reverser cascade were carried out. The results show that: compared with the benchmark model, the thrust reverses of the optimized equal thickness and non-equal thickness blades are increased by 15.64 and 12.71%, respectively, and the flow rate increases by 11.32 and 13.52%, respectively; based on the optimized blade profile, increasing the number of stiffeners is more efficient than increasing the thickness of cascade assembly in the area of reducing the maximum stress and strain; Increasing the number of stiffeners and the thickness of cascade assembly can improve the first-order natural vibration frequency of the cascade assembly.
Urban Resilience and Transportation Infrastructure Level in the Yangtze River Delta
Authors: Wang Jian , Deng Yuzhou , Qalati Sikandar Ali , Qureshi Naveed Akhtar
Published: April 2022

The development of urban resilience is inseparable from the construction of urban infrastructure. As an important lifeline of the city, transportation infrastructure is an important part of improving urban resilience. Studying the coordinated development degree of urban resilience and transportation infrastructure level is related to the future development of the city. On the basis of measuring the urban resilience and transportation infrastructure level in the Yangtze River Delta, this study uses the coupling coordination model and spatial autocorrelation model to explore the spatiotemporal evolution trend of the coupling coordination between urban resilience and transportation infrastructure level. The results show that first, the average development levels of urban resilience and transportation infrastructure are at the middle and lower levels, showing a spatial pattern of “high in the southeast and low in the northwest.” Second, the degree of coupling coordination fluctuates and rises and is in the transition stage from mild imbalance to primary coordination. Finally, the degree of coupling coordination is spatially positively autocorrelated, and the degree of agglomeration shows a stable development trend, but the difference of coordinated agglomeration between cities is expanding. To enhance the security and sustainable competitiveness of the Yangtze River Delta, this study argues that it is urgent to establish the concept of resilient urban development and promote the integration of urban agglomeration transportation infrastructure to promote the coordinated development of urban safety systems and infrastructure. Suggestions were recommended to efficiently improve the urban resilience and transportation infrastructure level in the Yangtze River Delta.
Pinpointing the Geographic Origin of 165-Year-Old Human Skeletal Remains Found in Punjab, India: Evidence From Mitochondrial DNA and Stable Isotope Analysis
Authors: Sehrawat J.S. , Agrawal Shailesh , Sankhyan Deeksha , Singh Monika , Kumar Sachin , Prakash Satya , Rajpal Richa , Chaubey Gyaneshwer , Thangaraj Kumarasamy , Rai Niraj
Published: April 2022

In 2014, 157 years after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, several unidentified human skeletons were discovered in an abandoned well at Ajnala, Punjab. The most prevailing hypothesis suggested them as Indian soldiers who mutinied during the Indian uprising of 1857. However, there is an intense debate on their geographic affinity. Therefore, to pinpoint their area of origin, we have successfully isolated DNA from cementum-rich material of 50 good-quality random teeth samples and analyzed mtDNA haplogroups. In addition to that, we analyzed 85 individuals for oxygen isotopes (δ18O values). The mtDNA haplogroup distribution and clustering pattern rejected the local ancestry and indicated their genetic link with the populations living east of Punjab. In addition, the oxygen isotope analysis (δ18O values) from archaeological skeletal remains corroborated the molecular data and suggested the closest possible geographical affinity of these skeletal remains toward the eastern part of India, largely covering the Gangetic plain region. The data generated from this study are expected to expand our understanding of the ancestry and population affinity of martyr soldiers.
Transcriptome Analysis of Monocytes and Fibroblasts Provides Insights Into the Molecular Features of Periodontal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Authors: Liao Zhuoyi , Zhao Tian , Wang Ningxiang , Chen Jiaqi , Sun Weibin , Wu Juan
Published: April 2022

Periodontal Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (pEDS) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by severe early-onset periodontitis with premature tooth loss, pretibial hyperpigmentation, and skin fragility. It is caused by mutant variants in the C1R and C1S genes that result in C4 cleavage and local complement cascade activation, as well as other possible consequences. However, the exact functional consequences of this activation remain unclear. To shed light on molecular mechanisms underlying pEDS and to identify novel molecular targets that may expand treatment strategies, we performed transcriptome profiling by RNA sequencing of monocytes and gingival fibroblasts from two patients with pEDS. Compared to normal controls, differential expression of genes was found only in monocytes but not gingival fibroblasts. Most of the significant genes were enriched in biological processes such as neutrophil-mediated immunity, response to bacterium, TNF-α and IL-17 pathway which are related to inflammation response and immune response. In disease ontology enrichment analysis, genes related to periodontal host defense, inflammatory response, skin disease, and vascular development, including MMP9, VEGFA, IL10, IL1A, IL1B, IL2RA, and IL6, were significantly enriched and also validated by qPCR and ELISA. Overall, the present study provides the transcriptomic data of pEDS for the first time and the distinct molecular features in monocytes of pEDS might serve as a tool to better understand the disease.
Identification of a Novel Immune Landscape Signature for Predicting Prognosis and Response of Colon Cancer to Immunotherapy
Authors: Wang Zheng , Song Jingru , Azami Nisma Lena Bahaji , Sun Mingyu
Published: April 2022

Purpose

To construct an immune-related gene prognostic index (IRGPI) for colon cancer and elucidate the molecular and immune characteristics as well as the benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in IRGPI-defined groups of colon cancer.

Experimental Design

Transcriptional and clinical data of colon cancer samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (n = 521). Immune-related genes were obtained from ImmPort and InnateDB databases. 21 immune-related hub genes were identified byweighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). the Cox regression method was used to construct IRGPI and validated with Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset (n = 584). Finally, the molecular and immune profiles in the groups defined by IRGPI and the benefit of ICI treatment were analyzed.

Results

8 genes were identified to construct IRGPI. IRGPI-low group had a better overall survival (OS) than IRGPI-high group. And this was well validated in the GEO cohort. Overall results showed that those with low IRGPI scores were enriched in antitumor metabolism, and collated with high infiltration of resting memory CD4 T cells and less aggressive phenotypes, benefiting more from ICI treatment. Conversely, high IRGPI scores were associated with cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and chemokine signaling pathways, high infiltration of macrophage M1, suppressed immunity, more aggressive colon cancer phenotypes, as well as reduced therapeutic benefit from ICI treatment.

Conclusions

IRGPI is a promising biomarker to differentiate the prognostic and molecular profile of colon cancer, as well as the therapeutic benefits of ICI treatment.
PE_PGRS38 Interaction With HAUSP Downregulates Antimycobacterial Host Defense via TRAF6
Authors: Kim Jae-Sung , Kim Hyo Keun , Cho Euni , Mun Seok-Jun , Jang Sein , Jang Jichan , Yang Chul-Su
Published: April 2022

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative pathogen of tuberculosis (TB), which manipulates the host immunity to ensure survival and colonization in the host. Mtb possess a unique family of proteins, named PE_PGRS, associated with Mtb pathogenesis. Thus, elucidation of the functions of PE_PGRS proteins is necessary to understand TB pathogenesis. Here, we investigated the role of PE_PGRS38 binding to herpesvirus-associated ubiquitin-specific protease (HAUSP, USP7) in regulating the activity of various substrate proteins by modulating their state of ubiquitination. We constructed the recombinant PE_PGRS38 expressed in M. smegmatis (Ms_PE_PGRS38) to investigate the role of PE_PGRS38. We found that Ms_PE_PGRS38 regulated the cytokine levels in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages by inhibiting the deubiquitination of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 6 by HAUSP. Furthermore, the PE domain in PE_PGRS38 was identified as essential for mediating TRAF6 deubiquitination. Ms_PE_PGRS38 increased the intracellular burden of bacteria by manipulating cytokine levels in vitro and in vivo. Overall, we revealed that the interplay between HAUSP and PE_PGRS38 regulated the inflammatory response to increase the survival of mycobacteria.
The Prognostic and Clinicopathological Significance of Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Li Jinze , Cao Dehong , Huang Yin , Xiong Qiao , Tan Daqing , Liu Liangren , Lin Tianhai , Wei Qiang
Published: April 2022

Background

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has recently emerged as a biomarker for the prognosis of a variety of malignant tumors. However, the role of SII in bladder cancer (BC) remains unclear. To this end, we performed a pooled analysis to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative SII in patients with BC.

Methods

A comprehensive search of electronic databases (PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) was conducted to determine the eligible studies that were published until January 2022. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the association between preoperative SII and the prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics of BC.

Results

Ten studies with 7,087 patients were included in this analysis. SII was observed to be correlated with inferior overall survival (HR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.04–1.44, p = 0.013), cancer-specific survival (HR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.14–2.47, p = 0.009), and recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.03–1.61, p = 0.027). An increased preoperative SII was also associated with poor tumor differentiation, higher tumor stage, presence of lymph node involvement, and tumor size ≥3 cm (all p < 0.05).

Conclusions

An elevated preoperative SII is significantly associated with worse survival outcomes and adverse pathological features in patients with BC. Hence, SII may serve as a strong independent prognostic predictor for patients with BC after surgery.
Protein Kinase Inhibitor-Mediated Immunoprophylactic and Immunotherapeutic Control of Colon Cancer
Authors: Ghione Silvia , Racoeur Cindy , Mabrouk Nesrine , Shan Jingxuan , Groetz Emma , Ballot Elise , Truntzer Caroline , Chouchane Lotfi , Végran Frédérique , Paul Catherine , Plenchette Stéphanie , Bettaieb Ali
Published: April 2022

Immunotherapy has allowed major advances in oncology in the past years, in particular with the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors, but the clinical benefits are still limited, particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC). Our scientific approach is based on the search for innovative immunotherapy with a final goal that aims to induce an effective antitumor immune response in CRC. Here, we focused on a multikinase inhibitor, H89. We carried out in vivo experiments based on syngeneic mouse models of colon cancer in BALB/c mice and chemically colon tumorigenesis. Flow cytometry, RNAseq, RT-qPCR, antibody-specific immune cell depletion, and Western blot were used to identify the immune cell type involved in the preventive and antitumor activity of H89. We demonstrated that H89 delays colon oncogenesis and prevents tumor growth. This latter effect seems to involve NK cells. H89 also inhibits colon tumor growth in a T-cell-dependent manner. Analysis of the immune landscape in the tumor microenvironment showed an increase of CD4+ Th1 cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells but a decrease of CD4+ Treg cell infiltration. Mechanistically, we showed that H89 could promote naïve CD4+ T-cell differentiation into Th1, a decrease in Treg differentiation, and an increase in CD8+ T-cell activation and cytotoxicity ex vivo. Furthermore, H89 induced overexpression of genes involved in antitumor immune response, such as IL-15RA, which depletion counteracts the antitumor effect of H89. We also found that H89 regulated Akt/PP2A pathway axis, involved in TCR and IL-15 signaling transduction. Our findings identify the H89 as a potential strategy for immune system activation leading to the prevention and treatment of CRC.
H1N1 Influenza Virus-Infected Nasal Mucosal Epithelial Progenitor Cells Promote Dendritic Cell Recruitment and Maturation
Authors: Zhu Fangyuan , Teng Zhenxiao , Zhou Xuanchen , Xu Runtong , Bing Xin , Shi Lei , Guo Na , Wang Min , Liu Chengcheng , Xia Ming
Published: April 2022

The barrier function of nasal mucosal epithelial cells plays an irreplaceable role in the spread and expansion of viruses in the body. This study found that influenza A virus H1N1 could induce apoptosis of nasal mucosal epithelial progenitor cells, cause an inflammatory response, and trigger the maturation and recruitment of nasal submucosal dendritic cells (DCs), but the mechanism remained unclear. Therefore, we used RNA sequencing and high-resolution untargeted metabolomics to sequence and perform combined bioinformatic analysis of H1N1 virus-infected nasal mucosal epithelial cells from 6 different patients. The abnormal arginine metabolism signaling pathway caused by H1N1 virus infection was screened out, and arginase inhibitors were used to interfere with the abnormal arginine metabolism and the maturation and recruitment of submucosal DCs caused by the H1N1 virus in vitro and in vivo. We conclude that H1N1 influenza virus promotes the recruitment and maturation of submucosal DCs by causing abnormal arginine metabolism in nasal mucosal epithelial cells, thereby triggering respiratory mucosal immunity.
TIPE2 May Target the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway to Inhibit M1 Macrophage–Related Neutrophilic Inflammation in Asthma
Authors: Shi Bingqing , Hao Yuqiu , Li Wei , Dong Hongna , Xu Mengting , Gao Peng
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Although recent studies have highlighted the link of TIPE2 and asthma airway inflammation, its roles and molecular mechanisms in different asthma inflammatory phenotypes remain largely unknown. We evaluated sputum TIPE2 expression level and its correlation with different asthma phenotypes. Additionally, we explored the roles and mechanism of TIPE2 in M1 polarization of macrophages.

Methods

A total of 102 asthma patients who underwent sputum induction were enrolled to evaluate the expression level of TIPE2 and its association with different asthma phenotypes. To explore the roles and mechanism of TIPE2 in M1 polarization of macrophages, THP-1 monocytes stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, were used as a model of undifferentiated (M0) macrophages, and M0 macrophages were treated with lipopolysaccharide to induce M1 macrophages.

Results

The sputum TIPE2 level was significantly lower in patients with neutrophilic asthma (NA) and higher in patients with eosinophilic asthma (EA) compared with patients with paucigranulocytic asthma. The levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 were highest in NA compared with other groups. TIPE2 levels in sputum negatively correlated with IL-1β and TNF-α levels but positively correlated with IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-10 levels (P < 0.05). In vitro, TIPE2 enhanced Nrf2/HO-1 pathway activation in macrophages and inhibited LPS-induced M1 macrophage differentiation and related cytokine release. Further analysis showed that the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 weakened TIPE2-induced activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, as well as TIPE2-induced suppression in M1 polarization of macrophage and inflammatory cytokines secretion.

Conclusions

TIPE2 expression level was highly down-regulated in NA and was negatively correlated with inflammatory factors (IL-1β and TNF-α). Aberrant expression of TIPE2 may target the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to inhibit M1 macrophage–related neutrophilic inflammation in asthma.