bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exercise and Escitalopram in the Treatment of Anxiety in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: One Year Follow-Up of the UNWIND Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Blumenthal James A. , Smith Patrick J. , Jiang Wei , Hinderliter Alan , Watkins Lana L. , Hoffman Benson M. , Kraus William E. , Mabe Stephanie , Liao Lawrence , Davidson Jonathan , Sherwood Andrew
Published: September 2022

Anxiety is common among patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and is associated with a worse prognosis. UNWIND was a 12-week randomized clinical trial comparing exercise and escitalopram to placebo on measures of anxiety, depression, and CHD biomarkers. Primary results of the trial reported that treatment with escitalopram, but not exercise, was associated with significant reductions in anxiety and depression. At 1-year follow-up, participants completed the Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A) along with the HADS-Depression (HADS-D), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Godin Leisure Time Exercise survey to assess physical activity. Results showed that those patients randomized to escitalopram had lower scores on the HADS-A compared to those randomized to exercise (P = 0.006) and had less depression compared to exercise on the HADS-D (P = 0.004) and BDI-II (P = 0.004). Participants randomized to exercise reported higher levels of physical activity at 1-year compared to those randomized to Placebo (P = 0.039). However, despite reporting being more physically active, those randomized to exercise did not have less anxiety or depression compared to placebo controls. Escitalopram appears to be a safe and effective treatment for anxiety; exercise has many health benefits, but does not appear to be effective in treating anxiety.
Management of Non-Infectious Uveitis, a Selection of Topical Items Updating
Authors: Sève Pascal , El Jammal Thomas , Gerfaud-Valentin Mathieu , Kodjikian Laurent , Jamilloux Yvan , Jacquot Robin
Published: September 2022

First of all, we would like to thank all of the authors for their contributions and the editorial staff who enabled the achievement of this «Diagnosis and Management of Non-infectious Uveitis: Old and New Challenges» Special Issue [...]
Post-Fracture Inpatient and Outpatient Physical/Occupational Therapy and Its Association with Survival among Adults with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Whitney Daniel G. , Xu Tao , Whibley Daniel , Ryan Dayna , Caird Michelle S. , Hurvitz Edward A. , Haapala Heidi
Published: September 2022

Physical and/or occupational therapy (PT/OT) may improve post-fracture health and survival among adults with cerebral palsy (CP), but this has not been studied in the inpatient setting. The objective was to quantify the association between acute inpatient and outpatient PT/OT use with 1-year mortality among adults with CP. This was a retrospective cohort study of adults with CP with an incident fragility fracture admitted to an acute care or rehabilitation facility using a random 20% Medicare fee-for-service dataset. Acute care/rehabilitation PT/OT was measured as the average PT/OT cost/day for the length of stay (LOS). Weekly exposure to outpatient PT/OT was examined up to 6 months post-fracture. Cox regression examined the adjusted association between the interaction of acute care/rehabilitation average PT/OT cost/day and LOS with 1-year mortality. A separate Cox model added time-varying outpatient PT/OT. Of 649 adults with CP, average PT/OT cost/day was associated with lower mortality rate for LOS < 17 days (HR range = 0.78–0.93), and increased mortality rate for LOS > 27 days (HR ≥ 1.08) (all, p < 0.05). After acute care/rehabilitation, 44.5% initiated outpatient PT/OT, which was associated with lower mortality rate (HR = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.27–1.01). Post-fracture inpatient and outpatient PT/OT were associated with improved 1-year survival among adults with CP admitted to acute care/rehabilitation facilities.
Serum Visfatin/NAMPT as a Potential Risk Predictor for Malignancy of Adrenal Tumors
Authors: Sawicka-Gutaj Nadia , Komarowska Hanna , Gruszczyński Dawid , Derwich Aleksandra , Klimont Anna , Ruchała Marek
Published: September 2022

Adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) are rare endocrine malignancies, often with a poor prognosis. Visfatin/NAMPT regulates a variety of signaling pathway components, and its overexpression has been found in carcinogenesis. Our study aimed to assess the clinical usefulness of visfatin/NAMPT serum level in discriminating between ACC and benign adrenocortical tumors. Twenty-two patients with ACC and twenty-six patients with benign adrenocortical tumors were recruited. Fasting blood samples were collected from each patient, and visfatin serum levels were measured with the ELISA Kit. Clinical stage, tumor size, Ki67 proliferation index, hormonal secretion pattern, and follow-up were determined in ACC patients. Patients with ACC had significantly higher visfatin serum concentrations (7.81 ± 2.25 vs. 6.08 ± 1.32 ng/mL, p-value = 0.003). The most advanced clinical stage with metastases was associated with significantly elevated visfatin levels (p-value = 0.022). Based on ROC analysis, visfatin serum concentrations higher than 8.05 ng/mL could discriminate ACC with a sensitivity of 50.0% and specificity of 92.3%. Univariate Cox regression indicated that tumor size was significantly related to shorter survival, and the visfatin level was borderline significant in all patients (HR = 1.013, p-value = 0.002, HR = 1.321, p-value = 0.058). In the Kaplan-Meier method, patients with visfatin serum concentrations higher than 6.3 ng/mL presented significantly lower survival probability (p-value = 0.006). Serum visfatin/NAMPT could be a potential risk predictor for the malignancy of adrenal tumors. However, further studies are needed on this subject.
Postoperative Physical Therapy Program Focused on Low Back Pain Can Improve Treatment Satisfaction after Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression
Authors: Terai Hidetomi , Tamai Koji , Kaneda Kunikazu , Omine Toshimitsu , Katsuda Hiroshi , Shimada Nagakazu , Kobayashi Yuto , Nakamura Hiroaki
Published: September 2022

Patient satisfaction is crucial in pay-for-performance initiatives. To achieve further improvement in satisfaction, modifiable factors should be identified according to the surgery type. Using a prospective cohort, we compared the overall treatment satisfaction after microendoscopic lumbar decompression between patients treated postoperatively with a conventional physical therapy (PT) program (control; n = 100) and those treated with a PT program focused on low back pain (LBP) improvement (test; n = 100). Both programs included 40 min outpatient sessions, once per week for 3 months postoperatively. Adequate compliance was achieved in 92 and 84 patients in the control and test cohorts, respectively. There were no significant differences in background factors; however, the patient-reported pain score at 3 months postoperatively was significantly better, and treatment satisfaction was significantly higher in the test than in the control cohort (−0.02 ± 0.02 vs. −0.03 ± 0.03, p = 0.029; 70.2% vs. 55.4%, p = 0.045, respectively). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients treated with the LBP program tended to be more satisfied than those treated with the conventional program, independent of age, sex, and diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio = 2.34, p = 0.012). Postoperative management with the LBP program could reduce pain more effectively and aid spine surgeons in achieving higher overall satisfaction after minimally invasive lumbar decompression, without additional pharmacological therapy.
Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders in Children—Red Flags in Pediatric Care
Authors: Blumer Sigalit , Eli Ilana , Kaminsky-Kurtz Shani , Shreiber-Fridman Yarden , Dolev Eran , Emodi-Perlman Alona
Published: September 2022

Objectives: In recent years, we have witnessed a growing interest in pediatric sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD). Although a Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) exists and was found reliable in screening SRBD in children, many of the children remain underdiagnosed. The aim of the present study was to define anamnestic and clinical findings that can serve as red flags indicating the presence of SRBD in children. Methods: 227 children aged 4–12 years old were evaluated with regard to the following parameters: (i) anamnestic variables (e.g., general state of health, oral habits, bruxism, esophageal reflux, sleep continuity, snoring); (ii) clinical parameters (e.g., oral mucosa, palate, tonsils, tongue, floor of the mouth, angle classification, gingival health, caries risk) and (iii) presence of SRBD (through the PSQ). Results: Significant differences between children with and without SRBD were observed regarding continuous sleep, developmental delay, mouth breathing, and snoring. Taking medications for ADHD increased the odds of SRBD in children by over seven times, non-continuous sleep increased the odds of SRBD by six times, mouth breathing increased the odds by almost five times, and snoring increased the odds by over three times. Conclusions: Child caregivers from various fields (dentists, orthodontists, pediatric physicians, school nurses) should actively inquire about disturbed sleep, medications for ADHD, snoring, and mouth breathing among their young patients. Initial screening through a few simple questions may help raise red flags that can assist in the early detection of SRBD in children and lead to proper diagnosis and treatment.
COVID-19 Salivary Protein Profile: Unravelling Molecular Aspects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Esteves Eduardo , Mendes Vera M. , Manadas Bruno , Lopes Rafaela , Bernardino Liliana , Correia Maria José , Barros Marlene , Esteves Ana Cristina , Rosa Nuno
Published: September 2022

COVID-19 is the most impacting global pandemic of all time, with over 600 million infected and 6.5 million deaths worldwide, in addition to an unprecedented economic impact. Despite the many advances in scientific knowledge about the disease, much remains to be clarified about the molecular alterations induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this work, we present a hybrid proteomics and in silico interactomics strategy to establish a COVID-19 salivary protein profile. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD036571. The differential proteome was narrowed down by the Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis and enrichment analysis was performed with FunRich. In parallel, OralInt was used to determine interspecies Protein-Protein Interactions between humans and SARS-CoV-2. Five dysregulated biological processes were identified in the COVID-19 proteome profile: Apoptosis, Energy Pathways, Immune Response, Protein Metabolism and Transport. We identified 10 proteins (KLK 11, IMPA2, ANXA7, PLP2, IGLV2-11, IGHV3-43D, IGKV2-24, TMEM165, VSIG10 and PHB2) that had never been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, representing new evidence of the impact of COVID-19. Interactomics analysis showed viral influence on the host immune response, mainly through interaction with the degranulation of neutrophils. The virus alters the host’s energy metabolism and interferes with apoptosis mechanisms.
Percutaneous-Reinforced Osteoplasty: A Review of Emerging Treatment Strategies for Bone Interventions
Authors: Koirala Nischal , Joshi Jyotsna , Duffy Stephen F. , McLennan Gordon
Published: September 2022

Percutaneous-reinforced osteoplasty is currently being investigated as a possible therapeutic procedure for fracture stabilization in high-risk patients, primarily in patients with bone metastases or osteoporosis. For these patients, a percutaneous approach, if structurally sound, can provide a viable method for treating bone fractures without the physiologic stress of anesthesia and open surgery. However, the low strength of fixation is a common limitation that requires further refinement in scaffold design and selection of materials, and may potentially benefit from tissue-engineering-based regenerative approaches. Scaffolds that have tissue regenerative properties and low inflammatory response promote rapid healing at the fracture site and are ideal for percutaneous applications. On the other hand, preclinical mechanical tests of fracture-repaired specimens provide key information on restoration strength and long-term stability and enable further design optimization. This review presents an overview of percutaneous-reinforced osteoplasty, emerging treatment strategies for bone repair, and basic concepts of in vitro mechanical characterization.
Gram Negatives and Antimicrobial Resistance: Two Faces of the Same Coin
Authors: Petrosillo Nicola , Granata Guido
Published: September 2022

The evolution, emergence and spread of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represent threatening healthcare concerns of worldwide proportions [...]
Combining Awake Anesthesia with Minimal Invasive Surgery Optimizes Intraoperative Surgical Spinal Cord Stimulation Lead Placement
Authors: Rigoard Philippe , Ounajim Amine , Goudman Lisa , Wood Chantal , Roulaud Manuel , Page Philippe , Lorgeoux Bertille , Baron Sandrine , Nivole Kevin , Many Mathilde , Cuny Emmanuel , Voirin Jimmy , Fontaine Denys , Raoul Sylvie , Mertens Patrick , Peruzzi Philippe , Caire François , Buisset Nadia , David Romain , Moens Maarten , Billot Maxime
Published: September 2022

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an effective and validated treatment to address chronic refractory neuropathic pain in persistent spinal pain syndrome-type 2 (PSPS-T2) patients. Surgical SCS lead placement is traditionally performed under general anesthesia due to its invasiveness. In parallel, recent works have suggested that awake anesthesia (AA), consisting of target controlled intra-venous anesthesia (TCIVA), could be an interesting tool to optimize lead anatomical placement using patient intra-operative feedback. We hypothesized that combining AA with minimal invasive surgery (MIS) could improve SCS outcomes. The goal of this study was to evaluate SCS lead performance (defined by the area of pain adequately covered by paraesthesia generated via SCS), using an intraoperative objective quantitative mapping tool, and secondarily, to assess pain relief, functional improvement and change in quality of life with a composite score. We analyzed data from a prospective multicenter study (ESTIMET) to compare the outcomes of 115 patients implanted with MIS under AA (MISAA group) or general anesthesia (MISGA group), or by laminectomy under general anesthesia (LGA group). All in all, awake surgery appears to show significantly better performance than general anesthesia in terms of patient pain coverage (65% vs. 34–62%), pain surface (50–76% vs. 50–61%) and pain intensity (65% vs. 35–40%), as well as improved secondary outcomes (quality of life, functional disability and depression). One step further, our results suggest that MISAA combined with intra-operative hypnosis could potentialize patient intraoperative cooperation and could be proposed as a personalized package offered to PSPS-T2 patients eligible for SCS implantation in highly dedicated neuromodulation centers.
Combined Trans-Arterial Embolization and Ablation for the Treatment of Large (>3 cm) Liver Metastases: Review of the Literature
Authors: Faiella Eliodoro , Calabrese Alessandro , Santucci Domiziana , de Felice Carlo , Pusceddu Claudio , Fior Davide , Fontana Federico , Piacentino Filippo , Moramarco Lorenzo Paolo , Muraca Rosa Maria , Venturini Massimo
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: The aim of this review was to determine the state of clinical practice in the role of the combined approach of embolization and ablation in patients with secondary liver lesions greater than 3 cm who are not candidates for surgery, and to study its safety and efficacy. (2) Methods: Two reviewers conducted the literature search independently. Eight articles on the combined approach of embolization and ablation in secondary liver lesions were selected. (3) Results: The studies were published between 2009 and 2020. Two studies were prospective in design. The sample size was < 100 patients for all studies. All studies demonstrated the safety of the combined approach based on the low complication rate. Some studies lamented non-uniform systemic chemotherapy regimens and the variability in the sequence of embolization and ablation. (4) Conclusions: This review presents the combined approach of ablation and embolization in liver lesions greater than 3 cm as a safe therapeutic procedure with positive effects on patient survival. Prospective and multicentric studies are needed to further evaluate its efficacy.
IgA Vasculitis: Influence of CD40, BLK and BANK1 Gene Polymorphisms
Authors: Batista Liz Joao Carlos , Genre Fernanda , Pulito-Cueto Verónica , Remuzgo-Martínez Sara , Prieto-Peña Diana , Márquez Ana , Ortego-Centeno Norberto , Leonardo María Teresa , Peñalba Ana , Narváez Javier , Martín-Penagos Luis , Belmar-Vega Lara , Gómez-Fernández Cristina , Miranda-Filloy José A. , Caminal-Montero Luis , Collado Paz , De Árgila Diego , Quiroga-Colina Patricia , Vicente-Rabaneda Esther F. , Triguero-Martínez Ana , Rubio Esteban , León Luque Manuel , Blanco-Madrigal Juan María , Galíndez-Agirregoikoa Eva , Martín Javier , Gualillo Oreste , Blanco Ricardo , Castañeda Santos , González-Gay Miguel A. , López-Mejías Raquel
Published: September 2022

CD40, BLK and BANK1 genes involved in the development and signaling of B-cells are identified as susceptibility loci for numerous inflammatory diseases. Accordingly, we assessed the potential influence of CD40, BLK and BANK1 on the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV), predominantly a B-lymphocyte inflammatory condition. Three genetic variants within CD40 (rs1883832, rs1535045, rs4813003) and BLK (rs2254546, rs2736340, rs2618476) as well as two BANK1 polymorphisms (rs10516487, rs3733197), previously associated with inflammatory diseases, were genotyped in 382 Caucasian patients with IgAV and 955 sex- and ethnically matched healthy controls. No statistically significant differences were observed in the genotype and allele frequencies of CD40, BLK and BANK1 when IgAV patients and healthy controls were compared. Similar results were found when CD40, BLK and BANK1 genotypes or alleles frequencies were compared between patients with IgAV stratified according to the age at disease onset or to the presence/absence of gastrointestinal or renal manifestations. Moreover, no CD40, BLK and BANK1 haplotype differences were disclosed between patients with IgAV and healthy controls and between patients with IgAV stratified according to the clinical characteristics mentioned above. Our findings indicate that CD40, BLK and BANK1 do not contribute to the genetic background of IgAV.
Impact of Using Population-Specific Cut-Points, Self-Reported Health, and Socio-Economic Parameters to Predict Sarcopenia: A Cross-Sectional Study in Community-Dwelling Kosovans Aged 60 Years and Older
Authors: Boshnjaku Arben , Bahtiri Abedin , Feka Kaltrina , Krasniqi Ermira , Tschan Harald , Wessner Barbara
Published: September 2022

The age-related decline of muscle strength, mass, and physical performance (sarcopenia) has been raising concerns among the scientific and healthcare communities. This decline may differ between populations, age groups, and sexes. Therefore, we aimed to explore sarcopenia together with the impact of health and socio-economic parameters in mature Kosovans. A cross-sectional study was conducted on community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 years (n = 240, 47.1% female) from the Prishtina region. Sarcopenia was identified using the following criteria: (i) the European Working Group in Sarcopenia for Older People (EWGSOP1), (ii) the revised EWGSOP2 algorithms, and (iii) sex-specific cut-points derived from the Kosovan population. In males, pre-sarcopenia/probable sarcopenia was detected from the EWGSOP1, EWGSOP2 and Kosovan-specific criteria at values of 3.1%, 5.5%, and 28.3%; sarcopenia was detected at 1.6%, 5.5%, and 0.0%, and severe sarcopenia was detected at 4.7%, 2.4%, and 4.7%, respectively. Pre-sarcopenia was lower in females (0.9%, 5.3%, 16.8%), with no cases of sarcopenia or severe sarcopenia detected by either algorithm. Sarcopenic males were older, had a lower weight, BMI, skeletal muscle mass, performance score, nutritional status (p < 0.001), educational level (p = 0.035), and higher malnourishment risk (p = 0.005). It is notable that high overweight and obesity levels were also detected (93.8% of females, 77.1% of males). This study highlights the importance of using population-specific cut-points when diagnosing sarcopenia, as otherwise its occurrence may be underestimated, especially in obese persons. Age, body composition, physical performance, health, and socio-economic conditions can influence the occurrence of sarcopenia.
Capecitabine—A “Permanent Mission” in Head and Neck Cancers “War Council”?
Authors: Mireștean Camil Ciprian , Iancu Roxana Irina , Iancu Dragoș Petru Teodor
Published: September 2022

Capecitabine, an oral pro-drug that is metabolized to 5-FU, has been used in clinical practice for more than 20 years, being part of the therapeutic standard for digestive and breast cancers. The use of capecitabine has been evaluated in many trials including cases diagnosed in recurrent or metastatic settings. Induction regimens or a combination with radiation therapy were evaluated in head and neck cancers, but 5-FU still remained the fluoropyrimidine used as a part of the current therapeutic standard. Quantifications of levels or ratios for enzymes are involved in the capecitabine metabolism to 5-FU but are also involved in its conversion and elimination that may lead to discontinuation, dose reduction or escalation of treatment in order to obtain the best therapeutic ratio. These strategies based on biomarkers may be relevant in the context of the implementation of precision oncology. In particular for head and neck cancers, the identification of biomarkers to select possible cases of severe toxicity requiring discontinuation of treatment, including “multi-omics” approaches, evaluate not only serological biomarkers, but also miRNAs, imaging and radiomics which will ensure capecitabine a role in both induction and concomitant or even adjuvant and palliative settings. An approach including routine testing of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) or even the thymidine phosphorylase (TP)/DPD ratio and the inclusion of miRNAs, imaging and radiomics parameters in multi-omics models will help implement “precision chemotherapy” in HNC, a concept supported by the importance of avoiding interruptions or treatment delays in this type of cancer. The chemosensitivity and prognostic features of HPV-OPC cancers open new horizons for the use of capecitabine in heavily pretreated metastatic cases. Vorinostat and lapatinib are agents that can be associated with capecitabine in future clinical trials to increase the therapeutic ratio.
Mooring System Transport and Installation Logistics for a Floating Offshore Wind Farm in Lannion, France
Authors: Altuzarra Jorge , Herrera Alberto , Matías Onintze , Urbano Joaquín , Romero Cristina , Wang Shan , Guedes Soares C.
Published: September 2022

This study addresses the planning procedures for the installation of the mooring systems that support the floating offshore wind turbines in a wind farm. It considers the logistics of the installation process and discusses the important role of the weather windows in the planning of those operations at a preliminary stage of the project. The case study is based on a wind farm array of 47 Telwind floating wind turbine platforms, to be located in Lannion (France), with a potential of 470 MW. The study includes the transport and logistics requirements of different mooring components, such as chains, connectors and drag anchors; the description of the installation operations considering the typology of vessels that are necessary in these manoeuvres; as well as the planning and costs associated with the transport and installation. Given the diversity of elements and operations involved in the installation procedure, it is demonstrated that the research results of duration and costs of this type of operations are only possible to obtain using a simulation tool.
The Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study of Heat Flow in Seabed Sediments Based on COMSOL
Authors: Zhou Peng , Zhang Chunyue , Ai Jingkun , Ge Yongqiang , Peng Xiaoqing , Gao Qiaoling , Wang Wei , Zhou Zhonghui , Chen Jiawang
Published: September 2022

In situ electrothermal conduction heating technology refers to the setting up of a heat source directly within the sediments, using the heat conductivity of the sediments and the heat radiation of the heat source for heat transfer to achieve the in situ heating of the sediments. The in situ electrothermal conduction heating of sediments has the disadvantage of the heating equipment being easily damaged and difficult to operate, and requires the equipment to be able to withstand seawater pressure and marine corrosion. In this paper, based on the combination of numerical simulations (using COMSOL Multiphysics software) and approximate in situ electrothermal conduction heating experiments, the temperature field and other factors of sediments heated by in situ conductive heating (in a specific area) were studied to determine a numerical model for sediment heat flow in a specific area under different pressures and initial temperatures, and the correctness of the numerical model was further verified by comparative experiments. The results of this study have important implications for future studies on the actual thermal properties of sediments and even heat transfer mechanisms during gas hydrate extraction.
Prediction of the Pitch and Heave Motions in Regular Waves of the DTMB 5415 Ship Using CFD and MMG
Authors: Sun Han-Bing , Yang Shu-Qi , Xu Yang-Fan , Xiao Jia-Feng
Published: September 2022

According to the requirement of high-performance development of modern ships, it is necessary to quickly and accurately predict the maneuverability of ships under wave conditions. In this paper, based on the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method in the commercial software STAR-CCM+, the numerical simulation of roll decay motion, pure heel motion, pure heave motion, and pure pitch motion of ship model 5415 is carried out. The relevant hydrodynamic derivatives are obtained, and the results are in good agreement with the experimental values. The equations of motion related to the heave and pitch motions are established according to the MMG (Maneuvering Motion Equation Research Group) model. Then, based on the above dynamic equations, the wave force module is added to successfully simulate and predict the pitch and heave responses of the ship under regular wave conditions, and it is concluded that the simulation model for rapid prediction is also applicable under waves.
Identification of a C2H2 Transcription Factor (PsCZF3) Associated with RxLR Effectors and Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes in Phytophthora sojae Based on WGCNA
Authors: Hu Yanhong , He Zhihua , Kang Yebin , Ye Wenwu , Cui Linkai
Published: September 2022

Phytophthora sojae is a destructive soybean pathogen that orchestrates various secreted proteins (effectors) to modulate plant immunity and facilitate infection. Although a number of effectors have been identified and functionally studied in P. sojae, the way these molecules are regulated is marginally known. In this study, we performed a weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) based on digital RNA-seq, which enabled the identification of a transcription factor (PsCZF3) in P. sojae. This transcription factor is a C2H2-type zinc finger protein that regulates the transcription of 35 RxLR effectors during the early infection stage. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PsCZF3 is a highly conserved protein across oomycetes, suggesting that this regulation mechanism may broadly exist in oomycete species. In addition, by building a subnetwork of PsCZF3 and correlated genes, we also found that PsCZF3 contributed to the transcriptional regulation of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Our findings suggest that the activation of PsCZF3 facilitates P. sojae infection by up-regulating RxLR effectors and carbohydrate-active enzymes.
Five-Year Cardiovascular Outcomes after Infective Endocarditis in Patients with versus without Drug Use History
Authors: Muncan Brandon , Abboud Alan , Papamanoli Aikaterini , Jacobs Mark , McLarty Allison J. , Skopicki Hal A. , Kalogeropoulos Andreas P.
Published: September 2022

Background: Disparities in treatment and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE) between people who use drugs (PWUD) and non-PWUD have been reported, but long-term data on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes are limited. We aim to compare 5-year rates of mortality, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after IE between PWUD and non-PWUD. Methods: Using data from the TriNetX Research Network, we examined 5-year cumulative incidence of mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation/flutter, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, ischemic stroke, and intracranial hemorrhage in 7132 PWUD and 7132 propensity score-matched non-PWUD patients after a first episode of IE. We used the Kaplan–Meier estimate for incidence and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate relative risk. Results: Matched PWUD were 41 ± 12 years old; 52.2% men; 70.4% White, 19.8% Black, and 8.0% Hispanic. PWUD had higher mortality vs. non-PWUD after 1 year (1–3 year: 9.2% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.032; and 3–5-year: 7.3% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.020), which was largely driven by higher mortality among female patients. PWUD also had higher rates of myocardial infarction (10.0% vs. 7.0%, p < 0.001), heart failure (19.3% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.002), ischemic stroke (8.3% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.001), and intracranial hemorrhage (4.1% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.009) compared to non-PWUD. Among surgically treated PWUD, interventions on the tricuspid valve were more common; however, rates of all outcomes were comparable to non-PWUD. Conclusions: PWUD had higher 5-year incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after IE compared to non-PWUD patients. Prospective investigation into the causes of these disparities and potential harm reduction efforts are needed.
Ecological Civilization in Practice: An Exploratory Study of Urban Agriculture in Four Chinese Cities
Authors: Glaros Alesandros , Luehr Geoff , Si Zhenzhong , Scott Steffanie
Published: September 2022

Chinese development priorities have, since 2012, been formally framed under the slogan “Ecological Civilization” (EC). Simultaneously, urban agriculture (UA) has emerged as a potential strategy to contribute to urban food security in China, in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we interrogate EC as an approach to urban and agricultural development in China and explore how EC manifests in practical terms, through a case study of urban agriculture. Over four months, we conducted on-site interviews and surveys with UA practitioners in four Chinese cities to understand how their experiences are negotiated with the state, in the context of EC. We find through our case study that capital-intensive and peri-urban approaches to UA are favoured in the context of EC, while small-scale intra-urban initiatives are actively discouraged in policy but passively accepted in practice and enforcement. This is despite all forms of UA promoting key goals for EC, including beautifying urban areas, increasing the quality of life for urban residents, and reconnecting individuals with food growing culture. Despite novel developments in innovative agricultural practices in both rural and urban contexts, the EC pathway risks overlooking grassroots initiatives and meeting local residents’ needs.
Two-Phase Two-Layer Depth-Integrated SPH-FD Model: Application to Lahars and Debris Flows
Authors: Tayyebi Saeid Moussavi , Pastor Manuel , Hernandez Andrei , Gao Lingang , Stickle Miguel Martin , Yifru Ashenafi Lulseged , Thakur Vikas
Published: September 2022

The complex nature of debris flows suggests that the pore-water pressure evolution and dewatering of a flowing mass caused by the high permeability of soil or terrain could play an essential role in the dynamics behavior of fast landslides. Dewatering causes desaturation, reducing the pore-water pressure and improving the shear strength of liquefied soils. A new approach to landslide propagation modeling considering the dewatering of a mass debris flow has drawn research attention. The problem is characterized by a transition from saturated to unsaturated soil. This paper aims to address this scientific gap. A depth-integrated model was developed to analyze the dewatering of landslides, in which, desaturation plays an important role in the dynamics behavior of the propagation. This study adopted an SPH numerical method to model landslide propagation consisting of pore-water and a soil skeleton in fully or partially saturated soils. In a two-phase model, the soil–water mixture was discretized and represented by two sets of SPH nodes carrying all field variables, such as velocity, displacement, and basal pore-water pressure. The pore-water was described by an additional set of balance equations to take into account its velocity. In the developed two-layer model, an upper desaturated layer and a lower saturated layer were considered to enhance the description of dewatering. This is the so-called two-phase two-layer formulation, which is capable of simulating the entire process of landslides propagation, including the large deformation of soils and corresponding pore-water pressure evolutions, where the effect of the dewatering in saturated soils is also taken into account. A dam-break problem was analyzed through the new and previously developed model. A flume test performed at Trondheim was also used to validate the proposed model by comparing the numerical results with measurements obtained from the experiment. Finally, the model was applied to simulate a real case lahar, which is an appropriate benchmark case used to examine the applicability of the developed model. The simulation results demonstrated that taking into account the effects of dewatering and the vital parameter of relative height is essential for the landslide propagation modeling of a desaturated flowing mass.
Bilingualism, Culture, and Executive Functions: Is There a Relationship?
Authors: Xie Wenhan , Altarriba Jeanette , Ng Bee Chin
Published: September 2022

The relationship between executive functions (EF) and bilingualism has dominated debate in the field. This debate was characterised by optimism for a bilingual advantage until the last decade, when a steady stream of articles reported failure to find a consistently positive effect for bilingualism. In addition to addressing concerns about study quality, this turn of events has spurred research into other variables that may explain the conflicting findings. While recent studies have focused on sociodemographic variables and interactional contexts such as age, code-switching frequency, and socioeconomic class to account for various group and individual differences, the impact of culture is seldom scrutinised. This paper examines the possible effect of culture among bilingual studies on EF by first contextualising how bilingual EF are studied and outlining the absence of culture as a macro variable, followed by a discussion on how culture and language are often conflated. This paper directs attention to the small but emerging research that tracks the importance of culture as a separate variable from language. This review discusses why macro culture and individual monoculturalism or biculturalism need to be carefully elucidated as a factor that can interact with the bilingual experience in shaping EF.
The Structures of Heterogeneous Membranes and Their Interactions with an Anticancer Peptide: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Abbas Ghulam , Cardenas Alfredo E. , Elber Ron
Published: September 2022

We conduct molecular dynamics simulations of model heterogeneous membranes and their interactions with a 24-amino acid peptide—NAF-144–67. NAF-144–67 is an anticancer peptide that selectively permeates and kills malignant cells; it does not permeate normal cells. We examine three membranes with different binary mixtures of lipids, DOPC–DOPA, DOPC–DOPS, and DOPC–DOPE, with a single peptide embedded in each as models for the diversity of biological membranes. We illustrate that the peptide organization in the membrane depends on the types of nearby phospholipids and is influenced by the charge and size of the head groups. The present study sheds light on early events of permeation and the mechanisms by which an amphiphilic peptide crosses from an aqueous solution to a hydrophobic membrane. Understanding the translocation mechanism is likely to help the design of new permeants.
Differential Expression of Anti-Inflammatory RNA Binding Proteins in Lupus Nephritis
Authors: Fakhfakh Raouia , Bouallegui Emna , Houssaini Hana , Elloumi Nesrine , Dhafouli Fatma , Abida Olfa , Hachicha Hend , Marzouk Sameh , Bahloul Zouhir , Kammoun Khawla , Boudawara Tahia , Masmoudi Hatem
Published: September 2022

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a type of immunological complex glomerulonephritis characterized by chronic renal inflammation which is exacerbated by infiltrating leukocytes and fueled by a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines. A profound understanding of the pathogenesis of LN is necessary to identify the optimal molecular targets. The role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in post-transcriptional gene regulation in the immune system is being explored in greater depth to better understand how this regulation is implicated in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Tristetraprolin (TTP), Roquin-1/2, and Regnase-1 are 3 RBPs that play a critical role in the regulation of pro-inflammatory mediators by gating the degradation and/or translational silencing of target mRNAs. In this study, we proposed to focus on the differential expression of these RBPs in immune cells and renal biopsies from LN patients, as well as their regulatory impact on a specific target. Herein, we highlight a novel target of anti-inflammatory treatment by revealing the mechanisms underlying RBP expression and the interaction between RBPs and their target RNAs.
Optical Coherence Tomography Reflectivity in Foveal Cysts: A Novel Biomarker for Early-Response Prediction of Diabetic Macular Edema Treated with Dexamethasone
Authors: Hwang Daniel Duck-Jin
Published: September 2022

This study investigated spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers to predict short-term anatomical improvement for diabetic macular edema (DME) after dexamethasone (DEX) injection in intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) non-responders. This retrospective comparative study included 31 eyes of 31 patients with DME unresponsive to anti-VEGF, divided into better and lesser responder groups. OCT prior to DEX injection was used to evaluate the morphological features including optical density (ODN) and optical density ratio (ODR) of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) cysts. Correlations between baseline OCT parameters and mean central macular thickness (CMT) changes at 1 month were analyzed. There were no between-group differences in age, sex, number of previous anti-VEGF injections, duration of diabetes, or HbA1c level. However, ODN and ODR values in ONL cysts were lower in the better responder group (p = 0.020 and p < 0.001, respectively). ODN and ODR showed negative correlations with CMT changes (R = −0.546, p = 0.002 and R = −0.436, p = 0.014, respectively). Higher OCT reflectivity in the foveal cystoid space was associated with a lesser decrease in CMT after DEX injection in anti-VEGF non-responders, suggesting the usefulness of this parameter in predicting short-term CMT responses after DEX injection.
A Review of Nuclear Imaging in Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Nayar Jemimah , John Kevin , Philip Anil , George Lina , George Anu , Lal Amos , Mishra Ajay
Published: September 2022

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo Syndrome (TTS) is a reversible left ventricular dysfunction syndrome that is increasingly being recognized. Recent advances in nuclear imaging have allowed us to study TTS in greater detail. We searched the PubMed and Medline databases and identified 53 publications with 221 patients reporting nuclear imaging findings in TTS. The age of the patients ranged from 17 to 87 years and were predominantly women (88.2%). The TTS variant was apical (typical) in 170 (76.9%), mid-ventricular in 23 (10.4%), and basal (reverse TTS) in 2 (0.9%). Cardiac perfusion was assessed using 99mTc sestamibi (MIBI) SPECT, 99mTc tetrofosmin SPECT, 201Tl SPECT, 82Rb PET, 201Tl SPECT, and 13N ammonia PET. Additional studies used were 123I MIBG SPECT, 123I BMIPP SPECT, 18F FDG PET, 67Ga citrate, and 11C hydroxy-ephedrine. A perfusion defect was seen in 69 (31.2%), and an inverse perfusion–metabolism mismatch (normal or near-normal perfusion with absent myocardial metabolic activity) was seen in 183 (82.8%) patients. Nuclear imaging has a significant role in evaluating, diagnosing, and prognosticating patients with TTS. As nuclear imaging technology evolves, we will surely gain more insights into this fascinating disorder.
Targeting Ca2+ and Mitochondrial Homeostasis by Antipsychotic Thioridazine in Leukemia Cells
Authors: Moraes Vivian W. R. , Santos Vivian M. , Suarez Eloah R. , Ferraz Letícia S. , Lopes Rayssa de Mello , Mognol Giuliana P. , Campeiro Joana D. , Machado-Neto João A. , Nascimento Fabio D. , Hayashi Mirian A. F. , Tersariol Ivarne L. S. , Newmeyer Donald D. , Rodrigues Tiago
Published: September 2022

Mitochondria have pivotal roles in cellular physiology including energy metabolism, reactive oxygen species production, Ca2+ homeostasis, and apoptosis. Altered mitochondrial morphology and function is a common feature of cancer cells and the regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis has been identified as a key to the response to chemotherapeutic agents in human leukemias. Here, we explore the mechanistic aspects of cytotoxicity produced by thioridazine (TR), an antipsychotic drug that has been investigated for its anticancer potential in human leukemia cellular models. TR exerts selective cytotoxicity against human leukemia cells in vitro. A PCR array provided a general view of the expression of genes involved in cell death pathways. TR immediately produced a pulse of cytosolic Ca2+, followed by mitochondrial uptake, resulting in mitochondrial permeabilization, caspase 9/3 activation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis. Ca2+ chelators, thiol reducer dithiothreitol, or CHOP knockdown prevented TR-induced cell death. TR also exhibited potent cytotoxicity against BCL-2/BCL-xL-overexpressing leukemia cells. Additionally, previous studies have shown that TR exhibits potent antitumor activity in vivo in different solid tumor models. These findings show that TR induces a Ca2+-mediated apoptosis with involvement of mitochondrial permeabilization and ER stress in leukemia and it emphasizes the pharmacological potential of TR as an adjuvant in antitumor chemotherapy.
Development of Abraham Model Correlations for Solute Transfer into the tert-Butyl Acetate Mono-Solvent and Updated Equations for Both Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate
Authors: Longacre Laine , Wu Emily , Yang Chelsea , Zhang Miles , Sinha Sneha , Varadharajan Advika , Acree William E.
Published: September 2022

Experimental solubilities were determined for 31 solid nonelectrolyte organic compounds dissolved in tert-butyl acetate at 298.15 K. Results of the experimental measurements were combined with published mole fraction solubility data for two lipid-lowering medicinal compounds (lovastatin and simvastatin) in order to derive Abraham model expressions for solute transfer into the tert-butyl acetate mono-solvent. The derived correlations provided an accurate mathematical description of the observed experimental data. As part of the current study, previously published Abraham model solvent correlations for both ethyl acetate and butyl acetate were updated using much larger datasets that contained an additional 64 and 35 experimental data points, respectively. The mathematical correlations presented in the current study describe the observed solubility ratios of solutes dissolved in tert-butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and butyl acetate to within an overall standard deviation of 0.15 log units or less.
A Quasi In-Situ Study on the Microstructural Evolution of 2195 Al-Cu-Li Alloy during Homogenization
Authors: Huang Hao , Xiong Wei , Jiang Zhen , Zhang Jin
Published: September 2022

An optimized homogenization process for Al alloy ingots is key to subsequent material manufacturing, as it largely reduces metallurgical defects, such as segregation and secondary phases. However, studies on their exact microstructural evolution at different homogenization temperatures are scarce, especially for complex systems, such as the 2195 Al-Cu-Li alloy. The present work aims to elucidate the microstructural evolution of the 2195 Al-Cu-Li alloy during homogenization, including the dissolution and precipitation behavior of the TB (Al7Cu4Li) phase and S (Al2CuMg) phase at different homogenization temperatures. The results show that there are Cu segregation zones (Cu-SZ) at the dendrite boundaries with θ (Al2Cu) and S eutectic phases. When the temperature rises from 300 °C to 400 °C, fine TB phases precipitate at the Cu-SZ, and the Mg and Ag in the S phases gradually diffuse into the matrix. Upon further increasing the temperature to 450 °C, TB and θ phases at the grain boundaries are coarsened, and an S-θ phase transition is observed. Finally, at 500 °C, all TB and S phases are dissolved, leaving only θ phases at triangular grain boundaries. This work provides guidance for optimizing the homogenization procedure in 2195 alloys.
Energy and Electronic Properties of Nanostructures Based on the CL-20 Framework with the Replacement of the Carbon Atoms by Silicon and Germanium: A Density Functional Theory Study
Authors: Gimaldinova Margarita A. , Maslov Mikhail M. , Katin Konstantin P.
Published: September 2022

We consider SinCL-20 and GenCL-20 systems with carbon atoms replaced by silicon/germanium atoms and their dimers. The physicochemical properties of the silicon/germanium analogs of the high-energy molecule CL-20 and its dimers were determined and studied using density functional theory with the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. It was found that the structure and geometry of SinCL-20/GenCL-20 molecules change dramatically with the appearance of Si-/Ge-atoms. The main difference between silicon- or germanium-substituted SinCL-20/GenCL-20 molecules and the pure CL-20 molecule is that the NO2 functional groups make a significant rotation relative to the starting position in the classical molecule, and the effective diameter of the frame of the systems increases with the addition of Si-/Ge-atoms. Thus, the effective framework diameter of a pure CL-20 molecule is 3.208 Å, while the effective diameter of a fully silicon-substituted Si6CL-20 molecule is 4.125 Å, and this parameter for a fully germanium-substituted Ge6CL-20 molecule is 4.357 Å. The addition of silicon/germanium atoms to the system leads to a decrease in the binding energy. In detail, the binding energies for CL-20/Si6CL-20/Ge6CL-20 molecules are 4.026, 3.699, 3.426 eV/atom, respectively. However, it has been established that the framework maintains stability, with an increase in the number of substituting silicon or germanium atoms. In addition, we designed homodesmotic reactions for the CL-20 molecule and its substituted derivatives Si6CL-20/Ge6CL-20, and then determined the strain energy to find out in which case more energy would be released when the framework breaks. Further, we also studied the electronic properties of systems based on CL-20 molecules. It was found that the addition of germanium or silicon atoms instead of carbon leads to a decrease in the size of the HOMO–LUMO gap. Thus, the HOMO–LUMO gaps of the CL-20/Si6CL-20/Ge6CL-20 molecules are 5.693, 5.339, and 5.427 eV, respectively. A similar dependence is also observed for CL-20 dimers. So, in this work, we have described in detail the dependence of the physicochemical parameters of CL-20 molecules and their dimers on the types of atoms upon substitution.