bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Obesity and associated factors among high school adolescent students in Bahir Dar town, North West Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Hunegnaw Woldeamilak Adamu , Ferede Addisu Gasheneit , Tekalign Tiwabwork , Asres Abiyot Wolie
Published: December 2022

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude and associated factors of obesity among high school adolescent students in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

Methods:

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 September 2019 to 10 October 2019 in Bahir Dar town. A total of 1018 students were enrolled using a multistage sampling procedure. Epidata version 3.1 was used for data entry, and SPSS version 24 was used for data analysis. A bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed.

Results:

The magnitude of obesity among high school adolescents was 8.3%. Attending a private school (adjusted odds ratio = 6.52; 95% confidence interval: 3.13, 13.59), not participating in moderate- to vigorous-intensity activities (AOR = 3.08; 95% confidence interval: 1.44, 6.64), coming from a wealthy family (adjusted odds ratio = 7.03; 95% CI: 2.16, 22.89), and snacking frequency (adjusted odds ratio = 9.64; 95% confidence Interval: 4.79, 19.39) were all associated with obesity.

Conclusions:

Obesity was prevalent among students in private schools and wealthy families in the research area. Family size, household wealth, participation in moderate-to-striving activities, and snacking frequency were all found to be significant factors of obesity.
Renal papillary hypertrophy, a rare mimicker of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A case report
Authors: Ahamdi Navid , Aghamir Seyed Mohammad Kazem
Published: December 2022

Renal papillary hypertrophy is a rare variation that mimics upper tract urothelial carcinoma. This is the ninth case in literature. It causes hematuria and pain, or it could be asymptomatic. It is important to distinguish this variation from malignant masses since misdiagnosis leads to unnecessary radical surgery. Flexible ureteroscopy helps distinguish malignant from benign masses, particularly in cases where there is not a consensus on the exact pathology of the mass. We present a 46-year-old female who came with hematuria and was planned to undergo radical nephroureterectomy under the impression of renal cell carcinoma based on imaging studies. After flexible ureteroscopy, renal papillary hypertrophy was confirmed and radical nephroureterectomy was prevented.
Activist consumer movements: Founder framings versus member self-organisation
Authors: Barès Franck , Cova Bernard
Published: December 2022

Consumers become activists whenever they organise themselves into off- or online movements launched to oppose corporate actions and/or foster consumption-based cultural change. Whereas, some readings of such movements focus on the way in which members self-organise their activities, the emphasis here is on the role that a movement’s founders play in framing its activities. Findings from the study of a movement founded by a Cameroonian music enthusiast show that online activities can be affected both by how a movement has been framed by its founder and by the way in which its members self-organise. A founder orchestrates a movement’s coherence, and also the expression of its members, along three lines: by attributing meaning, distributing roles and tasks and promoting creativity.
How to Commercialize Shaolin Culture Outside China: A Discussion Within the Framework of Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital
Authors: Liu Liying , Yang Jun , Shi Youkuan , Wang Guotuan
Published: December 2022

Shaolin culture’s commercialization in China, along with the country’s political and economic modernization process, is controversial, and many critics are concerned about the ramifications of its commercialization. This study presents a brief history of the Shaolin Temple Cultural Center in Los Angeles using data collected from two in-depth interviews. Within the framework of Bourdieu’s cultural capital theory, the Center’s development in the highly capitalized and fiercely competitive American cultural market provides some valuable insights into Shaolin culture’s path to commercialization. This path can be characterized as the transformation of Shaolin cultural capital into social capital through its integration into local communities via cultural performances, thus promoting capital upgrading and re-institutionalization.
Students’ Performance and Perceptions of Wiki-based Collaborative Writing for Learners of English as a Foreign Language
Authors: Liu Pei-Lin , Ginting Anza Mei Gani , Chen Chiu-Jung , Yeh Hui-Chin
Published: December 2022

In the Taiwan EFL context particularly, little attention has been given to investigating the effects of wikis on EFL writing performance. Therefore, this study suggests a wiki-based collaborative writing activity in the writing process of creative English writing. In addition, the students’ perceptions of wiki collaborative writing were also measured. In this one-group pretest-post-test study, 32 learners at a public university in central Taiwan were invited to participate. The participants were selected using convenience sampling, a non-probability sampling technique. Instruments used to collect the data were online student background questionnaires, writing pre- and post-tests, and a student online questionnaire on wiki collaborative writing. The data from the wiki collaborative writing questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result of the study is expected to be able to enhance students’ writing performance and to encourage them to have strong motivation and good attitudes toward English writing. The students enjoyed being involved in online collaborative writing and learned to give comments and receive feedback in groups. It is thought to be a useful practice to enable students to socially interact to gain more knowledge, insights, and experience.
Intervention Fidelity in Mindfulness-Based Research and Practice: Developing Criteria to Acknowledge New Training Programs
Authors: van Boxtel Martin P. J. , Sansom Sophie A. , Kersemaekers Wendy
Published: December 2022

The field of mindfulness-based research and practice is expanding fast. This development calls for a careful evaluation of the merits and scientific underpinnings of newly developed mindfulness-based programs (MBP’s). In this viewpoint, we describe a process initiated by two professional mindfulness teacher training organisations (the Dutch Vereniging Mindfulness-based Trainers Nederland, VMBN, and the British Association of Mindfulness-based Approaches, BAMBA) to develop a framework for evaluating the integrity of newly developed MBP’s. The framework aims to articulate criteria describing the elements and processes required to ensure that a new MBP meets good practice, adheres to evidenced-based practice, and is attending to the challenge of implementation and scalability. The development and implementation of the criteria are still a ‘work in progress’. We hope that this initiative offers a foundation for supporting the MBP field to balance innovation and grassroot community development with aligning to the principles of evidence-based practice.
Examining Ban on the Blending of Mustard Oil in India: A Food Nutrition Perspective
Authors: Nair Sthanu R
Published: December 2022

This article aims to critically examine India’s ban on the manufacturing and sale of blended mustard oil from a food nutrition point of view. The presence of erucic acid in India’s traditional mustard crop varieties is far higher than the internationally accepted level of erucic acid content in the rapeseed mustard oil and the canola-quality oil. Human consumption of rapeseed mustard oil containing high erucic acid has been a significant concern for public health and nutrition experts due to the perceived health hazards of erucic acid. As the concentration of erucic acid is proven to reduce if the mustard oil is blended with other edible oils, the ideal way to consume Indian mustard oil is by blending it with other edible oils. Therefore, from a public health point of view, the ban on mustard oil blending is not an appropriate policy move.
Quality in Mixed Human Resource Management Research: Evidence from Published Literature
Authors: Mutua Shedrack Mbithi
Published: December 2022

The study focuses on several issues that affect methodological rigour of mixed research. The article aims at providing illumination and clarity on continued use of terminologies in mixed research in a confusing manner. Research paradigms should conduct from time-to-time inward introspection to ascertain quality of research papers. This article attempts to ascertain quality of published mixed research. The article investigates several dimensions of quality in mixed Human Resource Management (HRM) research and then gives recommendations to improve research practice. It dwells on ignored issues in quality of mixed research such as conceptual and theoretical framework, catapulting them to the high table of quality discourse in mixed research. As a pivotal divergence from previous studies, traceability as an integral mixed research quality dimension is given prominence. This article utilises quantitative and qualitative document review guides to collect data from published journal papers in HRM. The study found that there are areas of improvement in the conduct of mixed HRM studies and proposes a framework that can act as a guide in evaluating quality criteria. Mixed research is marginalised in HRM literature owing to the small percentage of published papers.
A spatiotemporal disparity of transit and automobile access gap and its impact on transit use
Authors: Janatabadi Fatemeh , Maharjan Sanju , Ermagun Alireza
Published: December 2022

This research empirically evaluates the access gap between transit and automobile to examine the extent of auto-access-orientation within and between the 50 American Metropolitan Areas. The Modal Access Gap (MAG) index is calculated over space and travel time to test three hypotheses: (1) MAG is a function of space and travel time, (2) MAG is CBD-centric, and (3) MAG is associated with transit use. Results indicate that (1) MAG merely possesses negative values ranging between −0.98 and −0.79, regardless of the travel-time thresholds or metropolitan areas, and the travel time lag between transit and automobile ranges from 35 minutes in New York to 51 minutes in Riverside for a 60-minute commute, (2) MAG decreases as one moves away from the central area, and (3) a 1% increase in MAG increases transit use by 1.37% on average.
A comparison of marker-based estimators of inbreeding and inbreeding depression
Authors: Caballero Armando , Fernández Almudena , Villanueva Beatriz , Toro Miguel A.
Published: December 2022

Background

The availability of genome-wide marker data allows estimation of inbreeding coefficients (F, the probability of identity-by-descent, IBD) and, in turn, estimation of the rate of inbreeding depression (ΔID). We investigated, by computer simulations, the accuracy of the most popular estimators of inbreeding based on molecular markers when computingFand ΔID in populations under random mating, equalization of parental contributions, and artificially selected populations. We assessed estimators described by Li and Horvitz (FLH1andFLH2), VanRaden (FVR1andFVR2), Yang and colleagues (FYA1andFYA2), marker homozygosity (FHOM), runs of homozygosity (FROH) and estimates based on pedigree (FPED) in comparison with estimates obtained from IBD measures (FIBD).

Results

If the allele frequencies of a base population taken as a reference for the computation of inbreeding are known, all estimators based on marker allele frequencies are highly correlated withFIBDand provide accurate estimates of the mean ΔID. If base population allele frequencies are unknown and current frequencies are used in the estimations, the largest correlation withFIBDis generally obtained byFLH1and the best estimator of ΔID isFYA2. The estimatorsFVR2andFLH2have the poorest performance in most scenarios. The assumption that base population allele frequencies are equal to 0.5 results in very biased estimates of the average inbreeding coefficient but they are highly correlated withFIBDand give relatively good estimates of ΔID. Estimates obtained directly from marker homozygosity (FHOM) substantially overestimated ΔID. Estimates based on runs of homozygosity (FROH) provide accurate estimates of inbreeding and ΔID. Finally, estimates based on pedigree (FPED) show a lower correlation withFIBDthan molecular estimators but provide rather accurate estimates of ΔID. An analysis of data from a pig population supports the main findings of the simulations.

Conclusions

When base population allele frequencies are known, all marker-allele frequency-based estimators of inbreeding coefficients generally show a high correlation withFIBDand provide good estimates of ΔID. When base population allele frequencies are unknown,FLH1is the marker frequency-based estimator that is most correlated withFIBD, andFYA2provides the most accurate estimates of ΔID. Estimates fromFROHare also very precise in most scenarios. The estimatorsFVR2andFLH2have the poorest performances.
Objective hearing threshold identification from auditory brainstem response measurements using supervised and self-supervised approaches
Authors: Thalmeier Dominik , Miller Gregor , Schneltzer Elida , Hurt Anja , Hrabě deAngelis Martin , Becker Lore , Müller Christian L. , Maier Holger
Published: December 2022

Hearing loss is a major health problem and psychological burden in humans. Mouse models offer a possibility to elucidate genes involved in the underlying developmental and pathophysiological mechanisms of hearing impairment. To this end, large-scale mouse phenotyping programs include auditory phenotyping of single-gene knockout mouse lines. Using the auditory brainstem response (ABR) procedure, the German Mouse Clinic and similar facilities worldwide have produced large, uniform data sets of averaged ABR raw data of mutant and wildtype mice. In the course of standard ABR analysis, hearing thresholds are assessed visually by trained staff from series of signal curves of increasing sound pressure level. This is time-consuming and prone to be biased by the reader as well as the graphical display quality and scale.In an attempt to reduce workload and improve quality and reproducibility, we developed and compared two methods for automated hearing threshold identification from averaged ABR raw data: a supervised approach involving two combined neural networks trained on human-generated labels and a self-supervised approach, which exploits the signal power spectrum and combines random forest sound level estimation with a piece-wise curve fitting algorithm for threshold finding.We show that both models work well and are suitable for fast, reliable, and unbiased hearing threshold detection and quality control. In a high-throughput mouse phenotyping environment, both methods perform well as part of an automated end-to-end screening pipeline to detect candidate genes for hearing involvement. Code for both models as well as data used for this work are freely available.
Health disparity and healthcare utilization inequity among older adults living in poverty in South Korea: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kim Ah-Young , Seo Moon Sil , Kang Hye-Young
Published: December 2022

Background

Korea has a two-tiered universal health security system: the wage-based National Health Insurance (NHI) program and government-subsidized Medical Aid (MA) program. Beneficiaries of the MA program belong to the lowest economic class. This study aims to investigate the association between economic status—defined as NHI or MA enrollment—and health disparity of older people aged ≥ 65 years in South Korea.

Methods

The claims records of 672,525 older age population from the 2017 Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-Adult Patient Sample were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of MA vs. NHI beneficiaries for prevalence for common geriatric diseases. Logistic regression and negative binomial regression were used to investigate the association between economic status and prevalence or healthcare utilization for each disease.

Results

MA beneficiaries showed significantly higher prevalence than NHI beneficiaries for seven out of nine diseases (aORs ranging from 1.18 to 1.95). The discrepancy in the prevalence between the two groups was highest among those aged 65–69 years (aORs: 1.34–2.94), and diminished as they got older (aORs: 1.05–1.67). MA beneficiaries had significantly more outpatient visits to treat six diseases (aORs: 1.07–1.28), and more hospitalization to treat seven diseases (aORs:1.08–1.73) than NHI beneficiaries.

Conclusion

The higher prevalence of common geriatric diseases among MA than NHI beneficiaries confirms unfavorable health disparity in the elderly living in extreme poverty. Similar or higher healthcare utilization in treating the same conditions among MA beneficiaries suggests a low possibility of inequity for access to healthcare resources covered by the universal health security system due to poor economic status. Greater excess use of inpatient than outpatient care by MA beneficiaries implies that the condition of poor older adults might be more severe when diagnosed with the same disease.
IMNI PRECISION trial protocol: a phase II, open-label, non-inferior randomized controlled trial of tailoring omission of internal mammary node irradiation for early-stage breast cancer
Authors: Qi Wei-Xiang , Cao Lu , Zheng Siyue , Xu Cheng , Cai Rong , Xu Haoping , Cai Gang , Chen Jiayi
Published: December 2022

Background

Since the publication of MA-20 and EORTC-22922 trials, chest wall (CW)/ whole breast (WB) irradiation + comprehensive regional nodal irradiation (RNI) with internal mammary node irradiation (IMNI) has been the standard adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer (BC). However, one size does not fit all BC, and the risk of recurrence significantly varies among this patient population. In addition, whether all BC patients presented with one to three positive lymph nodes (pN1) could benefit from IMNI remains controversial. Thus, the optimal adjuvant RNI volume for early-stage BC with T1-2N1 remains undetermined.

Methods

The IMNI PRECISION trial is a single institute, open-labeled, non-inferior, randomized controlled trial. A total of 214 clinically “high risk” BC patients which is characterized as having at least two of the five clinically adverse factors (age ≤ 40, three positive LN, T2 stage, grade 3 and Ki-67 index ≥ 14%), but genomic score “low risk” (the genomic score ≤ 44) N1 breast cancers are randomly assigned to omitting IMNI group (experimental group) or with IMNI (control group) with a 1:1 ratio. The primary endpoint of this trial is event-free survival, and secondary endpoints include overall survival and locoregional recurrence-free survival.

Discussion

The IMNI PRECISION design allows promising clinical-genomic model to stratify the individualized risk of developing recurrence and guides the optimal RNI treatment for early-stage (pT1-2N1) BC patients. We anticipate that our results would provide high-level evidence to tailor IMNI according to individualized recurrence risk of BC.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04517266. Date of registration: August 18, 2020. Status: Recruiting.
Detecting subtle signs of depression with automated speech analysis in a non-clinical sample
Authors: König Alexandra , Tröger Johannes , Mallick Elisa , Mina Mario , Linz Nicklas , Wagnon Carole , Karbach Julia , Kuhn Caroline , Peter Jessica
Published: December 2022

Background

Automated speech analysis has gained increasing attention to help diagnosing depression. Most previous studies, however, focused on comparing speech in patients with major depressive disorder to that in healthy volunteers. An alternative may be to associate speech with depressive symptoms in a non-clinical sample as this may help to find early and sensitive markers in those at risk of depression.

Methods

We includedn = 118 healthy young adults (mean age: 23.5 ± 3.7 years; 77% women) and asked them to talk about a positive and a negative event in their life. Then, we assessed the level of depressive symptoms with a self-report questionnaire, with scores ranging from 0–60. We transcribed speech data and extracted acoustic as well as linguistic features. Then, we tested whether individuals below or above the cut-off of clinically relevant depressive symptoms differed in speech features. Next, we predicted whether someone would be below or above that cut-off as well as the individual scores on the depression questionnaire. Since depression is associated with cognitive slowing or attentional deficits, we finally correlated depression scores with performance in the Trail Making Test.

Results

In our sample,n = 93 individuals scored below andn = 25 scored above cut-off for clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Most speech features did not differ significantly between both groups, but individuals above cut-off spoke more than those below that cut-off in the positive and the negative story. In addition, higher depression scores in that group were associated with slower completion time of the Trail Making Test. We were able to predict with 93% accuracy who would be below or above cut-off. In addition, we were able to predict the individual depression scores with low mean absolute error (3.90), with best performance achieved by a support vector machine.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that even in a sample without a clinical diagnosis of depression, changes in speech relate to higher depression scores. This should be investigated in more detail in the future. In a longitudinal study, it may be tested whether speech features found in our study represent early and sensitive markers for subsequent depression in individuals at risk.
Motivations for nutrition information-seeking behavior among Belgian adults: a qualitative study
Authors: Vrinten Jules , Van Royen Kathleen , Pabian Sara , De Backer Charlotte , Matthys Christophe
Published: December 2022

Background

Nutrition information-seeking behavior is highly prevalent even though it can be challenging to find reliable nutrition information in the current media landscape. Previous quantitative research has identified which population segments use which sources, yet little is known about motivations underpinning nutrition information-seeking behavior. Understanding motivations for seeking nutrition information can increase the efficacy of future nutrition education efforts. The present study aims to identify motivations for nutrition information-seeking behavior among Belgian adults.

Methods

In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 adults (n women = 15, n men = 4, n other = 1). Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed in NVivo 12 using inductive thematic analysis. The coding process involved open and axial coding combined with constant comparison to identify themes.

Results

The interviews revealed a diverse spectrum of motivations for nutrition information-seeking behavior. Five categories of motivations centered on health management, cognitive needs, affective needs, social integrative needs, and personal identity. Participants indicated seeking nutrition information to regain a sense of control over their health and it also helped them express their autonomy. Additionally, participants sought nutrition information out of curiosity or out of a long-standing interest. Nutrition information-seeking was also used as a form of emotion regulation with participants actively engaging in seeking behavior to pursue enjoyment, diversion, confirmation, inspiration, and even relaxation. Furthermore, nutrition information-seeking enabled participants to meet social integrative needs by helping them connect to others, gather social support, help others, and sometimes convince others. Lastly, participants indicated a need for nutrition information to express or defend their identity.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that beneath the surface of a more apparent need for nutrition information lies a range of motivations demonstrating that nutrition information serves more complex needs than simply information needs. To improve the efficacy of future nutrition education efforts, communication strategies must be tailored to a diverse range of motivations.
Comparison of CT values in traditional trajectory, traditional cortical bone trajectory, and modified cortical bone trajectory
Authors: Liu Dongshan , Kahaer Alafate , Wang Yixi , Zhang Rui , Maiaiti Abulikemu , Maimaiti Xieraili , Zhou Zhihao , Shi Wenjie , Cui Zihao , Zhang Tao , Li Longfei , Rexiti Paerhati
Published: December 2022

Background

To compare the CT values and length of the screw tracks of traditional trajectory (TT), cortical bone trajectory (CBT), and modified cortical bone trajectory (MCBT) screws and investigate the effects on the biomechanics of lumbar fixation.

Methods

CT scan data of 60 L4 and L5 lumbar spine were retrieved and divided into 4 groups (10 male and 10 female cases in the 20–30 years old group and 20 male and 20 female cases in the 30–40 years old group). 3-dimentional (3D) model were established using Mimics 19.0 for each group and the placement of three techniques was simulated on the L4 and L5, and the part of the bone occupied by the screw track was set as the region of interest (ROI). The mean CT value and the actual length of the screw track were measured by Mimics 19.0.

Results

The CT values of ROI for the three techniques were significantly different between the same gander in each age group (P < 0.05). The difference of screw track lengths for CBT and MCBT in the male and female is significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

According to the CT values of the three screw tracks: MCBT > CBT > TT, the MCBT screw track has greater bone-screw surface strength and longer screw tracks than CBT, which is easier to reach the anterior column of the vertebral body contributing to superior biomechanical properties.
Exploring nursing faculty, managers, newly graduated nurses, and students’ experiences of nursing internship program implementation in Iran: a descriptive qualitative study
Authors: Shahzeydi Amir , Taleghani Fariba , Moghimian Maryam , Farzi Sedigheh , Yazdannik Ahmadreza , Farzi Kolsoum
Published: December 2022

Background

Nursing students are required to acquire the necessary clinical knowledge and skills to provide safe and quality care. The method of providing training, particularly for final-year nursing students, is of utmost importance. An internship is a program during which students work in shifts similar to nurses employed in a hospital; however, the number of their shifts and patients is less than nurses; a nurse and the faculty supervise the care they provide, and they are paid a monthly salary. This study was conducted to explore nursing faculty, managers, new graduates, and students’ experiences of nursing internship program implementation.

Methods

This descriptive qualitative study was conducted from November 2021 to March 2022. The participants were selected from among nursing managers, newly graduated nurses, nursing internship students (final-year undergraduate), and faculty of Iran. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The qualitative content analysis approach was used for data analysis.

Results

Participants in this study included 17 nursing internship students, 12 nursing managers, three faculty members, ten nursing preceptors, and five newly graduated nurses from the internship program, 47 participants in total. After analyzing the data, five themes, including ‘facilitation of socialization process,’ ‘filling the gap between theory and practice,’ ‘improving self-confidence and independence,’ ‘an opportunity for clinical skill training,’ and ‘Achilles’ heel of the clinical setting,’ and nineteen subthemes were extracted from the participants’ experiences.

Conclusion

Implementation of an internship program for final-year nursing students plays a role in preparing them for better professional performance, enhancing clinical skills, increasing self-confidence and independence, inspiring the nursing profession, strengthening professional commitment, and improving the chances of employment after graduation. In order to alleviate the identified challenges of the internship program, holding a briefing meeting with managers, supervisors, and faculty to determine working hours, performance standards, and amenities such as lunch, dinner, and resting place is efficient.
Gut microbe Lactiplantibacillus plantarum undergoes different evolutionary trajectories between insects and mammals
Authors: Maritan Elisa , Gallo Marialaura , Srutkova Dagmar , Jelinkova Anna , Benada Oldrich , Kofronova Olga , Silva-Soares Nuno F. , Hudcovic Tomas , Gifford Isaac , Barrick Jeffrey E. , Schwarzer Martin , Martino Maria Elena
Published: December 2022

Background

Animals form complex symbiotic associations with their gut microbes, whose evolution is determined by an intricate network of host and environmental factors. In many insects, such as Drosophila melanogaster, the microbiome is flexible, environmentally determined, and less diverse than in mammals. In contrast, mammals maintain complex multispecies consortia that are able to colonize and persist in the gastrointestinal tract. Understanding the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of gut microbes in different hosts is challenging. This requires disentangling the ecological factors of selection, determining the timescales over which evolution occurs, and elucidating the architecture of such evolutionary patterns.

Results

We employ experimental evolution to track the pace of the evolution of a common gut commensal, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, within invertebrate (Drosophila melanogaster) and vertebrate (Mus musculus) hosts and their respective diets. We show that in Drosophila, the nutritional environment dictates microbial evolution, while the host benefits L. plantarum growth only over short ecological timescales. By contrast, in a mammalian animal model, L. plantarum evolution results to be divergent between the host intestine and its diet, both phenotypically (i.e., host-evolved populations show higher adaptation to the host intestinal environment) and genomically. Here, both the emergence of hypermutators and the high persistence of mutated genes within the host’s environment strongly differed from the low variation observed in the host’s nutritional environment alone.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that L. plantarum evolution diverges between insects and mammals. While the symbiosis between Drosophila and L. plantarum is mainly determined by the host diet, in mammals, the host and its intrinsic factors play a critical role in selection and influence both the phenotypic and genomic evolution of its gut microbes, as well as the outcome of their symbiosis.
Ancestral reconstruction reveals catalytic inactivation of activation-induced cytidine deaminase concomitant with cold water adaption in the Gadiformes bony fish
Authors: Ghorbani Atefeh , Khataeipour S. Javad , Solbakken Monica H. , Huebert David N. G. , Khoddami Minasadat , Eslamloo Khalil , Collins Cassandra , Hori Tiago , Jentoft Sissel , Rise Matthew L. , Larijani Mani
Published: December 2022

Background

Antibody affinity maturation in vertebrates requires the enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) which initiates secondary antibody diversification by mutating the immunoglobulin loci. AID-driven antibody diversification is conserved across jawed vertebrates since bony and cartilaginous fish. Two exceptions have recently been reported, the Pipefish and Anglerfish, in which the AID-encodingaicdagene has been lost. Both cases are associated with unusual reproductive behavior, including male pregnancy and sexual parasitism. Several cold water fish in the Atlantic cod (Gadinae) family carry anaicdagene that encodes for a full-length enzyme but lack affinity-matured antibodies and rely on antibodies of broad antigenic specificity. Hence, we examined the functionality of their AID.

Results

By combining genomics, transcriptomics, immune responsiveness, and functional enzymology of AID from 36 extant species, we demonstrate that AID of that Atlantic cod and related fish have extremely lethargic or no catalytic activity. Through ancestral reconstruction and functional enzymology of 71 AID enzymes, we show that this enzymatic inactivation likely took place relatively recently at the emergence of the true cod family (Gadidae) from their ancestral Gadiformes order. We show that this AID inactivation is not only concordant with the previously shown loss of key adaptive immune genes and expansion of innate and cell-based immune genes in the Gadiformes but is further reflected in the genomes of these fish in the form of loss of AID-favored sequence motifs in their immunoglobulin variable region genes.

Conclusions

Recent demonstrations of the loss of theaicdagene in two fish species challenge the paradigm that AID-driven secondary antibody diversification is absolutely conserved in jawed vertebrates. These species have unusual reproductive behaviors forming an evolutionary pressure for a certain loss of immunity to avoid tissue rejection. We report here an instance of catalytic inactivation and functional loss of AID rather than gene loss in a conventionally reproducing vertebrate. Our data suggest that an expanded innate immunity, in addition to lower pathogenic pressures in a cold environment relieved the pressure to maintain robust secondary antibody diversification. We suggest that in this unique scenario, the AID-mediated collateral genome-wide damage would form an evolutionary pressure to lose AID function.
SMYD3 associates with the NuRD (MTA1/2) complex to regulate transcription and promote proliferation and invasiveness in hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Yang Yang , Qiu Rongfang , Zhao Siyu , Shen Lin , Tang Bufu , Weng Qiaoyou , Xu Ziwei , Zheng Liyun , Chen Weiqian , Shu Gaofeng , Wang Yajie , Zhao Zhongwei , Chen Minjiang , Ji Jiansong
Published: December 2022

Background

SMYD3, a member of the SET and MYND domain-containing (SMYD) family, is a histone methyltransferase (HMT) and transcription factor that plays an important role in transcriptional regulation in human carcinogenesis.

Results

Using affinity purification and mass spectrometry assays to identify SMYD3-associated proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, we found several previously undiscovered SMYD3-interacting proteins, including the NuRD (MTA1/2) complex, the METTL family, and the CRL4B complex. Transcriptomic analysis of the consequences of knocking down SMYD3, MTA1, or MTA2 in HCC cells showed that SMYD3/NuRD complex targets a cohort of genes, some of which are critically involved in cell growth and migration. qChIP analyses showed that SMYD3 knockdown led to a significant reduction in the binding of MTA1 or MTA2 to the promoters of IGFBP4 and led to a significant decrease in H4K20me3 and a marked increase in H4Ac at the IGFBP4 promoter. In addition, we demonstrated that SMYD3 promotes cell proliferation, invasion, and tumorigenesis in vivo and in vitro and found that its expression is markedly upregulated in human liver cancer. Knockdown of MTA1 or MTA2 had the same effect as knockdown of SMYD3 on proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Catalytic mutant SMYD3 could not rescue the phenotypic effects caused by knockdown of SMYD3. Inhibitors of SMYD3 effectively inhibited the proliferation and invasiveness of HCC cells.

Conclusions

These findings revealed that SMYD3 could transcriptionally repress a cohort of target genes expression by associating with the NuRD (MTA1/2) complex, thereby promoting the proliferation and invasiveness of HCC cells. Our results support the case for pursuing SMYD3 as a practical prognostic marker or therapeutic target against HCC.
The gold-ringed octopus (Amphioctopus fangsiao) genome and cerebral single-nucleus transcriptomes provide insights into the evolution of karyotype and neural novelties
Authors: Jiang Dianhang , Liu Qun , Sun Jin , Liu Shikai , Fan Guangyi , Wang Lihua , Zhang Yaolei , Seim Inge , An Shucai , Liu Xin , Li Qi , Zheng Xiaodong
Published: December 2022

Background

Coleoid cephalopods have distinctive neural and morphological characteristics compared to other invertebrates. Early studies reported massive genomic rearrangements occurred before the split of octopus and squid lineages (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116:3030-5, 2019), which might be related to the neural innovations of their brain, yet the details remain elusive. Here we combine genomic and single-nucleus transcriptome analyses to investigate the octopod chromosome evolution and cerebral characteristics.

Results

We present a chromosome-level genome assembly of a gold-ringed octopus,Amphioctopus fangsiao, and a single-nucleus transcriptome of its supra-esophageal brain. Chromosome-level synteny analyses estimate that the chromosomes of the ancestral octopods experienced multiple chromosome fission/fusion and loss/gain events by comparing with the nautilus genome as outgroup, and that a conserved genome organization was detected during the evolutionary process from the last common octopod ancestor to their descendants. Besides, protocadherin, GPCR, and C2H2 ZNF genes are thought to be highly related to the neural innovations in cephalopods (Nature 524:220–4, 2015), and the chromosome analyses pinpointed several collinear modes of these genes on the octopod chromosomes, such as the collinearity between PCDH and C2H2 ZNF, as well as between GPCR and C2H2 ZNF. Phylogenetic analyses show that the expansion of the octopod protocadherin genes is driven by a tandem-duplication mechanism on one single chromosome, including two separate expansions at 65 million years ago (Ma) and 8–14 Ma, respectively. Furthermore, we identify eight cell types (i.e., cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons) in the supra-esophageal brain ofA. fangsiao, and the single-cell expression analyses reveal the co-expression of protocadherin and GPCR in specific neural cells, which may contribute to the neural development and signal transductions in the octopod brain.

Conclusions

The octopod genome analyses reveal the dynamic evolutionary history of octopod chromosomes and neural-related gene families. The single-nucleus transcriptomes of the supra-esophageal brain indicate their cellular heterogeneities and functional interactions with other tissues (i.e., gill), which provides a foundation for further octopod cerebral studies.
Evolution of left–right asymmetry in the sensory system and foraging behavior during adaptation to food-sparse cave environments
Authors: Fernandes Vânia Filipa Lima , Glaser Yannik , Iwashita Motoko , Yoshizawa Masato
Published: December 2022

Background

Laterality in relation to behavior and sensory systems is found commonly in a variety of animal taxa. Despite the advantages conferred by laterality (e.g., the startle response and complex motor activities), little is known about the evolution of laterality and its plasticity in response to ecological demands. In the present study, a comparative study model, the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus), composed of two morphotypes, i.e., riverine surface fish and cave-dwelling cavefish, was used to address the relationship between environment and laterality.

Results

The use of a machine learning-based fish posture detection system and sensory ablation revealed that the left cranial lateral line significantly supports one type of foraging behavior, i.e., vibration attraction behavior, in one cave population. Additionally, left–right asymmetric approaches toward a vibrating rod became symmetrical after fasting in one cave population but not in the other populations.

Conclusion

Based on these findings, we propose a model explaining how the observed sensory laterality and behavioral shift could help adaptation in terms of the tradeoff in energy gain and loss during foraging according to differences in food availability among caves.
Obese visceral fat tissue inflammation: from protective to detrimental?
Authors: Kolb Hubert
Published: December 2022

Obesity usually is accompanied by inflammation of fat tissue, with a prominent role of visceral fat. Chronic inflammation in obese fat tissue is of a lower grade than acute immune activation for clearing the tissue from an infectious agent. It is the loss of adipocyte metabolic homeostasis that causes activation of resident immune cells for supporting tissue functions and regaining homeostasis. Initially, the excess influx of lipids and glucose in the context of overnutrition is met by adipocyte growth and proliferation. Eventual lipid overload of hypertrophic adipocytes leads to endoplasmic reticulum stress and the secretion of a variety of signals causing increased sympathetic tone, lipolysis by adipocytes, lipid uptake by macrophages, matrix remodeling, angiogenesis, and immune cell activation. Pro-inflammatory signaling of adipocytes causes the resident immune system to release increased amounts of pro-inflammatory and other mediators resulting in enhanced tissue-protective responses. With chronic overnutrition, these protective actions are insufficient, and death of adipocytes as well as senescence of several tissue cell types is seen. This structural damage causes the expression or release of immunostimulatory cell components resulting in influx and activation of monocytes and many other immune cell types, with a contribution of stromal cells. Matrix remodeling and angiogenesis is further intensified as well as possibly detrimental fibrosis. The accumulation of senescent cells also may be detrimental via eventual spread of senescence state from affected to neighboring cells by the release of microRNA-containing vesicles. Obese visceral fat inflammation can be viewed as an initially protective response in order to cope with excess ambient nutrients and restore tissue homeostasis but may contribute to tissue damage at a later stage.
In-hospital glycemic variability and all-cause mortality among patients hospitalized for acute heart failure
Authors: Chun Kyeong-Hyeon , Oh Jaewon , Lee Chan Joo , Park Jin Joo , Lee Sang Eun , Kim Min-Seok , Cho Hyun-Jai , Choi Jin-Oh , Lee Hae-Young , Hwang Kyung-Kuk , Kim Kye Hun , Yoo Byung-Su , Choi Dong-Ju , Baek Sang Hong , Jeon Eun-Seok , Kim Jae-Joong , Cho Myeong-Chan , Chae Shung Chull , Oh Byung-Hee , Kang Seok-Min
Published: December 2022

Background

High glycemic variability (GV) is a poor prognostic marker in cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the association of GV with all-cause mortality in patients with acute heart failure (HF).

Methods

The Korean Acute Heart Failure registry enrolled patients hospitalized for acute HF from 2011 to 2014. Blood glucose levels were measured at the time of admission, during hospitalization, and at discharge. We included those who had 3 or more blood glucose measurements in this study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the coefficient of variation (CoV) as an indicator of GV. Among survivors of the index hospitalization, we investigated all-cause mortality at 1 year after discharge.

Results

The study analyzed 2,617 patients (median age, 72 years; median left-ventricular ejection fraction, 36%; 53% male). During the median follow-up period of 11 months, 583 patients died. Kaplan–Meier curve analysis revealed that high GV (CoV > 21%) was associated with lower cumulative survival (log-rank P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional analysis showed that high GV was associated with an increased risk of 1-year (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.26–1.92) mortality. High GV significantly increased the risk of 1-year mortality in non-diabetic patients (HR 1.93, 95% CI 1.47–2.54) but not in diabetic patients (HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86–1.65, P for interaction = 0.021).

Conclusions

High in-hospital GV before discharge was associated with all-cause mortality within 1 year, especially in non-diabetic patients with acute HF.
Retrospective review of the epidemiology, microbiology, management and outcomes of intra-cranial abscesses at a neurosurgical tertiary referral centre, 2018–2020
Authors: Evans Terry John , Jawad Sarah , Kalyal Nida , Nadarajah Angelina , Amarouche Meriem , Stapleton Simon , Ward Christopher , Breathnach Aodhan
Published: December 2022

Background

Intracranial abscesses are rare but serious, and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Due to both the rarity and severity of these infections, well-controlled trials have not been reported in the literature, and optimal management is a matter for expert opinion. Advances in surgical management have improved outcomes and increased rates of microbiological diagnosis. However, the approach to antimicrobial chemotherapy varies considerably, including the choice of antibiotic, the duration of treatment, and the timing of oral switch.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of 43 cases of intracranial abscesses from a large, tertiary neurosurgical centre in London, UK, between 2018 and 2020, including 29 primary intra-parenchymal abscesses, 11 subdural abscesses and 3 extradural abscesses.

Results

The majority of cases had surgical intervention; 6/43 (14%) required repeat intervention (all intra-parenchymal abscesses). A microbiological diagnosis was made in 83% of cases. Intravenous antibiotics were given for a median of 33 days (IQR 23–44 days), with a variable duration of oral follow-on antibiotics. Total duration of antibiotic treatment ranged from 0 to 467 days. Only three patients from our cohort are known to have died.

Conclusion

Shorter courses of intravenous antibiotics for brain abscesses were not associated with increased mortality. In the absence of well-controlled trials, a national registry of intracranial abscesses would provide invaluable data to inform optimal treatment.