bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New norms of taxation indicators of normal plantations of red boreal oak (Quercus borealis Michx.)
Authors: Mayboroda V.
Published: April 2023

The necessity of supplementing the norms «The total area of cross sections and the stock of stands at fullness: 1.0» (standard tables: forest-tactical guide) for the normal plantations of red boreal oak is substantiated. The revised standards eliminate the systematic error of the calculation of relative and absolute completeness and stock, which arises when applying for the plantations of red boreal oak, recommended in the guide norm, developed for ordinary ash. The corrected values of absolute completeness and species number are proposed. The revised norms allow to take into account in a new way the differences in absolute completeness, species number and reserves of plantations of oak red boreal and ash common in the high range of 4–36 m.
Ecological and economic analysis of the status and use of agricultural purposes in the Volyn region
Authors: Atamanyuk О.
Published: April 2023

The assessment and outlined the prospects of the structure of crops on agricultural land in the Volyn region. The negative influence of commodity agricultural production on the state of soil cover of agricultural land has been proved.
Reduced emission of chemically active nitrogen compounds in the production of livestock products
Authors: Marchkopishvili M.
Published: April 2023

The problem of pollution of the environment with compounds of chemically active nitrogen, coming from the production of livestock products is highlighted. Proposed methods adapted to the local conditions of Ukraine, the use of which will help to minimize emissions of chemically active nitrogen compounds by livestock farms.
Why can’t we say what cognition is (at least for the time being)
Authors: Facchin Marco
Published: April 2023

Some philosophers search for the mark of the cognitive: a set of individually necessary and jointly sufficient conditions identifying all instances of cognition. They claim that the mark of the cognitive is needed to steer the development of cognitive science on the right path. Here, I argue that, at least at present, it cannot be provided. First (§2), I identify some of the factors motivating the search for a mark of the cognitive, each yielding a desideratum the mark is supposed to satisfy (§2.1). I then (§2.2) highlight a number of tensions in the literature on the mark of the cognitive, suggesting they’re best resolved by distinguishing two distinct programs. The first program (§3) is that of identifying a mark of the cognitive capturing our everyday notion of cognition. I argue that such a program is bound to fail for a number of reasons: it is not clear whether such an everyday notion exists; and even if it existed, it would not be able to spell out individually necessary and jointly sufficient conditions for cognition; and even if it were able to spell them out, these conditions won’t satisfy the desiderata a mark of the cognitive should satisfy. The second program is that of identifying a mark of the cognitive spelling out a genuine scientific kind. But the current state of fragmentation of cognitive science, and the fact that it is splintered in a myriad of different research traditions, prevent us from identifying such a kind. And we have no reason to think that these various research traditions will converge, allowing us to identify a single mark. Or so, at least, I will argue in (§4). I then conclude the paper (§5) deflecting an intuitive objection, and exploring some of the consequences of the thesis I have defended.
FACTORS INFLUENCING CORPORATE ETHICAL VALUES DISCLOSURES: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: Corina Joseph  , Jennifer Tunga Janang  , Sharifah Norzehan Syed Yusuf  , Mariam Rahmat
Published: April 2023

The objective of this paper is to review the research patterns that examined factors influencing ethical values and practices disclosures among public listed companies in Malaysia. Through a systematic literature review (SLR) process, the paper reports a step-by-step approach to examining past studies and theories by utilizing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) method. Past articles were identified through Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Google Scholar, which cover a period from when the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG) was established in 2000 until 2021. The results of our systematic literature review managed to categorize these factors into internal (board commitment, board characteristics, and company characteristics) and external (regulatory framework and international guidelines). While the sub-categories in each factor were mostly driven by compliance with the MCCG 2012 and MCCG 2017, the items on ethical practices and actions require more attention for further research. This paper recommends more studies to be conducted to examine these factors from the perspectives of board commitment, board characteristics, and firm characteristics as moderating variables. Our paper recommends large companies to adopt integrated reporting based on a globally recognised framework in promoting greater transparency and accountability as well as reducing duplication. The recommendations in this regulatory framework may influence the Board of Directors’ commitment to report more reflections of quality, and ethical values voluntarily. This paper is among the first of its kind to present a systematic literature review, which examines factors influencing ethical values and practices on disclosures, specifically in developing countries.
THE CONTRADICTORY EFFECTS OF DIGITAL ACCESS AND LIFE SATISFACTION ON VOTING BEHAVIOURS: A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK AT THE 2008 MALAYSIAN GENERAL ELECTION
Authors: Ying-Yin Koay  , Yoke-Kee Eng  , Chin-Yoong Wong
Published: April 2023

This paper explores the relationship between life satisfaction and voting intention by analysing the 2008 General Election in Malaysia. The election was significant because of the high turnout rate since 1964 and the rise of digital media in political communication. The latter leads to the second objective of this paper: to investigate whether the presence of digital media reshapes voting behaviours across different levels of life satisfaction. Using the 6th wave of World Value Survey data of 1198 respondents with the Hierarchical Linear Regression Modelling, we show that unhappier voters are more likely to vote. However, by democratising access to information and lowering barriers to connect with voters via digital media, voting intention is levelled irrespective of the degree of life satisfaction. While happier voters pay more attention to the social economic issues and thus are more likely to react to news disseminated via digital media by voting, it is equally likely that unhappier voters provoked by negative news through digital media have greater intention to voice out by casting a vote too.
SMES' FLIGHT TO DIGITAL AND GREEN ECONOMY: EVIDENCE FROM INDONESIA
Authors: Ayya Agmulia Asmarani Islam  , Irwan Trinugroho  , Suryanto
Published: April 2023

This research aims to examine the impact of SMEs’ digital transformation on improving green economy implementation in Indonesia. This research will analyze how the influence of digitalization on SMEs on green economy implementation is getting stronger in SMEs that have access to financial services in Indonesia. This research will have implications on both theoretical and practical points of view regarding the importance of digital transformation in SMEs, the role of financial access, and green economy. The current research provides empirical evidence on the implementation of digital technology by Indonesian SMEs and the environmental issues that received renewed attention recently. The data in this study were collected using an interviewer-administered survey using google forms with the owners or managers of SMEs in the manufacturing, retail, and services sectors. The variables of interest in this study are the digital transformation of SMEs and green economy implementation. Furthermore, access to financial services is proposed as a moderating variable. In addition, the analytical method used in this quantitative study regression model and processed using STATA 17 software. This research shows that the digital transformation of SMEs helps improve green economy implementation in Indonesia.
SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND JOB PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM AIRLINE COMPANIES IN JORDAN
Authors: Yahia S. Bani Melhem  , Raed I. Ababneh  , Hadeel Bassam Alsukkar
Published: April 2023

This study explores the impact of servant leadership (SL) on job performance among service employees in Jordanian airline companies. A convenient sample of (201) employees answered the self-administrated questionnaire. Structural Equation Model/AMOS was applied for statistical analysis. Results revealed a positive aggregate impact of SL on job performance (R-square = 0.44). Respondents showed moderate agreement that their leaders are exhibiting and practicing the SL style. Respondents assessed their performance level as moderate. The impact of sub-dimensions of SL revealed variation in impact on job performance. Conceptualization and creating value for the community sub-dimensions of SL did not show any impact on job performance. Servant leadership is a crucial element in enhancing the performance of employees, which in turn would improve the quality of services provided to customers.
Relaxin in fibrotic ligament diseases: Its regulatory role and mechanism
Authors: Yuan Shuai , Guo Dong , Liang Xinzhi , Zhang Luhui , Zhang Qun , Xie Denghui
Published: April 2023

Fibrotic ligament diseases (FLDs) are diseases caused by the pathological accumulation of periarticular fibrotic tissue, leading to functional disability around joint and poor life quality. Relaxin (RLX) has been reported to be involved in the development of fibrotic lung and liver diseases. Previous studies have shown that RLX can block pro-fibrotic process by reducing the excess extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and accelerating collagen degradation in vitro and in vivo. Recent studies have shown that RLX can attenuate connective tissue fibrosis by suppressing TGF-β/Smads signaling pathways to inhibit the activation of myofibroblasts. However, the specific roles and mechanisms of RLX in FLDs remain unclear. Therefore, in this review, we confirmed the protective effect of RLX in FLDs and summarized its mechanism including cells, key cytokines and signaling pathways involved. In this article, we outline the potential therapeutic role of RLX and look forward to the application of RLX in the clinical translation of FLDs.
Selection principles of polymeric frameworks for solid-state electrolytes of non-aqueous aluminum-ion batteries
Authors: Yu Zhijing , Xie Yafang , Wang Wei , Hong Jichao , Ge Jianbang
Published: April 2023

Liquid electrolyte systems of aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) have restrictive issues, such as high moisture sensitivity, strong corrosiveness, and battery leakage, so researchers have turned their attention to developing high safety, leak-free polymer electrolytes. However, the stability of the active factor of AIB systems is difficult to maintain with most of polymeric frameworks due to the special Al complex ion balance in chloroaluminate salts. Based on this, this work clarified the feasibility and specific mechanism of using polymers containing functional groups with lone pair electrons as frameworks of solid-state electrolytes for AIBs. As for the polymers reacting unfavorably with AlCl3, they cannot be used as the frameworks directly due to the decrease or even disappearance of chloroaluminate complex ions. In contrast, a class of polymers represented by polyacrylamide (PAM) can interact with AlCl3 and provide ligands, which not only have no effect on the activity of Al species but also provide chloroaluminate complex ions through complexation reactions. According to DFT calculations, amide groups tend to coordinates with AlCl2+via O atoms to form [AlCl2(AM)2]+ cations, while disassociating chloroaluminate anions. Furthermore, the PAM-based solid-state and quasi-solid-state gel polymer electrolytes were also prepared to investigate their electrochemical properties. This work is expected to provide new theoretical and practical directions for the further development of polymer electrolytes for AIBs.
Comparative transcriptome analysis of Peromyscus leucopus and C3H mice infected with the Lyme disease pathogen
Authors: Gaber Alhussien M. , Mandric Igor , Nitirahardjo Caroline , Piontkivska Helen , Hillhouse Andrew E. , Threadgill David W. , Zelikovsky Alex , Rogovskyy Artem S.
Published: April 2023

Lyme disease (LD), the most prevalent tick-borne disease of humans in the Northern Hemisphere, is caused by the spirochetal bacterium of Borreliella burgdorferi (Bb) sensu lato complex. In nature, Bb spirochetes are continuously transmitted between Ixodes ticks and mammalian or avian reservoir hosts. Peromyscus leucopus mice are considered the primary mammalian reservoir of Bb in the United States. Earlier studies demonstrated that experimentally infected P. leucopus mice do not develop disease. In contrast, C3H mice, a widely used laboratory strain of Mus musculus in the LD field, develop severe Lyme arthritis. To date, the exact tolerance mechanism of P. leucopus mice to Bb-induced infection remains unknown. To address this knowledge gap, the present study has compared spleen transcriptomes of P. leucopus and C3H/HeJ mice infected with Bb strain 297 with those of their respective uninfected controls. Overall, the data showed that the spleen transcriptome of Bb-infected P. leucopus mice was much more quiescent compared to that of the infected C3H mice. To date, the current investigation is one of the few that have examined the transcriptome response of natural reservoir hosts to Borreliella infection. Although the experimental design of this study significantly differed from those of two previous investigations, the collective results of the current and published studies have consistently demonstrated very limited transcriptomic responses of different reservoir hosts to the persistent infection of LD pathogens.

Importance

The bacterium Borreliella burgdorferi (Bb) causes Lyme disease, which is one of the emerging and highly debilitating human diseases in countries of the Northern Hemisphere. In nature, Bb spirochetes are maintained between hard ticks of Ixodes spp. and mammals or birds. In the United States, the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, is one of the main Bb reservoirs. In contrast to humans and laboratory mice (e.g., C3H mice), white-footed mice rarely develop clinical signs (disease) despite being (persistently) infected with Bb. How the white-footed mouse tolerates Bb infection is the question that the present study has attempted to address. Comparisons of genetic responses between Bb-infected and uninfected mice demonstrated that, during a long-term Bb infection, C3H mice reacted much stronger, whereas P. leucopus mice were relatively unresponsive.
Toll-like receptors in cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Zhang Yanan , Wu Jimin , Dong Erdan , Wang Zhanli , Xiao Han
Published: April 2023

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that can identify pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). TLRs play an important role in the innate immune response, leading to acute and chronic inflammation. Cardiac hypertrophy, an important cardiac remodeling phenotype during cardiovascular disease, contributes to the development of heart failure. In previous decades, many studies have reported that TLR-mediated inflammation was involved in the induction of myocardium hypertrophic remodeling, suggesting that targeting TLR signaling might be an effective strategy against pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Thus, it is necessary to study the mechanisms underlying TLR functions in cardiac hypertrophy. In this review, we summarized key findings of TLR signaling in cardiac hypertrophy.
An erosive neritic area of Shantou in coastal NE South China Sea since at least MIS 5 revealed by OSL dating of cores
Authors: Zhong Jiemei , Liu Bohui , Ou Yang , Tian Ruonan , Shan Jingxiang , Xu Yantian , Wang Feng , Abbas Mahmoud , Zhang Ke , Lai Zhongping
Published: April 2023

The neritic region of the Chaoshan plain is located on the northeastern (NE) boundary of the South China Sea (SCS). Despite the extensive research on the stratigraphic architecture and sedimentary processes within the Chaoshan plain, the neighboring neritic area remains largely unexplored. In this study, we provide a new set of ages on seventeen quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results from four cores (SY2-2, SY3-1, SY3-2, and HS02) to investigate the regional chronostratigraphy and sedimentology of the area. The samples were collected at depths ranging from 0.6 to 73.5 m and yielded ages ranging from 4.9 ± 0.3 ka to >139 ± 28 ka. Sedimentation thickness from cores SY3-2, SY2-2, and HS02 is less than 4.2 m, 5.5 m, and 6.4 m, respectively, since at least Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, and the Holocene sediments of core SY3-2 are less than 4.2 m thick. The preservation state of the sediments in the area is poor since at least 83.6 ka, indicating an intensified erosion in the neritic region of the northeastern South China Sea (NESCS) since at least MIS 5. This erosion may have been caused by fluvial incision resulting from sea-level decline during the last glacial period, as well as strong transportation caused by coastal currents.
The persistence of matching teaching and learning styles: A review of the ubiquity of this neuromyth, predictors of its endorsement, and recommendations to end it
Authors: Brown Stephen B. R. E.
Published: April 2023

Educational neuroscience tries to bridge neuroscience and education. It tries to combat neuromyths: beliefs that appear grounded in neuroscientific research but that are not supported by empirical evidence. One such neuromyth claims that matching teaching style to students’ preferred learning styles (e.g., visual teaching to visual learning) will lead to improved academic outcomes. The only formal way to test this meshing hypothesis is by finding a statistical crossover interaction effect which shows that matching teaching and learning styles improves academic outcomes, while non-matching teaching and learning styles negatively affects academic outcomes. Several studies are reviewed and none of these yielded empirical support for the meshing hypothesis. Reviewed studies suggest that educators widely believe the veracity of the meshing hypothesis. Predictive factors are discussed: even having some formal knowledge of neuroscience does not protect educators from endorsing neuromyths like the meshing hypothesis. An elaboration on teaching focused neuroscience to future educators is provided as a potential solution.
Association of weight range with telomere length: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Wang Xinyu , Wen Jingli , Qu Qiang , Gu Shujun , Zhang Lixi , Li Yu , Qi Xu
Published: April 2023

Objective

Previous research has shown a significant association between weight and telomere length, but did not take into consideration weight range. The study was to investigate the association of weight range with telomere length.

Methods

Data of 2918 eligible participants aged 25-84 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2000 cycle were analyzed. Information about demographic variables, lifestyle factors, anthropometric variables, and medical comorbidities were included. Univariate and multivariate linear regression model with adjustments for potential confounders were employed to determine the association between weight range and telomere length. A non-parametrically restricted cubic spline model was used to illustrate the possible non-linear relationship.

Results

In univariate linear regression, BMImax, BMI range, and weight range all revealed significant negative associations with telomere length. However, annual rate of BMI/weight range showed a significant positive associations with telomere length. There was no significant association between telomere length and BMImin. After adjusting for potential confounders, the inverse associations persisted in BMImax (β=-0.003, P<0.001), BMI range (β=-0.002, P=0.003), and weight range (β=-0.001, P=0.001). Furthermore, annual rate of BMI range (β=-0.026, P=0.009) and weight range (β=-0.010, P=0.007) presented negative associations with telomere length, after adjusting for covariates in Model 2-4. The association between BMImin (β =-0.002, P=0.237) and telomere length still could not reach statistical significance in multivariate linear regression model. The results of restricted cubic spline analysis showed that BMImax (P for nonlinear =0.026), BMI range (P for nonlinear =0.022), weight range (P for nonlinear =0.035), annual rate of BMI range (P for nonlinear =0.030), and annual rate of weight range (P for nonlinear =0.027) all had nonlinear inverse associations with telomere length.

Conclusions

The study suggests that weight range is inversely associated with telomere length in U.S. adults. Larger weight fluctuation may accelerate telomere shortening and aging.
Salivary cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, and chromogranin A levels in patients with gingivitis and periodontitis and a novel biomarker for psychological stress
Authors: Lee Yeon-Hee , Suk Chon , Shin Seung-Il , Hong Ji-Youn
Published: April 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the neuroendocrine responses based on cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), cortisol/DHEA ratio, and chromogranin A levels, which reflect the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, according to the presence or absence of psychological stress in patients with gingivitis and periodontitis compared to that in healthy controls.

Methods

In total, 117 patients (60 women, mean age: 36.29 ± 19.03 years) participated in this case-control study, comprising 32 healthy controls, 49 patients with gingivitis, and 36 patients with periodontitis. We investigated the presence of psychological stress and salivary characteristics, and analyzed the stress-related biomarkers of cortisol, DHEA, cortisol/DHEA ratio, and chromogranin A in the stimulated saliva.

Results

Salivary cortisol and chromogranin A levels increased with the severity of periodontal disease; their levels were the highest in the periodontitis group and were significantly higher in the following descending order: periodontitis, gingivitis, and healthy control groups (all values of p < 0.001). Additionally, the DHEA levels and cortisol/DHEA ratio were higher in the periodontitis group than those in the healthy control group (all values of p < 0.001). A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the factors predicting above-average cortisol levels were periodontitis (odds ratio [OR] = 256.829; p < 0.001), women (OR = 6.365; p = 0.004), and psychological stress (OR = 6.036; p = 0.007); those predicting above-average cortisol/DHEA ratios were periodontitis (OR = 11.436; p < 0.001), psychological stress (OR = 3.977; p = 0.003), and women (OR = 2.890; p = 0.026). Thus, periodontitis and psychological stress were significant and strong predictors of above-average cortisol levels and cortisol/DHEA ratios. In the gingivitis group, salivary cortisol levels (r = 0.381, p = 0.007) and cortisol/DHEA ratios (r = 0.479, p < 0.001) were correlated with the presence of psychological stress. In the periodontitis group, increased cortisol/DHEA ratios (r = 0.412, p = 0.013) and lowered salivary buffer capacities (r = -0.334, p = 0.047) were correlated with the presence of psychological stress.

Conclusion

Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease resulting in inflammatory tissue destruction, which differs from gingivitis and a healthy state. Differences in stress-related neuroendocrine markers were revealed based on the severity of periodontal disease. The biomarkers that could be classified according to disease severity were salivary cortisol and chromogranin A levels. Above-average cortisol levels and cortisol/DHEA ratios are significant predictors of psychological stress in patients with gingivitis and periodontitis.
Deviation between willingness and actual behavior regarding community participation in protected areas: A case study in Shengjin lake national nature reserve in China
Authors: Wu Tianyu , Jia Weiguo , Wang Qianwen
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The deviation between high willingness and poor actual behaviors in community participation has become an obstacle to achieving effective management and resource protection of protected areas. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate this deviation and its influencing factors.

Methods: Based on a field survey of community residents in the Shengjin Lake National Nature Reserve (SJLNNR) in Anhui Province, China, this study uses a Logistic-ISM model to analyze the key factors influencing the deviation and the hierarchical structure supporting those key factors.

Results: There is a significant deviation between participation willingness and actual behavior in SJLNNR. This deviation is characterized by eight key factors. Among these, awareness of the necessity of establishing SJLNNR is a direct factor at the surface level. Participation of important or recognizable people; average annual family income; understanding of environmental protection laws and regulations; realization of environmental improvement effect; satisfaction with SJLNNR authority; and future earnings expectations are all intermediate indirect factors. Furthermore, resident member is a fundamental factor. Resident members refer to those who live at home for six months or more during a calendar year.

Discussion: These results indicate that there are three possible practical reasons for the deviation: 1) The lack of young and middle-aged adults is the root cause. 2) Inadequate ecological compensation is the direct trigger. 3) Individual internal psychological factors have significant effects. Furthermore, this study provides policy implications for converting willingness into actual participation in the community and promoting sustainable development.
Science communication is integral to attracting widespread participation in bushfire recovery citizen science
Authors: Roger Erin , Kinsela Andrew S.
Published: April 2023

The 2019/20 bushfire season was a catastrophic event affecting large areas of Australia. Due to the devastating impact on biodiversity, the Australian public wanted to contribute towards assessing the impact of this disaster. To address this, three citizen science projects were established to engage citizen scientists in various aspects of environmental recovery. The projects offered different ways of participating, ranging from online, through to community field events, including those requiring specialised localised knowledge. As a result, communication approaches targeting different audiences were required. Here, we detail the communication strategies employed to promote and engage a diverse national and global audience in bushfire recovery projects. We provide metrics and analysis on how and where we promoted projects, including a breakdown of participation numbers for each project. We detail lessons learnt, and how we would improve our communication approach for future disaster recovery events to increase awareness at a community level and more broadly. Despite numerous challenges, including organising public-facing events during a global pandemic, the program serves as an exemplar of how to successfully partner with communities, research teams and government to enable citizen scientists to make meaningful, valuable and timely contributions to research. Ultimately, the program enabled widespread community involvement in bushfire recovery and filled gaps in baseline and post-fire data.
Gene filtering strategies for machine learning guided biomarker discovery using neonatal sepsis RNA-seq data
Authors: Parkinson Edward , Liberatore Federico , Watkins W. John , Andrews Robert , Edkins Sarah , Hibbert Julie , Strunk Tobias , Currie Andrew , Ghazal Peter
Published: April 2023

Machine learning (ML) algorithms are powerful tools that are increasingly being used for sepsis biomarker discovery in RNA-Seq data. RNA-Seq datasets contain multiple sources and types of noise (operator, technical and non-systematic) that may bias ML classification. Normalisation and independent gene filtering approaches described in RNA-Seq workflows account for some of this variability and are typically only targeted at differential expression analysis rather than ML applications. Pre-processing normalisation steps significantly reduce the number of variables in the data and thereby increase the power of statistical testing, but can potentially discard valuable and insightful classification features. A systematic assessment of applying transcript level filtering on the robustness and stability of ML based RNA-seq classification remains to be fully explored. In this report we examine the impact of filtering out low count transcripts and those with influential outliers read counts on downstream ML analysis for sepsis biomarker discovery using elastic net regularised logistic regression, L1-reguarlised support vector machines and random forests. We demonstrate that applying a systematic objective strategy for removal of uninformative and potentially biasing biomarkers representing up to 60% of transcripts in different sample size datasets, including two illustrative neonatal sepsis cohorts, leads to substantial improvements in classification performance, higher stability of the resulting gene signatures, and better agreement with previously reported sepsis biomarkers. We also demonstrate that the performance uplift from gene filtering depends on the ML classifier chosen, with L1-regularlised support vector machines showing the greatest performance improvements with our experimental data.
Current understanding of IgA antibodies in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy
Authors: Nihei Yoshihito , Suzuki Hitoshi , Suzuki Yusuke
Published: April 2023

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is the most abundant isotype of antibodies, provides a first line of defense at mucosal surfaces against pathogens, and thereby contributes to mucosal homeostasis. IgA is generally considered as a non-inflammatory antibody because of its main function, neutralizing pathogenic virus or bacteria. Meanwhile, IgA can induce IgA-mediated diseases, such as IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and IgA vasculitis. IgAN is characterized by the deposition of IgA and complement C3, often with IgG and/or IgM, in the glomerular mesangial region, followed by mesangial cell proliferation and excessive synthesis of extracellular matrix in glomeruli. Almost half a century has passed since the first report of patients with IgAN; it remains debatable about the mechanism how IgA antibodies selectively bind to mesangial region—a hallmark of IgAN—and cause glomerular injuries in IgAN. Previous lectin- and mass-spectrometry-based analysis have revealed that IgAN patients showed elevated serum level of undergalactosylated IgA1 in O-linked glycans of its hinge region, called galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1). Thereafter, numerous studies have confirmed that the glomerular IgA from IgAN patients are enriched with Gd-IgA1; thus, the first hit of the current pathogenesis of IgAN has been considered to increase circulating levels of Gd-IgA1. Recent studies, however, demonstrated that this aberrant glycosylation alone is not sufficient to disease onset and progression, suggesting that several additional factors are required for the selective deposition of IgA in the mesangial region and induce nephritis. Herein, we discuss the current understanding of the characteristics of pathogenic IgA and its mechanism of inducing inflammation in IgAN.
Increasing eutrophication driven by the increase of phosphate discharge in a subtropical bay in the past 30 years
Authors: He Guirong , Lao Qibin , Jin Guangzhe , Zhu Qingmei , Chen Fajin
Published: April 2023

Although great efforts have been made to decrease nutrient (notably nitrogen and phosphorus) loads and lighten related environmental damages, coastal eutrophication remains a persistent environmental crisis. To estimate whether the rapid development of the local economy has accelerated the eutrophication in Zhanjiang Bay, a newly developing industry in South China, the combination of the seasonal nutrients and other physicochemical parameters from twenty cruises during 2017-2021 and historical data (past 30 years) was analyzed in this study. The results showed that the eutrophication in the upper bay is significantly higher than that in the lower bay (more than 8 times), which is mainly related to the terrestrial input and weak hydrological conditions in the upper bay. Also, eutrophication is more severe in the rainy seasons than that in the dry seasons (nearly 2 times) because abundant nitrogen and phosphorus were brought into the bay by terrestrial discharge and river water. From a long-term perspective, dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations have been effectively controlled in Zhanjiang Bay, while phosphate concentration increased sharply in the past 30 years. Correspondingly, the eutrophication in Zhanjiang Bay significantly increased over the past 30 years, and the eutrophication index in the recent 5 years (2017-2021) is nearly 10 times that of the 1990s, suggesting that the increase of phosphate discharge from the increasing industrial factories around Zhanjiang Bay, rather than nitrogen discharge is the culprit causing the aggravation of eutrophication. Our study is essential to effectively implement a land-ocean integrated nitrogen and phosphorus control strategy to improve water quality and mitigate eutrophication in the bay.
Investigation of the performance of cement mortar incorporating lithium slag as a super-fine aggregate
Authors: Dong Shuangkuai , Tu Shengwen , Chen Liangliang , Wu Fufei , Xie Lilan , Zhuo Qi , Yu Songhan
Published: April 2023

As a by-product of lithium salt mining, the emission of lithium slag increases yearly due to increased demand. Therefore, the utilization of lithium slag faces a huge challenge. In this study, a new approach to using lithium slag as a super-fine aggregate in cement systems was proposed. The use of lithium slag as a super-fine aggregate replacing 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% of the standard sand was tested. The main hydration products of cement–lithium slag paste were calcium silicate hydrate gel, calcium hydroxide, unhydrated particles, and a small amount of ettringite. Lithium slag as a super-fine aggregate could significantly reduce the dead load of structures, enhance flexural and compressive strength and the peak stress of mortar, and no more than 50% lithium slag could significantly enhance the permeability of mortar. The study revealed that the replacement rate of lithium slag as a super-fine aggregate could reach 50%, which is five times more than the amount used as supplementary cementitious material. Therefore, the study brings an innovation in the use of lithium slag in cement systems and improves the performance of cement mortar.
Sepsis survivors and caregivers perspectives on post–acute rehabilitation and aftercare in the first year after sepsis in Germany
Authors: Born Sebastian , Matthäus-Krämer Claudia , Bichmann Anna , Boltz Hannah-Sophia , Esch Marlene , Heydt Luisa , Sell Stefan , Streich Kathleen , Scherag André , Reinhart Konrad , Hartog Christiane S. , Fleischmann-Struzek Carolin
Published: April 2023

Background

Sepsis survivors often suffer from new morbidities. Current rehabilitation therapies are not tailored to their specific needs. The perspective of sepsis survivors and their caregivers on rehabilitation and aftercare is insufficiently understood. We aimed to assess how sepsis survivors in Germany rated the suitability, extent and satisfaction with rehabilitation therapies that they underwent in the year following the acute sepsis episode.

Methods

Prospective mixed-methods, multicenter study among a cohort of adult ICU-treated sepsis survivors and their caregivers. Interviews were conducted 6 and 12 months after ICU discharge by telephone and comprised closed as well as open-ended questions. Primary outcomes were the utilization and patient satisfaction with inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and post-sepsis aftercare in general. Open-ended questions were analyzed according to the principles of content analysis.

Results

Foun hundred interviews were performed with 287 patients and/or relatives. At 6 months after sepsis, 85.0% of survivors had applied for and 70.0% had undergone rehabilitation. Among these, 97% received physical therapy, but only a minority reported therapies for specific ailments including pain, weaning from mechanical ventilation, cognitive deficits of fatigue. Survivors were moderately satisfied with the suitability, extent, and overall results of received therapies and perceived deficits in the timeliness, accessibility, and specificity of therapies as well as deficits in the structural support frameworks and patient education.

Conclusion

From the perspective of survivors who undergo rehabilitation, therapies should already begin in hospital, be more appropriate for their specific ailments and include better patient and caregiver education. The general aftercare and structural support framework should be improved.
Risk factors of incontinence-associated dermatitis among critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jiang Hongzhan , Shen Jiali , Lin Huihui , Xu Qiuqin , Li Yuanchan , Chen Lijuan
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) is increasingly found among critically ill patients, but the risk factors for IAD in these patients are currently unclear. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to identify the risk factors of IAD in critically ill patients.

Methods

Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were systemically searched until July 2022. The studies were selected based on inclusion criteria, and data were independently extracted by two researchers. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Odds ratios (ORs) and their associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to identify significant differences in the risk factors. The I2 test was used to estimate the heterogeneity of studies, and Egger's test was used to assess the potential publication bias.

Results

A total of 7 studies enrolling 1,238 recipients were included in the meta-analysis. Age ≥ 60 (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.38~3.42), female sex (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.32~2.34), dialysis (OR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.51~4.73), fever (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.03~2.33), vasoactive agent (OR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.45~3.80), PAT score ≥ 7 (OR = 5.23, 95% CI: 3.15~8.99), frequency of bowel movement > 3times/d (OR = 5.33, 95% CI: 3.19~8.93), and liquid stool (OR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.56~4.38) were the risk factors of IAD among critically ill patients.

Conclusions

Many risk factors are related to IAD among critically ill patients. Nursing staff should pay more attention to evaluating the risk of IAD and enhance the care of high-risk groups.
The influence of immortal time bias in observational studies examining associations of antifibrotic therapy with survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A simulation study
Authors: Zheng Qiang , Otahal Petr , Cox Ingrid A. , de Graaff Barbara , Campbell Julie A. , Ahmad Hasnat , Walters E. Haydn , Palmer Andrew J.
Published: April 2023

Background

Immortal time bias (ITB) has been overlooked in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We aimed to identify the presence of ITB in observational studies examining associations between antifibrotic therapy and survival in patients with IPF and illustrate how ITB may affect effect size estimates of those associations.

Methods

Immortal time bias was identified in observational studies using the ITB Study Assessment Checklist. We used a simulation study to illustrate how ITB may affect effect size estimates of antifibrotic therapy on survival in patients with IPF based on four statistical techniques including time-fixed, exclusion, time-dependent and landmark methods.

Results

Of the 16 included IPF studies, ITB was detected in 14 studies, while there were insufficient data for assessment in two others. Our simulation study showed that use of time–fixed [hazard ratio (HR) 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47–0.64] and exclusion methods (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67–0.92) overestimated the effectiveness of antifibrotic therapy on survival in simulated subjects with IPF, in comparison of the time–dependent method (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.79–1.09). The influence of ITB was mitigated using the 1 year landmark method (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.58–0.81), compared to the time–fixed method.

Conclusion

The effectiveness of antifibrotic therapy on survival in IPF can be overestimated in observational studies, if ITB is mishandled. This study adds to the evidence for addressing the influence of ITB in IPF and provides several recommendations to minimize ITB. Identifying the presence of ITB should be routinely considered in future IPF studies, with the time–dependent method being an optimal approach to minimize ITB.
Insight into phytase-producing microorganisms for phytate solubilization and soil sustainability
Authors: Rizwanuddin Sheikh , Kumar Vijay , Singh Pallavi , Naik Bindu , Mishra Sadhna , Chauhan Mansi , Saris Per Erik Joakim , Verma Ankit , Kumar Vivek
Published: April 2023

The increasing demand for food has increased dependence on chemical fertilizers that promote rapid growth and yield as well as produce toxicity and negatively affect nutritional value. Therefore, researchers are focusing on alternatives that are safe for consumption, non-toxic, cost-effective production process, and high yielding, and that require readily available substrates for mass production. The potential industrial applications of microbial enzymes have grown significantly and are still rising in the 21st century to fulfill the needs of a population that is expanding quickly and to deal with the depletion of natural resources. Due to the high demand for such enzymes, phytases have undergone extensive research to lower the amount of phytate in human food and animal feed. They constitute efficient enzymatic groups that can solubilize phytate and thus provide plants with an enriched environment. Phytases can be extracted from a variety of sources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. Compared to plant and animal-based phytases, microbial phytases have been identified as competent, stable, and promising bioinoculants. Many reports suggest that microbial phytase can undergo mass production procedures with the use of readily available substrates. Phytases neither involve the use of any toxic chemicals during the extraction nor release any such chemicals; thus, they qualify as bioinoculants and support soil sustainability. In addition, phytase genes are now inserted into new plants/crops to enhance transgenic plants reducing the need for supplemental inorganic phosphates and phosphate accumulation in the environment. The current review covers the significance of phytase in the agriculture system, emphasizing its source, action mechanism, and vast applications.
Cold stress induces colitis-like phenotypes in mice by altering gut microbiota and metabolites
Authors: Sun Lijuan , Wang Xueying , Zou Yuankang , He Yixuan , Liang Changting , Li Juan , Li Pu , Zhang Jianbin
Published: April 2023

Introduction

The modernized lifestyle has been paralleled by an epidemic of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Excessive consumption of cold beverages is especially common among the modern humans. However, whether cold stress contributes directly to the gut barrier and gut–brain axis is not clear.

Methods

We conducted a cold stress model induced by cold water. The mice were treated with 14 consecutive days of intragastric cold or common water administration. We observed changes in gut transit and gut barrier in the colon. We also employed RNA sequencing-based transcriptomic analysis to identify the genes potentially driving gut injury, and simultaneously examined the gut microbiota and metabolites in the feces.

Results

We found that cold stress disturbed the intestinal function and increased gut permeability. A set of core genes related to immune responses were consistently overexpressed in the cold stress group. Additionally, cold stress induced decreased bacterial diversity, ecological network, and increased pathogens mainly belonging to Proteobacteria. The dopamine signaling pathway-related metabolites were largely reduced in the cold stress group.

Conclusion

This study revealed that cold stress could trigger an IBD-like phenotype in mice, implying that cold stress is a possible risk factor for IBD development.
Genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolic characterization of 2-Phenylethanol-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae obtained by evolutionary engineering
Authors: Holyavkin Can , Turanlı-Yıldız Burcu , Yılmaz Ülkü , Alkım Ceren , Arslan Mevlüt , Topaloğlu Alican , Kısakesen Halil İbrahim , de Billerbeck Gustavo , François Jean Marie , Çakar Z. Petek
Published: April 2023

2-Phenylethanol is an aromatic compound commonly used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Due to increasing demand for natural products by consumers, the production of this flavor by microbial fermentation is gaining interest, as a sustainable alternative to chemical synthesis or expensive plant extraction, both processes relying on the use of fossil resources. However, the drawback of the fermentation process is the high toxicity of 2-phenylethanol to the producing microorganism. The aim of this study was to obtain a 2-phenylethanol-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain by in vivo evolutionary engineering and characterize the adapted yeast at the genomic, transcriptomic and metabolic levels. For this purpose, the tolerance to 2-phenylethanol was developed by gradually increasing the concentration of this flavor compound through successive batch cultivations, leading to an adapted strain that could tolerate 3.4 g/L of 2-phenylethanol, which was about 3-times better than the reference strain. Genome sequencing of the adapted strain identified point mutations in several genes, notably in HOG1 that encodes the Mitogen-Activated Kinase of the high-osmolarity signaling pathway. As this mutation is localized in the phosphorylation lip of this protein, it likely resulted in a hyperactive protein kinase. Transcriptomic analysis of the adapted strain supported this suggestion by revealing a large set of upregulated stress-responsive genes that could be explained in great part by HOG1-dependent activation of the Msn2/Msn4 transcription factor. Another relevant mutation was found in PDE2 encoding the low affinity cAMP phosphodiesterase, the missense mutation of which may lead to hyperactivation of this enzyme and thereby enhance the stressful state of the 2-phenylethanol adapted strain. In addition, the mutation in CRH1 that encodes a chitin transglycosylase implicated in cell wall remodeling could account for the increased resistance of the adapted strain to the cell wall-degrading enzyme lyticase. Finally, the potent upregulation of ALD3 and ALD4 encoding NAD+ -dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase together with the observed phenylacetate resistance of the evolved strain suggest a resistance mechanism involving conversion of 2-phenylethanol into phenylacetaldehyde and phenylacetate implicating these dehydrogenases.