bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lifestyle intervention during pregnancy in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus and the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Ya-Hai , Zhou Huan-Huan , Nie Zhibin , Tan Jingwang , Yang Zicheng , Zou Shengliang , Zhang Zheng , Zou Yu
Published: August 2022

Objective

Neonatal hypoglycemia is a severe adverse consequence of infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which can lead to neonatal mortality, permanent neurological consequences, and epilepsy. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to explore the effect of lifestyle intervention during pregnancy in women with GDM on the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched by 1st April 2022. Data were pooled as the risk ratio (RR) with 95% CIs of neonatal hypoglycemia. Random-effects, subgroup analyses, meta-regression analysis, and leave-one-out analysis were conducted, involving 18 RCTs.

Results

Prenatal lifestyle intervention could significantly reduce the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54–0.98, P = 0.037). Subgroup analysis further demonstrated that the reduced risk of neonatal hypoglycemia was observed only when subjects were younger than 30 years, initiated before the third trimester, and with dietary intervention. Meta-regression analysis revealed that the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia post lifestyle intervention was lower in mothers with lower fasting glucose levels at trial entry.

Conclusion

We found that prenatal lifestyle intervention in women with GDM significantly reduced the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia. Only lifestyle intervention before the third trimester of pregnancy, or dietary intervention only could effectively reduce the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia. Future studies are required to explore the best pattern of lifestyle intervention and to determine the proper diagnostic criteria of GDM in the first/second trimester of pregnancy.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero, PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42021272985.
Ubiquitin ligase RNF125 targets PD-L1 for ubiquitination and degradation
Authors: Wei Meng , Mo Yunhai , Liu Jialong , Zhai Jingtong , Li Huilong , Xu Yixin , Peng Yumeng , Tang Zhihong , Wei Tao , Yang Xiaopan , Huang Linfei , Shao Xiao , Li Jingfei , Zhou Li , Zhong Hui , Wei Congwen , Xie Qiaosheng , Min Min , Wu Feixiang
Published: July 2022

As a critical immune checkpoint molecule, PD-L1 is expressed at significantly higher levels in multiple neoplastic tissues compared to normal ones. PD-L1/PD-1 axis is a critical target for tumor immunotherapy, blocking the PD-L1/PD-1 axis is recognized and has achieved unprecedented success in clinical applications. However, the clinical efficacy of therapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway remains limited, emphasizing the need for the mechanistic elucidation of PD-1/PD-L1 expression. In this study, we found that RNF125 interacted with PD-L1 and regulated PD-L1 protein expression. Mechanistically, RNF125 promoted K48-linked polyubiquitination of PD-L1 and mediated its degradation. Notably, MC-38 and H22 cell lines with RNF125 knockout, transplanted in C57BL/6 mice, exhibited a higher PD-L1 level and faster tumor growth than their parental cell lines. In contrast, overexpression of RNF125 in MC-38 and H22 cells had the opposite effect, resulting in lower PD-L1 levels and delayed tumor growth compared with parental cell lines. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis of MC-38 tumors with RNF125 overexpression showed significantly increased infiltration of CD4+, CD8+ T cells and macrophages. Consistent with these findings, analyses using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) public database revealed a positive correlation of RNF125 expression with CD4+, CD8+ T cell and macrophage tumor infiltration. Moreover, RNF125 expression was significantly downregulated in several human cancer tissues, and was negatively correlated with the clinical stage of these tumors, and patients with higher RNF125 expression had better clinical outcomes. Our findings identify a novel mechanism for regulating PD-L1 expression and may provide a new strategy to increase the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Combination of 4-1BB and DAP10 promotes proliferation and persistence of NKG2D(bbz) CAR-T cells
Authors: Wei Cheng , Xia Kangfu , Xie Yucheng , Ye Sishi , Ding Yanghui , Liu Zairu , Zheng Rong , Long Jing , Wei Qinchuan , Li Yumei , Yang Dongxia , Xu Xiaojun , Zhao Ai , Gao Jimin
Published: July 2022

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has been shown to have considerable therapeutic effects in hematological malignancies, and NKG2D(z) CAR-T cell therapy has been verified to be safe based on clinical trials. However, due to the poor persistence of NKG2D(z) CAR-T cells, their therapeutic effect is not obvious. Here, we constructed NKG2D(bbz) CAR-T cells that can simultaneously activate 4-1BB and DAP10 costimulatory signaling. They were found to be cytotoxic to the target cells in vitro and in vivo. They exhibited low differentiation, low exhaustion, and good proliferation. Importantly, the proportions of central memory T (Tcm) and stem cell-like memory T (Tscm) cell subsets were strikingly increased. After long-term incubation with the target cells, they displayed reduced exhaustion compared to NKG2D(z) CAR-T cells. Further, in the presence of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002, they exhibited reduced exhaustion and apoptosis, upregulated Bcl2 expression, and an increased proportion of Tcm cell subsets. Finally, NKG2D(bbz) CAR-T cells had better antitumor effects in vivo. In summary, the results showed that NKG2D(bbz) CAR-T cells may be valuable for cellular immunotherapy of cancer.
Prediction of 5-year progression-free survival in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma with pretreatment PET/CT using multi-modality deep learning-based radiomics
Authors: Gu Bingxin , Meng Mingyuan , Bi Lei , Kim Jinman , Feng David Dagan , Song Shaoli
Published: July 2022

Objective

Deep learning-based radiomics (DLR) has achieved great success in medical image analysis and has been considered a replacement for conventional radiomics that relies on handcrafted features. In this study, we aimed to explore the capability of DLR for the prediction of 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) using pretreatment PET/CT images.

Methods

A total of 257 patients (170/87 patients in internal/external cohorts) with advanced NPC (TNM stage III or IVa) were enrolled. We developed an end-to-end multi-modality DLR model, in which a 3D convolutional neural network was optimized to extract deep features from pretreatment PET/CT images and predict the probability of 5-year PFS. The TNM stage, as a high-level clinical feature, could be integrated into our DLR model to further improve the prognostic performance. For a comparison between conventional radiomics and DLR, 1,456 handcrafted features were extracted, and optimal conventional radiomics methods were selected from 54 cross-combinations of six feature selection methods and nine classification methods. In addition, risk group stratification was performed with clinical signature, conventional radiomics signature, and DLR signature.

Results

Our multi-modality DLR model using both PET and CT achieved higher prognostic performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.842 ± 0.034 and 0.823 ± 0.012 for the internal and external cohorts) than the optimal conventional radiomics method (AUC = 0.796 ± 0.033 and 0.782 ± 0.012). Furthermore, the multi-modality DLR model outperformed single-modality DLR models using only PET (AUC = 0.818 ± 0.029 and 0.796 ± 0.009) or only CT (AUC = 0.657 ± 0.055 and 0.645 ± 0.021). For risk group stratification, the conventional radiomics signature and DLR signature enabled significant difference between the high- and low-risk patient groups in both the internal and external cohorts (p < 0.001), while the clinical signature failed in the external cohort (p = 0.177).

Conclusion

Our study identified potential prognostic tools for survival prediction in advanced NPC, which suggests that DLR could provide complementary values to the current TNM staging.
Apparent diffusion coefficient histogram analysis for differentiating solid ovarian tumors
Authors: Liu Renwei , Li Ruifeng , Fang Jinzhi , Deng Kan , Chen Cuimei , Li Jianhua , Wu Zhiqing , Zeng Xiaoxu
Published: August 2022

Objective

To evaluate the utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis to differentiate between three types of solid ovarian tumors: granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) of the ovary, ovarian fibromas, and high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOCs).

Methods

The medical records of 11 patients with GCTs of the ovary (regions of interest [ROI-cs], 137), 61 patients with ovarian fibromas (ROI-cs, 161), and 14 patients with HGSOCs (ROI-cs, 113) confirmed at surgery and histology who underwent diffusion-weighted imaging were retrospectively reviewed. Histogram parameters of ADC maps (ADCmean, ADCmax, ADCmin) were estimated and compared using the Kruskal-WallisH test and Mann-Whitney U test. The area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic curves was used to assess the diagnostic performance of ADC parameters for solid ovarian tumors.

Results

There were significant differences in ADCmean, ADCmax and ADCmin values between GCTs of the ovary, ovarian fibromas, and HGSOCs. The cutoff ADCmean value for differentiating a GCT of the ovary from an ovarian fibroma was 0.95×10-3 mm2/s, for differentiating a GCT of the ovary from an HGSOC was 0.69×10-3 mm2/s, and for differentiating an ovarian fibroma from an HGSOC was 1.24×10-3 mm2/s.

Conclusion

ADCmean derived from ADC histogram analysis provided quantitative information that allowed accurate differentiation of GCTs of the ovary, ovarian fibromas, and HGSOCs before surgery.
Next-Generation Pathology Using Multiplexed Immunohistochemistry: Mapping Tissue Architecture at Single-Cell Level
Authors: Bosisio Francesca Maria , Van Herck Yannick , Messiaen Julie , Bolognesi Maddalena Maria , Marcelis Lukas , Van Haele Matthias , Cattoretti Giorgio , Antoranz Asier , De Smet Frederik
Published: July 2022

Single-cell omics aim at charting the different types and properties of all cells in the human body in health and disease. Over the past years, myriads of cellular phenotypes have been defined by methods that mostly required cells to be dissociated and removed from their original microenvironment, thus destroying valuable information about their location and interactions. Growing insights, however, are showing that such information is crucial to understand complex disease states. For decades, pathologists have interpreted cells in the context of their tissue using low-plex antibody- and morphology-based methods. Novel technologies for multiplexed immunohistochemistry are now rendering it possible to perform extended single-cell expression profiling using dozens of protein markers in the spatial context of a single tissue section. The combination of these novel technologies with extended data analysis tools allows us now to study cell-cell interactions, define cellular sociology, and describe detailed aberrations in tissue architecture, as such gaining much deeper insights in disease states. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the available technologies for multiplexed immunohistochemistry, their advantages and challenges. We also provide the principles on how to interpret high-dimensional data in a spatial context. Similar to the fact that no one can just “read” a genome, pathological assessments are in dire need of extended digital data repositories to bring diagnostics and tissue interpretation to the next level.
SAMHD1 as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in stage II colorectal cancer: A multicenter cohort study
Authors: You Dingyun , Zhang Shuai , Yan Shan , Ding Yingying , Li Chunxia , Cheng Xianshuo , Wu Lin , Wang Weizhou , Zhang Tao , Li Zhenhui , He Yongwen
Published: August 2022

Background

The identification of high-risk population patients is key to the personalized treatment options for the stage II colorectal cancers. The use of proteomics in the prognosis of patients with stage II colorectal cancer remains unclear.

Methods

Using quantitative proteomics, we analyzed proteins that are differentially expressed in the tumor and adjacent normal tissues of 11 paired colorectal cancer patients with and without recurrence selected by a nested case-control design. Of the 21 identified proteins, we selected one candidate protein. The association of the corresponding gene of the selected protein with overall survival (OS) and adjuvant chemotherapy was analyzed using two independent cohorts of patients with stages II colorectal cancer.

Results

Sterile α motif and histidine-aspartate domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) was selected as the candidate biomarker. A group of 124 patients (12.5%) were stratified into SAMHD1-high subgroup. The 5-year OS rate of SAMHD1-high patients was lower than that of SAMHD1-low patients with stage II colorectal cancer (discovery cohort: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.89, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-7.18, P = 0.016; validation cohort: HR = 2.25, 95% CI, 1.17-4.34, P = 0.013). The Cox multivariate analysis yielded similar results. In a pooled database, the 5-year OS rate was significantly different between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy among stage II SAMHD1-low tumors than in patients with stage II SAMHD1-high tumors (88% vs. 77%, P = 0.032).

Conclusions

SAMHD1-high expression could help in identifying patients with stage II colorectal cancer with poor prognosis and less benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.
Measuring the Invisible: The Sequences Causal of Genome Size Differences in Eyebrights (Euphrasia) Revealed by k-mers
Authors: Becher Hannes , Sampson Jacob , Twyford Alex D.
Published: July 2022

Genome size variation within plant taxa is due to presence/absence variation, which may affect low-copy sequences or genomic repeats of various frequency classes. However, identifying the sequences underpinning genome size variation is challenging because genome assemblies commonly contain collapsed representations of repetitive sequences and because genome skimming studies by design miss low-copy number sequences. Here, we take a novel approach based on k-mers, short sub-sequences of equal length k, generated from whole-genome sequencing data of diploid eyebrights (Euphrasia), a group of plants that have considerable genome size variation within a ploidy level. We compare k-mer inventories within and between closely related species, and quantify the contribution of different copy number classes to genome size differences. We further match high-copy number k-mers to specific repeat types as retrieved from the RepeatExplorer2 pipeline. We find genome size differences of up to 230Mbp, equivalent to more than 20% genome size variation. The largest contributions to these differences come from rDNA sequences, a 145-nt genomic satellite and a repeat associated with an Angela transposable element. We also find size differences in the low-copy number class (copy number ≤ 10×) of up to 27 Mbp, possibly indicating differences in gene space between our samples. We demonstrate that it is possible to pinpoint the sequences causing genome size variation within species without the use of a reference genome. Such sequences can serve as targets for future cytogenetic studies. We also show that studies of genome size variation should go beyond repeats if they aim to characterise the full range of genomic variants. To allow future work with other taxonomic groups, we share our k-mer analysis pipeline, which is straightforward to run, relying largely on standard GNU command line tools.
Transcriptome and association mapping revealed functional genes respond to drought stress in Populus
Authors: Song Fangyuan , Zhou Jiaxuan , Quan Mingyang , Xiao Liang , Lu Wenjie , Qin Shitong , Fang Yuanyuan , Wang Dan , Li Peng , Du Qingzhang , El-Kassaby Yousry A. , Zhang Deqiang
Published: July 2022

Drought frequency and severity are exacerbated by global climate change, which could compromise forest ecosystems. However, there have been minimal efforts to systematically investigate the genetic basis of the response to drought stress in perennial trees. Here, we implemented a systems genetics approach that combines co-expression analysis, association genetics, and expression quantitative trait nucleotide (eQTN) mapping to construct an allelic genetic regulatory network comprising four key regulators (PtoeIF-2B, PtoABF3, PtoPSB33, and PtoLHCA4) under drought stress conditions. Furthermore, Hap_01PtoeIF-2B, a superior haplotype associated with the net photosynthesis, was revealed through allelic frequency and haplotype analysis. In total, 75 candidate genes related to drought stress were identified through transcriptome analyses of five Populus cultivars (P. tremula × P. alba, P. nigra, P. simonii, P. trichocarpa, and P. tomentosa). Through association mapping, we detected 92 unique SNPs from 38 genes and 104 epistatic gene pairs that were associated with six drought-related traits by association mapping. eQTN mapping unravels drought stress-related gene loci that were significantly associated with the expression levels of candidate genes for drought stress. In summary, we have developed an integrated strategy for dissecting a complex genetic network, which facilitates an integrated population genomics approach that can assess the effects of environmental threats.
Physiological characterization of the wild almond Prunus arabica stem photosynthetic capability
Authors: Trainin Taly , Brukental Hillel , Shapira Or , Attia Ziv , Tiwari Vivekanand , Hatib Kamel , Gal Shira , Zemach Hanita , Belausov Eduard , Charuvi Dana , Holland Doron , Azoulay-Shemer Tamar
Published: July 2022

Leaves are the major plant tissue for transpiration and carbon fixation in deciduous trees. In harsh habitats, atmospheric CO2 assimilation via stem photosynthesis is common, providing extra carbon gain to cope with the detrimental conditions. We studied two almond species, the commercial Prunus dulcis cultivar “Um-el-Fahem” and the rare wild Prunus arabica. Our study revealed two distinctive strategies for carbon gain in these almond species. While, in P. dulcis, leaves possess the major photosynthetic surface area, in P. arabica, green stems perform this function, in particular during the winter after leaf drop. These two species' anatomical and physiological comparisons show that P. arabica carries unique features that support stem gas exchange and high-gross photosynthetic rates via stem photosynthetic capabilities (SPC). On the other hand, P. dulcis stems contribute low gross photosynthesis levels, as they are designed solely for reassimilation of CO2 from respiration, which is termed stem recycling photosynthesis (SRP). Results show that (a) P. arabica stems are covered with a high density of sunken stomata, in contrast to the stomata on P. dulcis stems, which disappear under a thick peridermal (bark) layer by their second year of development. (b) P. arabica stems contain significantly higher levels of chlorophyll compartmentalized to a mesophyll-like, chloroplast-rich, parenchyma layer, in contrast to rounded-shape cells of P. dulcis's stem parenchyma. (c) Pulse amplitude-modulated (PAM) fluorometry of P. arabica and P. dulcis stems revealed differences in the chlorophyll fluorescence and quenching parameters between the two species. (d) Gas exchange analysis showed that guard cells of P. arabica stems tightly regulate water loss under elevated temperatures while maintaining constant and high assimilation rates throughout the stem. Our data show that P. arabica uses a distinctive strategy for tree carbon gain via stem photosynthetic capability, which is regulated efficiently under harsh environmental conditions, such as elevated temperatures. These findings are highly important and can be used to develop new almond cultivars with agriculturally essential traits.
Multi-dimensional variables and feature parameter selection for aboveground biomass estimation of potato based on UAV multispectral imagery
Authors: Luo Shanjun , Jiang Xueqin , He Yingbin , Li Jianping , Jiao Weihua , Zhang Shengli , Xu Fei , Han Zhongcai , Sun Jing , Yang Jinpeng , Wang Xiangyi , Ma Xintian , Lin Zeru
Published: July 2022

Aboveground biomass (AGB) is an essential assessment of plant development and guiding agricultural production management in the field. Therefore, efficient and accurate access to crop AGB information can provide a timely and precise yield estimation, which is strong evidence for securing food supply and trade. In this study, the spectral, texture, geometric, and frequency-domain variables were extracted through multispectral imagery of drones, and each variable importance for different dimensional parameter combinations was computed by three feature parameter selection methods. The selected variables from the different combinations were used to perform potato AGB estimation. The results showed that compared with no feature parameter selection, the accuracy and robustness of the AGB prediction models were significantly improved after parameter selection. The random forest based on out-of-bag (RF-OOB) method was proved to be the most effective feature selection method, and in combination with RF regression, the coefficient of determination (R2) of the AGB validation model could reach 0.90, with root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and normalized RMSE (nRMSE) of 71.68 g/m2, 51.27 g/m2, and 11.56%, respectively. Meanwhile, the regression models of the RF-OOB method provided a good solution to the problem that high AGB values were underestimated with the variables of four dimensions. Moreover, the precision of AGB estimates was improved as the dimensionality of parameters increased. This present work can contribute to a rapid, efficient, and non-destructive means of obtaining AGB information for crops as well as provide technical support for high-throughput plant phenotypes screening.
Determinants of patients' satisfaction and trust toward healthcare service environment in general practice clinics
Authors: Ai Yun , Rahman Muhammad Khalilur , Newaz Md. Shah , Gazi Md. Abu Issa , Rahaman Md. Atikur , Mamun Abdullah Al , Chen Xia
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to examine the healthcare service environment, patients' experience, and responses toward healthcare services in private general practice (GP) clinics. Self-administered questionnaires were used for collecting data from 367 respondents with prior experience in visiting the general practice clinics in Malaysia. SmartPLS statistical tool was used to test the underlying hypotheses. The results revealed that ambiance, service delivery, interior decor, and cleanliness had a significant influence on patients' trust and satisfaction while the exterior design is neither associated with satisfaction nor trust. Patients' satisfaction and trust had a higher significant effect on their repatronage intention, willingness to pay for a premium healthcare service, and engagement in word-of-mouth for healthcare services. In practice, both the service delivery and ambiance features of the healthcare services environment might be optimized by GP clinics. This research provides significant insights from the patients' perspective toward the GP clinics' healthcare services environment.
Preparatory routines for emotional regulation in performance enhancement
Authors: Orbach Iris , Blumenstein Boris
Published: July 2022

Preparatory routines (PR) are a necessary tool for achieving optimal emotional states and effective performance, especially in self-paced motor skills. Numerous studies in the area of applied sport psychology have found a positive effect of PR on blocking out distractions and regulating performance thoughts, actions, and emotions. PR contain behavioral and mental components that can be applied in different time periods before and after the event itself: pre-competitive activity routines (PCA-R), pre-performance routines (PP-R), and post-performance activity routines (PPA-R). The aim of this manuscript is to present an effective way to practice psychological techniques and their combinations as part of the PR. The periodization principle and the Learning-Modification-Application (LMA) model with biofeedback training can provide a conceptual framework and means of application for performance enhancement. It will allow the transfer of psychological skills from lab to field and the integration of PR into the athlete’s preparations for peak performance.
Public health communication: Attitudes, experiences, and lessons learned from users of a COVID-19 digital triage tool for children
Authors: Michel Janet , Rehsmann Julia , Mettler Annette , Starvaggi Carl , Travaglini Nicola , Aebi Christoph , Keitel Kristina , Sauter Thomas C.
Published: August 2022

Background

The pandemic has made public health communication even more daunting because acceptance and implementation of official guidelines and recommendations hinge on this. The situation becomes even more precarious when children are involved. Our child-specific COVID-19 online forward triage tool (OFTT) revealed some of the public health communication challenges. We aimed to explore attitudes, experiences, and challenges faced by OFTT users and their families, in regard to public health recommendations.

Methods

We selected key informants (n = 20) from a population of parents, teachers, guardians, as well as doctors who had used the child-specific COVID-19 OFTT and had consented to a further study. Videos rather than face-face interviews were held. Convenience and quota sampling were performed to include a variety of key informants. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes.

Results

Several themes emerged, namely; (1) definition and expectations of high-risk persons, (2) quarantine instructions and challenges, (3) blurred division of responsibility between authorities and parents, (4) a novel condition and the evolution of knowledge, (5) definition and implications of socioeconomic status, (6) new normal and societal divisions, and (7) the interconnectedness of these factors-systems thinking.

Conclusion

As the virus is evolving and circumstances are changing rapidly, the communication of public health to the different interest groups becomes, both an art and science, even more so when using a new technological communication channel: an OFTT. A myriad of interconnected factors seems to influence attitudes toward public health recommendations, which calls for systems thinking in public health communication.
Perceptions and preparedness toward tobacco cessation counseling amongst clinical medical students in Chongqing, Southwest China: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Yang Chuang , He Wenjin , Deng Ruihang , Giri Mohan , Dai Haiyun
Published: August 2022

Background

Medical students play an indispensable role in providing smoking cessation counseling. Despite the rapid increase in tobacco use, there is little data on what Chinese medical students know or are taught about it. This study aims to investigate the relationship between medical students' tobacco education level, clinical experience, and tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) provided by medical students.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out among clinical medical students of Chongqing medical university. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire included items on demographic information, perceptions, and perceived preparedness, clinical medical students' self-reported level of education about alternative tobacco products, and traditional cigarettes. We assessed their perspectives toward TCC using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analyses were carried out.

Results

A total of 1,263 medical students completed the questionnaire. The majority of students (85%) expressed a willingness to provide TCC to patients in need. However, only half of the students stated unequivocally that they knew some ways and methods of tobacco cessation, while 18% stated that they did not know methods of tobacco cessation. Tobacco education and clinical experience were significantly associated with the ability to provide TCC. Our findings revealed that students with more clinical experience (undergraduates: B = 0.326, P < 0.001; postgraduates: B = 0.518, P < 0.001) were significantly more likely to have a greater self-reported comprehensive ability to provide TCC.

Conclusion

Tobacco education and clinical experience can enhance the ability of medical students to provide smoking cessation counseling. There is a need to focus on alternative tobacco products with changing times, and curriculum planners should collaborate to incorporate comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation training into the medical school curriculum.
Maternal serum zinc level is associated with risk of preeclampsia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jin Senjun , Hu Chaozhou , Zheng Yanmei
Published: August 2022

Background

Preeclampsia (PE) is a multi-organ syndrome that onsets in the second half of pregnancy. It is the second leading cause of maternal death globally. The homeostasis of zinc (Zn) levels is important for feto-maternal health.

Objective

We aimed to collect all studies available to synthesize the evidence regarding the association between maternal Zn levels and the risk of preeclampsia.

Methods

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted via searching seven electronic databases [PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, African Journals Online (AJOL), ClinicalTrial.gov, and two Chinese databases: Wanfang and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, CNKI]. Studies reporting maternal serum Zn levels in pregnant women with or without preeclampsia were included. Eligible studies were assessed through Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the meta-analysis was performed via RevMan and Stata. The random-effects method (REM) was used for the meta-analysis with 95% confidence interval (CI). The pooled result was assessed using standard mean difference (SMD). The heterogeneity test was carried out using I2 statistics, and the publication bias was evaluated using Begg's and Egger's test. Meta-regression and sensitivity analysis was performed via Stata software.

Results

A total of 51 studies were included in the final analysis. 6,947 participants from 23 countries were involved in our study. All studies went through the quality assessment. The pooled results showed that maternal serum Zn levels were lower in preeclamptic women than in healthy pregnant women (SMD: −1.00, 95% CI: −1.29, −0.70). Sub-group analysis revealed that geographical, economic context, and disease severity may further influence serum Zn levels and preeclampsia.

Limitations

There are significant between-study heterogeneity and publication bias among included studies.

Conclusions

A lower level of maternal Zn was associated with increased risks of preeclampsia. The associations were not entirely consistent across countries and regions worldwide.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=337069, Identifier: CRD42022337069
Case report: The origin of transmantle-like features
Authors: Matsuo Takeshi , Fujimoto So , Komori Takashi , Nakata Yasuhiro
Published: July 2022

The transmantle sign is considered to be a magnetic resonance imaging feature specific to patients with type II focal cortical dysplasia; however, this sign can be difficult to distinguish from other pathologies, such as a radial-oriented white matter band in tuberous sclerosis. Here, we report a case showing a high-intensity area on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images extending from the ventricle to the cortex associated with atypical histopathological findings containing corpora amylacea. This case demonstrates that some instances of transmantle signs may be due to corpora amylacea accumulation.
Influence of acetate- vs. lactate-containing fluid bolus therapy on acid-base status, electrolytes, and plasma lactate in dogs
Authors: Klein-Richers Ute , Heitland Annika , Hartmann Katrin , Dörfelt René
Published: July 2022

Objective

Acetate- and lactate-containing fluids influence the acid-base and electrolyte status. This prospective, randomized, clinical study compared two balanced crystalloid solutions regarding their influence on acid-base status, electrolytes, and lactate values, when given to dogs as a resuscitation bolus of 30 mL/kg.

Material and methods

One hundred client-owned dogs presenting to the emergency service with signs of fluid deficits were randomly assigned to receive an intravenous bolus of 30 mL/kg of either a lactate- (LAC), or an acetate-containing solution (ACET). Before and after the bolus, vital parameters were assessed, and a venous blood gas analysis was performed.

Results

Both solutions performed equally well in decreasing the heart rate (ACET: −10 ± 27 bpm, LAC: −12 ± 30 bpm;p= 0.737). The acetate-containing solution caused a significant decrease in plasma lactate levels (p= 0.016), anion gap (p< 0.001), and potassium (p< 0.001), and a significant increase in chloride (p< 0.001), and ionized calcium (p= 0.014). The lactate-containing solution caused a significant decrease in anion gap (p< 0.001), sodium (p= 0.016), and potassium (p= 0.001), and a significant increase in chloride (p< 0.001). ACET causes a stronger decrease in plasma lactate (p= 0.015), sodium (p= 0.039), potassium (p= 0.006), and an increase in chloride (p< 0.001), and ionized calcium (p= 0.016) compared to LAC.

Conclusion

Both solutions caused mild changes in electrolyte concentrations and had minor influence on acid-base status when used for bolus therapy in dogs with fluid deficits. Further studies are needed to evaluate their influence on acid-base status, lactate, and electrolytes when used in larger volumes and for a longer time span.
Loss of H3K27me3 expression in canine nerve sheath tumors
Authors: Tekavec Kristina , Švara Tanja , Knific Tanja , Mlakar Jernej , Gombač Mitja , Cantile Carlo
Published: July 2022

Nerve sheath tumors (NSTs) are characterized by neoplastic proliferation of Schwann cells, perineurial cells, endoneurial and/or epineurial fibroblasts. Diagnosis of NST is often challenging, particularly in distinguishing malignant NST (MNST) from other soft tissue sarcomas, or sometimes between low-grade MNST and benign NST. Recent studies in human pathology have demonstrated loss of trimethylation at lysine 27 of histone 3 (H3K27me3) in a subset of MNSTs using immunohistochemistry. Loss of H3K27me3 expression is rare in other high-grade sarcomas and also appears to be useful in distinguishing benign and low-grade MNSTs from high-grade subsets. In our retrospective study, we performed H3K27me3 immunohistochemistry in 68 canine tumors previously diagnosed as NST. We detected loss of H3K27me3 expression in 25% (n = 17) of all canine NST, including one neurofibroma, whereas 49% (n = 33) of tumors had mosaic loss of expression and 26% (n = 18) retained expression. No statistically significant differences were found between H3K27me3 expression, histopathological features of tumors, and their immunoreactivity for Sox10, claudin-1, GFAP, and Ki67. Because the classification of canine NST is not yet fully established and its correlation with the prognosis and clinical course of the disease is lacking, prospective studies with possible genetic analyses are needed to assess the true diagnostic value of H3K27me3 loss in canine NST.
Immunohistochemical Study of the PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Király Zsófia , Szepesi Ágota , Sebestyén Anna , Kuroli Enikő , Rencz Fanni , Tóth Béla , Bokor Laura , Szakonyi József , Medvecz Márta , Hidvégi Bernadett
Published: August 2022

The pathomechanism of various autoimmune diseases is known to be associated with the altered function of programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis. We aimed to investigate the role of this pathway and inflammatory cell markers in subtypes of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE): discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), subacute CLE (SCLE) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)-like lupus, a hyperacute form of acute CLE (ACLE). Ten skin biopsy samples from 9 patients were analyzed with immunohistochemistry regarding the following markers: CD3, CD4, CD8, Granzyme B, CD123, CD163, PD-1, PD-L1. Our group consisted of 4 SCLE (2 idiopathic (I-SCLE) and 2 PD-1 inhibitor-induced (DI-SCLE)), 4 DLE and 1 TEN-like lupus cases. From the latter patient two consecutive biopsies were obtained 1 week apart. Marker expression patterns were compared through descriptive analysis. Higher median keratinocyte (KC) PD-L1 expression was observed in the SCLE group compared to the DLE group (65% and 5%, respectively). Medians of dermal CD4, Granzyme B (GB), PD-1 positive cell numbers and GB+/CD8+ ratio were higher in the DLE group than in the SCLE group. The I-SCLE and DI-SCLE cases showed many similarities, however KC PD-L1 expression and dermal GB positive cell number was higher in the former. The consecutive samples of the TEN-like lupus patient showed an increase by time within the number of infiltrating GB+ cytotoxic T-cells and KC PD-L1 expression (from 22 to 43 and 30%–70%, respectively). Alterations of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis seems to play a role in the pathogenesis of CLE.
Potential Estimation of Load Alleviation and Future Technologies in Reducing Aircraft Structural Mass
Authors: Handojo Vega , Himisch Jan , Bramsiepe Kjell , Krüger Wolf Reiner , Tichy Lorenz
Published: August 2022

In recent years, load alleviation technologies have been more widely used in transport aircraft. For aircraft already in service, load alleviation can contribute in extending the fatigue life, or enable small configurational changes. If load alleviation is considered in the aircraft design process, the structural mass of the aircraft can be reduced. This paper investigates various maneuver and gust load alleviation algorithms as well as potential future technologies regarding flight operation, turbulence forecast and material science, and it evaluates the mass reduction that can be achieved. In doing so, a long-range transport aircraft was taken as the reference, and the considered load case conditions were 1-cos gusts, maneuvers and quasi-steady landing. Based upon the loads, the composite structure of the lifting surfaces was optimized, while the secondary masses as well as the wing planform were kept unchanged. With all technologies implemented, a reduction of the wing box mass by 26.5% or 4.4% of the operating empty mass could be achieved.
Analysis of Numerical Methods for Droplet Impingement Characteristics under Aircraft Icing Conditions
Authors: Shen Xiaobin , Zhao Wenzhao , Qi Zicheng , Lin Guiping , Wang Liangquan
Published: August 2022

The investigation of super-cooled droplet impingement characteristics is the most important step for aircraft icing and anti-icing/de-icing analyses. The Lagrangian method and the Eulerian method are widely used to compute the droplet motion and collection efficiency, and the two methods are considered to obtain almost the same results for surface impingement characteristics under icing conditions. The models and implementation approaches of the two methods were established in this work, and the simulations of droplet motion were carried out for a NACA 0012 airfoil, a 2D section of an A320 head, a multi-element airfoil, and an icing wind tunnel. The collection efficiencies of the NACA 0012 airfoil obtained by the present Lagrangian and Eulerian methods show good agreement with the results in the literature, validating the established methods. The droplet impingement characteristics of the two methods are consistent for the aircraft surfaces without upstream trajectory deflections. However, when the droplet motion is deflected by the frontal body before hitting the rear surfaces, the results obtained by the two methods are different whether the droplet trajectories intersect or not, which subverts the traditional opinion that the Lagrangian and Eulerian methods would obtain the same result of the droplet impingement characteristics. The reason is studied in detail according to the droplet motion results in the icing wind tunnel. The findings of this work are helpful for the accuracy of aircraft icing and anti-icing/de-icing simulations, and useful for the development of airworthiness certification.
Rural Transformation Driven by Households’ Adaptation to Climate, Policy, Market, and Urbanization: Perspectives from Livelihoods–Land Use on Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Yang Qingqing , Gao Yanhui , Yang Xinjun , Zhang Jian
Published: July 2022

Regional rural systems respond to global environmental change with multi-dimensional transformation. However, in the widespread traditional agricultural areas, rural transformation is often seen as invisible and sometimes remains hidden by official statistics of urbanization and industrialization at a regional level. The study implemented field survey and ethnography methods, exploring the trajectory and driving paths of rural transformation in traditional agricultural areas. The findings indicate that the dominant livelihood experienced a transitional trajectory from traditional farming to jujube-oriented and then to a non-farming livelihood. Furthermore, the land use showed an eco-transformation from farmland to forest land, and from cultivated land gradually to uncultivated land. We also find that the household behaviors actively or passively adapted to environmental effects, such as climate change, market change, urbanization impact, and policy regulation, and then drove non-agricultural transformation and eco-transformation in traditional agricultural areas. Based on these findings, the study confirms that there is a clear rural transformation in traditional agricultural areas, and reveals that the Loess Plateau turned green from bottom to top. Finally, the study calls to take the road of green transformation, and proposals are presented in terms of ecology, livelihood, and industry.
Effect of Nano-Fertilizers on Alfalfa Plants Grown under Different Salt Stresses in Hydroponic System
Authors: El-Shal Rania M. , El-Naggar Ahmed H. , El-Beshbeshy Talaat R. , Mahmoud Esawy K. , El-Kader Nasser I. Abd , Missaui Ali M. , Du Daolin , Ghoneim Adel M. , El-Sharkawy Mahmoud S.
Published: July 2022

In light of climate change and the ever-increasing population, salt stress has become a critical issue for agriculture and food security. The use of nano-fertilizers in agriculture is a promising application for salt stress management. Therefore, we investigated a hydroponic experiment to evaluate the effect of different nano-fertilizers: macro-nutrient (K2SO4) and micro-nutrient (ZnO and SiO2) on two alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genotypes: (Susceptible: Bulldog 505, and tolerant: Mesa-Sirsa) grown with different salt concentrations (6 and10 dS m−1) in split-split design. The results demonstrated that nano-K2SO4 enhanced shoot dry weight, plant height, number of flowers, number of tillers, root length, root fresh weight, and root dry weight under both salt levels. Addition of nano-K2SO4 enhanced plant relative water contents and electrolyte leakage with both genotypes under different salt levels. Nano-SiO2 promoted proline and SOD production with high salinity with values of (0.78 and 1.06 µmol g−1 FW) and 191.15 and 143.46 U. g−1 FW under Bulldog and Mesa-Sirsa, respectively. The application of nano-ZnO promoted plant micro-elements under 6 dS m−1 with both genotypes. The incorporation of nano-fertilizers into hydroponic systems provides a promising strategy, especially in regions with low water quality.
Analysis of the Coupling Characteristics of Water Resources and Food Security: The Case of Northwest China
Authors: Liu Xian , Xu Yueyue , Sun Shikun , Zhao Xining , Wang Yubao
Published: July 2022

Exploring the coupling characteristics of regional water resources and food security helps to promote the sustainable development of grain production and is of great significance for achieving global food security. From the aspects of regional “water supply”, “water use” and “water demand”, the coupling characteristics of water resources and food security were systematically revealed; the new challenges faced by regional food security from the perspective of water resources were clarified; and effective ways to promote the utilization of regional water resources and the sustainable development of grain production were explored. This paper took Northwest China, which is the most arid region, where water-resource utilization and food security are in contradiction, as the research area. The water-resource load index, the water footprint of grain production and the water-consumption footprint were used to quantify the regional water-resource pressure index, as well as the residential grain-consumption types, population urbanization, the industrial-grain-processing industry and their corresponding water-consumption footprints from 2000 to 2020. The coupling characteristics of water resources and food security were systematically revealed. The results showed the following: (1) In 2000–2020, the water-resource load index increased from 4.0 to 10.7, and the load level increased from III to I. At the same time, agricultural water resources were largely allocated elsewhere. (2) During the period, the food rations showed a significant decreasing trend, and the average annual reduction was 3.4% (p < 0.01). The water footprint of animal products increased, particularly for beef and poultry (the average annual growth rates were 9.9% and 6.3%, respectively). In addition, the water footprint of industrial food consumption increased by 297.1%. (3) With the improvement of the urbanization level, the water-consumption footprint increased by 85.9%. It is expected that the water footprint of grain consumption will increase by 39.4% and 52.3% by 2030 and 2040, respectively. Exploring how to take effective measures to reduce the water footprint to meet food-security needs is imperative. This study proposed measures to improve the utilization efficiency of blue and green water and reduce gray water and the grain-consumption water footprint from the aspects of regional planting-structure optimization potential, water-saving irrigation technology, dietary-structure transformation and virtual water trade; these measures could better relieve the water-resource pressure and promote the sustainable development of grain production and water-resource utilization.