bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monthly Variation in Flux of Inorganic Nutrients From Submarine Groundwater Discharge in a Volcanic Island: Significant Nitrogen Contamination in Groundwater
Authors: Kim Jeonghyun , Song Byung-Chan , Lee Min-Young , Kim Tae-Hoon
Published: February 2022

To determine nutrient fluxes derived from submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), we conducted monthly hydrological surveys on the coast of Jeju, a volcanic island located in the southern sea of Korea. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), and dissolved silicon (DSi) were significantly correlated with salinity, indicating that fresh SGD (FSGD) is a major nutrient source in Jeju Island where no other coastal freshwater origins exist. Based on a DSi-mass balance model, seepage rate of FSGD was found to depend on 5-day precipitation before sampling campaigns, which immediately permeatedviaporous aquifers. Thus, the FSGD-driven nutrient fluxes were generally higher in rainy season (July–August) and September 2019 when typhoons occurred. However, high DIN and DIP fluxes were found during spring (March–May), even at low seepage rate, perhaps by a fertilizer input from agriculture activity. This study highlights that large variation of the SGD-driven nutrient fluxes was caused by environmental and anthropogenic factors and emphasizes on the importance of long-term investigation.
A Hybrid Multiscale Approach for Rubber Contact
Authors: Al-Qudsi Ahmad , De Lorenzis Laura , Scaraggi Michele
Published: February 2022

Contact mechanics models based on linearity assumptions, often using the viscoelastic half space theory and numerically implemented with the boundary element method, are known to provide accurate results for small mean square slope of the surface roughness. For large mean square slope, models accounting for finite deformations, often implemented with the non-linear finite element method, are more accurate but lead to a prohibitive computational cost. We propose a new hybrid multiscale approach able to account for the finite deformations arising due to large mean square slope, while keeping a computational cost similar to that associated to linear approaches. The basic strategy is a decomposition of the surface roughness power spectrum into a discrete number of waves, whose spectral range is partitioned into a high mean square slope range and a low mean square slope range. The contact mechanics in the former is accurately solved with the kinematically non-linear model and the results averaged out at the larger wavelength scale in terms of an effective interface interaction law. This law is then applied in the linear simulation involving the scales within the low mean square slope range. The proposed approach is a more accurate alternative to fully linear and a computationally faster alternative to fully non-linear contact mechanics approaches.
Panic, Psycho-Behavioral Responses, and Risk Perception in the Earliest Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in China
Authors: Zhang Weiyu , Zou Changqing , Sznajder Kristin K. , Cui Can , Fu Jiahui , He Shan , Peng Qinqi , Chen Qiongli , Yang Xiaoshi
Published: February 2022

Background

Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19), a rising global pandemic, has triggered psychological crises among the public. Panic, a severe symptom of mental disorders, is increasing in the public in China and it is urgent to provide research for intervention development.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of public panic in China during the earliest stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore the associated psychological behavioral responses and public's risk perception of the pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using a web-based survey with convenience sampling was conducted with 2,484 participants nationally from February 11 to February 24, 2020 in China. A self-developed questionnaire was applied to assess the prevalence of public panic and its associated factors. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the risk and protective factors of public panic.

Results

There were 23.39% (581/2,484) of the participants who reported experiencing panic during the earliest stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking temperature repeatedly, being nervous in a crowd, being suspicious of infection in the family, being worried about the future, and worries about high infectivity of the COVID-19, lack of effective therapies, and wide impact of the COVID-19 pandemic increased the odds of public panic. Whereas, avoiding gatherings during holidays was negatively associated with the odds of public panic.

Conclusions

Psycho-behavioral responses were closely associated with public panic during the earliest stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Defusing excessive health-related worries, the guidance of appropriate self-protective behaviors, strengthening of health education in communities, and available treatment for mental disorders should be adopted to monitor the psychological responses and to guide the behaviors of the public.
Tracheal Intubation in Emergency Departments in China: A National Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Dai Yili , Walline Joseph Harold , Yu Heng , Zhu Huadong , Xu Jun , Yu Xuezhong
Published: February 2022

Background

Tracheal intubation is a necessary but risky procedure performed in emergency departments (EDs) around the world. Relatively high morbidity has been encountered in Chinese EDs, which has raised concerns about peri-intubation ED management. This study aimed to investigate intubation procedures and identify any areas for improvement in Chinese EDs.

Methods

This was a questionnaire-based survey lasting 1 month (March 2021) in 41 tertiary-care hospital EDs in mainland China. The primary outcome was complications associated with intubation. Secondary outcomes were the first-pass success rate and blood pressure variations during intubation. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were used to find possible risk factors for first-pass intubation failure.

Results

In total, 1,020 replies were analyzed out of 1,080 surveys submitted (94.4% response rate). Most patients were elderly men with severe medical conditions like cardiac arrest (24.8%). In total, 97.2% of patients were given preoxygenation, and 48.1% received some form of pretreatment. Induction drugs (e.g., etomidate and ketamine) were less often used: 39.9% of intubations used sedatives, 5.5% used analgesics, and only 5.3% used muscle relaxants. The overall first-pass intubation success rate was 85.7% and was accompanied by a 19.8% adverse event rate. A marked decrease in blood pressure after intubation was also identified.

Conclusion

This survey found an 85.7% tracheal intubation first-pass success rate (which is relatively high compared to other countries) and a 19.8% adverse event rate (which is also relatively high). Given the very low rate of using induction medications (5.3% used muscle relaxants), future education should focus on induction drugs and traditional intubation techniques.
Soluble Interleukin-2 Receptor Predicts Treatment Outcome in Patients With Autoimmune Tubulointerstitial Nephritis. A Preliminary Study
Authors: Shiratori-Aso Satoka , Nakazawa Daigo , Nishio Saori , Ueda Yusho , Eguchi Mina , Yokoyama Ai , Yoshikawa Junpei , Kudo Takashi , Watanabe-Kusunoki Kanako , Takeda-Otera Sayo , Yamamoto Junya , Matsuoka Naoko , Kaneshima Nobuharu , Hattanda Fumihiko , Iwasaki Sari , Tsuji Takahiro , Fukasawa Yuichiro , Atsumi Tatsuya
Published: February 2022

Background

Autoimmune tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) is characterized by immune-mediated tubular injury and requires immunosuppressive therapy. However, diagnosing TIN and assessing therapeutic response are challenging for clinicians due to the lack of useful biomarkers. Pathologically, CD4+T cells infiltrate to renal tubulointerstitium, and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) has been widely known as a serological marker of activated T cell. Here, we explored the usefulness of serum sIL-2R to predict the treatment outcome in patients with autoimmune TIN.

Methods

Study Design: Single-center retrospective observational study.

Participants

62 patients were diagnosed of TIN from 2005 to April 2018 at Hokkaido University Hospital. Among them, 30 patients were diagnosed with autoimmune TIN and treated with corticosteroids. We analyzed the association between baseline characteristics including sIL-2R and the change of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after initiation of corticosteroids.

Results

The serum sIL-2R level in patients with autoimmune TIN was significantly higher than that in chronic kidney disease patients with other causes. Mean eGFR in autoimmune TIN patients treated with corticosteroids increased from 43.3 ± 20.4 mL/min/1.73 m2(baseline) to 50.7 ± 19.9 mL/min/1.73 m2(3 months) (ΔeGFR; 22.8 ± 26.0%). Multivariate analysis revealed that higher sIL-2R (per 100 U/mL, β = 1.102,P< 0.001) level was independently associated with the renal recovery. In ROC analysis, sIL-2R had the best area under the curve value (0.805) and the cutoff point was 1182 U/mL (sensitivity = 0.90, 1-specificity = 0.45).

Conclusions

Our study showed that elevated serum sIL-2R levels might become a potential predictive marker for therapeutic response in autoimmune TIN.
Case Report: Allogenic Simple Limbal Epithelial Transplantation From a Human Leukocyte Antigen-Matched Living Related Donor to Treat Bilateral Corneal Chemical Burns Post Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis
Authors: Chang Yuh-Shin , Chan Tsung-Yueh , Jan Ren-Long , Tseng Sung-Huei
Published: February 2022

A 35-year-old woman who had undergone laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis in both eyes experienced bilateral total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) due to chemical burns. Due to bilateral severe LSCD, allogenic simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET) from a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched living related donor was the first choice of treatment for her left eye. We report the first case of HLA or ABO matching living related allogenic SLET for permanent restoration of the cornea for bilateral LSCD treatment. Our ABO-HLA-matched living related allogenic SLET alleviation of the systemic immunosuppressant to topical corticosteroids alone. It also came the limitations of prolonged systemic immunosuppressant usage in conjunctival-limbal allografts and keratolimbal allograft.
Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides as Antibiotic Substitutes Improve Growth Performance, Serum Immunity, Antioxidant Status, and Intestinal Health for Weaned Piglets
Authors: Yin Yexin , Wang Fang , Yang Mei , Tan Bie , Yin Yulong , Chen Jiashun , Yang Zhe
Published: February 2022

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of dietary Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) supplementation on the growth performance, immune response, serum antioxidant status, and intestinal health of weaned piglets. In total, 24 crossed healthy weaned piglets [Duroc × (Yorkshire × Landrace)], of similar body weight (7.47 ± 0.22 kg), were randomly allocated to three treatment groups: CON (basal diet); LBPs (basal diet plus 4,000 mg/kg LBPs); and antibiotic (ABO, basal diet plus 20 mg/kg flavomycin and 50 mg/kg quinocetone). There were eight pigs per group. The study lasted 28 days. When compared with CON, LBPs or ABO dietary supplementation increased average daily gain (P < 0.05), decreased the ratio of feed to gain and the diarrhea ratio (P < 0.05). Similarly, when compared with CON, LBPs dietary supplementation increased serum immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, interleukin-10, interleukin-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels (P < 0.05). Dietary LBPs enhanced the activity of serum total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase, and decreased malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis showed a distinct separation between CON and LBPs groups, but no differences between ABO and LBPs groups. LBPs addition increased Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium (P < 0.05) levels, while it decreased Enterococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae (P < 0.05) levels. Furthermore, when compared with the CON group, LBPs increased villus height (P < 0.05) and the villus height to crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum (P < 0.05). Thus, dietary supplementation with LBPs improved growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity, regulated intestinal microbial composition, and may be used as an efficient antibiotic alternative in weaned piglet feed.
Highly Diverse Synechococcus Pigment Types in the Eastern Indian Ocean
Authors: Zhang Xiaodong , Cheung Shunyan , Wang Jing , Zhang Guicheng , Wei Yuqiu , Liu Haijiao , Sun Jun , Liu Hongbin
Published: February 2022

Marine picocyanobacteria Synechococcus exhibit highly diverse pigment types (PTs) and hence possess great advantage to utilize different spectrum of light effectively and to occupy a wide range of light niches. In this study, we explored the diversity of Synechococcus PTs in the eastern Indian Ocean (EIO), surface water of Strait of Malacca (SSM), and coastal waters of Sri Lanka (SSL). All the detected PTs were phycourobilin (PUB) containing PT 3 and showed distinct distribution patterns. Low PUB PT 3a and partial chromatic acclimater PT 3eA dominated in coastal and shallow waters (SSM and SSL). In contrast, high PUB and chromatic acclimaters PT 3dA and PT 3c/3dB were mainly distributed in open ocean (EIO). PT 3dA and PT 3c/3dB occurred at similar depths of the lower euphotic layers but showed distinct distribution pattern that are partially exclusive, indicating that they compete with each other for the same light niche. Interestingly, the newly described PT 3f was detected with high relative abundances at all stations and particularly dominated in the upper euphotic layer in EIO, which was confirmed with PT-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The relative abundance of PT 3f was negatively correlated with nutrient level, implying that PT 3f is adapted to oligotrophic waters. Pronounced niche partition of different PTs was observed in the upper and lower layers of euphotic zone in EIO and SSM/SSL. Light, nutrients, and strong stratification may play important roles in the niche partition of different PTs. Further analysis about ecologically significant taxonomic units revealed high diversity within each PT at different locations, which provided insights for understanding specific PT with wide range of niches.
Dishonest Signaling in Microbial Conflicts
Authors: Hashem Ihab , Van Impe Jan F. M.
Published: February 2022

Quorum sensing is a cell-cell communication system that bacteria use to express social phenotypes, such as the production of extracellular enzymes or toxins, at high cell densities when these phenotypes are most beneficial. However, many bacterial strains are known to lack a sensing mechanism for quorum signals, despite having the gene responsible for releasing the signals to the environment. The aim of this article is 2-fold. First, we utilize mathematical modeling and signaling theory to elucidate the advantage that a bacterial species can gain by releasing quorum signals, while not being able to sense them, in the context of ecological competition with a focal quorum sensing species, by reducing the focal species' ability to optimize the timing of expression of the quorum sensing regulated phenotype. Additionally, the consequences of such “dishonest signaling,” signaling that has evolved to harm the signal's receiver, on the focal quorum sensing species are investigated. It is found that quorum sensing bacteria would have to incur an additional, strategic, signaling cost in order to not suffer a reduction in fitness against dishonest signaling strains. Also, the concept of the Least Expensive Reliable Signal is introduced and applied to study how the properties of the regulated phenotype affect the metabolic investment in signaling needed by the quorum sensing bacteria to withstand dishonest signaling.
Influenza A and B Virus-Triggered Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition Is Relevant to the Binding Ability of NA to Latent TGF-β
Authors: Yang Wenxian , Bai Xiaoyuan , Li Heqiao , Li Huizi , Fan Wenhui , Zhang He , Liu Wenjun , Sun Lei
Published: February 2022

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism of lung tissue repair after injury, but excessive EMT may lead to pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory failure, and even death. The EMT triggered by influenza A virus (IAV) and influenza B virus (IBV) is not well understood. We hypothesized that there was difference in EMT induced by different influenza virus strains. Here we discovered that both IAV [A/WSN/1933 (H1N1), WSN] and IBV (B/Yamagata/16/88, Yamagata) infection caused EMT in mouse lung and A549 cells, and more EMT-related genes were detected in mice and cells infected with WSN than those infected with Yamagata. Neuraminidase (NA) of IAV is able to activate latent TGF-β and the downstream TGF-β signaling pathway, which play a vital role in EMT. We observed that IAV (WSN) triggered more activated TGF-β expression and stronger TGF-β/smad2 signaling pathway than IBV (Yamagata). Most importantly, WSN NA combined more latent TGF-β than Yamagata NA in A549 cells. Collectively, these data demonstrate that both IAV and IBV induce TGF-β/smad2 signaling pathway to promote EMT, which might depend on the binding ability of NA to latent TGF-β.
Conformational Dynamics of DNA Polymerases Revealed at the Single-Molecule Level
Authors: Millar David P.
Published: February 2022

DNA polymerases are intrinsically dynamic macromolecular machines. The purpose of this review is to describe the single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) methods that are used to probe the conformational dynamics of DNA polymerases, focusing on E. coli DNA polymerase I. The studies reviewed here reveal the conformational dynamics underpinning the nucleotide selection, proofreading and 5′ nuclease activities of Pol I. Moreover, the mechanisms revealed for Pol I are likely employed across the DNA polymerase family. smFRET methods have also been used to examine other aspects of DNA polymerase activity.
Neurophysiological Findings in Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses
Authors: Trivisano Marina , Ferretti Alessandro , Calabrese Costanza , Pietrafusa Nicola , Piscitello Ludovica , Carfi' Pavia Giusy , Vigevano Federico , Specchio Nicola
Published: February 2022

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by progressive cerebral atrophy due to lysosomal storage disorder. Common clinical features include epileptic seizures, progressive cognitive and motor decline, and visual failure, which occur over different time courses according to subtypes. During the latest years, many advances have been done in the field of targeted treatments, and in the next future, gene therapies and enzyme replacement treatments may be available for several NCL variants. Considering that there is rapid disease progression in NCLs, an early diagnosis is crucial, and neurophysiological features might have a key role for this purpose. Across the different subtypes of NCLs, electroencephalogram (EEG) is characterized by a progressive deterioration of cerebral activity with slowing of background activity and disappearance of spindles during sleep. Some types of heterogeneous abnormalities, diffuse or focal, prevalent over temporal and occipital regions, are described in many NCL variants. Photoparoxysmal response to low-frequency intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) is a typical EEG finding, mostly described in CLN2, CLN5, and CLN6 diseases. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) allow to monitor the visual functions, and the lack of response at electroretinogram (ERG) reflects retinal neurodegeneration. Taken together, EEG, VEPs, and ERG may represent essential tools toward an early diagnosis of NCLs.
Young Children Intuitively Divide Before They Recognize the Division Symbol
Authors: Szkudlarek Emily , Zhang Haobai , DeWind Nicholas K. , Brannon Elizabeth M.
Published: February 2022

Children bring intuitive arithmetic knowledge to the classroom before formal instruction in mathematics begins. For example, children can use their number sense to add, subtract, compare ratios, and even perform scaling operations that increase or decrease a set of dots by a factor of 2 or 4. However, it is currently unknown whether children can engage in a true division operation before formal mathematical instruction. Here we examined the ability of 6- to 9-year-old children and college students to perform symbolic and non-symbolic approximate division. Subjects were presented with non-symbolic (dot array) or symbolic (Arabic numeral) dividends ranging from 32 to 185, and non-symbolic divisors ranging from 2 to 8. Subjects compared their imagined quotient to a visible target quantity. Both children (Experiment 1 N = 89, Experiment 2 N = 42) and adults (Experiment 3 N = 87) were successful at the approximate division tasks in both dots and numeral formats. This was true even among the subset of children that could not recognize the division symbol or solve simple division equations, suggesting intuitive division ability precedes formal division instruction. For both children and adults, the ability to divide non-symbolically mediated the relation between Approximate Number System (ANS) acuity and symbolic math performance, suggesting that the ability to calculate non-symbolically may be a mechanism of the relation between ANS acuity and symbolic math. Our findings highlight the intuitive arithmetic abilities children possess before formal math instruction.
Cognitive Deficit and Aberrant Intrinsic Brain Functional Network in Early-Stage Drug-Naive Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Zhang Lan , Yang Tao , Chen Yuping , Zheng Denise , Sun Dong , Tu Qiang , Huang Jinbai , Zhang Junjian , Li Zezhi
Published: February 2022

Background

Although cognitive deficit is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD), the mechanism and valid biomarkers of it have not been identified. To our best knowledge, this was the first study to investigate the intrinsic dysconnectivity pattern of whole-brain functional networks in early-stage drug-naive (ESDN) PD patients and its association with cognitive deficit of PD using voxel-wise Degree Centrality (DC) approach.

Methods

A total of 53 ESDN PD patients and 53 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data were acquired, and voxel-wise DC approach was applied. Electrophysiological testing at P300 amplitude was recorded. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was conducted to evaluate cognitive performance.

Results

ESDN PD patients had lower MoCA scores and P300 amplitudes, but higher P300 latency, than HC (all p < 0.0001). PD patients displayed higher DC in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), left medial frontal gyrus (MFG) and left precentral gyrus (PreCG); but lower DC in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL), left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), right occipital lobe, and right postcentral gyrus (PoCG) (pBonferroni correction < 0.0001). Interestingly, the DC values of left MFG, right PoCG and right occipital lobe were negatively associated with P300 latency but positively associated with P300 amplitudes and MoCA scores (all pBonferroni correction < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Our results indicate the cognitive deficit and abnormal intrinsic brain functional network in ESDN PD patients. The damage of Default Mode Network (DMN) may be contributes to the pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction in ESDN PD.
Dopamine Transporter Imaging for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration With Motor Neuron Disease
Authors: Kobayashi Ryota , Kawakatsu Shinobu , Ohba Makoto , Morioka Daichi , Kanoto Masafumi , Otani Koichi
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a clinical syndrome with pathological heterogeneity, including Pick’s disease and trans-activating response region (TAR) DNA-binding protein with a molecular mass of 43 kDa (TDP-43) proteinopathy (FTLD-TDP). A previous study reported abnormal findings on dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging in 30% of patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in FTLD. However, the previous study did not consider the pathological heterogeneity of FTD regarding the pathomechanism leading to abnormal DAT findings. Recently, abnormal DAT findings were reported in two patients with FTLD with motor neuron disease (MND), of which FTLD-TDP type B was the most common pathological presentation. This study investigated the DAT findings of patients with a final diagnosis of FTLD-MND to determine the frequency of occurrence of DAT abnormalities in FTLD-MND.

Methods

Twenty patients with FTLD who underwent DAT single photon emission computed tomography (DAT-SPECT) were screened, and six patients with a final diagnosis of FTLD-MND were ultimately included. The patients’ DAT-SPECT findings were analyzed visually and quantitatively. Neuronal loss and astrogliosis in brain regions (substantia nigra, caudate, and putamen) that could possibly affect DAT findings were evaluated in the three pathologically confirmed cases.

Result

All six patients with FTLD-MND showed abnormal visual DAT-SPECT findings. In addition, in a quantitative assessment, the specific binding ratio in the striatum calculated by the Southampton method was below the lower limit of the 95% prediction interval of the healthy controls by age in all the present cases. Interestingly, three of the six patients showed abnormal findings on DAT-SPECT more than half a year before the onset of MND. Neuronal loss and astrogliosis in brain regions that may affect DAT findings were observed in three pathologically confirmed cases.

Conclusion

Dopamine transporter single photon emission computed tomography revealed abnormal findings in patients with FTLD-MND, which may manifest even before the onset of MND symptoms. We believe that the possibility of future development of MND should be considered if DAT-SPECT shows abnormal findings in FTLD.
Impact of Plant-Based Foods and Nutraceuticals on Toxoplasma gondii Cysts: Nutritional Therapy as a Viable Approach for Managing Chronic Brain Toxoplasmosis
Authors: Tan Sijie , Tong Wen Han , Vyas Ajai
Published: February 2022

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that mainly infects warm-blooded animals including humans. T. gondii can encyst and persist chronically in the brain, leading to a broad spectrum of neurological sequelae. Despite the associated health threats, no clinical drug is currently available to eliminate T. gondii cysts. In a continuous effort to uncover novel therapeutic agents for these cysts, the potential of nutritional products has been explored. Herein, we describe findings from in vitro and in vivo studies that support the efficacy of plant-based foods and nutraceuticals against brain cyst burden and cerebral pathologies associated with chronic toxoplasmosis. Finally, we discuss strategies to increase the translatability of preclinical studies and nutritional products to address whether nutritional therapy can be beneficial for coping with chronic T. gondii infections in humans.
A Novel Application of Serum Creatinine and Cystatin C to Predict Sarcopenia in Advanced CKD
Authors: Lin Yu-Li , Wang Chih-Hsien , Chang I-Chen , Hsu Bang-Gee
Published: February 2022

Sarcopenia is highly prevalent in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet a reliable serum index has not been established. The product of serum creatinine and the estimated glomerular filtration rate based on cystatin C (Cr×eGFRcys) was recently proposed as a sarcopenia index (SI), approximately to 24-h filtered creatinine through the glomerulus. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic validity of the novel SI in advanced CKD. In 297 patients with non-dialysis stage 3b-5 CKD, aged 68.8 ± 12.9 years, the total skeletal muscle mass (SMM), handgrip strength (HGS), and usual gait speed were assessed. Sarcopenia was defined based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 consensus update. The prevalence of sarcopenia in this cohort was 20.2%. The SI correlated moderately with SMM (r = 0.503, P < 0.001), HGS (r = 0.508, P < 0.001), and gait speed (r = 0.381, P < 0.001); the independency of the SI with three muscle metrics was confirmed after extensive adjustment. For sarcopenia prediction, the SI had acceptable discriminative powers in males [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.646, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.569–0.718] and females (AUC 0.754, 95% CI 0.670–0.826). In males, the best cut-off was 53.9, which provided 71.1% sensitivity, 58.0% specificity, 32.9% positive predictive value (PPV), and 87.4% negative predictive value (NPV); in females, the best cut-off was 45.8, which provided 81.8% sensitivity, 62.3% specificity, 31.0% PPV, and 94.3% NPV. In conclusion, Cr×eGFRcys could be served as a surrogate marker for sarcopenia and may be helpful for sarcopenia screening in advanced CKD. Further studies are needed to expand our investigation.
Berberine Ameliorates Inflammation in Acute Lung Injury via NF-κB/Nlrp3 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Chen Jiyu , Huang Yanli , Bian Xiaohong , He Yan
Published: February 2022

The inflammatory response is the key pathophysiological character of acute lung injury (ALI). Berberine (BBR), a natural quaternary ammonium alkaloid, plays a functional role in anti-inflammation both in vitro and in vivo. However, the underlying mechanism between BBR and ALI has not been expounded. Here, we found that BBR improved the permeability of pulmonary and repressed the inflammatory factors in the lipopolysaccharides (LPSs)-induced ALI model. We demonstrated that BBR could suppress the expression of phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and further restrain the downstream gene nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein-3 (Nlrp3). Moreover, we also revealed that BBR could directly interact with Nlrp3 protein. After knocked down of Nlrp3 by using siRNA, the protective role of BBR was abrogated in vitro. The expression of IL-1β and IL-18 was downregulated by BBR via the two signaling pathways. Notably, in Nlrp3 deficient mice, the protective effect of BBR was abolished. These findings demonstrate that BBR has a depressant effect on inflammatory response caused by LPS via regulating NF-κB/Nlrp3 signaling pathway, providing a potential therapeutic strategy in ALI.
A Predictive Nomogram for Early Death in Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma
Authors: Li Huiyang , Abbas Kirellos Said , Abdelazeem Basel , Xu Yao , Lin Yile , Wu Haixiao , Chekhonin Vladimir P. , Peltzer Karl , Zhang Chao
Published: February 2022

Background

Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) and paraganglioma (PGL) are relatively rare neuroendocrine tumors. The factors affecting patients with early death remain poorly defined. We aimed to study the demographic and clinicopathologic pattern and to develop and validate a prediction model for PHEO/PGL patients with early death.

Methods

Data of 800 participants were collected from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database as a construction cohort, while data of 340 participants were selected as a validation cohort. Risk factors considered included the year of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, gender, marital status, race, insurance status, tumor type, primary location, laterality, the presence of distant metastasis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to determine the risk factors. R software was used to generate the nomogram. Calibration ability, discrimination ability, and decision curve analysis were analyzed in both construction and validation cohorts.

Results

PHEO and PGL patients accounted for 54.3% (N=434) and 45.7% (N=366), respectively. More than half of tumors (N=401, 50.1%) occurred in the adrenal gland, while 16.9% (N=135) were in aortic/carotid bodies. For the entire cohort, the median overall survival (OS) was 116.0 (95% CI: 101.5-130.5) months. The multivariate analysis revealed that older age (versus age younger than 31; age between 31 and 60: OR=2.03, 95% CI: 1.03-4.03, P=0.042; age older than 60: OR=5.46, 95% CI: 2.68-11.12, P<0.001), female gender (versus male gender; OR=0.59, 95% CI: 0.41-0.87, P=0.007), tumor located in aortic/carotid bodies (versus tumor located in adrenal gland; OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.27-0.87, P=0.015) and the presence of distant metastasis (versus without distant metastasis; OR=4.80, 95% CI: 3.18-7.23, P<0.001) were independent risk factors of early death. The predictive nomogram included variables: age at diagnosis, gender, primary tumor location, and distant metastasis. The model had satisfactory discrimination and calibration performance: Harrell’s C statistics of the prediction model were 0.733 in the construction cohort and 0.716 in the validation cohort. The calibration analysis showed acceptable coherence between predicted probabilities and observed probabilities.

Conclusions

We developed and validated a predictive nomogram utilizing data from the SEER database with satisfactory discrimination and calibration capability which can be used for early death prediction for PHEO/PGL patients.
Case Report: A Pregnant Woman Diagnosed as ALK-Rearrangement Lung Large Cell Neuroendocrine Cancer With Brain Metastasis
Authors: Fu Zaixiang , Zhu Ganggui , Wang Liquan , Hu Shen , Cheng Lu , Liu Fuyi
Published: February 2022

Concomitant malignant tumors and pregnancy present many difficult questions to both clinicians and patients. Due to no specific guidelines, each aspect of clinical management requires special considerations. This current report presents a rare case of a 38-year-old pregnant woman at gestational age 33 weeks with complaints of weakness of her right limbs for 2 weeks. After successive cesarean section and craniotomy, a diagnosis of lung large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) metastatic to the brain was eventually made. Next generation sequencing (NGS) showed ALK-EML4 gene fusion. Immediately afterwards she was started on the targeted therapy with the ALK inhibitor alectinib. Ten months later, all known lesions exhibited a rapid regression, and no new brain metastases were found. Consequently, the therapeutic effect was considered as a partial response. Then, we review the previous literature using PubMed on maternal malignant brain tumors diagnosed during pregnancy, or lung LCNEC associated with ALK fusion, or ALK inhibitors treatment among the pregnant women, eventually, and discuss the concerns of dealing with these patients.
Emerging Roles and Mechanisms of lncRNA FOXD3-AS1 in Human Diseases
Authors: Yao Qinfan , Zhang Xiuyuan , Chen Dajin
Published: February 2022

Numerous long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as powerful regulators of human diseases. The lncRNA FOXD3-AS1 is a novel lncRNA that was recently shown to exert imperative roles in the initialization and progression of several diseases. Emerging studies have shown aberrant expression of FOXD3-AS1 and close correlation with pathophysiological traits of numerous diseases, particularly cancers. More importantly, FOXD3-AS1 was also found to ubiquitously impact a range of biological functions. This study aims to summarize the expression, associated clinicopathological features, major functions and molecular mechanisms of FOXD3-AS1 in human diseases and to explore its possible clinical applications.
Therapeutic Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Pediatric Gastroenterology
Authors: Schluckebier Dominique , Afzal Nadeem Ahmad , Thomson Mike
Published: February 2022

This paper seeks to give a broad overview of pediatric upper gastrointestinal (GI) pathologies that we are now able to treat endoscopically, acquired or congenital, and we hope this delivers the reader an impression of what is increasingly available to pediatric endoscopists and their patients.
Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Model for Predicting Teratogenic Risk of Antiseizure Medications in Pregnancy by Using Support Vector Machine
Authors: Kang Liyuan , Duan Yifei , Chen Cheng , Li Shihai , Li Menglong , Chen Lei , Wen Zhining
Published: February 2022

Teratogenicity is one of the main concerns in clinical medications of pregnant women. Prescription of antiseizure medications (ASMs) in women with epilepsy during pregnancy may cause teratogenic effects on the fetus. Although large scale epilepsy pregnancy registries played an important role in evaluating the teratogenic risk of ASMs, for most ASMs, especially the newly approved ones, the potential teratogenic risk cannot be effectively assessed due to the lack of evidence. In this study, the analyses are performed on any medication, with a focus on ASMs. We curated a list containing the drugs with potential teratogenicity based on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug labeling, and established a support vector machine (SVM) model for detecting drugs with high teratogenic risk. The model was validated by using the post-marketing surveillance data from US FDA Spontaneous Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) and applied to the prediction of potential teratogenic risk of ASMs. Our results showed that our proposed model outperformed the state-of-art approaches, including logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), when detecting the high teratogenic risk of drugs (MCC and recall rate were 0.312 and 0.851, respectively). Among 196 drugs with teratogenic potential reported by FAERS, 136 (69.4%) drugs were correctly predicted. For the eight commonly used ASMs, 4 of them were predicted as high teratogenic risk drugs, including topiramate, phenobarbital, valproate and phenytoin (predicted probabilities of teratogenic risk were 0.69, 0.60 0.59, and 0.56, respectively), which were consistent with the statement in FDA-approved drug labeling and the high reported prevalence of teratogenicity in epilepsy pregnancy registries. In addition, the structural alerts in ASMs that related to the genotoxic carcinogenicity and mutagenicity, idiosyncratic adverse reaction, potential electrophilic agents and endocrine disruption were identified and discussed. Our findings can be a good complementary for the teratogenic risk assessment in drug development and facilitate the determination of pharmacological therapies during pregnancy.
PIC Simulations of the MS4 Thruster
Authors: Lewerentz Lars , Kahnfeld Daniel , Schulz Niklas , Heidemann Ralf , Schneider Ralf
Published: February 2022

Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations are used to model the MS4 test thruster of Thales Deutschland. Given as input the geometric shape, material components, magnetic field and the operating parameters of the experiment, the model is able to reproduce the experimentally observed emission pattern in the plume. This is determined by the magnetic field line structure and the resulting plasma dynamics in the near-field region close to the exit.
Broadband Achromatic and Polarization Insensitive Focused Optical Vortex Generator Based on Metasurface Consisting of Anisotropic Nanostructures
Authors: Song Naitao , Xu Nianxi , Gao Jinsong , Jiang Xiaonan , Shan Dongzhi , Tang Yang , Sun Qiao , Liu Hai , Chen Xin
Published: February 2022

Optical vortex (OV) beams are ideal carriers for high-capacity optical communication, and long-wave infrared (LWIR) is the ideal wavelength band for long-range optical communication. Here, we propose a method for the achromatic generation of focused optical vortex (FOV) beams with arbitrary homogenous polarization states in the LWIR using a single all-germanium metasurface. The chromatic aberration and polarization sensitivity are eliminated by superimposing a polarization-insensitive geometric phase and a dispersion-engineered dynamic phase. The method is validated using two broadband FOV generators with the same diameter and focal length but different topological charges. The results indicate that the FOV generators are broadband achromatic and polarization insensitive. The proposed method may pave the way for chip-scale optical communication devices.
Towards an Understanding of Circatidal Clocks
Authors: Rock Alberto , Wilcockson David , Last Kim S.
Published: February 2022

Circadian clocks are an intrinsic element of life that orchestrate appropriately timed daily physiological and behavioural rhythms entrained to the solar cycle, thereby conferring increased fitness. However, it is thought that the first archaic ‘proto-clocks’ evolved in ancient cyanobacteria in a marine environment, where the dominant time cues (zeitgebers) probably would have been lunar-driven and included tidal cycles. To date, non-circadian ‘marine clocks’ have been described with circatidal (~12.4 h), circasemilunar (~14.8 days), and circalunar (~29.5 days) periodicity, mostly studied in accessible but temporally complex intertidal habitats. In contrast to the well-described circadian clock, their molecular machinery is poorly understood, and fundamental mechanisms remain unclear. We propose that a multi-species approach is the most apposite strategy to resolve the divergence that arose from non-circadian clockwork forged in an evolutionary environment with multiple zeitgebers. We review circatidal clock models with a focus on intertidal organisms, for which robust behavioural, physiological, or genetic underpinnings have been explicated, and discuss their relative experimental merits. Developing a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of circatidal clocks should be a priority because it will ultimately contribute to a more holistic understanding of the origins and evolution of chronobiology itself.
Optimal Parameters of Laser Therapy to Improve Critical Calvarial Defects
Authors: Santos Matheus AFM , Silva Daniela N. , Rovaris Karla , Sousa Frederico B. , Dantas Eugenia LA , Loureiro Lucas A. , Pereira Thiago M. C. , Meyrelles Silvana S. , Bertollo Rossiene M. , Vasquez Elisardo C.
Published: February 2022

Body bones play diverse pivotal roles, including the protection of vital organs. For instance, the integrative functions of the brain controlling diverse peripheral actions can be affected by a traumatic injury on the calvaria and the reparative process of a large defect is a challenge in the integrative physiology. Therefore, the development of biomaterials and approaches to improve such defects still requires substantial advances. In this regard, the most attractive approaches have been covering the cavity with inorganic bovine bone (IBB) and, more recently, also using low-level laser therapy (LT), but this issue has opened many questions. Here, it was determined the number of LT sessions required to speed up and to intensify the recovery process of two 5-mm-diameter defects promoted in the calvaria of each subgroup of six adult Wistar rats. The quantitative data showed that 30 days post-surgery, the recovery process by using blood clot-filling was not significantly influenced by the number of LT sessions. However, in the IBB-filled defects, the number of LT sessions markedly contributed to the improvement of the reparative process. Compared to the Control group (non-irradiated), the percentage of mineralization (formation of new bone into the cavities) gradually increased 25, 49, and 52% with, respectively, 4, 7, and 11 sessions of LT. In summary, combining the use of IBB with seven sessions of LT seems to be an optimal approach to greatly improve the recovery of calvarial defects. This translational research opens new avenues targeting better conditions of life for those suffering from large bone traumas and in the present field could contribute to preserve the integrative functions of the brain.
Clinical Perspectives on the Notion of Presence
Authors: Malet Pascal , Bioy Antoine , Santarpia Alfonso
Published: February 2022

This article explores the theme of presence of the psychotherapist, a concept that has been of particular interest in humanistic and existential approaches. Presence was first associated with the humanistic attitudes of the practitioner and the way he or she embodies these attitudes in the here and now of the encounter. Since the publication in 2002 of Geller and Greenberg’s model of therapeutic presence, several quantitative studies have explored the relationship between the therapist’s perception of presence and other dimensions of the therapeutic process. However, qualitative explorations still seem necessary to account for the complexity of the therapist’s presence and its role in the therapeutic process. Centered on the therapist’s perspective, we use an idiographic methodology and refer to lived clinical experience to highlight the dimension of sensory contact that, through the body, actualize a connection to a virtual space of the therapeutic relationship. We so describe how a therapist can achieve an embodied processing to clinical material from what we describe as “traces of presence” of the other. From this point of view, the patient’s presence incorporates itself into the therapist’s experience and the therapist can perceive aspects of this presence in a tangible, concrete, and useful way. The therapist’s presence thus takes on a meaning that is not reduced to what the patient will perceive and interpret of his or her attitude. It becomes the main material from which the therapist orients his or her clinical interventions.
Examination of Gender-Related Differential Item Functioning Through Poly-BW Indices
Authors: Huang Tsai-Wei , Wu Pei-Chen , Mok Magdalena Mo Ching
Published: February 2022

The existing differential item functioning (DIF) detection approaches relying on item difficulty or item discrimination are limited for understanding the associates of DIF items, and consequently, DIF items were conventionally either deleted or ignored. Given the importance of minimizing DIF items in test construction, teachers or testing practitioners need more information regarding possible associates of DIF items. Using an example of a teacher-made mathematics achievement test, this study aimed to examine how the Poly-BW indices (power, defenselessness, disturbance, and hint) contributed to the properties of gender-related DIF items. Data from a 34-item mathematics achievement test that involved 1,439 seventh-grade students from Taiwan (51.01% boys and 48.99% girls) showed that the differences of the defenselessness (mp) and power (cp) indices between men and women served as salient predictors of the DIF measures estimated by the Poly Simultaneous Item Bias Test (Poly-SIBTEST) procedure and with satisfactory accuracy of hit rates. Items with relatively large defenselessness for men were likely to present male-favoring DIFs, whereas items with relatively large power for men were likely to present female-favoring DIFs. The Poly-BW indices yielded directions for modifying items for teachers in practice.