bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hubungan Dukungan Keluarga dengan Pola Aktifitas pada Pasien Gagal Jantung di Ruang Penyakit Dalam Kelas 3 RSUD dr. Slamet Garut
Authors: Sulastini Sulastini Sulastini , Kusnadi Engkus , Rismawati Rina , Nugraha Bambang Aditya
Published: November 2023

Gagal jantung bukan merupakan suatu penyakit yang berdiri sendiri melainkansebuah sindrom klinis yang dikarakteristikan dengan kelebihan volume darah,tidak adekuatnya perfusi jaringan, dan penurunan toleransi aktivitas sehari- hari.Pola aktifitas pada pasien dengan gagal jatung sangat terbatas, pola aktifitas akanberubah terutama pada saat pasien mengalami sesak nafas yang cukup berat.Intoleransi aktivitas pada penderita gagal jantung satu dengan yang lain dapatberbeda tergantung dari kapasitas fungsional. Dukungan keluarga sangatlahpenting bagi pasien dengan gagal jantung, selain membantu dalam hal perawatandiri dan terapi, dalam kaitanya dengan kualitas hidup pasien dukungan keluargajuga sangat diperlukan dalam hal psikologis. Penelitian ini menggunakan metodedeskritif korelasi. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Ruang Penyakit Dalam Kelas 3 RSUDdr. Slamet Garut. Populasi adalah semua pasien gagal jantung dan keluarga yangdirawat di Ruang Penyakit Dalam Kelas 3 RSUD dr. Slamet Garut. Sampel ditentukandengan Non Probability Sampling yaitu quota sampling dengan jumlah sampel96 orang. Hasil penelitian didapatkan bahwa pasien gagal jantung yang dirawatsebagian pasien mendapatkan dukungan keluarga yang tinggi sebanyak 50%dan lebih dari sebagian responden tidak melakukan aktivitas secara berlebihansebanyak 55,2%. Terdapat hubungan bermakna antara dukungan keluarga denganpola aktivitas pasien gagal jantung dengan nilai p-value 0,00 (<0,05) dan dengankoefisien korelasi (r) 0,466. Mengingat terdapat beberapa temuan dalam penelitianserta keterbatasan dalam penelitian ini, maka diharapkan pada masa mendatangberbagai pihak dapat meneliti lebih lanjut faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi padaproses penyembuhan pasien gagal jantung.
Ecological momentary assessments of real-world speech listening are associated with heart rate and acoustic condition
Authors: Andersson Klaudia Edinger , Neher Tobias , Christensen Jeppe Høy
Published: November 2023

Background and aim

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) can provide insights into the real-world auditory ecology of hearing aid (HA) users. To better understand what factors, influence the real-world listening experiences of this population, more detailed models of human auditory ecology and behavior are needed. Laboratory studies suggest that physiological measures are sensitive to different listening experiences, as changes in physiological signals (e.g., pupil dilation) have been associated with effortful listening. In addition, real-world heart rate (HR) has been shown to be sensitive to acoustic influences (e.g., sound pressure level, SPL, and signal-to-noise ratio, SNR). Here, we hypothesized that including physiological and acoustic data in models predicting EMA ratings can provide additional insights into real-world listening outcome. To test this, we collected and analyzed longitudinal data from individuals with normal hearing.

Method

Fifteen normal-hearing adults completed smartphone-based EMAs regarding their listening experiences during a 2-week period. When completing the EMAs, they had to indicate their current listening intent. The participants received a single HA each that they fastened to their collars. The HAs were used to collect continuous SPL and SNR data in the participants' daily environments. Wristbands worn by the participants were used to collect continuous HR data.

Results

Linear mixed-effects models with SPL, SNR, and HR as fixed effects and participant as random intercept showed that higher SPL and lower SNR were associated with lower (poorer) EMA ratings. Including listening intent in the analyses revealed increased HR in “speech communication” and “focused listening” situations to be associated with better EMA ratings relative to situations without any specific listening intent.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that including in-situ HR and acoustic measurements can improve the prediction of real-world listening experiences. Further, they suggest that listening intent significantly impacts self-reported listening experiences and their association with physiological responses. Specifically, better listening experiences in speech communication situations are associated with higher HR.
Application of photo-crosslinkable gelatin methacryloyl in wound healing
Authors: Zhang Jinli , Liu Changling , Li Xiaojian , Liu Zhihe , Zhang Zhi
Published: November 2023

Wound healing is a complex and coordinated biological process easily influenced by various internal and external factors. Hydrogels have immense practical importance in wound nursing because of their environmental moisturising, pain-relieving, and cooling effects. As photo-crosslinkable biomaterials, gelatine methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels exhibit substantial potential for tissue repair and reconstruction because of their tunable and beneficial properties. GelMA hydrogels have been extensively investigated as scaffolds for cell growth and drug release in various biomedical applications. They also hold great significance in wound healing because of their similarity to the components of the extracellular matrix of the skin and their favourable physicochemical properties. These hydrogels can promote wound healing and tissue remodelling by reducing inflammation, facilitating vascularisation, and supporting cell growth. In this study, we reviewed the applications of GelMA hydrogels in wound healing, including skin tissue engineering, wound dressing, and transdermal drug delivery. We aim to inspire further exploration of their potential for wound healing.
The effects of semaphorin 3A in bone and cartilage metabolism: fundamental mechanism and clinical potential
Authors: Wu KaiLe , Huang Donghua , Huang Xin
Published: November 2023

Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) is a neuroinformatic protein molecule with widespread expression across various tissues and organs. Recent investigations have unveiled its pivotal role in the skeletal system, primarily through its binding interactions with two co-receptors, neuropilin-1 (Nrp-1) and members of the plexin family. Prior research has confirmed the expression of Sema3A and its receptors in both osteocytes and chondrocytes. Beyond its expression patterns, Sema3A plays a multifaceted role in regulating bone and cartilage metabolism via employing diverse signaling pathways. Additionally, it engages in collaborative interactions with the immune and nervous systems, contributing to the pathophysiological processes underlying a spectrum of bone and joint diseases. In this paper, we undertake a comprehensive review of recent research developments in this field. Our objective is to deepen the understanding of Sema3A within the context of skeletal physiology and pathology. Furthermore, we aim to furnish a valuable reference for potential therapeutic interventions in the realm of bone and joint diseases.
Rapid detection of antimicrobial resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry
Authors: Rensner Josiah J. , Lueth Paul , Bellaire Bryan H. , Sahin Orhan , Lee Young Jin
Published: November 2023

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem in modern healthcare. Most antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) require long culture times which delay diagnosis and effective treatment. Our group has previously reported a proof-of-concept demonstration of a rapid AST in Escherichia coli using deuterium labeling and MALDI mass spectrometry. Culturing bacteria in D2O containing media incorporates deuterium in newly synthesized lipids, resulting in a mass shift that can be easily detected by mass spectrometry. The extent of new growth is measured by the average mass of synthesized lipids that can be correlated with resistance in the presence of antimicrobials. In this work, we adapt this procedure to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using the Bruker MALDI-TOF Biotyper, a low-cost instrument commonly available in diagnostic laboratories. The susceptible strain showed a significant decrease in average mass in on-target microdroplet cultures after 3 hours of incubation with 10 µg/mL methicillin, while the resistant strain showed consistent labeling regardless of methicillin concentration. This assay allows us to confidently detect methicillin resistance in S. aureus after only 3 hours of culture time and minimal sample processing, reducing the turn-around-time significantly over conventional assays. The success of this work suggests its potential as a rapid AST widely applicable in many clinical microbiology labs with minimal additional costs.
Risk factors and the value of microbiological examinations of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis in critically ill patients in intensive care unit: the appropriate microbiological examinations are crucial for the timely diagnosis of CAPA
Authors: Zhou Xiaoyi , Wu Xiaojing , Chen Ziying , Cui Xiaoyang , Cai Ying , Liu Youfang , Weng Bingbing , Zhan Qingyuan , Huang Linna
Published: November 2023

Introduction

During the Omicron pandemic in China, a significant proportion of patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) necessitated admission to intensive care unit (ICU) and experienced a high mortality. To explore the clinical risk factors and the application/indication of microbiological examinations of CAPA in ICU for timely diagnosis are very important.

Methods

This prospective study included patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICU between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. The clinical data of influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) patients from the past five consecutive influenza seasons (November 1, 2017, to March 31, 2022) were collected for comparison. The types of specimens and methods used for microbiological examinations were also recorded to explore the efficacy in early diagnosis.

Results

Among 123 COVID-19 patients, 36 (29.3%) were diagnosed with probable CAPA. CAPA patients were more immunosuppressed, in more serious condition, required more advanced respiratory support and had more other organ comorbidities. Solid organ transplantation, APACHEII score ≥20 points, 5 points ≤SOFA score <10 points were independent risk factors for CAPA. Qualified lower respiratory tract specimens were obtained from all patients, and 84/123 (68.3%) patients underwent bronchoscopy to obtain bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens. All patients’ lower respiratory tract specimens underwent fungal smear and culture; 79/123 (64.2%) and 69/123 (56.1%) patients underwent BALF galactomannan (GM) and serum GM detection, respectively; metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of the BALF was performed in 62/123 (50.4%) patients. BALF GM had the highest diagnostic sensitivity (84.9%), the area under the curve of the mNGS were the highest (0.812).

Conclusion

The incidence of CAPA was extremely high in patients admitted to the ICU. CAPA diagnosis mainly depends on microbiological evidence owing to non-specific clinical manifestations, routine laboratory examinations, and CT findings. The bronchoscopy should be performed and the BALF should be obtained as soon as possible. BALF GM are the most suitable microbiological examinations for the diagnosis of CAPA. Due to the timely and accuracy result of mNGS, it could assist in early diagnosis and might be an option in critically ill CAPA patients.
Transcriptomics and interactomics during the primary infection of an SfNPV baculovirus on Spodoptera frugiperda larvae
Authors: Rangel-Núñez Jonatan Carmen , Ibarra Jorge E. , Del Rincón-Castro Ma. Cristina
Published: November 2023

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, has been the most devastating pest of corn as well as of other crops in America, and more recently in Africa and Asia. The development of resistance to chemical insecticides led the search for environmentally friendly biological alternatives such as baculoviruses. This study focuses on the primary infection of the baculovirus SfNPV-Ar in the FAW’s midgut epithelium, by analyzing the differential expression of transcripts in excised midguts at 6, 12, and 24 h post-infection (hpi), and predicted their interactions. Interaction of viral factors with the infected midgut tissue could alters various cellular processes, such as the apoptotic system due to the up-regulation observed of FABP at 6 hpi and of HSP90 at 24 hpi, along with the down-regulated PRX at 6 hpi and FABP transcripts between 12 and 24 hpi. Changes in transcript regulation could affect the cellular architecture of infected cells due to up-regulation of ARP 2/3 at 6 and 12 hpi, followed by down-regulation at 24 hpi. In relation to protein folding proteins, HSP90 was up-regulated at 24 hpi and PDI was down-regulated between 6 and 12 hpi. With respect to metabolism and cellular transport, AcilBP and ATPS0 were up regulated at 6 hpi and 12 hpi, respectively. In reference to transcription and translation up-regulation of RPL11 at 6 hpi and of FPN32 and RPL19 at 24 hpi was detected, as well as the down-regulation of RPL19 at 6 hpi, of PDI and RPL7 at 12 hpi, and of FABP at 24 hpi. In conclusion, gene regulation induced by viral infection could be related to the cytoskeleton and cellular metabolism as well as to oxidative stress, apoptosis, protein folding, translation, and ribosomal structure. The results presented in this work are an approach to understanding how the virus takes control of the general metabolism of the insect host during the primary infection period.
An exploratory study of the motivations, expectations and impact for scientists coordinating science engagement activities
Authors: Bento Afonso , Catarino Ana Isabel , Moscoso Joana A.
Published: November 2023

Public engagement with science and science outreach initiatives have intensified their efforts to prioritize inclusivity and diversity as main core features. In this work, we describe a European-wide science engagement program designed to promote scientific literacy and multilingualism. The program consists of small-group, in-person interventions that foster interactions between scientists and school students from the same migrant community through workshops, delivered in a shared heritage language. Through an exploratory qualitative analysis of open-ended surveys, we analyzed the motivations, expectations and outcomes of scientists enrolled as coordinators in the program. We observed that the scientists coordinating the program have two major sets of motivations to participate: societal motives and personal motives. Furthermore, our results indicate a strong alignment between scientists' expectations and outcomes, in particular regarding the attainment of transferable skills, networking and personal fulfillment. We also explored in more depth the category of personal fulfillment as a motivation, expectation and outcome, leading us to identify the in-person feature of the workshops, as well as the shared characteristics of scientists and audience, as potential engagement factors to be explored in future research. We argue that the concept of embodied narratives, where scientists serve as visible living proof of achievement to a particular audience, can help frame this research.
Short-term echocardiographic follow-up after hospitalization for COVID-19: a focus on early post-acute changes
Authors: Honchar Oleksii , Ashcheulova Tetiana
Published: November 2023

Background

Impaired physical functional status is one of the typical long-term sequelae of COVID-19 infection that significantly affects the quality of life and work capacity. Minor changes in cardiac structure and function that are unable to cause the manifestation of overt heart failure may remain undetected in COVID-19 convalescents, at the same time potentially contributing to the persistence of symptoms and development of long COVID syndrome.

Purpose

To study the typical features and short-term dynamics of cardiac remodeling and possible signs of cardiac dysfunction following hospitalization for COVID-19.

Methods

This is a combined cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort study in which 176 hospitalized patients (93 female and 83 male, mean age 53.4 ± 13.6 years) with COVID-19 infection underwent comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography pre-discharge (22.6 ± 7.1 days from the onset of symptoms) with repeated evaluation after 1 month. The control group included 88 age-, sex-, height- and weight-matched healthy individuals, with a subset of those (n = 53) matched to the subset of non-hypertensive study participants (n = 106).

Results

Concentric left ventricular geometry was revealed in 59% of participants, including 43% of non-hypertensive subjects; predominantly Grade I diastolic dysfunction was found in 35 and 25% of patients, respectively. Other findings were naturally following from described phenotype of the left venticle and included a mild increase in the absolute and relative wall thickness (0.45 ± 0.07 vs. 0.39 ± 0.04, p < 0.001), worsening of diastolic indices (e’ velocity 9.2 ± 2.2 vs. 11.3 ± 2.6 cm/s, p < 0.001, E/e’ ratio 7.5 ± 1.8 vs. 6.8 ± 1.7, p = 0.002) and global longitudinal strain (17.5 ± 2.4 vs. 18.6 ± 2.2, p < 0.001). No significant improvement was found on re-evaluation at 1 month.

Conclusions

Hospitalized patients recovering from COVID-19 were characterized by a high prevalence of left ventricular concentric remodeling, predominantly Grade I diastolic dysfunction, and a mild decrease in the longitudinal systolic function. These changes were less frequent but still prevalent in the non-hypertensive subgroup and largely persisted throughout the 1-month follow-up.
Genetically predicted serum testosterone and risk of gynecological disorders: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhao Benzheng , Wang Zhenpeng , Liu Dongzhen , Zhang Songling
Published: November 2023

Background

Testosterone plays a key role in women, but the associations of serum testosterone level with gynecological disorders risk are inconclusive in observational studies.

Methods

We leveraged public genome-wide association studies to analyze the effects of four testosterone related exposure factors on nine gynecological diseases. Causal estimates were calculated by inverse variance–weighted (IVW), MR–Egger and weighted median methods. The heterogeneity test was performed on the obtained data through Cochrane’s Q value, and the horizontal pleiotropy test was performed on the data through MR–Egger intercept and MR-PRESSO methods. “mRnd” online analysis tool was used to evaluate the statistical power of MR estimates.

Results

The results showed that total testosterone and bioavailable testosterone were protective factors for ovarian cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 0.885, P = 0.012; OR = 0.871, P = 0.005) and endometriosis (OR = 0.805, P = 0.020; OR = 0.842, P = 0.028) but were risk factors for endometrial cancer (OR = 1.549, P < 0.001; OR = 1.499, P < 0.001) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (OR = 1.606, P = 0.019; OR = 1.637, P = 0.017). dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is a protective factor against endometriosis (OR = 0.840, P = 0.016) and premature ovarian failure (POF) (OR = 0.461, P = 0.046) and a risk factor for endometrial cancer (OR= 1.788, P < 0.001) and PCOS (OR= 1.970, P = 0.014). sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a protective factor against endometrial cancer (OR = 0.823, P < 0.001) and PCOS (OR = 0.715, P = 0.031).

Conclusion

Our analysis suggested causal associations between serum testosterone level and ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, endometriosis, PCOS, POF.
Effects of the Zishen Yutai Pill compared with placebo on pregnancy outcomes among women in a fresh embryo transfer cycle: a Post Hoc subgroup analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chen Xiaoli , Li Yu , Zhou Jiewen , Wei Xuemei , Ning Na , Huang Qiuling , Pang Xiufei , Yang Dongzi
Published: November 2023

Objective

To assess whether the administration of Zishen Yutai Pill (ZYP) could improve the pregnancy outcomes in different subgroups of women undergoing fresh embryo transfer cycles.

Materials and methods

This is a post hoc analysis of a large scale, placebo-controlled, double blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT) regarding the use of ZYP during assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. The RCT was conducted at 19 in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers between April 2014 and June 2017. A total of 2265 women undergoing fresh embryo transfer cycles were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive ZYP (n = 1131) or placebo (n = 1134). Post hoc logistic regression analyses were applied in this study to examine the between-group differences of ZYP and placebo on clinical pregnancy rate among different subgroups. Detailed analyses, both in intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol population, were also conducted in specific subgroups with regards to rates of implantation, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, live birth, pregnancy loss, as well as other neonatal indices.

Results

ZYP showed a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rates than placebo in the ITT population. Detailed subgroup analyses were conducted in subgroup in advanced maternal age (AMA, ≥ 35 years old) and overweight/obese patients (BMI > 24), due to the clinical importance and statistical results. In these subgroups, baseline characteristics were similar between two arms (all P > 0.05). Significantly elevated clinical pregnancy rates were observed in ZYP cohort (both P < 0.05) compared with the placebo group. Results also showed that ZYP treatment resulted in significantly higher rates of implantation, biochemical pregnancy in AMA or overweight/obese patients in ITT analysis (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The current post hoc subgroup analysis suggested that AMA and overweight/obese women could experience clinical benefits when treated with ZYP in their fresh embryo transfer cycles. The study provides references for the use of ZYP in ART practices. However, further studies in specific subgroups should be examined in more rigorous clinical trial settings.

Clinical trial registration

Chictr.org.cn, ChictrTRC-14004494.
Role of leisure sedentary behavior on type 2 diabetes and glycemic homeostasis: a Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Jia Hui , Liu Yifan , Liu Dandan
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine the impact of leisure sedentary behavior (LSB) on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and glycemic homeostasis impairment, as well as to identify potential mediating pathways involved in these associations.

Methods

We chose genetic variants linked to LSB from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) to use as instrumental variables (IVs). Then, we used a two-sample MR study to investigate the link between LSB and T2D and glycemic homeostasis. Multivariate MR (MVMR) and mediation analysis were also used to look at possible mediating paths.

Results

MR analysis showed a genetical link between leisure TV watching and T2D (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.39-1.93, P< 0.001) and impaired Glycemic Homeostasis, while leisure computer use seemed to protect against T2D prevalence (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.84, P< 0.001). It was found that leisure TV watching increases the risk of T2D through higher BMI (mediation effect 0.23, 95% CI 0.11-0.35, P< 0.001), higher triglycerides (mediation effect 0.07, 95% CI 0.04-0.11, P< 0.001), and less education (mediation effect 0.16, 95% CI 0.08-0.24, P< 0.001). Sensitivity and heterogeneity analyses further substantiated the robustness of these findings. Reverse MR analysis did not yield significant results.

Conclusion

This study shows LSB is linked to a higher rate of T2D and impaired glycemic homeostasis through obesity, lipid metabolism disorders, and reduced educational attainment.
Can regional environmental quality improve green innovation performance? an empirical analysis from China
Authors: Ding Zijing , Li Chen
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Green innovation is an important driving force for reducing pollution and achieving high-quality development. Environmental factors are important external variables that affect innovation and are crucial to innovation development. There is a close relationship between environmental quality and green innovation performance. This paper takes the single environmental factor and combination of environmental factors of environmental quality heterogeneity as the explanatory variables, the traffic scale, economic scale, industrial scale and consumption scale as the control variables, and the per capita GDP of each city as the threshold variable, and calculates the impact of the single environmental factor and combination of environmental quality factors on the green innovation performance of 286 cities in China under different per capita GDP thresholds.

Methods: We used Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Threshold Regression model to measure the relationship between environmental quality and green innovation.

Results: 1) under different thresholds, a single environmental factor has different impacts on the comprehensive level of innovation drive in Chinese cities. Comparing the single environmental factor under different threshold values of per capita GDP, when the per capita GDP is low, attention should be paid to improving the centralized treatment rate of urban sewage treatment plants and the comprehensive utilization rate of general industrial solid waste; When the per capita GDP is high, the harmless treatment rate of domestic waste, the centralized treatment rate of sewage treatment plants, the green coverage rate of the built-up area, and the green area can all have different promotion effects on the driving capacity of cities along the line. 2) Under different thresholds, the elasticity coefficient of the total ecological environment, the total ecological environment has a relatively obvious promoting effect on the innovation-driven development of cities along the line, but this promoting effect shows a further weakening trend with the increase of per capita GDP.

Conclusion: This study helps to explain environmental quality and green innovation, which is important for promoting sustainable economic development. The government should control environmental pollution and introduce laws and policies to ensure innovation.
More losses than gains? Distribution models predict species-specific shifts in climatic suitability for European beech forest herbs under climate change
Authors: Kermavnar Janez , Kutnar Lado , Marinšek Aleksander
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Herbaceous plant species constitute an essential element of the flora of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests. There is increasing evidence that rapidly changing climate is likely to modify the spatial distribution of plant species. However, we lack understanding of the impact that climate change might have on beech forest herbs across the European continent. We investigated the possible effects of predicted increasing rates of global warming and altered precipitation regimes on 71 forest herbs closely associated with beech forests, but with varying biogeographic and climatic niche attributes.

Methods

By using a total of 394,502 occurrence records and an ensemble of species distribution models (SDMs), we quantified the potential current distribution and future (2061-2080) range shifts in climatic suitability (expressed as occurrence probability, OP) according to two climate change scenarios (moderate SSP2-4.5 and severe SSP5-8.5).

Results

Overall, precipitation of the warmest quarter and temperature seasonality were the most influential predictors in shaping current distribution patterns. For SSP5-8.5 scenario, all studied species experienced significant reductions (52.9% on average) in the total size of highly suitable areas (OP >0.75). However, the magnitude and directions of changes in the climatic suitability were highly species-specific; few species might even increase OP in the future, particularly in case of SSP2-4.5 scenario. The SDMs revealed the most substantial decline of climatic suitability at the trailing edges in southern Europe. We found that climatic suitability is predicted to show unidirectional northward shift and to move toward higher elevations. The gain/loss ratio was generally higher for narrow-ranged species compared to widespread taxa.

Discussion

Our findings are contextualized with regards to potential confounding factors (dispersal limitation, microclimatic buffering) that may mitigate or accelerate climate change impacts. Given the low long-distance migration ability, many beech forest herbs are unlikely to track the velocity with which macroclimatic isotherms are moving toward higher latitudes, making this species group particularly vulnerable to climate change.
Informing climate adaptation strategies using ecological simulation models and spatial decision support tools
Authors: Furniss Tucker J. , Povak Nicholas A. , Hessburg Paul F. , Salter R. Brion , Duan Zhuoran , Wigmosta Mark
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Forest landscapes offer resources and ecosystem services that are vital to the social, economic, and cultural well-being of human communities, but managing for these provisions can require socially and ecologically relevant trade-offs. We designed a spatial decision support model to reveal trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services in a large eastern Cascade Mountain landscape in Washington State, USA.

Methods

We used process-based forest landscape (LANDIS-II) and hydrology (DHSVM) models to compare outcomes associated with 100 years of simulated forest and wildfire dynamics for two management scenarios,Wildfire only and Wildfire + Treatments. We then examined the strength and spatial distribution of potential treatment effects and trends in a set of resources and ecosystem services over the simulation period.

Results

We found that wildfire area burned increased over time, but some impacts could be mitigated by adaptation treatments. Treatment benefits were not limited to treated areas. Interestingly, we observed neighborhood benefits where fire spread and severity were reduced not only in treated patches but in adjacent patches and landscapes as well, creating potential synergies among some resource benefits and services. Ordinations provided further evidence for two main kinds of outcomes. Positive ecological effects of treatments were greatest in upper elevation moist and cold forests, while positive benefits to human communities were aligned with drier, low- and mid-elevation forests closer to the wildland urban interface.

Discussion

Our results contribute to improved understanding of synergies and tradeoffs linked to adaptation and restoration efforts in fire-prone forests and can be used to inform management aimed at rebuilding resilient, climate-adapted landscapes.
Genome of Linum usitatissimum convar. crepitans expands the view on the section Linum
Authors: Dvorianinova Ekaterina M. , Pushkova Elena N. , Bolsheva Nadezhda L. , Borkhert Elena V. , Rozhmina Tatiana A. , Zhernova Daiana A. , Novakovskiy Roman O. , Turba Anastasia A. , Sigova Elizaveta A. , Melnikova Nataliya V. , Dmitriev Alexey A.
Published: November 2023

Sequencing whole plant genomes provides a solid foundation for applied and basic studies. Genome sequences of agricultural plants attract special attention, as they reveal information on the regulation of beneficial plant traits. Flax is a valuable crop cultivated for oil and fiber. Genome sequences of its representatives are rich sources of genetic information for the improvement of cultivated forms of the plant. In our work, we sequenced the first genome of flax with the dehiscence of capsules—Linum usitatissimum convar. сrepitans (Boenn.) Dumort—on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and Illumina platforms. We obtained 23 Gb of raw ONT data and 89 M of 150 + 150 paired-end Illumina reads and tested different tools for genome assembly and polishing. The genome assembly produced according to the Canu—Racon ×2—medaka—POLCA scheme had optimal contiguity and completeness: assembly length—412.6 Mb, N50—5.2 Mb, L50—28, and complete BUSCO—94.6% (64.0% duplicated, eudicots_odb10). The obtained high-quality genome assembly of L. usitatissimum convar. crepitans provides opportunities for further studies of evolution, domestication, and genome regulation in the section Linum.
Contribution of histone variants to aneuploidy: a cancer perspective
Authors: Ragusa Denise , Vagnarelli Paola
Published: November 2023

Histone variants, which generally differ in few amino acid residues, can replace core histones (H1, H2A, H2B, and H3) to confer specific structural and functional features to regulate cellular functions. In addition to their role in DNA packaging, histones modulate key processes such as gene expression regulation and chromosome segregation, which are frequently dysregulated in cancer cells. During the years, histones variants have gained significant attention as gatekeepers of chromosome stability, raising interest in understanding how structural and functional alterations can contribute to tumourigenesis. Beside the well-established role of the histone H3 variant CENP-A in centromere specification and maintenance, a growing body of literature has described mutations, aberrant expression patterns and post-translational modifications of a variety of histone variants in several cancers, also coining the term “oncohistones.” At the molecular level, mechanistic studies have been dissecting the biological mechanisms behind histones and missegregation events, with the potential to uncover novel clinically-relevant targets. In this review, we focus on the current understanding and highlight knowledge gaps of the contribution of histone variants to aneuploidy, and we have compiled a database (HistoPloidyDB) of histone gene alterations linked to aneuploidy in cancers of the The Cancer Genome Atlas project.
Association of SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 polymorphisms on the susceptibility of diabetic retinopathy in the Taiwanese population
Authors: Peng Shu-Yen , Chuang Chih-Chun , Hwang Yih-Shiou , Yen Chieh-Hung , Lee Chia-Yi , Yang Shun-Fa
Published: November 2023

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptor CXC chemokine 4 (CXCR4) have been demonstrated to play critical roles in diabetic retinopathy (DR). This study investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 are correlated with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Three SDF-1 SNPs, namely, rs1801157 (G/A), rs2297630 (G/A), and rs266085 (T/C), and two CXCR4 SNPs, namely, rs2228014 (C/T) and rs6430612 (C/T), were chosen and genotyped via the TaqMan allelic discrimination for 454 non-DR subjects and 276 DR individuals. Our results revealed that subjects carrying SDF-1 SNP rs2297630 GA (AOR: 2.962, 95% CI: 1.279-6.861, p = 0.011) and SDF-1 SNP rs2297630 GA + AA (AOR: 3.095, 95% CI: 1.394-6.872, p = 0.006) had significantly higher risk in the non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) groups than in the non-DR group. Further analyses using the datasets from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) Portal revealed that SDF-1 SNP rs2297630 GA and AA genotypic variants have higher SDF-1 expression than the GG wild-type alleles (p = 0.000016). In conclusion, our findings revealed that SDF-1 SNP rs2297630 was associated with NPDR.
Effective population size of Culex quinquefasciatus under insecticide-based vector management and following Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas
Authors: Huang Xinyue , Athrey Giridhar N. , Kaufman Phillip E. , Fredregill Chris , Slotman Michel A.
Published: November 2023

Introduction:Culex quinquefasciatus is a mosquito species of significant public health importance due to its ability to transmit multiple pathogens that can cause mosquito-borne diseases, such as West Nile fever and St. Louis encephalitis. In Harris County, Texas, Cx. quinquefasciatus is a common vector species and is subjected to insecticide-based management by the Harris County Public Health Department. However, insecticide resistance in mosquitoes has increased rapidly worldwide and raises concerns about maintaining the effectiveness of vector control approaches. This concern is highly relevant in Texas, with its humid subtropical climate along the Gulf Coast that provides suitable habitat for Cx. quinquefasciatus and other mosquito species that are known disease vectors. Therefore, there is an urgent and ongoing need to monitor the effectiveness of current vector control programs.

Methods: In this study, we evaluated the impact of vector control approaches by estimating the effective population size of Cx. quinquefasciatus in Harris County. We applied Approximate Bayesian Computation to microsatellite data to estimate effective population size. We collected Cx. quinquefasciatus samples from two mosquito control operation areas; 415 and 802, during routine vector monitoring in 2016 and 2017. No county mosquito control operations were applied at area 415 in 2016 and 2017, whereas extensive adulticide spraying operations were in effect at area 802 during the summer of 2016. We collected data for eighteen microsatellite markers for 713 and 723 mosquitoes at eight timepoints from 2016 to 2017 in areas 415 and 802, respectively. We also investigated the impact of Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in the Houston area in August of 2017 on Cx. quinquefasciatus population fluctuation.

Results: We found that the bottleneck scenario was the most probable historical scenario describing the impact of the winter season at area 415 and area 802, with the highest posterior probability of 0.9167 and 0.4966, respectively. We also detected an expansion event following Hurricane Harvey at area 802, showing a 3.03-fold increase in 2017.

Discussion: Although we did not detect significant effects of vector control interventions, we found considerable influences of the winter season and a major hurricane on the effective population size of Cx. quinquefasciatus. The fluctuations in effective population size in both areas showed a significant seasonal pattern. Additionally, the significant population expansion following Hurricane Harvey in 2017 supports the necessity for post-hurricane vector-control interventions.
How freedom of movement infringes on the right to leave
Authors: Oelgemöller Christina
Published: November 2023

This article contributes to discussions that problematize the recent proliferation of soft law instruments in relation to international migration. The Global Compact for Migration has placed soft norm instruments more formally on the agenda of plausible tools with which to regulate people's movement. I am contributing to these discussions by engaging with the question of how the amalgamation of soft and hard law contributes to and impacts on legal effects, using a postcolonial feminist lens. I do so by focusing on the interaction between freedom of movement and the right to leave in the ECOWAS area, drawing on original research material collected mainly in Abuja, Nigeria, but also in Senegal, Guinea, and The Gambia. It is argued that freedom of movement provisions, as they are promoted by the ECOWAS and largely funded by inter-governmental organizations and European donor countries, end up infringing the right to leave. In a first step, existing norms at international, continental, regional, and national level are discussed to prepare the ground to answer the question how such infringing is done. From this step, I conclude that the triple layers of legal instruments, political instruments, and programming are impairing the intent of the right to leave in the way that a politico-legal landscape is constructed within which programs operationalize freedom of movement. The next step then looks at freedom of movement programming at regional, national, and local levels by asking about the subjectivities that are created—for example the “potential migrant”; by shedding light on practices of resistance—for example in how national governments use diplomacy to disengage; and by highlighting how “home patch” talk renders those potential migrants leaving not just implausible but suspect. It is found that, in the legal and political context of West Africa, soft norms thrive. The GCM constitutes an unhelpful list of random contradictory approaches that orient ideas, policy initiatives, programs, and ultimately people, toward being fixed in place, rather than being able to leave and to move freely should they want to. This happens in-country when people have not yet begun to move.
The transcriptomics profiling of blood CD4 and CD8 T-cells in narcolepsy type I
Authors: Khajavi Leila , Nguyen Xuan-Hung , Queriault Clémence , Chabod Marianne , Barateau Lucie , Dauvilliers Yves , Zytnicki Matthias , Liblau Roland
Published: November 2023

Background

Narcolepsy Type I (NT1) is a rare, life-long sleep disorder arising as a consequence of the extensive destruction of orexin-producing hypothalamic neurons. The mechanisms involved in the destruction of orexin neurons are not yet elucidated but the association of narcolepsy with environmental triggers and genetic susceptibility (strong association with the HLA, TCRs and other immunologically-relevant loci) implicates an immuno-pathological process. Several studies in animal models and on human samples have suggested that T-cells are the main pathogenic culprits.

Methods

RNA sequencing was performed on four CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets (naive, effector, effector memory and central memory) sorted by flow cytometry from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of NT1 patients and HLA-matched healthy donors as well as (age- and sex-) matched individuals suffering from other sleep disorders (OSD). The RNAseq analysis was conducted by comparing the transcriptome of NT1 patients to that of healthy donors and other sleep disorder patients (collectively referred to as the non-narcolepsy controls) in order to identify NT1-specific genes and pathways.

Results

We determined NT1-specific differentially expressed genes, several of which are involved in tubulin arrangement found in CD4 (TBCB, CCT5, EML4, TPGS1, TPGS2) and CD8 (TTLL7) T cell subsets, which play a role in the immune synapse formation and TCR signaling. Furthermore, we identified genes (GZMB, LTB in CD4 T-cells and NLRP3, TRADD, IL6, CXCR1, FOXO3, FOXP3 in CD8 T-cells) and pathways involved in various aspects of inflammation and inflammatory response. More specifically, the inflammatory profile was identified in the “naive” subset of CD4 and CD8 T-cell.

Conclusion

We identified NT1-specific differentially expressed genes, providing a cell-type and subset specific catalog describing their functions in T-cells as well as their potential involvement in NT1. Several genes and pathways identified are involved in the formation of the immune synapse and TCR activation as well as inflammation and the inflammatory response. An inflammatory transcriptomic profile was detected in both “naive” CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets suggesting their possible involvement in the development or progression of the narcoleptic process.
Polyreactivity of antibodies from different B-cell subpopulations is determined by distinct sequence patterns of variable region
Authors: Lecerf Maxime , Lacombe Robin V. , Dimitrov Jordan D.
Published: November 2023

An antibody molecule that can bind to multiple distinct antigens is defined as polyreactive. In the present study, we performed statistical analyses to assess sequence correlates of polyreactivity of >600 antibodies cloned from different B-cell types of healthy humans. The data revealed several sequence patterns of variable regions of heavy and light immunoglobulin chains that determine polyreactivity. The most prominent identified patterns were increased number of basic amino acid residues, reduced frequency of acidic residues, increased number of aromatic and hydrophobic residues, and longer length of CDR L1. Importantly, our study revealed that antibodies isolated from different B-cell populations used distinct sequence patterns (or combinations of them) for polyreactive antigen binding. Furthermore, we combined the data from sequence analyses with molecular modeling of selected polyreactive antibodies and demonstrated that human antibodies can use multiple pathways for achieving antigen-binding promiscuity. These data reconcile some contradictions in the literature regarding the determinants of antibody polyreactivity. Moreover, our study demonstrates that the mechanism of polyreactivity of antibodies evolves during immune response and might be tailored to specific functional properties of different B-cell compartments. Finally, these data can be of use for efforts in the development and engineering of therapeutic antibodies.
Targeting CaN/NFAT in Alzheimer’s brain degeneration
Authors: Mackiewicz Joanna , Lisek Malwina , Boczek Tomasz
Published: November 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of cognitive functions. While the exact causes of this debilitating disorder remain elusive, numerous investigations have characterized its two core pathologies: the presence of β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Additionally, multiple studies of postmortem brain tissue, as well as results from AD preclinical models, have consistently demonstrated the presence of a sustained inflammatory response. As the persistent immune response is associated with neurodegeneration, it became clear that it may also exacerbate other AD pathologies, providing a link between the initial deposition of β-amyloid plaques and the later development of neurofibrillary tangles. Initially discovered in T cells, the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) is one of the main transcription factors driving the expression of inflammatory genes and thus regulating immune responses. NFAT-dependent production of inflammatory mediators is controlled by Ca2+-dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin (CaN), which dephosphorylates NFAT and promotes its transcriptional activity. A substantial body of evidence has demonstrated that aberrant CaN/NFAT signaling is linked to several pathologies observed in AD, including neuronal apoptosis, synaptic deficits, and glia activation. In view of this, the role of NFAT isoforms in AD has been linked to disease progression at different stages, some of which are paralleled to diminished cognitive status. The use of classical inhibitors of CaN/NFAT signaling, such as tacrolimus or cyclosporine, or adeno-associated viruses to specifically inhibit astrocytic NFAT activation, has alleviated some symptoms of AD by diminishing β-amyloid neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation. In this article, we discuss the recent findings related to the contribution of CaN/NFAT signaling to the progression of AD and highlight the possible benefits of targeting this pathway in AD treatment.
Anti-inflammatory effect of dental pulp stem cells
Authors: Li FenYao , Wang XinXin , Shi Jin , Wu ShuTing , Xing WenBo , He Yan
Published: November 2023

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have received a lot of attention as a regenerative medicine tool with strong immunomodulatory capabilities. The excessive inflammatory response involves a variety of immune cells, cytokines, and has a considerable impact on tissue regeneration. The use of DPSCs for controlling inflammation for the purpose of treating inflammation-related diseases and autoimmune disorders such as supraspinal nerve inflammation, inflammation of the pulmonary airways, systemic lupus erythematosus, and diabetes mellitus is likely to be safer and more regenerative than traditional medicines. The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of DPSCs is relatively complex, and it may be that they themselves or some of the substances they secrete regulate a variety of immune cells through inflammatory immune-related signaling pathways. Most of the current studies are still at the laboratory cellular level and animal model level, and it is believed that through the efforts of more researchers, DPSCs/SHED are expected to be transformed into excellent drugs for the clinical treatment of related diseases.