bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisão sistemática de COVID-19 associado a aspergilose: perspectivas para um novo diagnóstico
Authors: Gervásio Flávia Martins , Franco Jéssyka Viana Valadares , Sampaio Andressa de Sousa , Passos Adna Rocha dos , Sakamoto Agnês Mie , Silva Daniela de Sousa , Braz Dayanna Cristina , Seixas Geovanna Cardoso , Spindola Letícia Antunes , Abreu Thamires Monteiro de
Published: September 2022

A associação da síndrome respiratória aguda grave 2 (SARS-COV-2) com a aspergilose pulmonar invasiva (API), denomina-se CAPA. Não possui protocolos clínicos mundiais e/ou nacionais, resultando em manejo e tratamento de baixa eficácia e alta mortalidade. Objetivou-se associar as manifestações de SARS-COV-2 e API, em relação aos métodos de investigação diagnóstica, comprometimentos respiratórios e desfecho clínico. A revisão sistemática da literatura teve como base de dados a Pubmed, adotou descritores em inglês: “aspergilosis”, “covid”, “histology”, booleano and e filtro humans, publicadas a partir de 2019. Foram identificados 31 artigos, destes 10 foram inclusos. O diagnóstico para API incluiu, principalmente, pesquisa do antígeno galactomanana do Aspergillus em soro ou escarro, PCR de Aspergillus em aspirado traqueal e cultura de amostras respiratórias. Os comprometimentos respiratórios destacados são imagens em vidro fosco, consolidações nodulares, pneumopatia intersticial bilateral, cujo desfecho predominante é o óbito. Por fim, destacou-se que na CAPA ocorre uma coinfecção, propondo estudos que busquem uma unificação do seu diagnóstico, para melhorar o desfecho clínico e minimizar a mortalidade.
Development of gelatin nanoparticles for the treatment of pathologies caused by Paraccocideoides brasiliensis
Authors: Silva Aline Cristiane de Oliveira , Gouvea Thainara Alves , Ambrósio Jéssica Aparecida Ribeiro , Beltrame Junior Milton , Leite Priscila Maria Sarmeiro Correa Marciano , Morais Flavia Villaça , Simioni Andreza Ribeiro , Gonçalves Erika Peterson
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Paraccocideoides brasiliensis (Pb) is a fungal pathology that causes serious lesions in the mouth in the form of ulcerations that destroy the gingiva, palate, reflecting on the immune system. For the treatment of Paracoccidioidomycosis (PMC) the choice of drug is based on the degree of the disease, with Amphotericin B (AB) being the most used due to its mechanism of action and interaction with the fungal membrane, causing its destruction. However, with all the history of AB toxicity, there is a need to reduce the serum levels of the drug in the body. The use of nanoparticles as controlled release systems (DDS) is an alternative for this purpose. The objective of this article was to develop gelatin nanoparticles for the treatment of pathologies caused by Pb. Method: In this work, gelatin nanoparticles were processed by the two-step desolvation method and loaded with AB. The nanoparticulate system was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Finally, the effectiveness of DDS was evaluated against Pb yeasts by Disk Diffusion Test. Results: the synthesized particles presented suitable sizes and shapes for application in DDS with an average size of 169.4 and 172.0 nm, for the free and encapsulated system, respectively. Biological model tests of Pb showed positive results indicating that lower concentrations of AB can be efficiently administered if nanostructured DDS is used. Conclusion: This study is promising for future applications of AB-loaded gelatin nanoparticles for the treatment of pathologies caused by Paraccocideoides brasiliensis.
Estratificação da vulnerabilidade familiar: Percepções de equipes de Estratégia Saúde da Família
Authors: Leandrini Beatriz Marroni , Camillo Nádia Raquel Suzini
Published: September 2022

Esta pesquisa objetivou apreender a percepção dos membros de equipes de Estratégia Saúde da Família sobre a estratificação da vulnerabilidade familiar de famílias adscritas. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo e exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, realizado com os integrantes das equipes de Estratégia Saúde da Família de um município paranaense. As informações foram coletadas por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, gravada, norteada pela questão “Fale-me sobre a estratificação da vulnerabilidade familiar das famílias adscritas”. Todos os preceitos éticos foram respeitados. Após coletados, os depoimentos gravados foram transcritos na íntegra e submetidos à técnica de análise de conteúdo, na modalidade temática, respeitando-se as etapas de pré-análise, exploração do material e tratamento dos resultados. Por meio dessa técnica de análise, os resultados foram organizados por similaridade e apresentados nas seguintes categorias temáticas: Potencialidades do processo de estratificação da vulnerabilidade familiar; Fragilidades do processo de estratificação da vulnerabilidade familiar; Estratégias para possíveis melhorias do processo de estratificação da vulnerabilidade familiar. Conclui-se que os achados advindos desse estudo revelam potencialidades e fragilidades atinentes à prática da estratificação da vulnerabilidade familiar vivenciados por equipes de Estratégia Saúde da Família e poderão impulsionar a implementação de melhorias ao referido processo de estratificação consequente às estratégias para possíveis melhorias evidenciadas pelos entrevistados.
Efeitos do uso de diferentes dentifrícios com carvão ativado sobre as estruturas dentárias: revisão integrativa da literatura
Authors: Vieira Layla Jeovanna , Carvalho Thiago de Amorim
Published: September 2022

Com o aumento da procura por estética dental especialmente relacionada à cor e a influência das mídias sociais, o carvão ativado se tornou um dos produtos mais usados para atrair os consumidores. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar as consequências do uso diário dos dentifrícios com carvão ativado para a estrutura dental. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura realizada sob os parâmetros da estratégia PRISMA para revisões sistemáticas, com busca nas bases de dados Pubmed e Google Acadêmico. Após a aplicação dos critérios de inclusão e exclusão, 14 artigos foram selecionados para a análise qualitativa. As estruturas dentárias parecem sofrer danos com o uso contínuo do carvão ativado como agente de limpeza, tanto do ponto de vista estrutural, causando desgaste do esmalte e aumento de sua rugosidade superficial que pode culminar em maior acúmulo de biofilme, quanto do ponto de vista químico, interagindo com os íons fluoreto, importantes nos processos de remineralização dental. Mais estudos são necessários para fomentar ações mais contundentes por parte das autoridades sanitárias e do próprio Conselho de Odontologia, já que, apesar dos riscos do uso dos produtos contendo carvão ativado para saúde bucal parecerem maiores que os benefícios, ainda há estudos que demonstram vantagens em seu uso.
Perfil funcional do paciente pós alta da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva
Authors: Carvalho Lêda Leonôr Mendonça , Santos Ingrid Mendes , Alves Maria Emília Dantas , Silva Anne Aurielly de Almeida , Cruz Johnatan Weslley Araujo , Almeida Lucas Aragão da Hora , Cerqueira Telma Cristina Fontes
Published: September 2022

Introdução: Mesmo frente ao grande número de pacientes que tem uma sobrevida pós alta da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), a maioria sobre complicações que afetam sua funcionalidade. Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil funcional do paciente pós alta da unidade de terapia intensiva e identificar os fatores determinantes que influenciam na funcionalidade. Metodologia: Estudo longitudinal, observacional e descritivo, tendo uma abordagem quantitativa incluindo pacientes admitidos na UTI de um Hospital Universitário no Estado de  Sergipe, no período de agosto de 2018 a março de 2020. Como instrumento de pesquisa, foi usada a Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF) em três momentos: na admissão hospitalar, para mensuração da independência funcional prévia à internação hospitalar, na admissão na UTI, para mensuração da funcionalidade prévia à internação na UTI; e na alta imediata . Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 206 pacientes, sendo incluídos 91 participantes. Observou-se uma redução da MIF na admissão na UTI comparada à MIF prévia hospitalar e uma tendência à elevação na alta, porém os valores não retornam ao que foi observado antes da internação hospitalar. Além disso, aqueles pacientes com idade mais avançada e que utilizaram ventilação mecânica por um maior período e com um maior tempo de internação, foram determinantes para a MIF após a alta da UTI. Conclusão: Conclui-se que o processo de hospitalização, especialmente na UTI, de pacientes de idade mais avançada, em uso ventilação mecânica e com um maior tempo de internação, provoca uma redução significativa na funcionalidade.
Compartilhando saberes, sabores e saúde através de ensaio gastronômico sustentável
Authors: Nascimento Maria do Carmo Freitas , Viçosi Paulo Willian Brunelli , Barbieri Bruno Kapitsyki , Nascimento Maria Veronica Freitas , Breier Tiago Böer , Oliveira Valéria Rodrigues de
Published: September 2022

Relato de experiência gastronômica realizada com Grupo de Mulheres da Comunidade de São Pedro Frio, zona rural do município de Colatina, estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil, durante o Encontro “Sabor e Prosa”. Este encontro descendeu de um projeto que teve como objetivo o estudo do potencial ecoturístico de São Pedro Frio através do método de construção de cartografias socioambientais, como proposta de pesquisa participativa. A alimentação tem papel fundamental na vida humana e o incentivo a oferta de alimentos saudáveis têm ampliado entre os diferentes setores. Atualmente, a gastronomia assumi outras proporções, incluindo o lúdico, artístico e de saúde. A experiência foi realizada em duas etapas presenciais e por meio de contatos telefônicos. O ensaio foi planejado com vista na utilização de recursos naturais atrelados aos conceitos de sustentabilidade e alimentação saudável. Foi observado integração entre o grupo e discussões sobre a utilização de ingredientes como espécies de plantas alimentícias não convencionais. O cardápio apresentado, a saber:  canapé de tapioca com geleia de manga, folha de ora-pro-nóbis e flor de jambo, peixe à prosa (filé de tilápia empanado e descansado em cheio verde), arroz com manjericão e castanha de caju, vinho tinto e suco natural de uva. Práticas gastronômicas em comunidades rurais que estimulem o potencial gastronômico podem servir como instrumento para o fortalecimento de uma gastronomia turística sustentável e saudável.
Percepção de enfermeiros no rastreamento das hepatites virais na atenção primária em saúde
Authors: Lima Ellaine Valéria Araújo da Silva , Santos Thais de Oliveira Carvalho Granado , Andrade Ana Gabriela Sabaa Srur de , Lima Débora Suellen de Oliveira Guimarães , Lima João Gabriel Barbosa , Ferreira Ilma Pastana , Moia Lizomar de Jesus Maues Pereira , Santos Valéria Regina Cavalcante dos , Moraes Pilar Maria de Oliveira , Duarte Xaene Maria Fernandes
Published: September 2022

Objetivo: Analisar a percepção de enfermeiros no rastreamento das hepatites virais na Atenção Primária em Saúde (APS). Métodos: Trata-se de uma pesquisa-ação desenvolvida no município de Ananindeua, Estado do Pará e aprovada no Comitê de Ética sob parecer número: 5.081.537. A coleta de dados foi realizada no período de agosto/2021 a fevereiro/2022 com profissionais Enfermeiros da Estratégia Saúde da Família- ESF, por meio da aplicação de questionário semi-estruturado contendo dez itens sobre a caracterização sociodemográfica e laboral e escala tipo Likert de 5 pontos na qual os participantes puderam classificar seu conhecimento acerca de 16 (dezesseis) questões referente às atribuições dos participantes, em conformidade com a Nota Técnica no 369/2020-CGAHV/.DCCI/SVS/MS, a qual versa sobre a ampliação estratégica do acesso da população brasileira ao diagnóstico das hepatites virais e encaminhamento de casos detectados para tratamento. Resultados: O estudo abrangeu 20 profissionais, a maioria do sexo feminino (95%). 100% dos participantes aprovam a importância de conhecer o perfil epidemiológico da população de sua área adstrita e reconhecem a importância em identificar a existência de gestantes com hepatite B e ou C e da obrigatoriedade de notificações compulsórias das hepatites virais. Quanto à cobertura vacinal, apenas 1% dos entrevistados ficou indeciso quanto a sua importância. Conclusão: Diante das várias atribuições do profissional enfermeiro na APS, foi possível identificar que são necessárias criar estratégias que facilitem a gestão do tempo destes profissionais para atuarem na dimensão da produção do cuidado e rastreamento das hepatites virais podendo dedicar um tempo maior para essa atividade e realizar a atenção integral ao usuário de forma mais qualificada acompanhando-os em todo o fluxo de atendimento com ações de prevenção, promoção e tratamento, assim contribuindo com a cobertura e o acesso universal fornecendo sentido à relação dos serviços de saúde com os indivíduos da comunidade, bem como contribuindo com a cobertura e o acesso universal à saúde. Palavras
Harnessing hyaluronic acid for the treatment of osteoarthritis: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Zhang Jun , Lin Miaoyuan , Huang Yanran , Wang Yuping , Huang Tianji , Wu Zhillin , Li Zefang , Xu Jingtao , Zhao Runhan , Luo Xiaoji
Published: September 2022

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease which usually occurs in middle-aged and elderly people. Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been widely used to treat OA and related researches on the efficacy and safety of HA in the treatment of OA have been published. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to investigate the subject characteristics of harnessing HA for the treatment of OA and to analyse the relevant trends and hotspots by using a bibliometric approach.

Methods: The articles published from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2021 were searched in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and the relevant information of HA for the treatment of OA was extracted after screening. Then, a total of 2438 publications were analysed by using Microsoft Excel, CiteSpace 5.8.R3, VOSviewer 1.6.18 and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology (http://bibliometric.com/).

Results: A total of 2438 articles were finally included for analysis. The number of publications increased year by year. A total of 83 coutries and 3319 institutions published 2438 manuscripts in the field of use HA for the treatment of OA. The most productive country was United States with total 689 publications and League of European Research Universities Leru (Belgium) was the leading institution with total 126 publicatios. In terms of authors, the most prominent author was KrausVB, who published 28 papers with the highest H-index (19). In addition, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage had the highest number of publications (152 articles) and the highest number of citations (6450 citations). The co-cited references analysis indicated that the article published by McAlindon in 2014 had the most highest number of citations (91co-citations). What’s more, most research hotspots focused on the efficacy and safety of HA, and regenerative medicine researches such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted more and more attentions of researchers.

Conclusion: This study visually analyzed the historical evolution and future trends of HA for the treatment of OA, and discussed the research priorities. At present, there are still different views on the efficacy of HA for the treatment of OA. Gradually, research hotspots of this field have focused on the regenerative medicine.
Physically stimulus-responsive nanoparticles for therapy and diagnosis
Authors: Farjadian Fatemeh , Ghasemi Soheila , Akbarian Mohsen , Hoseini-Ghahfarokhi Mojtaba , Moghoofei Mohsen , Doroudian Mohammad
Published: September 2022

Nanoparticles offer numerous advantages in various fields of science, particularly in medicine. Over recent years, the use of nanoparticles in disease diagnosis and treatments has increased dramatically by the development of stimuli-responsive nano-systems, which can respond to internal or external stimuli. In the last 10 years, many preclinical studies were performed on physically triggered nano-systems to develop and optimize stable, precise, and selective therapeutic or diagnostic agents. In this regard, the systems must meet the requirements of efficacy, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and safety before clinical investigation. Several undesired aspects need to be addressed to successfully translate these physical stimuli-responsive nano-systems, as biomaterials, into clinical practice. These have to be commonly taken into account when developing physically triggered systems; thus, also applicable for nano-systems based on nanomaterials. This review focuses on physically triggered nano-systems (PTNSs), with diagnostic or therapeutic and theranostic applications. Several types of physically triggered nano-systems based on polymeric micelles and hydrogels, mesoporous silica, and magnets are reviewed and discussed in various aspects.
Regulation of cGAS/STING signaling and corresponding immune escape strategies of viruses
Authors: Ge Zhe , Ding Shuzhe
Published: September 2022

Innate immunity is the first line of defense against invading external pathogens, and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are the key receptors that mediate the innate immune response. Nowadays, there are various PRRs in cells that can activate the innate immune response by recognizing pathogen-related molecular patterns (PAMPs). The DNA sensor cGAS, which belongs to the PRRs, plays a crucial role in innate immunity. cGAS detects both foreign and host DNA and generates a second-messenger cGAMP to mediate stimulator of interferon gene (STING)-dependent antiviral responses, thereby exerting an antiviral immune response. However, the process of cGAS/STING signaling is regulated by a wide range of factors. Multiple studies have shown that viruses directly target signal transduction proteins in the cGAS/STING signaling through viral surface proteins to impede innate immunity. It is noteworthy that the virus utilizes these cGAS/STING signaling regulators to evade immune surveillance. Thus, this paper mainly summarized the regulatory mechanism of the cGAS/STING signaling pathway and the immune escape mechanism of the corresponding virus, intending to provide targeted immunotherapy ideas for dealing with specific viral infections in the future.
Insights from computational modeling on the potential hemodynamic effects of sinus rhythm versus atrial fibrillation
Authors: Anselmino Matteo , Scarsoglio Stefania , Ridolfi Luca , De Ferrari Gaetano Maria , Saglietto Andrea
Published: September 2022

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical tachyarrhythmia, posing a significant burden to patients, physicians, and healthcare systems worldwide. With the advent of more effective rhythm control strategies, such as AF catheter ablation, an early rhythm control strategy is progressively demonstrating its superiority not only in symptoms control but also in prognostic terms, over a standard strategy (rate control, with rhythm control reserved only to patients with refractory symptoms). This review summarizes the different impacts exerted by AF on heart mechanics and systemic circulation, as well as on cerebral and coronary vascular beds, providing computational modeling-based hemodynamic insights in favor of pursuing sinus rhythm maintenance in AF patients.
Tentative exploration of pharmacodynamic substances: Pharmacological effects, chemical compositions, and multi-components pharmacokinetic characteristics of ESZWD in CHF-HKYd rats
Authors: Hong Li-li , Zhao Yan , Chen Wei-dong , Yang Chen-yu , Li Guo-zhuan , Wang Hong-song , Cheng Xiao-yu
Published: September 2022

The chemical components of Xin'an famous prescription Ershen Zhenwu Decoction (ESZWD) are still unclear. The results showed that ESZWD could significantly reduce left ventricular end diastolic diameter, decrease N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), angiotensinII, aldosterone, reactive oxygen species, and malondialdehyde, increase serum superoxide dismutase, while had no significant effect on inflammatory factors. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS) analysis detected 30 prototype components in model rats' serum, mainly including alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, tanshinones, phenols. UPLC-MS/MS successfully detected the pharmacokinetic parameters of four components, and correlation analysis shows that there are negative correlations between four compounds and serum NT-proBNP. Thirty components of ESZWD may play a therapeutic role in chronic heart failure with heart-kidney Yang deficiency (CHF-HKYd) by improving myocardial injury, reducing oxidative stress levels, and inhibiting activation of the RAAS system in rats. Salsolinol, aconitine, paeoniflorin, and miltrione are equipped with potential characteristics as pharmacodynamic substances for ESZWD in treating CHF-HKYd. Additionally, the constituents of ESZWD in CHF-HKYd rats are different from normal rats, which provided a reference for the selection of subjects for further study.
Baroreflex sensitivity predicts therapeutic effects of metoprolol on pediatric postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
Authors: Cui Yaxi , Wang Yuanyuan , Liu Ping , Wang Yuli , Du Junbao , Jin Hongfang
Published: September 2022

Objective

To determine if the baseline baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) could be a useful predictor for the metoprolol therapeutic efficacy on postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in children.

Methods

In this retrospective case-control study, 54 children suffering from POTS treated with metoprolol were recruited from the pediatric department of Peking University First Hospital. After 2–3 months of metoprolol treatment, all subjects were divided into responders and non-responders based on whether the symptom score (SS) was decreased by over 50% after metoprolol treatment at the follow-up. The baseline demographic parameters and the supine BRS during the head-up tilt test (HUTT) obtained by Finapres Medical System (FMS) were compared between the two groups. The value of BRS to predict the effectiveness of POTS was analyzed by a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

The age, sex, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), course of the disease, baseline SS, medication time, metoprolol dose, and follow-up time of the subjects were not statistically different between the responders and non-responders (P > 0.05). The decline in symptom scores (ΔSS) of the responders was more obvious than that of the non-responders (P < 0.01). The supine BRS, BRS at maximum HR, supine heart rate (HR), and maximum HR were different between responders and non-responders (P < 0.01, P = 0.022, P < 0.01, P = 0.047). The binary multivariable analysis showed that baseline supine BRS was significantly associated with the response to metoprolol therapy [OR: 2.079, 95% CI: (1.077, 4.015), P = 0.029]. According to the ROC curve, the area under the curve (AUC) of baseline BRS was 0.912 (95% CI, 0.840–0.984), with a cut-off value of 8.045 ms/mmHg, yielding a sensitivity and specificity of 75.8% and 95.2%, respectively, in predicting the effectiveness of POTS.

Conclusion

The baseline supine BRS level > 8.045 ms/mmHg can predict a good therapeutic response to metoprolol and the results would assist in guiding the individualized β-adrenoceptor blocker use in pediatric patients suffering from POTS.
The effects of season (spring versus autumn) on diagnosis of normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Basińska-Lewandowska Magdalena , Lewiński Andrzej , Lewandowski Krzysztof C. , Skowrońska-Jóźwiak Elżbieta
Published: September 2022

Background

Raised parathormone (PTH) and normal calcium concentrations can be observed both in normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (nPHPT) and in secondary hyperparathyroidism, e.g. due to vitamin D deficiency. We assessed the impact of season on the validity of diagnosis of nPHPT in terms of screening investigations to be performed in the primary care settings.

Material and methods

On two occasions (March/April & September/October) we measured vitamin D (25OHD), PTH and total calcium in 125 healthy subjects, age range 6-50, not taking any vitamin D supplements.

Results

In autumn there was an increase in 25OHD concentrations (from 18.1 ± 7.37ng/ml to 24.58 ± 7.72ng/ml, p<0.0001), a decline in PTH from 44.40 ± 17.76pg/ml to 36.63 ± 14.84pg/ml, p<0.001), without change in calcium levels. Only 45 subjects (36%) were vitamin D sufficient (25OHD>20/ml) in spring versus 83 (66.4%) in autumn, p<0.001. Elevated PTH concentrations were noted in 10 subjects in spring (8%) and in six subjects (4.8%) (p<0.05) in autumn. In spring, however, eight out of ten of these subjects (80%) had 25OHD<20 ng/ml, versus one in six (16.7%) in autumn (p<0.01). Normalization of PTH was observed in seven out ten subjects (70%), and all of them had 25-OHD<20 ng/ml in spring.

Conclusions

In spring elevated PTH concentrations in the setting of normocalcemia are more likely to be caused by 25OHD deficiency rather by nPHPT. In contrast, in autumn, increased PTH concentrations are more likely to reflect nPHPT. We postulate that screening for nPHPT should be done in 25OHD replete subjects, i.e. in autumn rather than in spring.
S100P promotes trophoblast syncytialization during early placenta development by regulating YAP1
Authors: Zhou Hanjing , Pan Yibin , Yang Weijie , Zhao Chenqiong , Sun Xiaohe , Hong Binbin , Jin Xiaoying , Zhang Tai , Zhang Yinli , Liu Na , Zhang Songying , Zhu Haiyan
Published: September 2022

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a severe complication of pregnancy that is caused by genetic abnormalities, immune dysfunction, aberrant cell biology, and tissue structure destruction. Among which, placental dysfunction is crucial in the pathogenetic progression of RPL. Although some regulatory factors associated with RPL have been reported, the placental changes correlated with RPL still need to be elucidated. Here, we found that a portion of RPL patients presented with low serum and placental S100P expression. Using a human trophoblast stem cell model, we demonstrated that S100P was exclusively expressed in syncytiotrophoblast (ST)-like syncytia (ST(2D)-TSCT) and that loss of S100P expression in ST(2D)-TSCT cells impaired β-hCG secretion, leading to syncytialization failure during early placental development. Moreover, we found that S100P is involved in regulating trophoblast syncytialization by downregulating the protein level of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), which plays a pivotal role in maintaining trophoblast stemness. Together, our findings suggest that S100P plays an essential role in regulating trophoblast syncytialization during early placental development in humans via YAP1. Additionally, lower serum S100P levels may predict poor pregnancy outcomes and represent a potentially useful marker for evaluating placental biological function during early pregnancy.
Expression profiling suggests the involvement of hormone-related, metabolic, and Wnt signaling pathways in pterygium progression
Authors: Li Jiarui , Tao Tianchang , Yu Yingying , Xu Ningda , Du Wei , Zhao Mingwei , Jiang Zhengxuan , Huang Lvzhen
Published: September 2022

Background

Pterygium is an ocular surface disease that can cause visual impairment if it progressively invades the cornea. Although many pieces of research showed ultraviolet radiation is a trigger of pterygium pathological progress, the underlying mechanism in pterygium remains indistinct.

Methods

In this study, we used microarray to evaluate the changes of transcripts between primary pterygium and adjacent normal conjunctiva samples in China. Then, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses. Moreover, we constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) and miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks to predict possible regulatory relationships. We next performed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to explore the similarities and differences of transcripts between Asian studies from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Furthermore, we took the intersection of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with other data and identified hub genes of the development of pterygium. Finally, we utilized real-time quantitative PCR to verify the expression levels of candidate genes.

Results

A total of 49 DEGs were identified. The enrichment analyses of DEGs showed that pathways such as the Wnt-signaling pathway and metabolism-related pathways were upregulated, while pathways such as hormone-related and transcription factor-associated pathways were downregulated. The PPI and miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks provide ideas for future research directions. The GSEA of selecting Asian data revealed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition and myogenesis existed in the pathology of pterygium in the Asian group. Furthermore, five gene sets (interferon-gamma response, Wnt beta-catenin signaling, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA repair, and MYC targets v2) were found only in our Chinese datasets. After taking an intersection between selecting datasets, we identified two upregulated (SPP1 and MYH11) and five downregulated (ATF3, FOS, EGR1, FOSB, and NR4A2) hub genes. We finally chose night genes to verify their expression levels, including the other two genes (SFRP2 and SFRP4) involved in Wnt signaling; Their expression levels were significantly different between pterygium and conjunctiva.

Conclusions

We consider hormone-related, metabolic, and Wnt signaling pathways may be important in the pathology of pterygium development. Nine candidate genes we identified deserve further study and can be potential therapeutic targets.
Osteoporosis and sarcopenia-related traits: A bi-directional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Chao , Liu Ningyuan , Xia Yu , Zhao Ziyue , Xiao Tao , Li Hui
Published: September 2022

Background

With the advancement of world population aging, age-related osteoporosis (OP) and sarcopenia (SP) impose enormous clinical and economic burden on society. Evidence from accumulating studies indicates that they mutually influence one another. However, an observational study may be affected by potential confounders. Meanwhile, a Mendelian randomization (MR) study can overcome these confounders to assess causality.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the causality between OP and SP, informing new strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteosarcopenia.

Methods

Instrumental variables (IVs) at the genome‐wide significance level were obtained from published summary statistics, and the inverse variance weighted method and several other MR methods were conducted to evaluate the bi-directional causality between SP and OP. Myopia was analyzed as a negative control outcome to test the validity of IVs.

Results

Femoral neck bone mineral density (FN BMD), lumbar spine BMD (LS BMD), and forearm BMD (FA BMD) had a direct causal effect on appendicular lean mass (ALM) [FA BMD-related analysis: odds ratio (OR) = 1.028, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (1.008,1.049), p = 0.006; FN BMD-related analysis: OR (95% CI) = 1.131 (1.092,1.170), p = 3.18E-12; LS BMD-related analysis: OR (95% CI) = 1.080 (1.062,1.098), p = 2.86E-19]. ALM had a significant causal effect on LS BMD [OR (95% CI) = (1.033,1.147), p = 0.001]. There was no evidence for causal association between BMD and low grip strength.

Conclusions

OP and SP might mutually have a significant causal effect on each other. Our results supported the idea that the patient with severe OP was more susceptible to lose ALM and severe ALM loss might reduce LS BMD.
Differential expression of aerobic oxidative metabolism-related proteins in diabetic urinary exosomes
Authors: Liu Tianci , Wang Yizhao , Zhao Man , Jiang Jun , Li Tao , Zhang Man
Published: September 2022

Background

As a metabolic disease, any abnormality in the aerobic oxidation pathway of glucose may lead to the occurrence of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the changes in proteins related to aerobic oxidative metabolism in urinary exosomes of diabetic patients and normal controls of different ages, and to further verify their correlation with the pathogenesis of diabetes.

Methods

Samples were collected, and proteomic information of urinary exosomes was collected by LC-MS/MS. ELISA was used to further detect the expression of aerobic and oxidative metabolism-related proteins in urinary exosomes of diabetic patients and normal controls of different ages, and to draw receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to evaluate its value in diabetes monitoring.

Results

A total of 17 proteins involved in aerobic oxidative metabolism of glucose were identified in urinary exosome proteins. Compared with normal control, the expressions of PFKM, GAPDH, ACO2 and MDH2 in diabetic patients were decreased, and the expression of IDH3G was increased. The concentrations of PFKM, GAPDH and ACO2 in urinary exosomes were linearly correlated with the expression of MDH2 (P<0.05). These four proteins vary with age, with the maximum concentration in the 45-59 age group. PFKM, GAPDH, ACO2, and MDH2 in urinary exosomes have certain monitoring value. When used in combination, the AUC was 0.840 (95% CI 0.764-0.915).

Conclusions

In diabetic patients, aerobic oxidative metabolism is reduced, and the expression of aerobic oxidative metabolism-related proteins PFKM, GAPDH, ACO2, and MDH2 in urinary exosomes is reduced, which may become potential biomarkers for monitoring changes in diabetes.
Effect evaluation of ecological water conveyance in Tarim River Basin, China
Authors: Jiao Ayong , Wang Wenqi , Ling Hongbo , Deng Xiaoya , Yan Junjie , Chen Fulong
Published: September 2022

Ecological water conveyance is an important way to promote the restoration of degraded ecosystems in arid watersheds. However, there are few previous research results on how to quantitatively evaluate the effect of ecological water conveyance on ecological restoration. In this regard, this paper selects the Tarim River Basin as a typical area, analyzing the changes of desert riparian vegetation and hydrological elements, constructing a watershed ecological environment quality evaluation system, and comprehensively evaluating the ecological water conveyance effect of the damaged desert forest ecosystem. The conclusion showed that the proportion of the pixel area with an upward trend of Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) from 2000 to 2021 is as high as 84.3%. The plant diversity index in the ecological water conveyance area showed the characteristics of first obvious increase and then stable. The main body of groundwater depth showed an upward trend, and the Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) showed a downward trend of pixel area accounting for 57.0%, which indicated that ecological water conveyance had played a positive role in groundwater recharge and ecological restoration along the Tarim River. The ecological environment quality of the river basin showed a trend of transition from low-grade to high-grade, and the area with excellent ecological quality had increased from 4,635.50 km2 in 2000 to 12,335.0 km2 in 2021. The above research provides important scientific reference for the protection and restoration of vegetation degradation in arid watersheds.
Does the enterprise’s choice of intangible capital help to promote its ESG score?
Authors: Gao Jie , Li Jiahao , Luo Yuwei
Published: September 2022

Digital transformation, as an important way to optimize the existing resources of enterprises, is a driving force to achieve their high-quality development. Intangible capital is used to reflect the status of digital transformation of enterprises, so as to explore the relationship between the decision of enterprises on digital transformation and the ESG scoring effect of enterprises under financing constraints. The results show that when enterprises are faced with strong financing constraints, the management’s decision on digital transformation tends to be conventional. Although maintaining the traditional business model is more beneficial, it is not conducive to the improvement of ESG score. To further analyze the digital transformation mechanism of enterprises, this paper examines the decision-making behavior of enterprises under financing constraints from the perspective of intermediary mechanism. The results show that the decision of increasing intangible capital of enterprises promotes the improvement of enterprise performance, and then drives the promotion of the enterprise ESG score. This study enriches the research achievements in the field of digital transformation of enterprises, and provides reference for heterogeneous enterprises to select digital transformation decisions.
Nexus between green investment and technological innovation in BRI nations: What is the role of environmental sustainability and domestic investment?
Authors: Xiao Zhuopeng , Qamruzzaman Md.
Published: September 2022

The critical role of technological innovation has been extensively investigated by considering various aspects of macro-fundamentals across the world. Although the determents of technological innovation have been investigated predominantly from the perspective of firms, the role of macro-fundamentals is yet to be extensively explored. The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of green investment, measured by renewable energy; domestic investment measured by gross capital formation; and environmental sustainability measured by carbon emission on technological innovation in BRI nations for the period 2000–2021. The study used a cross-sectional dependency test, a unit root test following CADF and CIPS, an error correction-based panel cointegration test, ARDL, CS-ARDL, and a nonlinear ARDL. Furthermore, the directional causalities were documented by performing the heterogeneous causality test. Taking into account the findings of the study, it is revealed that green investment and domestic investment are positively connected with technological innovation in BRI nations, while environmental sustainability is correlated negatively and statistically significant to technological innovation. Furthermore, the asymmetric investigation established asymmetric effects from green investment, environmental sustainability, and domestic investment to technological innovation. According to the asymmetric coefficients, the positive and negative shocks of green and domestic investment disclosed positive and statistically significant links with technological innovation, whereas the asymmetric shocks in environmental sustainability revealed adverse ties to technological innovation in BRI nations. The study documented the unidirectional causal effects from green investment to technological innovation [GI→TI] and technological innovation to environmental sustainability [TI→ES]. Furthermore, the study documented bidirectional casualties between domestic investment, foreign direct investment, financial development, and technological innovation [TI←→DI; TI←→FDI; TI←→FD]. The study suggested that domestic capital formation and environmental protection in BRI nations should be actively promoted to accelerate technological innovation. Furthermore, the study postulated that investment in research and development should be encouraged with incentives for technological innovation.
Geochemical cycling of phosphorus and iron in a typical reservoir in the area of Xiaoxing’an mountains, northeastern China
Authors: Bing Xiaojie , Wang Kuo , Ma Huihui , Liu Fan , Jiang Juan , Ding Jing , Zhu Yuanrong , Wei Jian
Published: September 2022

Reservoirs have an important impact on riverine material migration and transformation. Taking a drinking water reservoir located in the cold-temperature forest in the Xiaoxing’an mountains as an example, we comprehensively analyzed the fractions and interrelationships of phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) from soils to riverine and reservoir sediments and discussed the coordinated migration and transformation process of regional P and Fe and the effects of dam interception. The results showed that iron-bound P (Fe-P) and aluminum-bound P (Al-P) were significantly correlated with adsorbed Fe(II), carbonate-bound Fe (Fecarb), low-activity silicate-bound Fe (Feprs), and total contents of Fe (TFe), which indicated that the geochemical cycling of these P fractions and Fe fractions is likely closely related and active in the soils and sediments. Calcium-bound P (Ca-P) was significantly correlated with magnate (Femag) and Feprs, which may be due to the correlation between their background values in this area. The contents of active P including loosely sorbed P (L-P), Al-P, and Fe-P in the reservoir’s sediments were significantly higher than those in the upstream soils and sediments (p < 0.05). However, Ca-P and residual P (Res-P) in soil and sediment samples showed no significant difference between the reservoir and its upstream (p = 0.309 > 0.05 and p = 0.748 > 0.05, respectively). Construction of reservoirs has played a certain role in intercepting P, especially bioavailable P, transferred from upstream soils and riverine sediments. The contents of highly active Fe fractions including easily reducible (amorphous) Fe oxide (Feox1), reducible (crystalline) Fe oxide (Feox2) and Fecarb (p < 0.01), and other Fe fractions (p < 0.05) in the sediments of the reservoir were significantly higher than those in the soil or sediment samples from upstream. This indicated that all Fe fractions migrated in the river were affected by the dam interception. The effects of dam interception would affect the bioavailability of P and Fe and enhance the cycling of nutrients in the region. Finally, this also effects the bioavailability and cycling of P and Fe in the downstream rivers and even the oceans.
What drives the spatio-temporal distribution and spillover of air quality in China’s three urban agglomerations? Evidence from a two-stage approach
Authors: Cui Zhe , Ren Fang-rong , Wei Qizheng , Xi Zhengfeng
Published: September 2022

Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Pearl River Delta (PRD) are the most important economic hinterlands in China, offering high levels of economic development. In 2020, their proportion of China’s total GDP reached 39.28%. Over the 5 years of 2014–2018, the annual maximum air quality index (AQI) of the three major urban agglomerations was greater than 100, thus maintaining a grade III light pollution (100 < AQI < 200) in Chinese air standards. This research thus uses a two-stage empirical analysis method to explore the spatial-temporal dispersal physiognomies and spillover effects of air quality in these three major urban agglomerations. In the first stage, the Kriging interpolation method regionally estimates and displays the air quality monitoring sampling data. The results show that the air quality of these three major urban agglomerations is generally good from 2014 to 2018, the area of good air is gradually expanding, the AQI value is constantly decreasing, the air pollution of YRD is shifting from southeast to northwest, and the air pollution of PRD is increasing. The dyeing industry shows a trend of concentration from northwest to south-central. In the second stage, Moran’s I and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) explore the spatial autocorrelation and spillover effects of air quality related variables. The results show that Moran’s I values in the spatial autocorrelation analysis all pass the significance test. Moreover, public transport, per capita GDP, science and technology expenditure, and the vegetation index all have a significant influence on the spatial dispersal of air quality in the three urban agglomerations, among which the direct effect of public transport and the indirect effect and total effect of the vegetation index are the most significant. Therefore, the China’s three major urban agglomerations (TMUA) ought to adjust the industrial structure, regional coordinated development, and clean technology innovation.
Integrated analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the interaction of PKP1 and tumor-infiltrating B cells and their therapeutic potential for nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Huang Yu-Mei , Wang Lin-Qian , Liu Ying , Tang Fa-Qing , Zhang Wen-Ling
Published: September 2022

Immunotherapy is an individualized therapeutic strategy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, few molecular targets are clinically satisfactory. This work aimed to integrate bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data to identify novel biomarkers involved in NPC. We performed differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and immune cell infiltration analysis prior to correlation analysis of the identified genes and immune cells and further assessed the prognostic effects of the biomarkers and immune cells in NPC. As a result, PKP1, a potential molecular biomarker associated with immune infiltration, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte-B cells (TIL-Bs) were identified as promising therapeutic targets for NPC. Importantly, immunohistochemistry (IHC) validated that PKP1 protein expression was mainly found in NPC cells rather than noncancerous cells. In addition, the tumor microenvironment (TME) of NPC was characterized by the infiltration of more dendritic cells (DCs) and γδT cells but fewer B cells. Our results suggest that the interaction of PKP1 and TIL-B cells is involved in NPC development. It is possible that TIL-B cells produce immunoglobulin G (IgG) to tumor antigens, such as PKP1, or viral antigens, including EBV and HPV, to execute antitumor ability through DC and T cells. In response, NPC cells express proteins such as PKP1 (absent in normal nasopharynx) to induce myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) expansion, which subsequently impairs the proliferation of B cells and results in B-cell death by generating iNOS and NOX2. In summary, our findings provide a potential therapeutic strategy for NPC by disrupting the interaction of PKP1 and TIL-Bs in the TME.
Identification of a lncRNA based signature for pancreatic cancer survival to predict immune landscape and potential therapeutic drugs
Authors: Ma Di , Yang Yuchen , Cai Qiang , Ye Feng , Deng Xiaxing , Shen Baiyong
Published: September 2022

Pancreatic cancer is one major digestive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Given the clinical importance of lncRNAs, developing a novel molecular panel with lncRNAs for pancreatic cancer has great potential. As a result, an 8-lncRNA-based robust prognostic signature was constructed using a random survival forest model after examing the expression profile and prognostic significance of lncRNAs in the PAAD cohort from TCGA. The efficacy and effectiveness of the lncRNA-based signature were thoroughly assessed. Patients with high- and low-risk defined by the signature underwent significantly distinct OS expectancy. Most crucially the training group’s AUCs of ROC approached 0.90 and the testing group similarly had the AUCs above 0.86. The lncRNA-based signature was shown to behave as a prognostic indicator of pancreatic cancer, either alone or simultaneously with other factors, after combined analysis with other clinical-pathological factors in Cox regression and nomogram. Additionally, using GSEA and CIBERSORT scoring methods, the immune landscape and variations in biological processes between high- and low-risk subgroups were investigated. Last but not least, drug databases were searched for prospective therapeutic molecules targeting high-risk patients. The most promising compound were Afatinib, LY-303511, and RO-90-7501 as a result. In conclusion, we developed a novel lncRNA based prognostic signature with high efficacy to stratify high-risk pancreatic cancer patients and screened prospective responsive drugs for targeting strategy.