bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competencias investigativas en estudiantes de Educación Superior: aproximaciones desde estudiantes de Medicina
Authors: Alvarez-Ochoa Robert , Cabrera-Berrezueta Luis , Mena-Clerque Sandra
Published: September 2022

La formación de competencias investigativas constituye un reto en la Universidad Contemporánea que prepara al educando para desempeñar con éxito los desafíos de la sociedad actual. Con el objetivo de analizar cuáles son las percepciones de los estudiantes de Medicina en Azogues, Ecuador sobre las competencias investigativas que favorecen el aprendizaje en la educación superior se realizó una investigación cuantitativa no experimental, de corte transversal durante el periodo abril-septiembre 2022, que incluyó una muestra de 296 estudiantes de la carrera de Medicina de la Universidad Católica de Cuenca [UCACUE]-Sede Azogues. Para evaluar las competencias investigativas se aplicó un cuestionario, este instrumento fue estructurado por competencias y sus respectivos niveles de dominio, enfocado en 5 temáticas: (a) competencia cognitiva, (b) actitudinal, (c) procedimental, (d) comunicativa e) profesional. Para garantizar la consistencia interna del cuestionario se sometió a juicio de expertos y a validación con el coeficiente Alfa de Cronbach obteniendo un 0,947 de fiabilidad. En los resultados, se pudo comprobar que los estudiantes tuvieron un predominio del nivel medianamente adecuado y adecuado en la formación de competencias investigativas. Concluyendo; las competencias investigativas que más favorecieron el aprendizaje en la educación superior fueron las relacionadas con la selección del diseño metodológico, diseño muestral, técnicas de recolección de información, análisis de datos, divulgación de resultados y la formación a través de las asignaturas de investigación.
Two-way habitat use between reefs and open ocean in adult greater amberjack: evidence from biologging data
Authors: Tone K , Chiang WC , Yeh HM , Hsiao ST , Li CH , Komeyama K , Kudo K , Hasegawa T , Sakamoto T , Nakamura I , Sakakura Y , Kawabe R
Published: September 2022

We investigated the relationships between vertical movements and both oceanographic features and physiological factors in greater amberjack Seriola dumerili, which is a reef-associated predator in the East China Sea. S. dumerili in the coastal waters of eastern Taiwan were equipped with archival tags or pop-up satellite archival tags that recorded depth and temperature, resulting in a dataset covering a total of 1331 d from 12 individuals. To classify the vertical movement patterns of S. dumerili, we performed a hierarchical cluster analysis for the depth profile. We observed multiple vertical movement patterns. Around topographic features, S. dumerili showed short-step dives (averaging <35 m) during both the daytime and nighttime. In contrast, S. dumerili in offshore areas showed diel vertical movements. S. dumerili occasionally performed frequent dives to approximately 150 m throughout the day. These movements may be related to foraging behaviors associated with changes in water depth. We further analyzed the response of the peritoneal cavity temperature to variations in the ambient temperature in 7 S. dumerili with archival tags. The peritoneal cavity temperatures fluctuated according to the ambient temperature changes, indicating that the vertical movement of S. dumerili is limited by physiological constraints for the maintenance of body temperature. Together, our results indicate that the vertical movement of S. dumerili may be affected by the trade-off between foraging and thermoregulation.
Sentiment Analyst on Twitter Using the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) Algorithm Against Covid-19 Vaccination
Authors: Suprayogi Suprayogi , Sari Christy Atika , Rachmawanto Eko Hari
Published: September 2022

The corona virus (2019-nCoV), commonly known as COVID-19 has been officially designated as a global pandemic by the WHO. Twitter, is one of the social media used by many people and is popular among internet users in expressing opinions. One of the problems related to Covid-19 and causing a stir is the procurement of the Covid-19 vaccine. The procurement of the vaccine caused various opinions in Indonesian society, where the uproar was also quite busy being discussed on Twitter and even became a Trending Topic. The opinions that appear on Twitter will then be used as data for the Sentiment Analysis process. One of the members of the House of Representatives (DPR), namely RibkaTjiptaning was also included in the Trending Topic list on Twitter for refusing to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. Sentiment analysis itself is a computational study of opinions, sentiments and emotions expressed textually. Sentiment analysis is also a technique to extract information in the form of a person's attitude towards an issue or event by classifying the polarity of a text. Research related to Sentiment Analysis will be examined by dividing public opinion on Twitter social media into positive and negative sentiments, and using the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithm to classify public opinion about COVID-19 vaccination. In the testing section, the Confusion Matrix method is used which then results in an accuracy of 85%, precision of 100%, and recall of 78.94%.
Predicting News Article Popularity with Multi Layer Perceptron Algorithm
Authors: Syulistyo Arie Rachmad , Agustin Vira Meliana , Puspitasari Dwi
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, news media seems to have been digitized. One of them is printed news which has now turned into online news. The increasing use of social media has made people interested in reading news online. News needs to attract readers with their headlines. Various online news media businesses want to know the future demand of readers, as well as whether the released news can reach more readers so that the news becomes popular. Therefore, with the increasing interest in online news today, this paper will analyze the performance of the Neural Network Algorithm and other artificial intelligence techniques in predicting the popularity of news articles that can help the media to know whether their news will become popular. The news article popularity prediction system can increase its revenue if there are advertisements in the news. The test results show that the accuracy of the Multi Layer Perceptron is 76% and Random Forest gives an accuracy of 70%.
Review on Invasive Alien Species (IAS): Challenge and Consequence to the Aquatic Ecosystem Services
Authors: BİR Joyanta , GOLDER Md Rony , ISLAM Shikder Saiful
Published: September 2022

The invasive alien species (IAS) are widely recognized as a significant threat to marine biodiversity and severely affect ecosystem services. There has been no measurable global assessment of their impacts and routes of introduction. This review highlights some aspects of invasive species and their impacts on the ecosystem in general. For many roots like global transportation, biological pest control, climate changes, and sometimes commercial, invasive species are introduced into the new environments. Afterward, the invasive species are rapidly dominant over the indigenous species because of their first growth, rapid reproduction, ecological competence, and phenotypic plasticity, consequently, altering the structure of Ecosystems and deterring the biological and physical organization of the system. Many policies have been introduced to stop the destruction produced by invasive animals and plants and to prevent upcoming invasions. Some critical components of getting rid of invasion are concern about transporting wildlife to new areas, Ballast water in tankers, aquarium species, and shipping.
Improving the thermostability of alginate lyase FlAlyA with high expression by computer-aided rational design for industrial preparation of alginate oligosaccharides
Authors: Zhang Xiu , Li Wei , Pan Lixia , Yang Liyan , Li Hongliang , Ji Feng , Zhang Yunkai , Tang Hongzhen , Yang Dengfeng
Published: September 2022

FlAlyA, a PL7 alginate lyase with industrial potential, is widely applied in the preparation the alginate oligosaccharide because of its high activity of degradation the alginate. However, heat inactivation still limits the industrial application of FlAlyA. To further enhance its thermostability, a group of mutants were designed, according to evaluating the B-factor value and free energy change via computer-aided calculation. 25 single-point mutants and one double-points mutant were carried out by site-directed mutagenesis. The optimal two single-point mutants H176D and H71K showed 1.20 and 0.3°C increases in the values of Tm, while 7.58 and 1.73 min increases in the values of half-life (t1/2) at 50°C, respectively, compared with that of the wild-type enzyme. Interestingly, H71K exhibits the comprehensive improvement than WT, including expression level, thermal stability and specific activity. In addition, the mechanism of these two mutants is speculated by multiple sequence alignment, structural basis and molecular dynamics simulation, which is likely to be involved in the formation of new hydrogen bonds and decrease the SASA of the mutants. These results indicate that B-factor is an efficient approach to improves the thermostability of alginate lyase composed of β-sheet unit. Furthermore, the highest yield of the mutant reached about 650 mg/L, which was nearly 36 times that of previous studies. The high expression, excellent activity and good thermal stability make FlAlyA a potential candidate for the industrial production of alginate oligosaccharides.
Stability of internal fixation systems based on different subtypes of Schatzker II fracture of the tibial plateau: A finite element analysis
Authors: Zeng Chuyang , Ren Xiaomeng , Xu Cheng , Hu Mengmeng , Li Jiantao , Zhang Wei
Published: September 2022

Background: Schaztker II fracture is the most common type of the tibial plateau fractures (TPF). There has been a large number of cadaveric biomechanical studies and finite element simulation studies to explore the most stable fixation methods for this type of fracture, which were based on a single fracture morphology. But differences among fracture morphologies could directly affect the stability of internal fixation systems. In this sense, we verified the stability of existing internal fixation modalities by simulating Schatzker II fractures with different fracture morphologies.

Objectives: To compare the stability of different filler types combined with locked compression plate/screw in different subtypes of Schatzker II TPF.

Methods: Four subtypes of Schatzker II were created based on 3D map of TPF. Each of the subtypes was fixed with LCP/screw or LCP/screw combined with different fill types. Stress distribution, displacement distribution, and the load sharing capacity of the filler were assessed by applying the maximum load during gait. In addition, repeated fracture risks of depressed fragment were evaluated regarding to the ultimate strain of bone.

Results: The stress concentration of the implant in each scenario was located on the screw at the contact site between the plate and the screw, and the filler of the defect site significantly reduced the stress concentration of the implant (Subtype A: Blank group 402.0 MPa vs. Experimental group 315.2 ± 5.5 MPa; Subtype C: Blank group 385.0 MPa vs. Experimental group 322.7 ± 12.1 MPa). Displacement field analysis showed that filler significantly reduced the reduction loss of the depressed fragment (Subtype A: Blank group 0.1949 mm vs. Experimental group 0.174 ± 0.001 mm; Subtype C: 0.264 mm vs. 0.253 ± 0.002 mm). Maximum strain was in subtype C with the value of 2.3% ± 0.1% indicating the greatest possibility of failure risk. And with the increase of its modulus, the bearing capacity of filler increased.

Conclusion: The existence of filler at the defect site can effectively reduce the stress concentration of the implant and the reduction loss of the collapsed block, thus providing good stability for Schatzker II fracture. In subtype A fracture, the modulus of filler presented the slightest influence on the stability, followed by subtype C, while the stability of subtype B was most influenced by the modulus of filler. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the preoperative patient imaging data adequately to select the appropriate stiffness of the filler.
Negative erosion and negative emissions: Combining multiple land-based carbon dioxide removal techniques to rebuild fertile topsoils and enhance food production
Authors: Janssens Ivan A. , Roobroeck Dries , Sardans Jordi , Obersteiner Michael , Peñuelas Josep , Richter Andreas , Smith Pete , Verbruggen Erik , Vicca Sara
Published: September 2022

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) that increases the area of forest cover or bio-energy crops inherently competes for land with crop and livestock systems, compromising food security, or will encroach natural lands, compromising biodiversity. Mass deployment of these terrestrial CDR technologies to reverse climate change therefore cannot be achieved without a substantial intensification of agricultural output, i.e., producing more food on less land. This poses a major challenge, particularly in regions where arable land is little available or severely degraded and where agriculture is crucial to sustain people's livelihoods, such as the Global South. Enhanced silicate weathering, biochar amendment, and soil carbon sequestration are CDR techniques that avoid this competition for land and may even bring about multiple co-benefits for food production. This paper elaborates on the idea to take these latter CDR technologies a step further and use them not only to drawdown CO2 from the atmosphere, but also to rebuild fertile soils (negative erosion) in areas that suffer from pervasive land degradation and have enough water available for agriculture. This way of engineering topsoil could contribute to the fight against malnutrition in areas where crop and livestock production currently is hampered by surface erosion and nutrient depletion, and thereby alleviate pressure on intact ecosystems. The thrust of this perspective is that synergistically applying multiple soil-related CDR strategies could restore previously degraded soil, allowing it to come back into food production (or become more productive), potentially alleviating pressure on intact ecosystems. In addition to removing CO2 from the atmosphere, this practice could thus contribute to reducing poverty and hunger and to protection of biodiversity.
Decellularized bovine jugular vein and hand-sewn ePTFE valved conduit for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in children undergoing Ross procedure
Authors: Yuan Haoyong , Lu Ting , Wu Zhongshi , Yang Yifeng , Chen Jinlan , Wu Qin , Wu Sijie , Zhang Hong , Qian Tao , Huang Can
Published: September 2022

Background

The Ross procedure is recommended as an optimal aortic valve replacement (AVR) in children and young adults due to several advantages. Nevertheless, multiple reconstructions of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) with new valve conduits have caused some concern regarding the durability of the Ross AVR. Decellularized bovine jugular vein conduit (BJVC) (DP-BJVC) and hand-sewn expanded polytetrafluoroethylene valved conduits (ePTFE VC) are widely employed to reconstruct the RVOT with satisfactory long-term outcomes. However, few studies have compared the safety and efficacy between the two valve conduits. We aimed to evaluate the early outcomes and report our single center experience in the application of these conduits.

Methods

Twenty-two pediatric patients (aged < 18 years) who underwent Ross procedures with DP-BJVC and ePTFE VC in our center between 1 June, 2017 and 31 January, 2022 were enrolled. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to evaluate survival, freedom from RVOT reintervention, and freedom from RVOT graft dysfunction. Mixed-effects analysis with the Geisser–Greenhouse correction and Sidak's multiple comparisons test for post-hoc analysis was employed to compare the peak gradient across the conduit at varying follow-ups.

Results

All patients were followed up in full. The total early survival rate was 90.9%; two patients in the DP-BJVC group died. There was no significant difference in early mortality, cross-clamp time (p = 0.212), in-hospital stay (p = 0.469), and RVOT graft thrombosis or endocarditis between the two groups. There was similarly no significant difference between Kaplan–Meier freedom from RVOT graft dysfunction curve (P = 0.131). The transprosthetic gradient gradually increased over time in both groups and was significantly higher in the DP-BJVC group at follow-up (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Both conduits show excellent early and midterm outcomes for RVOT reconstruction in the Ross procedure. We suggest that DP-BJVC is more suitable for infants, and ePTFE conduit is more suitable for older children who require larger conduits.
Thin filament cardiomyopathies: A review of genetics, disease mechanisms, and emerging therapeutics
Authors: Keyt Lucas K. , Duran Jason M. , Bui Quan M. , Chen Chao , Miyamoto Michael I. , Silva Enciso Jorge , Tardiff Jil C. , Adler Eric D.
Published: September 2022

All muscle contraction occurs due to the cyclical interaction between sarcomeric thin and thick filament proteins within the myocyte. The thin filament consists of the proteins actin, tropomyosin, Troponin C, Troponin I, and Troponin T. Mutations in these proteins can result in various forms of cardiomyopathy, including hypertrophic, restrictive, and dilated phenotypes and account for as many as 30% of all cases of inherited cardiomyopathy. There is significant evidence that thin filament mutations contribute to dysregulation of Ca2+ within the sarcomere and may have a distinct pathomechanism of disease from cardiomyopathy associated with thick filament mutations. A number of distinct clinical findings appear to be correlated with thin-filament mutations: greater degrees of restrictive cardiomyopathy and relatively less left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and LV outflow tract obstruction than that seen with thick filament mutations, increased morbidity associated with heart failure, increased arrhythmia burden and potentially higher mortality. Most therapies that improve outcomes in heart failure blunt the neurohormonal pathways involved in cardiac remodeling, while most therapies for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy involve use of negative inotropes to reduce LV hypertrophy or septal reduction therapies to reduce LV outflow tract obstruction. None of these therapies directly address the underlying sarcomeric dysfunction associated with thin-filament mutations. With mounting evidence that thin filament cardiomyopathies occur through a distinct mechanism, there is need for therapies targeting the unique, underlying mechanisms tailored for each patient depending on a given mutation.
Digital competency of Psychologists in Aotearoa New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Dobson Rosie , Variava Rushaina , Douglas Meihana , Reynolds Lisa M.
Published: September 2022

Background

The increasing implementation of digital health into psychological practice is transforming mental health services. Limited clinical resources and the high demand for psychological services, alongside the restrictions imposed on services during the global COVID-19 pandemic, have been a catalyst for significant changes in the way psychologists work. Ensuring Psychologists have the skills and competence to use these tools in practice is essential to safe and ethical practice.

Aim

This study aimed to explore the digital competence of psychologists working in Aotearoa New Zealand and their use of digital tools in the practice.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with Aotearoa New Zealand Registered Psychologists (n = 195) between July and November 2021.

Results

Participants reported varying degrees of competence across the digital tasks presented, with participants most commonly reporting moderate to high competence for engaging in remote supervision via digital means (86%) and obtaining client's informed consent for digital work (82%). In contrast, tasks that participants most reported not being moderately or highly competent in included working with interpreters remotely and evaluating the effectiveness and security of smartphone apps. Motivations to use digital technologies included meeting client preferences and needs, necessity for continuity of care, and the benefits of increased accessibility and reach. In contrast, the barriers to using digital technologies included client characteristics or preference, clinical factors, clinician preferences and skills, and workplace or technical issues or concerns. The majority (91.1%) were potentially interested in further training in this area.

Conclusions

The current study offers insights into the digital competencies of a workforce that has required rapid incorporation of technologies into professional practice over recent years. This snapshot of the digital skills of psychologists demonstrates a large variation in digital competence. In the current context, developing digital competencies seems a fundamental requirement for psychologists to work in ways that appropriately and safely deliver client-centred care.
Understanding and improving teachers’ graph literacy for data-based decision-making via video intervention
Authors: Jungjohann Jana , Gebhardt Markus , Scheer David
Published: September 2022

In the educational context, graph literacy describes the competence to read, comprehend, and interpret formative assessment data in terms of data-based decision-making (DBDM) in order to derive and justify individual adaptations of instruction based on them. Since misconceptions may arise in predicting a future learning progress due to the characteristics of the data base as well as the approach to graph literacy, effective supports are needed, especially for inexperienced teachers. We present two interrelated studies to broaden the field of support in graph literacy. In Study I, graph literacy procedures are collected fromN= 196 university student teachers using an online survey that includes six case vignettes with learning progress prediction tasks. Results show that both regular and special education student teachers intuitively neglect important data points in interpretation and they do not use a consistent strategy in prediction across the case vignettes (Fleiss’ κ = 0.071;p< 0.001). Building on the results of Study I, a 3-min video intervention for linear trend identification using Tukey Tri-Split was developed. Study II tested the efficacy of the video intervention on the accuracy of future learning progress among student teachers and in-service teachers (N= 198) using randomized group assignment compared to a brief text hint. With a large effect size of Cohens’f= 0.39, the video instruction shows high efficacy compared to the text hint. The increasing importance of DBDM in inclusive and special education is discussed.
Trabecular bone score and phalangeal quantitative ultrasound are associated with muscle strength and fracture risk in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Catalano Antonino , Gaudio Agostino , Bellone Federica , La Fauci Mattia Miriam , Xourafa Anastasia , Gembillo Guido , Basile Giorgio , Natale Giuseppe , Squadrito Giovanni , Corica Francesco , Morabito Nunziata , Santoro Domenico
Published: September 2022

There is growing interest in the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and fragility fracture risk. Bone mineral density (BMD) is a major determinant of bone strength, although its role as a predictor of fracture in advanced CKD and hemodialysis is still under debate. We aimed to further investigate surrogates of bone quality and their associations with muscle strength and fracture risk in hemodialysis. Multiple clinical risk factors for fracture and an estimated 10-year probability of fracture, BMD at lumbar spine and femur, trabecular bone score (TBS), X-ray vertebral morphometry, phalangeal bone quantitative ultrasonography (QUS), tibial pulse-echo ultrasonography (PEUS), and handgrip strength were evaluated in a setting of hemodialysis patients in treatment with acetate-free biofiltration (AFB) or bicarbonate hemodialysis. The bone ultrasound measurements, both at phalangeal and tibial sites, were significantly associated with lumbar and femoral DXA values. Handgrip strength was significantly associated with the 10-year probability of fracture (r = −0.57, p < 0.001 for major fractures and r = −0.53, p < 0.001 for hip fracture, respectively), with femur neck, total femur, and L1–L4 BMD values (r = 0.47, p = 0.04; r = 0.48, p = 0.02; r = 0.58, p = 0.007, respectively), with TBS at the lumbar spine (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) and with the phalangeal QUS measure of AD-SoS (r = 0.369, p = 0.023). In the hemodialysis group, 10 participants (24.3%) reported at least one morphometric vertebral fracture (Vfx); conversely, only six participants (15%) showed Vfx in the control group. In the hemodialysis group, participants with Vfx compared with participants without Vfx reported significantly different TBS, bone transmission time (BTT), cortical thickness, and handgrip strength (p < 0.05). At multiple regression analysis, by identifying as dependent variable the 10-year fracture risk for major fracture, after correcting for age, BMI, time since dialysis, AD-SoS, cortical bone thickness, and handgrip strength, only BTT (β = −15.21, SE = 5.91, p = 0.02) and TBS (β = −54.69, SE = 21.88, p = 0.02) turned out as independently associated with fracture risk. In conclusion, hemodialysis patients showed a higher fracture risk and lower surrogate indices of bone strength as TBS and QUS parameters. In this cohort of patients, handgrip strength measurements appeared to be a useful instrument to identify high-fracture-risk subjects.
The Okavango Delta: Fisheries in a fluctuating floodplain system
Authors: Mosepele Ketlhatlogile , Kolding Jeppe , Bokhutlo Thethela , Mosepele Belda Quetina , Molefe Montshwari
Published: September 2022

Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems globally characterized by dynamic interactions between terrestrial and aquatic habitats at different scales. These systems support valuable floodplain fisheries that are a major livelihood for riparian communities. Understanding the dynamics of these systems is important for developing adaptive fisheries management paradigms that will facilitate access and sustainability to this cheap but high-quality food and nutrition source. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a large land-locked complex river-floodplain ecosystem, with a diverse biota, and high environmental heterogeneity due to periodic drying and flooding along a space and time gradient. It is characterized by a multi-species, multi-gear fishery adapted to the seasonal flood pulse. The Delta’s fish species assemblage undergoes seasonal changes driven by the flood regime. There is also a dynamic inter-annual variability in the fish species assemblage, particularly between “good” and “bad” flood years. During the wet season, high flows increase connectivity in three dimensions (longitudinal, lateral, and vertical) which facilitates dispersal of aquatic biota, nutrients, and other material among successive locations in the riverscape. However, the dry season results in alteration or reduction in aquatic habitats available for fish reproduction. Similarly, low floods may reduce inputs of nutrient resources from the terrestrial environment that support aquatic food webs and can lead to community disruption, even to the point of local extirpation of stranded fish in fragmented ephemeral pools in the floodplain. Consequently, the periodicity, magnitude and predictability of flows are the major drivers of the systems’ capacity to sustain persistent fisheries production and other ecosystem services affecting human welfare. We argue that identification of the processes that sustain production and biodiversity patterns is an essential step towards a better ecological understanding and natural resource management of river-floodplain systems. Based on this review, we debate that floodplain fisheries, like in the Okavango Delta, should be exploited using a diverse exploitation pattern to ensure a harvesting regime in balance with system productivity. Such balanced fishing pattern, based on traditional fishing practices, facilitates the provision of food and nutritional value of the fishery to marginalized communities.
Visual analysis of low-carbon supply chain: Development, hot-spots, and trend directions
Authors: Luo Jianli , Huang Minmin , Bai Yanhu
Published: September 2022

A low-carbon supply chain is generally a clean practice to achieve carbon peak and neutralization; it transforms supply chain management into a green economy, aiming to reduce energy consumption, reduce pollution and achieve sustainable development in all parts of the supply chain. However, there are few specific reviews of low-carbon supply chains to date. Therefore, this article provides a comprehensive analysis of the literature on low-carbon supply chains, explores the current knowledge system, evolution trend of topics, and future research directions, and enriches the green economy framework. A systematic analysis was conducted using bibliometric and content analysis. Up to 1,811 articles from 2003 to 2021 were selected, discussed, and analyzed. This study found that the low carbon supply chain is a growing research topic. Some influential authors, the geographical distribution of articles, and subject categories in this field were also identified. Next, five clusters, which are logistics management, carbon accounting, driving forces, sustainability management, and barriers, were defined using exhaustive content analysis. The evolution trend of significant topics, mainly including global value chain, additive manufacturing, deterioration, and decarbonization, was explored. Finally, we proposed a future research agenda for low-carbon supply chains and further deepened the green economy’s knowledge structure.
Prenatal exposure to multiple metallic and metalloid trace elements and the risk of bacterial sepsis in extremely low gestational age newborns: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Bulka Catherine M. , Eaves Lauren A. , Gardner Amaree J. , Parsons Patrick J. , Galusha Aubrey L. , Roell Kyle R. , Smeester Lisa , O'Shea T. Michael , Fry Rebecca C.
Published: September 2022

Background

Prenatal exposures to metallic and metalloid trace elements have been linked to altered immune function in animal studies, but few epidemiologic studies have investigated immunological effects in humans. We evaluated the risk of bacterial sepsis (an extreme immune response to bacterial infection) in relation to prenatal metal/metalloid exposures, individually and jointly, within a US-based cohort of infants born extremely preterm.

Methods

We analyzed data from 269 participants in the US-based ELGAN cohort, which enrolled infants delivered at <28 weeks' gestation (2002–2004). Concentrations of 8 trace elements—including 4 non-essential and 4 essential—were measured using inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry in umbilical cord tissue, reflecting in utero fetal exposures. The infants were followed from birth to postnatal day 28 with bacterial blood culture results reported weekly to detect sepsis. Discrete-time hazard and quantile g-computation models were fit to estimate associations for individual trace elements and their mixtures with sepsis incidence.

Results

Approximately 30% of the extremely preterm infants developed sepsis during the follow-up period (median follow-up: 2 weeks). After adjustment for potential confounders, no trace element was individually associated with sepsis risk. However, there was some evidence of a non-monotonic relationship for cadmium, with hazard ratios (HRs) for the second, third, and fourth (highest) quartiles being 1.13 (95% CI: 0.51–2.54), 1.94 (95% CI: 0.87–4.32), and 1.88 (95% CI: 0.90–3.93), respectively. The HRs for a quartile increase in concentrations of all 8 elements, all 4 non-essential elements, and all 4 essential elements were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.68–1.25), 1.19 (95% CI: 0.92–1.55), and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.57–1.06). Cadmium had the greatest positive contribution whereas arsenic, copper, and selenium had the greatest negative contributions to the mixture associations.

Conclusions

We found some evidence that greater prenatal exposure to cadmium was associated with an increased the risk of bacterial sepsis in extremely preterm infants. However, this risk was counteracted by a combination of arsenic, copper, and selenium. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and to evaluate the potential for nutritional interventions to prevent sepsis in high-risk infants.
Physiological and transcriptional responses of seed germination to moderate drought in Apocynum venetum
Authors: Wu Zhibo , Chang Peixiu , Zhao Jing , Li Di , Wang Wenshu , Cui Xiuwen , Li Mengfei
Published: September 2022

Apocynum venetum L. is an endangered perennial species mainly distributed in the semi-arid lands and plays an important role in protecting ecological environment; meanwhile, it is also widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine. While physiological changes of seed germination under drought stress have been conducted, the adaptive mechanism to semi-arid environment is still unknown. Here, the physiological and transcriptional changes during seed germination of A. venetum under different PEG-6000 treatments (5 to 20%) were examined. The germination characteristics (germination rate, radicle length and fresh weight) were promoted under moderate drought (5% PEG). The activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and POD) and contents of osmolytes (soluble sugar, MDA and Pro) were increased while the CAT and APX activities and the protein content decreased with the increase of PEG concentrations. A total of 2159 (1846 UR, 313 DR) and 1530 (1038 UR, 492 DR) DEGs were observed during seed germination at 5 and 25% PEG vs. CK, respectively; and 834 co-expressed DEGs were classified into 10 categories including stress response (67), primary metabolism (189), photosynthesis and energy (83), cell morphogenesis (62), secondary metabolism (21), transport (93), TF (24), transcription (42), translation (159) and bio-signaling (94). The RELs of representative genes directly associated with drought stress and seed germination were coherent with the changes of antioxidant enzymes activities and osmolytes contents. These findings will provide useful information for revealing adaptive mechanism of A. venetum to semi-arid environment.
Increased expression of SYCP2 predicts poor prognosis in patients suffering from breast carcinoma
Authors: Zheng Hongyan , Guo Xiaorong , Li Nan , Qin Luyao , Li Xiaoqing , Lou Ge
Published: September 2022

Overexpression of synaptonemal complex protein-2 (SYCP2) has been identified in various human papillomavirus (HPV)–related carcinomas, whereas its significant role in breast carcinoma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic value and potential function of SYCP2 in breast carcinoma. Herein, data for breast carcinoma patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA) were analyzed. The enrichment analysis of SYCP2 including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Friends, and GSEA was performed. Kaplan–Meier analysis, Cox regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed for determining the predictive value of SYCP2 on clinical outcomes in patients suffering from breast carcinoma. A nomogram was generated to predict the effect arising from SYCP2 on prognosis. The association analysis of SYCP2 gene expression and diverse immune infiltration levels was conducted through ssGSEA and ESTIMATE analysis, which consisted of dendritic cell (DC), neutrophil, eosinophil, macrophage, mast cell, NK cell, and other 18 cell subtypes. The results showed that SYCP2 expression was significantly elevated in breast carcinoma tissues as compared with that of normal tissues (p < 0.001). SYCP2 plays a certain role in pathways related to DNA methylation, keratinocyte differentiation, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and immune infiltration. The high expression of SYCP2 had a significant relationship to age, pathological type, ER expression, and PR expression (p < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that patients suffering from breast carcinoma characterized by high-SYCP2 expression had a poorer prognosis than patients with low-SYCP2 expression (p = 0.005). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that SYCP2 had an independent relationship to overall survival (p = 0.049). Moreover, ROC curves suggested the significant diagnostic ability of SYCP2 for breast carcinoma, and as time went on, SYCP2 had more accurate prognostic efficacy. Furthermore, a high level of SYCP2 expression was found to have a relationship to poor prognosis of breast carcinoma in the subgroups of T3, N0, and M0, and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (HR > 1, p < 0.05). The calibration plot of the nomogram indicated that the SYCP2 model has an effective predictive performance for breast carcinoma patients. Conclusively, SYCP2 plays a vital role in the pathogenesis and progression of human breast carcinoma, so it may serve as a promising prognostic molecular marker of poor survival.
GraphBio: A shiny web app to easily perform popular visualization analysis for omics data
Authors: Zhao Tianxin , Wang Zelin
Published: September 2022

Background: Massive amounts of omics data are produced and usually require sophisticated visualization analysis. These analyses often require programming skills, which are difficult for experimental biologists. Thus, more user-friendly tools are urgently needed.

Methods and Results: Herein, we present GraphBio, a shiny web app to easily perform visualization analysis for omics data. GraphBio provides 15 popular visualization analysis methods, including heatmap, volcano plots, MA plots, network plots, dot plots, chord plots, pie plots, four quadrant diagrams, Venn diagrams, cumulative distribution curves, principal component analysis (PCA), survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, correlation analysis, and text cluster analysis. It enables experimental biologists without programming skills to easily perform popular visualization analysis and get publication-ready figures.

Conclusion: GraphBio, as an online web application, is freely available at http://www.graphbio1.com/en/ (English version) and http://www.graphbio1.com/ (Chinese version). The source code of GraphBio is available at https://github.com/databio2022/GraphBio.
An application based on bioinformatics and machine learning for risk prediction of sepsis at first clinical presentation using transcriptomic data
Authors: Shi Songchang , Pan Xiaobin , Zhang Lihui , Wang Xincai , Zhuang Yingfeng , Lin Xingsheng , Shi Songjing , Zheng Jianzhang , Lin Wei
Published: September 2022

Background: Linking genotypic changes to phenotypic traits based on machine learning methods has various challenges. In this study, we developed a workflow based on bioinformatics and machine learning methods using transcriptomic data for sepsis obtained at the first clinical presentation for predicting the risk of sepsis. By combining bioinformatics with machine learning methods, we have attempted to overcome current challenges in predicting disease risk using transcriptomic data.

Methods: High-throughput sequencing transcriptomic data processing and gene annotation were performed using R software. Machine learning models were constructed, and model performance was evaluated by machine learning methods in Python. The models were visualized and interpreted using the Shapley Additive explanation (SHAP) method.

Results: Based on the preset parameters and using recursive feature elimination implemented via machine learning, the top 10 optimal genes were screened for the establishment of the machine learning models. In a comparison of model performance, CatBoost was selected as the optimal model. We explored the significance of each gene in the model and the interaction between each gene through SHAP analysis.

Conclusion: The combination of CatBoost and SHAP may serve as the best-performing machine learning model for predicting transcriptomic and sepsis risks. The workflow outlined may provide a new approach and direction in exploring the mechanisms associated with genes and sepsis risk.
Association of the characteristics of the blood metabolome and gut microbiome with the outcome of methotrexate therapy in psoriasis
Authors: Qiu Qinwei , Deng Jingwen , Deng Hao , Yao Danni , Yan Yuhong , Ye Shuyan , Shang Xiaoxiao , Deng Yusheng , Han Lijuan , Zheng Guangjuan , Roy Bhaskar , Chen Yang , Han Ling , Huang Runyue , Fang Xiaodong , Lu Chuanjian
Published: September 2022

Metabolic status and gut microecology are implicated in psoriasis. Methotrexate (MTX) is usually the first-line treatment for this disease. However, the relationship between MTX and host metabolic status and the gut microbiota is unclear. This study aimed to characterize the features of blood metabolome and gut microbiome in patients with psoriasis after treatment with MTX. Serum and stool samples were collected from 15 patients with psoriasis. Untargeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and metagenomics sequencing were applied to profile the blood metabolome and gut microbiome, respectively. We found that the response to MTX varied according to metabolomic and metagenomic features at baseline; for example, patients who had high levels of serum nutrient molecular and more enriched gut microbiota had a poor response. After 16 weeks of MTX, we observed a reduction in microbial activity pathways, and patients with a good response showed more microbial activity and less biosynthesis of serum fatty acid. We also found an association between the serum metabolome and the gut microbiome before intervention with MTX. Carbohydrate metabolism, transporter systems, and protein synthesis within microbes were associated with host metabolic clusters of lipids, benzenoids, and organic acids. These findings suggest that the metabolic status of the blood and the gut microbiome is involved in the effectiveness of MTX in psoriasis, and that inhibition of symbiotic intestinal microbiota may be one of the mechanisms of action of MTX. Prospective studies in larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.
Unraveling the epidemiological relationship between ticks and rickettsial infection in Africa
Authors: Onyiche ThankGod E. , Labruna Marcelo B. , Saito Tais B.
Published: September 2022

Tick-borne rickettsioses are emerging and re-emerging diseases of public health concern caused by over 30 species ofRickettsia. Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods with over 700 species of Ixodid ticks known worldwide. The escalating geographical dispersal of tick vectors and concomitant increase in the incidences of tick-borne diseases have fueled interest in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens. This review focuses on aspects of theRickettsiapathogen, including biology, taxonomy, phylogeny, genetic diversity, epidemiology of the disease, and the role of vertebrate host in the perpetuation of rickettsioses in Africa. Our review also highlights some of the species ofRickettsiathat are responsible for disease, the role of tick vectors (both hard and soft ticks) and the species ofRickettsiaassociated with diverse tick species across the continent. Additionally, this article emphasizes the evolutionary perspective of rickettsiae perpetuation and the possible role of amplifying vertebrate host and other small mammals, domestic animals and wildlife in the epidemiology ofRickettsiaspecies. We also specifically, discussed the role of avian population in the epidemiology of SFG rickettsiae. Furthermore, we highlighted tick-borne rickettsioses among travelers due to African tick-bite fever (ATBF) and the challenges to surveillance of rickettsial infection, and research on rickettsiology in Africa. Our review canvasses the need for more rickettsiologists of African origin based within the continent to further research towards understanding the biology, characterization, and species distribution, including the competent tick vectors involved in their transmission of rickettsiae across the continent in collaboration with established researchers in western countries. We further highlighted the need for proper funding to encourage research despite competing demands for resources across the various sectors. We finalize by discussing the similarities between rickettsial diseases around the world and which steps need to be taken to help foster our understanding on the eco-epidemiology of rickettsioses by bridging the gap between the growing epidemiological data and the molecular characterization ofRickettsiaspecies.
Biomaterial-based strategy for bone tumor therapy and bone defect regeneration: An innovative application option
Authors: Zhang Yue , Wu Yunjiao , Qiao Xinyi , Lin Tie , Wang Yicun , Wang Meng
Published: September 2022

Bone tumors are deadly and incurable diseases that invade large areas of bone, resulting in bone defects. Traditional therapies combining surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation have reached their limit of efficacy, motivating efforts to develop new therapeutic methods. Fortunately, the development of biomaterials provides innovative options for bone tumor treatment. Suitable biomaterials are capable of simultaneously providing tumor therapy and promoting bone regeneration. This review summarizes recent progress in the effort to achieve new strategies for bone tumor treatment using biomaterials, focusing on the innovative scaffold design. It also discusses the development of nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems and hyperthermia therapy for bone tumor treatment. In the future, biomaterial-based strategies are likely to become the most effective and reliable options for treating bone tumors, and they have the potential to greatly improve the prognosis and quality of life for patients.
Tunable microscopic aggregation morphology of α-Ni(OH)2 for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of fracturing flowback fluid with ozone synergy
Authors: Yang Huohai , Tang Xinrui , Li Renze , Liu Xuanyu , Zhang Ping , Gong Yeqi
Published: September 2022

In this study, hydrothermal synthesis was used to prepare α-Ni(OH)2, which is a steady-state photocatalytic material. Furthermore, ball milling was used for the 1:1 loading of α-Ni(OH)2 with nano-alumina (Al2O3), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and activated carbon (AC). The performances of these four materials in the degradation of a fracturing flowback fluid were investigated under the synergistic catalytic effect of ozone. The results showed that under this effect, the α-Ni(OH)2/nano -Al2O3 photocatalyzed the formation of active hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and superoxide radicals (·O2−), which in turn degraded the return solution. Although ozone itself can spontaneously form certain ·OH and O2− in water, compared to α-Ni(OH)2, the nano- Al2O3 with a higher valence band of 0.2eV provided more active sites and better electron migration efficiency for the conversion of ozone, improving the conversion efficiency of this process (Figure 11). In addition, unlike the other two types of carriers, nano-Al2O3 could provide intergranular support for nanopillared α-Ni(OH)2, increasing the specific surface area and the number of active sites.