bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Produção e caracterização de pão de forma obtido por processo rápido
Authors: Bezerra Luciana Cristina Nogueira de Moraes , Silva Claudio Ernani Mendes da , Nascimento Hélio Oliveira do , Constant Patricia Beltrão Lessa
Published: August 2022

Pães são produtos de consumo diário pela maioria das pessoas em todo o mundo. Entre as várias etapas necessárias à fabricação deste produto, destaca-se a fermentação biológica que possibilita a devida aeração e expansão da massa com tempo variável de duas a cinco horas ou mais. Com o intuito de diminuir o tempo de produção de pão de forma foi proposto o desenvolvimento de um pão com fermentação química e adição de extrato aquoso contendo compostos do aroma e sabor de um pão de forma convencional. Um Delineamento Composto Central Rotacional foi aplicado para definir a melhor formulação para o pão proposto. Os pães da melhor formulação foram submetidos a análises de umidade, cinzas, proteína, lipídios, carboidratos, pH, teste de aceitação e análise dos voláteis. A melhor formulação foi do pão elaborado com 8,5% de extrato flavorizante de pão, 7,7% de fermento químico e 5,5% de gordura vegetal, com um escore total de qualidade igual a 73,01%. Os pães apresentaram teores de umidade, carboidratos, proteínas e lipídios de 30,61%, 54,83%, 7,43% e 3,30%, respectivamente, similares aos pães convencionais, exceto quanto ao teor de cinzas (3,82%), que se mostrou mais elevado. O teste de aceitação demonstrou que os avaliadores apresentaram a atitude de consumo “comeria frequentemente”. A análise dos voláteis do pão por CG/EM permitiu identificar 12 compostos que fazem parte do flavour de pães convencionais. Assim, é possível fabricar um pão de forma com redução do tempo de processamento (< 1,0 hora) e com aceitação sensorial satisfatória.
Percepção do enfermeiro diante da dor no neonato prematuro
Authors: Albuquerque Karyne Araújo Senna de Souza , Silva Vanusa Maria Gomes Napoleão , Saraiva Emanuela Machado Silva , Domingos João Emanuel Pereira , Chaves Edna Maria Camelo , Tavares Ana Raquel Bezerra Saraiva
Published: August 2022

Objetivo: identificar a percepção do enfermeiro diante de avaliação da dor e quais medidas não farmacológicas são utilizadas antes dos procedimentos dolorosos na Unidade de Cuidado Intermediário Convencional. Metodologia: Estudo qualitativo, descritivo e exploratório, realizado entre setembro e outubro de 2017, com enfermeiras atuantes na Unidade de Cuidado Intermediário Convencional. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um roteiro de entrevista e a análise das falas nas entrevistas foi feita através da Análise de Conteúdo. Resultados: Participaram cinco enfermeiras, com tempo de experiência profissional variando de um a seis anos, duas enfermeiras com 04 anos e uma com 06 anos, todas possuíam especialização. Surgiram duas categorias temáticas: “Percepção da dor pelos profissionais”; “Medidas de alívio da dor”. Considerações finais: Foi possível identificar a percepção do enfermeiro diante de avaliação da dor e as medidas não farmacológicas que utilizam como rotina antes da realização dos procedimentos dolorosos na UCINCo. Percebe-se que as enfermeiras são sensíveis a causa da dor no RN, pois através de seus relatos conseguem reconhecer que o neonato sente dor não apenas ao ser submetido a procedimentos dolorosos, mas também diante da mudança de decúbito. Contudo, acrescentaram que alterações ambientais na UCINCo, por meio do ruído e iluminação, são fatores estressores e que trazem desconforto.
Registros de representações semióticas em análise de regressão: uma proposta de sequências didáticas com uso do software GeoGebra
Authors: Silva Ivani Valentim da , Vaz Marcos Braz
Published: August 2022

As dificuldades de alunos do ensino médio para compreender os processos abstratos envolvidos no desenvolvimento de um raciocínio matemático intriga os professores de Matemática quando exigem a utilização de uma linguagem formal e rigorosa para a representação do objeto em estudo. Com o advento das tecnologias digitais, a utilização de softwares possibilita a representação do objeto matemático por meio de gráficos bidimensionais ou tridimensionais que facilitam a compreensão do aluno. Neste universo, o software GeoGebra se destaca, pois permite que o aluno observe uma infinidade de propriedades que não conseguiria com o uso da linguagem clássica da matemática. O objetivo deste artigo é verificar em que medida a utilização do software GeoGebra pode contribuir para a compreensão dos conceitos matemáticos da análise de regressão em alunos da 3ª série do ensino médio, de uma escola pública na cidade de Apuí-AM, região sul do Estado brasileiro do Amazonas. A metodologia utilizada foi a Engenharia Didática, que inclui o confronto das análises a priori, com a experimentação e as análises a posteriori de uma sequência didática. Os resultados revelaram que o uso do software GeoGebra pode ser eficaz para o aprendizado de conteúdos de análise de regressão Estatística, assim como foi comprovado para a Geometria e a Trigonometria. Sua utilização vai além da realização de cálculos dispostos em tabelas, como as planilhas eletrônicas já fazem. Seu diferencial são as funcionalidades para a realização da conversão da linguagem algébrica para as linguagens de gráficos e imagética, e vice-versa.
O uso da raquianestesia em situações cirúrgicas: uma revisão de literatura
Authors: Casagrande Arthur Figueiredo , Dutra Dalbert Samuel , Ferreira Louvana Cristelle Camargos , Nunes Marilene Rivany
Published: August 2022

Introdução: A raquianestesia, uma das principais ferramentas no contexto cirúrgico, fornece grandes vantagens na sua utilização, contudo, algumas ponderações acerca de possíveis efeitos colaterais e complicações devem ser levadas em conta. Objetivo: O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a utilização da raquianestesia em situações cirúrgicas diversas, elucidando pontos positivos e negativos. Materiais e Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão de literatura acerca do uso da raquianestesia como procedimento anestésico. Utilizou-se a estratégia PICO para a elaboração da pergunta norteadora. Ademais, realizou-se o cruzamento dos descritores “Raquianestesia”; “Anestesia”; “Anestesiologia”, nas bases de dados National Library of Medicine (PubMed MEDLINE), Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SCIELO), Ebscohost, Google Scholar e Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (BVS). Resultados e Discussão: Uma parcela significativa dos artigos indicou uma correlação entre a raquianestesia, seus pontos positivos e algumas possíveis complicações. Além disso, outros artigos abordaram aspectos gerais sobre a temática, como o uso de mídias digitais para obtenção de informações e a correlação entre fatores perioperatórios com o prognóstico cirúrgico. Conclusão: Foi possível perceber que a raquianestesia, ainda que com algumas ressalvas, é um procedimento seguro e benéfico para a realização de cirurgias e, por consequência, na oferta de um serviço de qualidade e seguro para o paciente.
Influence of root canal moisture conditions on the bond strength of endodontic sealers to dentin
Authors: Cabral Michelle Araújo , Limoeiro Ana Grasiela da Silva , De Martin Alexandre Sigrist , Fontana Carlos Eduardo , Pelegrine Rina Andrea , Bueno Carlos Eduardo da Silveira , Rocha Daniel Guimarães Pedro
Published: August 2022

Objective: To investigate the influence of intraradicular moisture conditions on the bond strength of 3 different endodontic cements in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the root canal. Materials and Methods: 90 single-rooted teeth were instrumented with a reciprocal R#50 file and randomly divided into 3 experimental groups: Dry group: dry canals with absorbent paper tips; Moist group: suction syringe and capillary tip coupled to a vacuum pump; Wet group: aspiration with endodontic suction. The groups were divided according to the endodontic sealer used: AH plus (Denstply), Hiflow (Brasseler) and Bio-c Sealer (Angelus). Obturation was performed using Tagger's hybrid technique with a single cone. The teeth were subjected to the "push-out" test to evaluate the bond strength of the cements. Results: Data were analyzed using the Kolgomorov-Smirnoff normal distribution test and the Mann Whitney U test to compare means within and between groups. The standard error established was 5% at a significance level of 95%. AH plus showed better results regardless of canal moisture conditions. Hiflow showed better bond strength in the dry group compared to the moist group (p=0.023) in the cervical area. Bio-C Sealer showed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Moisture conditions affected the bond strength values of endodontic cements. The prevalence of failure moduli was mixed in all root thirds, regardless of the cement used.
Effects of the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis on the development of the marine gastropod Crepidula fornicata
Authors: Clark DL , Pechenik JA
Published: August 2022

With harmful algal blooms increasing in frequency and range, it is important to study how exposure to harmful algae may affect the development of marine organisms. Our studies examined the susceptibility of the early life stages of the Atlantic slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata to the toxic red tide dinoflagellate Karenia brevis (strain FWC1010), testing the effects of exposure to 3 algal bloom concentrations (100, 1000, or 5000 cells ml-1), representing medium to high bloom conditions in nature, on survival, growth, clearance rates, metamorphosis, and post-metamorphic survival and growth. Larvae were given either a mixed diet of K. brevis together with the non-toxic phytoplankton Tisochrysis lutea (clone TISO), a unialgal diet of K. brevis, or a control diet of unialgal TISO. In some experiments, larvae were raised to metamorphosis on the different diets and were then observed as juveniles in a non-toxic environment to see if there were any latent effects of larval exposure to K. brevis on subsequent juvenile survival or growth (in terms of both shell length and percent inorganic weight). There were no significant effects of larval exposure to K. brevis on larval or juvenile survival. However, we observed several notable sub-lethal effects of larval exposure to high K. brevis concentrations (1000 and 5000 cells ml-1), including slower larval shell growth rates, delayed competence for metamorphosis, lower responses to natural metamorphic cues, and reduced rates of post-metamorphic growth (in terms of both shell length per day and percent inorganic weight) when juveniles were reared under control conditions.
Maternal plasma VEGF, sVEGF-R1, and PlGF concentrations in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant Zimbabwean women.
Authors: Muy-Rivera M , Vadachkoria S , Woelk GB , Qiu Ch , Mahomed K , Williams MA
Published: August 2022

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a disulphide-linked homodimeric glycoprotein that is selectively mitogenic for endothelial cells, plays an important role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Preeclampsia, a relatively common complication of pregnancy that is characterized by diffuse endothelial dysfunction possibly secondary to impaired trophoblast invasion of the spiral arteries during implantation, has recently been associated with alterations in maternal serum/plasma concentrations of VEGF, and other related growth factors and their receptors. We examined the relationship of maternal plasma VEGF, sVEGF-R1 and PlGF levels to the risk of preeclampsia among women delivering at Harare Maternity Hospital, Zimbabwe. 131 pregnant women with preeclampsia and 175 controls were included in a case-control study. Maternal plasma concentrations of each biomarker were measured using enzymatic methods. We used logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Preeclampsia risk was inversely related with quartiles of plasma VEGF (OR: 1.0, 1.0, 0.7, and 0.5, with the lowest quartile as reference; p for trend = 0.06). We noted a strong positive association between preeclampsia risk and sVEGF-R1 concentrations (OR: 1.0, 6.5, 9.7, 31.6, with the first quartile as the referent group; p for trend < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, we noted that women with sVEGF-R1 concentrations in the highest quartile (≥ 496 pg/ml), as compared with those in the lowest quartile (< 62 pg/ml) had a 31.6-fold increased risk of preeclampsia (OR = 31.6, 95 % CI 7.7-128.9). There was no clear evidence of a linear relation in risk of preeclampsia with PlGF concentrations. In conclusion, plasma VEGF, sVEGF-R1 and PlGF concentrations (measured at delivery) were altered among Zimbabwean women with preeclampsia as compared with normotensive women. Our results are consistent with some, though not all, previous reports. Prospective studies are needed to: 1) identify modifiable determinants of maternal plasma concentrations VEGF, sVEGF-R1, and PlGF; and 2) evaluate the temporal relationship between observed alterations of these biological markers in preeclamptic pregnancies.
Estimation of the left ventricular relaxation time constant τ requires consideration of the pressure asymptote.
Authors: Langer SFJ , Habazettl H , Kuebler WM , Pries AR
Published: August 2022

The left ventricular isovolumic pressure decay, obtained by cardiac catheterization, is widely characterized by the time constant τ (tau) of the exponential regression p(t)= P¥+(P0–P¥)exp(–t/τ). However, several authors prefer to prefix P¥=0 instead of coestimating the pressure asymptote empirically; others present τ values estimated by both methods that often lead to discordant results and interpretation of lusitropic changes. The present study aims to clarify the relations between the τ estimates from both methods and to decide for the more reliable estimate. The effect of presetting a zero asymptote on the τ estimate was investigated mathematically and empirically, based on left ventricular pressure decay data from isolated ejecting rat and guinea pig hearts at different preload and during spontaneous decrease of cardiac function. Estimating τ with preset P¥=0 always yields smaller values than the regression with empirically estimated asymptote if the latter is negative and vice versa. The sequences of τ estimates from both methods can therefore proceed in reverse direction if τ and P¥ change in opposite directions between the measurements. This is exemplified by data obtained during an increasing preload in spontaneously depressed isolated hearts. The estimation of the time constant of isovolumic pressure fall with a preset zero asymptote is heavily biased and cannot be used for comparing the lusitropic state of the heart in hemodynamic conditions with considerably altered pressure asymptotes.
Biological half-life of bromide in the rat depends primarily on the magnitude of sodium intake.
Authors: Pavelka S , Babický A , Vobecký M
Published: August 2022

The parallel course of the excretion rates of bromide and sodium ions was demonstrated in adult male and female rats administered simultaneously with potassium 82Br-bromide and 24Na-sodium chloride. The animals were exposed to various intakes of sodium ions accompanied with five different anions: Br-, Cl-, HCO3-, ClO4-, and SCN-. Regardless of the anion accompanying the sodium ion, the excretion rates of 82Br- and 24Na+ ions were proportional to the magnitude of sodium intake in the animals. Hence, we have proved our hypothesis that the biological half-life of bromide depends on the magnitude of sodium intake rather than on the intake of chloride.
A mathematical model of tuberculosis and COVID-19 coinfection with the effect of isolation and treatment
Authors: Inayaturohmat Fatuh , Anggriani Nursanti , Supriatna Asep K.
Published: August 2022

In this research, we developed a coinfection model of tuberculosis and COVID-19 with the effect of isolation and treatment. We obtained two equilibria, namely, disease-free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium. Disease-free equilibrium is a state in which no infection of tuberculosis and COVID-19 occurs. Endemic equilibrium is a state in which there occurs not only the infection of tuberculosis and COVID-19 but also the coinfection of tuberculosis and COVID-19. We assumed that the parameters follow the uniform distribution, and then, we took 1,000 samples of each parameter using Latin hypercube sampling (LHS). Next, the samples were sorted by ranking. Finally, we used the partial rank correlation coefficient (PRCC) to find the correlation between the parameters with compartments. We analyzed the PRCC for three compartments, namely, individuals infected with COVID-19, individuals infected with tuberculosis, and individuals coinfected with COVID-19 and tuberculosis. The most sensitive parameters are the recovery rate and the infection rate of each COVID-19 and tuberculosis. We performed the optimal control in the form of prevention for COVID-19 and tuberculosis. The numerical simulation shows that these controls effectively reduce the infected population. We also concluded that the effect of isolation has an immediate impact on reducing the number of COVID-19 infections, while the effect of treatment has an impact that tends to take a longer time.
Importance of gut microbiota for bile acid composition and concentration in pigs
Authors: Sun Jing , Li MengYing , Zhou Hua , Chong Jie , Zhang JinWei , Yu Bing , Chen DaiWen , Ge LiangPeng
Published: August 2022

Several studies on the role of HCA species in regulating glucose homeostasis have indicated their therapeutic value in human obesity and diabetes. There is a clear difference in the percentage of hyocholic acid (HCA) and its derivatives (also known as HCA species) in the total bile acid (BA) pool in the plasma between humans, rats and pigs. However, the role of gut microbiota in BA profiles of pigs remains unclear. We generated five germ-free pig models and six gnotobiotic pig models by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). A total of 46 BAs were detected in the jejunum, cecum, colon, and rectum chyme, 37 and 33 BAs were detected in bile, 33 BAs were detected in ileal chyme and liver, and 31 BAs were detected in serum. FMT increased the percentages of HCA species in total bile acids in the serum (79%), liver (78%), and bile (71%), but decreased the proportions of HCA species in the total BAs of the ileum (61%), cecum (47%), colon (51%), and rectum (57%) of pigs, as compared to GF piglets. FMT significantly induced the production of conjugated bile acids in the small intestine and increased the concentrations of free BAs in the large intestine of pigs (P < 0.01). FMT piglets had over 68-fold and 104-fold increases in conjugated BAs in the ileum compared to the germ-free piglets. FMT piglets had an expression pattern distinct from that of germ-free piglets for genes involved in bile acid receptors, synthesis, signaling, and transport. The gene expression levels of the rate-limiting enzyme CYP7A1 and the enzymes CH25H and BAAT involved in BA synthesis were significantly decreased in the liver of FMT piglets, and there was a significant reduction in the gene expression of FXR and TGR5 through the FGFR4/β-Klotho pathway that promotes the BA pool in the liver of piglets after FMT.
Brain ethanolamine phospholipids, neuropathology and cognition: A comparative post-mortem analysis of structurally specific plasmalogen and phosphatidyl species
Authors: Goodenowe Dayan B. , Senanayake Vijitha
Published: August 2022

Reduced cognition in the elderly is associated with low levels of plasmalogens and high levels of lipid rafts, amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles in the temporal cortex. A systematic integrative analysis of key indices of these pathologies to determine their collective and independent contributions to cognition was performed. Levels of four phosphatidylethanolamines (PE) and four ethanolamine plasmalogens (PL) of identical sn-1 carbon length and desaturation (stearic, 18:0) and identical sn-2 fatty acid compositions of varying side chain lengths and degrees of unsaturation (oleic, 18:1; linoleic, 18:2; arachidonic, 20:4; docosahexaenoic, 22:6), flotillin-1 expression and amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangle densities were measured in inferior temporal cortex tissue from 100 elderly subjects (Rush University Memory and Aging Project, 88.5 ± 5.8 years old). Subjects were evenly distributed with respect to gender (52/48, F/M) and cognitive status (38/24/38, no cognitive impairment/mild cognitive impairment/Alzheimer’s dementia) proximate to death. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relative and collective associations of the neuropathological indices with cognition. Higher levels of tangles, amyloid, or flotillin and lower levels of PL 18:0/22:6 were significantly associated with lower cognition in the base model (adjusted for age, sex, education). Multivariate analysis revealed that only PL 18:0/22:6 (β = 0.506; p < 0.00001), tangles (−0.307; p < 0.01), and flotillin (−0.2027; p < 0.05) were independently associated with reduced cognition. PL 18:0/22:6 and PE 18:0/22:6 levels were independently associated with cognition in the presence of tangles, amyloid, and flotillin, but only PL 18:0/22:6 retained its association with cognition when both PL and PE 18:0/22:6 were included in the model indicating that PE 18:0/22:6 levels were associated with PL 18:0/22:6, not cognition. Only high brain levels of PL 18:0/22:6 (>mean+1SD) was predictive of normal cognition (coef = 1.67, p < 0.05) and non-demented state (coef = −2.73, p < 0.001), whereas low levels of PL 18:0/22:6 and high levels of tangles or flotillin were predictive of dementia. The association of high brain polyunsaturated (PUFA)-PL levels with better cognition was independent of amyloid plaque, neurofibrillary tangle, PE, and flotillin-1 expression. Maintenance or augmentation of brain docosahexaenoic (DHA)-PL levels warrants further investigation as a target for preventing cognitive decline or improving cognition in the elderly, respectively.
Transplantation to study satellite cell heterogeneity in skeletal muscle
Authors: Hekmatnejad Bahareh , Rudnicki Michael A.
Published: August 2022

Skeletal muscle has a remarkable capacity to regenerate throughout life, which is mediated by its resident muscle stem cells, also called satellite cells. Satellite cells, located periphery to the muscle fibers and underneath the basal lamina, are an indispensable cellular source for muscle regeneration. Satellite cell transplantation into regenerating muscle contributes robustly to muscle repair, thereby indicating that satellite cells indeed function as adult muscle stem cells. Moreover, satellite cells are a heterogenous population in adult tissue, with subpopulations that can be distinguished based on gene expression, cell-cycle progression, ability to self-renew, and bi-potential ability. Transplantation assays provide a powerful tool to better understand satellite cell function in vivo enabling the separation of functionally distinct satellite cell subpopulations. In this review, we focus on transplantation strategies to explore satellite cells’ functional heterogeneity, approaches targeting the recipient tissue to improve transplantation efficiency, and common strategies to monitor the behaviour of the transplanted cells. Lastly, we discuss some recent approaches to overcome challenges to enhance the transplantation potential of muscle stem cells.
A new mouse model of post-traumatic joint injury allows to identify the contribution of Gli1+ mesenchymal progenitors in arthrofibrosis and acquired heterotopic endochondral ossification
Authors: Magallanes Jenny , Liu Nancy Q. , Zhang Jiankang , Ouyang Yuxin , Mkaratigwa Tadiwanashe , Bian Fangzhou , Van Handel Ben , Skorka Tautis , Petrigliano Frank A. , Evseenko Denis
Published: August 2022

Complex injury and open reconstructive surgeries of the knee often lead to joint dysfunction that may alter the normal biomechanics of the joint. Two major complications that often arise are excessive deposition of fibrotic tissue and acquired heterotopic endochondral ossification. Knee arthrofibrosis is a fibrotic joint disorder where aberrant buildup of scar tissue and adhesions develop around the joint. Heterotopic ossification is ectopic bone formation around the periarticular tissues. Even though arthrofibrosis and heterotopic ossification pose an immense clinical problem, limited studies focus on their cellular and molecular mechanisms. Effective cell-targeted therapeutics are needed, but the cellular origin of both knee disorders remains elusive. Moreover, all the current animal models of knee arthrofibrosis and stiffness are developed in rats and rabbits, limiting genetic experiments that would allow us to explore the contribution of specific cellular targets to these knee pathologies. Here, we present a novel mouse model where surgically induced injury and hyperextension of the knee lead to excessive deposition of disorganized collagen in the meniscus, synovium, and joint capsule in addition to formation of extra-skeletal bone in muscle and soft tissues within the joint capsule. As a functional outcome, arthrofibrosis and acquired heterotopic endochondral ossification coupled with a significant increase in total joint stiffness were observed. By employing this injury model and genetic lineage tracing, we also demonstrate that Gli1+ mesenchymal progenitors proliferate after joint injury and contribute to the pool of fibrotic cells in the synovium and ectopic osteoblasts within the joint capsule. These findings demonstrate that Gli1+ cells are a major cellular contributor to knee arthrofibrosis and acquired heterotopic ossification that manifest after knee injury. Our data demonstrate that genetic manipulation of Gli1+ cells in mice may offer a platform for identification of novel therapeutic targets to prevent knee joint dysfunction after chronic injury.
Cucurbit [8] uril-based supramolecular fluorescent biomaterials for cytotoxicity and imaging studies of kidney cells
Authors: Xiao Han , Yang Xia , Yang Li , Yang Dan , Luo Yang , Yang Hai-Ping , Tao Zhu , Xiao Xin , Li Qiu
Published: August 2022

An accurate diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) at the early stage is critical to not only allow preventative treatments in time but also forecast probable medication toxicity for preventing AKI from starting and progressing to severe kidney damage and death. Therefore, supramolecular fluorescent biomaterials based on Q [8] and PEG-APTS have been prepared herein. This study has found that the unique properties of outer surface methine and the positive density of Q [8] can form a stable assembly with PEG-APTS, and has provided the possibility for the faster crossing of the glomerular filtration barrier to enter into the resident cells of the kidney. In addition to the excellent fluorescence properties, the as-synthesized biomaterial Q [8]@PEG-APTS has possessed significantly low biological toxicity. Most importantly, the accumulation of Q [8]@PEG-APTS in large amounts in cytoplasm and nucleus of HK2 and HMCs cells, respectively, within 24 h enabled distinguishing kidney cells when diagnosing and providing some foundation for early AKI.
Modulation of autophagy as a therapeutic strategy for Toxoplasma gondii infection
Authors: Cheng Ao , Zhang Huanan , Chen Baike , Zheng Shengyao , Wang Hongyi , Shi Yijia , You Siyao , Li Ming , Jiang Liping
Published: August 2022

Toxoplasma gondii infection is a severe health threat that endangers billions of people worldwide. T. gondii utilizes the host cell membrane to form a parasitophorous vacuole (PV), thereby fully isolating itself from the host cell cytoplasm and making intracellular clearance difficult. PV can be targeted and destroyed by autophagy. Autophagic targeting results in T. gondii killing via the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes. However, T. gondii has developed many strategies to suppress autophagic targeting. Accordingly, the interplay between host cell autophagy and T. gondii is an emerging area with important practical implications. By promoting the canonical autophagy pathway or attenuating the suppression of autophagic targeting, autophagy can be effectively utilized in the development of novel therapeutic strategies against T gondii. Here, we have illustrated the complex interplay between host cell mediated autophagy and T. gondii. Different strategies to promote autophagy in order to target the parasite have been elucidated. Besides, we have analyzed some potential new drug molecules from the DrugBank database using bioinformatics tools, which can modulate autophagy. Various challenges and opportunities focusing autophagy mediated T. gondii clearance have been discussed, which will provide new insights for the development of novel drugs against the parasite.
A comparison of the composition and functions of the oral and gut microbiotas in Alzheimer’s patients
Authors: Chen Lili , Xu Xinhua , Wu Xiaoqi , Cao Huizhen , Li Xiuli , Hou Zhaoyi , Wang Bixia , Liu Jinxiu , Ji Xinli , Zhang Ping , Li Hong
Published: August 2022

Objective

Alterations in the oral or gut microbiotas have been reported in patients with subjective and mild cognitive impairment or AD dementia. However, whether these microbiotas change with the severity of the AD spectrum (mild, moderate, and severe AD) remains unknown. Thus, we compared alterations in the composition and gene functions of the oral and gut microbiota between different phases of AD.

Methods

We recruited 172 individuals and classified these into three groups: healthy controls (n = 40), a mild AD group (n = 43) and a moderate AD group (n = 89). Subgingival plaques and fecal samples were collected from all individuals. Then, we conducted 16S ribosomal RNA. sequencing to analyze the microbiotas.

Results

In order of the severity of cognition impairment (from normal to mild and to moderate AD), the oral abundances of the phyla Firmicutes and Fusobacteria showed a gradual upwards trend, while the abundance of the Proteobacteria phylum gradually decreased. In contrast, the abundance of the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla in the gut decreased progressively, while that of the Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Actinobacteria phyla increased gradually. Key differences were identified in the microbiomes when compared between the mild AD and moderate AD groups when applying the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) algorithm. LEfSe analysis revealed alterations that were similar to those described above; furthermore, different bacterial taxa were associated with MMSE scores and age. KEGG analysis showed that the functional pathways associated with the oral microbiota were mainly involved in membrane transport and carbohydrate metabolism, while the gene functions of the fecal microbiota related to metabolism of amino acids, energy, cofactors and vitamins; identified significant differences among the three groups. Venn diagram analysis revealed that the number of genera that were present in both the oral and gut microbiota increased progressively from NC to mild AD and then to moderate AD.

Conclusions

This study is the first to report a comparative analysis of the oral and fecal microbiota of patients with mild and moderate AD. The compositions and functions of the oral and gut microbiotas differed when compared between different stages of AD.
A blaSIM-1 and mcr-9.2 harboring Klebsiella michiganensis strain reported and genomic characteristics of Klebsiella michiganensis
Authors: Li Shuangshuang , Jiang Xiaoyuan , Li Cuidan , Ju Yingjiao , Yue Liya , Chen Fangzhou , Hu Lingfei , Wang Jing , Hu Xin , Tuohetaerbaike Bahetibieke , Wen Hao , Zhang Wenbao , Zhou Dongsheng , Yin Zhe , Chen Fei
Published: August 2022

As a newly emerging Klebsiella pathogen, more and more Klebsiella michiganensis drug resistant strains have been reported in recent years, which posed serious threats to public health. Here we first reported a multidrug-resistant K. michiganensis strain 12084 with two blaSIM-1 and one mcr-9.2 genes isolated from the sputum specimen of a patient in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and analyzed its genetic basis and drug-resistance phenotypes. Genetic analysis showed that this strain harbored three different incompatibility groups (IncHI2, IncHI5, and IncFIIpKPHS2:IncFIB-4.1) of plasmids (p12084-HI2, p12084-HI5, and p12084-FII). A total of 26 drug-resistance genes belonging to 12 classes of antibiotics were identified, most of which (24) were located on two plasmids (p12084-HI2 and p12084-HI5). Interestingly, two blaSIM-1 genes were identified to locate on p12084-HI2 and p12084-HI5, respectively, both of which were embedded in In630, indicating their genetic homogeny. It was noting that one blaSIM-1 gene was situated in a novel unit transposon (referred to as Tn6733) on the p12084-HI5 plasmid. We also discovered an mcr-9.2 gene on the p12084-HI2 plasmid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a blaSIM-1 and mcr-9.2 harboring K. michiganensis strain. We then investigated the population structure/classification, and antibiotic resistance for all 275 availably global K. michiganensis genomes. Population structure revealed that K. michiganensis could be divided into two main clades (Clade 1 and Clade 2); the most popular ST29 was located in Clade 1, while other common STs (such as ST50, ST27, and ST43) were located in Clade 2. Drug-resistance analysis showed 25.5% of the K. michiganensis strains (70/275) harboring at least one carbapenemase gene, indicating severe drug resistance of K. michiganensis beyond our imagination; this is a dangerous trend and should be closely monitored, especially for ST27 K. michiganensis with the most drug-resistant genes among all the STs. Overall, we reported a blaSIM-1 and mcr-9.2 harboring K. michiganensis strain, and further revealed the population structure/classification, and drug-resistance of K. michiganensis, which provided an important framework, reference, and improved understanding of K. michiganensis.
Intra-cardiac pressure drop and flow distribution of bicuspid aortic valve disease in preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Aliabadi Shirin , Sojoudi Alireza , Bandali Murad F. , Bristow Michael S. , Lydell Carmen , Fedak Paul W. M. , White James A. , Garcia Julio
Published: August 2022

Background

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is more than a congenital defect since it is accompanied by several secondary complications that intensify induced impairments. Hence, BAV patients need lifelong evaluations to prevent severe clinical sequelae. We applied 4D-flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for in detail visualization and quantification of in vivo blood flow to verify the reliability of the left ventricular (LV) flow components and pressure drops in the silent BAV subjects with mild regurgitation and preserved ejection fraction (pEF).

Materials and methods

A total of 51 BAV patients with mild regurgitation and 24 healthy controls were recruited to undergo routine cardiac MRI followed by 4D-flow MRI using 3T MRI scanners. A dedicated 4D-flow module was utilized to pre-process and then analyze the LV flow components (direct flow, retained inflow, delayed ejection, and residual volume) and left-sided [left atrium (LA) and LV] local pressure drop. To elucidate significant diastolic dysfunction in our population, transmitral early and late diastolic 4D flow peak velocity (E-wave and A-wave, respectively), as well as E/A ratio variable, were acquired.

Results

The significant means differences of each LV flow component (global measurement) were not observed between the two groups (p > 0.05). In terms of pressure analysis (local measurement), maximum and mean as well as pressure at E-wave and A-wave timepoints at the mitral valve (MV) plane were significantly different between BAV and control groups (p: 0.005, p: 0.02, and p: 0.04 and p: <0.001; respectively). Furthermore, maximum pressure and pressure difference at the A-wave timepoint at left ventricle mid and left ventricle apex planes were significant. Although we could not find any correlation between LV diastolic function and flow components, Low but statistically significant correlations were observed with local pressure at LA mid, MV and LV apex planes at E-wave timepoint (R: −0.324, p: 0.005, R: −0.327, p: 0.004, and R: −0.306, p: 0.008, respectively).

Conclusion

In BAV patients with pEF, flow components analysis is not sensitive to differentiate BAV patients with mild regurgitation and healthy control because flow components and EF are global parameters. Inversely, pressure (local measurement) can be a more reliable biomarker to reveal the early stage of diastolic dysfunction.
Left ventricular dyssynchrony as marker of early dysfunction in premature ventricular contraction-induced cardiomyopathy
Authors: Kowlgi Gurukripa N. , Tan Alex Y. , Kaszala Karoly , Kontos Michael C. , Lozano Pedro , Ellenbogen Kenneth A. , Huizar Jose F.
Published: August 2022

Background

Strain imaging has been suggested as a tool to detect early left ventricular (LV) dysfunction due to frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in patients with preserved LV ejection fraction (EF). However, the progression of intraventricular dyssynchrony (IVD), radial, and circumferential strain (RS, CS) in PVC-cardiomyopathy (CM) are unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate the progression patterns of CS, IVD, and electro-mechanical latency (EML) in PVC-CM.

Methods and results

Pacemakers were implanted in 20 canines to reproduce ventricular bigeminy at 200ms (PVCs n = 11) for 12 weeks and compared to a sham group (n = 9). We obtained echocardiograms at baseline, 4-, 8- and 12-weeks. RS and CS were obtained at the LV mid-cavitary level. IVD was defined as the time between the earliest and latest peak RS. EML was defined as the time between the onset of QRS and the earliest peak RS. LVEF (62 ± 5 to 42 ± 7%, p < 0.01), CS (–18 ± 3 to –12 ± 3, p < 0.01), and EML (219 ± 37 to 283 ± 46ms, p = 0.02) changed significantly in the PVC group. Peak CS (–18 ± 3 to –14 ± 4, p = 0.02) and IVD (49 ± 31 to 122 ± 103, p = 0.05) had a significant change at 4-weeks despite preserved LVEF (51 ± 5%). IVD normalized while EML increased at weeks 8 and 12.

Conclusion

Our findings consolidate the existing theory that changes in strain precede changes in LVEF in PVC-CM. While IVD becomes abnormal early in the development of PVC-CM, it pseudo-normalizes at advanced stages due to further increases in EML suggestive of cardiac contractility remodeling. These findings are consistent with recent published data where abnormal LV mechanics could be part of a substrate that can predispose to worse outcome in PVC-Cardiomyopathy.
Designs, facilitators, barriers, and lessons learned during the implementation of emergency department led virtual urgent care programs in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Hall Justin N. , Ackery Alun D. , Dainty Katie N. , Gill Paul S. , Lim Rodrick , Masood Sameer , McLeod Shelley L. , Mehta Shaun D. , Nijmeh Larry , Rosenfield Daniel , Rutledge Greg , Verma Aikta , Mondoux Shawn
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Virtual patient care has seen incredible growth since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. To provide greater access to safe and timely urgent care, in the fall of 2020, the Ministry of Health introduced a pilot program of 14 virtual urgent care (VUC) initiatives across the province of Ontario. The objective of this paper was to describe the overall design, facilitators, barriers, and lessons learned during the implementation of seven emergency department (ED) led VUC pilot programs in Ontario, Canada.

Methods

We assembled an expert panel of 13 emergency medicine physicians and researchers with experience leading and implementing local VUC programs. Each VUC program lead was asked to describe their local pilot program, share common facilitators and barriers to adoption of VUC services, and summarize lessons learned for future VUC design and development.

Results

Models of care interventions varied across VUC pilot programs related to triage, staffing, technology, and physician remuneration. Common facilitators included local champions to guide program delivery, provincial funding support, and multi-modal marketing and promotions. Common barriers included behaviour change strategies to support adoption of a new service, access to high-quality information technology to support new workflow models that consider privacy, risk, and legal perspectives, and standardized data collection which underpin overall objective impact assessments.

Conclusions

These pilot programs were rapidly implemented to support safe access to care and ED diversion of patients with low acuity issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The heterogeneity of program implementation respects local autonomy yet may present challenges for sustainability efforts and future funding considerations.
Extreme events in biological, societal, and earth sciences: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Stewart Mathew , Carleton W. Christopher , Groucutt Huw S.
Published: August 2022

The term “extreme event” is commonly used to describe high-impact, unanticipated natural events, like floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. It first appeared in the scientific literature in the 1950s and has since spread to disciplines as diverse as economics, psychology, medicine, and engineering. The term is increasingly being applied to the study of historical, prehistorical, and deep-time events across a broad range of scales, and it is widely acknowledged that such events have had profound impacts on the Earth’s biodiversity and cultures. Understandably, then, how people think about, define, and study extreme events varies considerably. With extreme events expected to become more frequent, longer lasting, and more intense in the coming decades as a result of global warming, the differing extreme event definitions—both across and within disciplines—is likely to lead to confusion among researchers and pose significant challenges for predicting and preparing for extreme events and their impacts on natural and social systems. With this in mind, we conducted a systematic quantitative review of 200 randomly selected, peer-reviewed “extreme event” research papers (sourced from Web of Science, accessed January 2020) from the biological, societal, and earth sciences literature with the aim of quantifying several pertinent features of the research sample. On the one hand, our analysis found a great deal of variability among extreme event papers with respect to research interests, themes, concepts, and definitions. On the other hand, we found a number of key similarities in how researchers think about and study extreme events. One similarity we encountered was that researchers tend to view extreme events within a particular temporal context and quite often in terms of rates of change. Another similarity we encountered was that researchers often think of and study extreme events in terms of risks, vulnerabilities, and impacts. The similarities identified here may be useful in developing a common and comprehensive definition of what constitutes an extreme event, and should allow for more comparative research into extreme events at all spatio-temporal scales which, we predict, will provide important new insights into the nature of extreme events.
Exhumation history of the Hengchun Ridge and its implications for Taiwan orogenic processes
Authors: Tan Pingchuan , Ding Weiwei , Li Jiabiao
Published: August 2022

The orogenic evolution of Taiwan is thought to have occurred with a steady and southward propagating trend since the Late Miocene. Recent studies suggest a two-stage collision for the Taiwan orogen and that the collision occurred simultaneously along the entirety of the island of Taiwan. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated 270 bathymetry profiles normal to the trench to constrain variations in the width, length, and crest of the Taiwan accretionary prism from the northern Central Ridge to the southern Hengchun Ridge. South of Taiwan Island, a gradual increase in the width and elevation of the accretionary prism of the Hengchun Ridge is noted. Assuming that the uplift of Hengchun Ridge is dominated by the accretion of hyper-stretched continental crust (HSCC), we estimated the uplift rate of the ridge (ca. 0.3 km/Ma) based on a linear regression between the HSCC and the observed depth of the prism crest. Using this uplift rate, we forward modeled the prism crest depth variations from 19.7°N to 23.5°N, and compared these values to observations. The model gives a good match to observations of the Hengchun Ridge, but significantly deeper depths to the north of Hengchun Peninsula. This suggests that the Taiwan orogeny had two stages: the first stage was dominated by structurally underplated HSCC, and the second is a combination of the arrival of the continental shelf and arc–continent collision. In addition to the widely accepted arc–continent collision, our study suggests that both the location and orientation of the continent–ocean boundary play important roles in orogeny.
Analyzing students’ learning strategies using item response theory: Toward assessment and instruction for self-regulated learning
Authors: Uesaka Yuri , Suzuki Masayuki , Ichikawa Shin’ichi
Published: August 2022

Many previous studies related to self-regulated learning have demonstrated that students with higher academic achievement tend to use varied and effective learning strategies. However, they cannot acquire these strategies in a short period. If learning strategies are acquired and used gradually, it may help specify individual levels of use and teach its usage in a reasonable order. Therefore, this study analyzed data on strategy use with item response theory (IRT) to specify students’ level of strategy acquisition and determine how they are ordered. Questionnaire data on the frequency of learning strategy use were obtained from students in five universities (N = 472) and analyzed using the IRT model. It was shown that the average levels of students’ strategy acquisition were related to their universities’ academic achievement rankings.
Acupuncture ameliorates breast cancer-related fatigue by regulating the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis
Authors: Lv Zhuan , Liu Ruidong , Su Kaiqi , Gu Yiming , Fang Lu , Fan Yongfu , Gao Jing , Ruan Xiaodi , Feng Xiaodong
Published: August 2022

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common side effect of chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC). Acupuncture treatment has an anti-fatigue effect and can regulate gut microbiota disturbance in fatigue patients. Related studies have shown that the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis is closely related to the occurrence of CRF. In this study, we first investigated the alterations of acupuncture on fatigue-like behavior, gut microbiota, gut inflammation and neuroinflammation response, gut barriers, HPA axis, and serum metabolomics in CRF mice after BC chemotherapy. Then, the correlation analysis of gut microbiota and other indicators was discussed. Our results showed that acupuncture treatment could exert an anti-fatigue effect and ameliorate the gut barrier, gut inflammation, neuroinflammation, and dysfunction of the HPA axis in CRF mice after chemotherapy for BC. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that acupuncture treatment could enhance the abundance of Candidatus Arthromitus, Lactobacillus, and Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified and decrease the abundances of Escherichia-Shigella, Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, and Streptococcus. Serum metabolomics analysis showed that acupuncture treatment could regulate the differential metabolites N-methylnicotinamide, beta-glycerophosphoric acid, geranyl acetoacetate, serotonin and phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, taurine and hypotaurine, and beta-alanine metabolic pathways. Correlation analysis indicated that there are certain correlations between gut microbiota and gut inflammation, neuroinflammation, gut barrier, HPA axis function and serum metabolites. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the anti-fatigue mechanism of acupuncture treatment may be closely related to the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis. This study also provided a new reference for basic and clinical research on CRF after breast cancer chemotherapy.