bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Latest Trends in Pollutant Accumulations at Threatening Levels in Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings with and without Mechanical Ventilation: A Review
Authors: Niculita-Hirzel Hélène
Published: March 2022

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is a major target in developed countries toward decreasing their energy consumption and CO2 emissions. To meet this target, a large number of countries have established energy codes that require buildings to be airtight. While such a retrofitting approach has improved health outcomes in areas with heavy traffic, it has worsened the health outcomes in Nordic countries and increased the risk of lung cancer in areas with high levels of radon emissions. This review highlights the importance of adapting the characteristics of energy-efficient residential buildings to the location, age, and health of inhabitants to guarantee healthy indoor pollutant levels. The implementation of mechanical ventilation in new energy-efficient buildings has solved some of these problems; however, for others, a decrease in the level of outdoor pollutants was still required in order to achieve a good indoor air quality. A good balance between the air exchange rate and the air humidity level (adapted to the location) is key to ensuring that exposure to the various pollutants that accumulate inside energy-efficient buildings is low enough to avoid affecting inhabitants′ health. Evidence of the protective effect of mechanical ventilation should be sought in dwellings where natural ventilation allows pollutants to accumulate to threatening levels. More studies should be carried out in African and Asian countries, which, due to their rapid urbanization, use massive volumes of unproven/unrated building materials for fast-track construction, which are frequent sources of formaldehyde and VOC emissions.
Analyzing the Difficulties of Continuing Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Crisis in France
Authors: Dumoulin Coralie , Havet Nathalie , Lesueur Jean-Yves
Published: March 2022

Physical activity (PA) and limiting sedentary behavior have been recognized as health-promoting behaviors for many years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in lifestyle habits have occurred, causing disparities in PA practice. This article aimed to examine the characteristics of French adults who self-reported having difficulties in continuing their exercise practices during the pandemic. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to test whether certain demographic, morphologic, behavioral (sleep, sedentary lifestyle, extent of household chores), and exercise-related variables were significant predictors of experiencing such difficulties, based on data from an online survey of insurance company members. Difficulties in PA practice were found in 57% of the population surveyed. Several factors were identified as predictors of experiencing difficulties, including a high BMI, the type and number of physical activities usually practiced before lockdown, as well as the number of times per week dedicated to PA. For the employed population, specific factors were additionally decisive: sex, time spent in front of screens, and sleeping. Our results will allow public health policy makers and stakeholders in PA and prevention to better target populations in difficulty during periods of disruption, such as that of the pandemic; thus, allowing them to propose structural or organizational solutions for the continuity of PA practice.
The Influence of Maternal Aerobic Exercise, Blood DHA and EPA Concentrations on Maternal Lipid Profiles
Authors: Strom Cody J. , McDonald Samantha M. , Remchak Mary-Margaret , Kew Kimberly A. , Rushing Blake R. , Houmard Joseph A. , Tulis David A. , Pawlak Roman , Kelley George A. , Chasan-Taber Lisa , Newton Edward , Isler Christy , DeVente James , Raper Madigan , May Linda E.
Published: March 2022

Exercise and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation independently improve lipid profiles. The influence of both exercise and PUFAs on lipids during pregnancy remains unknown. This study evaluated exercise, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentrations on lipids during pregnancy. Participants were randomized to aerobic exercise or control groups. From 16 weeks gestation until delivery, groups met 3x/week; exercisers performed moderate-intensity aerobic activity, controls performed low-intensity stretching and breathing. At 16 and 36 weeks’ gestation, maternal blood was analyzed for lipids (total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG)), DHA and EPA. In intent-to-treat analysis, the aerobic group (n = 20), relative to controls (n = 10), exhibited a higher HDL change across gestation (p = 0.03). In a per protocol analysis, the aerobic group, relative to controls, exhibited 21.2% lower TG at 36 weeks (p = 0.04). After controlling for 36-week DHA and EPA, exercise dose predicts 36 weeks’ TG (F (1,36) = 6.977, p = 0.012, r2 = 0.16). Aerobic exercise normalizes late pregnancy TG. During pregnancy, exercise dose controls the rise in TG, therefore maintaining normal levels. DHA and EPA do not have measurable effects on lipids. Regardless of PUFA levels, exercise at recommended levels maintains appropriate TG levels in pregnant women. Normal TG levels are critical for pregnancy outcomes, and further studies are warranted to investigate this association in broader populations.
Seed Quantity or Quality?—Reproductive Responses of Females of Two Dioecious Woody Species to Long-Term Fertilisation
Authors: Pers-Kamczyc Emilia , Mąderek Ewa , Kamczyc Jacek
Published: March 2022

Although seed quality and quantity, as well as reproductive performance are important life history stages of plants, little is known about the reproductive responses of trees to environmental changes such as increased anthropogenic deposition of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Dioecious plants are good models with which to test the environmental impact on female or male reproductive responses individually. We analysed effects of different long-term nutritional availability on the reproductive performance of two dioecious species (Taxus baccata L. and Juniperus communis L.) characterised by different life histories. By using pot experiments with vegetatively propagated plants grown in different fertilisation conditions, we observed an increase in plant growth and strobili production but a decrease in seed efficiency. Seeds produced by fertilised plants had greater seed mass. Fertiliser addition did not change C or N content nor the C/N ratio of T. baccata seeds, but increased N content and the N/P ratio; however, it did lower the C/N ratio in J. communis. Fertilisation did not change the metabolite profile in T. baccata but 18 metabolites were changed in J. communis. The study revealed new links between species life history, environmental changes, and reproduction. The findings imply that future environmental conditions may alter both seed productivity, and quality, as well as plant reproductive behaviour.
Vitamin D May Protect against Breast Cancer through the Regulation of Long Noncoding RNAs by VDR Signaling
Authors: Blasiak Janusz , Chojnacki Jan , Pawlowska Elzbieta , Jablkowska Aleksandra , Chojnacki Cezary
Published: March 2022

Dietary vitamin D3 has attracted wide interest as a natural compound for breast cancer prevention and therapy, supported by in vitro and animal studies. The exact mechanism of such action of vitamin D3 is unknown and may include several independent or partly dependent pathways. The active metabolite of vitamin D3, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D, calcitriol), binds to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and induces its translocation to the nucleus, where it transactivates a myriad of genes. Vitamin D3 is involved in the maintenance of a normal epigenetic profile whose disturbance may contribute to breast cancer. In general, the protective effect of vitamin D3 against breast cancer is underlined by inhibition of proliferation and migration, stimulation of differentiation and apoptosis, and inhibition of epithelial/mesenchymal transition in breast cells. Vitamin D3 may also inhibit the transformation of normal mammary progenitors into breast cancer stem cells that initiate and sustain the growth of breast tumors. As long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in breast cancer pathogenesis, and the specific mechanisms underlying this role are poorly understood, we provided several arguments that vitamin D3/VDR may induce protective effects in breast cancer through modulation of lncRNAs that are important for breast cancer pathogenesis. The main lncRNAs candidates to mediate the protective effect of vitamin D3 in breast cancer are lncBCAS1-4_1, AFAP1 antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1), metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), long intergenic non-protein-coding RNA 511 (LINC00511), LINC00346, small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6), and SNHG16, but there is a rationale to explore several other lncRNAs.
Novel Dormancy Mechanism of Castration Resistance in Bone Metastatic Prostate Cancer Organoids
Authors: Lee Sanghee , Mendoza Theresa R. , Burner Danielle N. , Muldong Michelle T. , Wu Christina C. N. , Arreola-Villanueva Catalina , Zuniga Abril , Greenburg Olga , Zhu William Y. , Murtadha Jamillah , Koutouan Evodie , Pineda Naomi , Pham Hao , Kang Sung-Gu , Kim Hyun Tae , Pineda Gabriel , Lennon Kathleen M. , Cacalano Nicholas A. , Jamieson Catriona H. M. , Kane Christopher J. , Kulidjian Anna A. , Gaasterland Terry , Jamieson Christina A. M.
Published: March 2022

Advanced prostate cancer (PCa) patients with bone metastases are treated with androgen pathway directed therapy (APDT). However, this treatment invariably fails and the cancer becomes castration resistant. To elucidate resistance mechanisms and to provide a more predictive pre-clinical research platform reflecting tumor heterogeneity, we established organoids from a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of bone metastatic prostate cancer, PCSD1. APDT-resistant PDX-derived organoids (PDOs) emerged when cultured without androgen or with the anti-androgen, enzalutamide. Transcriptomics revealed up-regulation of neurogenic and steroidogenic genes and down-regulation of DNA repair, cell cycle, circadian pathways and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 host viral entry factors, ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Time course analysis of the cell cycle in live cells revealed that enzalutamide induced a gradual transition into a reversible dormant state as shown here for the first time at the single cell level in the context of multi-cellular, 3D living organoids using the Fucci2BL fluorescent live cell cycle tracker system. We show here a new mechanism of castration resistance in which enzalutamide induced dormancy and novel basal-luminal-like cells in bone metastatic prostate cancer organoids. These PDX organoids can be used to develop therapies targeting dormant APDT-resistant cells and host factors required for SARS-CoV-2 viral entry.
Regulatory Mechanism of Transcription Factor AhHsf Modulates AhHsp70 Transcriptional Expression Enhancing Heat Tolerance in Agasicles hygrophila (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Authors: Jin Jisu , Liu Yiran , Liang Xiaocui , Pei Yiming , Wan Fanghao , Guo Jianying
Published: March 2022

Agasicles hygrophila is a classical biological agent used to control alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides). Previous research has indicated that the heat shock factor (HSF) is involved in regulating the transcriptional expression of Hsp70 in response to heat resistance in A. hygrophila. However, the regulatory mechanism by which AhHsf regulates the expression of AhHsp70 remains largely unknown. Here, we identified and cloned a 944 bp AhHsp70 promoter (AhHsp70p) region from A. hygrophila. Subsequent bioinformatics analysis revealed that the AhHsp70p sequence contains multiple functional elements and has a common TATA box approximately 30 bp upstream of the transcription start site, with transcription commencing at a purine base approximately 137 bp upstream of ATG. Promoter deletion analyses revealed that the sequence from −944 to −744 bp was the core regulatory region. A dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that overexpressed AhHsf significantly enhanced the activity of AhHsp70p. Furthermore, qPCR showed that AhHsp70 expression increased with time in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells, and AhHsf overexpression significantly upregulated AhHsp70 expression in vitro. Characterization of the upstream regulatory mechanisms demonstrated that AhHsf binds to upstream cis-acting elements in the promoter region of AhHsp70 from −944 to −744 bp to activate the AhHSF–AhHSP pathway at the transcriptional level to protect A. hygrophila from high temperature damage. Furthermore, we proposed a molecular model of AhHsf modulation of AhHsp70 transcription following heat shock in A. hygrophila. The findings of this study suggest that enhancing the heat tolerance of A. hygrophila by modulating the upstream pathways of the Hsp family can improve the biocontrol of A. philoxeroides.
4-Arylthiosemicarbazide Derivatives as Toxoplasmic Aromatic Amino Acid Hydroxylase Inhibitors and Anti-inflammatory Agents
Authors: Bekier Adrian , Brzostek Anna , Paneth Agata , Dziadek Bożena , Dziadek Jarosław , Gatkowska Justyna , Dzitko Katarzyna
Published: March 2022

Approximately one-third of the human population is infected with the intracellular cosmopolitan protozoan Toxoplasma gondii (Tg), and a specific treatment for this parasite is still needed. Additionally, the increasing resistance of Tg to drugs has become a challenge for numerous research centers. The high selectivity of a compound toward the protozoan, along with low cytotoxicity toward the host cells, form the basis for further research, which aims at determining the molecular targets of the active compounds. Thiosemicarbazide derivatives are biologically active organic compounds. Previous studies on the initial preselection of 58 new 4-arylthiosemicarbazide derivatives in terms of their anti-Tg activity and selectivity made it possible to select two promising derivatives for further research. One of the important amino acids involved in the proliferation of Tg and the formation of parasitophorous vacuoles is tyrosine, which is converted by two unique aromatic amino acid hydroxylases to levodopa. Enzymatic studies with two derivatives (R: para-nitro and meta-iodo) and recombinant aromatic amino acid hydroxylase (AAHs) obtained in the E. coli expression system were performed, and the results indicated that toxoplasmic AAHs are a molecular target for 4-arylthiosemicarbazide derivatives. Moreover, the drug affinity responsive target stability assay also confirmed that the selected compounds bind to AAHs. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory activity of these derivatives was tested using THP1-Blue™ NF-κB reporter cells due to the similarity of the thiosemicarbazide scaffold to thiosemicarbazone, both of which are known NF-κB pathway inhibitors.
Evaluation of Metabolic Changes in Acute Intermittent Porphyria Patients by Targeted Metabolomics
Authors: Gomez-Gomez Alex , Aguilera Paula , Langohr Klaus , Casals Gregori , Pavon Cristina , Marcos Josep , To-Figueras Jordi , Pozo Oscar J.
Published: March 2022

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an inherited rare hepatic disorder due to mutations within the hydroxymethylbilane gene. AIP patients with active disease overproduce aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG) in the liver which are exported inducing severe neurological attacks. Different hepatic metabolic abnormalities have been described to be associated with this condition. The goal of this research was to explore the metabolome of symptomatic AIP patients by state-of-the art liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A case versus control study including 18 symptomatic AIP patients and 33 healthy controls was performed. Plasmatic levels of 51 metabolites and 16 ratios belonging to four metabolic pathways were determined. The results showed that the AIP patients presented significant changes in the two main areas of the metabolome under study: (a) the tryptophan/kynurenine pathway with an increase of tryptophan in plasma together with increase of the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio; and (b) changes in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) including increase of succinic acid and decrease of the fumaric acid/succinic acid ratio. We performed a complementary in vitro study adding ALA to hepatocytes media that showed some of the effects on the TCA cycle were parallel to those observed in vivo. Our study confirms in plasma previous results obtained in urine showing that AIP patients present a moderate increase of the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio possibly associated with inflammation. In addition, it also reports changes in the mitochondrial TCA cycle that, despite requiring further research, could be associated with an energy misbalance due to sustained overproduction of heme-precursors in the liver.
Regulation of Epicardial Cell Fate during Cardiac Development and Disease: An Overview
Authors: Sanchez-Fernandez Cristina , Rodriguez-Outeiriño Lara , Matias-Valiente Lidia , Ramirez de Acuña Felicitas , Hernandez-Torres Francisco , Lozano-Velasco Estefania , Dominguez Jorge N. , Franco Diego , Aranega Amelia Eva
Published: March 2022

The epicardium is the outermost cell layer in the vertebrate heart that originates during development from mesothelial precursors located in the proepicardium and septum transversum. The epicardial layer plays a key role during cardiogenesis since a subset of epicardial-derived cells (EPDCs) undergo an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT); migrate into the myocardium; and differentiate into distinct cell types, such as coronary vascular smooth muscle cells, cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and presumably a subpopulation of cardiomyocytes, thus contributing to complete heart formation. Furthermore, the epicardium is a source of paracrine factors that support cardiac growth at the last stages of cardiogenesis. Although several lineage trace studies have provided some evidence about epicardial cell fate determination, the molecular mechanisms underlying epicardial cell heterogeneity remain not fully understood. Interestingly, seminal works during the last decade have pointed out that the adult epicardium is reactivated after heart damage, re-expressing some embryonic genes and contributing to cardiac remodeling. Therefore, the epicardium has been proposed as a potential target in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In this review, we summarize the previous knowledge regarding the regulation of epicardial cell contribution during development and the control of epicardial reactivation in cardiac repair after damage.
The New Anatomy of Neuroimmunology
Authors: Solaro Claudio , Barratt David , Vaccarezza Mauro
Published: March 2022

In the past few years, a renowned interest in the interplay between the immune system and central nervous systems (CNS) has sparked a wealth of new experimental studies. Two recent publications in Science shed new light on the “resident” immune cell populations in the CNS and their functions in homeostasis and pathological status, with potential implications in understanding CNS disease mechanisms and in designing new “intelligent” therapies.
Effect of Directional Added Mass on Highway Bridge Response during Flood Events
Authors: Karimpour Ali , Rahmatalla Salam , Harwood Casey
Published: March 2022

This article presents a new analysis to determine the variation in modal dynamic characteristics of bridge superstructures caused by hydrodynamic added mass (HAM) during progressive flooding. The natural frequency variations were numerically and experimentally extracted in various artificial flood stages that included dry conditions, semi-wet conditions, and fully wet conditions. Three-dimensional finite element modeling of both subscale and full-scale models were simulated through a coupled acoustic structural technique using Abaqus®. Experiments were performed exclusively on a subscale model at a flume laboratory to confirm the numerical simulations. Finally, an approach to quantify the directional HAM in the dominant axes of vibration was pursued using the concept of effective modal mass. It is shown that specific vibrating modes with the largest effective mass are strongly affected during artificial flood events and are identified as the dominant modes. Numerical simulation shows that large directional HAM is introduced on those dominant modes during flood events. For the full-scale representative bridge, the magnitude of the HAM along the first structural mode was estimated to be over 5.8 times the bridge’s structural modal effective mass. It is suggested that directional HAM should be included during the design of bridges over streamways that are prone to flooding in order to potentially be appended to the AASHTO code.
Host Metabolic Changes during Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection Cause Insulin Resistance in Adult Mice
Authors: Oswal Neelam , Lizardo Kezia , Dhanyalayam Dhanya , Ayyappan Janeesh P. , Thangavel Hariprasad , Heysell Scott K. , Nagajyothi Jyothi F.
Published: March 2022

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious bacterial disease that primarily attacks the lungs. TB is manifested either as latent TB infection (LTBI) or active TB disease, the latter posing a greater threat to life. The risk of developing active TB disease from LTBI is three times higher in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The association between TB and T2DM is becoming more prominent as T2DM is rapidly increasing in settings where TB is endemic. T2DM is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose, insulin resistance, and relative insulin deficiency. Insulin resistance and stress-induced hyperglycemia have been shown to be increased by TB and to return to normal upon treatment. Previously, we demonstrated that adipocytes (or fat tissue) regulate pulmonary pathology, inflammation, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) load in a murine model of TB. Metabolic disturbances of adipose tissue and/or adipocyte dysfunction contribute to the pathogenesis of T2DM. Thus, pathological adipocytes not only regulate pulmonary pathology, but also increase the risk for T2DM during TB infection. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving the interaction between hyperglycemia, T2DM and TB remain poorly understood. Here, we report the impact of Mtb infection on the development of insulin resistance in mice fed on a regular diet (RD) versus high-fat diet (HFD) and, conversely, the effect of hyperglycemia on pulmonary pathogenesis in juvenile and adult mouse models. Overall, our study demonstrated that Mtb persists in adipose tissue and that Mtb infection induces irregular adipocyte lipolysis and loss of fat cells via different pathways in RD- and HFD-fed mice. In RD-fed mice, the levels of TNFα and HSL (hormone sensitive lipase) play an important role whereas in HFD-fed mice, ATGL (adipose triglyceride lipase) plays a major role in regulating adipocyte lipolysis and apoptosis during Mtb infection in adult mice. We also showed that Mtb infected adult mice that were fed an RD developed insulin resistance similar to infected adult mice that were overweight due to a HFD diet. Importantly, we found that a consequence of Mtb infection was increased lipid accumulation in the lungs, which altered cellular energy metabolism by inhibiting major energy signaling pathways such as insulin, AMPK and mToR. Thus, an altered balance between lipid metabolism and glucose metabolism in adipose tissue and other organs including the lungs may be an important component of the link between Mtb infection and subsequent metabolic syndrome.
A New Approach for Evaluation of Cardiovascular Fitness and Cardiac Responses to Maximal Exercise Test in Master Runners: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Latorre-Román Pedro Á. , García-Pinillos Felipe , Salas Sánchez Jesús , Jiménez Marcos Muñoz , Serrano Huete Víctor , Martínez Redondo Melchor , Vela Jerónimo Aragón , Párraga-Montilla Juan A.
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study was to analyze the cardiac autonomic function at rest, at maximum exercise, and in recovery after exercise and to determine sex-specific and age-specific values for resting heart rate (RHR), hear rate (HR)-peak, HR recovery (HRR), and HR variability at rest in master runners. Fifty endurance runners (21 women) participated in this study (43.28 ± 5.25 years). The subjects came from different athletic clubs in Andalusia (Spain), and the testing protocol was performed in-season. A 3-km running test was performed and the cardiovascular response was monitored. Regarding sex, no significant differences were found regarding cardiovascular autonomic function at rest, during exercise, and following maximal exercise, only at rest, the standard deviation of all R-R intervals and low frequency values displayed significantly (p < 0.05) lower scores in women. 46% of athletes showed an RHR < 60 bpm. Additionally, HR-peak showed a significant correlation with age (r = −0.369; p = 0.009) and HRR5min (r = 0.476, p = 0.001). Also, endurance performance was inversely associated with obesity traits and cardiometabolic risk factors. In summary, age, sex, fitness, or anthropometrics characteristics did not show a relevant influence on cardiovascular autonomic modulation in master runners. However, the 3-km performance displayed a significant negative association with several factors of cardiometabolic risk.
Combined Immunotherapy with Chemotherapy versus Bevacizumab with Chemotherapy in First-Line Treatment of Driver-Gene-Negative Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chai Yue , Wu Xinyu , Bai Hua , Duan Jianchun
Published: March 2022

Background: A network meta-analysis was conducted to summarize randomized control trials and updated results to evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of existing first-line therapies for advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients without known driver gene mutations. Patients and Methods: Eligible studies were identified following a systematic search of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang Data, and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database from January 2000 to December 2021. Results: Nineteen trials involving 8176 patients with driver-gene-negative advanced non-squamous NSCLC were included. For patients with driver-gene-negative advanced NSCLC, immunotherapy + chemotherapy (IC) significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio (HR), 0.80; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.67–0.95) and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 0.68; 95% CI: 0.53–0.86) compared with bevacizumab + chemotherapy (BC), with a similar objective response rate and incidence of ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) (risk ratios (RR), 0.98; 95% CI: 0.79–1.21/RR, 0.89; 95% CI: 0.61–1.28; respectively) compared with BC. IC yielded a superior PFS rate (HR, 1.59; 95% CI: 1.05–2.38) compared to BC in the subgroup of patients < 65 years old. Conclusions: Currently, IC is a more efficient first-line therapy for driver-gene-negative advanced non-squamous NSCLC patients, with prolonged PFS and OS, as well as a comparatively lower risk of ≥3 TRAEs compared to BC.
Hypersensitivity Myocarditis after COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination
Authors: Frustaci Andrea , Verardo Romina , Galea Nicola , Lavalle Carlo , Bagnato Giulia , Scialla Rossella , Chimenti Cristina
Published: March 2022

Background: Myocarditis, even in a severe and lethal form, may occur after COVID-19 mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccination. However, its pathway, morphomolecular characterization and treatment are still unknown. Methods: Routine hematochemical screening, ECG, Holter monitoring, 2D echocardiogram cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and invasive cardiac studies (cardiac catheterization, selective coronary angiography, left ventriculography and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy) are reported from three patients (39F-pt1, 78M-pt2, 52M-pt3) with severe compromise of conduction tissue (junctional rhythm and syncope, pt1) or cardiac function compromise (LVEF ≤ 35%, pt2 and pt3) after COVID-19 mRNA (BNT162b2). Results: Hematochemical data and coronary angiography were normal in the patients studied. Histology showed in all three patients extensive myocardial infiltration of degranulated eosinophils and elevation of serum cationic protein directly responsible for cardiomyocyte damage. These findings demonstrate myocarditis hypersensitivity to some component of the vaccine (spike protein?) acting as a hapten to some macromolecules of cardiomyocytes. Steroid administration (prednisone, 1 mg/kg die for 3 days, followed by 0.33 mg/kg for 4 weeks) was followed by complete recovery of cardiac contractility in pt2 and pt3. Conclusions: Eosinophilic myocarditis is a possible adverse reaction to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Its pathway is mediated by release of cationic protein and responds to short courses of steroid administration.
Clinical Implementational and Site-Specific Workflows for a 1.5T MR-Linac
Authors: Dunkerley David A. P. , Hyer Daniel E. , Snyder Jeffrey E. , St-Aubin Joël J. , Anderson Carryn M. , Caster Joseph M. , Smith Mark C. , Buatti John M. , Yaddanapudi Sridhar
Published: March 2022

MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRgART) provides opportunities to benefit patients through enhanced use of advanced imaging during treatment for many patients with various cancer treatment sites. This novel technology presents many new challenges which vary based on anatomic treatment location, technique, and potential changes of both tumor and normal tissue during treatment. When introducing new treatment sites, considerations regarding appropriate patient selection, treatment planning, immobilization, and plan-adaption criteria must be thoroughly explored to ensure adequate treatments are performed. This paper presents an institution’s experience in developing a MRgART program for a 1.5T MR-linac for the first 234 patients. The paper suggests practical treatment workflows and considerations for treating with MRgART at different anatomical sites, including imaging guidelines, patient immobilization, adaptive workflows, and utilization of bolus.
Influence of Moisture Diffusion on the Dynamic Compressive Behavior of Glass/Polyester Composite Joints for Marine Engineering Applications
Authors: Lagdani Oumnia , Tarfaoui Mostapha , Rouway Marwane , Laaouidi Houda , Jamoudi Sbai Sara Jamoudi , Amine Dabachi Mohamed Amine , Aamir Abdelwahed , Nachtane Mourad
Published: March 2022

Thermoset polymers offer great opportunities for mass production of fiber-reinforced composites and are being adopted across a large range of applications within the automotive, aerospace, construction and renewable energy sectors. They are usually chosen for marine engineering applications for their excellent mechanical behavior, including low density and low-cost compared to conventional materials. In the marine environment, these materials are confronted by severe conditions, thus there is the necessity to understand their mechanical behavior under critical loads. The high strain rate performance of bonded joints composite under hygrothermal aging has been studied in this paper. Initially, the bonded composite specimens were hygrothermal aged with the conditions of 50 °C and 80% in temperature and relative humidity, respectively. After that, gravimetric testing is used to describe the moisture diffusion properties for the adhesively bonded composite samples and exhibit lower weight gain for this material. Then, the in-plane dynamic compression experiments were carried out at different impact pressures ranging from 445 to 1240 s−1 using the SHPB (Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar) technique. The experimental results demonstrated that the dynamic behavior varies with the variation of strain rate. Buckling and delamination of fiber are the dominant damage criteria observed in the sample during in-plane compression tests.
Motion Planning for an Unmanned Surface Vehicle with Wind and Current Effects
Authors: Gu Shangding , Zhou Chunhui , Wen Yuanqiao , Xiao Changshi , Knoll Alois
Published: March 2022

Aiming at the problem that unmanned surface vehicle (USV) motion planning is disturbed by effects of wind and current, a USV motion planning method based on regularization-trajectory cells is proposed. First, a USV motion mathematical model is established while considering the influence of wind and current, and the motion trajectory is analyzed. Second, a regularization-trajectory cell library under the influence of wind and current is constructed, and the influence of wind and current on the weight of the search cost is analyzed. Finally, derived from the regularization-trajectory cell and the search algorithm, a motion planning method for a USV that considers wind and current effects is provided. The experimental results indicate that the motion planning is closer to the actual trajectory of a USV in complex environments and that our method is highly practicable.
The Importance of SNPs at miRNA Binding Sites as Biomarkers of Gastric and Colorectal Cancers: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hajibabaie Fatemeh , Abedpoor Navid , Assareh Nazanin , Tabatabaiefar Mohammad Amin , Shariati Laleh , Zarrabi Ali
Published: March 2022

Dysregulated mRNA–miRNA profiles might have the prospective to be used for early diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancers, estimating survival, and predicting response to treatment. Here, a novel biomarker based on miRNAs binding to mRNAs in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites related to gastrointestinal cancers is introduced that could act as an early diagnosis. The electronic databases used for the recruiting published articles included EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed, based on MESH keywords and PRISMA methodology. Based on the considered criteria, different experimental articles were reviewed, during which 15 studies with the desired criteria were collected. Accordingly, novel biomarkers in prediction, early prognosis, and diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancers were highlighted. Moreover, it was found that 20 SNP sites and 16 miRNAs were involved in gastrointestinal cancers, with altered expression patterns associated with clinicopathological and demographic data. The results of this systematic study revealed that SNPs could affect the binding of miRNAs in the SNP sites that might play a principal role in the progression, invasion, and susceptibility of gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, it was found that the profiles of SNPs and miRNAs could serve as a convenient approach for the prognosis and diagnosis of gastric and colorectal cancers.
GSTO1, GSTO2 and ACE2 Polymorphisms Modify Susceptibility to Developing COVID-19
Authors: Djukic Tatjana , Stevanovic Goran , Coric Vesna , Bukumiric Zoran , Pljesa-Ercegovac Marija , Matic Marija , Jerotic Djurdja , Todorovic Nevena , Asanin Milika , Ercegovac Marko , Ranin Jovan , Milosevic Ivana , Savic-Radojevic Ana , Simic Tatjana
Published: March 2022

Based on the close relationship between dysregulation of redox homeostasis and immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection, we proposed a possible modifying role of ACE2 and glutathione transferase omega (GSTO) polymorphisms in the individual propensity towards the development of clinical manifestations in COVID-19. The distribution of polymorphisms in ACE2 (rs4646116), GSTO1 (rs4925) and GSTO2 (rs156697) were assessed in 255 COVID-19 patients and 236 matched healthy individuals, emphasizing their individual and haplotype effects on disease development and severity. Polymorphisms were determined by the appropriate qPCR method. The data obtained showed that individuals carrying variant GSTO1*AA and variant GSTO2*GG genotypes exhibit higher odds of COVID-19 development, contrary to ones carrying referent alleles (p = 0.044, p = 0.002, respectively). These findings are confirmed by haplotype analysis. Carriers of H2 haplotype, comprising GSTO1*A and GSTO2*G variant alleles were at 2-fold increased risk of COVID-19 development (p = 0.002). Although ACE2 (rs4646116) polymorphism did not exhibit a statistically significant effect on COVID-19 risk (p = 0.100), the risk of COVID-19 development gradually increased with the presence of each additional risk-associated genotype. Further studies are needed to clarify the specific roles of glutathione transferases omega in innate immune response and vitamin C homeostasis once the SARS-CoV-2 infection is initiated in the host cell.
Evolution of Protein Functional Annotation: Text Mining Study
Authors: Ilgisonis Ekaterina V. , Pogodin Pavel V. , Kiseleva Olga I. , Tarbeeva Svetlana N. , Ponomarenko Elena A.
Published: March 2022

Within the Human Proteome Project initiative framework for creating functional annotations of uPE1 proteins, the neXt-CP50 Challenge was launched in 2018. In analogy with the missing-protein challenge, each command deciphers the functional features of the proteins in the chromosome-centric mode. However, the neXt-CP50 Challenge is more complicated than the missing-protein challenge: the approaches and methods for solving the problem are clear, but neither the concept of protein function nor specific experimental and/or bioinformatics protocols have been standardized to address it. We proposed using a retrospective analysis of the key HPP repository, the neXtProt database, to identify the most frequently used experimental and bioinformatic methods for analyzing protein functions, and the dynamics of accumulation of functional annotations. It has been shown that the dynamics of the increase in the number of proteins with known functions are greater than the progress made in the experimental confirmation of the existence of questionable proteins in the framework of the missing-protein challenge. At the same time, the functional annotation is based on the guilty-by-association postulate, according to which, based on large-scale experiments on API-MS and Y2H, proteins with unknown functions are most likely mapped through “handshakes” to biochemical processes.
Effectiveness of Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Young People: Preliminary Findings from Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tsai Hsin-Jung , Yang Albert C. , Zhu Jun-Ding , Hsu Yu-Yun , Hsu Teh-Fu , Tsai Shih-Jen
Published: March 2022

Various forms of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) have been developed to improve its scalability and accessibility for insomnia management in young people, but the efficacy of digitally-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (dCBT-i) remains uncertain. This study systematically reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of dCBT-i among young individuals with insomnia. We conducted comprehensive searches using four electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Embase; until October 2021) and examined eligible records. The search strategy comprised the following three main concepts: (1) participants were adolescents or active college students; (2) dCBT-I was employed; (3) standardized tools were used for outcome measurement. Four randomized controlled trials qualified for meta-analysis. A significant improvement in self-reported sleep quality with a medium-to-large effect size after treatment (Hedges’s g = −0.58~−0.80) was noted. However, a limited effect was detected regarding objective sleep quality improvement (total sleep time and sleep efficiency measured using actigraphy). These preliminary findings from the meta-analysis suggest that dCBT-i is a moderately effective treatment in managing insomnia in younger age groups, and CBT-i delivered through the web or a mobile application is an acceptable approach for promoting sleep health in young people.
Intraoperative Blood Flow Analysis of DIEP vs. ms-TRAM Flap Breast Reconstruction Combining Transit-Time Flowmetry and Microvascular Indocyanine Green Angiography
Authors: Geierlehner Alexander , Horch Raymund E. , Ludolph Ingo , Arkudas Andreas
Published: March 2022

Background: Vascular patency is the key element for high flap survival rates. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the blood flow characteristics of deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) and muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (ms-TRAM) flaps for autologous breast reconstruction. Methods: This prospective clinical study combined Transit-Time Flowmetry and microvascular Indocyanine Green Angiography for the measurement of blood flow volume, vascular resistance, and intrinsic transit time. Results: Twenty female patients (mean age, 52 years) received 24 free flaps (14 DIEP and 10 ms-TRAM flaps). The mean arterial blood flow of the flap in situ was 7.2 ± 1.9 mL/min in DIEP flaps and 11.5 ± 4.8 mL/min in ms-TRAM flaps (p < 0.05). After anastomosis, the mean arterial blood flow was 9.7 ± 5.6 mL/min in DIEP flaps and 13.5 ± 4.2 mL/min in ms-TRAM flaps (p = 0.07). The arterial vascular resistance of DIEP flaps was significantly higher than that of ms-TRAM flaps. The intrinsic transit time of DIEP flaps was 52 ± 18 s, and that of ms-TRAM flaps was 33 ± 11 s (p < 0.05). The flap survival rate was 100%. One DIEP flap with the highest intrinsic transit time (77 s) required surgical revision due to arterial thrombosis. Conclusion: In this study, we established the blood flow characteristics of free DIEP and ms-TRAM flaps showing different blood flow rates, vascular resistances, and intrinsic transit times. These standard values will help to determine the predictive values for vascular compromise, hence improving the safety of autologous breast reconstruction procedures.
Namibian Experiences Establishing Community Fish Reserves
Authors: Hackenberg Britta , Hay Clinton , Robertsen Jamie , Blaser Mapitsa Caitlin
Published: March 2022

Inland fisheries play a critical role in the ecology of the Okavango Delta, but their conservation is particularly complex. For nearly a decade, communities, conservancies, policy makers, and partner organisations have worked to establish fish reserves across the Kavango and Zambezi. Guidelines on the establishment of fish reserves have been developed to delineate the process through which these protected areas are established, and a structured learning process has unpacked knowledge held by different stakeholders to better understand the opportunities and limitations of fish reserves and to subsequently revise these guidelines. This article aims to share these lessons and to contribute to the debate on the most effective institutional arrangements for this unique space of conservation.
Carbon Storage in Biomass and Soil after Mountain Landscape Restoration: Pinus nigra and Picea abies Plantations in the Hyrcanian Region
Authors: Picchio Rodolfo , Tavankar Farzam , Rafie Hamid , Kivi Aezam Rezae , Jourgholami Meghdad , Lo Monaco Angela
Published: March 2022

Forest plantations have significantly more potential for carbon storage than non-forested areas. In this study, the amount of carbon stored in the biomass (trees, shrubs, herb, litter, and deadwood) and soil of 25-year-old plantations with P. nigra and P. abies species was measured and compared with the non-planted adjacent area (control) in a mountainous region of northern Iran. The results show that the amount of carbon stored in the biomass of P. nigra and P. abies plantations was 4.4 and 3.3 times higher than the value of the control (4.59 C Mg ha−1), respectively. In addition, the amount of carbon stored in soil was 1.5 and 1.2 times higher than the value at the control site (47.91 C Mg ha−1), respectively. Of the total carbon stored in the biomass of plantations, the highest level was observed in trees (86.5–88.5%), followed by shrubs (4.6–6.5%), litter (2.7–2.8%), the herbaceous layer (1.8–2.5%), and deadwood (1.7–2.4%), while 45.5%, 34.6%, 10.8%, 5.8%, and 3.3% of the total carbon stored in the biomass of the control site were in shrubs, trees, the herbaceous layer, litter, and deadwood, respectively. The soil carbon sequestration rate (SCSR) in soil depths of 0–10 and 10–20 cm was 0.46 and 0.44 C Mg ha−1 yr−1 in the P. nigra plantation and 0.15 and 0.23 C Mg ha−1 yr−1 in the P. abies plantation, respectively. According to the results, we conclude that the restoration of the landscape by tree plantation has a substantially determining impact on the acceleration of carbon sequestration.
Interactions of Nasal Harmony and Word-Internal Language Mixing in Paraguayan Guaraní
Authors: Russell Katherine Ruth
Published: March 2022

Words containing morphemes from multiple languages offer a unique look into the grammatical systems that constrain word formation. In this paper, I introduce novel data from nasal harmony patterns in contexts involving word-internal language mixing between Paraguayan Guaraní and Spanish, collected with native speakers of Guaraní. I provide the first full formal constraint-based analysis of nasal harmony in Paraguayan Guaraní, then show that nasal consonants within Spanish roots trigger nasal harmony in Guaraní affixal morphology, providing evidence for an emergent case of long-distance nasal harmony in the language. I demonstrate that this data supports an analysis in which a single phonological system has access to two different strata based on language of origin, countering predictions made by some previous approaches to the phonology of language mixing. My analysis combines Cophonology Theory and Agreement by Correspondence with phase faithfulness: a root is first evaluated according to the phonological grammar associated with its lexical stratum, and is then subject to faithfulness to that output.
Convalescent Plasma for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Franchini Massimo , Glingani Claudia , Donno Giuseppe De , Lucchini Giuseppe , Beccaria Massimiliano , Amato Massimo , Castelli Gian Paolo , Bianciardi Leonardo , Pagani Mauro , Ghirardini Marco , Puma Giuseppe , Presciuttini Barbara , Costantino Maria Teresa , Frigato Marilena , Crosato Verena , Tiecco Giorgio , Mulè Alice , Papalia Dorothea Angela , Inglese Francesco , Spreafico Fabio , Garuti Martina , Pecoriello Antonietta , Cervi Giulia , Greco Graziana , Galavotti Vanni , Santini Tiziana , Berselli Angela , Montalto Carlo , Bertoletti Riccardo , Bellometti Simona Aurelia , Capuzzo Enrico , Benazzi Dario , Grisolia Gianpaolo , Pajola Fabio , Stradoni Raffaello , Zani Matteo , Verzola Adriano , Codeluppi Vito , Vesentini Silvia , Bellocchio Elisa , Candini Marco , Ambrosi Giorgina , Carandina Francesca , Scarduelli Cleante , Reggiani Albino , Casari Salvatore ,   on behalf of Convalescent Plasma Study Group
Published: March 2022

In Winter 2020, Italy, and in particular the Lombardy region, was the first country in the Western hemisphere to be hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Plasma from individuals recovered from COVID-19 (COVID-19 convalescent plasma, CCP) was the first therapeutic tool adopted to counteract the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this retrospective cohort study, we report the experience of the city hospital of Mantua, Lombardy region, on the compassionate use of CCP in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19. Between April 2020 and April 2021, 405 consecutive COVID-19 patients received 657 CCP units with a median anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (nAb) titer of 160 (interquartile range (IQR), 80–320). Their median age was 68 years (IQR, 56–78 years), and 62% were males. At enrollment, 55% of patients had an increased body mass index (BMI), and 25.6% had at least three comorbidities. The 28-day crude mortality rate was 12.6% (51/405). Young age (<68 years), mild disease (admission to low-intensity departments) and early treatment (<7 days from symptoms onset) with high nAb titer (≥320) CCP were found as independently associated with a favorable response to CCP treatment. No safety concerns were recorded, with a rate of CCP-related adverse reactions (all of mild intensity) of 1.3%. In our real-life experience, the first in the western world, early administration of high-titer CCP was a safe and effective treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.