bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Bilirubin on Laboratory Investigations on Serum Creatinine: A Comparison Study Between Jaffe Reaction and Creatinase Enzymatic Method With Creatinine in Phosphate Buffered Saline Solution and Serum
Authors: DİSSANAYAKE Ruchira Kumari , RANAWEERA Kamburawala Kankanamgee Pramodya Tharaki , DİAS Pathiranage , PRİYADARSHANİ A.m.b.
Published: March 2022

Objective: To determine the creatinine concentration in phosphate buffered saline solution and serum with different bilirubin concentrationsusing Jaffe reaction and Creatinase method.Methods: In Phase 1, creatinine and bilirubin concentrations in the dilution series were 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 mg/dL and 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15,18, 21, 24, 27, 30 mg/dL, respectively. Each creatinine concentration was spiked with eleven bilirubin concentrations used in Phase 1. In Phase2, serum with creatinine values 0.51, 2.41 and 7.33 mg/dL were spiked with 11 bilirubin concentrations. The total bilirubin, creatinine by Jaffereaction and Creatinase method were measured.Results: In Phase 1, Jaffe reaction showed a significant underestimation up to creatinine concentration of 2 mg/dL at all bilirubin concentrations.From 3 mg/dL onwards, a significant overestimation was observed with high bilirubin concentrations. In Phase 2, Creatinase method gave nosignificant underestimation in serum with 0.51 mg/dL of creatinine. But Jaffe reaction showed a significant underestimation from bilirubinconcentration of 7.18 mg/dL. In serum with 2.41 mg/dL creatinine, Creatinase and Jaffe methods gave significant underestimations frombilirubin concentrations of 9.05 and 5.64 mg/dL, respectively. In serum of 7.33 mg/dL creatinine, significant underestimations were given frombilirubin levels of 3.6 and 8.18 mg/dL by Creatinase and Jaffe methods, respectively.Conclusion: In normal to moderately high bilirubin concentrations the Creatinase method is more accurate than the Jaffe method in allcreatinine concentrations used. At high creatinine concentrations Creatinase method gave significant underestimations which increased withbilirubin concentration.
PENGAMANAN RSA UNTUK DOKUMEN BORANG PROGRAM STUDI UNIVERSITAS DARMA PERSADA
Authors: Setiawan Aji
Published: March 2022

Kriptografi adalah ilmu atau seni mengamankan pesan dan dilakukan oleh seorang kriptografer. Data yang dijamin mencakup beberapa aspek seperti keamanan pesan seperti kerahasiaan, integritas data, dan otentikasi. Salah satu algoritma kriptografi yang sering digunakan dalam pengamanan data adalah algoritma RSA. RSA merupakan singkatan dari nama-nama pendiri algoritma ini, yaitu Ron, Shamir, dan Adleman. RSA adalah algoritma yang menggunakan konsep kriptografi kunci publik (asimetri/kunci yang digunakan untuk mengenkripsi berbeda dengan yang digunakan untuk mendekripsi). Pentingnya informasi menyebabkan informasi yang diinginkan hanya dapat diakses oleh orang-orang tertentu. Jatuhnya informasi yang tidak diinginkan kepada pihak lain dapat merugikan pihak yang memegang data tersebut. Penelitian ini membahas tentang penggunaan algoritma RSA untuk membangun prototipe sistem keamanan dokumen. Hasil studi menjelaskan bahwa algoritma RSA dapat mengamankan dokumen penting berdasarkan studi kasus universitas
Pembuatan Video Tempat-Tempat Angker di Tanjungpinang
Authors: Kho Jensen , Deli Deli
Published: March 2022

Dengan perkembangan teknologi yang sangat maju sekarang ini banyak hal yang sudah sangat berkembang salah satunya adalah media video. Video adalah sebuah media pengirim pesan yang mengandung gambar yang bergerak dan suara. Istilah video berasal dari bahasa latin yaitu dari kata vidi atau visum yang artinya melihat atau mempunyai daya penglihatan. Media video sekarang banyak dimanfaatkan untuk mempromosikan sebuah produk atau tempat-tempat yang belum diketahui oleh banyak orang,contohnya seperti mempromosikan tempat-tempat angker disebuah kota yang tidak diketahui oleh banyak orang. Promosi adalah sebuah kegiatan yang dilakukan untuk memperkenalkan sebuah produk atau tempat yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan omzet penjualan.  Peneliti akan merancang Haunted Place Videography dengan menggunakan metode R&D yang mengacu pada model IDI. Tempat angker terkadang memiliki daya tarik tersendiri, terutama untuk orang-orang yang suka atau penasaran dengan dunia lain. Tempat angker adalah tempat yang diyakini mempunyai kisah mistis dan diperkirakan dihuni oleh makhluk-makhluk halus. Video ini dirancang berdasarkan data yang diperoleh oleh peneliti. Data didapatkan oleh peneliti dari hasil observasi dan research market. Luaran atau hasil dari perancangan ini adalah sebuah video tentang tempat-tempat horror di Kota Tanjungpinang. Hasil dari perancangan ini diharapkan dapat membantu mempromosikan tempat-tempat tersebut dan juga para wisatawan gelap yang tertarik dengan tempat tersebut.
Perancangan dan Pengembangan Aplikasi Web Order Scheduling pada Perusahaan Manufaktur dengan Penerapan Algoritma Genetika
Authors: Suwarno Suwarno , Andry Andry
Published: March 2022

Penjadwalan produksi pada perusahaan manufaktur merupakan salah satu komponen penting dalam keberlangsungan hidup perusahaan. Potensi kesalahan yang disebabkan oleh penjadwalan produksi secara manual dapat memberikan dampak buruk berupa kerugian material, waktu, dan finansial. Untuk memberikan solusi terhadap permasalah ini digunakan pendekatan pencarian heuristik, pencarian yang didasari oleh aturan-aturan yang digunakan untuk menemukan solusi. Metode pencarian heuristik yang digunakan adalah algoritma genetika. Penelitian ini akan merancang dan mengembangkan sistem yang bertujuan untuk mengatasi masalah yang ditimbulkan oleh penjadwalan secara manual dengan mengimplementasikan algoritma genetika. Parameter yang digunakan di dalam penjadwalan adalah nilai probabilitas crossover, nilai probabilitas mutasi, jumlah maksimal generasi, dan jumlah maksimal error. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan studi kasus PT. XYZ yang bergerak di bidang manufaktur produk kemasan dari kertas yang masih menggunakan penjadwalan secara manual dengan mengurutkan pekerjaan yang masa jatuh temponya terdekat. Dengan 36 operasi pekerjaan dan 10 mesin, didapatkan hasil terbaik yaitu total waktu penyelesaian pekerjaan adalah 22 hari kerja dengan lama waktu eksekusi program adalah 4.75357099983215 detik. Hasil tersebut didapatkan dengan parameter probabilitas crossover sebesar 0.8, probabilitas mutasi 0.7, jumlah generasi maksimal 500, dan jumlah error maksimal 10
PERANCANGAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN PHOTOBOOK COFFEE SHOP SEBAGAI PENGENALAN FRACTAL PHOTOGRAPHY KOTA BATAM
Authors: Tan Fedric , Muhammad Ardiansyah
Published: March 2022

Photobook adalah sebuah media yang digunakan untuk berbagi suatu produk fotografi dengan nilai dokumentasi yang sangat tinggi. Photobook dapat mempresentasikan maupun menjadi media untuk mengungkapkan isi pesan terhadap suatu informasi dari topik yang ingin diangkat. Dalam pembuatan photobook berguna sebagai memperkenalkan gaya foto fraktal dengan sarana toko kopi yang ada pada Kota Batam. Toko kopi sering kali didefinisikan sebagai tempat nongkrongan anak-anak muda maupun orang tua yang ada pada masa kini. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah memperkenalkan gaya foto fraktal agar dapat lebih dikenali orang-orang yang ada di kota Batam. Peneliti akan merancang fractal fotografi dengan menggunakan metode Multimedia Development Life Cycle (MDLC) untuk membantu dalam proses pengerjaan penelitian. Applikasi yang digunakan penulis dalam membuat penelitian tersebut adalah Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 dan hasil pemotretan akan digunakan dengan Xiaomi Mi 9. Pemotretan dilakukan di 7 tempat toko kopi dan menghasilkan total 20 foto pemotretan dari hasil yang telah diperoleh. Alat yang digunakan dalam pengambilan foto berupa triangle prism, teardrop prism dan crystal prism. Hasil dari pengembangan photobook ini akan memperlihatkan cara pengambilan foto dengan fraktal fotografi dari beberapa tempat kopi yang ada di Kota Batam.
IDENTIFIKASI GANGGUAN KONEKSI JARINGAN INTERNET PADA INDIHOME PLASA TELKOM MUARA TEWEH BERBSASIS SISTEM PAKAR
Authors: Hartini Hartini Tini
Published: March 2022

Plasa Telkom Muara Teweh merupakan salah satu naungan dari PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia yang bertugas menyediakan pelayanan jasa telekomunikasi untuk umum. Produk baru dengan nama IndiHome merupakan salah satu program dari proyek utama Telkom dengan menggandeng sejumlah pengembangan teknologi komunikasi untuk membangun rumah berkonsep digital. Sehubungan dengan adanya selalu permintaan pemasangan layanan IndiHome, maka akan sering ditemukan keluhan atau laporan berupa gangguan koneksi jaringan internet dari pelanggan IndiHome. Pada saat ini laporan gangguan yang diterima oleh teknisi berupa tidak bisa terkoneksi ke jaringan internet. Oleh karena itu teknisi selalu menghubungi pelanggan terlebih dahulu melalui telepon sebelum ke rumah pelanggan untuk memperbaikinya. Dari interaksi tersebut teknisi melakukan pertanyaan berupa lampu indikator apa saja yang mati dan hidup di modem pelanggan. Hasilnya teknisi hanya sebatas melakukan pencatatan laporan gangguan secara manual saja tanpa dapat memberikan solusi langsung. Kemampuan ini bisa diterapkan dalam bentuk perangkat lunak komputer yaitu menggunakan sistem pakar. Metode sistem pakar yang digunakan adalah forward chaining dimana nantinya metode ini digunakan untuk pencarian fakta-fakta gangguan internet yang terjadi dari penelusuran modem yang digunakan pelanggan sampai dengan gejala gangguan internet, sehingga ditemukan solusi dari gangguan internet tersebut.
The Presence of the Temporal Horn Exacerbates the Vulnerability of Hippocampus During Head Impacts
Authors: Zhou Zhou , Li Xiaogai , Domel August G. , Dennis Emily L. , Georgiadis Marios , Liu Yuzhe , Raymond Samuel J. , Grant Gerald , Kleiven Svein , Camarillo David , Zeineh Michael
Published: March 2022

Hippocampal injury is common in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, but the underlying pathogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we hypothesize that the presence of the adjacent fluid-containing temporal horn exacerbates the biomechanical vulnerability of the hippocampus. Two finite element models of the human head were used to investigate this hypothesis, one with and one without the temporal horn, and both including a detailed hippocampal subfield delineation. A fluid-structure interaction coupling approach was used to simulate the brain-ventricle interface, in which the intraventricular cerebrospinal fluid was represented by an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian multi-material formation to account for its fluid behavior. By comparing the response of these two models under identical loadings, the model that included the temporal horn predicted increased magnitudes of strain and strain rate in the hippocampus with respect to its counterpart without the temporal horn. This specifically affected cornu ammonis (CA) 1 (CA1), CA2/3, hippocampal tail, subiculum, and the adjacent amygdala and ventral diencephalon. These computational results suggest that the presence of the temporal horn exacerbate the vulnerability of the hippocampus, highlighting the mechanobiological dependency of the hippocampus on the temporal horn.
Blast Waves Cause Immune System Dysfunction and Transient Bone Marrow Failure in a Mouse Model
Authors: Bergmann-Leitner Elke S. , Bobrov Alexander G. , Bolton Jessica S. , Rouse Michael D. , Heyburn Lanier , Pavlovic Radmila , Garry Brittany I. , Alamneh Yonas , Long Joseph , Swierczewski Brett , Tyner Stuart , Getnet Derese , Sajja Venkatasivasai S. , Antonic Vlado
Published: March 2022

Explosive devices, either conventional or improvised, are common sources of injuries during combat, civil unrest, and terror attacks, resulting in trauma from exposure to blast. A blast wave (BW), a near-instantaneous rise in pressure followed by a negative pressure, propagates through the body in milliseconds and can affect physiology for days/months after exposure. Epidemiological data show that blast-related casualties result in significantly higher susceptibility to wound infections, suggesting long-lasting immune modulatory effects from blast exposure. The mechanisms involved in BW-induced immune changes are poorly understood. We evaluated the effects of BW on the immune system using an established murine model. Animals were exposed to BWs (using an Advanced Blast Simulator), followed by longitudinally sampling for 14 days. Blood, bone marrow, and spleen were analyzed for changes in the 1) complete blood count (CBC), and 2) composition of bone marrow cells (BMC) and splenocytes, and 3) concentrations of systemic cytokines/chemokines. Our data demonstrate that BW results in transient bone marrow failure and long-term changes in the frequency and profile of progenitor cell populations. Viability progressively decreased in hematopoietic stem cells and pluripotent progenitor cells. Significant decrease of CD4+ T cells in the spleen indicates reduced functionality of adaptive immune system. Dynamic changes in the concentrations of several cytokines and chemokines such as IL-1α and IL-17 occurred potentially contributing to dysregulation of immune response after trauma. This work lays the foundation for identifying the potential mechanisms behind BW’s immunosuppressive effects to inform the recognition of this compromised status is crucial for the development of therapeutic interventions for infections to reduce recovery time of wounded patients injured by explosive devices.
The Application of Three-Dimensional Technologies in the Improvement of Orthopedic Surgery Training and Medical Education Quality: A Comparative Bibliometrics Analysis
Authors: Shi Jian , Cavagnaro María José , Xu Shaokang , Zhao Mingyi
Published: March 2022

Orthopedics is a medical specialty that focuses on the clinical treatment and care of the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedics is a medical specialty which specializing in the clinical treatment and nursing of musculoskeletal system. The education of orthopedics is often serious and difficult because of the high technical requirements, complicated anatomical knowledge and long study process. However, medical students or junior residents rarely have the opportunity to see such orthopedic surgery or attend preclinical practice, which limits the opportunities for training clinicians. Hopefully, with the increasing use of three-dimensional (3D) technologies in medical teaching, this situation can be alleviated. In this study, we demonstrate that different 3D technologies can effectively simulate orthopedic surgery with very high accuracy. We carefully evaluated the use of 3D technologies in primary medical teaching and proposed a vision for the future. We searched and screened 3,997 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) on 22 Oct 2021 with (trauma) AND ((education) OR (training) OR (teaching) OR (learning)) AND ((3D) OR (Three Dimensional)), (Joint) AND ((education) OR (training) OR (teaching) OR (learning)) AND ((3D) OR (Three Dimensional)), (spine) AND ((education) OR (training) OR (teaching) OR (learning)) AND ((3D) OR (Three Dimensional)) as the search strategy. Then, we eliminated the publications irrelevant to “orthopedics” AND/OR “orthopaedic” (in United Kingdom English), the final number of publications are 440 for trauma surgery, 716 for joint surgery and 363 for spine surgery, a visual display of comprehensive information analysis was made by VOSviewer. Next, we read and analyzed retrieved articles extensively according to the selection criteria, 11 highly cited publications on three major branches of orthopedics were chosen. The extracted data included the authors, purpose, methods, results and benefits/limitations. The evaluation of these studies directly and objectively proved the superiority of 3D technologies in orthopedics. Furthermore, the material usage and strength of 3D technologies can be closer to the real situation, which will help improve their effectiveness in teaching. We hope that more relevant studies will be conducted to continue examining the effects of 3D technologies on orthopedic medical education as well as orthopedic surgery training, and we hope that this technique can be more widely used in the clinical teaching of orthopedics to train clinicians on learning medical theory and surgical technology quickly and efficiently.
Biomechanical Properties of Mouse Carotid Arteries With Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome and Aging
Authors: Gkousioudi Anastasia , Yu Xunjie , Ferruzzi Jacopo , Qian Juncheng , Wainford Richard D. , Seta Francesca , Zhang Yanhang
Published: March 2022

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Arteries gradually stiffen with aging; however, it can be worsened by the presence of conditions associated with metabolic syndrome. In this study, we investigated the combined effects of diet-induced metabolic syndrome and aging on the biomechanical properties of mouse common carotid arteries (CCA). Male mice at 2 months of age were fed a normal or a high fat and high sucrose (HFHS) diet for 2 (young group), 8 (adult group) and 18–20 (old group) months. CCAs were excised and subjected to in vitro biaxial inflation-extension tests and the Cauchy stress-stretch relationships were determined in both the circumferential and longitudinal directions. The elastic energy storage of CCAs was obtained using a four-fiber family constitutive model, while the material stiffness in the circumferential and longitudinal directions was computed. Our study showed that aging is a dominant factor affecting arterial remodeling in the adult and old mice, to a similar extent, with stiffening manifested with a significantly reduced capability of energy storage by ∼50% (p < 0.05) and decreases in material stiffness and stress (p < 0.05), regardless of diet. On the other hand, high fat high sucrose diet resulted in an accelerated arterial remodeling in the young group at pre-diabetic stage by affecting the circumferential material stiffness and stress (p < 0.05), which was eventually overshadowed by aging progression. These findings have important implications on the effects of metabolic syndrome on elastic arteries in the younger populations.
Caring for Young Adults With Diabetes in the Adult Care Setting: Summary of a Multidisciplinary Roundtable
Authors: Toschi Elena , Leblanc Jennifer , Hafida Samar , Mehta Sanjeev , Ritholz Marilyn , Gabbay Robert , Laffel Lori
Published: March 2022

Aims

A multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers, patients and family members, and representative from national advocacy groups and research organization met to review the literature, highlight gaps, and identify best practices to improve adult care delivery for young adults (YA) with diabetes.

Methods

The participants prepared presentations in advance, rotated through sessions, and contributed to group discussions in three areas: physical health, mental health, and quality of life (QoL). Session moderators and scribes used thematic analysis to summarize discussions for each topic.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed four foci for addressing physical health, mental health and QoL: 1) best practices to facilitate the process of transfer; 2) age-specific curricula and guidelines for prevention and management of comorbidities and complications; 3) collaboration with behavioral health clinicians to address diabetes distress and mental health disorders; and 4) research on the impact of diabetes on QoL in YA.

Conclusion

There was substantial interest and need among adult clinicians to work in concert with pediatric and mental health professionals to identify best practices and future directions to improve healthcare process and diabetes-related outcome measures in YA with diabetes.
Programmed Topographic Substrates for Studying Roughness Gradient-Dependent Cell Migration Using Two-Photon Polymerization
Authors: Shivani Subhashree , Hsu Yu-Hsiang , Lee Cheng-Je , Cheong Chi-Sheng , Chung Tien-Tung , Wang An-Bang
Published: March 2022

The mediation of the extracellular matrix is one of the major environmental cues to direct cell migration, such as stiffness-dependent durotaxis and adhesiveness-dependent haptotaxis. In this study, we explore another possible contact guidance: roughness dependent topotaxis. Different from previously reported studies on topotaxis that use standard photolithography to create micron or submicron structures that have identical height and different spatial densities, we develop a new method to programmatically fabricate substrates with different patterns of surface roughness using two-photon polymerization. Surface roughness ranging from 0.29 to 1.11 μm can be created by controlling the voxel distance between adjacently cured ellipsoid voxels. Patterned Ormocomp® masters are transferred to polypropylene films using the nanoimprinting method for cell migration study. Our experimental results suggest that MG63 cells can sense the spatial distribution of their underlying extracellar roughness and modulate their migration velocity and direction. Three characteristic behaviors were identified. First, cells have a higher migration velocity on substrates with higher roughness. Second, cells preferred to migrate from regions of higher roughness to lower roughness, and their migration velocity also decreased with descending roughness. Third, the migration velocity remained unchanged on the lower roughness range on a graded substrate with a steeper roughness. The last cell migration characteristic suggests the steepness of the roughness gradient can be another environmental cue in addition to surface roughness. Finally, the combination of two-photon polymerization and nanoimprint methods could become a new fabrication methodology to create better 3D intricate structures for exploring topotactic cell migrations.
In Situ Reduced Graphene Oxide and Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanocomposites With Enhanced Multiple Properties
Authors: Hu Wenwen , Liu Shuhan , Wang Zhonghai , Feng Xianjing , Gao Ming , Song Fangming
Published: March 2022

The nanocomposites formed by graphene oxide (GO) and carbazate-modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-N) were developed to investigate their multiple properties for wide applications. Their physicochemical characterizations confirmed that the in situ reduced GO (rGO) not only decreased the crystallization but also induced the porous structures inside the nanocomposites. Significantly, it revealed that the comprehensive performance of PVA-N2-2%GO consisted of PVA-N2 with the carbazate degree of substitution (DS) of 7% and the weight ratio (wt%) of 2% GO displayed 79% of tensile elongation and tensile strength of 5.96 N/mm2 (MPa) by tensile testing, glass transition temperature (Tg) of 60.8°C and decomposition temperature (Td) of 303.5°C by TGA and DSC, surface contact angle at 89.4 ± 2.1°, and electrical conductivity of 9.95 × 10−11 S/cm. The abovementioned comprehensive performance was enhanced with the increased amount of in situ rGO, contributed by the high DS of the carbazate group in PVA-N and high amount of GO. The rGO by in situ reduction was the main driving force for enhancing the multiple properties inside the nanocomposites.
EFG1, Everyone’s Favorite Gene in Candida albicans: A Comprehensive Literature Review
Authors: Glazier Virginia E.
Published: March 2022

Candida sp. are among the most common fungal commensals found in the human microbiome. Although Candida can be found residing harmlessly on the surface of the skin and mucosal membranes, these opportunistic fungi have the potential to cause superficial skin, nail, and mucus membrane infections as well as life threatening systemic infections. Severity of infection is dependent on both fungal and host factors including the immune status of the host. Virulence factors associated with Candida sp. pathogenicity include adhesin proteins, degradative enzymes, phenotypic switching, and morphogenesis. A central transcriptional regulator of morphogenesis, the transcription factor Efg1 was first characterized in Candida albicans in 1997. Since then, EFG1 has been referenced in the Candida literature over three thousand times, with the number of citations growing daily. Arguably one of the most well studied genes in Candida albicans, EFG1 has been referenced in nearly all contexts of Candida biology from the development of novel therapeutics to white opaque switching, hyphae morphology to immunology. In the review that follows we will synthesize the research that has been performed on this extensively studied transcription factor and highlight several important unanswered questions.
Lactobacillus plantarum Disrupts S. mutans–C. albicans Cross-Kingdom Biofilms
Authors: Zeng Yan , Fadaak Ahmed , Alomeir Nora , Wu Tong Tong , Rustchenko Elena , Qing Shuang , Bao Jianhang , Gilbert Christie , Xiao Jin
Published: March 2022

Dental caries, an ecological dysbiosis of oral microflora, initiates from the virulent biofilms formed on tooth surfaces where cariogenic microorganisms metabolize dietary carbohydrates, producing acid that demineralizes tooth enamel. Forming cariogenic biofilms, Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans are well-recognized and emerging pathogens for dental caries. Recently, probiotics have demonstrated their potential in treating biofilm-related diseases, including caries. However, limited studies have assessed their effect on cariogenic bacteria–fungi cross-kingdom biofilm formation and their underlying interactions. Here, we assessed the effect of four probiotic Lactobacillus strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 2836, Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014, Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 14917, and Lactobacillus salivarius ATCC 11741) on S. mutans and C. albicans using a comprehensive multispecies biofilm model that mimicked high caries risk clinical conditions. Among the tested probiotic species, L. plantarum demonstrated superior inhibition on the growth of C. albicans and S. mutans, disruption of virulent biofilm formation with reduced bacteria and exopolysaccharide (EPS) components, and formation of virulent microcolonies structures. Transcriptome analysis (RNA sequencing) further revealed disruption of S. mutans and C. albicans cross-kingdom interactions with added L. plantarum. Genes of S. mutans and C. albicans involved in metabolic pathways (e.g., EPS formation, carbohydrate metabolism, glycan biosynthesis, and metabolism) were significantly downregulated. More significantly, genes related to C. albicans resistance to antifungal medication (ERG4), fungal cell wall chitin remodeling (CHT2), and resistance to oxidative stress (CAT1) were also significantly downregulated. In contrast, Lactobacillus genes plnD, plnG, and plnN that contribute to antimicrobial peptide plantaricin production were significantly upregulated. Our novel study findings support further assessment of the potential role of probiotic L. plantarum for cariogenic biofilm control.
Differential Adaptive Potential and Vulnerability to Climate-Driven Habitat Loss in Brazilian Mangroves
Authors: de Deus Vidal Junior João , Mori Gustavo Maruyama , Cruz Mariana Vargas , da Silva Michele Fernandes , de Moura Yohans Alves , de Souza Anete Pereira
Published: March 2022

Geographic and environmental differences have been identified as factors influencing Brazilian mangrove trees' genetic diversity. Geographically, distinct species have convergent spatial genetic structures, indicating a limited gene flow between northern and southern populations. Environmentally, genomic studies and common garden experiments have found evidence of local adaptations along the latitudinal gradient of the Brazilian coast. However, little is known about how such adaptive heterogeneity could be affected by a rapidly changing climate in the coming decades, and the combination of deforestation and climate-induced habitat loss may affect these forests and their genetic diversity. Here, we applied two genomic-environmental association methods to model the turnover of potentially adaptive alleles for two dominant mangrove trees: Avicennia germinans and A. schaueriana. We analyzed a total of 134 individuals from six populations of A. germinans and 10 populations of A. schaueriana spanning the Brazilian coast from 1 °S to 28 °S. Gradient forest models identified temperature-related variables as the most important predictors for A. germinans outlier loci, whereas both temperature and precipitation were important for A. schaueriana. We modeled allele frequencies and projected them for future climatic scenarios to estimate adaptively driven vulnerability. We assessed climate-driven habitat loss through climate-only distribution models and calculated annual deforestation rates for each sampled region. Finally, to assess the vulnerability of individual populations, we combined the environmental suitability, deforestation data, and adaptive vulnerability projections. For both species, subtropical populations presented a higher vulnerability than equatorial populations to climate-driven habitat loss. We also identified deforestation rates at the sampled sites that were alarmingly higher than the global average mangrove deforestation rate. Our results provide improved estimates of the impacts of ongoing climate change and human-caused habitat loss on the distribution of mangroves and highlight the importance of site-based conservation strategies that consider individual subtropical and equatorial mangrove forests.
Diagnostic Performance of CT FFR With a New Parameter Optimized Computational Fluid Dynamics Algorithm From the CT-FFR-CHINA Trial: Characteristic Analysis of Gray Zone Lesions and Misdiagnosed Lesions
Authors: Gao Yang , Zhao Na , Song Lei , Hu Hongjie , Jiang Tao , Chen Wenqiang , Zhang Feng , Dou Kefei , Mu Chaowei , Yang Weixian , Fu Guosheng , Xu Li , Li Dumin , Fan Lijuan , An Yunqiang , Wang Yang , Li Wei , Xu Bo , Lu Bin
Published: March 2022

To assess the diagnostic performance of fractional flow reserve (FFR) derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) (CT-FFR) obtained by a new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) algorithm to detect ischemia, using FFR as a reference, and analyze the characteristics of “gray zone” and misdiagnosed lesions. This prospective multicenter clinical trial (NCT03692936, https://clinicaltrials.gov/) analyzed 317 patients with coronary stenosis between 30 and 90% in 366 vessels from five centers undergoing CTA and FFR between November 2018 and March 2020. CT-FFR were obtained from a CFD algorithm (Heartcentury Co., Ltd., Beijing, China). Diagnostic performance of CT-FFR and CTA in detecting ischemia was assessed. Coronary atherosclerosis characteristics of gray zone and misdiagnosed lesions were analyzed. Per-vessel sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for CT-FFR and CTA were 89.9, 87.8, 88.8% and 89.3, 35.5, 60.4%, respectively. Accuracy of CT-FFR was 80.0% in gray zone lesions. In gray zone lesions, lumen area and diameter were significantly larger than lesions with FFR < 0.76 (both p < 0.001), lesion length, non-calcified and calcified plaque volume were all significantly higher than non-ischemic lesions (all p < 0.05). In gray zone lesions, Agatston score (OR = 1.009, p = 0.044) was the risk factor of false negative results of CT-FFR. In non-ischemia lesions, coronary stenosis >50% (OR = 2.684, p = 0.03) was the risk factor of false positive results. Lumen area (OR = 0.567, p = 0.02) and diameter (OR = 0.296, p = 0.03) had a significant negative effect on the risk of false positive results of CT-FFR. In conclusion, CT-FFR based on the new parameter-optimized CFD model provides better diagnostic performance for lesion-specific ischemia than CTA. For gray zone lesions, stenosis degree was less than those with FFR < 0.76, and plaque load was heavier than non-ischemic lesions.
Nutrient Management Drives the Direction and Magnitude of Nitrous Oxide Flux in Crop Residue-Returned Soil Under Different Soil Moisture
Authors: Lenka Sangeeta , Choudhary Rajesh , Lenka Narendra Kumar , Saha Jayant Kumar , Amat Dolamani , Patra Ashok Kumar , Gami Vijay , Singh Dharmendra
Published: March 2022

Crop residues as key organic carbon inputs have the potential for soil carbon sequestration. However, previous studies have shown an inconsistent effect of residue return on the direction and magnitude of soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. We used a laboratory-based soil incubation study to test the response of N2O emission to crop residue type, soil moisture, and how nutrient management modulates these responses. In this study, we incorporated crop residues with different qualities (wheat, rice, soybean, and maize) at two soil moisture contents {80% field capacity (FC) and 60% FC} and under seven nutrient levels: N0P0K0 (no nutrients), N0PK, N100PK, N150PK, N100PK + manure@ 5 Mg ha−1, N100PK + biochar@ 5 Mg ha−1, and N150PK + biochar@ 5 Mg ha−1. The results demonstrated significant (p < 0.01) differences in the magnitude of N2O emissions among treatments. However, only the interaction effect of residue × nutrient and nutrient × moisture was significant (p < 0.05). N100PK and N150PK at 80% FC mitigated N2O emission by approximately 20% in wheat residue-amended soil (cf. control soil without residue). In contrast, maize residue amendment (cf. control soil) increased N2O emission by 130% under N0P0K0 and 80% FC. Residue effects were negatively correlated with the C:N ratio, and a strong positive correlation (p < 0.01) was obtained between N2O emission and CO2 respiration, labile carbon, mineral N, and residue total nitrogen (TN). When no nutrients were added, N2O emission was higher in residue returned soil. However, cumulative fluxes of N2O decreased by 6–17% when maize and wheat residues (cf. control soil) were applied with nutrients. Negative fluxes of N2O indicating consumption were observed in every treatment after 57 days of incubation and were most pronounced in control soil without residue and nutrients. Decreasing the soil moisture from 80% FC to 60% FC, the N2O consumption rate increased by 6.6 times across residue types and nutrient management. The regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) results showed that residue TN, soil CO2 emission, NO3-N, and labile SOC were the key predictor variables and could explain 82% variability in the soil N2O emission in the Vertisols of Central India. The results suggested that nutrient addition (NPK) could alter the magnitude and direction of soil N2O flux by residue type and soil moisture by influencing the underlying soil microbial processes of the C and N cycle in the Vertisol of subtropical India.
Desmoplastic Reaction, Immune Cell Response, and Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Akimoto Naohiko , Väyrynen Juha P. , Zhao Melissa , Ugai Tomotaka , Fujiyoshi Kenji , Borowsky Jennifer , Zhong Rong , Haruki Koichiro , Arima Kota , Lau Mai Chan , Kishikawa Junko , Twombly Tyler S. , Takashima Yasutoshi , Song Mingyang , Zhang Xuehong , Wu Kana , Chan Andrew T. , Meyerhardt Jeffrey A. , Giannakis Marios , Nowak Jonathan A. , Ogino Shuji
Published: March 2022

Background

The relationships between tumor stromal features (such as desmoplastic reaction, myxoid stroma, and keloid-like collagen bundles) and immune cells in the colorectal carcinoma microenvironment have not yet been fully characterized.

Methods

In 908 tumors with available tissue among 4,465 incident colorectal adenocarcinoma cases in two prospective cohort studies, we examined desmoplastic reaction, myxoid stroma, and keloid-like collagen bundles. We conducted multiplex immunofluorescence for T cells [CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RO (PTPRC), and FOXP3] and for macrophages [CD68, CD86, IRF5, MAF, and MRC1 (CD206)]. We used the inverse probability weighting method and the 4,465 incident cancer cases to adjust for selection bias.

Results

Immature desmoplastic reaction was associated with lower densities of intraepithelial CD3+CD8+CD45RO+ cells [multivariable odds ratio (OR) for the highest (vs. lowest) density category, 0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.29–0.62; Ptrend <0.0001] and stromal M1-like macrophages [the corresponding OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.28–0.70; Ptrend = 0.0011]. Similar relations were observed for myxoid stroma [intraepithelial CD3+CD8+CD45RO+ cells (Ptrend <0.0001) and stromal M1-like macrophages (Ptrend = 0.0007)] and for keloid-like collagen bundles (Ptrend <0.0001 for intraepithelial CD3+CD8+CD45RO+ cells). In colorectal cancer-specific survival analyses, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) were 0.32 (0.23–0.44; Ptrend <0.0001) for mature (vs. immature) desmoplastic reaction, 0.25 (0.16–0.39; Ptrend <0.0001) for absent (vs. marked) myxoid stroma, and 0.12 (0.05–0.28; Ptrend <0.0001) for absent (vs. marked) keloid-like collagen bundles.

Conclusions

Immature desmoplastic reaction and myxoid stroma were associated with lower densities of tumor intraepithelial memory cytotoxic T cells and stromal M1-like macrophages, likely reflecting interactions between tumor, immune, and stromal cells in the colorectal tumor microenvironment.
Contribution of Interleukin-17A to Retinal Degenerative Diseases
Authors: Zhong Huimin , Sun Xiaodong
Published: March 2022

Retinal degenerative diseases are a leading cause of vision loss and blindness throughout the world, characterized by chronic and progressive loss of neurons and/or myelin. One of the common features of retinal degenerative diseases and central neurodegenerative diseases is chronic neuroinflammation. Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is the cytokine most closely related to disease in its family. Accumulating evidence suggests that IL-17A plays a key role in human retinal degenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. This review aims to provide an overview of the role of IL-17A participating in the pathogenesis of retinal degenerative diseases, which may open new avenues for potential therapeutic interventions.
Molecular Profile Sensitization to House Dust Mites as an Important Aspect for Predicting the Efficiency of Allergen Immunotherapy
Authors: Rodinkova Victoria V. , Yuriev Serhii D. , Kryvopustova Mariia V. , Mokin Vitalii B. , Kryzhanovskyi Yevhenii M. , Kurchenko Andrii I.
Published: March 2022

House dust mite (HDM) allergens are considered to be one of the most common causes of asthma and allergic rhinitis in the world. Cysteine proteases Der p 1 and Der f 1 (group 1) and also NPC 2 family proteins Der p 2 and Der f 2 (group 2) of D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae respectively are considered the main allergens of HDMs. The difference in the sensitivity of the population to these and other allergy causing components of HDM determines the treatment strategy. Thus, the purpose of this work was to determine the pattern of sensitization of the Ukrainian population to individual allergy causing molecular components of HDM in order to improve treatment strategies for the HDM allergy in various regions of Ukraine. To determine the molecular profile of sensitization to HDM, the data of multiplex allergy test Alex2 have been obtained from 10,651 patients. The sample included 57.86% children under the age of 18 and 42.14% adults. A Python language-based statistical analysis was performed, in order to group patients by sensitization to individual molecules and their combinations, regarding the age and geographical location of the patients. Simultaneous sensitization to Der f 2 and Der p 2 allergens was the most common among the entire group Simultaneous sensitization to 5 molecules—of group 1 (Der p 1 and Der f 1), group 2 (Der f 2 and Der p 2), and Der p 23—was the second most common for entire dataset and for the children group. This pattern differed in adults, where monosensitization to Der p 23 occupied the second position, suggesting that this molecule is an important factor of HDM allergy in Ukraine. Of the 16 analyzed regions, sensitization to Der p 23 prevailed in 2 Western regions of Ukraine. In the rest of the regions combination of Der p 2 and Der f 2 was the most prevalent. The established character of population sensitization to HDM in Ukraine is a good prognostic marker of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) efficacy.
Identification of Immune-Related Gene Signature and Prediction of CeRNA Network in Active Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Xu Mengmeng , Kong Ying , Chen Nannan , Peng Wenlong , Zi Ruidong , Jiang Manman , Zhu Jinfeng , Wang Yuting , Yue Jicheng , Lv Jinrong , Zeng Yuanyuan , Chin Y. Eugene
Published: March 2022

Background

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory disease of the intestinal mucosa, and its incidence is steadily increasing worldwide. Intestinal immune dysfunction has been identified as a central event in UC pathogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms that regulate dysfunctional immune cells and inflammatory phenotype remain to be fully elucidated.

Methods

Transcriptome profiling of intestinal mucosa biopsies were downloaded from the GEO database. Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) analysis was performed to identify statistically changed genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were used to explore potential biological mechanisms. CIBERSORT was used to evaluate the proportion of 22 immune cells in biopsies. Weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to determine key module-related clinical traits. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network and Cytoscape were performed to explore protein interaction network and screen hub genes. We used a validation cohort and colitis mouse model to validate hub genes. Several online websites were used to predict competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network.

Results

RRA integrated analysis revealed 1838 statistically changed genes from four training cohorts (adj. p-value < 0.05). GSEA showed that statistically changed genes were enriched in the innate immune system. CIBERSORT analysis uncovered an increase in activated dendritic cells (DCs) and M1 macrophages. The red module of WGCNA was considered the most critical module related to active UC. Based on the results of the PPI network and Cytoscape analyses, we identified six critical genes and transcription factor NF-κB. RT-PCR revealed that andrographolide (AGP) significantly inhibited the expression of hub genes. Finally, we identified XIST and three miRNAs (miR-9-5p, miR-129-5p, and miR-340-5p) as therapeutic targets.

Conclusions

Our integrated analysis identified four hub genes (CXCL1, IL1B, MMP1, and MMP10) regulated by NF-κB. We further revealed that AGP decreased the expression of hub genes by inhibiting NF-κB activation. Lastly, we predicted the involvement of ceRNA network in the regulation of NF-κB expression. Collectively, our results provide valuable information in understanding the molecular mechanisms of active UC. Furthermore, we predict the use of AGP and small RNA combination for the treatment of UC.
Microvascular Inflammation of the Renal Allograft: A Reappraisal of the Underlying Mechanisms
Authors: Lebraud Emilie , Eloudzeri Maëva , Rabant Marion , Lamarthée Baptiste , Anglicheau Dany
Published: March 2022

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is associated with poor transplant outcomes and was identified as a leading cause of graft failure after kidney transplantation. Although the hallmark histological features of ABMR (ABMRh), i.e., microvascular inflammation (MVI), usually correlate with the presence of anti-human leukocyte antigen donor-specific antibodies (HLA-DSAs), it is increasingly recognized that kidney transplant recipients can develop ABMRh in the absence of HLA-DSAs. In fact, 40-60% of patients with overt MVI have no circulating HLA-DSAs, suggesting that other mechanisms could be involved. In this review, we provide an update on the current understanding of the different pathogenic processes underpinning MVI. These processes include both antibody-independent and antibody-dependent mechanisms of endothelial injury and ensuing MVI. Specific emphasis is placed on non-HLA antibodies, for which we discuss the ontogeny, putative targets, and mechanisms underlying endothelial toxicity in connection with their clinical impact. A better understanding of these emerging mechanisms of allograft injury and all the effector cells involved in these processes may provide important insights that pave the way for innovative diagnostic tools and highly tailored therapeutic strategies.
Deep Generative Models for Materials Discovery and Machine Learning-Accelerated Innovation
Authors: Fuhr Addis S. , Sumpter Bobby G.
Published: March 2022

Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI/ML) methods are beginning to have significant impact in chemistry and condensed matter physics. For example, deep learning methods have demonstrated new capabilities for high-throughput virtual screening, and global optimization approaches for inverse design of materials. Recently, a relatively new branch of AI/ML, deep generative models (GMs), provide additional promise as they encode material structure and/or properties into a latent space, and through exploration and manipulation of the latent space can generate new materials. These approaches learn representations of a material structure and its corresponding chemistry or physics to accelerate materials discovery, which differs from traditional AI/ML methods that use statistical and combinatorial screening of existing materialsviadistinct structure-property relationships. However, application of GMs to inorganic materials has been notably harder than organic molecules because inorganic structure is often more complex to encode. In this work we review recent innovations that have enabled GMs to accelerate inorganic materials discovery. We focus on different representations of material structure, their impact on inverse design strategies using variational autoencoders or generative adversarial networks, and highlight the potential of these approaches for discovering materials with targeted properties needed for technological innovation.
A Case Report and Literature Review of Oligomeganephronia
Authors: Wang Xu-Hao , Pan Lei , He Shan , Kong De-Lei , Wang Wei
Published: March 2022

A 23-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with proteinuria and mildly elevated creatinine, and a renal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of oligomeganephronia (OMN). OMN is an extremely rare bilateral renal hypoplastic disease, and its diagnosis mainly relies on the pathological results obtained from renal biopsy. At present, there is no effective treatment for OMN. Here, we report a case with mild renal insufficiency and proteinuria as the main symptom and present a summary of the clinical characteristics of ON along with a review of the literature on OMN.
Bioethics and COVID-19: Considering the Social Determinants of Health
Authors: Valera Luca , López Barreda Rodrigo
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we focus on a novel bioethical approach concerning the ethical implications of the Social Determinants of Health (SDs) in the time of COVID-19, offering a fresh interpretation of our agency and responsibility in the current pandemic era. Our interpretation is grounded on the idea that our health basically depends on factors that go beyond our organism. In this sense, we stress the radical importance of circumstances to ethically assess an action, in the current pandemic context. Moreover, due the centrality of the SDs in our bioethical assessments—that implies that our health does not exclusively depend on our choices, behaviors, and lifestyle—we can affirm that we are not entirely responsible for our wellness or diseases. As health depends on economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors, we argue that the analysis of personal responsibility facing personal health status should receive further consideration. In this sense, following the “social connection model,” we stress the importance of the concept of “shared responsibility” in collective decisions: if we make many decisions collectively, we are also collectively responsible of these decisions. Furthermore, to responsibly tackle the social inequalities that are the underlying cause of disparities in health outcomes, we propose two main strategies based on the Capability Approach: 1. empowering the individuals, especially the most vulnerable ones; and 2. designing preventive policies and interventions that provides an opportunity to address the disparities moving forward. This will help us going beyond the “individualistic medical ethics paradigm” and integrating our concept of health with social factors (e.g., the SDs), based on a more relational and interdependent anthropological thought.