bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Popular education to improve water quality and hygiene in a Mexican indigenous community
Authors: Calderón-Villarreal Alhelí , Alamo-Hernández Urinda , Terry Brendan , Salgado-de-Snyder Nelly
Published: April 2023

Long-term research has identified significant water contamination and associated poor health outcomes in the indigenous community of Alpuyeca, located in south-central Mexico. We set out to develop a popular education initiative in this community to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) knowledge and practices. In order to avoid recreating hierarchical power dynamics in this vulnerable community, a participatory action research (PAR) design was used, wherein the community took leadership and facilitation roles in each stage of the research process. In qualitative interviews and design sessions, community members identified unsatisfied WaSH needs in households and community institutions and articulated a clear worldview of the spiritual role of water, which guided the development of a series of popular education-based workshops and discussions. The popular education initiative process was documented with a mixed methods framework, using before-and-after surveys, semi-structured interviews and participatory observation. Increases in knowledge and practices related to water purification, water consumption and hand hygiene were noted in the community. The community identified locally installed and managed ecotechnologies as a key opportunity for sustainable development, community participation and the adoption of water and sanitation systems, compatible with public imaginaries of the role of water.
Perioperative Insulin Regimens in Patients With Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Hospitalized for a Short Time for Minor Eye Surgery
Authors: Pfleger Sandra , Meçani Renald , Semlitsch Barbara , Krall Anja , Sendlhofer Gerald , Mader Julia K. , Wedrich Andreas
Published: April 2023

Background:

Elective surgery in patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and the admission period in the hospital, comprise a distinctive and challenging situation for physicians, nurses, as well as for the patients themselves. There is a lack of widely accepted evidence-based and standardized approach of care in regard to perioperative management of patients with insulin-treated T2D.

Methods:

The main purpose of this proof-of-concept study was to investigate whether a standardized insulin and meal regimen on the day of surgery leads to a better management of diabetes in terms of blood glucose (BG) levels. Two different insulin and meal regimens—group A with half of insulin dose given with a standardized postoperative meal and group B with a custom preoperative breakfast and full insulin dose—were compared with Group C with routine care (no meal and no insulin injection on the day of surgery). Each group consisted of 12 to 15 patients. BG measurements were performed pre- and immediately postoperatively, before meals and at bedtime.

Results:

Both standardized and well-defined insulin and meal regimens resulted in better average BG levels in the perioperative period, especially in the morning after the surgery.

Conclusions:

In this study, we observed that a standardized perioperative insulin regimen efficiently lowered postoperative BG levels. Providing a custom breakfast and a full insulin dose resulted in lower postoperative BG levels. These approaches were not associated with an increase in hypoglycemic events. Physicians and nursing staff gave positive feedback to the structured and well-defined approaches.
Having Less Than Others is Physically Painful: Income Rank and Pain Around the World
Authors: Macchia Lucía
Published: April 2023

Physical pain is a pressing issue for scientists and policymakers. Yet evidence on the psychosocial factors of pain is limited. Using data from 146 countries ( N = 1.3 million individuals), this article documents the role of income comparisons on physical pain. Specifically, this study shows that income rank (i.e., the ordinal position of a person’s income within a comparison group) is linked to physical pain above and beyond absolute income. This effect is identical in rich and poor nations. The negative emotions that result from a disadvantaged relative standing in the income hierarchy may explain these findings. This article documents a new kind of evidence on the power of income comparisons and highlights the role that psychosocial factors may play in physical pain.
The employment status of the sportsperson: The Belgian case
Authors: De Keyzer Frea
Published: April 2023

For many athletes, sport will always be seen as their greatest passion, but in addition, for some, sport has also become an economic activity, an activity through which one can earn income. Both professional athletes and (so-called) amateur athletes may conclude contracts with their clubs or federations, which also determine the (possible) variable and/or fixed remuneration they obtain in return for their performances. As sport can be seen as a form of employment, the key question to be asked is whether these contracts should be seen as employment contracts and, consequently, whether these athletes are all employees. This article wishes to contribute to the search for answers to this question. The research is limited to the Belgian legal system but has the ambition to feed a broader discussion. Starting from Belgian labour law, the article examines which conditions must be met in order to speak of an employment contract (labour, remuneration and authority). It can be concluded that many (paid) athletes, especially football players, will meet the legal conditions to be considered employees. This contribution focuses on team sports, with football as a typical example, because in this context exercise of authority is more obvious and discussions on the relationship with labour law are most acute. Furthermore, this article examines the specific legislation and jurisprudence concerning athletes. In the Belgian legal order, sports professionals constitute a separate category to which the legislator has given special status by adopting a lex specialis to the general Employment Contracts Act. Nevertheless, there are still discussions about the social protection these sports professionals enjoy compared to regular employees and non-professional athletes. Beyond that, the status of athletes who do not reach the remuneration threshold to fall within the scope of the Sports Professionals Act, remains unclear. Recently, a dichotomy was created within paid amateur football, showing a desire to keep some athletes out of the scope of labour law. However, labour law is mandatory in nature, so the question is whether this dichotomy can continue to exist. This article will make it clear that the relationship between labour law and sport remains a difficult one.
Translations of the Psalms in Old Polish Biblical-Apocryphal Narrative Texts: The Beginnings of Vernacular Religious Language
Authors: Rojszczak-Robińska Dorota
Published: April 2023

The Old Polish New Testament apocrypha are the most extensive written records of a Polish medieval religious language. The aim of this article is to analyze ways in which excerpts from the Psalms operate in these texts. No full Polish medieval translation of the Bible has been preserved, so it is the apocrypha that shape our understanding of the folk Bible in medieval Poland. Medieval authors came up with different translation strategies: formal and dynamic equivalence, as well as paraphrase and summary. The authors used the Latin text freely, adapting it to the subject, removing inconvenient passages and adding others. However, fragments of psalms are almost always translated accurately, word for word, duly accounting for the Latin word order. The manner of translating psalms is different from the way Old Polish authors translated texts they knew as bilinguals.
The Slave Who Was Ἔντιμος: Translation and Characterization in Luke 7.2
Authors: Zeichmann Christopher B.
Published: April 2023

The Gospel of Luke (7.1-10; par. Matt 8.5-13) relates a tale wherein Jesus heals a military officer’s slave at a distance. The slave remains in the background throughout the pericope, never speaking, much less appearing at all. Luke offers little information about this slave aside from his illness and the fact that he was ἔντιμος to the centurion (7.2). This word ἔντιμος has generally been construed as denoting the slave’s emotional or personal value to the centurion, most commonly as “dear.” This article argues that there is little lexical support for such a rendering. I will attempt to address the lacuna around the word ἔντιμος and its rendering in English translations, attending especially to epigraphic evidence for the term’s use. In short, I will argue that rather than denoting emotional importance, the term ἔντιμος designates the respect for the slave within the centurion’s household.
Translating Ephesians 5.33
Authors: Walsh Julie , Miller Jeffrey D.
Published: April 2023

This article argues that Eph 5.33b should be understood as “so that the wife may respect her husband” and that translations should reflect this understanding in ways appropriate to the target language. In English translations, φοβῆται “may respect,” though subjunctive in form, is typically rendered as a command in function, thus giving the wife a unilateral instruction instead of expressing a probable result of the prior command for husbands to love their wives. For English translations, Eph 5.33b should be translated as a dependent result clause, with ἵνα “so that” expressed rather than omitted from translation, and with the subjunctive form φοβῆται “may respect” translated as subjunctive in function.
Oral Bible Translation and Its Role in the Future of Bible Translation
Authors: Cleaver Bronwen
Published: April 2023

This article is about oral Bible translation (OBT), its key features, and how it differs from both written Bible translation and oral Bible storying. The author draws on her own experience as a Translation Advisor on an OBT team, and also from interaction with other OBT teams around the world. The article proposes that internalisation is the key component or “ingredient” in OBT, and also discusses emotional exegesis and voice prosody as essential features of the oral translation process. Ideas are offered on how consultant checking of OBT differs from that of written Bible translation. The article ends by recommending intensive training on internalisation for all Bible translation teams, the development of notes on emotional exegesis and performance, and increased training for translation consultants on orality.
“Peace with You”: Exploring Translation Possibilities of the Peace Greeting in John 20 in Tagalog
Authors: Arevalo Rhoneil Mendoza
Published: April 2023

“Peace with you” in John 20 is widely understood as a Jewish greeting. But the context surrounding the Johannine peace salutation seems to suggest that it may have been meant to serve functions other than a greeting. These functional possibilities reflect the comprehensiveness of the meaning of peace in both the Old and New Testaments. A formal or word-for-word translation of “peace be with you” in a language like Tagalog ends up sounding artificial and unintelligible. Translation solutions are proposed for the different contexts in which the phrase occurs in John.
Organic online politics: Farmers, Facebook, and Myanmar's military coup
Authors: Faxon Hilary Oliva , Kintzi Kendra , Tran Van , Wine Kay Zak , Htut Swan Ye
Published: April 2023

Despite perennial hope in the democratic possibilities of the internet, the rise of digital authoritarianism threatens online and offline freedom across much of the world. Yet while critical data studies has expanded its geographic focus, limited work to date has examined digital mobilization in the agrarian communities that comprise much of the Global South. This article advances the concept of “organic online politics,” to demonstrate how digital mobilization grows from specific rural conditions, material concerns, and repertoires of resistance, within the constraints of authoritarian violence and internet control. To do so, we examine social media interaction in the wake of the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, an agrarian nation with recent, rapid digital connection that corresponded with a decade-long democratic turn. Analyzing an original archive of over 2000 Facebook posts collected from popular farming pages and groups, we find a massive drop-off in online activity after the military coup and analyze the shifting temporalities of digital mobilization. Crucially, we highlight the embeddedness of online interaction within the material concerns of farming communities, examining how social media become a key forum for negotiating political crisis in Myanmar's countryside. These findings call attention to rural digital subcultures as fertile sites of investigation and point toward the need for future scholarship on data practices that attends to rooted agrarian struggles.
Proactive contract theory in the context of corporate sustainability due diligence
Authors: Saloranta Juho , Hurmerinta-Haanpää Anna
Published: April 2023

The article discusses how proactive contract theory could be used to translate the ambitious objectives of the European Commission's current draft proposal on corporate sustainability due diligence into actual business practices in complex value chains and networks. Proactive contract theory regards contracts as legal, economic, managerial and social artefacts that should be designed to prevent undesirable results and promote favourable outcomes. Moreover, the theory highlights the need for multiprofessional collaboration and user-centricity in contract design. Based on these principles, we introduce four ways to promote corporate sustainability due diligence in supply contracts via proactive contracting: turning from one-sided safeguarding towards shared responsibility and collaboration, incentivizing responsible and sustainable business practices via promotive contract clauses, engaging end users in the contract design process and preventing disputes.
One Dose Is Not Enough: The Beneficial Effect of Corrective COVID-19 Information Is Diminished If Followed by Misinformation
Authors: Craig Michael , Vijaykumar Santosh
Published: April 2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a series of mythbuster infographics to combat misinformation during the COVID-19 infodemic. While the corrective effects of such debunking interventions have typically been examined in the immediate aftermath of intervention delivery; the durability of these corrective effects and their resilience against subsequent misinformation remains poorly understood. To this end, we asked younger and older adults to rate the truthfulness and credibility of 10 statements containing misinformation about common COVID-19 myths, as well as their willingness to share the statements through social media. They did this three times, before and after experimental interventions within a single study session. In keeping with established findings, exposure to the WHO’s myth-busting infographics—(a) improved participants’ ratings of the misinformation statements as untruthful and uncredible and (b) reduced their reported willingness to share the statements. However, within-subject data revealed these beneficial effects were diminished if corrective information was presented shortly by misinformation, but the effects remained when further corrective information was presented. Throughout the study, younger adults rated the misinformation statements as more truthful and credible and were more willing to share them. Our data reveal that the benefit of COVID-19 debunking interventions may be short-lived if followed shortly by misinformation. Still, the effect can be maintained in the presence of further corrective information. These outcomes provide insights into the effectiveness and durability of corrective information and can influence strategies for tackling health-related misinformation, especially in younger adults.
Role of Roux-en-Y for Remedial Anti-reflux Surgery
Authors: Agyabeng-Dadzie Kojo , Awais Omar
Published: April 2023

Initial treatment for failed anti-reflux surgery includes medical management, lifestyle changes and endoscopic dilation. Redo fundoplication may be necessary for intractability. With the effectiveness of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for obesity, we have also noticed significant improvement in reflux, suggesting a relationship between reflux and obesity. With the ongoing obesity epidemic, we have observed a higher incidence of obese patients with failed anti-reflux surgery. In this subset of patients, Roux-en-Y is emerging as a favored surgical approach for remedial anti-reflux surgery. In this review we identify crucial factors to consider, describe our surgical technique and evaluate outcomes after conversion to Roux-en-Y.
Maanjiwe Nendamowinan (The Gathering of Minds): Connecting Indigenous placemakers and caring for place through co-creative research with the Toronto Islands
Authors: Latulippe Nicole , Livesey Biddy , Whaanga-Schollum Desna , Jamieson Cathie , Clark Jym , Kiddle Rebecca (Becky)
Published: April 2023

Connecting Indigenous Placemakers was a week-long practitioners’ retreat and public symposium held on Menecing, the Toronto Island (Treaty 13a). The collaborative project was supported by the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN), Ngā Aho Māori Designers’ Network, and other institutional partners. Based on the success in Aotearoa New Zealand of supporting Indigenous placemaking practitioners and shaping opportunities through a network, the 2019 gathering created a supportive space for Indigenous creatives to be on the land, work on collective and individual projects, build relationship with one another, share knowledge and shape broader discourse on Indigenous placemaking in Toronto. As retreat participants integrated the teachings of Menecing, the Treaty Lands and Territory of the MCFN and a gathering place of many nations, the group began referring to the project as Maanjiwe Nendamowinan, the Gathering of Minds. This co-creative experience made clear the primacy of Place. That is, ‘we don’t make place – Place makes us’. Grounded in Menecing, and in dialogue with many voices, we demonstrate the more-than-ontological significance of Indigenous conceptualizations of and relational practices in (uppercase- P) Place, an entity with a specific identity. We conclude with key considerations that keep Place and placekeeping at the heart of research: respect for the sacred, living well with all our relations, relationship with the peoples of Place, and rethinking research.
Art Unfolds Words: Expressing Hope Through Creative Art Among Adolescents and Young Adults Who Have Advanced Cancer
Authors: Bennett C. Robert , Raybin Jennifer L. , Glinzak Leara , Coats Heather , Gauthier Kristine , Sousa Karen , Hendricks-Ferguson Verna L.
Published: April 2023

Hope's role in the care of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who have advanced cancer (AC) is not well understood. This study aimed to conceptualize the essence of hope among AYAs who have AC based on their lived experiences and illustrate hope through verbal and artistic depictions of the AYA's lived experiences. Fifteen AYAs, aged 12 to 21 years, diagnosed with AC completed two semistructured interviews to share their lived experiences of hope perspectives in the form of a descriptive narrative and a creative-art outcome. Participants who chose to draw pictures narrated the conceptual meanings based on elements of each picture. A board-certified art therapist performed a post hoc analysis of the drawings and participants’ verbatim descriptions of their meanings. Five of the 15 AYA participants created drawings depicting their lived experiences of hope. The artistic process of mapping their cancer journey revealed distinct views of hope through nature landscapes and metaphors. Participants provided titles for their drawings such as “Over the Rainbow,” “Growth in the Valley,” and “The Light at the End of the Tunnel.” The pictures embodied the AYAs’ thoughts, perceptions, and lived experiences related to hope and its role during their cancer journey. Drawing is one simple art form that can facilitate an AYA's expression of well-being (including hope) beyond what may be verbally articulated. Creative art should be further researched as a screening tool to assess how AYAs with AC cope with an uncertain future and psychological and/or existential distress symptoms.
Earthquake perception data highlight natural frequency details of Italian buildings
Authors: Tosi Patrizia , De Rubeis Valerio , Sbarra Paola
Published: April 2023

As the distance from an earthquake increases, the percentage of people who do not feel it also increases. The average transition distance between “felt” and “not felt” reports is mainly determined by the magnitude and depth of the earthquake, but it also depends on the observation floor and building height. Buildings act as resonators and can amplify the shaking at specific frequencies. We analyzed over 286,000 crowdsourced reports to study the effect of floor and building height on earthquake perception. We found that, compared to average values, there is an increase in the percentage of “felt” reports on the highest floors and a decrease in the lowest floors of buildings of all heights. We determined the range within which an observer is likely to feel an earthquake (perception boundary) and examined how it varies with magnitude. We found that as the building height increases, people on higher floors perceive medium to high magnitude earthquakes progressively better than lower magnitude ones. We compared the perception boundary with a model of seismic response spectra to estimate the vibration frequency perceived by observers on each floor/building height combination. Our results show that the value of the fundamental period increases with building height for the top floor, and that higher vibration modes become more evident for buildings with more than 6 stories. In addition, we observed that the height of the building also affects the vibration of the basement, with the frequency tending to decrease as the building height increases. Concerning macroseismic intensity estimation, we show that in tall buildings, observations made on both the upper and lower floors must be considered outside the normal range, and that earthquake perception also changes as a function of magnitude and distance, pointing out the importance of collecting an adequate number of observations to sample different locations of observers.
Human herpesvirus 6–specific T-cell immunity in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
Authors: Noviello Maddalena , Lorentino Francesca , Xue Elisabetta , Racca Sara , Furnari Giulia , Valtolina Veronica , Campodonico Edoardo , Dvir Roee , Lupo-Stanghellini Maria Teresa , Giglio Fabio , Piemontese Simona , Clerici Daniela , Oltolini Chiara , Tassi Elena , Beretta Valeria , Farina Francesca , Mannina Daniele , Ardemagni Anna , Vago Luca , Bernardi Massimo , Corti Consuelo , Peccatori Jacopo , Clementi Massimo , Ciceri Fabio , Bonini Chiara , Greco Raffaella
Published: April 2023

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) can reactivate after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) and may lead to severe symptoms. HHV-6–specific immune responses after HSCT are largely unexplored. We conducted a prospective observational study on 208 consecutive adult patients who received allo-HSCT to investigate HHV-6 reactivations and specific immune responses. Interferon gamma–producing HHV-6–specific T cells were quantified using enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISpot). HHV-6 reactivation occurred in 63% of patients, at a median of 25 days from allo-HSCT. Only 40% of these presented a clinically relevant infection, defined by the presence of classical HHV-6 end-organ diseases (EODs), based on European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia (ECIL) guidelines, and other possible HHV6-related EODs. Using multivariate analysis, we identified risk factors for HHV-6 reactivation: previous allo-HSCT, posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy), and time-dependent steroids introduction. The use of PT-Cy and steroids were associated with clinically relevant infections, whereas higher CD3+ cell counts seemed to be protective. Interestingly, circulating HHV-6–specific T cells were significantly higher in patients with reactivated virus. Moreover, HHV-6–specific T-cell responses, quantified at >4 days after the first viremia detection, predicted clinically relevant infections (P < .0001), with higher specificity (93%) and sensitivity (79%) than polyclonal CD3+ cells per μL. Overall survival and transplant-related mortality were not affected by time-dependent HHV-6 reactivation, whereas a significant association was observed between clinically relevant infections and acute graft-versus-host disease. These results shed light on the role of HHV-6 in allo-HSCT and may affect HHV-6 monitoring and treatment.
Monocytes reprogrammed by tumor microparticle vaccine inhibit tumorigenesis and tumor development
Authors: Sun Weiwei , Dai Lili , Cao Yuqing , Pan Pengtao , Zhi Lijuan , Wang Xinke , Yuan Xinzhong , Gao Zi , Guo Sheng , Liu Guoyan , Yin Junlei , Xie Liangliang , Wang Liping , Wang Yanling , Li Wensheng , Li Hong , Jia Yunjie
Published: April 2023

Tumor microparticles (T-MPs) are considered as a tumor vaccine candidate. Although some studies have analyzed the mechanism of T-MPs as tumor vaccine, we still lack understanding of how T-MPs stimulate a strong anti-tumor immune response. Here, we show that T-MPs induce macrophages to release a key chemotactic factor CCL2, which attracts monocytes to the vaccine injection site and enhances endocytosis of antigen. Monocytes subsequently enter the draining lymph node, and differentiate into monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs), which present tumor antigens to T lymphocytes and deliver a potent anti-tumor immune response. Mechanically, T-MPs activate the cGAS-STING signaling through DNA fragments, and then induce monocytes to upregulate the expression of IRF4, which is a key factor for monocyte differentiation into moDCs. More importantly, monocytes that have endocytosed T-MPs acquire the ability to treat tumors. Collectively, this work might provide novel vaccination strategy for the development of tumor vaccines and facilitate the application of T-MPs for clinic oncotherapy.
Bacterial outer membrane vesicles as cationic dye carriers for optoacoustics-guided phototherapy of cancer
Authors: Liu Nian , Gujrati Vipul , Werner Juan Pablo Fuenzalida , Mishra Kanuj , Anzenhofer Pia , Stiel Andre C. , Mettenleiter Gabriele , Feuchtinger Annette , Walch Axel , Ntziachristos Vasilis
Published: April 2023

Background

Cationic dyes are widely used as biomarkers for optical imaging. However, most of these are hydrophobic and cannot be employed in vivo without chemical conjugation or modification. Herein, we report for the first time the use of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as nanocarriers of cationic dyes for cancer theranostics.

Results

We demonstrate that cationic dyes (IR780, Cy7, and Cy7.5) form stable complexes with negatively charged bacterial-OMVs, improving the dyes’ in vivo circulation and optoacoustic properties. Such OMV-Dye complexes are biodegradable and safe for in vivo applications. Importantly, this method of cationic dye loading is faster and easier than synthetic chemistry approaches, and the efficient tumor accumulation of OMV-Dyes enables sensitive tumor detection using optoacoustic technology. As a proof-of-concept, we generated OMV-IR780 for optoacoustics-guided in vivo tumor phototherapy in a mouse model.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate cationic dye-bound OMVs as promising novel nanoagents for tumor theranostics.
EZH2 as a prognostic-related biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma correlating with cell cycle and immune infiltrates
Authors: Fan Kui , Zhang Bo-hui , Han Deng , Sun Yun-chuan
Published: April 2023

Backgrounds

It has been observed that high levels of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) expression are associated with unsatisfactory prognoses and can be found in a wide range of malignancies. However, the effects of EZH2 on Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain elusive. Through the integration of bioinformatic analyses, the present paper sought to ascertain the effects of EZH2 in LUAD.

Methods

The TIMER and UALCAN databases were applied to analyze mRNA and protein expression data for EZH2 in LUAD. The result of immunohistochemistry was obtained from the HPA database, and the survival curve was drawn according to the library provided by the HPA database. The LinkedOmics database was utilized to investigate the co-expressed genes and signal transduction pathways with EZH2. Up- and down-regulated genes from The Linked Omics database were introduced to the CMap database to predict potential drug targets for LUAD using the CMap database. The association between EZH2 and cancer-infiltrating immunocytes was studied through TIMER and TISIDB. In addition, this paper explores the relationship between EZH2 mRNA expression and NSCLC OS using the Kaplan–Meier plotter database to further validate and complement the research. Furthermore, the correlation between EZH2 expression and EGFR genes, KRAS genes, BRAF genes, and smoking from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database is analyzed.

Results

In contrast to paracancer specimens, the mRNA and protein levels of EZH2 were higher in LUAD tissues. Significantly, high levels of EZH2 were associated with unsatisfactory prognoses in LUAD patients. Additionally, the coexpressed genes of EZH2 were predominantly associated with numerous cell growth-associated pathways, including the cell cycle, DNA replication, RNA transport, and the p53 signaling pathway, according to Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The results of TCGA database revealed that the expression of EZH2 was lower in normal tissues than in lung cancer tissues (p < 0.05). Smoking was associated with elevated EZH2 expression (p < 0.001). EZH2 was highly expressed in lung cancers with positive KRAS expression, and the correlation was significant in lung adenocarcinoma (r = 0.3129, p < 0.001). CMap was applied to determine the top 15 positively correlated drugs/molecules and the top 15 negatively correlated drugs/molecules. MK-1775, MK-5108, fenbendazole, albendazole, BAY-K8644, evodiamine, purvalanol-a, mycophenolic-acid, PHA-793887, and cyclopamine are potential drugs for patients with lung adenocarcinoma and high EZH2 expression.

Conclusions

Highly expressed EZH2 is a predictor of a suboptimal prognosis in LUAD and may serve as a prognostic marker and target gene for LUAD. The underlying cause may be associated with the synergistic effect of KRAS, immune cell infiltration, and metabolic processes.
Drug-target interaction prediction based on spatial consistency constraint and graph convolutional autoencoder
Authors: Chen Peng , Zheng Haoran
Published: April 2023

Background

Drug-target interaction (DTI) prediction plays an important role in drug discovery and repositioning. However, most of the computational methods used for identifying relevant DTIs do not consider the invariance of the nearest neighbour relationships between drugs or targets. In other words, they do not take into account the invariance of the topological relationships between nodes during representation learning. It may limit the performance of the DTI prediction methods.

Results

Here, we propose a novel graph convolutional autoencoder-based model, named SDGAE, to predict DTIs. As the graph convolutional network cannot handle isolated nodes in a network, a pre-processing step was applied to reduce the number of isolated nodes in the heterogeneous network and facilitate effective exploitation of the graph convolutional network. By maintaining the graph structure during representation learning, the nearest neighbour relationships between nodes in the embedding space remained as close as possible to the original space.

Conclusions

Overall, we demonstrated that SDGAE can automatically learn more informative and robust feature vectors of drugs and targets, thus exhibiting significantly improved predictive accuracy for DTIs.
SynBioTools: a one-stop facility for searching and selecting synthetic biology tools
Authors: Cai Pengli , Liu Sheng , Zhang Dachuan , Xing Huadong , Han Mengying , Liu Dongliang , Gong Linlin , Hu Qian-Nan
Published: April 2023

Background

The rapid development of synthetic biology relies heavily on the use of databases and computational tools, which are also developing rapidly. While many tool registries have been created to facilitate tool retrieval, sharing, and reuse, no relatively comprehensive tool registry or catalog addresses all aspects of synthetic biology.

Results

We constructed SynBioTools, a comprehensive collection of synthetic biology databases, computational tools, and experimental methods, as a one-stop facility for searching and selecting synthetic biology tools. SynBioTools includes databases, computational tools, and methods extracted from reviews via SCIentific Table Extraction, a scientific table-extraction tool that we built. Approximately 57% of the resources that we located and included in SynBioTools are not mentioned in bio.tools, the dominant tool registry. To improve users’ understanding of the tools and to enable them to make better choices, the tools are grouped into nine modules (each with subdivisions) based on their potential biosynthetic applications. Detailed comparisons of similar tools in every classification are included. The URLs, descriptions, source references, and the number of citations of the tools are also integrated into the system.

Conclusions

SynBioTools is freely available at https://synbiotools.lifesynther.com/. It provides end-users and developers with a useful resource of categorized synthetic biology databases, tools, and methods to facilitate tool retrieval and selection.
Using RNA-seq to identify suitable housekeeping genes for hypoxia studies in human adipose-derived stem cells
Authors: Ong Huan Ting , Prêle Cecilia M. , Dilley Rodney J.
Published: April 2023

Background

Hypoxic culture conditions have been used to study the impact of oxygen deprivation has on gene expression in a number of disease models. However, hypoxia response elements present in the promoter regions of some commonly used housekeeping genes, such as GAPDH and PGK1, can confound the relative gene expression analysis. Thus, there is ongoing debate as to which housekeeping gene is appropriate for studies investigating hypoxia-induced cell responses. Specifically, there is still contradicting information for which housekeeping genes are stable in hypoxia cultures of mesenchymal stem cells. In this study, candidate housekeeping genes curated from the literature were matched to RNAseq data of normoxic and hypoxic human adipose-derived stem cell cultures to determine if gene expression was modulated by hypoxia or not. Expression levels of selected candidates were used to calculate coefficient of variation. Then, accounting for the mean coefficient of variation, and normalised log twofold change, genes were ranked and shortlisted, before validating with qRT-PCR. Housekeeping gene suitability were then determined using GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, comparative$$\Delta Ct$$

Δ
C
t

, RefFinder, and the Livak method.

Results

Gene expression levels of 78 candidate genes identified in the literature were analysed in the RNAseq dataset generated from hADSC cultured under Nx and Hx conditions. From the dataset, 15 candidates with coefficient of variation ≤ 0.15 were identified, where differential expression analysis results further shortlisted 8 genes with least variation in expression levels. The top 4 housekeeping gene candidates, ALAS1, RRP1, GUSB, and POLR2B, were chosen for qRT-PCR validation. Additionally, 18S, a ribosomal RNA commonly used as housekeeping gene but not detected in the RNAseq method, was added to the list of housekeeping gene candidates to validate. From qRT-PCR results, 18S and RRP1 were determined to be stably expressed in cells cultured under hypoxic conditions.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated that 18S and RRP1 are suitable housekeeping genes for use in hypoxia studies with human adipose-derived stem cell and should be used in combination. Additionally, these data shown that the commonly used GAPDH and PGK1 are not suitable housekeeping genes for investigations into the effect of hypoxia in human adipose-derived stem cell.
Evolution and expression analysis of the caffeoyl-CoA 3-O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) gene family in jute (Corchorus L.)
Authors: Kahie Mohamed Ali , Wang Yongjun , Fang Pingping , Qi Jianmin , Lei Rongjie , Xu Jiantang , Lin Lihui , Zhang Liwu , Zhang Jisen , Tao Aifen
Published: April 2023

Background

Jute is considered one of the most important crops for fiber production and multipurpose usages. Caffeoyl-CoA 3-O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) is a crucial enzyme involved in lignin biosynthesis in plants. The potential functions of CCoAOMT in lignin biosynthesis of jute have been reported in several studies. However, little is known about the evolution of the CCoAOMT gene family, and either their expression level at different developing stages in different jute cultivars, as well as under abiotic stresses including salt and drought stress.

Results

In the present study, 66 CCoAOMT genes from 12 species including 12 and eight CCoAOMTs in Corchorus olitorius and C. capsularis were identified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that CCoAOMTs could be divided into six groups, and gene expansion was observed in C. olitorius. Furthermore, gene expression analysis of developing jute fibers was conducted at different developmental stages (15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 days after sowing [DAS]) in six varieties (Jute-179 [J179], Lubinyuanguo [LB], and Qiongyueqing [QY] for C. capsularis; Funong No.5 [F5], Kuanyechangguo [KY], and Cvlv [CL] for C. olitorius). The results showed that CCoAOMT1 and CCoAOMT2 were the dominant genes in the CCoAOMT family. Of these two dominant CCoAOMTs, CCoAOMT2 showed a constitutive expression level during the entire growth stages, while CCoAOMT1 exhibited differential expression patterns. These two genes showed higher expression levels in C. olitorius than in C. capsularis. The correlation between lignin content and CCoAOMT gene expression levels indicated that this gene family influences the lignin content of jute. Using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), a substantial up-regulation of CCoAOMTs was detected in stem tissues of jute 24 h after drought treatment, with an up to 17-fold increase in expression compared to that of untreated plants.

Conclusions

This study provides a basis for comprehensive genomic studies of the entire CCoAOMT gene family in C. capsularis and C. olitorius. Comparative genomics analysis among the CCoAOMT gene families of 12 species revealed the close evolutionary relationship among Corchorus, Theobroma cacao and Gossypium raimondii. This study also shows that CCoAOMTs are not only involved in lignin biosynthesis, but also are associated with the abiotic stress response in jute, and suggests the potential use of these lignin-related genes to genetically improve the fiber quality of jute.
Division of developmental phases of freshwater leech Whitmania pigra and key genes related to neurogenesis revealed by whole genome and transcriptome analysis
Authors: Liu Jiali , Liu Jinxin , Li Mingyue , Zhou Lisi , Kong Weijun , Zhang Hailin , Jin Panpan , Lu Fuhua , Lin Gufa , Shi Linchun
Published: April 2023

The freshwater leech Whitmania pigra (W. pigra) Whitman (Annelida phylum) is a model organism for neurodevelopmental studies. However, molecular biology research on its embryonic development is still scarce. Here, we described a series of developmental stages of the W. pigra embryos and defined five broad stages of embryogenesis: cleavage stages, blastocyst stage, gastrula stage, organogenesis and refinement, juvenile. We obtained a total of 239.64 Gb transcriptome data of eight representative developmental phases of embryos (from blastocyst stage to maturity), which was then assembled into 21,482 unigenes according to our reference genome sequenced by single-molecule real-time (SMRT) long-read sequencing. We found 3114 genes differentially expressed during the eight phases with phase-specific expression pattern. Using a comprehensive transcriptome dataset, we demonstrated that 57, 49 and 77 DEGs were respectively related to morphogenesis, signal pathways and neurogenesis. 49 DEGs related to signal pathways included 30 wnt genes, 14 notch genes, and 5 hedgehog genes. In particular, we found a cluster consisting of 7 genes related to signal pathways as well as synapses, which were essential for regulating embryonic development. Eight genes cooperatively participated in regulating neurogenesis. Our results reveal the whole picture of W. pigra development mechanism from the perspective of transcriptome and provide new clues for organogenesis and neurodevelopmental studies of Annelida species.
Predictive value of NoSAS questionnaire combined with the modified Mallampati grade for hypoxemia during routine sedation for gastrointestinal endoscopy
Authors: Li Nana , Wu Junbei , Lu Yunhong , Zhang Jigang , Sun Zhaochu , Cao Xiaofei , Liu Cunming
Published: April 2023

Background

The incidence of hypoxemia during painless gastrointestinal endoscopy remains a matter of concem. To date, there is no recognized simple method to predict hypoxemia in digestive endoscopic anesthesia. The NoSAS (neck circumference, obesity, snoring, age, sex) questionnaire, an objective and simple assessment scale used to assess obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), combined with the modified Mallampati grade (MMP), may have certain screening value. This combination may allow anesthesiologists to anticipate, manage, and consequently decrease the occurrence of hypoxemia.

Methods

This study was a prospective observational trial. The primary endpoint was the incidence of hypoxaemia defined as pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) < 95% for 10 s. A total of 2207 patients admitted to our hospital for painless gastrointestinal endoscopy were studied. All patients were measured for age, height, weight, body mass index, neck circumference, snoring, MMP, and other parameters. Patients were divided into hypoxemic and non-hypoxemic groups based on the SpO2. The ROC curve was plotted to evaluate the screening value of the NoSAS questionnaire separately and combined with MMP for hypoxemia. The total NoSAS score was evaluated at cut-off points of 8 and 9.

Results

With a NoSAS score ≥ 8 as the critical value for analysis, the sensitivity for hypoxemia was 58.3%, the specificity was 88.4%, and the area under the ROC was 0.734 (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.708–0.759). With a NoSAS score ≥ 9 as a critical value, the sensitivity for hypoxemia was 36.50%, the specificity rose to 96.16%, and the area under the ROC was 0.663 (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.639–0.688). With the NoSAS Score combined with MMP for analysis, the sensitivity was 78.4%, the specificity was 84%, and the area under the ROC was 0.859 (P < 0.001, 95%CI:0.834–0.883).

Conclusions

As a new screening tool, the NoSAS questionnaire is simple, convenient, and useful for screening hypoxemia. This questionnaire, when paired withMMP, is likely to be helpful for the screening of hypoxemia.
A qualitative investigation of health benefits through a modified Taekwondo activity among nursing home residents
Authors: Kim Junhyoung , Kim Yongseop , Seo Dong-Chul , Han Sua
Published: April 2023

Background

A few studies suggest that Taekwondo is an effective intervention in increasing physical functions among older adults. This study is intended to focus on a multitude of health benefits of participation in a modified Taekwondo activity for nursing home residents in the U.S.

Methods

This qualitative study used semi-structured, in-depth interviews with seven participants consisting of 2 males and 5 females older adults from a community nursing home. The interview protocol included content mapping and content mining interview questions. The study followed the five steps of constant comparative analysis.

Results

Four main themes were identified as health benefits resulting from a modified Taekwondo participation: (a) promoting mental health, (b) increasing physical functions, (c) stimulating cognitive abilities, and (d) facilitating positive social interaction.

Discussion

This study indicates modified Taekwondo can be instrumental in promoting their physical functioning, cognitive functioning, social interactions, and mental health. Practical implications and further discussion are addressed in this paper.
A case report of brainstem hemorrhage due to Rhizopus delemar-induced encephalitis diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS)
Authors: Xie Shuhua , Lai Zhaohui , Xia Han , Tang Mingze , Lai Jinxing , Liu Qing , Lu Zhijuan , He Dehai , Qi Jiangli , Liu Xianghong
Published: April 2023

Background

Rhizopus delemar is an invasive fungal pathogen that can cause fatal mucormycosis in immunodeficient individuals. Encephalitis caused by R. delemar is rare and difficult to diagnose early. Clinical detection methods for R. delemar include blood fungal culture, direct microscopic examination, and histopathological examination, but the detection is often inadequate for clinical diagnosis and can easily lead to missed diagnosis with delayed treatment.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 47-year-old male with brainstem hemorrhage caused by encephalitis due to R. delemar. The patient had a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and irregular medication. No pathogens were detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and nasopharyngeal secretion cultures. R. delemar was identified by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in CSF, and in combination with the patient’s clinical characteristics, encephalitis caused by R. delemar was diagnosed. Antibiotic treatment using amphotericin B liposome in combination with posaconazole was given immediately. However, due to progressive aggravation of the patient’s symptoms, he later died due to brainstem hemorrhage after giving up treatment.

Conclusions

mNGS technique is a potential approach for the early diagnosis of infections, which can help clinicians provide appropriate antibiotic treatments, thus reducing the mortality and disability rate of patients.
Structural model of resilience based on parental support: the mediating role of hope and active coping
Authors: Cheraghian Hadis , Moradian Khadije , Nouri Tahere
Published: April 2023

Resilience is an essential trait in the academic and non-academic lives of students that has been associated with positive psychological and non-psychological outcomes. Given the importance and role of resilience, the main goal of this study was to create a structural model of resilience based on parental support and emphasizing the mediating role of hope and coping. The research design was correlational in nature and used structural equation modeling (SEM). The population of this study included high school students in Tehran city in 2019–2020 school year, and the sample consisted of 560 students selected by cluster sampling method. By applying Spearman correlation analysis and structural equation modeling, a significant relationship between hope, coping, resilience, and parental support was found. Both the SEM measurement and structural models provided a good fit. The significant findings of the present study include the direct and significant effect of parental support on resilience. The indirect and significant effect of parental support on resilience through the mediating role of hope and coping was also confirmed. Overall, the results of this study show that the effect of parental support on resilience can be improved by promoting hope and coping styles.