bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neoformed Compounds from the Maillard Reaction in Infant Formulas: A New Risk Factor for Allergy?
Authors: Baskara Baskara , Niquet-Leridon Céline , Anton Pauline , Delayre-Orthez Carine
Published: October 2022

Food allergies, which are T helper cell Type 2 aberrant responses of the immune system to food proteins, are increasing. Environmental factors, including food contaminants, are often mentioned to explain this increase. Heat treatment of food induces the Maillard reaction, a non-enzymatic reaction between reducing sugars and free amino groups of proteins or free amino acids. This leads to the genesis of neoformed compounds, including advanced Maillard reaction products (also called dietary advanced glycation end-products [AGEs]). Infant formulas are very sensitive to the Maillard reaction because of their high content of lactose and proteins and their long shelf life. The dietary AGEs content is particularly high in hydrolysed infant milk. Among dietary AGEs, Nε-carboxymethyllysine is the main form in milk. An increasing number of studies show potentially deleterious effects of dietary AGEs, including inflammation genesis. These effects seem to be in a great part dependent on the receptor of AGEs (RAGE). RAGE is present on immune cells and studies have shown that RAGE is involved in T helper cell priming, proliferation, and differentiation. Moreover, there is increasing evidence that the Maillard reaction enhances the allergenicity of proteins. All these data indicate a potential role of dietary AGEs in allergies. Nevertheless, the impact of dietary AGEs on the immune system favouring the T helper cell Type 2 profile and consequently predisposition to develop allergy is poorly documented and needs further investigation.
Controversies on Special Products for Managing Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy in Infants: Safety and Suitability
Authors: Muraro Antonella , Høst Arne , Meyer Rosan , Kuslys Martinas
Published: October 2022

The aim of the symposium was to share learnings from the recently established European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Task Force on special products for cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), with the intention of providing an overview on controversies regarding extensively hydrolysed formulas (eHFs), their utility, and the validity of the definition ‘special products for CMPA’.

Dr Rosan Meyer opened the symposium by discussing the evidence for appropriate dietary management in CMPA, emphasising the importance of breastfeeding and dietary management of breastfed children with CMPA, hypoallergenic formula, and the current controversies and debate around formula choice. Dr Martinas Kuslys covered the current interpretations and ranges for definitions for eHFs, and presented data from an analytical programme that aims to improve understanding of the wide range of commercially available formulas, with the objective of defining eHFs in a more consistent, meaningful, and practical way. Prof Antonella Muraro and Prof Arne Høst closed the session with a discussion around the need for updated guidelines to ensure safe products for infants with CMPA, summarising some of the issues with currently available hypoallergenic formulas.
Gene Therapy in Haemophilia: Updates from Clinical Trials and Insights to Future Technologies
Authors: Carter Steph
Published: October 2022

At the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2022 Congress, held 9th–13th July, multiple oral and poster presentations were dedicated to gene therapy as a treatment for haemophilia A or B. These included updates from clinical trials of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy products and guidance on the real-world monitoring of patients with haemophilia who have received gene therapy, both in the short- and long-term. The unmet needs and challenges associated with gene therapy were also discussed, and several preclinical studies that aimed to refine AAV-based strategies were presented. Finally, there were a number of presentations providing an insight into the ongoing research into alternative gene therapy strategies, including the use of non-viral gene transfer, gene editing strategies, and nanobodies.
The Challenging Ethical Landscape of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Berry Philip , Kotha Sreelakshmi
Published: October 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease presents a number of ethical dilemmas. These relate to the potential harms of diagnosing the disease in health, diagnosing a condition for which there is no effective treatment, and variability in specialists’ attitudes to discussing and managing obesity. Erroneous homogenisation of a patient group that is extremely varied in terms of risk factors such as ethnic background, socioeconomic status, and genetic predisposition may result in inappropriate uniformity of approach when counselling patients as to underlying causes. This article will explore these challenges from the perspective of the gastroenterologist or hepatologist who must navigate them. Each section starts with questions posed by patients or comments made by doctors. Caution is suggested before widespread population-based screening is established, and the need for good adherence to referral algorithms is emphasised. Physicians are urged to engage with the condition’s hidden complexities and reflect on their own communication strategies.
Üniversite Öğrencilerinin İletişim Becerilerinin Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: İBEKCİ Raife , ÇETİNTAŞ Halit Buluthan
Published: October 2022

İnsanlar var oldukları zamandan bu yana kadar hep iletişim halinde olmuşlardır. İletişim, birçok meslek grubu içinde çok önemlidir ve bu mesleklerden biri de kütüphaneciliktir. Kütüphanecilik mesleğine hazırlanan Bilgi ve Belge Yönetimi (BBY) bölümü öğrencilerinin etkin bir iletişim becerisine sahip olması beklenmektedir. Sahip olunacak bu iletişim becerileri, kütüphane kullanıcılarına yardımcı olmaları ve yapacakları işleri başarıyla tamamlamaları noktasında oldukça önemlidir. Zira etkin bir iletişim becerisine sahip bir kütüphaneci, kullanıcının gereksinimlerini tam olarak karşılamada etkin rol oynamaktadır. Çalışmanın amacı, üniversite öğrencilerinin iletişim becerilerini değerlendirmektir. Bu kapsamda Atatürk Üniversitesi BBY bölümünde öğrenim gören lisans öğrencilerinin tamamı değerlendirmeye alınmıştır. Üniversite öğrencilerinin iletişim becerilerini belirleyebilmek için anket yönteminden yararlanılmıştır. Öğrencilere, 34 madde ve 5 alt boyuttan (egoyu geliştirici dil, etkin dinleme, kendini tanıma-kendini açma, empati ve ben dilini kullanma) oluşan "İletişim Becerileri Ölçeği" uygulanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde t-testi ve ANOVA testi yapılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre öğrencilerin iletişim becerilerinin kadınlarda erkeklere nazaran daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Yaş ve sınıf düzeyi bakımından öğrencilerin iletişim becerilerinde anlamlı farklılık meydana gelmemiştir.
Covalent immobilization of VEGF on allogeneic bone through polydopamine coating to improve bone regeneration
Authors: Huang Jianhao , Lu Jingwei , Liu Ziying , Jin Jing , Xie Chunmei , Zheng Yang , Wang Zhen , Yu Lingfeng , Zhu Yan , Fan Gentao , Sun Guojing , Xu Zhihong , Zhou Guangxin
Published: October 2022

Objective: Promoting bone regeneration and repairing in bone defects is of great significance in clinical work. Using a simple and effective surface treatment method to enhance the osteogenic ability of existing bone scaffold is a promising method. In this article, we study the application of catecholic amino acid 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) surface coating chelated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on allogeneic bone.

Method: Allogeneic bone is immersed in DOPA solution and DOPA form polydopamine (PDA) with good adhesion. Electron microscopy is used to characterize the surface characteristics of allogeneic bone. MC3T3-E1 cells were tested for biocompatibility and osteogenic signal expression. Finally, a 12-week rabbit bone defect model was established to evaluate bone regeneration capability.

Results: We found that the surface microenvironment of DOPA bonded allogeneic bone was similar to the natural allogeneic bone. VEGF loaded allografts exhibited satisfying biocompatibility and promoted the expression of osteogenic related signals in vitro. The VEGF loaded allografts healed the bone defect after 12 weeks of implantation that continuous and intact bone cortex was observed.

Conclusion: The PDA coating is a simple surface modification method and has mild properties and high adhesion. Meanwhile, the PDA coating can act on the surface modification of different materials. This study provides an efficient surface modification method for enhancing bone regeneration by PDA coating, which has a high potential for translational clinical applications.
The use of predictive models to develop chromatography-based purification processes
Authors: Bernau C. R. , Knödler M. , Emonts J. , Jäpel R. C. , Buyel J. F.
Published: October 2022

Chromatography is the workhorse of biopharmaceutical downstream processing because it can selectively enrich a target product while removing impurities from complex feed streams. This is achieved by exploiting differences in molecular properties, such as size, charge and hydrophobicity (alone or in different combinations). Accordingly, many parameters must be tested during process development in order to maximize product purity and recovery, including resin and ligand types, conductivity, pH, gradient profiles, and the sequence of separation operations. The number of possible experimental conditions quickly becomes unmanageable. Although the range of suitable conditions can be narrowed based on experience, the time and cost of the work remain high even when using high-throughput laboratory automation. In contrast, chromatography modeling using inexpensive, parallelized computer hardware can provide expert knowledge, predicting conditions that achieve high purity and efficient recovery. The prediction of suitable conditions in silico reduces the number of empirical tests required and provides in-depth process understanding, which is recommended by regulatory authorities. In this article, we discuss the benefits and specific challenges of chromatography modeling. We describe the experimental characterization of chromatography devices and settings prior to modeling, such as the determination of column porosity. We also consider the challenges that must be overcome when models are set up and calibrated, including the cross-validation and verification of data-driven and hybrid (combined data-driven and mechanistic) models. This review will therefore support researchers intending to establish a chromatography modeling workflow in their laboratory.
Hydrogels for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Yi Jiafeng , Liu Yubo , Xie Hongbin , An Haoming , Li Chao , Wang Xing , Chai Wei
Published: October 2022

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a universal disease that severely affects the normal function of human joints and the quality of life. Millions of people around the world are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis every year, carrying a substantial burden for both the individual and society. Hydrogel is a polymer material with good mechanical properties and biocompatibility, which shows great potential in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. With the progress of tissue engineering and biomedical material technology in recent years, more and more studies focus on the application of hydrogels in rheumatoid arthritis. We reviewed the progress of hydrogels applied in rheumatoid arthritis in recent years. Also, the needed comprehensive performance and current applications of therapeutic hydrogels based on the complex pathophysiological characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis are also concluded. Additionally, we proposed the challenges and difficulties in the application of hydrogels in rheumatoid arthritis and put forward some prospects for the future research.
Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications
Authors: Allard Paige , Papazotos Fotini , Potvin-Trottier Laurent
Published: October 2022

Cells are inherently dynamic, whether they are responding to environmental conditions or simply at equilibrium, with biomolecules constantly being made and destroyed. Due to their small volumes, the chemical reactions inside cells are stochastic, such that genetically identical cells display heterogeneous behaviors and gene expression profiles. Studying these dynamic processes is challenging, but the development of microfluidic methods enabling the tracking of individual prokaryotic cells with microscopy over long time periods under controlled growth conditions has led to many discoveries. This review focuses on the recent developments of one such microfluidic device nicknamed the mother machine. We overview the original device design, experimental setup, and challenges associated with this platform. We then describe recent methods for analyzing experiments using automated image segmentation and tracking. We further discuss modifications to the experimental setup that allow for time-varying environmental control, replicating batch culture conditions, cell screening based on their dynamic behaviors, and to accommodate a variety of microbial species. Finally, this review highlights the discoveries enabled by this technology in diverse fields, such as cell-size control, genetic mutations, cellular aging, and synthetic biology.
Stable human cartilage progenitor cell line stimulates healing of meniscal tears and attenuates post-traumatic osteoarthritis
Authors: Desai Salomi , Dooner Mark , Newberry Jake , Twomey-Kozak John , Molino Janine , Trivedi Jay , Patel Jay M. , Owens Brett D. , Jayasuriya Chathuraka T.
Published: October 2022

Meniscal tearing in the knee increases the risk of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA) in patients. The therapeutic application of tissue-specific mesenchymal progenitor cells is currently being investigated as an emerging biologic strategy to help improve healing of musculoskeletal tissues like meniscal fibrocartilage and articular hyaline cartilage. However, many of these approaches involve isolating cells from healthy tissues, and the low yield of rare progenitor populations (< 1% of total cells residing in tissues) can make finding a readily available cell source for therapeutic use a significant logistical challenge. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of using expanded cartilage-derived and bone marrow-derived progenitor cell lines, which were stabilized using retroviral SV40, for repair of meniscus injury in a rodent model. Our findings indicate that these cell lines express the same cell surface marker phenotype of primary cells (CD54+, CD90+, CD105+, CD166+), and that they exhibit improved proliferative capacity that is suitable for extensive expansion. Skeletally mature male athymic rats treated with 3.2 million cartilage-derived progenitor cell line exhibited approximately 79% greater meniscal tear reintegration/healing, compared to injured animals that left untreated, and 76% greater compared to animals treated with the same number of marrow-derived stromal cells. Histological analysis of articular surfaces also showed that cartilage-derived progenitor cell line treated animals exhibited reduced post-traumatic OA associated articular cartilage degeneration. Stable cell line treatment did not cause tumor formation or off-target engraftment in animals. Taken together, we present a proof-of-concept study demonstrating, for the first time, that intra-articular injection of a stable human cartilage-derived progenitor cell line stimulates meniscus tear healing and provide chondroprotection in an animal model. These outcomes suggest that the use of stable cell lines may help overcome cell source limitations for cell-based medicine.
An essential role of disulfide bonds for the hierarchical self-assembly and underwater affinity of CP20-derived peptides
Authors: Li Baoshan , Song Junyi , Mao Ting , Zeng Ling , Ye Zonghuang , Hu Biru
Published: October 2022

Barnacles are typical fouling organisms strongly adhere to immersed solid substrates by secreting proteinaceous adhesives called cement proteins (CPs). The self-assembly of the CPs forms a permanently bonded layer that binds barnacles to foreign surfaces. However, it is difficult to determine their natural structure and describe their self-assembly properties due to the abundance of cysteines in whole-length CP20. A putative functional motif of Balanus albicostatus CP20 (BalCP20) was identified to present distinctive self-assembly and wet-binding characteristics. Atomic-force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) investigations showed that wildtype BalCP20-P3 formed grain-like spindles, which assembled into fractal-like structures like ears of wheat. SDS-PAGE, AFM, and LSCM showed that DTT treatment opened up disulfide bonds between cysteines and disrupted fractal-like structures. Additionally, these morphologies were abolished when one of the BalCP20-P3 four cysteines was mutated by alanine. Circular dichroism (CD) results suggested that the morphological diversity among BalCP20-P3 and its mutations was related to the proportion of α-helices. Finally, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) detected that BalCP20-P3 and its mutations with diverse self-assemblies occupied different affinities. The above results demonstrated that cysteines and disulfide bonds played a crucial role in the self-assembly and wet binding of BalCP20-P3. The work provides new ideas for the underwater bonding of BalCP20 and developing new bionic underwater adhesives.
Influence of the angle of seismic incidence of long-period pulse-like ground motion on an irregular base-isolated building
Authors: Fujii Kenji
Published: October 2022

In general, isolators and dampers used in seismically isolated buildings are designed to be isotropic in any horizontal direction. However, in the case of buildings with plan irregularities, their nonlinear responses depend on the direction of seismic loading. To discuss the influence of the angle of seismic incidence (ASI) on the nonlinear response of irregular building structures, it is important to define the angle of the critical axis of the horizontal ground motion. One possible choice is the “principal axis of ground motion” proposed by Arias (A measurement of earthquake intensity, 1970). However, because this principal axis is independent of the natural period of a structure, it could be complicated to use for seismically isolated structures with long natural periods. In this study, the influence of the ASI of long-period pulse-like seismic input on an irregular base-isolated building is investigated. First, the angle of the principal axis of ground motion is defined in terms of the cumulative energy input. Then, a nonlinear time-history analysis of a five-story irregular base-isolated building is performed using 10 long-period pulse-like ground motion records considering various ASIs. The results show that, compared with the principal axis of ground motion proposed by Arias, defining the principal axis of ground motion in terms of the cumulative energy input is more suitable for discussions concerning the influence of the ASI on the response of an irregular base-isolated building.
Feasibility of bacterial-enzyme induced carbonate precipitation technology for stabilizing fine-grained slope soils
Authors: Gowthaman Sivakumar , Iki Takashi , Ichinohe Aoi , Nakashima Kazunori , Kawasaki Satoru
Published: October 2022

Microbial Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) has recently become a new technology for stabilizing the slope surface. The applicability of MICP, however, is limited in fine-grained soils due to the restrictions regarding the transportation of bacteria cells. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of an alternative called Bacterial-Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation (B-EICP) for stabilizing the fine-grained slope soils. Unlike the MICP strategy (involving whole-cells of bacteria), the proposed B-EICP utilizes bacterial urease to induce the bio-cement formation within soil. The whole-cell culture of Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus was subjected to cyclic sonication to extract the free urease suspension. The B-EICP treatment was performed to the columns prepared using two different soils obtained from representative expressway slopes. The cementation responses of the proposed B-EICP were compared with that of typical MICP method, especially from the following viewpoints, (i) adaptability to soil with high fine-grained content, (ii) conditions under which B-EICP can be effectively applied and (iii) cementation under low temperature. The results revealed that the extract solution had higher urease activity compared to original bacteria culture, and the activity remained more stable at low temperature conditions (15°C). The results further confirmed that B-EICP method is more suitable for stabilizing soils with large amount of fine particles. Comparing with MICP, the B-EICP resulted higher unconfined compressive strength (over 1200 kPa) and deeper cementation in the silty sand. Microscale analysis suggested that the B-EICP could induce smaller calcium carbonate crystals than that by MICP, but the number of crystals in B-EICP were significantly more, thus contributed to increased particle-particle cementation.
Transient nonlinear vibration characterization of building materials in sequential impact scale experiments
Authors: Bittner James A. , Popovics John S.
Published: October 2022

Characterizing standard building materials such as concrete is challenging primarily because of the broad range of constituent component sizes within the material itself. Concrete, the most ubiquitous building material, contains critical components that span at least three orders of magnitude of physical size. This work introduces a nondestructive sequential impact test to extract transient nonlinear vibration behaviors that provide statistically significant holistic characterization of a heterogeneous building material, neat cement paste, on a centimeter scale sample. The sensitivity of the single impact vibration combined with the repeatability of the new sequential apparatus enables the extraction of statistically distinct transient nonlinear (slow dynamic) material memory behaviors. Experimental results on neat cement paste prisms and borosilicate glass blocks across several environmental states and damage conditions reveal an underlying phenomenon of transient nonlinear behaviors. Material damage and moisture state significantly affect the proper interpretation of the transient nonlinear material behaviors. The presented testing procedure and observations, supported by historical experiments, confirm that sequential impact reports a consistent transient nonlinear vibration behavior, and the measured behavior can identify damaged heterogeneous building materials.
Research progress on the antiviral activities of natural products and their derivatives: Structure–activity relationships
Authors: Guo Yajing , Ma Anna , Wang Xinyan , Yang Chen , Chen Xi , Li Gen , Qiu Feng
Published: October 2022

Viruses spread rapidly and are well-adapted to changing environmental events. They can infect the human body readily and trigger fatal diseases. A limited number of drugs are available for specific viral diseases, which can lead to non-efficacy against viral variants and drug resistance, so drugs with broad-spectrum antiviral activity are lacking. In recent years, a steady stream of new viral diseases has emerged, which has prompted development of new antiviral drugs. Natural products could be employed to develop new antiviral drugs because of their innovative structures and broad antiviral activities. This review summarizes the progress of natural products in antiviral research and their bright performance in drug resistance issues over the past 2 decades. Moreover, it fully discusses the effect of different structural types of natural products on antiviral activity in terms of structure–activity relationships. This review could provide a foundation for the development of antiviral drugs.
Identification of 6ω-cyclohexyl-2-(phenylamino carbonylmethylthio)pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones targeting the ZIKV NS5 RNA dependent RNA polymerase
Authors: Zhou Guang-Feng , Xie Cong-Qiang , Xue Jian-Xia , Wang Jing-Bo , Yang Yu-Zhuo , Zheng Chang-Bo , Luo Rong-Hua , Yang Ren-Hua , Chen Wen , Yang Liu-Meng , Wang Yue-Ping , Zhang Hong-Bin , He Yan-Ping , Zheng Yong-Tang
Published: October 2022

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is a global health concern because of its association with severe neurological disorders such as neonatal microcephaly and adult Guillain-Barre syndrome. Although many efforts have been made to combat ZIKV infection, there is currently no approved vaccines or antiviral drugs available and there is an urgent need to develop effective anti-ZIKV agents. In this study, 26 acetylarylamine-S-DACOs derivatives were prepared, and eight of them were found to have inhibitory activity against Zika virus. Among these substances, 2-[(4-cyclohexyl-5-ethyl-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyrimidin-2-yl)thio]-N-(3,5-difluorophenyl)acetamide (4w) with the best anti-ZIKV activity was selected for in-depth study of antiviral activity and mechanism of action. Here, we discovered 4w targeted on the ZIKV NS5 RNA -dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which exhibited good in vitro antiviral activity without cell species specificity, both at the protein level and at the RNA level can significantly inhibit ZIKV replication. Preliminary molecular docking studies showed that 4w preferentially binds to the palm region of NS5A RdRp through hydrogen bonding with residues such as LYS468, PHE466, GLU465, and GLY467. ZIKV NS5 RdRp enzyme activity experiment showed that 4w could directly inhibit ZIKV RdRp activity with EC50 = 11.38 ± 0.51 μM. In antiviral activity studies, 4w was found to inhibit ZIKV RNA replication with EC50 = 6.87 ± 1.21 μM. ZIKV-induced plaque formation was inhibited with EC50 = 7.65 ± 0.31 μM. In conclusion, our study disclosed that acetylarylamine-S-DACOs is a new active scaffolds against ZIKV, among which compound 4w was proved to be a potent novel anti-ZIKV compound target ZIKV RdRp protein. These promising results provide a future prospective for the development of ZIKV RdRp inhibitors.
In situ growing 3D-Cu coating to improve the reversibility and reaction kinetics of Zn metal anodes
Authors: Liang Lianbao , Hang Lifeng , Xie Shuangcong , Men Dandan , Jiang Guihua , Chen Yiyu
Published: October 2022

The zinc metal anode is the most promising metal anode material in aqueous battery systems due to its low cost and high theoretical capacity. However, it still undergoes irreversible reactions such as premature failure of the dendrites/dead Zn during Zn stripping/plating, resulting in the inferior cycling stability of the Zn-based full cell. Here, we demonstrate a facile 3D-Cu alloy coating to improve Zn reversibility by providing spatial voids to accommodate the plated Zn to form dendrite-free morphology. Combining the larger 3D surface and the alloying–dealloying process, the Zn anode reactions exhibit enhanced reaction kinetics to meet large operating current densities. The 3D-Cu-coated Zn anode can deliver improved cycling stability for 350 h under a large areal capacity of 3 mAh cm−2. It also enables MnO2–Zn at the full cell level to achieve a specific capacity of 205 mAh g−1 and longer cycling for 350 cycles with 87.4% retention of the initial capacity. This research provides a new pathway to achieve high reversible Zn metal chemistry.
Oxygen vacancies engineering in electrocatalysts nitrogen reduction reaction
Authors: Zhu Haijiang , Wang Chao , He Yuling , Pu Yi , Li Peiwen , He Liang , Huang Xianglan , Tang Wu , Tang Hui
Published: October 2022

Ammonia is important, both as a fertilizer and as a carrier of clean energy, mainly produced by the Haber-Bosch process, which consumes hydrogen and emits large amounts of carbon dioxide. The ENRR (Electronchemical Nitrogen Reduction Reaction) is considered a promising method for nitrogen fixation owing to their low energy consumption, green and mild. However, the ammonia yield and Faraday efficiency of the ENRR catalysts are low due to the competitive reaction between HER and NRR, the weak adsorption of N2 andthe strong N≡N triple bond. Oxygen vacancy engineering is the most important method to improve NRR performance, not only for fast electron transport but also for effective breaking of the N≡N bond by capturing metastable electrons in the antibonding orbitals of nitrogen molecules. In this review, the recent progress of OVs (oxygen vacancies) in ENRR has been summarized. First, the mechanism of NRR is briefly introduced, and then the generation methods of OVs and their applicationin NRR are discussed, including vacuum annealing, hydrothermal method, hydrogen reduction, wet chemical reduction, plasma treatment and heterogeneous ion doping. Finally, the development and challenges of OVs in the field of electrochemical nitrogen fixation are presented. This review shows the important areas of development of catalysts to achieve industrially viable NRR.
Macrophage infection, activation, and histopathological findings in ebolavirus infection
Authors: Wanninger Timothy G. , Millian Daniel E. , Saldarriaga Omar A. , Maruyama Junki , Saito Takeshi , Reyna Rachel A. , Taniguchi Satoshi , Arroyave Esteban , Connolly Melanie E. , Stevenson Heather L. , Paessler Slobodan
Published: October 2022

Macrophages contribute to Ebola virus disease through their susceptibility to direct infection, their multi-faceted response to ebolaviruses, and their association with pathological findings in tissues throughout the body. Viral attachment and entry factors, as well as the more recently described influence of cell polarization, shape macrophage susceptibility to direct infection. Moreover, the study of Toll-like receptor 4 and the RIG-I-like receptor pathway in the macrophage response to ebolaviruses highlight important immune signaling pathways contributing to the breadth of macrophage responses. Lastly, the deep histopathological catalogue of macrophage involvement across numerous tissues during infection has been enriched by descriptions of tissues involved in sequelae following acute infection, including: the eye, joints, and the nervous system. Building upon this knowledge base, future opportunities include characterization of macrophage phenotypes beneficial or deleterious to survival, delineation of the specific roles macrophages play in pathological lesion development in affected tissues, and the creation of macrophage-specific therapeutics enhancing the beneficial activities and reducing the deleterious contributions of macrophages to the outcome of Ebola virus disease.
Two chronically misdiagnosed patients infected with Nocardia cyriacigeorgica accurately diagnosed by whole genome resequencing
Authors: Liu Anqing , Liu Xiaojin , Lu Yunwei , Gao Zhan , Tang Ruixiang , Huang Yang , Zheng Liheng , Fan Zhenxin , He Miao
Published: October 2022

Nocardiosis is a rare but life-threatening infection particularly affecting immuno-compromised hosts, causing localized or systemic suppurative disease usually in human beings. Nocardia species, as the pathogen of nocardiosis, are difficult to differentiate because of their complex colony morphological features. In this study, we describe two patients who had been misdiagnosed for a long time infected with Nocardia cyriacigeorgica with completely different morphology were accurately diagnosed. Single colonies were analyzed by Gram staining, acid-fast stain, mass spectrometry and whole genome resequencing (WGRS). These two bacterial, strains L5.53 and L5.54, were found to be Gram-negative and acid-fast-weak positive. Blood sample culturing of strain L5.53 yielded white colonies, which were like a layer of hoarfrost, while colonies of L5.54 were yellow, rough, slightly convex. The two strains were identified as Nocardia sp. by mass spectrometry, and WGRS accurately determined them as N. cyriacigeorgica. After medical treatment, one patient was cured and the other was still receiving treatment in the hospital. It can be seen that Nocardia sp. cannot be accurately classified and identified only by phenotypic tests such as bacterial morphological differences, so it is necessary to identify Nocardia spp. with phenotypic tests in combination with other molecular biology technologies, such as WGRS.
A multiplex pneumonia panel for diagnosis of hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia in the era of emerging antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Jitmuang Anupop , Puttinad Soravit , Hemvimol Sivaporn , Pansasiri Siri , Horthongkham Navin
Published: October 2022

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including multidrug (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria, is an essential consideration in the prevention and management of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). In the AMR era, the clinical utility of the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel Plus (BFPP) to diagnose HAP/VAP has not been thoroughly evaluated.

Methods

We enrolled adult hospitalized patients with HAP or VAP at Siriraj Hospital and Saraburi Hospital from July 2019–October 2021. Respiratory samples were collected for standard microbiological assays, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), and the BFPP analysis.

Results

Of 40 subjects, 21 were men. The median duration of HAP/VAP diagnoses was 10.5 (5, 21.5) days, and 36 endotracheal aspirate and 4 sputum samples were collected. Standard cultures isolated 54 organisms—A. baumannii (37.0%), P. aeruginosa (29.6%), and S. maltophilia (16.7%). 68.6% of Gram Negatives showed an MDR or XDR profile. BFPP detected 77 bacterial targets—A. baumannii 32.5%, P. aeruginosa 26.3%, and K. pneumoniae 17.5%. Of 28 detected AMR gene targets, CTX-M (42.5%), OXA-48-like (25%), and NDM (14.3%) were the most common. Compared with standard testing, the BFPP had an overall sensitivity of 98% (88-100%), specificity of 81% (74-87%), positive predictive value of 60% (47-71%), negative predictive value of 99% (96-100%), and kappa (κ) coefficient of 0.64 (0.53-0.75). The concordance between phenotypic AST and detected AMR genes in Enterobacterales was 0.57. There was no concordance among A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus

Conclusions

The BFPP has excellent diagnostic sensitivity to detect HAP/VAP etiology. The absence of S. maltophilia and discordance of AMR gene results limit the test performance.
Methodological approaches applicable to patient-provider interaction analysis: A mini-review
Authors: Rey Velasco Elena , Pedersen Hanne Sæderup , Skinner Timothy Charles
Published: October 2022

Online platforms and smartphone applications that facilitate patient-provider communication are examples of how digital technologies support human interaction. Telehealth enables clinical encounters when physical consultations are not possible, and evidence confirms that face-to-face and remote healthcare encounters have comparable efficacy. Furthermore, research shows that patient-provider communication and relationship influence patient outcomes. However, we lack studies on what happens during these interactions, particularly in text-messages conversations, from a linguistic or behavioral perspective. Our research methods will evolve alongside our communication channels. Currently, there is an overall preference for qualitative methods in patient-provider communication research. Some authors argue that quantitative measures (clinical measurements, questionnaires) lack an understanding of the patients' experiences, whereas qualitative approaches (interviews, focus groups) provide the full picture. Others suggest their combination to interpret interactions thoroughly. As a result, it is often difficult for a communication researcher to choose between one or more approaches. We conducted a mini-review of qualitative approaches, such as corpus linguistics and conversation analysis, as well as quantitative approaches, such as analysis of variance and temporal pattern detection, for patient-provider communication analysis. Additionally, we distinguish relevant communicative features in synchronous or live interactions, such as video-calls, and asynchronous interactions, such as non-instant messaging. We further discuss these methods' potential for combination and their applications in digital communication research. We aim to guide researchers to choose a methodology for digital interaction studies. Our recommendations are based on these approaches' ability to answer a research question, and we suggest a mixed-methods approach in future digital communication research.
Theory and applications of InfraRed and thermal image analysis in ergonomics research
Authors: Luximon Ameersing , Chao Huang , Goonetilleke Ravindra S. , Luximon Yan
Published: October 2022

Designing products and services to fit human needs, wants and lifestyle require meaningful data. With Industry 4.0 and the internet of things, we have many ways to capture data using sensors and other means. InfraRed (IR) cameras are quite ubiquitous, especially for screening illness and wellness. They can provide a wealth of data on different objects and even people. However, their use has been limited due to processing complexities. With reducing cost and increasing accuracy of IR cameras, access to thermal data is becoming quite widespread, especially in medicine and people-related applications. These cameras have software to help process the data, with a focus on qualitative analyses and rather primitive quantitative analyses. In ergonomics, data from multiple users are essential to make reasonable predictions for a given population. In this study, using 4 simple experiments, several quantitative analysis techniques such as simple statistics, multivariate statistics, geometric modeling, and Fourier series modeling are applied to IR images and videos to extract essential user and population data. Results show that IR data can be useful to provide user and population data that are important for design. More research in modeling IR data and application software is needed for the increased application of IR information in ergonomics applications.
Occluded vein as a predictor for complications in non-infectious transvenous lead extraction
Authors: Milman Anat , Leshem Eran , Massalha Eias , Jia Karen , Meitus Amit , Kariv Saar , Shafir Yuval , Glikson Michael , Luria David , Sabbag Avi , Beinart Roy , Nof Eyal
Published: October 2022

Background

The use of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) is steadily increasing, and complications include venous occlusion and fractured leads. Transvenous lead extraction (TLE) can facilitate the re-implantation of new leads.

Aims

This study aims to explore predictors and complications of non-infectious TLE.

Methods

This study involves a retrospective analysis and comparison of characteristics, complications, and outcomes of patients with and without occluded veins (OVs) undergoing TLE at our center.

Results

In total, eighty-eight patients underwent TLE for non-infectious reasons. Indications for TLE were lead malfunction (62; 70.5%) and need for CIED upgrade (22; 25%). Fourteen patients referred due to lead malfunction had an OV observed during venography. The OV group (36 patients) were significantly older (65.7 ± 14.1 vs. 53.8 ± 15.9, p = 0.001) and had more comorbidities. Ejection fraction (EF) was significantly lower for the OV group (27.5 vs. 57.5%, p = 0.001) and had a longer lead dwelling time (3,226 ± 2,324 vs. 2,191 ± 1,355 days, p = 0.012). Major complications were exclusive for the OV group (5.5% vs. none, p = 0.17), and most minor complications occurred in the OV group as well (33.3 vs. 4.1%, p < 0.001). Laser sheath and mechanical tools for TLE were frequently used for OV as compared to the non-occluded group (94.4 vs. 73.5%, respectively, p = 0.012). Procedure success was higher in the non-occluded group compared to the OV group (98 vs. 83.3%, respectively, p = 0.047). Despite these results, periprocedural mortality was similar between groups.

Conclusion

Among the TLE for non-infectious reasons, vein occlusion appears as a major predictor of complex TLE tool use, complications, and procedural success. Venography should be considered prior to non-infectious TLE to identify high-risk patients.
Postoperative anion gap associates with short- and long-term mortality after cardiac surgery: A large-scale cohort study
Authors: Li Jiajing , Tian Yu , Wang Lingzhi , Chen Jiayue , Chen Xiaoshu , Huang Huansen , Li Yihao
Published: October 2022

Objective

To investigate whether postoperative anion gap (AG) is associated with short- and long-term mortality in patients following cardiac surgery.

Materials and methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults who underwent cardiac surgery from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care - III database. The generalized additive model (GAM), logistic regression, and Cox regression were performed to assess the correlations between AG levels and in-hospital, 90-day, and 4-year mortality. Linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between AG and length of stay (LOS).

Results

Totally, 6,410 subjects were enrolled in this study and classified into tertiles based on the initial AG levels. The GAM indicated a positive association between initial AG and in-hospital mortality after adjusting for potential confounders. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that the risk of in-hospital mortality was higher among patients in tertile 2 (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.11–3.76, P = 0.021) and tertile 3 (OR 4.51, 95% CI 2.57–7.91, P < 0.001) compared with those in tertile 1. For 90-day and 4-year mortality, multivariate Cox regression found similar associations between AG tertiles and mortality. The LOS in ICU and hospital also increased as AG tertiles increased. The E-value indicated robustness to unmeasured confounders.

Conclusion

This study found a positive association between postoperative AG levels and short- and long-term mortality among patients after cardiac surgery. This relationship warrants further research.
The association of plasma sortilin with essential hypertension and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Chu Xinglin , Liu Rui , Li Chunli , Gao Tao , Dong Yongqi , Jiang Yi , Ke Dazhi
Published: October 2022

Background

Sortilin, a protein that regulates glucose and lipid metabolism, has recently been linked to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as coronary heart disease and carotid artery stenosis. In this study, we measured circulating sortilin concentrations in essential hypertensive (EH) patients, and evaluated the association between sortilin, hypertension, and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive individuals.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 336 individuals, including 186 newly diagnosed EH patients and 150 age-and-sex-matched normotensive healthy subjects (NT). Plasma sortilin and adiponectin (ADI) levels were measured using ELISA kits. In the EH group, high-resolution B-mode ultrasound was used to detect the existence of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis (subAS), which was defined as having a carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT) ≥ 1.0 mm and/or plaque on the carotid artery without any clinical manifestations.

Results

Our findings showed that plasma sortilin concentrations ranged from 3.34–11.34 ng/ml for all subjects. Sortilin levels were significantly higher in the EH group than in the NT group (8.10 ± 1.82 ng/ml vs. 6.37 ± 1.52 ng/ml, P < 0.001) and were further upregulated in the EH with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis (EH + subAS) group compared to the EH without subclinical carotid atherosclerosis (EH-subAS) group (8.42 ± 1.75 ng/ml vs. 7.79 ± 1.84 ng/ml, P < 0.05). In correlation analysis, sortilin was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), white blood cell (WBC), endothelin-1 (ET-1), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and cIMT (all P < 0.05) and negatively associated with NO and ADI (P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that SBP, LDL-C, and ET-1 were independently associated with plasma sortilin levels. Increased sortilin levels were independently associated with the risk of EH (OR: 1.86, 95%CI: 1.56–2.20, P < 0.001) and EH + subAS (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.07–1.66, P = 0.011), after adjustment for multiple risk factors. Restricted spline curve showed that elevated sortilin levels increase the odds of having EH.

Conclusion

Elevated sortilin levels are associated with an increased risk of essential hypertension and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients.
Comparing the associations of central venous pressure and pulmonary artery pulsatility index with postoperative renal injury
Authors: Wei Johnny , Houchin Abigail , Nazir Niaman , Leonardo Vincent , Flynn Brigid C.
Published: October 2022

Objective

Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We investigated the association of postoperative central venous pressure (CVP) and pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi) with the development of CS-AKI.

Methods

This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. CVP and PAPi were acquired hourly postoperatively and averaged for up to 48 h. PAPi was calculated as [(Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure–Pulmonary Artery Diastolic Pressure) / CVP]. The primary aim was CS-AKI. Secondary aims were need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), hospital and 30-day mortality, total ventilator and intensive care unit hours, and hospital length of stay. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds of development of renal injury and need for RRT.

Results

One thousand two hundred eighty-eight patients were included. The average postoperative CVP was 10.3 mmHg and average postoperative PAPi was 2.01. Patients who developed CS-AKI (n = 384) had lower PAPi (1.79 vs. 2.11, p < 0.01) and higher CVP (11.5 vs. 9.7 mmHg, p < 0.01) than those who did not. Lower PAPi and higher CVP were also associated with each secondary aim. A standardized unit decrease in PAPi was associated with increased odds of CS-AKI (OR 1.39, p < 0.01) while each unit increase in CVP was associated with both increased odds of CS-AKI (OR 1.56, p < 0.01) and postoperative RRT (OR 1.49, p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Both lower PAPi and higher CVP values postoperatively were associated with the development of CS-AKI but only higher CVP was associated with postoperative RRT use. When differences in values are standardized, CVP may be more associated with development of CS-AKI when compared to PAPi.