bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT STATUS, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIPROLIFERATIVE POTENTIALS OF VIOLA ODORATA (FRAGRANT VIOLET)
Authors: DOĞAN Muhittin , MOHAMMED Falah Saleh , UYSAL İmran , MENCİK Kamil , KINA Eylem , PEHLİVAN Mustafa , SEVİNDİK Mustafa
Published: June 2023

Objective: Plants are preferred for biological effect. It is a natural resource used in the field of alternative medicine due to its biological effect. In our study, the total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) and total antioxidant status (TAS) of Viola odorata L. species were detected. In addition, antimicrobial and antiproliferative effect of species was detected.
Material and Method: The some parts of the species were used with the help of a soxhlet equipment, and ethanol was preferred as a solvent. TOS, OSI and TAS capacitiy were detected using Rel Assay kits. Agar dilution method was preferred to determine antimicrobial effect against bacteria and fungi. Lung cancer cell line (A549) was used to find out the antiproliferative effect by MTT assay.
Result and Discussion: Consequently, the studies, the TAS capacitiy of V. odorata extract was detected as 6.752±0.139, the TOS capacitiy as 7.886±0.224 and the OSI capacitiy as 0.117±0.001. V. odorata extracts were determined to be influential against standard bacteria at 25-100 μg/ml intensiy and against fungi at 100-200 μg/ml intensiy. It was detected that the antiproliferative effect of V. odorata extract increased depending on the extract intensiy and showed strong effects. Consequently, it has been detected that V. odorata has important biological effects and in the pharmaceutical industry, it can be preferred after certain stages.
Spaceflight Recovery Considerations for Acute Inhalational Exposure to Hydrazines
Authors: Hanshaw Brian C. , Ryder Valerie E. , Johansen Benjamin D. , Pattarini James M. , Nguyen HoanVu N. , Nowadly Craig D. , Blue Rebecca S.
Published: June 2023

INTRODUCTION: Inhalation of hydrazine or hydrazine-derivative (for example, monomethylhydrazine) vapors during spaceflight operations remains a risk to crew and ground support personnel. Here we sought to provide an evidence-based approach to inform acute clinical treatment guidelines for inhalational exposures during a noncatastrophic contingency spaceflight recovery scenario.

METHODS: A review of published literature was conducted concerning hydrazine/hydrazine-derivative exposure and clinical sequelae. Priority was given to studies that described inhalation though studies of alternative routes of exposure were additionally reviewed. Where possible, human clinical presentations were prioritized over animal studies.

RESULTS: Rare human case reports of inhalational exposure and multiple animal studies provide evidence of varied clinical sequelae, including mucosal irritation, respiratory concerns, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, hemotoxicity (including Heinz body development and methemoglobinemia), and longitudinal risks. In an acute timeframe (minutes to hours), clinical sequelae are likely to be limited to mucosal and respiratory risk; neurological, hepatotoxic, and hemotoxic sequelae are unlikely without recurrent, longitudinal, or noninhalational exposure.

CONCLUSIONS: Acute clinical management should focus on likely clinical concerns as supported by existing data; recovery medical personnel should be prepared to manage mucosal irritation and respiratory concerns, including the potential need for advanced airway management. There is little evidence supporting the need for acute interventions for neurotoxicity and there is no evidence that acute hemotoxic sequelae would drive the need for on-scene management of methemoglobinemia, Heinz body development, or hemolytic anemia. Training that overemphasizes neurotoxic or hemotoxic sequelae or specific treatments for such conditions potentially raises the risk for inappropriate treatment or operational fixation.

Hanshaw BC, Ryder VE, Johansen BD, Pattarini JM, Nguyen HN, Nowadly CD, Blue RS. Spaceflight recovery considerations for acute inhalational exposure to hydrazines. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(7):532–543.
Surrendering to the Discourse of Representation in Laila Halaby’s Once in a Promised Land
Authors: Sasa Ghada , Boty Maya
Published: June 2023

This paper explores the effects of the discourse of representation on the cultural identity of the protagonist Jassim in Laila Halaby’s Once in a Promised Land by making specific reference to Stuart Hall’s notion “The Discourse of Representation.” Michel Foucault’s theory of power/ knowledge is also significant to reveal the hegemonic power of discourse in a certain culture. Besides Hall’s and Foucault’s theories, this article draws upon the works of some other theorists such as Homi Bhabha, Louis Althusser, and Antonio Gramsci. The study explains how the primary role of power produces a certain discourse that normalizes the individual. The personal options and experiences of the main character will be scrutinized in order to explain how Jassim ultimately surrenders to the discourse of representation.
“I’m Praising God in the Language that He Loves”: Language Use in Religious Discourse
Authors: Nofal Mohammed Y.
Published: June 2023

Religion has been a key factor in the linguistic inquiry. Due to its significance in social life, it came to be in an intertwined relationship with language. Much of linguistic research has focused on this relationship in institutionalized settings such as schools, mosques and churches. Yet, the study of the interaction between language use and religion in less or non-institutional settings has not attracted much attention. This study responds to this need by exploring the use of Arabic within an English-language Friday sermon to address a multilingual religious community at an on-campus Muslim prayer site in New Zealand. Drawing upon data from semi-structured interviews with 10 volunteer sermon presenters, the study identifies various motivations and functions of using Arabic in the Friday sermons from the sermon presenters’ perspectives. The overall conclusion is that Arabic language use in the Friday sermons goes beyond the communicative aspect of language.
Investigating Racial Dehumanization, Distortion of Perspectives, and Perpetuation of Trauma in Morrison’s The Bluest Eye
Authors: Jamshed Mohammad
Published: June 2023

As the world continues to struggle with violence and the devastating legacies of racism, colonialism, and slavery, the systems and structures designed to subjugate and enslave fellow human beings still plague human society, even in an age of human dignity, freedom, and civil liberties. The brutal murders, lynching, and crimes of hate we witness against black people in America point to the existence of racism as a thriving, underground force, often institutionalised and perpetuated by the very system mandated to eradicate this menace. Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye offers several insights into how inhuman portrayals of black people inform white discourse. Blackness evokes fear and insecurity in the minds of white supremacists, and systemic racism even creates a hierarchy among black people. Some, having grown up with a deeply disturbing self-image, develop an all-consuming desire to be white in order to count as human. This study focuses on how racism is perpetuated by financial interests and white supremacy, coupled with discrimination and prejudice within law enforcement and ambiguities in the laws enacted to eradicate these issues. The study suggests that systemic racism dehumanises not only the black victims but also the white oppressors, distorting perspectives and perpetuating a vicious cycle of violence.
Concretized Realism in Pamuk’s The Museum of Innocence
Authors: Salman Dina , AlAmmouri Bayan
Published: June 2023

The Museum of Innocence is an innovative postmodern text that fuses the literary world with the material world outside of the text. Orhan Pamuk did this by establishing a physical museum in Istanbul to complement the text after the novel’s publication in 2008. There is a crossover between the novel and the museum through the narrative of objects represented in the novel and the tangible objects on display in the museum. This paper relies on both affect theory and thing theory to argue that a nuanced aspect of realism is created by Pamuk’s novel coined in this paper as “concretized realism”. This paper argues that Pamuk’s novel translates the feelings and emotions of the protagonist, Kemal Bey, through the objects that are described in the text. These emotions and feelings exist outside the realm of language. They are then translated into emotions and feelings within the world of the museum that visitors experience once they enter and observe the objects on display. Pamuk’s novel and its reliance on the cluster of objects in the text suggest that the objects create affective responses in characters, readers, and visitors alike.
A Transitivity Analysis of D. H. Lawrence’s The Rocking Horse Winner
Authors: Yousif Wafa , Bulaila Abdulaziz
Published: June 2023

This study uses Halliday’s transitivity approach to analyze D. H. Lawrence’s The Rocking-Horse Winner. The purpose is to provide a linguistic analysis of the literary work by Lawrence to see how far the linguistic approaches to literary texts conform to the literary analyses of the same texts. The study uses a framework based on Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammar, in which process types are identified in the text and then used to arrive at an interpretation of the text based on the linguistic analysis. The linguistic outcomes correspond with the psychological interpretations of the story. In addition, the mother-son relationship is recurrent in D. H. Lawrence’s fiction. This further supports the connection between the linguistic and the literary interpretation of the story and shows how a linguistic analysis may lead to one based on literary approaches.
Contextualizing the Medieval Tradition of Courtly Love in Nabokov's Lolita
Authors: Zuraikat Malek  J.
Published: June 2023

Using modern terms of morality to evaluate the sexual attitude of Humbert towards Lolita, which constitutes the central subject matter of Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita (2005), most readers view the novel as erotica, a piece of literature that glamorizes amoral sexuality and rebels against humans' morality. This view feasibly condemns the sexual relationship between a forty-year-old male and a twelve-year-old girl-child nymphet; nevertheless, it overlooks the insistence of the novel's fictitious narrator and editor that the narrative is ethical and heavily loaded with pro morality messages. To resolve this perspectival dichotomy, this article revisits Humbert's love of Lolita contending that the relationship between Humbert and Lolita constitutes a form of courtly love, not rape or pedophilia. Relying on the medieval definition of courtly love, the article argues that Humbert is better viewed as a medieval lover whose love-based sexuality towards Lolita is ennobling and transcendent. By so doing, the article discharges Humbert’s love of Lolita from any modern connotations of animalistic carnality, thus maintaining the narrative’s obsessive involvement in the medieval culture.
Arabic-English Mixing among English-Language Students at Al alBayt University: A Sociolinguistic Study
Authors: Salah Reema
Published: June 2023

Code mixing is extensively investigated within bilingual and multilingual communities. Its actual use in various social contexts and factors influencing its frequency are examined in the current study. A sample of students majoring in English language and literature who were enrolled in one or more of the researcher’s courses during the Spring semester 2021/2022 were asked to voluntarily participate in a 34-item online questionnaire about their use of code mixing (N=200). A two gender (female, male) x five academic years (first, second, third, fourth, fifth and more) x seven cumulative grade average (Distinguished, Excellent, Very good, Good, Pass, deficient, Prefer not to answer), and 5 dwelling (AlMafraq, AlZarqa, Amman, Irbid, Other city) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) found significant four motivating factors on the frequency of code mixing amongst the participants: academic, linguistic, social, and psychological.
How do you Meme Trump, Noah? Shaping a New Memescape in The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (January 2016 – December 2019)
Authors: Elyamany Nashwa
Published: June 2023

With The Daily Show’s popularity for late-night televised political satire, the infotainment genre has progressively turned into a major venue for mass-mediated political discourse in the US. Arguably, the show employs creative political memes in tandem with a plethora of multimodal strategies that all function in collegiality in revival of a journalism of critical inquiry showcasing how political dissent is negotiated and mitigated. Set against this backdrop, this paper argues for a new conceptualization of “digital memes” to incorporate the visuals integrated in talk show monologues. These visuals have undergone a shift from being merely “aesthetic-expressive” graphics to share many of the internet meme’s features and hence make them mount to be a sub-genre of memes. More specifically, the study extends scholarship on political memes proposing a more nuanced methodological and analytical framework premised on meme-inherent news values and host-specific converging communication accommodation strategies. The paper is an attempt to introduce an inclusive approach that draws on various perspectives that can do better justice to the rich complexity inherent to memes. For the purpose, a corpus of 235 meme instances from January 2016 to December 2019 in The Daily Show with Trevor Noah’s entertainment-based, ideologically-driven political commentary was examined. This is to capture how the intervention of memetic aesthetics in the topical monologue of the show as far as Trump’s administration is concerned can alter the trajectory of political satire. Findings showcase that the emerging memes in the late-night show, particularly image macro memes, have superseded late-night television as the leading edge of political satire.
A Corpus-Based Lexical Evaluation of L1 Arabic Learners’ English Literary Essays
Authors: Nola Bacha Nahla , Khachan Victor
Published: June 2023

Evaluating learners’ writing quality has been quite challenging. One important indicator of writing quality is the use of lexis in texts.  However, more efficient evaluative guidelines should be explored. Although corpus-based lexical studies have provided analyses of various text genres for word frequencies and keywords indicative of lexical density, and thus writing quality for teaching/learning purposes, learner literary texts remain under researched.  This study explores the word frequencies in a corpus of N=206 L1 Arabic learners’ literary essays written in English in one literature course at an English medium university in Lebanon.  Lextutor platform was used to analyze the word frequency profiles which indicate the lexical density level and Voyant Tools platform to analyze the content keyword profiles, which preview thematic representations and character features. Main findings indicated a dichotomy between literary knowledge and language proficiency. The content keywords previewed themes and character features adequately which showed the learners’ knowledge of the literary text. The word frequency profiles, however, indicated a low lexical density and, thus, a low language proficiency level. Implications for pedagogy and recommendations are made for further researching this “controversial dichotomy” in learners’ literary essays in developing the literary edge for well-rounded learners versus improving their language proficiency level.
The role of vitamin A in non-ruminant immunology
Authors: Shastak Yauheni , Pelletier Wolf
Published: June 2023

Vitamin A (retinol) is an essential micronutrient with a crucial role in the immune system of non-ruminant animals, such as swine and poultry. It includes three chemical compounds with distinct properties and functions in the body: retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. In monogastric feed, vitamin A is primarily present in the form of retinyl esters. The metabolism of dietary vitamin A esters involves their conversion to retinol, which is then transported to different tissues and cells for further metabolism into active forms such as retinoic acid. These active forms of vitamin A have been found to play a crucial role in regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses. Specifically, they are involved in the differentiation, proliferation, and function of immune cells such as T and B lymphocytes, as well as dendritic cells. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to impaired cellular immunity, reduced antibody production, and consequently an increased susceptibility to infections. In swine and poultry, hypovitaminosis A can also affect gut-associated lymphoid tissues, leading to gut-related health problems and compromised growth performance. On the other hand, vitamin A supplementation has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects on non-ruminant immune responses. By administering or supplementing retinol, immune cell proliferation, antibody production, and cytokine secretion can be enhanced, which can ultimately result in improved immune function and disease resistance. Therefore, vitamin A has potential applications as an immuno-micronutrient for improving health and preventing diseases in swine and poultry. However, the optimal dosage and timing of vitamin A supplementation need to be carefully determined based on the specific requirements of different non-ruminant species and their production stages. Overall, a better understanding of the role of vitamin A in non-ruminant nutritional immunology could have significant implications for animal health and productivity and could inform the development of effective dietary strategies to optimize immune function and prevent diseases in swine and domestic fowl. This review paper aims to offer valuable insights into the role of vitamin A in the nutritional immunology of non-ruminants while also emphasizing the current gaps in knowledge and potential areas for further research.
Association of digital measures and self-reported fatigue: a remote observational study in healthy participants and participants with chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease
Authors: Rao Chaitra , Di Lascio Elena , Demanse David , Marshall Nell , Sopala Monika , De Luca Valeria
Published: June 2023

Background

Fatigue is a subjective, complex and multi-faceted phenomenon, commonly experienced as tiredness. However, pathological fatigue is a major debilitating symptom associated with overwhelming feelings of physical and mental exhaustion. It is a well-recognized manifestation in chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, such as Sjögren’s Syndrome and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and an important predictor of patient’s health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Patient reported outcome questions are the key instruments to assess fatigue. To date, there is no consensus about reliable quantitative assessments of fatigue.

Method

Observational data for a period of one month were collected from 296 participants in the United States. Data comprised continuous multimodal digital data from Fitbit, including heart rate, physical activity and sleep features, and app-based daily and weekly questions covering various HRQoL factors including pain, mood, general physical activity and fatigue. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical clustering of digital data were used to describe behavioural phenotypes. Gradient boosting classifiers were trained to classify participant-reported weekly fatigue and daily tiredness from multi-sensor and other participant-reported data, and extract a set of key predictive features.

Results

Cluster analysis of Fitbit parameters highlighted multiple digital phenotypes, including sleep-affected, fatigued and healthy phenotypes. Features from participant-reported data and Fitbit data both contributed as key predictive features of weekly physical and mental fatigue and daily tiredness. Participant answers to pain and depressed mood-related daily questions contributed the most as top features for predicting physical and mental fatigue, respectively. To classify daily tiredness, participant answers to questions on pain, mood and ability to perform daily activities contributed the most. Features related to daily resting heart rate and step counts and bouts were overall the most important Fitbit features for the classification models.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that multimodal digital data can be used to quantitatively and more frequently augment pathological and non-pathological participant-reported fatigue.
Long-term menopause exacerbates vaginal wall support injury in ovariectomized rats by regulating amino acid synthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism
Authors: Yu Xia , He Li , Lin Wenyi , Zheng Xuemei , Zhang Ling , Yu Bo , Wang Yanjun , Yang Zhenglin , Lin Yonghong
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Menopause is a risk factor for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and is frequently associated with diminished vaginal wall support. To uncover relevant molecular mechanisms and provide potential therapeutic targets, we evaluated changes in the transcriptome and metabolome of the vaginal wall in ovariectomized rats to identify important molecular changes.

Methods

Sixteen adult female Sprague−Dawley rats were randomly assigned to either the control or menopause group. Seven months after the operation, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Masson trichrome staining were used to observe changes in the rat vaginal wall structure. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and metabolites (DEMs) in the vaginal wall were detected by RNA-sequencing and LC−MS, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of DEGs and DEMs were performed.

Results

We verified that long-term menopause causes vaginal wall injury by H&E and Masson trichrome staining. From the multiomics analyses, 20,669 genes and 2193 metabolites were identified. Compared with the control group, 3255 DEGs were found in the vaginal wall of long-term menopausal rats. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly enriched in mechanistic pathways, including cell−cell junction, extracellular matrix, muscle tissue developments, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway, tight junctions and the Wnt signaling pathway. Additionally, 313 DEMs were found, and they consisted mostly of amino acids and their metabolites. DEMs were also enriched in mechanistic pathways, such as glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, gap junctions and ferroptosis. Coexpression analysis of DEGs and DEMs revealed that biosynthesis of amino acids (isocitric acid and PKM) and glycerophospholipid metabolism (1-(9Z-hexadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and PGS1) are critical metabolic pathways, suggesting that POP induced by menopause may be associated with the regulation of these processes.

Conclusion

The findings showed that long-term menopause greatly exacerbated vaginal wall support injury by decreasing the biosynthesis of amino acids and interfering with glycerophospholipid metabolism, which may result in POP. This study not only clarified that long-term menopause exacerbates damage to the vaginal wall but also provided insight into the potential molecular mechanisms by which long-term menopause induces POP.
Is increased myocardial triglyceride content associated with early changes in left ventricular function? A 1H-MRS and MRI strain study
Authors: Soghomonian Astrid , Dutour Anne , Kachenoura Nadjia , Thuny Franck , Lasbleiz Adele , Ancel Patricia , Cristofari Robin , Jouve Elisabeth , Simeoni Umberto , Kober Frank , Bernard Monique , Gaborit Bénédicte
Published: June 2023

Background

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity induce left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear, but myocardial triglyceride content (MTGC) could be involved.

Objectives

This study aimed to determine which clinical and biological factors are associated with increased MTGC and to establish whether MTGC is associated with early changes in LV function.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted using five previous prospective cohorts, leading to 338 subjects studied, including 208 well-phenotyped healthy volunteers and 130 subjects living with T2D and/or obesity. All the subjects underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to measure myocardial strain.

Results

MTGC content increased with age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, T2D, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, but the only independent correlate found in multivariate analysis was BMI (p=0.01; R²=0.20). MTGC was correlated to LV diastolic dysfunction, notably with the global peak early diastolic circumferential strain rate (r=-0.17, p=0.003), the global peak late diastolic circumferential strain rate (r=0.40, p<0.0001) and global peak late diastolic longitudinal strain rate (r=0.24, p<0.0001). MTGC was also correlated to systolic dysfunction via end-systolic volume index (r=-0.34, p<0.0001) and stroke volume index (r=-0.31, p<0.0001), but not with longitudinal strain (r=0.009, p=0.88). Interestingly, the associations between MTGC and strain measures did not persist in multivariate analysis. Furthermore, MTGC was independently associated with LV end-systolic volume index (p=0.01, R²=0.29), LV end-diastolic volume index (p=0.04, R²=0.46), and LV mass (p=0.002, R²=0.58).

Conclusions

Predicting MTGC remains a challenge in routine clinical practice, as only BMI independently correlates with increased MTGC. MTGC may play a role in LV dysfunction but does not appear to be involved in the development of subclinical strain abnormalities.
Integrated energy carbon emission monitoring and digital management system for smart cities
Authors: Liu Jilu , Zhang Zechen
Published: June 2023

In recent years, although China’s economy has continued to grow, the environmental impact is greatly affected by the use of primary energy, such as global warming, which has become more and more serious. Under the background of energy conservation and emission reduction, China’s emission reduction pressure is very great. In this paper, an online monitoring system for carbon emissions is developed for real-time monitoring of carbon emissions, and the ant colony algorithm is used to perform multi-objective optimization based on “construction period-cost-carbon emissions.” Through the organic integration of wireless sensors, communication networks, cloud servers, and mobile devices, a real-time monitoring system for carbon emissions has been developed, which can monitor and visualize the carbon emissions generated by major machinery on site in real time. At the same time, the resource consumption of each process in different modes is sorted out, and the multi-objective optimization problem of “construction period-cost-carbon emission” is designed to seek the optimal solution by combining the multi-objective optimization theory. In this paper, the developed real-time monitoring system is applied in the actual field, the stability and practicability of the system are verified, and the process-related data is obtained by combining the monitoring system and field investigation. The experimental results show that the relative deviations of the two units are consistent, fluctuating between 0.54% and 6.14%, and the overall deviations are 3.61% and 3.63%, respectively. Therefore, the online carbon emission monitoring system has stable data and high accuracy. By comparing the data trends of the online monitoring method and the emission factor method, it is found that the two trends are consistent, which verifies the applicability of the online monitoring method in the field of carbon emission monitoring.
Long-term exposure to air pollution and cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: McLachlan Jack , Cox Simon R. , Pearce Jamie , Valdés Hernández Maria del C.
Published: June 2023

Background

Now more than ever before, air pollution and cognitive decline are global concerns. Credible links are now emerging between exposure to specific pollutants and cognitive decline. However, the role of specific pollutants on different cognitive domains in adults are inconclusive as the pathways to cognitive decline remain poorly understood.

Objective

To systematically review and meta-analyse the evidence for the association between long-term air pollution exposure and cognitive function in adults.

Data sources

Web of Science, PubMed, Embase searched up to February 2021 with no language restrictions. Individual studies were identified from similar review articles.

Eligibility criteria

Studies investigating the long-term (>3 years) associations between airborne pollutants and cognitive function in older adults (>50 years old).

Results

From 1996 records, 26 satisfied the inclusion criteria. The total sample size included over 2.4 million (53.8% female) subjects with ages ranging from 45 to 100 years (estimated mean age 70 years). Only 18/26 publications included both male and female subjects. Pollutants reported included particulate matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5); particulate matter ≤10 µm (PM10); nitrogen dioxide (NO2); nitrogen oxide species (NOx) and ozone (O3). Papers showed great variance in their study characteristics, air pollution modelling methodology and assessment of cognitive domain. Long-term exposure to increased levels of PM2.5 and NO2 were most strongly associated with increased risk of dementia. Decline in cognitive function, executive function, memory and language were most strongly associated with greater exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 to varying degrees.

Conclusion

An increasing number of studies are supporting the hypothesis that greater exposure to air pollutants is associated with decline in cognitive functions.
The relationship between blood lipid and risk of psoriasis: univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Zhang Zeng-Yun-Ou , Jian Zhong-Yu , Tang Yin , Li Wei
Published: June 2023

Background

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Dyslipidemia may be a risk factor of psoriasis. But the causal relationship between psoriasis and blood lipid still remains uncertain.

Methods

The two data of blood lipid were obtained from UK Biobank (UKBB) and Global Lipid Genetics Consortium Results (GLGC). The primary and secondary database were from large publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) with more than 400,000 and 170,000 subjects of European ancestry, respectively. The psoriasis from Finnish biobanks of FinnGen research project for psoriasis, consisting of 6,995 cases and 299,128 controls. The single-variable Mendelian randomization (SVMR) and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) were used to assess the total and direct effects of blood lipid on psoriasis risk.

Results

SVMR estimates in primary data of blood lipid showed low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (odds ratio (OR): 1.11, 95%, confidence interval (CI): 0.99−1.25, p = 0.082 in stage 1; OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05−1.26, p = 0.002 in stage 2; OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.04−1.26, p = 0.006 in stage 3) and triglycerides (TG) (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10−1.35, p = 1.17E-04 in stage 1; OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06−1.24, p = 0.001 in stage 2; OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.05−1.24, p = 0.002 in stage 3) had a highly robust causal relationship on the risk of psoriasis. However, there were no robust causal associations between HDL-C and psoriasis. The SVMR results in secondary data of blood lipid were consistent with the primary data. Reverse MR analysis showed a causal association between psoriasis and LDL-C (beta: -0.009, 95% CI: -0.016− -0.002, p = 0.009) and HDL-C (beta: -0.011, 95% CI: -0.021− -0.002, p = 0.016). The reverse causation analyses results between psoriasis and TG did not reach significance. In MVMR of primary data of blood lipid, the LDL-C (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.99–1.25, p = 0.396 in stage 1; OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01–1.14, p = 0.017 in stage 2; OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.15, p = 0.012 in stage 3) and TG (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.22, p = 0.036 in stage 1; OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03–1.15, p = 0.002 in stage 2; OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01–1.13 p = 0.015 in stage 3) positively correlated with psoriasis, and there had no correlation between HDL-C and psoriasis. The results of the secondary analysis were consistent with the results of primary analysis.

Conclusions

Mendelian randomization (MR) findings provide genetic evidence for causal link between psoriasis and blood lipid. It may be meaningful to monitor and control blood lipid level for a management of psoriasis patients in clinic.
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccination strategies among men who have sex with men in China: a modeling study
Authors: Li Yuwei , Lin Yi-Fan , Wu Xinsheng , Zhou Xinyi , Tian Tian , Guo Zhihui , Fu Leiwen , Yang Luoyao , Lu Zhen , Fan Song , Lu Yong , Ke Wujian , Zou Huachun
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The health and economic benefits of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination targeted at men who have sex with men (MSM) in developing settings have been rarely assessed. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different HPV vaccination strategies among MSM in China.

Methods

A Markov model was developed to simulate HPV transmission dynamics among a total of 30.73 million MSM in China. The corresponding natural history included 6 states: susceptible, infected with low-risk subtypes, high-risk subtypes, anogenital warts and anal cancer, and deaths from anal cancer. MSM were divided into three age groups with cut-off points of 27 and 45 years. Alternative vaccination strategies were built by allocating bivalent, quadrivalent, nine-valent, or no vaccine to each of the groups. We generated the prevented infections and deaths by vaccination compared with baseline (no vaccination) and calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) to determine the optimal strategy.

Results

The model showed that in 10 years, at baseline, the existing cases of anogenital warts would reach 5,464,225 (IQR, 4,685,708-6,174,175); that of anal cancer would reach 1,922.95 (1,716.56-2,119.93), resulting in 940.55 (732.27-1,141.87) deaths. Under 50% vaccination coverage among one age group, the prevented cases of anogenital warts were maximized with quadrivalent vaccines allocated to MSM aged 27-45 years; that of anal cancer were maximized when offering nine-valent vaccines to the same group. Under 50% vaccination coverage among all groups, the lowest ICER (34,098.09 USD/QALY, 31,146.54-37,062.88) was reached when only quadrivalent vaccines were provided. Based on this strategy, when the annual vaccination rate increased by 30%, the ICER (33,521.75 USD/QALY, 31,040.73-36,013.92) would fall below three times China’s per capita GDP. When the vaccine price decreased by 60%, the ICER was reduced to 7,344.44 USD/QALY (4,392.89-10,309.23), indicating good cost-effectiveness taking China’s per capita GDP as a threshold.

Conclusions

HPV vaccination can effectively reduce the prevalence and mortality of related diseases among MSM in China, especially quadrivalent vaccines for anogenital warts and nine-valent vaccines for anal cancer. MSM aged 27-45 years were the optimal group for vaccination. Annual vaccination and appropriate adjustment of vaccine price are necessary to further improve the cost-effectiveness.
Wise use of coastal wetlands: 10-year reclamation vs. 3-year eco-governance in the Tiaozini Wetland, Jiangsu, China
Authors: Liang Jiahui , Tian Jiahui , Zuo Ping , Dai Ziyi , Jiang Wenkui , Jin Juan , Yan Yuru
Published: June 2023

Coastal wetlands provide extensive ecological services for life on Earth but are facing rapid global disappearance influenced by human activities and climate change. From 1984 to 2018, approximately 28% of the natural coastal wetlands in China were lost due to seawater intrusion, reduced sediment acquisition, urbanization, and reclamation. Tiaozini wetland used to be reclaimed during 2010-2019, and quickly shifted for conservation with less than 3 years. We analyzed 3 years of top-down eco-governance and bottom-up activities in Tiaozini, one of the typical wetlands with wise use instead of reclamation. Collaboration of stakeholders, such as the management company, local residents, tourists, scientific committees, NGOs, and media, facilitated the wise use of Tiaozini wetland as a successvie way towards eco-governance, including public participation and environmental education. Adaptive management, ecosystem-based management, and natural-based solutions play very important roles in eco-governance from both bottom-up and top-down approaches. Results showed that 3-year eco-governance induced great achievements in both biodiversity conservation and ecotourism development, which outweighs the 10-year reclamation for coastal wetlands exploitation.
Torque teno virus viremia and QuantiFERON®-CMV assay in prediction of cytomegalovirus reactivation in R+ kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Mafi Sarah , Essig Marie , Rerolle Jean-Philippe , Lagathu Gisèle , Crochette Romain , Brodard Véronique , Schvartz Betoul , Gouarin Stephanie , Bouvier Nicolas , Engelmann Ilka , Garstka Antoine , Bressollette-Bodin Céline , Cantarovitch Diego , Germi Raphaële , Janbon Benedicte , Archimbaut Christine , Heng Anne-Elizabeth , Garnier Françoise , Gomes-Mayeras Melissa , Labrunie Anaïs , Hantz Sébastien , Alain Sophie
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent infectious complication following solid organ transplantation. Torque teno viruses (TTV) viremia has been proposed as a biomarker of functional immunity in the management of kidney transplant recipients (KTR). The QuantiFERON®-CMV (QF-CMV) is a commercially available assay that allows the assessment of CD8+ T-cell responses in routine diagnostic laboratories.

Methods

In a prospective national multicenter cohort of 64 CMV-seropositive (R+) KTR, we analyzed the value of TTV load and the two markers of the QF-CMV assay [QF-Ag (CMV-specific T-cell responses) and QF-Mg (overall T-cell responses)], alone and in combination, in prediction of CMV reactivation (≥3 log10 IU/ ml) in the first post-transplant year. We compared previously published cut-offs and specific cut-offs optimized from ROC curves for our population.

Results

Using the conventional cut-off (3.45 log10 copies/ml), TTV load at D0 [inclusion visit on the day of transplantation before induction (D0)], or at M1 (1-month post-transplant visit) perform better in predicting CMV viremia control than CMV reactivation. Survival analyses suggest a better performance of our optimized TTV cut-offs (3.78 log10 copies/ml at D0 and 4.23 log10 copies/ml at M1) for risk stratification of CMV reactivation in our R+ KTR cohort. The QF-CMV (QF-Ag = 0.2 IU/ml, and QF-Mg = 0.5 IU/ml) also appears to better predict CMV viremia control than CMV reactivation. Moreover, survival analyses suggest that the QF-Mg would perform better than the QF-Ag in stratifying the risk of CMV reactivation. The use of our optimized QF-Mg cut-off (1.27 IU/ml) at M1 further improved risk stratification of CMV reactivation. Using conventional cut-offs, the combination of TTV load and QF-Ag or TTV load and QF-Mg did not improve prediction of CMV viremia control compared to separate analysis of each marker but resulted in an increase of positive predictive values. The use of our cut-offs slightly improved risk prediction of CMV reactivation.

Conclusion

The combination of TTV load and QF-Ag or TTV load and QF-Mg could be useful in stratifying the risk of CMV reactivation in R+ KTR during the first post-transplant year and thereby have an impact on the duration of prophylaxis in these patients.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov registry, identifier NCT02064699.
Didactic dissonance—embracing the tension between classroom and clinical education
Authors: Mardian Aram S. , Villarroel Lisa , Kemper Lori , Quist Heidi E. , Hanson Eric R.
Published: June 2023

The United States is undergoing a transformation in the way pain is viewed and treated. This transformation affects pain education, as some degree of disconnect will be expected between what is taught in classroom settings and what learners observe in clinical settings. We term this disconnect “didactic dissonance” and propose a novel process to harness it as a learning tool to further pain education. Based on principles of transformative learning theory, we describe a structured, three-step process beginning with (1) priming learners to recognize didactic dissonance and identify specific examples from their education, followed by (2) encouraging learners to search the primary literature to resolve observed dissonance and reflect on the system factors that created and perpetuated the disconnect, and then (3) providing an opportunity for learner reflection and planning for how they will address similar situations in future practice and teaching environments. Fostering an environment conducive to learning—through modeling the intellectual virtues of curiosity, humility, and creativity—is a critical task for educators when implementing this process. Recognizing challenges faced by educators in both classroom and clinical settings, it may be a more feasible first step to integrate the concept of didactic dissonance into existing curricular elements. For programs able to implement the full three-step process, a discussion guide along with an example of a facilitated discussion have been provided. While proposed in the context of pain education, this transformational approach can be utilized across all topics in medical education to foster autonomous lifelong learning.
Deterministic processes dominate archaeal community assembly from the Pearl River to the northern South China Sea
Authors: Lin Xizheng , Zhang Chuanlun , Xie Wei
Published: June 2023

Archaea play a significant role in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in estuaries. However, comprehensive researches about their assembly processes remain notably insufficient. In this study, we systematically examined archaeal community dynamics distinguished between low-salinity and high-salinity groups in water and surface sediments over a 600-kilometer range from the upper Pearl River (PR) to the northern South China Sea (NSCS). Neutral community model analysis together with null model analysis showed that their C-score values were greater than 2, suggesting that deterministic processes could dominate the assembly of those planktonic or benthic archaeal communities at both the low-salinity and high-salinity sites. And deterministic processes contributed more in the low-salinity than high-salinity environments from the PR to the NSCS. Furthermore, through the co-occurrence network analysis, we found that the archaeal communities in the low-salinity groups possessed closer interactions and higher proportions of negative interactions than those in the high-salinity groups, which might be due to the larger environmental heterogeneities reflected by the nutrient concentrations of those low-salinity samples. Collectively, our work systematically investigated the composition and co-occurrence networks of archaeal communities in water as well as sediments from the PR to the NSCS, yielding new insights into the estuary’s archaeal community assembly mechanisms.
Unraveling the difference in flavor characteristics of Huangjiu fermented with different rice varieties using dynamic sensory evaluation and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–quadrupole mass spectrometry
Authors: Yu Haiyan , Li Qiaowei , Guo Wei , Ai Lianzhong , Chen Chen , Tian Huaixiang
Published: June 2023

To investigate the specific differences in flavor characteristics of Huangjiu fermented with different rice varieties, dynamic sensory evaluation, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC × GC–qMS) and multivariate statistical analysis were employed. Dynamic sensory evaluation methods including temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) and temporal check all that apply (TCATA) were applied to explore the differences and variations in sensory attributes. The sensory results showed that the intensity of astringency and post-bitterness in the Huangjiu fermented with glutinous rice was weaker while ester and alcoholic aroma were more prominent than the one fermented with japonica rice. The results of free amino acids and aroma compounds analysis indicated that the amino acids were mainly sweet and bitter amino acids, and some key aroma compounds were predominant in the Huangjiu fermented with glutinous rice, such as ethyl butyrate (OAV: 38–59), 3–methylthiopropionaldehyde (OAV: 47–96), ethyl caprylate (OAV: 30–38), while nonanal, phenyl acetaldehyde and vanillin contributed significantly to the Huangjiu fermented with japonica rice. The multivariate statistical analysis further confirmed that 17 compounds (VIP > 1 and p < 0.05) could be supposed to be the key compouns that cause significant flavor differences in Huangjiu samples fermented with different brewing rice. Moreover, partial least-squares analysis revealed that most compounds (ethyl butyrate, 3-penten-2-one, isoamyl acetate, and so on) correlated with ester and alcoholic aroma. The results could provide basic data and theoretical basis for the selection of raw materials in Huangjiu.
Quantitative analysis of serum cell-free DNA as a predictive and prognostic marker in breast cancer patients
Authors: Sultana Gazi Nurun Nahar , Akter Ferdowsi , Israfil S. M. Hasan , Ray Utpal Chandra , Jahan Rumana Akther , Ali Mohammad Shawkat , Din Salim Al , Rahman Shafiqur , Halim Rezaul , Alam Mohammad Sahajadul
Published: June 2023

Introduction

According to the GLOBOCAN (Global Cancer Observatory) 2020 report, 13,028 new cases of breast cancer (19%) were diagnosed in the United States, and 6,783 of them succumbed to the disease, making it the most common cancer among women. The clinical stage at the time of diagnosis is one of the most significant survival predictors in breast cancer. With delayed illness detection comes a lower survival rate. The prognosis of breast cancer may be predicted using circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), a non-invasive diagnosis technique.

Objective

This study aimed to determine the most sensitive and effective method for detecting changes in cfDNA levels and for using cfDNA as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of breast cancer.

Methods

The potential function of serum cfDNA levels as a marker for early breast cancer diagnosis was investigated using UV spectrophotometric, fluorometric, and real-time qPCR assays.

Results

This research suggests that the most successful way to measure the amount of cfDNA described decades ago could be used as a "liquid biopsy" to track cancer in real time. The RT-qPCR (ALU115) method produced the most statistically significant results (p=0.000). At the threshold concentration of 395.65 ng/ml of cfDNA, the ROC curve reflects the maximum AUC= 0.7607, with a sensitivity of 0.65 and specificity of 0.80.

Conclusion

For a preliminary assessment of total circulating cfDNA, a combination of all of the above techniques will be most efficacious. Based on our results, we conclude that the RT-qPCR technique combined with fluorometric measurement can identify a statistically significant difference in cfDNA levels between cohorts of breast cancer patients and healthy controls.