bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Musical Rossica” as a Musicological Term
Authors:   Astrakhan State Conservatory, Kazantseva Liudmila P.
Published: April 2022

During the course of centuries in the music of composers from outside of Russia one can discern an entire category of works dedicated to Russia. The experience of certain spheres of knowledge – book studies, source studies, archival studies, map studies, collecting, history, literary studies, art studies, cinema studies – has stipulated the possibility of applying the concept of “Rossica,” well-known in scholarly use, to this segment of artistic expression. The article offers and substantiates the concept of “musical Rossica” as a sphere of musical creativity, demonstrating a vision of Russia (or, in the narrow sense, of Russianness) through the prism of other cultures. Considering the importance of mental-culturological distancing of the Russian from the non-Russian, it becomes a legitimate position to add to the musical Rossica the compositional legacy of Russian émigrés connected with their former homeland. A differentiation of the concept (“German musical Rossica,” “romance-song Rossica,” “folk music Rossica,” etc.) is accepted. The concept of “musical Rossica” discloses a number of possibilities: to attract attention to the lesser-known marginal field of the outstanding masters’ heritage (Georges Bizet, Charles Gounod, Gaetano Donizetti, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and Franz Schubert); to bring into the scholarly domain artefacts previously cast aside onto the periphery of the historical process; to find meaning not only with separate works, but with a serious artistic tendency; to indicate a problem field which would be productive for musicology. “Musical Rossica” makes it possible to build a more complete picture of the musical field outside of Russia, to form an objective evaluation of the significance of Russian music as a part of the world music process, to overestimate the role of the literary heritage of Russia (through its numerous musical interpretations) in foreign culture, and, thereby, to make a feasible contribution to the formation of the self-consciousness of Russians, as well as an objective international image of Russia.
An Unpublished Page of Choreographer Filippo Taglioni’s Biography: Based on Materials from the Russian State Historical Archive
Authors:   Russian Institute of Art History, Fedorchenko Olga A.
Published: April 2022

The distinguished master of romantic ballet, dancer-choreographer and pedagogue Filippo Taglioni travelled across almost all of Europe without stopping anywhere for long: he preferred short-term contracts to multi-year responsibilities. His longest, a five-year contract, was concluded with the Russian Directorate of Imperial theatres and lasted from 1837 through 1842. However, there exists the assumption that Filippo Taglioni may have arrived in Russia 20 years prior, in 1817, as unpublished documents found in the Russian State Historical Archive have revealed. In her article. The author of the article discusses the complex bureaucratic mechanism for inviting foreigners to Russia, describing the situation of the 1816–1817 season when, experience a deficit of soloists in the ballet troupe, the theatre’s directorship invited dancers from abroad to the St. Petersburg ballet company. The choice fell upon the premieres danseurs from the Paris Opera Ballet, Albert and Emilia Bigottini, but the artists, after having confirmed their consent, were thereafter unable to come to Russia. The search continued, and the Chief Director of the Imperial Theatres, Prince Naryshkin, noticed the dancer Taglioni, whom he recommended be invited to St. Petersburg. However, in the message, the director did not specify which Taglioni he was referring to: the 28-year-old Salvatore or the 40-year-old Filippo. The author of the article unravels the mystery and demonstrates that it was Filippo who was invited to Russia in 1817. However, this engagement did not take place. The author attempts to discover the reasons why Filippo Taglioni did not come to Russia during the reign of Alexander I.
Utrenya by Krzysztof Penderecki: Concerning the Question of the Influence of the Musical Traditions of Orthodox Christianity
Authors:   Russian Gnesins’ Academy of Music, Ryzhinsky Alexander S.
Published: April 2022

The object of research in article is Krzysztof Penderecki’s large-scale work Utrenya composed in 1970–1971 after the composer’s visit to The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. The author analyzes the textual basis of the composition, explaining the principles of selection of the verbal texts, and describes the relationships between individual techniques of the position of the words to the music with the tendencies in the development of choral music in the 1950s and 1960s. Analysis of textural and timbre features of the composition reveals three main sources of the technical compositional solutions: Krzysztof Penderecki’s own methods of choral writing, applied in Stabat Mater and in Passio Et Mors Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Secundum Lucam; the innovations of the post-war avant-garde, which became widespread in the works of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Luigi Nono, Mauricio Kagel, György Ligeti; the intonational and textural elements of choral writing typical of Orthodox Christian worship. All these components of Penderecki’s choral style are organically combined with each other as part of the embodiment of a vivid sound picture of the climactic services of the church year, reflecting the extreme contrast between the mourning of Christ (Orthros of the Great Saturday) and the joy of His resurrection (Easter). A separate issue studied in the article is the position of sacred works in Penderecki’s legacy and the relationship between the composer’s choral oeuvres composed between 1962 and 1971.
The Intonational Nature of Kazakh Instrumental Folk Music in Samples
Authors:   Kazakh National University of Arts, Baibekov Olzhas M. , Kurmangalieva Meruert S. ,   Kazakh National University of Arts
Published: April 2022

The authors examine the “intonational-complex” sample (ICS) from the point of view of its possibilities for preserving traditional musical culture and the adaptation of the proposed terminology to the field of digital art. Analysis is carried out of possible methods of digitalization of Kazakh traditional instrumental music, as well as application of methods of sampling for the sake of subjecting specimens of the art of folk music to transformation. The article provides analysis of contemporary theoretical developments in the sphere of modeling and experimental attempts of creating a digital format of the virtual model of instruments, and also a classification of samples is offered. The authors divide the samples into three basic types: the organic (a maximally natural sound of the instrument in digital format), the synthetic (a distorted sound, compared with the primary source), and the intonational-complex sample (ICS). The latter is acknowledged to be the most significant for the recreation, dissemination and preservation of folk music, since it carries out the function of notation, replication and preservation of authentic sound. One of the relevant and most complicated goals in the angle of research is seen to be the creation of samples which replicate the sound of folk music in the conditions of thin mountain air, rolling over of grains of sand in the desert, as well as the expanses of steppes, where the song or the kuyi of the performer of Kazakh music can be heard for many kilometers. Singled out as a separate problem is the lack of samples of timbres of Kazakh folk instruments, with the exception of the dombra, whose manufacturers are such companies situated outside of Kazakhsan as Impact Soundworks and Wavelet Audi.
The Recycling of Igor Stravinsky in the Journal “Sovetskaya Muzyka” During the Period of 1933–1966
Authors:   Petrozavodsk State A. K. Glazunov Conservatory, Gorbunova Natalya A.
Published: April 2022

Stravinsky’s reputation in the Stalin era was tenuous, but in the early 1960s there was a strong surge of interest connected with his visit to Moscow. This metamorphosis of opinions was prepared and formed, among other things, through the press, in particular – in the chief Soviet music journal “Sovetskaya muzyka” (“Muzykal'naya Akademiya” since 1992). This research work is based on receptive methodology; the content analysis of materials during the period of 1933- 1966 demonstrates how in the conditions of almost complete failure to examine his music the critics created the reputation for him of a “formalist” and a “traitor,” and also demonstrated the attempt to “Sovietize” his emergence during the “Khrushchev thaw”. During the Stalin period, Stravinsky’s name appears in the journal only episodically, when he is arguably viewed as a representative of “bourgeois art.” In the early 1960s he was again labelled a Russian composer, and the attempt is even made of appraisal of his music, which is so remote from the Soviet musical style. Although it was not possible to “Sovietize” Stravinsky, such extreme changes of the Soviet authorities’ attitude of him emphasize the uniqueness of his artistic personality.
The Sonar Space of the Practices of Commemoration of Contemporary Museums
Authors:   Rostov State S. V. Rachmaninoff Conservatory, Dyomina Vera N.
Published: April 2022

The article is devoted to the particularities of the sound space of exhibitions in contemporary museums commemorating World War II. It is registered that upon their projection consideration may be made of various principles of organization which create a special atmosphere making it possible to reconstruct the events of history and to experience its tragic moments anew. The sound component is a significant component of the recreated atmosphere, since it is capable of arousing certain particular sensations independently. During the process of research of the sound space of memorial complexes devoted to World War II, the following are highlighted: the Majdanek State Museum on Lublin (1944), the Yad Vashem Memorial Compound Holocaust in Jerusalem (1953), and the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC (1993). The author arrives at the conclusion that due to the gradual departure of eye-witnesses and the appearance of new generations of people who have had no personal experience of communicating with participants of the war, it has become necessary to give special attention towards research work. It must be directed towards studying the process of recreating the spatial-temporal picture which makes it possible to experience anew the events of the wartime history.
The internet multiple: How internet practices are valued in later life
Authors: Gallistl Vera , Wanka Anna
Published: April 2022

Internet practices of older adults are multifaceted and go beyond a “use” and “non-use” binary. In this article, we suggest a valuation approach towards Internet practices in later life that explores Internet practices not as “use” or “non-use,” but rather asks which forms of Internet practices are valued in later life, and which ones are de-valued. For this valuog­raphy, we draw upon different data sources, including interviews with older adults, to explore the multiple “goods” and “bads” through which Internet use in later life gets valued. The findings suggest two registers of value: autonomy and innovation. Valued Internet practices in later life are therefore done by an autonomous, older individual and include innovative technologies. We conclude that a performative, reflexive, and value-oriented understanding of Internet practices sheds light on the “Internet Multiple,” or the many different shapes the Internet takes in older people’s lives that go beyond a “use” and “non-use” binary.
O-GlcNAcylation: A Sweet Hub in the Regulation of Glucose Metabolism in Health and Disease
Authors: Gonzalez-Rellan Maria J. , Fondevila Marcos F. , Dieguez Carlos , Nogueiras Ruben
Published: April 2022

O-GlcNAcylation is a posttranslational modification ruled by the activity of a single pair of enzymes, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). These two enzymes carry out the dynamic cycling of O-GlcNAcylation on a wide range of cytosolic, nuclear, and mitochondrial proteins in a nutrient- and stress-responsive manner. To maintain proper glucose homeostasis, a precise mechanism to sense blood glucose levels is required, to adapt cell physiology to fluctuations in nutrient intake to maintain glycemia within a narrow range. Disruptions in glucose homeostasis generates metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. In this review we will discuss and summarize emerging findings that points O-GlcNAcylation as a hub in the control of systemic glucose homeostasis, and its involvement in the generation of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Case Report: Overlapping Syndrome of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis and MOG Inflammatory Demyelinating Disease in a Patient With Human Herpesviruses 7 Infection
Authors: Li Sisi , Wang Minjin , Li Hancong , Wang Jierui , Zhang Qi , Zhou Dong , Li Jinmei
Published: April 2022

Objectives

This study reported a case of overlapping anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) inflammatory demyelinating disease with human herpesviruses 7 (HHV-7) infection.

Methods

The detailed clinical characteristics, neuroimaging features, and outcomes of the patient were collected. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cell-based assay (CBA) and the tissue-based indirect immunofluorescence assay (TBA) were used for diagnosis.

Results

The clinical manifestations included headache, dizziness, fever, optic neuritis, and epileptic-seizures. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed hyperintensities involving the left frontal, orbital gyrus and bilateral optic nerve with substantial contrast enhancement. Moreover, test for HHV-7 DNA by using the next generation sequencing metagenomics and polymerase chain reaction showed positive result in CSF but not in the serum samples. Anti-HHV-7 IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in both the serum and cerebrospinal fluid. NMDAR antibodies (1:10) were found positive in the patient’s CSF by a cell-based assay, and MOG antibodies were positive in the serum (1:10) and CSF (1:32). The patient appeared to respond well to immune therapy and it was found that the clinical symptoms including epileptic-seizure as well as headache were relieved and cerebral lesions almost disappeared after the treatment. However, his vision was not completely restored even at the 8-month follow-up, especially the vision in his right eye which was more seriously damaged.

Discussion

We report a rare case of MOG antibodies and anti-NMDAR encephalitis overlapping syndrome (MNOS) with HHV-7 infection for the first time. The possibility of MNOS needs be considered when optic neuritis occurs in the patients diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Besides, immunotherapy should be initiated as early as possible to improve the treatment outcomes and facilitate complete cure.
Sex-Based Medicine Meets Psoriatic Arthritis: Lessons Learned and to Learn
Authors: Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Bridgewood Charlie , Watad Abdulla , Damiani Giovanni , McGonagle Dennis
Published: April 2022

Humorally associated autoimmune diseases generally show a female predominance whereas ankylosing spondylitis, a disease that overlaps with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), shows a male predominance. The present review ascertains the current knowledge of sex-specific differences related to psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a chronic, inflammatory condition associated with psoriasis. Sex differences may have important implications for clinical research in PsA and in terms of epidemiology (incidence, prevalence, lifetime risk, survival, and mortality), clinical, radiological, and laboratory features, and response to treatment. While nationwide surveys and large-scale databases and registries show no sex-specific differences, varying male/female ratios have been reported, ranging from 0.42 to 2.75 (comparable with those reported for psoriasis vulgaris: ranging from 0.28 to 2.38). This may reflect subtle, complex, nonlinear interactions between the biological make-up of the individual (genetic and epigenetic differences), hormonal components including menopausal status, environmental exposures including skeletal physical stressing, and psychological variables. There exists methodological heterogeneity and paucity of data concerning sex-specific differences, in terms of the specific population studied, study design, and the diagnostic criteria utilized. Harmonizing and reconciling these discrepancies would be of crucial importance in achieving the ambitious goals of personalized/individualized medicine and further standardized meta-data and Big Data could help disentangle and elucidate the precise mechanisms of underlying potential PsA sex-specific differences.
Impacts of Climate Change and Human Perturbations on Organic Carbon Burial in the Pearl River Estuary Over the Last Century
Authors: Li Wenpeng , Li Xinxin , Zhao Xin , Sun Chengpeng , Nie Tianyi , Hu Yumei , Wang Chunzai
Published: April 2022

Estuaries have experienced significant changes due to global climate change and human perturbations since the last century. However, the climate and anthropogenic influence on the burial of sedimentary organic carbon (OC) in estuaries is still not understood well yet. Here, a 3-meter sediment core was taken from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) in China. Depth profiles of both bulk OC and lignin biomarker data indicated three stages with different features of buried OC during the 130-year sediment deposition. The 1893-1957 stage showed 20% more burial of marine derived OC, which was mostly adsorbed on finer minerals compared to the years after 1957. The 1957-1980 period witnessed 4.6 times higher burial rate of petrogenic OC, which made the radiocarbon age of total organic carbon 42% older than before due to soil erosion and carbonate rock weathering. The 7-year running average variation of terrestrial OC input based on endmember mixing model was correlated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index before 1957, but correlated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation between 1957 and 1980 in the region. The reduction of land derived OC content after 1980s was mostly affected by human perturbations such as deforestation and dam construction which corresponded to the beginning of Economic Reform and Open Up in China. The overall increase of lignin content from bottom to surface sediment indicated increased vascular plant derived OC due to deforestation activities during the urbanization process. The study suggested different time periods when climate or human disturbance dominantly affected the OC burial in the PRE, which have significant indications for local and global carbon cycling and environmental ecology.
A Home-Treatment Algorithm Based on Anti-inflammatory Drugs to Prevent Hospitalization of Patients With Early COVID-19: A Matched-Cohort Study (COVER 2)
Authors: Consolaro Elena , Suter Fredy , Rubis Nadia , Pedroni Stefania , Moroni Chiara , Pastò Elena , Paganini Maria Vittoria , Pravettoni Grazia , Cantarelli Umberto , Perico Norberto , Perna Annalisa , Peracchi Tobia , Ruggenenti Piero , Remuzzi Giuseppe
Published: April 2022

Background and Aim

While considerable success has been achieved in the management of patients hospitalized with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), far less progress has been made with early outpatient treatment. We assessed whether the implementation of a home treatment algorithm—designed based on a pathophysiologic and pharmacologic rationale—and including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially relatively selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors and, when needed, corticosteroids, anticoagulants, oxygen therapy and antibiotics—at the very onset of mild COVID-19 symptoms could effectively reduce hospital admissions.

Methods

This fully academic, matched-cohort study evaluated outcomes in 108 consecutive consenting patients with mild COVID-19, managed at home by their family doctors between January 2021 and May 2021, according to the proposed treatment algorithm and in 108 age-, sex-, and comorbidities-matched patients on other therapeutic schedules (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04854824). The primary outcome was COVID-19-related hospitalization. Analyses were by intention-to-treat.

Results

One (0.9%) patient in the “recommended” cohort and 12 (11.1%) in the “control” cohort were admitted to hospital (P = 0.0136). The proposed algorithm reduced the cumulative length of hospital stays by 85% (from 141 to 19 days) as well as related costs (from €60.316 to €9.058). Only 9.8 patients needed to be treated with the recommended algorithm to prevent one hospitalization event. The rate of resolution of major symptoms was numerically—but not significantly—higher in the “recommended” than in the “control” cohort (97.2 vs. 93.5%, respectively; P = 0.322). Other symptoms lingered in a smaller proportion of patients in the “recommended” than in the “control” cohort (20.4 vs. 63.9%, respectively; P < 0.001), and for a shorter period.

Conclusion

The adoption of the proposed outpatient treatment algorithm during the early, mild phase of COVID-19 reduced the incidence of subsequent hospitalization and related costs.
F1-ATPase Rotary Mechanism: Interpreting Results of Diverse Experimental Modes With an Elastic Coupling Theory
Authors: Volkán-Kacsó Sándor , Marcus Rudolph A.
Published: April 2022

In this chapter, we review single-molecule observations of rotary motors, focusing on the general theme that their mechanical motion proceeds in substeps with each substep described by an angle-dependent rate constant. In the molecular machine F1-ATPase, the stepping rotation is described for individual steps by forward and back reaction rate constants, some of which depend strongly on the rotation angle. The rotation of a central shaft is typically monitored by an optical probe. We review our recent work on the theory for the angle-dependent rate constants built to treat a variety of single-molecule and ensemble experiments on the F1-ATPase, and relating the free energy of activation of a step to the standard free energy of reaction for that step. This theory, an elastic molecular transfer theory, provides a framework for a multistate model and includes the probe used in single-molecule imaging and magnetic manipulation experiments. Several examples of its application are the following: (a) treatment of the angle-dependent rate constants in stalling experiments, (b) use of the model to enhance the time resolution of the single-molecule imaging apparatus and to detect short-lived states with a microsecond lifetime, states hidden by the fluctuations of the imaging probe, (c) treatment of out-of-equilibrium “controlled rotation” experiments, (d) use of the model to predict, without adjustable parameters, the angle-dependent rate constants of nucleotide binding and release, using data from other experiments, and (e) insights obtained from correlation of kinetic and cryo-EM structural data. It is also noted that in the case where the release of ADP would be a bottleneck process, the binding of ATP to another site acts to accelerate the release by 5–6 orders of magnitude. The relation of the present set of studies to previous and current theoretical work in the field is described. An overall goal is to gain mechanistic insight into the biological function in relation to structure.
Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Involving a Novel Photosensitizer Combined With an Antibiotic in the Treatment of Rabbit Tibial Osteomyelitis Caused by Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Yin Xiujuan , Fang Ziyuan , Fang Yan , Zhu Lin , Pang Jinwen , Liu Tianjun , Zhao Zhanjuan , Zhao Jianxi
Published: April 2022

Osteomyelitis is deep tissue inflammation caused by bacterial infection. If such an infection persists, it can lead to dissolution and necrosis of the bone tissue. As a result of the extensive use of antibiotics, drug-resistant bacteria are an increasingly common cause of osteomyelitis, limiting the treatment options available to surgeons. Photodynamic antibacterial chemotherapy has attracted increasing attention as a potential alternative treatment. Its advantages are a broad antibacterial spectrum, lack of drug resistance, and lack of toxic side effects. In this study, we explored the impact of the new photosensitizer LD4 in photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT), both alone and in combination with an antibiotic, on osteomyelitis. A rabbit tibial osteomyelitis model was employed and microbiological, histological, and radiological studies were performed. New Zealand white rabbits (n = 36) were randomly divided into a control group, antibiotic group, PACT group and PACT + antibiotic group for treatment. In microbiological analysis, a reduction in bacterial numbers of more than 99.9% was recorded in the PACT group and the PACT + antibiotic group 5 weeks after treatment (p < 0.01). In histological analysis, repair of the damaged bone tissue was observed in the PACT group, and bone repair in the PACT + antibiotic group was even more significant. In radiological analysis, the X-ray Norden score showed that the severity of bone tissue defects or destruction followed the pattern: PACT + antibiotic group < PACT group < antibiotic group < control group.
Hierarchical Elemental Odor Coding for Fine Discrimination Between Enantiomer Odors or Cancer-Characteristic Odors
Authors: Sato Takaaki , Matsukawa Mutsumi , Iijima Toshio , Mizutani Yoichi
Published: April 2022

Odors trigger various emotional responses such as fear of predator odors, aversion to disease or cancer odors, attraction to male/female odors, and appetitive behavior to delicious food odors. Odor information processing for fine odor discrimination, however, has remained difficult to address. The olfaction and color vision share common features that G protein-coupled receptors are the remote sensors. As different orange colors can be discriminated by distinct intensity ratios of elemental colors, such as yellow and red, odors are likely perceived as multiple elemental odors hierarchically that the intensities of elemental odors are in order of dominance. For example, in a mixture of rose and fox-unique predator odors, robust rose odor alleviates the fear of mice to predator odors. Moreover, although occult blood odor is stronger than bladder cancer-characteristic odor in urine samples, sniffer mice can discriminate bladder cancer odor in occult blood-positive urine samples. In forced-choice odor discrimination tasks for pairs of enantiomers or pairs of body odors vs. cancer-induced body odor disorders, sniffer mice discriminated against learned olfactory cues in a wide range of concentrations, where correct choice rates decreased in the Fechner's law, as perceptual ambiguity increased. In this mini-review, we summarize the current knowledge of how the olfactory system encodes and hierarchically decodes multiple elemental odors to control odor-driven behaviors.
Hippocampal but Not Serum Cytokine Levels Are Altered by Traffic-Related Air Pollution in TgF344-AD and Wildtype Fischer 344 Rats in a Sex- and Age-Dependent Manner
Authors: Patten Kelley T. , Valenzuela Anthony E. , Wallis Christopher , Harvey Danielle J. , Bein Keith J. , Wexler Anthony S. , Gorin Fredric A. , Lein Pamela J.
Published: April 2022

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that air pollution is a significant risk factor for age-related dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It has been posited that traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) promotes AD neuropathology by exacerbating neuroinflammation. To test this hypothesis, serum and hippocampal cytokines were quantified in male and female TgF344-AD rats and wildtype (WT) Fischer 344 littermates exposed to TRAP or filtered air (FA) from 1 to 15 months of age. Luminex™ rat 23-cytokine panel assays were used to measure the levels of hippocampal and serum cytokines in 3-, 6-, 10-, and 15-month-old rats (corresponding to 2, 5, 9, and 14 months of exposure, respectively). Age had a pronounced effect on both serum and hippocampal cytokines; however, age-related changes in hippocampus were not mirrored in the serum and vice versa. Age-related changes in serum cytokine levels were not influenced by sex, genotype, or TRAP exposure. However, in the hippocampus, in 3-month-old TgF344-AD and WT animals, TRAP increased IL-1ß in females while increasing TNF ɑin males. In 6-month-old animals, TRAP increased hippocampal levels of M-CSF in TgF344-AD and WT females but had no significant effect in males. At 10 and 15 months of age, there were minimal effects of TRAP, genotype or sex on hippocampal cytokines. These observations demonstrate that TRAP triggers an early inflammatory response in the hippocampus that differs with sex and age and is not reflected in the serum cytokine profile. The relationship of TRAP effects on cytokines to disease progression remains to be determined.
Alteration of Cortical Volume and Thickness in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: Thapaliya Kiran , Marshall-Gradisnik Sonya , Staines Donald , Su Jiasheng , Barnden Leighton
Published: April 2022

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients suffer from neurocognitive impairment. In this study, we investigated cortical volumetric and thickness changes in ME/CFS patients and healthy controls (HC). We estimated mean surface-based cortical volume and thickness from 18 ME/CFS patients who met International Consensus Criteria (ICC) and 26 HC using FreeSurfer. Vertex-wise analysis showed significant reductions in the caudal middle frontal gyrus (p = 0.0016) and precuneus (p = 0.013) thickness in ME/CFS patients compared with HC. Region based analysis of sub-cortical volumes found that amygdala volume (p = 0.002) was significantly higher in ME/CFS patients compared with HC. We also performed interaction-with-group regressions with clinical measures to test for cortical volume and thickness correlations in ME/CFS with opposite slopes to HC (abnormal). ME/CFS cortical volume and thickness regressions with fatigue, heart-rate variability, heart rate, sleep disturbance score, respiratory rate, and cognitive performance were abnormal. Our study demonstrated different cortical volume and thickness in ME/CFS patients and showed abnormal cortical volume and thickness regressions with key symptoms of ME/CFS patients.
Brain Imaging Changes in Patients Recovered From COVID-19: A Narrative Review
Authors: Huang Yan , Ling Qiong , Manyande Anne , Wu Duozhi , Xiang Boqi
Published: April 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused several outbreaks of highly contagious respiratory diseases worldwide. The respiratory symptoms of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) have been closely monitored and studied, while the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral system (PNS) lesions induced by COVID-19 have not received much attention. Currently, patients with COVID-19-associated encephalopathy present with dizziness, headache, anxiety and depression, stroke, epileptic seizures, the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), and demyelinating disease. The exact pathologic basis for these neurological symptoms is currently not known. Rapid mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 genome leads to the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), which have higher infectivity and virulence. Therefore, this narrative review will focus on the imaging assessment of COVID-19 and its VOC. There has been an increase in technologies, such as [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), that have been used to observe changes in brain microstructure over time in patients with COVID-19 recovery. Medical imaging and pathological approaches aimed at exploring the associations between COVID-19 and its VOC, with cranial nerve and abnormal nerve discharge will shed light on the rehabilitation process of brain microstructural changes related to SARS-CoV-2, and aid future research in our understanding of the treatment and prognosis of COVID-19 encephalopathy.
An Investigation of the Relationship Between Dietary Patterns in Early Pregnancy and Maternal/Infant Health Outcomes in a Chinese Cohort
Authors: de Seymour Jamie V. , Beck Kathryn L. , Conlon Cathryn A. , Jones Mary Beatrix , Colombo John , Xia Yin-Yin , Han Ting-Li , Qi Hong-Bo , Zhang Hua , Baker Philip N.
Published: April 2022

Background

Studies assessing links between maternal diet and pregnancy outcomes have focused predominantly on individual nutrients or foods. However, nutrients are typically consumed in combinations of foods or beverages (i.e., dietary patterns). Taking into account the diet as a whole appreciates that nutrient absorption and metabolism are influenced by other nutrients and the food matrix.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between dietary pattern consumption in early pregnancy and pregnancy/infant outcomes, including gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational weight gain, preeclampsia, placental weight, gestational age at delivery, small-for-gestational-age, large-for-gestational-age, macrosomia, measures of infant body composition, and scores on two main indices of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development [Mental Development Index (MDI) and the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI)] at 12 months.

Design

Our study included 1,437 participants from a mother-infant cohort in Chongqing, China. Maternal diet was assessed using a 96-item food frequency questionnaire at 11–14 weeks gestation. Dietary patterns were constructed using principal component analysis. Multivariate regressions were performed to assess associations between maternal dietary pattern scores and pregnancy and infant outcomes, adjusting for confounders.

Results

Two dietary patterns were derived: a pattern high in pasta, sweetened beverages, and oils and condiments (PSO-based dietary pattern) and a pattern high in fish, poultry, and vegetables (FPV-based dietary pattern). Higher scores on the PSO-based dietary pattern were associated with lower infant standardized scores on the PDI of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, β (95% confidence interval) = −1.276 (−2.392, −0.160); lower placental weight, β (95% CI) = −6.413 (−12.352g, −0.473); and higher infant's tricep skinfold thickness at 6 weeks of age. β (95% CI) = 0.279 (0.033, 0.526). Higher scores on the FPV-based dietary pattern were associated with higher gestational weight gain between visit 1 (11–14 week's gestation) and 3 (32–34 week's gestation). β (95% CI) = 25.612 (13.255, 37.969). No significant associations were observed between dietary pattern scores and the remaining pregnancy/infant outcomes investigated or MDI scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. This was the first study to investigate the association between dietary patterns in early pregnancy and infant neurocognition in a Chinese cohort.
The Pathology and Physiology of Ileostomy
Authors: Ma Haitao , Li Xiaolong , Yang Hua , Qiu Yuan , Xiao Weidong
Published: April 2022

An ileostomy is a surgery that is commonly performed to protect low pelvic anastomoses or prevent high-risk anastomotic leakages. However, various postoperative complications remain of major concern. After an ileostomy, the distal intestinal segment is left open for an extended period and is in a non-functional state. Consequently, the intestinal mucosa, smooth muscle, and microbiota undergo significant changes that are closely related to postoperative recovery and complications. A systematic description of these changes is necessary to understand the relationship among them and take more effective measures for postoperative intervention.
Skeletal Muscle in Hypoxia and Inflammation: Insights on the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Di Girolamo Filippo G. , Fiotti Nicola , Sisto Ugo G. , Nunnari Alessio , Colla Stefano , Mearelli Filippo , Vinci Pierandrea , Schincariol Paolo , Biolo Gianni
Published: April 2022

SARS-CoV-2 infection is often associated with severe inflammation, oxidative stress, hypoxia and impaired physical activity. These factors all together contribute to muscle wasting and fatigue. In addition, there is evidence of a direct SARS-CoV-2 viral infiltration into skeletal muscle. Aging is often characterized by sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity These conditions are risk factors for severe acute COVID-19 and long-COVID-19 syndrome. From these observations we may predict a strong association between COVID-19 and decreased muscle mass and functions. While the relationship between physical inactivity, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and muscle dysfunction is well-known, the effects on muscle mass of COVID-19-related hypoxemia are inadequately investigated. The aim of this review is to highlight metabolic, immunity-related and redox biomarkers potentially affected by reduced oxygen availability and/or muscle fatigue in order to shed light on the negative impact of COVID-19 on muscle mass and function. Possible countermeasures are also reviewed.
A Preliminary Exploration Using Imaging Methods to Predict the Possibility of the Recurrence of Serous Ovarian Cancer in Patients Undergoing Total Resection
Authors: Fang Mengshi , Huang Shan , Dong Jiangning , Yan Hong , Fang Xin , Zhang Ping , Cao Feng , Chen Yulan , Zhang Qiujun
Published: April 2022

Background

The purpose of our research was to explore the value of preoperative CT and MRI examinations and clinical indicators in the prediction of recurrence of ovarian serous carcinoma in patients who underwent satisfactory staging surgery.

Procedure

Detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria were installed to screen all patients collected and the eligible patients were divided into two groups. The CT and MRI features and some clinical characteristics of two groups were analyzed, in addition, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value in tumor solid region was measured. Univariate analysis was used in this study.

Results

There were 78 patients with histologically proven ovarian serous carcinoma. According to the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, we retained 29 patients (recurrence group: 11 patients, no recurrence group: 18 patients). For the peritoneal implantation metastasis in CT or MRI images and Ki67 proliferation index (Ki67 PI), the differences between two cohorts were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The rate of peritoneal metastasis in the recurrence cohort (10/11, 91%) was higher than that in the no recurrence cohort (7/18, 39%). Patients with high Ki67 PI expression had lower recurrence risk than those with low Ki67 PI expression, HR=0.172 (95%CI: 0.050-0.589, P=0.005), and patients without peritoneal planting had lower recurrence risk than those with it, HR=9.373 (95%CI: 1.194-73.551, P=0.033). For FIGO III patients, ipsilateral fallopian tube involvement was statistically significant between the two groups (P < 0.05). The differences in the other preoperative imaging characteristics of ovarian serous cancer, including the volume; capsule of the mass; main components; ADC value; cystic change; bleeding; degree of enhancement of the mainly solid region in 3 periods; and range of tumor involvement in the ovary, uterus, bladder, bowel, and pelvic wall, were not statistically significant. In addition, the differences in the other clinical indicators (i.e., age, FIGO stage) between the two cohorts were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

In CT and MRI examinations before surgery, peritoneal implantation metastasis was suggestive of the possibility of the recurrence of serous ovarian carcinoma in the near future. In addition to that, ipsilateral fallopian tube involvement and Ki67 PI may also indicate the possibility of recurrence (the former was only applicable to FIGO III patients).
Anti-Tumoral Effect and Action Mechanism of Exosomes Derived From Toxoplasma gondii-Infected Dendritic Cells in Mice Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zhu Shilan , Lu Jinmiao , Lin Zhibing , Abuzeid Asmaa M. I. , Chen Xiaoyu , Zhuang Tingting , Gong Haiyan , Mi Rongsheng , Huang Yan , Chen Zhaoguo , Li Guoqing
Published: April 2022

Toxoplasma gondiiis an obligate intracellular protozoan with anti-tumor activity against a variety of cancers. However, the therapeutic effect ofT. gondiion colorectal cancer is unclear, and using directToxoplasmainfection in immunotherapy involves safety concerns. This study investigated the anti-tumoral effect and mechanism of exosomes derived from dendritic cells (DCs) infected withT. gondii(Me49-DC-Exo). We used differential ultracentrifugation to isolate exosomes from uninfected DCs (DC-Exo) andT. gondiiMe49-infected DCs (Me49-DC-Exo). The isolated exosomes were identified by transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and western blotting. Me49-DC-Exo significantly inhibited the tumor growth and reduced the proportion of M2 macrophages in the blood of tumor-bearing mice.In vitro, Me49-DC-Exo suppressed macrophage (RAW264.7) polarization to M2 phenotype. miRNA sequencing revealed that multiple miRNAs in Me49-DC-Exo were differentially expressed compared with DC-Exo, among which miR-182-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-125b-2-3p, and miR-155-3p were up-regulated, while miR-9-5p was significantly down-regulated. Transfecting mimics or inhibitors of these differential miRNAs into RAW264.7 cells showed that miR-155-5p promoted M1 macrophage polarization while inhibiting M2 macrophage polarization. Bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed the suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) as a direct target of miR-155-5p. Silencing SOCS1 gene expression in RAW264.7 cells increased CD86+CD206−M1 macrophage proportion, and inducible nitric oxide synthase and tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA levels. However, arginase-1 and transglutaminase 2 expression levels decreased. These results suggest that the exosomes inhibit macrophage polarization to M2 phenotype and regulate SOCS1 expression by delivering functional miR-155-5p. These findings provide new ideas for colorectal cancer immunotherapy.
Contralesional Sensorimotor Network Participates in Motor Functional Compensation in Glioma Patients
Authors: Fang Shengyu , Li Lianwang , Weng Shimeng , Guo Yuhao , Zhong Zhang , Fan Xing , Jiang Tao , Wang Yinyan
Published: April 2022

Background

Some gliomas in sensorimotor areas induce motor deficits, while some do not. Cortical destruction and reorganization contribute to this phenomenon, but detailed reasons remain unclear. This study investigated the differences of the functional connectivity and topological properties in the contralesional sensorimotor network (cSMN) between patients with motor deficit and those with normal motor function.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 65 patients (32 men) between 2017 and 2020. The patients were divided into four groups based on tumor laterality and preoperative motor status (deficit or non-deficit). Thirty-three healthy controls (18 men) were enrolled after matching for sex, age, and educational status. Graph theoretical measurement was applied to reveal alterations of the topological properties of the cSMN by analyzing resting-state functional MRI.

Results

The results for patients with different hemispheric gliomas were similar. The clustering coefficient, local efficiency, transitivity, and vulnerability of the cSMN significantly increased in the non-deficit group and decreased in the deficit group compared to the healthy group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the nodes of the motor-related thalamus showed a significantly increased nodal efficiency and nodal local efficiency in the non-deficit group and decreased in the deficit group compared with the healthy group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

We posited the existence of two stages of alterations of the preoperative motor status. In the compensatory stage, the cSMN sacrificed stability to acquire high efficiency and to compensate for impaired motor function. With the glioma growing and the motor function being totally damaged, the cSMN returned to a stable state and maintained healthy hemispheric motor function, but with low efficiency.
HvbZIP21, a Novel Transcription Factor From Wild Barley Confers Drought Tolerance by Modulating ROS Scavenging
Authors: Pan Rui , Buitrago Sebastian , Feng Zhenbao , Abou-Elwafa Salah Fatouh , Xu Le , Li Chengdao , Zhang Wenying
Published: April 2022

Drought stress is a common environmental stress, which adversely affects the yield and quality of crops. Due to its excellent drought tolerance, wild barley from the Middle East region is considered a valuable source for barley improvement. Here, we compared the growth rate, stomatal regulation and capacity to metabolize reactive oxygen species (ROS) of two barley cultivars and one wild barley accession. The results indicated the wild barley EC_S1 showed a more significant decline in stomatal aperture and less ROS production. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that EC_S1 has slower transcriptional regulation (5,050 DEGs) in the early stage of drought stress (14 days) than Baudin (7,022 DEGs) and Tadmor (6,090 DEGs). In addition, 30 hub genes, including nine known drought-related genes were identified by WGCNA analysis. Then, we cloned a novel bZIP transcription factor, HvbZIP21, from EC_S1. HvbZIP21 was subcellularly targeted to the nucleus. Overexpression of HvbZIP21 in Arabidopsis enhanced drought tolerance due to increasing activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities as well as glutathione content. Silencing of HvbZIP21 in EC_S1 suppressed drought tolerance in BSMV:HvbZIP21-inoculated plants. Taken together, our findings suggest that HvbZIP21 play a critical role in drought tolerance by manipulating ROS scavenging.
The Influence of Serum Uric Acid on the Brain and Cognitive Dysfunction
Authors: Mijailovic Natasa R. , Vesic Katarina , Borovcanin Milica M.
Published: April 2022

Uric acid is commonly known for its bad reputation. However, it has been shown that uric acid may be actively involved in neurotoxicity and/or neuroprotection. These effects could be caused by oxidative stress or inflammatory processes localized in the central nervous system, but also by other somatic diseases or systemic conditions. Our interest was to summarize and link the current data on the possible role of uric acid in cognitive functioning. We also focused on the two putative molecular mechanisms related to the pathological effects of uric acid—oxidative stress and inflammatory processes. The hippocampus is a prominent anatomic localization included in expressing uric acid's potential impact on cognitive functioning. In neurodegenerative and mental disorders, uric acid could be involved in a variety of ways in etiopathogenesis and clinical presentation. Hyperuricemia is non-specifically observed more frequently in the general population and after various somatic illnesses. There is increasing evidence to support the hypothesis that hyperuricemia may be beneficial for cognitive functioning because of its antioxidant effects but may also be a potential risk factor for cognitive dysfunction, in part because of increased inflammatory activity. In this context, gender specificities must also be considered.
EXP-Crowd: A Gamified Crowdsourcing Framework for Explainability
Authors: Tocchetti Andrea , Corti Lorenzo , Brambilla Marco , Celino Irene
Published: April 2022

The spread of AI and black-box machine learning models made it necessary to explain their behavior. Consequently, the research field of Explainable AI was born. The main objective of an Explainable AI system is to be understood by a human as the final beneficiary of the model. In our research, we frame the explainability problem from the crowds point of view and engage both users and AI researchers through a gamified crowdsourcing framework. We research whether it's possible to improve the crowds understanding of black-box models and the quality of the crowdsourced content by engaging users in a set of gamified activities through a gamified crowdsourcing framework named EXP-Crowd. While users engage in such activities, AI researchers organize and share AI- and explainability-related knowledge to educate users. We present the preliminary design of a game with a purpose (G.W.A.P.) to collect features describing real-world entities which can be used for explainability purposes. Future works will concretise and improve the current design of the framework to cover specific explainability-related needs.