bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review of top five financial markets during the pandemic times
Authors: Awan Tahir Mumtaz , Maqsood Jamal
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this paper is to jot down the devastating impacts of COVID-19 towards the top five financial markets of the world and to see how they reacted back in different phases of COVID-19 from start till July 2020. The review is based on the financial market news, blogs, the governmental, and other financial bodies’ websites. The effects of the pandemic are like the damage never seen before in a much shorter time, vanishing a quarter portion of wealth in about a month and creating continuous uncertainties for investors throughout. China despite being the virus origin still performed well and better among all top markets whereas the rest all the stock exchanges remained inconsistent. This paper is the first of its kind to review the COVID-19 effects on the top five global stock markets and the governmental responses towards them. The study along with contributing to the existing literature is also assisting investors, analysts, specialists, and authorities to analyze their opinions with respect to stock markets performances, government responses, and their future market-related decisions.
Chapter 5.3a Mount Early and Sheridan Bluff: volcanology
Authors: Smellie John L. , Panter Kurt S. , Reindel Jenna
Published: March 2021

Two small monogenetic volcanoes are exposed at Mount Early and Sheridan Bluff, in the upper reaches of Scott Glacier. In addition, the presence of abundant fresh volcanic detritus in moraines at two other localities suggests further associated volcanism, now obscured by the modern Antarctic ice sheet. One of those occurrences has been attributed to a small subglacial volcano only
c.
200 km from South Pole, making it the southernmost volcano in the world. All of the volcanic outcrops in the Scott Glacier region are grouped in a newly defined Upper Scott Glacier Volcanic Field, which is part of the McMurdo Volcanic Group (Western Ross Supergroup). The volcanism is early Miocene in age (
c.
25–16 Ma), and the combination of tholeiitic and alkaline mafic compositions differs from the more voluminous alkaline volcanism in the West Antarctic Rift System. The Mount Early volcano was erupted subglacially, when the contemporary ice was considerably thicker than present. By contrast, lithologies associated with the southernmost volcano, currently covered by 1.5 km of modern ice, indicate that it was erupted when any associated ice was either much thinner or absent. The eruptive setting for Sheridan Bluff is uncertain and is still being investigated.
The (Im)possibility of fairness
Authors: Friedler Sorelle A. , Scheidegger Carlos , Venkatasubramanian Suresh
Published: March 2021

What does it mean to be fair?
Everything VPN is new again
Authors: Crawshaw David
Published: March 2021

The 24-year-old security model has found a second wind.
Application and Clinical Analysis of Remote Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Platform in Continuous Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Images
Authors: Yang Xuan , Zhang Ke , He Jianhu
Published: March 2021

Fetal heart sound is an important part of fetal monitoring and has attracted extensive research and attention from scholars at home and abroad in recent years. The fetal heart rate, extracted from the fetal heart sound signal, is one of the important indicators that reflect the health of the fetus in the womb. In this study, a maternal-fetal Holter monitor based on f ECG technology was used to collect maternal heart rate, fetal heart rate, and uterine contractions signals, isolate the fetal heart rate, and design an algorithm to extract the fetal heart rate baseline, acceleration, variation, wake-up cycle, and nonlinear parameters. Using statistical methods to analyze the average value and range of various characteristic parameters of fetal heart rate under continuous long-term monitoring, the results show that the baseline has a downward trend from 10 o’clock in the night to 4 o’clock in the morning and is the lowest around 2 o’clock in the morning. The area and acceleration time were significantly higher than those in the suspicious group. However, there was no significant difference in the number of acceleration values between the two groups; the proportion of small mutations in the normal group was lower than that of the suspicious group and the proportion of medium mutations was higher than that of the suspicious group. There is no statistically significant difference in maternal age, gestational age at childbirth, pregnancy comorbidities, and complication rates in the five-level interpretation system of ACOG (2009), RCOG (2007), SOGC (2007), and the United States (2007). The difference of pregnancy and parity in various images was statistically significant,

P

 < 0.05. The second type of fetal heart rate monitoring images appeared in the highest among the diagnostic standards, and the difference in the second type of fetal heart rate monitoring images between the various diagnostic standards was statistically significant,

P

 ≤ 0.001.
Remineralization Potential of Nanohydroxyapatite Toothpaste Compared with Tricalcium Phosphate and Fluoride Toothpaste on Artificial Carious Lesions
Authors: Juntavee Apa , Juntavee Niwut , Hirunmoon Praewpan
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Nanohydroxyapatite (nano-HA) has been utilized as an alternative agent for dental enamel remineralization. This study compared remineralization potential of nano-HA toothpaste (NHT), functionalized tricalcium phosphate toothpaste (TCPT), and fluoride toothpaste (FT) on carious lesions. Materials and Methods. Sixty extracted human premolars were prepared for artificial carious lesions with synthetic polymer gel. Samples were divided into four groups according to testing agents: NHT, TCPT, FT, and one group with no treatment (NT). Each group was subjected to pH-cycling with the application of toothpaste in slurry form twice a day (2-min each) for 10 days. Surface microhardness was measured before demineralization, after demineralization, and after pH-cycling. Hardness at different periods, percentage of hardness recovery (% HR), and percentage of remineralization potential (%RP) were determined and statistically analyzed with ANOVA and Tukey comparisons (α = 0.05). Polarized light microscopy (PLM) was utilized to assess lesion depth. Results. Significant remineralization of carious lesions was observed among different toothpastes compared to NT (

p
<
0.05

). No significant difference in remineralization potential was found among NHT, TCPT, and FT (

p
>
0.05

). No significant difference in % HR and % RP was seen among NHT, TCPT, and FT (

p
>
0.05

). PLM indicated a greater decrease in carious depth upon using NHT compared to TCPT and FT, with minimal increase in depth for NT. Conclusions. NHT has comparable capability to TCPT and FT in hardness recovery. However, decrease in carious depth was evidenced with PLM for NHT more than TCPT and FT. Thus, NHT was suggested as a potential remineralization product for treating initial carious lesions. Clinical Significance. The study showed that NHT had the potential to remineralize artificial carious lesion. It was confirmed in potential in the lesion depth reduction and forming a new enamel layer. NHT showed its capability as an alternative for dental caries therapeutic.
Discrepancy between Forward and Reverse Seepage Characteristics in a Single Rough Fracture
Authors: Niu Yulong , Wang Yuan , Sun Zhiyu , Li Jinghua , Xiang Xin , Wang Zhikui
Published: March 2021

Under the uniform seepage boundary condition, the forward and reverse seepage flow rates will vary widely. In response to this phenomenon, this paper studies the mechanism of the difference in seepage characteristics between the forward and reverse directions from the fracture profile’s roughness, Darcy and non‐Darcy seepage, and distribution of eddy currents. First of all, wavelet transform was used to decompose and reconstruct the single rough fracture for 8 times, and then 9 fracture models with various roughness degrees were constructed. Then, Finite Volume Method was used to simulate the seepage in the original and approximate models of the Reynolds number varying from 0.001 to 1000. The results show that the nonlinear seepage is necessary for the difference between the forward and reverse seepage characteristics of the single rough fracture. The mechanism of the discrepancy between forward and reverse nonlinear seepages is the diverse shapes and distribution of the eddy current generated by the forward and reverse seepage. The secondary roughness provides space for the existence and development of the eddy current. The secondary roughness is the geometric basis of the discrepancy between the forward and reverse seepage characteristics.
Extemporaneous Compounding and Physiological Modeling of Amlodipine/Valsartan Suspension
Authors: Aabed Wafa’ J. , Radwan Asma H. , Zaid Abdel Naser , Shraim Naser Y.
Published: March 2021

Background and Objectives. In case of absent liquid dosage form, crushing a tablet or dispersing a capsule would be the most convenient option for using these drugs in patients with dysphagia difficulties. The aims of the study were to prepare an extemporaneous suspension of amlodipine and valsartan from the available commercial tablets and to evaluate the stability and dissolution properties of the compounded suspension. Method. Amlodipine/valsartan extemporaneous suspension was prepared from available commercial tablets such as Valzadepine®. The dissolution profiles for the extemporaneous preparation and the commercial tablet were determined in different pH media. The physical, chemical, and microbial stability of the compounded formulation was evaluated over one-month period at room temperature. Moreover, in silico modeling using GastroPlus™ software was used to build absorption models for both drugs based on the in vitro dissolution data. The simulated plasma profiles for both active ingredients were compared with the in vivo plasma profiles to examine the similarity of the extemporaneous suspension and the commercial tablets. Results. The amlodipine/valsartan extemporaneous suspension was successfully prepared with acceptable organoleptic properties. The suspension was stable for four-week period preserving its physical and chemical features. The release profiles of valsartan and amlodipine from the suspension were similar to those from source tablet Valzadepine®. In silico modeling predicted the similarity of the extemporaneous suspension and the commercial tablets. Conclusion. Amlodipine/valsartan extemporaneous suspension could be prepared from available commercial tablets. Moreover, GastroPlus™ can be applied along with the in vitro dissolution in order to affirm similarity in extemporaneous compounding situations.
Investigation of PPARβ/δ within Human Dental Pulp Cells: A Preliminary In Vitro Study
Authors: de Lima Caroline L. , Amorim Bruna R. , Royer Carine , Resende Augusto P. , Borin Maria F. , Neves Francisco A. R. , Acevedo Ana Carolina
Published: March 2021

Controlling the inflammatory response to restore tissue homeostasis is a crucial step to maintain tooth vitality after pathogen removal from caries-affected dental tissues. The nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta/delta (PPARβ/δ) is a ligand-activated transcription factor with emerging anti-inflammatory roles in many cells and tissues. However, its expression and functions are poorly understood in human dental pulp cells (hDPCs). Thus, this study evaluated PPARβ/δ expression and assessed the anti-inflammatory effects evoked by activation of PPARβ/δ in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced hDPCs. Our results showed that hDPCs constitutively expressed PPARβ/δ mRNA/protein, and treatment with LPS increased PPARβ/δ mRNA expression. The selective PPARβ/δ agonist GW0742 significantly decreased inflammation-related mRNA expression in hDPCs (IL6, IL1β, TNFα, MMP1, and MMP2) and RAW264.7 cells (Il6 and Tnfα). Further, PPARβ/δ agonist attenuated MMP2/9 gelatinolytic activity in hDPCs. Previously LPS-conditioned hDPCs increased the migration of RAW264.7 cells through the membrane of a Transwell coculture system. Conversely, pretreatment with GW0742 markedly decreased macrophage recruitment. These findings provide among the first evidence that hDPCs express PPARβ/δ. In addition, they suggest that activation of PPARβ/δ by GW0742 can attenuate some cellular and molecular in vitro aspects related to the inflammatory process, pointing out to investigate its potential target role in dental pulp inflammation.
Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity: The Role of Endothelial Dysfunction
Authors: Grakova Elena V. , Shilov Sergey N. , Kopeva Kristina V. , Berezikova Ekaterina N. , Popova Anna A. , Neupokoeva Maria N. , Ratushnyak Elena T. , Teplyakov Alexander T.
Published: March 2021

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality accounting up to 40% of all deaths, but, currently, cancer is prominent cause of death globally. Anthracyclines are the cornerstone of chemotherapy in women with breast cancer. However, its clinical use is limited by their cardiotoxic effects that can trigger heart failure development. Vascular toxicity of chemotherapy may be linked with endothelial dysfunction because anthracycline damage of endothelial cells can lead to the development and progression of cardiomyopathy by decreasing the release and activity of endothelial factors and, ultimately, endothelial cell death. These processes suppress anti-inflammatory and vascular reparative functions and initiate the development of future cardiovascular events. Recent studies have shown that chemotherapy may induce toxicity in the vascular endothelium and is accompanied by systemic endothelial dysfunction in patients with diagnosed cardiovascular diseases. Because the initial endothelial cell insult is likely asymptomatic, there is often a long delay between the termination of doxorubicin therapy and the onset of vascular disorders. In this case, genetic susceptibility factor will help to identify susceptible patients in the future. The objectives of this study were to evaluate prognostic role of molecular (endothelin-1) and genetic factors (gene polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS3, rs1799983), endothelin-1 receptor type A (EDNRA, C+70G, rs5335) and NADPH oxidase (C242T, rs4673) in development of endothelial dysfunction and anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in women without cardiovascular diseases.
The Impact of Intrinsic Capacity on Adverse Outcomes in Older Hospitalized Patients: A One-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Zeng Xingkun , Shen Shanshan , Xu Liyu , Wang Yanyan , Yang Yinghong , Chen Lingyan , Guan Huilan , Zhang Jingmei , Chen Xujiao
Published: March 2021

Background: Intrinsic capacity (IC) is a novel view focusing on healthy aging. The effect of IC on adverse outcomes in older hospitalized Chinese adults is rarely studied. Objectives: This study focused on investigating the impact of IC domains on the adverse health outcomes including new activities of daily living (ADL) dependency, new instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) dependency, and mortality over a 1-year follow-up. Methods: In a retrospective observational population-based study, a total of 329 older hospitalized patients from Zhejiang Hospital in China were enrolled and completed 1-year follow-up. The 5 domains of IC including cognition, locomotion, sensory, vitality, and psychological capacity were assessed at admission. The IC composite score was calculated based on these domains, and the higher IC composite score indicated the greater amount of functional capacities reserved. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the association between IC at baseline and 1-year adverse outcomes. Results: During the 1-year follow-up, 69 patients (22.5%) experienced new ADL dependency, 103 patients (33.6%) suffered from new IADL dependency, and 22 patients (6.7%) died. After adjusting for age, sex, education level, comorbidities, and polypharmacy, low Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores at admission predicted 1-year new ADL dependency (odds ratio [OR] = 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–4.78) and new IADL dependency (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.14–4.04) among older hospitalized patients, but no significance was obtained between IC domains and mortality. Higher IC composite score at admission was associated with decreased risks of 1-year new ADL dependency (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.40–0.70) and new IADL dependency (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.61–0.95), and 1-year mortality (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.31–0.74) after adjustment for the possible confounders. Conclusions: Loss of ICs at admission predicted adverse health outcomes including new ADL and IADL dependency and mortality 1 year after discharge among older hospitalized patients.
Simvastatin Prevents Neurodegeneration in the MPTP Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease via Inhibition of A1 Reactive Astrocytes
Authors: Du Ren-Wei , Bu Wen-Guang
Published: March 2021

Emerging evidence indicates that A1 reactive astrocytes play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Thus, development of agents that could inhibit the formation of A1 reactive astrocytes could be used to treat PD. Simvastatin has been touted as a potential neuroprotective agent for neurologic disorders such as PD, but the specific underlying mechanism remains unclear. The 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of PD and primary astrocytes/neurons were prepared to investigate the effects of simvastatin on PD and its underlying mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. We show that simvastatin protects against the loss of dopamine neurons and behavioral deficits in the MPTP mouse model of PD. We also found that simvastatin suppressed the expression of A1 astrocytic specific markers in vivo and in vitro. In addition, simvastatin alleviated neuron death induced by A1 astrocytes. Our findings reveal that simvastatin is neuroprotective via the prevention of conversion of astrocytes to an A1 neurotoxic phenotype. In light of simvastatin favorable properties, it should be evaluated in the treatment of PD and related neurologic disorders characterized by A1 reactive astrocytes.
Reference Intervals for Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation and the Relation With Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Authors: Holder Sophie M. , Bruno Rosa Maria , Shkredova Daria A. , Dawson Ellen A. , Jones Helen , Hopkins Nicola D. , Hopman Maria T.E. , Bailey Tom G. , Coombes Jeff S. , Askew Christopher D. , Naylor Louise , Maiorana Andrew , Ghiadoni Lorenzo , Thompson Andrew , Green Daniel J. , Thijssen Dick H.J.
Published: March 2021

Endothelial function, assessed using brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), predicts future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study established age- and sex-specific reference intervals for brachial artery FMD in healthy individuals and examined the relation with CVD risk factors. In a retrospective study design, we pooled brachial artery FMD (acquired according to expert-consensus guidelines for FMD protocol and analysis) and participant characteristics/medical history from 5362 individuals (4–84 years; 2076 females). Healthy individuals (n=1403 [582 females]) were used to generate age-/sex-specific percentile curves. Subsequently, we included individuals with CVD risk factors, without overt disease (unmedicated n=3167 [1247 females] and medicated n=792 [247 females]). Multiple linear regression tested the relation of CVD risk factors (body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking) with FMD. Healthy males showed a negative, curvilinear relation between FMD and age, while females revealed a negative linear relation that started higher but declined at a faster rate than males. Age- and sex-specific differences in FMD relate, at least partly, to baseline artery diameter. FMD was related to CVD risk factors in unmedicated (eg, systolic/diastolic blood pressure) and medicated individuals (eg, diabetes/dyslipidemia). Sex mediated some of these effects (
P
<0.05), with normalization of FMD in medicated men, but not women with dyslipidemia. In conclusion, sex alters the age-related decline in FMD, which may partly be explained through differences in baseline diameter. Sex also alters the influence of some CVD risk factors and medication on FMD. This work improves interpretation and future use of the FMD technique.
BEX1
Is Differentially Expressed in Aldosterone-Producing Adenomas and Protects Human Adrenocortical Cells From Ferroptosis
Authors: Yang Yuhong , Tetti Martina , Vohra Twinkle , Adolf Christian , Seissler Jochen , Hristov Michael , Belavgeni Alexia , Bidlingmaier Martin , Linkermann Andreas , Mulatero Paolo , Beuschlein Felix , Reincke Martin , Williams Tracy Ann
Published: March 2021

Aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) are a major cause of primary aldosteronism. Somatic mutations in ion channels and transporters drive the aldosterone overproduction in the majority of APAs with mutations in the KCNJ5 G protein-coupled potassium channel predominating in most reported populations. Our objective was to gain insight into biological mechanisms of APA tumorigenesis by comparing transcriptomes of APAs of distinct sizes by mRNA sequencing analysis (9 APAs with adenoma diameter ≥30 mm versus 12 APAs ≤10 mm). Genes with significantly altered expression levels between these 2 groups were identified in APAs with no mutation detected (348 genes) and with a
KCNJ5
mutation (155 genes). We validated the differential expression of 10 genes with a known function related to cell death and proliferation in an expanded sample set of 71 APAs by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (58 macro-APAs, diameter ≥10 mm; 13 micro-APAs, diameter <10 mm). We focused on
BEX1
that was upregulated in micro-APAs relative to macro-APAs (2.76-fold,
P
<0.001) and compared with paired adrenal cortex (3.85-fold,
P
<0.05), and showed a linear negative correlation with APA diameter in the no mutation detected group (r=−0.501,
P
=0.007). Compared with control cells, stable expression of BEX1 in human adrenocortical cells did not alter cell cycle progression or sensitivity to apoptosis but conferred protection from ferroptosis (
P
<0.01), a form of regulated cell death, measured by flow cytometry. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that BEX1 promotes cell survival in adrenal cells by mediating the inhibition of ferroptosis and suggest a function for
BEX1
in the pathogenesis of APAs.
Abnormal Left‐Hemispheric Sulcal Patterns in Adults With Simple Congenital Heart Defects Repaired in Childhood
Authors: Asschenfeldt Benjamin , Evald Lars , Yun Hyuk Jin , Heiberg Johan , Østergaard Leif , Grant P. Ellen , Hjortdal Vibeke Elisabeth , Im Kiho , Eskildsen Simon Fristed
Published: March 2021

Background

Children operated on for a simple congenital heart defect (CHD) are at risk of neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Abnormal cortical development and folding have been observed in fetuses with CHD. We examined whether sulcal folding patterns in adults operated on for simple CHD in childhood differ from those of healthy controls, and whether such differences are associated with neuropsychological outcomes.

Methods and Results

Patients (mean age, 24.5 years) who underwent childhood surgery for isolated atrial septal defect (ASD; n=33) or ventricular septal defect (VSD; n=30) and healthy controls (n=37) were enrolled. Sulcal pattern similarity to healthy controls was determined using magnetic resonance imaging and looking at features of sulcal folds, their intersulcal relationships, and sulcal graph topology. The sulcal pattern similarity values were tested for associations with comprehensive neuropsychological scores. Patients with both ASD and VSD had decreased sulcal pattern similarity in the left hemisphere compared with controls. The differences were found in the left temporal lobe in the ASD group and in the whole left hemisphere in the VSD group (
P
=0.033 and
P
=0.039, respectively). The extent of abnormal left hemispheric sulcal pattern similarity was associated with worse neuropsychological scores (intelligence, executive function, and visuospatial abilities) in the VSD group, and special educational support in the ASD group.

Conclusions

Adults who underwent surgery for simple CHD in childhood display altered left hemisphere sulcal folding patterns, commensurate with neuropsychological scores for patients with VSD and special educational support for ASD. This may indicate that simple CHD affects early brain development.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT03871881.
Role of Option of Defect in Tenders: A Study under Omani Law
Authors: al-Qassaymeh Maen Mohammad , AlOmran Nayel Musa Shaker
Published: March 2021

Option of defect is an important theory regulated in Omani Civil Law. It gives the injured party in bilateral contracts an option to rescind the contract if they find a defect in the subject matter of the contract. This theory is deemed a legal basis to refuse objects of sale by tender. In particular, it is useful when a guarantee that is given to the governmental body is insufficient to cover damages, due to bad performance of the contract. This article discusses how the option of defect is applied to sale by tender in Omani law.
الغنى مفهوما أخلاقيا عند الصوفية إلى حدود نهاية القرن السابع الهجري
Authors: Harrous (حفيظ هروس) Hafid
Published: March 2021

الخلاصة

يعتبر الغنى من المفاهيم المهمة في حقل التصوف، فقد طوّره الصوفية ليفيد العديد من المدلولات الأخلاقية، ولم ينظروا إليه فقط باعتباره مقاما يسعى السالك لتحصيله في خويصة نفسه، ولكن أيضا باعتباره خلقا للتعامل مع الناس، وتعاليا للنفس عن الانبهار بمظاهر الإثراء المادي، وهو بذلك يُجيب على الكثير من التحديات والأمراض التي تطرحها الاضطرابات السلوكية المرتبطة بالقيم المادية، ويمكن أن يُشكل مدخلا لأخلاقيات المعالجات النفسية لأمراض التملك. لكن قبل أن يستقر هذا المفهوم على هذه الدلالات مرّ بمراحل عديدة في حياته الدلالية، ابتداء من القرآن والسنة والشعر العربي المبكر، ووصولا إلى الأدبيات والطرق الصوفية المكتملة نظريا والمنظمة عمليا‫.‬
Clerodendrum angustipetalum, a new species of Clerodendrum (Lamiaceae) from Thailand

Authors: SATTHAPHORN JIRATTHI , PATON ALAN J. , LEERATIWONG CHARAN
Published: March 2021

Clerodendrum angustipetalum (Lamiaceae), an endemic species to Narathiwat province, southern Thailand, is described and illustrated as a species new to science. It is similar to C. nutans in having an elongate pendulous inflorescence, but   essentially differs in the thicker leaf texture (subcoriaceous vs membranaceous), the calyx tube being almost twice as long and the corolla lobes being half as broad. In addition, the new species has longer calyx lobes, corolla lobes and stamens.  The conservation status of this species is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR, B2a + b(ii, iii)+C2ai+D)  due to being known from a single locality with a small population of less than 50 individuals. A morphological comparison between similar species and an updated key to Clerodendrum species with pendulous inflorescences from southern Thailand is also presented.
Taxonomy and phylogeny of Koinocystididae (Platyhelminthes, Kalyptorhynchia), with the description of three new genera and twelve new species
Authors: DIEZ YANDER L. , MONNENS MARLIES , AGUIRRE ROSA ISABEL , YURDUSEVEN RANA , JOUK PHILIPPE , VAN STEENKISTE NIELS W. L. , LEANDER BRIAN S. , SCHOCKAERT ERNEST , REYGEL PATRICK , SMEETS KAREN , ARTOIS TOM
Published: March 2021

The taxon Koinocystididae is the third most species-rich family within Eukalyptorhynchia. However, its diversity and phylogeny have been largely neglected in former studies. We introduce three new genera and twelve new species of Koinocystididae including Simplexcystis asymmetrica gen. n. sp. n., Galapagetula cubensis sp. n., eight species of Reinhardorhynchus gen. n. and two species of Itaipusa. This raises the total number of species within Koinocystididae from 51 to 63. We also report on new distribution records for six known species: I. divae (Cuba, Panama and New Caledonia), I. karlingi (Sardinia and Lanzarote), Reinhardorhynchus riegeri comb. n. (Cuba), R. ruffinjonesi comb. n. (Cuba and Panama), Utelga heinckei (Cuba and Lanzarote), and U. pseudoheinckei (Sardinia). Simplexcystis asymmetrica gen. n. sp. n. is characterised by a male duct running eccentrically through the copulatory bulb, lack of any hard structures in the male system, lack of a bursa, and the fact that the epithelia of the female, the male, and part of the common atrium are covered by a brush border. Galapagetula cubensis sp. n. has a caudal gonopore, a divisa-type copulatory bulb with an unarmed penis papilla, and a female duct without a sphincter. The new species of Itaipusa and Reinhardorhynchus gen. n. differ from their congeners in the detailed structure of the copulatory bulb and especially the hard structures associated with it. In a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on all available 18S and 28S rDNA sequences of koinocystidids, we found support for the monophyly of the family and the genus Utelga Marcus, 1949. The genus Itaipusa is not monophyletic in that I. sinensis forms a clade with Rhinolasius dillonicus, while other species of Itaipusa that have a copulatory bulb armed with hooks form a clade together with Sekerana stolzi. As the type species of Itaipusa (I. divae) is in neither of these clades, we erected a new genus for I. sinensis (Koinogladius gen. n.) and one for species of Itaipusa having a hook-bearing copulatory bulb (Reinhardorhynchus gen. n.), respectively. Whether the remaining species of Itaipusa form a monophylum remains uncertain.
Bianchiniite, Ba2(Ti4+V3+)(As2O5)2OF, a new diarsenite mineral from the Monte Arsiccio mine, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy
Authors: Biagioni Cristian , Pasero Marco , Hålenius Ulf , Bosi Ferdinando
Published: March 2021

The new mineral bianchiniite, Ba2(Ti4+V3+)(As2O5)2OF, has been discovered in the Monte Arsiccio mine, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy. It occurs as brown {001} tabular crystals, up to 1 mm across, with a vitreous lustre. It is brittle, with a perfect {001} cleavage. Streak is brownish. In reflected light, bianchiniite is grey, with orange–yellow internal reflections. It is weakly bireflectant, with a very weak anisotropy in shades of grey. Minimum and maximum reflectance data for COM wavelengths [Rmin/Rmax(%), (λ, nm)] are: 5.0/5.8 (470), 5.7/6.5 (546), 5.7/7.0 (589) and 5.2/6.3 (650). Electron microprobe analyses gave (wt.% – average of 10 spot analyses): TiO210.34, V2O33.77, Fe2O33.76, As2O344.36, Sb2O30.22, SrO 0.45, BaO 34.79, PbO 0.28, F 1.77, sum 99.74, –O = F –0.75, total 98.99. On the basis of 12 anions per formula unit, the empirical formula of bianchiniite is (Ba2.00Sr0.04Pb0.02)Σ2.06(Ti4+1.14V3+0.44Fe3+0.42)Σ2.00[(As3.96Sb0.02)Σ3.98O10](O1.18F0.82)Σ2.00. Bianchiniite is tetragonal, space groupI4/mcm, with unit-cell parametersa= 8.7266(4),c= 15.6777(7) Å,V= 1193.91(12) Å3andZ= 8. Its crystal structure was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data toR1= 0.0134 on the basis of 555 unique reflections withFo> 4σ(Fo) and 34 refined parameters. The crystal structure shows columns of corner-sharing [Ti/(V,Fe)]-centred octahedra running alongc, connected alongaandbthrough (As2O5) dimers. A {001} layer of Ba-centred [10+2]-coordinated polyhedra is intercalated between (As2O5) dimers. Bianchiniite has structural relations with fresnoite- and melilite-group minerals. The name honours the two mineral collectors Andrea Bianchini (b. 1959) and Mario Bianchini (b. 1962) for their contribution to the knowledge of the mineralogy of pyrite ± baryte ± iron-oxide ore deposits from the Apuan Alps.
Comparing de novo transcriptome assembly tools in di- and autotetraploid non-model plant species
Authors: Madritsch Silvia , Burg Agnes , Sehr Eva M.
Published: March 2021

Background

Polyploidy is very common in plants and can be seen as one of the key drivers in the domestication of crops and the establishment of important agronomic traits. It can be the main source of genomic repatterning and introduces gene duplications, affecting gene expression and alternative splicing. Since fully sequenced genomes are not yet available for many plant species including crops, de novo transcriptome assembly is the basis to understand molecular and functional mechanisms. However, in complex polyploid plants, de novo transcriptome assembly is challenging, leading to increased rates of fused or redundant transcripts. Since assemblers were developed mainly for diploid organisms, they may not well suited for polyploids. Also, comparative evaluations of these tools on higher polyploid plants are extremely rare. Thus, our aim was to fill this gap and to provide a basic guideline for choosing the optimal de novo assembly strategy focusing on autotetraploids, as the scientific interest in this type of polyploidy is steadily increasing.

Results

We present a comparison of two common (SOAPdenovo-Trans, Trinity) and one recently published transcriptome assembler (TransLiG) on diploid and autotetraploid species of the genera Acer and Vaccinium using Arabidopsis thaliana as a reference. The number of assembled transcripts was up to 11 and 14 times higher with an increased number of short transcripts for Acer and Vaccinium, respectively, compared to A. thaliana. In diploid samples, Trinity and TransLiG performed similarly good while in autotetraploids, TransLiG assembled most complete transcriptomes with an average of 1916 assembled BUSCOs vs. 1705 BUSCOs for Trinity. Of all three assemblers, SOAPdenovo-Trans performed worst (1133 complete BUSCOs).

Conclusion

All three assembly tools produced complete assemblies when dealing with the model organism A. thaliana, independently of its ploidy level, but their performances differed extremely when it comes to non-model autotetraploids, where specifically TransLiG and Trinity produced a high number of redundant transcripts. The recently published assembler TransLiG has not been tested yet on any plant organism but showed highest completeness and full-length transcriptomes, especially in autotetraploids. Including such species during the development and testing of new assembly tools is highly appreciated and recommended as many important crops are polyploid.
Stepwise lactate kinetics in critically ill patients: prognostic, influencing factors, and clinical phenotype
Authors: Tang Bo , Su Longxiang , Li Dongkai , Wang Ye , Liu Qianqian , Shan Guangliang , Long Yun , Liu Dawei , Zhou Xiang
Published: March 2021

Background

To investigate the optimal target e of lactate kinetics at different time during the resuscitation, the factors that influence whether the kinetics achieve the goals, and the clinical implications of different clinical phenotypes.

Methods

Patients with hyperlactatemia between May 1, 2013 and December 31, 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, basic organ function, hemodynamic parameters at ICU admission (T0) and at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, arterial blood lactate and blood glucose levels, cumulative clinical treatment conditions at different time points and final patient outcomes were collected.

Results

A total of 3298 patients were enrolled, and the mortality rate was 12.2%. The cutoff values of lactate kinetics for prognosis at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h were 21%, 40%, 57%, 66%, and 72%. The APACHE II score, SOFA score, heart rate (HR), and blood glucose were risk factors that correlated with whether the lactate kinetics attained the target goal. Based on the pattens of the lactate kinetics, eight clinical phenotypes were proposed. The odds ratios of death for clinical phenotypes VIII, IV, and II were 4.39, 4.2, and 5.27-fold of those of clinical phenotype I, respectively.

Conclusion

Stepwise recovery of lactate kinetics is an important resuscitation target for patients with hyperlactatemia. The APACHE II score, SOFA score, HR, and blood glucose were independent risk factors that influenced achievement of lactate kinetic targets. The cinical phenotypes of stepwise lactate kinetics are closely related to the prognosis.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with developmental coordination disorder: 24-year follow-up of a population-based sample
Authors: Landgren Valdemar , Fernell Elisabeth , Gillberg Christopher , Landgren Magnus , Johnson Mats
Published: March 2021

Background

Although the body of research concerning neurodevelopmental disorders is vast, there is a scarcity of longitudinal studies beyond late adolescence, and of studies taking co-existing disorders into account. The present study aimed to investigate outcome in adulthood for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) combined with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) diagnosed at 6.6 years of age.

Methods

Out of a screening-based population cohort of 589 individuals, 62 (10 female) diagnosed with ADHD+DCD at mean age 6.6 years naïve to stimulant treatment were followed into adulthood through national registries. Results were compared to a screen- and assessment negative population matched group from the same cohort (PM group,n = 51) and a registry-matched (RM group,n = 410) group of the same county and age.

Results

At 30 to 31 years of age, five deaths had occurred; one in the ADHD+DCD group and two each in the comparison groups. In time to event analyses of the composite outcome of any psychiatric disorder, psychotropic prescription, sick pension or criminal sentence, events occurred at a significantly higher rate in the ADHD+DCD group (p = 0.0032, vs PM groupp = 0.0115, vs RM groupp = 0.0054). The ADHD+DCD group had significantly higher rates of psychiatric diagnoses, prescriptions of psychoactive medications and occurrence of sick pension than both comparison groups. Further, the ADHD+DCD group had significantly lower educational attainment compared to both comparison groups, more years with unemployment, and overall higher welfare recipiency. Rates of pain diagnoses and analgesic prescriptions did not separate the groups.

Conclusion

ADHD+DCD entailed a less favorable outcome in adulthood compared to a non-clinical comparison group and a registry-matched population. Neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed upon school entry is of prognostic utility with respect to function in adulthood, and warrants early identification and management.
Expressions of TWIST1 and CD105 markers in colorectal cancer patients and their association with metastatic potential and prognosis
Authors: Fattahi Fahimeh , Saeednejad Zanjani Leili , Vafaei Somayeh , Habibi Shams Zohreh , Kiani Jafar , Naseri Marzieh , Gheytanchi Elmira , Madjd Zahra
Published: March 2021

Background

TWIST1 and CD105, which contribute to tumor malignancy, are overexpressed in cancers. Accordingly, TWIST1 enhances epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes the formation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Also, CD105 is a neoangiogenesis marker in endothelial cells, which is introduced as a CSC marker in tumoral epithelial cells in several types of cancers. The present study was aimed to investigate expressions of TWIST1 and CD105 in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

Methods

Expressions of TWIST1 and CD105 in 250 CRC tissue samples were evaluated using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays (TMAs). In this regard, TWIST1 expression was investigated in the subcellular locations (cytoplasm and nucleus), while CD105 was mapped in endothelial cells and cytoplasmic tumor cells of CRC tissues. The association between the expression of these markers and clinicopathological parameters, as well as survival outcomes were analyzed.

Results

Results indicate a statistically significant association between higher nuclear expression levels of TWIST1 and distant metastases in CRC (P = 0.040) patients. In addition, it was shown that the increased nuclear expression of TWIST1 had a poor prognostic value for disease-specific survival (DSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.042, P = 0.043, respectively) in patients with CRC. Moreover, analysis of CD105 expression level has revealed that there is a statistically significant association between the increased expression of CD105 in tumoral epithelial cells and more advanced TNM stage (P = 0.050).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that nuclear TWIST1 and cytoplasmic CD105 expressions in tumor cells had associations with more aggressive tumor behavior and more advanced diseases in CRC cases.
Simultaneous Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery of bilateral pulmonary nodules
Authors: Lin Shengcheng , Yang Chenglin , Guo Xiaotong , Xu Yafei , Wang Lixu , Wang Zhe , Yu Xin , Wang Chunguang , Yu Zhentao
Published: March 2021

Background

Surgical resection is an appropriate treatment option for synchronous bilateral pulmonary nodules with ground-glass opacities. The applicability of simultaneous uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery is not fully understood. We evaluated the feasibility and safety of performing such surgeries at our hospital.

Methods

Clinical data of 35 patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral pulmonary resection with uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery at our hospital were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

Simultaneous bilateral pulmonary resection with uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed for 35 patients (15 men, 20 women); 97 nodules were operated on, and the average nodule diameter was 11.4 mm (range, 1–38 mm). Computerized tomography showed that most nodules had ground-glass opacity (52/97, 53.6%); solid nodules (24/97, 24.7%) and nodules with mixed ground-glass opacity (21/97, 21.7%) were noted. Surgical resection included lobar-sublobar resection (11/35, 31.4%) and sublobar-sublobar resection (24/35, 68.6%). Wound infection and postoperative 30-day mortality were not observed. Pneumonia was the major postoperative complication, with a higher incidence in the lobar-sublobar group (6/10, 60%) than in the sublobar-sublobar group (4/25, 16%; P = 0.016). Pneumonia did not correlate with operative time (mean, 262.3 ± 108.1 vs. 261.9 ± 87.5 min, P = 0.991), duration of chest drainage (mean, 7.0 ± 4.0 vs 5.4 ± 2.1 days, P = 0.124), and postoperative hospital stay (mean, 10.2 ± 3.6 vs 10.2 ± 6.4 days, P = 0.978). The mean follow-up time was 8 (range, 3–22) months. Recurrence of primary lung cancer or mortality was not noted at the final follow-up.

Conclusions

Simultaneous bilateral pulmonary resection with uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery is feasible and safe for appropriate patients. Simultaneous lobar-sublobar pulmonary resection for bilateral nodules can increase the risk of developing pneumonia.
Prenatal diagnosis of 7 cases with uniparental disomy by utilization of single nucleotide polymorphism array
Authors: Zhou Lili , Zheng Zhaoke , Xu Yunzhi , Lv Xiaoxiao , Xu Chenyang , Xu Xueqin
Published: March 2021

Background

The phenotypes of uniparental disomy (UPD) are variable, which may either have no clinical impact, lead to clinical signs and symptoms. Molecular analysis is essential for making a correct diagnosis. This study involved a retrospective analysis of 4512 prenatal diagnosis samples and explored the molecular characteristics and prenatal phenotypes of UPD using a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array.

Results

Out of the 4512 samples, a total of seven cases of UPD were detected with an overall frequency of 0.16%. Among the seven cases of UPD, two cases are associated with chromosomal aberrations (2/7), four cases (4/7) had abnormal ultrasonographic findings. One case presented with iso-UPD (14), and two case presented with mixed hetero/iso-UPD (15), which were confirmed by Methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA) as maternal UPD (15) associated with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Four cases had iso-UPD for chromosome 1, 3, 14, and 16, respectively; this is consistent with the monosomy rescue mechanism. Another three cases presented with mixed hetero/isodisomy were consistent with a trisomy rescue mechanism.

Conclusion

The prenatal phenotypes of UPD are variable and molecular analysis is essential for making a correct diagnosis and genetic counselling of UPD. The SNP array is a useful genetic test in prenatal diagnosis cases with UPD.
DNA methylation biomarker for cumulative lead exposure is associated with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Paul Kimberly C. , Horvath Steve , Del Rosario Irish , Bronstein Jeff M. , Ritz Beate
Published: March 2021

Lead, a known neurotoxicant, has previously received attention in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research, but epidemiologic studies have been limited in sample size and findings are equivocal. We generated two methylation-based biomarkers for cumulative tibia and patella bone-measured lead exposure in 1528 PD patients and 1169 controls. PD status was associated with increased levels of the DNAm biomarker for tibia-lead levels. We estimated a meta-OR for PD of 1.89 per unit DNAm tibia-lead increase (95% CI 1.59, 2.24; p = 8.1E−13). The current study supports the notion that chronic and long-term lead exposure tracked via DNAm may contribute to PD pathogenesis.
Birthweight DNA methylation signatures in infant saliva
Authors: Moccia Chiara , Popovic Maja , Isaevska Elena , Fiano Valentina , Trevisan Morena , Rusconi Franca , Polidoro Silvia , Richiardi Lorenzo
Published: March 2021

Background

Low birthweight has been repeatedly associated with long-term adverse health outcomes and many non-communicable diseases. Our aim was to look-up cord blood birthweight-associated CpG sites identified by the PACE Consortium in infant saliva, and to explore saliva-specific DNA methylation signatures of birthweight.

Methods

DNA methylation was assessed using Infinium HumanMethylation450K array in 135 saliva samples collected from children of the NINFEA birth cohort at an average age of 10.8 (range 7–17) months. The association analyses between birthweight and DNA methylation variations were carried out using robust linear regression models both in the exploratory EWAS analyses and in the look-up of the PACE findings in infant saliva.

Results

None of the cord blood birthweight-associated CpGs identified by the PACE Consortium was associated with birthweight when analysed in infant saliva. In saliva EWAS analyses, considering a false discovery rate p-values < 0.05, birthweight as continuous variable was associated with DNA methylation in 44 CpG sites; being born small for gestational age (SGA, lower 10th percentile of birthweight for gestational age according to WHO reference charts) was associated with DNA methylation in 44 CpGs, with only one overlapping CpG between the two analyses. Despite no overlap with PACE results at the CpG level, two of the top saliva birthweight CpGs mapped at genes associated with birthweight with the same direction of the effect also in the PACE Consortium (MACROD1 and RPTOR).

Conclusion

Our study provides an indication of the birthweight and SGA epigenetic salivary signatures in children around 10 months of age. DNA methylation signatures in cord blood may not be comparable with saliva DNA methylation signatures at about 10 months of age, suggesting that the birthweight epigenetic marks are likely time and tissue specific.