bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for cardiocerebrovascular events in primary aldosteronism
Authors: Zhang Cui , Jiang Yiran , Su Tingwei , Jiang Lei , Zhou Weiwei , Zhong Xu , Wu Luming , Wang Weiqing
Published: July 2022

Objective

To explore the prevalence and clinical significance of newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA). Investigating the risk factors for cardiocerebrovascular disease (CCVD) will guide strategies for reducing CCVD in patients with PA.

Methods

We retrospectively included 729 PA patients without DM and conducted oral glucose tolerance tests.

Results

We found that 15.0% of PA patients had newly diagnosed DM. The DM prevalence increased with elevated aldosterone levels [OR = 3.20 (1.77, 5.78), P value < 0.001]. The rate of CCVD in newly diagnosed diabetic PA patients was higher than that in nondiabetic PA patients at diagnosis (11.9% vs. 5.0%, P = 0.005). Furthermore, multivariate logistic analysis revealed that HT duration [1.055 (1.002,1.111), P = 0.041] and newly diagnosed DM [2.600 (1.072,6.303), P = 0.034] were significantly associated with CCVD in PA patients.

Conclusion

The prevalence of newly diagnosed DM in PA patients was higher than that in the general population. Aldosterone level was an independent risk factor for DM not for CCVD. CCVD was correlated with longer HT duration and newly diagnosed DM. Therefore, it is crucial to screen DM at the diagnosis in PA patients.
Cardiometabolic profile of young women with hypoprolactinemia
Authors: Krysiak Robert , Kowalcze Karolina , Okopień Bogusław
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Unlike hyperprolactinemia, clinical significance of prolactin deficiency remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the cardiometabolic profile of patients with low prolactin levels.

Methods

The study population consisted of three groups of young women. Two groups were chronically treated with cabergoline but differed in prolactin levels, which were either abnormally low (group A; n = 16) or within the reference range (group B, n = 23). Group C, serving as a control group, included 28 drug-naïve women with normal prolactin levels. The dose of cabergoline in group A was then tapered down. Glucose homeostasis markers, plasma lipids and circulating levels of hormones, uric acid, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fibrinogen and homocysteine, as well as the carotid intima-media thickness were assessed at baseline and 6 months later.

Results

Compared with subjects with normal prolactin levels, women with hypoprolactinemia had higher levels of 2-h postchallenge glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, uric acid, hsCRP and fibrinogen, lower values of HDL-cholesterol, total testosterone and free androgen index, as well as reduced insulin sensitivity. No differences in these variables were observed between groups B and C. Apart from prolactin normalization, cabergoline dose reduction reversed all laboratory disturbances reported in group A.

Conclusion

The obtained results suggest that hypoprolactinemia in women of reproductive age may increase cardiometabolic risk.
The genus of curves in $${\mathbb {P}}^4$$ and $${\mathbb {P}}^5$$ not contained in quadrics
Authors: Di Gennaro Vincenzo
Published: July 2022

A classical problem in the theory of projective curves is the classification of all their possible genera in terms of the degree and the dimension of the space where they are embedded. Fixed integers r, d, s, Castelnuovo-Halphen’s theory states a sharp upper bound for the genus of a non-degenerate, reduced and irreducible curve of degree d in $${\mathbb {P}}^r$$

P

r

, under the condition of being not contained in a surface of degree $$<s$$

<
s

. This theory can be generalized in several ways. For instance, fixed integers r, d, k, one may ask for the maximal genus of a curve of degree d in $${\mathbb {P}}^r$$

P

r

, not contained in a hypersurface of degree $$<k$$

<
k

. In the present paper we examine the genus of curves C of degree d in $${\mathbb {P}}^r$$

P

r

not contained in quadrics (i.e. $$h^0({\mathbb {P}}^r, {\mathcal {I}}_C(2))=0$$

h
0

(

P

r

,

I
C

(
2
)

)

=
0

). When $$r=4$$

r
=
4

and $$r=5$$

r
=
5

, and $$d\gg 0$$

d
≫
0

, we exhibit a sharp upper bound for the genus. For certain values of $$r\ge 7$$

r
≥
7

, we are able to determine a sharp bound except for a constant term, and the argument applies also to curves not contained in cubics.
Alteration of Trop-2 expression in breast cancer cells by clinically used therapeutic agents and acquired tamoxifen resistance
Authors: Zhu Jing , Wu Wenwen , Togashi Yukiko , Taira Nihira Naoe , Johmura Yoshikazu , Zhu Dajiang , Nakanishi Makoto , Miyoshi Yasuo , Ohta Tomohiko
Published: July 2022

Background

Sacituzumab govitecan is an antibody–drug conjugate that delivers SN-38, an active metabolite of irinotecan, to the target molecule, trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (Trop-2). It is a promising drug for triple-negative breast cancer and is anticipated to be effective for luminal breast cancer. The efficacy of the agent relies on the expression of Trop-2 rather than its intracellular function. However, conditions that alter the Trop-2 expression have not been well investigated.

Methods

We tested a range of clinically related treatments for their effect on Trop-2 expression in cultured breast cancer cell lines.

Results

The expression level of Trop-2 differed among cell lines, independent of their subtypes, and was highly variable on treatment with kinase inhibitors, tamoxifen, irradiation, and chemotherapeutic agents including irinotecan. While inhibitors of AKT, RSK, and p38 MAPK suppressed the Trop-2 expression, tamoxifen treatment significantly increased Trop-2 expression in luminal cancer cell lines. Notably, luminal cancer cells with acquired resistance to tamoxifen also exhibited higher levels of Trop-2. We identified transcription factor EB (TFEB) as a possible mechanism underlying tamoxifen-induced elevation of Trop-2 expression. Tamoxifen triggers dephosphorylation of TFEB, an active form of TFEB, and the effect of tamoxifen on Trop-2 was prevented by depletion of TFEB. A luciferase reporter assay showed that Trop-2 induction by TFEB was dependent on a tandem E-box motif within the Trop-2 promoter region.

Conclusions

Overall, these results suggest that the effectiveness of sacituzumab govitecan could be altered by concomitant treatment and that tamoxifen could be a favorable agent for combined therapy.
The built environment in Social Media: towards a Biosemiotic Approach
Authors: Bellentani Federico , Arkhipova Daria
Published: July 2022

The paper presents a biosemiotic approach to the study of the built environment, its representations and practices in social media. First, it outlines the main developments that make semiotics hold a significant position in the study of urban space and the built environment. It then goes on to overcome the limitations of the binary opposition paradigm: in particular, nature/culture is reconsidered as a category in which the two terms are in a relation of mutual participation rather than being exclusive to each other. Following this, the paper explores three participatory categories that can be useful for the study of the built environment and its social media representations and practices: (a) life/semiosis, (b) natural environment/built environment, (c) text/practice. Finally, it identifies five main topics representing the interplay between the natural and built environment: the interaction of nature and architecture, urban parks, urban agriculture, digital environmentalism and ecotourism.
Leveraging Systematic Reviews to Explore Disease Burden and Costs of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposures in the United States
Authors: Obsekov Vladislav , Kahn Linda G. , Trasande Leonardo
Published: July 2022

Accelerating evidence confirms the contribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to disease burden and disability across the lifespan. Given that policy makers raise the high cost of remediation and of substituting PFAS with safer alternatives in consumer products as barriers to confronting adverse health outcomes associated with PFAS exposure, it is important to document the costs of inaction even in the presence of uncertainty. We therefore quantified disease burdens and related economic costs due to legacy PFAS exposures in the US in 2018. We leveraged systematic reviews and used meta-analytic inputs whenever possible, identified previously published exposure–response relationships, and calculated PFOA- and PFOS-attributable increases in 13 conditions. These increments were then applied to census data to determine total annual PFOA- and PFOS-attributable cases of disease, from which we calculated economic costs due to medical care and lost productivity using previously published cost-of-illness data. We identified PFAS-attributable disease costs in the US of $5.52 billion across five primary disease endpoints shown to be associated with PFAS exposure in meta-analyses. This estimate represented the lower bound, with sensitivity analyses revealing as much as $62.6 billion in overall costs. While further work is needed to assess probability of causation and establish with greater certainty effects of the broader category of PFAS, the results confirm further that public health and policy interventions are still necessary to reduce exposure to PFOA and PFOS and their endocrine-disrupting effects. This study demonstrates the large potential economic implications of regulatory inaction.
Oldest known West Gondwanan graptolite: Ovetograptus? sp. (lower Agdzian/lowest Wuliuan; basal Middle Cambrian) of the Franconian Forest, Germany, and review of pre-Furongian graptolithoids
Authors: Geyer Gerd , Landing Ed , Meier Stefan , Höhn Stefan
Published: July 2022

The occurrence of a likely graptolite in lowest Wuliuan strata of the Franconian Forest almost certainly records the oldest known graptolithoid hemichordate in West Gondwana and possibly the oldest graptolite presently known. The fossil is a delicate, erect, apparently unbranched rhabdosome with narrow thecae tentatively assigned to the poorly known genus Ovetograptus of the Dithecodendridae. This report includes an overview of pre-Furongian graptolithoids with slight corrections on the stratigraphic position of earlier reported species.
CC chemokine receptor 7 promotes macrophage recruitment and induces M2-polarization through CC chemokine ligand 19&21 in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhou Wan-Hang , Wang Yao , Yan Cong , Du Wei-Dong , Al-Aroomi Maged Ali , Zheng Li , Lin Shan-Feng , Gao Jia-Xing , Jiang Sheng , Wang Zeng-Xu , Sun Chang-Fu , Liu Fa-Yu
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the impact of CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) on the recruitment and polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods

We analyzed CCR7 expression pattern, clinicopathological significance, and its association with M2 macrophage infiltration in OSCC by bioinformatic methods. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was utilized to silence CCR7 in OSCC cells. Conditioned media (CM) was harvested from transfected OSCC cells to establish a co-culture model of THP-1 derived macrophages and OSCC cells. Transwell assay and cell adhesion assay were performed to examine the effect of CCR7 on macrophages recruitment and adhesion. Cytoskeleton was labelled by phalloidin to observe macrophage morphological changes. Moreover, phenotypic alteration of macrophages was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Ultimately, recombinant human CCL19 and CCL21 were added into the medium of THP-1 derived macrophages to explore their effects on polarization in vitro.

Results

In OSCC patients, the overexpression of CCR7 positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and M2 macrophage infiltration. Macrophage not only exhibited enhanced migration, invasion and adhesion abilities, but also appeared more spindle and branched in vitro when treated with CM from OSCC cells. However, these phenomena were abrogated with knockdown of CCR7. We also discovered that inhibition of CCR7 in OSCC cells suppressed TAMs polarization to an M2 phenotype. In addition, recombinant human CCL19 and CCL21 promoted macrophage M2-polarization in vitro.

Conclusion

CCR7 in OSCC cells promoted recruitment and M2-polarization of THP-1 derived macrophages in vitro by regulating production of CCL19 and CCL21.
From COVID-19 to Green Recovery with natural capital accounting
Authors: Vardon Michael , Lucas Paul , Bass Steve , Agarwala Matthew , Bassi Andrea M. , Coyle Diane , Dvarskas Anthony , Farrell Catherine A. , Greenfield Oliver , King Steven , Lok Martin , Obst Carl , O’Callaghan Brian , Portela Rosimeiry , Siikamäki Juha
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic and related social and economic emergencies induced massive public spending and increased global debt. Economic recovery is now an opportunity to rebuild natural capital alongside financial, physical, social and human capital, for long-term societal benefit. Yet, current decision-making is dominated by economic imperatives and information systems that do not consider society’s dependence on natural capital and the ecosystem services it provides. New international standards for natural capital accounting (NCA) are now available to integrate environmental information into government decision-making. By revealing the effects of policies that influence natural capital, NCA supports identification, implementation and monitoring of Green Recovery pathways, including where environment and economy are most positively interlinked.
Visitors flow management at Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy
Authors: Attanasio Alessandro , Maravalle Maurizio , Muccini Henry , Rossi Fabrizio , Scatena Gianluca , Tarquini Francesco
Published: July 2022

We present a data-driven solution to manage visitors’ access at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. The goal is to avoid the long lines outside the Museum, improving not only visitors’ experience, but also decency and security in the urban area. The solution implements a queue management system based on two data analytics models, one predictive and one prescriptive, which determine the entry time of each visitor. The system, which requires a minimal hardware and software infrastructure, was on the field from October 2018 to January 2020 during the most crowded visiting days, namely the free access days. First we report on the whole design and implementation process, then we show the solutions effectiveness and discuss the lesson learned.
The Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Children and Adolescents Who Display Harmful Sexual Behaviour: A Review of the Existing Research
Authors: Faure-Walker Dulcie , Hunt Nigel
Published: July 2022

There is no systematic review focusing on the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among children and adolescents who display harmful sexual behaviour (HSB). This study addresses this gap to further our understanding of the aetiology of HSB among children and adolescents. The full text of 87 articles was retrieved and assessed for eligibility, following which 10 articles were deemed relevant for inclusion in the review. These 10 studies were then subjected to quality assessment, data extraction and synthesis. The present review included only studies that used data pertaining to both males and females, and some studies provided a comparison between males and females. There were higher rates of sexual victimisation among females who display HSB. Additionally, child sexual abuse perpetrated by female caregivers is likely to be higher than most of the existing body of research suggests. The findings of the present review corroborate many of the hypotheses discussed in the introduction, emphasising that children and adolescents who display HSB are more likely to have come from backgrounds of trauma, signaling the importance of multi-agency responses, early intervention and the importance of protective factors.
A cost of ownership analysis of batteries in all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles
Authors: Baek Donkyu , Bocca Alberto , Macii Alberto
Published: July 2022

The ever-faster transformation of road vehicles from traditional fuel engines to electric motors, is leading to increasingly widespread research on and development of electric vehicles and related infrastructures. In this context, this article addresses the cost aspect of batteries from the owner’s perspective. Specifically, it proposes an analysis of the optimal usage cost of batteries in order to maximize the benefit-cost ratio and battery replacement intervals. In order to analyze battery degradation, various tests were utilized for both a full-battery electric vehicle (BEV) and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The results demonstrate greater wear of the PHEV battery when the vehicle is under charge-sustaining mode, that is, when using the combustion engine, while driving with frequent starts and stops. On the other hand, the degradation costs of the BEV battery are generally close to optimal in every scenario, in which the main parameter affecting battery wear is average daily mileage.
A Public Justification Framework for Healthy Eating Policies and the Problems with Institutionalising it
Authors: Bistagnino Giulia
Published: July 2022

In their book Healthy Eating Policy and Political Philosophy: A Public Reason Approach, Matteo Bonotti and Anne Barnhill defend a conception of public reason centred on the notion of accessibility and advance an ethical toolkit public health policy makers can use to ensure they are reasoning publicly when designing healthy eating policies. Finally, they propose to institutionalise the process of public reasoning informed by their ethics framework by designing certain procedures of consultation and deliberation. This article focuses on their institutionalisation and raises some doubts and concerns by arguing that the procedures designed by Bonotti and Barnhill may be counterproductive to some of their aims, in particular with respect to citizens’ control, epistemic injustice, and the conception of citizens as free and equal.
Influence of the high granularity calorimeter stainless steel absorbers onto the Compact Muon Solenoid inner magnetic field
Authors: Klyukhin Vyacheslav ,   for the CMS Collaboration
Published: July 2022

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector is a general-purpose experimental setup at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN to investigate the production of new particles in the proton-proton collisions at a centre of mass energy 13 TeV. The third run of the data taken is started in April 2022 and will continue till the end of 2025. Then, during a long shutdown time, the existing CMS hadron endcap calorimeter will be replaced with a new high granularity calorimeter (HGCal) designed for the higher LHC luminosity. The HGCal contains the stainless-steel absorber plates with a relative permeability limited by a value of 1.05 from estimation of the electromagnetic forces acting on this slightly magnetic material. To exclude the surprises with possible perturbation of the inner magnetic flux density in the region of the charged particle tracking system, an influence of this additional material onto the quality of the magnetic field inside the inner tracker volume is investigated at this limited value of the permeability of stainless steel. The three-dimensional model of the CMS magnet is used for this purpose. The method of the magnetic field double integrals characterizing the charged particle momentum resolution the first time is applied to the CMS detector and the first time is described in the journal publication. The results obtained with this method are presented in detail and discussed.
Conserved histidine and tyrosine determine spectral responses through the water network in Deinococcus radiodurans phytochrome
Authors: Lehtivuori Heli , Rumfeldt Jessica , Mustalahti Satu , Kurkinen Sami , Takala Heikki
Published: July 2022

Phytochromes are red light-sensing photoreceptor proteins that bind a bilin chromophore. Here, we investigate the role of a conserved histidine (H260) and tyrosine (Y263) in the chromophore-binding domain (CBD) of Deinococcus radiodurans phytochrome (DrBphP). Using crystallography, we show that in the H260A variant, the missing imidazole side chain leads to increased water content in the binding pocket. On the other hand, Y263F mutation reduces the water occupancy around the chromophore. Together, these changes in water coordination alter the protonation and spectroscopic properties of the biliverdin. These results pinpoint the importance of this conserved histidine and tyrosine, and the related water network, for the function and applications of phytochromes.

Graphical abstract
Exponential Synchronization of Inertial Complex-Valued Fuzzy Cellular Neural Networks with Time-Varying Delays via Periodically Intermittent Control
Authors: Wang Pan , Li Xuechen , Zhang Tianwei
Published: July 2022

This paper mainly studies the exponential synchronization issue for the inertial complex-valued fuzzy cellular neural networks (ICVFCNNs) with time-varying delays via periodically intermittent control. To achieve exponential synchronization, we use a non-reduced order and non-separation approach, which is a supplement and innovation to the previous method. Based on directly constructing Lyapunov functional and a novel periodically intermittent control scheme, sufficient conditions for achieving the exponential synchronization of the ICVFCNNs are established. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the validity of the obtained results.
In-Between the Lines and Pixels: Cartography’s Transition from Tool of the State to Humanitarian Mapping of Deprived Urban Areas
Authors: Oluoch Isaac , Kuffer Monika , Nagenborg Michael
Published: July 2022

Cartography has been, in its pre-modern and modern production of maps, influential in determining how space and territory is experienced and defined. But advancements in telecommunications and geovisualization software, along with geoinformation systems and geoinformation science (GIS), have transformed cartographic practice from a tool of dominantly state apparatus to a scientific, commercial, and humanitarian enterprise. This is exemplified in the use of remote sensing (RS) techniques to acquire, process, and visualize images of the Earth. In the last decade, RS techniques have increasingly incorporated Artificial Intelligence (e.g., Convolutional Neural Networks) to improve the speed and accuracy of feature extraction and classification in remotely sensed images. This paper will investigate the use of CNNs in the classification of deprived urban areas referred to as “slums” and “informal settlements” in the Global South. Using a postphenomenological methodology, this paper shall analyze the role of classification and use of geoinformation in shaping how deprived urban areas are algorithmically classified. This analysis will reveal that besides the technical opportunities and challenges, attention needs to be given to three ethical areas of concern: how deprived area mapping using AI impacts the agency of communities, how there is a potential lack in the democratization of these RS technologies, and how the privacy and data protection of communities being mapped is endangered.
Building Racial and Gender Equity into a National PrEP Access Program
Authors: Johnson Jeremiah , Radix Asa , Copeland Raniyah , Chacón Guillermo
Published: July 2022

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD), Black, and Latinx communities have long borne a disproportionate share of the U.S. HIV epidemic, yet these same key demographics are continually underrepresented in national PrEP prescriptions. Black, Latinx, and TGD individuals are also more likely to be uninsured, meaning that a proposed federal program to cover PrEP for people without insurance could provide significant benefit to potential PrEP users from these populations. However, coverage of PrEP costs alone will not end disparities in uptake. This commentary provides additional context and recommendations to maximize effectiveness of a national PrEP program for TGD, Black, and Latinx populations in the US.
Assessing Exceptionalism: More but Different Cross-National Comparisons
Authors: Dodds Graham G.
Published: July 2022

After the dramatic disruptions of Trump years, American political development might do well to consider whether American exceptionalism still holds or has changed, and that would require scholars to be more attentive to cross-national comparisons and perhaps also to change the countries with which the United States is compared.
On existence of equilibrium under social coalition structures
Authors: Caskurlu Bugra , Ekici Özgün , Kizilkaya Fatih Erdem
Published: July 2022

In a strategic-form game, a strategy profile is an equilibrium if no viable coalition of agents (or players) benefits (in the Pareto sense) from jointly changing their strategies. Weaker or stronger equilibrium notions can be defined by considering various restrictions on coalition formation. For instance, in a Nash equilibrium, it is assumed that viable coalitions are singletons, and in a super strong equilibrium, it is assumed that every coalition is viable. Restrictions on coalition formation can be justified by communication limitations, coordination problems, or institutional constraints. In this paper, inspired by social structures in various real-life scenarios, we introduce certain restrictions on coalition formation, and on their basis, we introduce a number of equilibrium notions. As an application, we study our equilibrium notions in resource selection games (RSGs), and we present a complete set of existence and nonexistence results for general RSGs and their important special cases.
Incidence and recovery of post-surgical heart block in children following cardiac surgery
Authors: Madani Rohit , Aronoff Elizabeth , Posey Jessica , Basu Mohua , Zinyandu Tawanda , Chai Paul , Whitehill Robert , Maher Kevin O. , Beshish Asaad G.
Published: July 2022

Background:

A subset of patients who develop post-surgical heart block have recovery of atrioventricular node function. Factors predicting recovery are not understood. We investigated our centre’s incidence of post-surgical heart block and examine factors associated with recovery of atrioventricular node function.

Methods:

We conducted a single-centre retrospective study of patients 0 – 21 years who underwent cardiac surgery between January 2010 and December 2019 and experienced post-operative heart block. Data including patient and clinical characteristics and operative variables were collected and analysed.

Results:

Of 6333 surgical hospitalisations, 128 (2%) patients developed post-operative heart block. Of the 128 patients, 90 (70%) had return of atrioventricular node function, and 38 (30%) had pacemaker placement. Of the 38 patients who underwent pacemaker placement, 6 (15.8%) had recovery of atrioventricular node function noted on long-term follow-up. Median time from onset of heart block to late atrioventricular node recovery was 13 days (Interquartile range: 5 – 117). Patients with single-ventricle physiology (p = 0.04), greater weight (p = 0.03), and shorter cardiopulmonary bypass time (p = 0.015) were more likely to have recovery. The use of post-operative steroids was similar between all groups (p = 0.445). Infectious or wound complications were similar between pacemaker groups (p = 1).

Conclusions:

Two per cent of patients who underwent congenital cardiac surgery developed post-operative heart block, and 0.6% underwent pacemaker placement. Early recovery of atrioventricular node was associated with greater weight at the time of surgery, single-ventricle physiology, and shorter cardiopulmonary bypass time. Late recovery of atrioventricular node conduction following pacemaker placement occurred in 15.8% of patients.
Evaluation of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiac functions in children of mothers with gestational diabetes and maternal obesity
Authors: Ekici Avci Melda , Tosun Öykü
Published: July 2022

Background and aims:

We aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal obesity or gestational diabetes on body composition, lipid, and glucose metabolism, arterial morphology, and functions in children, and to investigate these effects in terms of cardiometabolic diseases.

Methods:

The study group was composed of 48 children who had a history of gestational diabetes or maternal obesity, and the control group was composed of 33 children. Echocardiographic assessments were performed. Socio-economic status and education level of mothers were obtained.

Results:

In the study group, carotid intima-media thickness, epicardial adipose tissue thickness, and arterial stiffness values were found to be significantly higher compared to the control group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively), while arterial distensibility and arterial strain values were found to be significantly lower (p = 0.003, p = 0.008, respectively). Among the children who had similar body mass index in both groups, children in the study group had higher carotid intima-media thickness and epicardial adipose tissue thickness values. Arterial stiffness values were significantly reduced (p = 0.028) and arterial distensibility and strain values were significantly increased (p = 0.039, p = 0.033, respectively) in the children whose mothers had gestational diabetes and high socio-economic status. Left ventricular mass and left ventricular end-diastolic internal thickness were found to be significantly increased in the children who had obese and unemployed mothers (p = 0.04, p = 0.03, respectively).

Conclusion:

Low socio-economic status was found to be associated with increased maternal obesity and gestational diabetes. Poor socio-economic status, poor glycaemic control and being overweight during pregnancy indicate negative cardiometabolic outcomes for children in the long term.
Open innovation: the key to advancing brain health
Authors: Eyre Harris A. , Searfoss Jason , Hopwood Malcolm , Berk Michael , Chen Shuo , Cummings Jeffrey , Veron Francois , Zikopoulou Vicki , Ibanez Agustin , Kelly Kacie , Soares Jair C. , Smith Erin , Gilbert Barnabas J.
Published: July 2022

With the exponential growth in investment attention to brain health—solutions spanning brain wellness to mental health to neurological disorders—tech giants, payers, and biotechnology companies have been making forays into this field to identify technology solutions and pharmaceutical amplifiers. So far, their investments have had mixed results. The concept of open innovation (OI) was first coined by Henry Chesbrough to describe the paradigm by which enterprises allow free flow of ideas, products, and services from the outside to the inside and vice versa in order to remain competitive, particularly in rapidly evolving fields where there is abundant, relevant knowledge outside the traditional walls of the enterprise. In this article, we advocate for further exploration and advancement of OI in brain health.
Hypogammaglobulinämie und Multiple Sklerose
Authors: Diem Lara , Hoepner Robert
Published: July 2022

Zusammenfassung. Hypogammaglobulinämien treten bei Menschen mit Multipler Sklerose (MS) ohne Immuntherapie in 8.1% der Patienten und unter Immuntherapie (nicht medikament-spezifisch) in bis zu 26.4% der Betroffenen auf. Dies liegt somit deutlich über der erwarteten Auftretenswahrscheinlichkeit in der Allgemeinbevölkerung. Bei MS-Patienten ist es ebenfalls relevant zwischen primären und sekundären Hypogammaglobulinämie zu differenzieren. Insbesondere Anti-CD20-Therapien sind für die sekundären Formen bei MS-Patienten hauptsächlich zugrundeliegend. Mit diesem Artikel wollen wir ein «Spotlight» auf die Hypogammaglobulinämie mit dem Fokus der klinischen Konsequenz dieser Phänomene bei Menschen mit MS legen.
Groundwater May Fix as Much Carbon as Some Ocean Surface Waters
Authors: Wilke Carolyn
Published: July 2022

Microbes from wells as deep as 90 meters created organic carbon at a rate that overlaps with some nutrient-poor spots in the ocean.
Missouri River Floodplain Expansion, Services, and Resiliency
Authors: Sidder Aaron
Published: July 2022

Benefits might accrue for both wildlife and climate resiliency if more floodplains along the lower Missouri River were allowed to flood.
Plasma optics improving plasma accelerators
Authors: Döpp Andreas
Published: July 2022

Plasma accelerators driven by high-power lasers can provide high-energy electron beams on a dramatically smaller scale than conventional radio-frequency accelerators. However, the performance of these accelerators is fundamentally limited by the diffraction of the laser. Laser-generated plasma waveguides can mitigate this problem and, combined with a controlled injection method for electrons, highlight the potential of novel laser-plasma optics.
Parvimonas micra promotes colorectal tumorigenesis and is associated with prognosis of colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Zhao Liuyang , Zhang Xiang , Zhou Yunfei , Fu Kaili , Lau Harry Cheuk-Hay , Chun Tommy Wai-Yiu , Cheung Alvin Ho-Kwan , Coker Olabisi Oluwabukola , Wei Hong , Wu William Ka-Kei , Wong Sunny Hei , Sung Joseph Jao-Yiu , To Ka Fai , Yu Jun
Published: July 2022

Large-scale fecal shotgun metagenomic sequencing revealed the high abundance of Parvimonas micra in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. We investigated the role and clinical significance of P. micra in colorectal tumorigenesis. The abundance of P. micra was examined in 309 fecal samples and 165 colon biopsy tissues of CRC patients and healthy subjects. P. micra was significantly enriched in fecal samples from 128 CRC patients compared to 181 healthy subjects (P < 0.0001); and in colon tissue biopsies from 52 CRC patients compared to 61 healthy subjects (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that P. micra is an independent risk factor of poor survival in CRC patients (Hazard Ratio: 1.93). P. micra strain was isolated from feces of a CRC patient. Apcmin/+ mice gavaged with P. micra showed significantly higher tumor burden and tumor load (both P < 0.01). Consistently, gavage of P. micra significantly promoted colonocyte proliferation in conventional mice, which was further confirmed by germ-free mice. P. micra colonization up-regulated genes involved in cell proliferation, stemness, angiogenesis and invasiveness/metastasis; and enhanced Th17 cells infiltration and expression of Th17 cells-secreted cytokines (Il-17, Il-22, and Il-23) in the colon of Apcmin/+, conventional and germ-free mice. P. micra-conditioned medium significantly promoted the differentiation of CD4+ T cells to Th17 cells (IL-17+CD4+ phenotype) and enhanced the oncogenic Wnt signaling pathway. In conclusion, P. micra promoted colorectal tumorigenesis in mice by inducing colonocyte proliferation and altering Th17 immune response. P. micra may act as a prognostic biomarker for poor survival of CRC patients.
Cytotoxic evaluation and chemical investigation of tomatoes from plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown in uncontaminated and experimentally contaminated soils
Authors: Russo Chiara , Barone Daniela , Lavorgna Margherita , Piscitelli Concetta , Macaluso Marcella , Pacifico Severina , Piccolella Simona , Giordano Antonio , Isidori Marina
Published: July 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic activity and the chemical composition of the tomato extracts coming from, Pomodoro Giallo and San Marzano Cirio 3, and then to evaluate the potential changes when plants were grown in soils contaminated by cadmium, chromium and lead. Extracts were investigated by UHPLC-HRMS and UV–Vis. Cell viability (CellTiter-Glo Luminescent assay), enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (ALDEFLOUR Assay), cell cycle progression (Accuri C6 Flow Cytometer), apoptosis and necrosis (Annexin V-FITC assay) were evaluated on two gastric cancer (AGS and NCI-N87) and two colorectal cancer (HT-29 and HCT 116) cell lines. Different content of polyphenol and carotenoid constituents was observed. Extracts from uncontaminated soil induced cytotoxic activity towards all selected cancer cells, while extracts coming from contaminated soils showed the aberrant phenotype increased in colorectal cancer cells. Chloroform extracts exerted the highest cytotoxic activity. AGS and HT-29 were the most sensitive to cell cycle arrest and to apoptosis. No necrotic effect was observed in HCT 116. The contrasting effects on cancer cells were observed based on tomato variety, the extract polarity, heavy metal identity, and tested cell line. The investigation of potential adverse health effects due to Cd in the fruits should be explored.
Findlater jet induced summer monsoon memory in the Arabian Sea
Authors: Kushwaha Vikas Kumar , Kumar S. Prasanna , Feba F , Ashok Karumuri
Published: July 2022

A cross-equatorial low-level wind, known as Findlater Jet (FJ), modulates the thermocline in the Arabian Sea (AS) during summer monsoon (June to September). By analysing ocean and atmospheric data, we show that the FJ signal gets ‘trapped’ in the AS in the form of upper ocean heat content till the following winter months (December to February). This memory is the consequence of the combined effect of FJ-induced wind stress curl and the annual downwelling Rossby waves in the AS. During the summer monsoon months, the strong low-level westerly winds cause a negative wind stress curl in the south of the FJ axis over the central AS, resulting in a deep thermocline and high magnitude of heat being trapped. In winter monsoon months, though the wind stress curl is positive over large parts of the AS and could potentially shoal the thermocline and reduce the upper ocean heat content in the central AS, this does not happen due to two reasons. Firstly, winds are weaker, and spread over a larger area over the AS making the magnitude of the wind stress curl low. Secondly, westward propagating downwelling Rossby wave radiated from the eastern AS deepens the thermocline and prevents ventilation of the trapped heat. During the following spring, the collapse of the Rossby waves leads to the shoaling and mixing of underlying waters with surface waters thereby resurfacing of the trapped heat. The resurfacing of the trapped heat makes the AS a memory bank of the FJ induced signal.
Chlorophytes response to habitat complexity and human disturbance in the catchment of small and shallow aquatic systems
Authors: Celewicz Sofia , Kozak Anna , Kuczyńska-Kippen Natalia
Published: July 2022

Human-originated transformation in the catchment area may be reflected in the water quality and ecological state of the aquatic environment. Chlorophytes, the most common and diverse group of microalgae, may be a valuable tool for studies of small water bodies, ecosystems poorly recognized but extremely sensitive to the climate changes. Here we investigated the response of the chlorophytes to abiotic and biotic factors in different habitats and ponds’ catchments. Chlorophytes demonstrated a prevalence towards a specific type of catchment area. Field ponds supported chlorophytes typical for nutrient-rich/high-organic and shallow well-mixed waters. Forest ponds supported high chlorophyte diversity. A high importance of desmids, tolerant to light deficiency, confirms their preferences towards lower pH and lower trophic state in the forest ponds. Habitat type strongly impacted the distribution of chlorophytes. Great abundance and fertile-water species were associated with the open water, whereas aquatic plants hosted relatively low chlorophyte abundance which is a derivate of the filtrators grazing as well as the nutrient uptake and shadowing by macrophytes. Macrophyte-dominated zones created favorable conditions for some periphytic desmids and filamentous chlorophytes, species preferring lower trophic state and co-occurring with zooplankton. We assume that cosmopolitan chlorophytes can be adapted for determination of the ecological value of small water bodies, including the level of habitat heterogeneity. But chlorophytes clearly react to the level of human impact in the ponds’ catchment, both specific species and functional groups. Thus, we recommend them, particularly desmids, for water quality state assessment in ponds.
Organic amendment additions to cadmium-contaminated soils for phytostabilization of three bioenergy crops
Authors: Taeprayoon Puntaree , Homyog Kunaporn , Meeinkuirt Weeradej
Published: July 2022

The effects of organic amendments on the phytoremediation of cadmium (Cd) in acacia (Acacia mangium), jatropha (Jatropha curcas), and cassava (Manihot esculenta) were investigated. The bone meal/bat manure and leonardite/bat manure amendments resulted in better growth performance in both acacia and cassava (growth rate in dry biomass; GRDB 24.2 and 22.2, respectively), while bone meal (GRDB 17.2) was best for jatropha. The lower root/shoot ratio values of jatropha and acacia suggest that these species were better suited than cassava on Cd-contaminated soil. Cassava experienced toxicity symptoms after harvest (3 months). Acacia root accumulated somewhat greater Cd concentrations (up to 5.1 mg kg−1) than cassava and jatropha roots (2.2–3.9 and 2.7–4.1 mg kg−1, respectively). The bone meal and chicken manure (BMCM) treatment for jatropha had the highest bioconcentration factor for root (1.3) and the lowest translocation factor (0.7). Despite the fact that this treatment had substantial Cd concentrations in the soil (3.1 mg kg−1), low Cd accumulation value (3.2 mg kg−1) and the lowest Cd uptake value (127.8 mg plant−1) were observed, clearly indicating that this amendment reduced Cd bioavailability. When growth performance of the study plants is considered, jatropha and acacia may be suitable for phytomanagement of Cd-contaminated soil.
Socio-psychological determinants of Iranian rural households' adoption of water consumption curtailment behaviors
Authors: Savari Moslem , Mombeni Ameneh Savari , Izadi Hamed
Published: July 2022

Dealing with a growing population and a shortage of drinking water is a major challenge for politicians and planners. A key factor in ensuring a sustainable water supply is water conservation at the household level, which can increase productivity and save water resources. Therefore, promoting water consumption curtailment behavior will contribute significantly to reducing the global water crisis, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Water consumption curtailment behaviors depend on individuals’ encouragement to choose and adopt voluntary behaviors and cannot be enforced by any political or planning power. In order to encourage water conservation those social and psychological factors should be considered that influence individuals to participate or adopt water consumption curtailment behaviors. Therefore, the study of factors influencing rural households' water consumption curtailment behaviors is of great importance. This study aimed to describe the socio-psychological factors influencing water consumption curtailment behaviors among rural households in southwestern Iran. The extended theory of planned behavior (ETPB) was used as a theoretical framework in this study along with descriptive norms (DN), moral norms (MN), habits, and justification. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that ETPB can explain 35% and 54% of intention and water consumption curtailment behaviors among rural households in Iran. Our findings may assist policymakers in reducing domestic water consumption.
A patient-designed tissue-engineered model of the infiltrative glioblastoma microenvironment
Authors: Cornelison R. C. , Yuan J. X. , Tate K. M. , Petrosky A. , Beeghly G. F. , Bloomfield M. , Schwager S. C. , Berr A. L. , Stine C. A. , Cimini D. , Bafakih F. F. , Mandell J. W. , Purow B. W. , Horton B. J. , Munson J. M.
Published: July 2022

Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer characterized by diffuse infiltration. Infiltrated glioma cells persist in the brain post-resection where they interact with glial cells and experience interstitial fluid flow. We use patient-derived glioma stem cells and human glial cells (i.e., astrocytes and microglia) to create a four-component 3D model of this environment informed by resected patient tumors. We examine metrics for invasion, proliferation, and putative stemness in the context of glial cells, fluid forces, and chemotherapies. While the responses are heterogeneous across seven patient-derived lines, interstitial flow significantly increases glioma cell proliferation and stemness while glial cells affect invasion and stemness, potentially related to CCL2 expression and differential activation. In a screen of six drugs, we find in vitro expression of putative stemness marker CD71, but not viability at drug IC50, to predict murine xenograft survival. We posit this patient-informed, infiltrative tumor model as a novel advance toward precision medicine in glioblastoma treatment.
Metabolic signatures in human follicular fluid identify lysophosphatidylcholine as a predictor of follicular development
Authors: Yang Jihong , Li Yangbai , Li Suying , Zhang Yan , Feng Ruizhi , Huang Rui , Chen Minjian , Qian Yun
Published: July 2022

In order to investigate the metabolic characteristics of human follicular fluid (FF) and to reveal potential metabolic predictors of follicular development (FD) with clinical implications, we analyzed a total of 452 samples based on a two-stage study design. In the first stage, FF samples from both large follicles (LFs) and matched-small follicles (SFs) of 26 participants were analyzed with wide-spectrum targeted metabolomics. The metabolic signatures were described by multi-omics integration technology including metabolomic data and transcriptomic data. In the second stage, the potential biomarkers of FD were verified using enzyme-linked immunoassay with FF and blood serum from an independent 200 participants. We describe the FF metabolic signatures from ovarian follicles of different developmental stages. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) can be used as a biomarker of FD and ovarian sensitivity, advancing the knowledge of metabolic regulation during FD and offering potential detection and therapeutic targets for follicle and oocyte health improvements in humans.
Sensitivity enhancement of an impedance-based cellular biosensor by a nanopatterned PEDOT:Nafion interface
Authors: Choi Jong Seob , Kim Byunggik , Go Gwangjun , Kim Deok-Ho
Published: July 2022

A nanopatterned PEDOT:Nafion composite interface was integrated onto interdigitated electrodes for enhanced sensitivity and dynamic range of impedance-based cellular biosensors.
A galvanic replacement reaction and the Kirkendall effect in the room-temperature synthesis of tubular NiSe2: a nanozyme catalyst with peroxidase-like activity
Authors: Sarkar Sougata , Negishi Yuichi , Pal Tarasankar
Published: July 2022

A GRR and the Kirkendall effect assist the evolution of NiSe2 tubular nanostructures at room temperature from a Ni nanowire template, and these show peroxidase nanozyme activity.
Machine learning for microfluidic design and control
Authors: McIntyre David , Lashkaripour Ali , Fordyce Polly , Densmore Douglas
Published: July 2022

In this review article, we surveyed the applications of machine learning in microfluidic design and microfluidic control.
Hypervalent-iodine-mediated oxidation followed by the acetoxylation/tosylation of α-substituted benzylamines to obtain α-acyloxy/tosyloxy ketones
Authors: Rupanawar Bapurao D. , Mane Kishor D. , Suryavanshi Gurunath
Published: July 2022

A metal-free and efficient protocol has been developed for sequential oxidation followed by acetoxylation/tosylation of α-alkylbenzylamines for the synthesis of α-acyloxy/tosyloxy ketones using hypervalent iodine(iii).
Correction: Double hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(dehydroalanine) four-arm star block copolymers: synthesis and solution behavior
Authors: Mons Peter J. , Fribiczer Nora , Kowalczuk Kathrin , Poudel Purushottam , Seiffert Sebastian , Schacher Felix H.
Published: July 2022

Correction for ‘Double hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(dehydroalanine) four-arm star block copolymers: synthesis and solution behavior’ by Peter J. Mons et al., Polym. Chem., 2022, 13, 4298–4308, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2PY00579D.