bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Canonical Sentence Processing and the Inferior Frontal Cortex: Is There a Connection?
Authors: Riccardi Nicholas , Rorden Chris , Fridriksson Julius , Desai Rutvik H.
Published: February 2022

The role of left inferior frontal cortex (LIFC) in canonical sentence comprehension is controversial. Many studies have found involvement of LIFC in sentence production or complex sentence comprehension, but negative or mixed results are often found in comprehension of simple or canonical sentences. We used voxel-, region-, and connectivity-based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM, RLSM, CLSM) in left-hemisphere chronic stroke survivors to investigate canonical sentence comprehension while controlling for lexical-semantic, executive, and phonological processes. We investigated how damage and disrupted white matter connectivity of LIFC and two other language-related regions, the left anterior temporal lobe (LATL) and posterior temporal-inferior parietal area (LpT-iP), affected sentence comprehension. VLSM and RLSM revealed that LIFC damage was not associated with canonical sentence comprehension measured by a sensibility judgment task. LIFC damage was associated instead with impairments in a lexical semantic similarity judgment task with high semantic/executive demands. Damage to the LpT-iP, specifically posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), predicted worse sentence comprehension after controlling for visual lexical access, semantic knowledge, and auditory-verbal short-term memory (STM), but not auditory single-word comprehension, suggesting pMTG is vital for auditory language comprehension. CLSM revealed that disruption of left-lateralized white-matter connections from LIFC to LATL and LpT-iP was associated with worse sentence comprehension, controlling for performance in tasks related to lexical access, auditory word comprehension, and auditory-verbal STM. However, the LIFC connections were accounted for by the lexical semantic similarity judgment task, which had high semantic/executive demands. This suggests that LIFC connectivity is relevant to canonical sentence comprehension when task-related semantic/executive demands are high.
The Tractatus de iride “Inter omnes impressiones” Formerly Attributed to Oresme and Its Grossetestian Milieu: Introduction and Edition
Authors: Dinkova-Bruun Greti , Panti Cecilia
Published: February 2022

This article presents a study and a critical edition of the short anonymous treatise on the rainbow starting with the incipit Inter omnes impressiones. The text was known to Nicole Oresme who engages with it twice: in his Questiones in Meteorologica de prima lectura and in Le livre du ciel et du monde. This Tractatus de iride, previously unknown to scholars, is transmitted in three late thirteenth-century manuscripts. It uses Robert Grosseteste’s theories of the rainbow as caused by the refraction of sunlight and of colour as light incorporated in aereal particles. However, contrary to Grosseteste, the Tractatus de iride adopts the idea of different degrees of incorporation of light, which is also found in the scientific writings by Adam of Exeter, a Franciscan scholar belonging to the same Oxonian circle as Grosseteste. Moreover, the Tractatus de iride develops original propositions in regard to the role of individual raindrops, the importance of the angle from which the rainbow is observed, and the idea of the spirituality of the colours in the medium, which were central also for Roger Bacon’s and Nicole Oresme’s own theories of the rainbow.
The Logic of Impossible Scenarios in Hurtado de Mendoza’s Tractatus de Trinitate
Authors: Hanke Miroslav
Published: February 2022

Since the late thirteenth century, the counterfactual Filioque debate, i.e., the question whether the Son and the Holy Spirit were distinct persons in the Trinity if the Holy Spirit only proceeded from the Father and not also from the Son, was an interesting context for developing the methodology of extreme thought experiments and the logic of conditionals with impossible antecedents and paradoxes of implication. In the mid-1620s, Puente Hurtado de Mendoza (1578–1641) introduced a strongly critical approach towards the scientific merits of positing certain types of impossible scenarios while joining this traditional debate in his Tractatus de Trinitate. He argued that the counterfactual Filioque problem is (at best) a needless detour and (at worst) either shifts to unreliable discussions of properties of fictional entities or is outright trivial for logical reasons. The present article offers a modern edition of the ninth disputation of Hurtado’s Tractatus de Trinitate and analyses logical and methodological aspects of Hurtado’s position in the counterfactual Filioque debate.
How Jewish Magic Survived the Disenchantment of the World
Authors: Bohak Gideon
Published: February 2022

Jewish magic is thriving in present-day Israel, in spite of the supposed disenchantment of the modern world. To see how it survived from Antiquity and the Middle Ages to our own days, this essay surveys the development of Jewish magic in the modern period. It begins with the Jews of Europe, where the printing of books of popular medicine and “practical Kabbalah,” and the Enlightenment’s war on magic, led to the transformation and marginalization of many Jewish magical texts and practices, but did not entirely eradicate them. It then turns to the Jews of the Islamicate world, who were much less exposed to the impact of printing or the ideology of Enlightenment, and whose magical tradition therefor remained much more conservative than that of their European brethren. When the Jews of many Jewish communities finally met, before and especially after the establishment of the Jewish State, the Jews of European origin tried to disenchant the world of their “Oriental” brothers, but were only partly successful in this endeavor. And with the rise of postmodern cultural sensitivities, and of New Age religiosities, even this attempt was mostly abandoned, and the Jewish magical tradition is now more vigorous, and more visible, than the founders of Zionism would ever have imagined. Finally, while claiming that in the Jewish case modernity did not lead to the disenchantment of the world, this essay also claims that the same might be true of other magical traditions, whose history often was neglected by historians of Western esotericism.
Biparental incubation behavior in the domestic house-farmed swiftlets (Aerodramus sp.) in central Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Daud Ummi Nur Syafiqah , Ismail Nor Adibah , Nor Shukor Md. , Mansor Mohammad Saiful
Published: February 2022

While the breeding biology of the edible-nest swiftlet Aerodramus fuciphagus has previously been studied, research has been limited to direct observations made on cave colonies and details on their incubation behavior remain unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the biparental investment of domestic house-farmed white-nest swiftlets Aerodramus sp. during incubation. This study was conducted at a swiftlet house farm in Bentong, Pahang, central Peninsular Malaysia, from August 2019 to July 2020. An infrared camera connected to a digital video recorder was installed inside the house farm to monitor swiftlets’ daily activities. We determined that the time required for swiftlets to incubate their eggs was 23 ± 0.73 days, while the hatching success rate was 75%. Swiftlets exhibit intermittent incubation with fluctuations in incubation rate from egg-laying until hatching. Both parents incubate equally, with males notably incubate longer at night and females in the morning. The incubation period is influenced by clutch size; parents incubating two eggs have a shorter incubation period than parents that incubating a single egg. Parents alternately exchanged incubation roles when both sexes attended the nest, which often occurred in the early morning before the first emergence period and during nightfall after swiftlets returned to their nests. We identified two behavioral signals during parental exchange: (1) volunteering to move aside and allowing the partner to incubate and (2) being forced by the partner to move aside. The information provided by this study can be useful to bird-nest farmers, who can use it to increase their swiftlet populations by reducing the fatality of nestlings and maintaining a sustainable yield of harvesting.
Beyond Success or Failure: Sindhi Nationalism and the Social Construction of the “Idea of Sindh”
Authors: Levesque Julien
Published: February 2022

The study of Sindhi nationalism has remained overdetermined by the question of the allegiance of Sindhis to the Pakistani state. The movement has not been examined for itself but only from the vantage point of its success or failure. As a result, it has mainly received attention when sudden outbursts of violence seemed to threaten the stability of the state. However, few have attempted to examine what connects disparate events of ethnic violence and opposition to the central state with a broader understanding of what being Sindhi entails. Rather than address questions of failure or success, this article shows that the construction of a nationalist “idea of Sindh” has been a continuous process throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It also illustrates how an aspirational middle-class played a central role in this process. The article focuses on how three generations of Muslim men, who shared similar trajectories yet have unique social characteristics and repertoires of contention, constructed, reinforced, and disseminated the Sindhi nationalist discourse. This process translated into institution-building in the cultural sphere and contributed to the political outlook of a large section of Sindhi politicians on the left of the spectrum.
Constitutional Courts Speak Their Voice
Authors: Sperti Angioletta
Published: February 2022

The rise of the Internet and associated technologies and the widespread use of social media have deeply affected the relationship between constitutional courts, the media and public opinion. Increased public exposure increases the risks of misunderstandings of courts’ judgments and attacks on courts’ legitimacy. The article aims at addressing the challenges that changes in institutional communication are now posing for constitutional courts. It focuses on the courts’ concern that their decisions are faithfully reported by the media and understood by a specialized audience and the general public. It analyzes the different tools courts have adopted to counteract misinformation and addresses the reasons why constitutional courts have been engaging in a more proactive communication in order to prevent misreading or even exploitation of the contents of their decisions.
New materials of iguanodontians (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) from the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Authors: SAMATHI ADUN , SUTEETHORN SURAVECH
Published: February 2022

We describe iguanodontian post-cranial remains, including a cervical vertebra, two dorsal vertebrae, five caudal vertebrae, a metacarpal, right femur, tibia and fibula, and a small femur possibly from a juvenile of the same taxon. This is the first record of a juvenile iguanodontian co-occurring with an adult from Thailand. The material was recovered from the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation of Khok Pha Suam, Ubon Ratchathani Province, north-eastern Thailand. It was reconstructed to belong to a non-hadrosauriform styracosternan. This study provides the first osteological description of iguanodontian post-cranial material in Thailand and its potential autapomorphic features. However, whether it belongs to a previously named taxon or represents a new one cannot be assessed yet and must await further discovery.
A new species in the leafhopper genus Processina (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Mileewinae: Mileewini) from China
Authors: YU TINGHAO , ZHANG YALIN
Published: February 2022

A new species in the Mileewinae genus Processina Yang, Deitz & Li, 2005, P. hunanensis sp. nov., from China is described. A checklist and a key to all known species of Processina are provided.
Synthesis, Characterization of High Toughness Hyperbranched Unsaturated Polyester of Flexible Aliphatic Side Chains
Authors: Zhang Xiaorui , Du Shuqiang , Sun Xue , Zhang Hengguang , Liao Hean , Ni Jiangfeng
Published: February 2022

Here, a new and special unsaturated Hyperbranched polymers (HBP) structure under unsaturation were developed for co-blocking of n-Hexanoic and acroleic acid in terms of making unsaturated resin, vinyl resin and bismaleimide resin to be more toughed by chemically inducing flexible long-chain
of aliphatic acid into the crosslinking structure of the copolymerized modification of styrene. Abundant unsaturated double bonds can react with styrene and unsaturated resins to form a network configuration that can interpenetrate exhibiting high toughness and considerable flexible chain
segments. In addition, HBP with free volume enables the resin molecules to move when loaded.
Theoretical Simulation and Discussion on Fusion Process of Hollow Core Fiber
Authors: Yu Xiaodan , Wang Ning , Yin Xiaolei , Li Yuhao , Lei Chuanjie , Li Dailin , Wang Tao
Published: February 2022

The hole collapse of hollow core fiber fusion is a key difficulty in sensor fabrication. In this paper, the hollow core fiber fusion is theoretically analyzed and optimized. The heat conduction and deformation of fiber are simulated by COMSOL software. The fiber temperature distribution
at fusion area are discussed at different fusion time. Then the deformation value and fiber melting time with different heat flux are simulated and discussed. The deformation value and time value both showed decreasing trend with bigger heat flux. Although it is difficult to get zero deformation
value, even if at fiber melting temperature, the fusion deformation can be effectively controlled at some scale. For typical 1% hole diameter deformation scale, the heat flux value should be more than 1.00505×107 W/m2. Considering the small contact surface between
hollow core fiber and common fiber end, for getting sufficient fusion, we still simulated the required time of 1% deformation scale with different heat flux, which can give us more fusion parameters choice. Fusion can be continued after fiber melting temperature until getting 1% deformation
control value, which can supply enough time for good and firm fusion. The time difference between melting temperature and 1% hole diameter deformation is simulated. According to the simulated curves, 1.5×107 W/m2 heat flux, with 0.02436 s time difference, may be
a good choice for hollow core fiber fusion by typical parameters. It is interesting that some report showed complete collapse is helpful to improve mode-coupling efficiency. For investigating this situation, the required heat flux and fusion time simulation are also operated and analyzed.
The simulation and discussion in this paper gave deep understanding and some reference advice for optimizing hollow core fiber fusion.
Corrosion Behavior of FeNiCrMoSiC Laser Cladding Coatings with Different Addition of Ni Content in Acidic Environment
Authors: Fan Li , Li Xueying , Du Hailiang , Chen Haiyan
Published: February 2022

Three FeNiCrMoSiC laser cladding coatings with different Ni content were deposited on AISI 4130 substrate. The electrochemical corrosion behavior of three FeNiCrMoSiC coatings in 0.5 mol/L HCl solution was investigated by the polarization curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
measurement. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky tests were employed to evaluate the passive film on the coating surface to investigate the passivation stability mechanism of the coating in hydrochloric acid. Potentiodynamic polarization results show that the FeNiCrMoSiC coatings
shown superior corrosion resistance than the AISI 4130 substrate, demonstrated by lower corrosion current density and higher corrosion potential. With the increase of Ni concentration, the content of austenite γ-Fe phase increased, whilst the volume of ferrite α-Fe
phase decreased, and the corrosion resistance of FeNiCrMoSiC coatings also increased. The main reason for the excellent corrosion resistance of the coating is the barrier effect of bilayer oxide passive film, which is difficult to dissolve in acid and can effectively slow down the penetration
of corrosive ions in hydrochloric acid solution on the coating surface.
Influence of Heat Treatment on the Fracture Toughness and Microstructure of Zirconia Ceramics: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Samran Abdulaziz , AL-Qudaimi Hashem , Yousief Salah Abdelazim , Niazi Fayez Hussain , El-Patal Mohamed Abd-Ellatif , Ali Shurouk , Alqerban Ali
Published: February 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of heat treatment on the fracture toughness and surface roughness of zirconia ceramics. Forty disks were performed from zirconia blocks using CAD/CAM technology and distributed into 4 groups according to the frequency of the heat treatments
(n = 10). Group HT0: without heat treatment (control group). Group HT1: One time heat treatment according to the first step of the veneering procedures. Group HT5: heat-treated 5 times to replicate the complete veneering process. Group HT7: heattreated 7 times to represent the complete
veneering process plus 2 correction firings. A hardness testing apparatus was used to measure the fracture toughness, and the surface roughness was evaluated. Data was analyzed by using 1-way ANOVA, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to define the significant correlation between
fracture toughness and surface roughness (α = 0.05). No significant difference was found in the mean fracture toughness (KIC) of the tested groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in the mean surface roughness (Ra) of the tested
groups (P > 0.05). No statistically significant correlation between surface roughness and fracture toughness in any group was detected (P > 0.05). Within the limitation of the current laboratory study, a heat treatment showed no influence on the fracture toughness (KIC)
and surface roughness (Ra) values of zirconia ceramics.
Evaluation of Circulating Tumor Cells-DNA Methylated Separation Nano-Polylactic-co-Glycolic Acid Magnetic Beads with Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecul/Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Double Antibody Modification and Its Application in Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Hu Shuqiao , Lin Jiehuan , Wu Canxing , Ma Jun , Chen Shanshan , Chen Funan
Published: February 2022

Through the dynamic detection of peripheral blood circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the correlation analysis of DNA methylation, the application of relevant indicators of peripheral blood circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with early lung cancer (LC). Double antibody (EpCAM
and EGFR antibodies) modified nano-PLGA magnetic beads have been used for CTC sorting. Functional characterization and analysis were performed to confirm that the prepared nano-PLGA MB had good stability and specificity. Furthermore, the separation and identification of CTCs from lung cancer
patients were realized by double-antibody nano-PLGA MB (Ep+ER nano-PLGA MB), suggesting that the system had high separation efficiency, with a positive rate of separation of >80%. Meanwhile, methylation-specific PCR was conducted following the extraction DNA from peripheral blood to analyze
the methylation level of p16, MGMT and RASSF1A. Corresponding results revealed that the level of p16 methylation could be used as an important index for lung cancer screening. In addition, the association between CTC-DNA methylation and early screening of tumor was analyzed by integrating
the clinical information and related indexes of patients. To sum up, in the screening and identification of lung cancer patients, auxiliary effect can be provided through dynamic monitoring of CTC count in peripheral blood and analysis of CTC-DNA methylation level. It is expected to provide
scientific basis for screening, therapeutic strategy formulation, gene correlation analysis and prognosis monitoring of LC.
Static mucus impairs bacterial clearance and allows chronic infection withPseudomonas aeruginosain the cystic fibrosis rat
Authors: Henderson Alexander G. , Davis Joy M. , Keith Johnathan D. , Green Morgan E. , Oden Ashley M. , Rowe Steven M. , Birket Susan E.
Published: February 2022

Cystic fibrosis airway disease is characterised by chronicPseudomonas aeruginosainfection. Successful eradication strategies have been hampered by a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying conversion to chronicity. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance receptor (CFTR)-knockout (KO) rat harbours a progressive defect in mucociliary transport and viscosity. KO rats were infected before and after the appearance of the mucus defect, using a clinical mucoid-isolate ofP. aeruginosaembedded in agarose beads. Young KO rats that were exposed to bacteria before the development of mucociliary transport defects resolved the infection and subsequent tissue damage. However, older KO rats that were infected in the presence of hyperviscous and static mucus were unable to eradicate bacteria, but instead had bacterial persistence through 28 days post-infection that was accompanied by airway mucus occlusion and lingering inflammation. Normal rats responded to infection with increased mucociliary transport to supernormal rates, which reduced the severity of a second bacterial exposure. We conclude that the aberrant mucus present in the CF airway permits persistence ofP. aeruginosain the lung.
A polygenic risk score and age of diagnosis of COPD
Authors: Zhang Jingzhou , Xu Hanfei , Qiao Dandi , DeMeo Dawn L. , Silverman Edwin K. , O'Connor George T. , Hobbs Brian D. , Dupuis Josée , Cho Michael H. , Moll Matthew
Published: February 2022

Background

Genetic susceptibility may be associated with earlier onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesised that a polygenic risk score (PRS) for COPD would be associated with earlier age of diagnosis of COPD.

Methods

In 6647 non-Hispanic White (NHW) and 2464 African American (AA) participants from COPDGene, and 6812 participants from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), we tested the relationship of the PRS and age of COPD diagnosis. Age at diagnosis was determined by: 1) self-reported age at COPD diagnosis or 2) age at visits when moderate-to-severe airflow limitation (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grade 2–4) was observed on spirometry. We used Cox regression to examine the overall and time-dependent effects of the PRS on incident COPD. In the COPDGene study, we also examined the PRS's predictive value for COPD at age <50 years (COPD50) using logistic regression and area under the curve (AUC) analyses, with and without the addition of other risk factors present at early life (e.g.childhood asthma).

Results

In Cox models, the PRS demonstrated age-dependent associations with incident COPD, with larger effects at younger ages in both cohorts. The PRS was associated with COPD50 (OR 1.55 (95% CI 1.41–1.71) for NHW, OR 1.23 (95% CI 1.05–1.43) for AA and OR 2.47 (95% CI 2.12–2.88) for FHS participants). In COPDGene, adding the PRS to known early-life risk factors improved prediction of COPD50 in NHW (AUC 0.69versus0.74; p<0.0001) and AA (AUC 0.61versus0.64; p=0.04) participants.

Conclusions

A COPD PRS is associated with earlier age of diagnosis of COPD and retains predictive value when added to known early-life risk factors.
The role of precision medicine in interstitial lung disease
Authors: Maher Toby M. , Nambiar Anoop M. , Wells Athol U.
Published: February 2022

The management of interstitial lung disease (ILD) may benefit from a conceptual shift. Increased understanding of this complex and heterogeneous group of disorders over the past 20 years has highlighted the need for individualised treatment strategies that encompass diagnostic classification and disease behaviour. Biomarker-based approaches to precision medicine hold the greatest promise. Robust, large-scale biomarker-based technologies supporting ILD diagnosis have been developed, and future applications relating to staging, prognosis and assessment of treatment response are emerging. Artificial intelligence may redefine our ability to base prognostic evaluation on both diagnosis and underlying disease processes, sharpening individualised treatment algorithms to a level not previously achieved. Compared with therapeutic areas such as oncology, precision medicine in ILD is still in its infancy. However, the heterogeneous nature of ILD suggests that many relevant molecular, environmental and behavioural targets may serve as useful biomarkers if we are willing to invest in their identification and validation.
Effect of interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: two randomised controlled trials of the CORIMUNO-19 Collaborative Group
Authors: Hermine Olivier , Mariette Xavier , Porcher Raphael , Resche-Rigon Matthieu , Tharaux Pierre-Louis , Ravaud Philippe
Published: February 2022

Background

Our objective was to determine whether anti-interleukin (IL)-6 receptors improve outcomes of critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. We report on two cohort-embedded, investigator-initiated, multicentre, open-label, Bayesian randomised controlled clinical trials.

Methods

Patients were randomly assigned to receive either usual care (UC) or UC+tocilizumab (TCZ) 8 mg·kg−1(TOCI-2 trial) or UC or UC+sarilumab (SARI) 200 mg (SARI-2 trial), both intravenously on day 1 and, if clinically indicated, on day 3.

Results

Between 31 March and 20 April 2020, 97 patients were randomised in the TOCI-2 trial, to receive UC (n=46) or UC+TCZ (n=51). At day 14, numbers of patients who did not need noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or mechanical ventilation (MV) and were alive with TCZ or UC were similar (47%versus42%; median posterior hazard ratio (HR) 1.19, 90% credible interval (CrI) 0.71–2.04), with a posterior probability of HR >1 of 71.4%. Between 27 March and 4 April 2020, 91 patients were randomised in the SARI-2 trial, to receive UC (n=41) or UC+SARI (n=50). At day 14, numbers of patients who did not need NIV or MV and were alive with SARI or UC were similar (38%versus33%; median posterior HR 1.05, 90% CrI 0.55–2.07), with a posterior probability of HR >1 of 54.9%. Overall, the risk of death up to day 90 was: UC+TCZ 24%versusUC 30% (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.30–1.49) and UC+SARI 29%versusUC 39% (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.35–1.58). Both TCZ and SARI increased serious infectious events.

Conclusion

In critically ill patients with COVID-19, anti-IL-6 receptors did not significantly increase the number of patients alive without any NIV or MV by day 14.
Does DNA methylation mediate the association of age at puberty with forced vital capacity or forced expiratory volume in 1 s?
Authors: Li Liang , Zhang Hongmei , Holloway John W. , Ewart Susan , Relton Caroline L. , Arshad S. Hasan , Karmaus Wilfried
Published: February 2022

Background

Age of pubertal onset is associated with lung function in adulthood. However, the underlying role of epigenetics as a mediator of this association remains unknown.

Methods

DNA methylation (DNAm) in peripheral blood was measured at age 18 years in the Isle of Wight birth cohort (IOWBC) along with data on age of pubertal events, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) at 26 years. Structural equation models were applied to examine mediation effects of DNAm on the association of age at pubertal events with FVC and FEV1. Findings were further tested in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort.

Results

In the IOWBC, for females, 21 cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites (CpGs) were shown to mediate the association of age at puberty with FVC or FEV1at 26 years (p<0.05). In males, DNAm at 20 CpGs was found to mediate the association of age at puberty with FVC (p<0.05). At almost all these CpGs, indirect effects (effects of age at pubertal events on FVC or FEV1viaDNAm) contributed a smaller portion to the total effects compared to direct effects (e.g.at cg08680129, ∼22% of the estimated total effect of age at menarche on FVC at age 26 was contributed by an indirect effect). Among the IOWBC-discovered CpGs available in ALSPAC, none of them was replicated in ALSPAC (p>0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that post-adolescence DNAm in peripheral blood is likely not to mediate the association of age at pubertal onset with young adulthood FVC or FEV1.
RNA-Seq with a novel glabrous-ZM24fl reveals some key lncRNAs and the associated targets in fiber initiation of cotton
Authors: Zou Xianyan , Ali Faiza , Jin Shuangxia , Li Fuguang , Wang Zhi
Published: February 2022

Background

Cotton fiber is an important natural resource for textile industry and an excellent model for cell biology study. Application of glabrous mutant cotton and high-throughput sequencing facilitates the identification of key genes and pathways for fiber development and cell differentiation and elongation. LncRNA is a type of ncRNA with more than 200 nt in length and functions in the ways of chromatin modification, transcriptional and post-transcriptional modification, and so on. However, the detailed lncRNA and associated mechanisms for fiber initiation are still unclear in cotton.

Results

In this study, we used a novel glabrous mutant ZM24fl, which is endowed with higher somatic embryogenesis, and functions as an ideal receptor for cotton genetic transformation. Combined with the high-throughput sequencing, fatty acid pathway and some transcription factors such as MYB, ERF and bHLH families were identified the important roles in fiber initiation; furthermore, 3,288 lncRNAs were identified, and some differentially expressed lncRNAs were also analyzed. From the comparisons of ZM24_0 DPA vs ZM24_-2 DPA and fl_0 DPA vs ZM24_0 DPA, one common lncRNA MSTRG 2723.1 was found that function upstream of fatty acid metabolism, MBY25-mediating pathway, and pectin metabolism to regulate fiber initiation. In addition, other lncRNAs MSTRG 3390.1, MSTRG 48719.1, and MSTRG 31176.1 were also showed potential important roles in fiber development; and the co-expression analysis between lncRNAs and targets showed the distinct models of different lncRNAs and complicated interaction between lncRNAs in fiber development of cotton.

Conclusions

From the above results, a key lncRNA MSTRG 2723.1 was identified that might mediate some key genes transcription of fatty acid metabolism, MYB25-mediating pathway, and pectin metabolism to regulate fiber initiation of ZM24 cultivar. Co-expression analysis implied that some other important lncRNAs (e.g., MSTRG 3390.1, MSTRG 48719.1, and MSTRG 31176.1) were also showed the different regulatory model and interaction between them, which proposes some valuable clues for the lncRNAs associated mechanisms in fiber development.
Optical coherence tomography angiography in herpetic leucoma
Authors: Almeida Inês , Dias Libânia , Jesus Jeniffer , Fonseca Inês , Matias Maria João , Pedro João Carlos
Published: February 2022

Background

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis remains a leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Although all forms of HSV keratitis are commonly recurrent, the risk is greatest in stromal keratitis, which is the most likely to result in corneal scarring, thinning, and neovascularization. Recent studies showed the ability of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) to detect and study vascular abnormalities in the anterior segment, including abnormal corneal vessels. This study intends to investigate the potential of OCTA device to image and describe quantitatively the vascularization in eyes diagnosed with herpetic leucoma and to discuss and review the usefulness of this technique in this pathology.

Methods

A Cross-sectional study was made, including 17 eyes of 15 patients with leucoma secondary to herpetic keratitis. All eyes underwent anterior segment Slit-Lamp photography (SLP), and OCTA with en-face, b-scans and c-scans imaging. The vessel density (VD) was analyzed in the inferior, nasal and temporal corneal margin in all patients, and in the central area, in eyes with central corneal neovascularization (CoNV). The measurements were calculated after binarization with ImageJ software, using OCTA scans with 6 × 6 mm in a depth of 800 μm.

Results

Patients included had a mean age 53.267 ± 21.542 (years ± SD). The mean total vessel area was 50.907% ± 3.435%. VD was higher in the nasal quadrant (51.156% ± 4.276%) but there were no significant differences between the three analyzed areas (p = 0.940). OCTA was able to identify abnormal vessels when SLP apparently showed no abnormal vessels; OCTA was able to distinguish between larger and smaller vessels even in central cornea; OCTA scans allowed the investigation of several corneal planes and the relation of them with clinical findings.

Conclusions

OCTA can be useful in both qualitative and quantitative follow-up of patients and may become a non-invasive alternative to objectively monitor treatment response in eyes with corneal vascularization due to herpetic infection.
Unmet needs of 1210 Chinese breast cancer survivors and associated factors: a multicentre cross-sectional study
Authors: Bu Xiaofan , Jin Cai , Fan Rongrong , Cheng Andy S. K. , Ng Peter H. F. , Xia Yimin , Liu Xiangyu
Published: February 2022

Background

Breast cancer survivors (BCSs) often have potential unmet needs. Identification of the specific needs of BCSs is very significant for medical service provision. This study aimed to (1) investigate the unmet needs and quality of life (QoL) of BCSs in China, (2) explore the diverse factors associated with their unmet needs, and (3) assess the association between their unmet needs and QoL.

Methods

A multicentre, cross-sectional survey was administered to 1210 Chinese BCSs. The Cancer Survivor Profile-Breast Cancer and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast scale were administered to survivors who gave informed consent to participate. Data were analysed using t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression analysis, and Pearson correlations.

Results

The 1192 participants completed questionnaires (response rate 98.51%). Our study reveals that the most prevalent unmet needs were in the ‘symptom burden domain’. The unmet needs of BCSs depend on eleven factors; age, time since diagnosis, education level, occupation, payment, family income status, stage of cancer, treatment, family history of cancer, pain, and physical activities. To ensure the provision of high-quality survivorship care and a high satisfaction level, more attention should be paid to actively identifying and addressing the unmet needs of BCSs. The problem areas identified in the Cancer Survivor Profile for breast cancer were negatively associated with all subscales of QoL except the health behaviour domain, with the correlation coefficient ranging from − 0.815 to − 0.011.

Conclusion

Chinese BCSs exhibit a high demand for unmet needs in this study, and the most prevalent unmet needs were in the ‘symptom burden domain’. There was a significant association between patients’ unmet needs (as defined in the Cancer Survivor Profile for breast cancer) and QoL. Future research should focus on enhancements to survivorship or follow-up care to address unmet needs and further improve QoL.
Factors associated with antipsychotic use in non-psychotic depressed patients: results from a clinical multicenter survey
Authors: Zhou Jingjing , Zhu Tong , Zhu Xuequan , Galling Britta , Xiao Le
Published: February 2022

Background

The combination of antipsychotics is not well studied among non-psychotic major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aims to explore the antipsychotics use in this population and its associated factors.

Methods

This cross-sectional and multi-site study was conducted in 11 sites of China. one Thousand five hundred three eligible MDD patients after 8–12 weeks of antidepressant treatment were included consecutively. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic data and medical histories. The Chinese version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR), the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) were used for patient self-rating. Logistic regression model was used to explore the associated factors that could potentially be influential for the use antipsychotic augmentation.

Results

Overall, quetiapine (43.4%) was the most commonly used as an adjunct to antidepressants, followed by olanzapine (38.8%). And antipsychotics were commonly combined with escitalopram (23.1%), venlafaxine (21.7%), sertraline (14.8%). The factors influencing the combination of antipsychotics in non-psychotic depressed patients included service setting (OR = 0.444; p < 0.001; 95%CI = 0.338–0.583), comorbidity of physical illness (OR = 1.704; p < 0.001; 95%CI = 1.274–2.278), PHQ level (OR = 0.680; p < 0.001; 95%CI = 0.548–0.844), SDS level (OR = 1.627; p < 0.001; 95%CI = 1.371–1.930) and antidepressants co-treatment (OR = 2.606; p < 0.001; 95%CI = 1.949–3.485).

Conclusions

Antipsychotics use is common among non-psychotic MDD patient. Service setting, comorbidity of physical illness, somatic symptoms, social functioning and engagement, and antidepressants co-treatment could be the factors associated with the antipsychotics use in MDD patients.
A cluster randomised controlled trial of a ward-based intervention to improve access to psychologically-informed care and psychological therapy for mental health in-patients
Authors: Berry Katherine , Raphael Jessica , Wilson Helen , Bucci Sandra , Drake Richard J , Edge Dawn , Emsley Richard , Gilworth Gill , Lovell Karina , Odebiyi Bolanle , Price Owen , Sutton Matt , Winter Rachel , Haddock Gillian
Published: February 2022

Background

There is good evidence that psychological interventions improve patient well-being and independent living, but patients on acute mental health wards often do not have access to evidence-based psychological therapies which are strongly advised by NICE guidance for severe mental health problems. The overall aim of this programme of work is to increase patient access to psychological therapies on acute mental health inpatient wards. Stage one of the programme (which is complete) aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to delivering therapy in these settings through a large qualitative study. The key output of stage one was an intervention protocol that is designed to be delivered on acute wards to increase patient access to psychologically-informed care and therapy. Stage two of the programme aims to test the effects of the intervention on patient wellbeing and serious incidents on the ward (primary outcomes), patient social functioning and symptoms, staff burnout, ward atmosphere from staff and patient perspectives and cost effectiveness of the intervention (secondary outcomes).

Methods

The study is a single blind, pragmatic, cluster randomised controlled trial and will recruit thirty-four wards across England that will be randomised to receive the new intervention plus treatment as usual, or treatment as usual only. Primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 6-month and 9-month follow-ups, with serious incidents on the ward collected at an additional 3-month follow-up.

Discussion

The key output will be a potentially effective and cost-effective ward-based psychological intervention that increases patient access to psychological therapy in inpatient settings, is feasible to deliver in inpatient settings and is acceptable to patients.

Trial Registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03950388. Registered 15th May 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03950388
The impact of post-traumatic stress on the mental state of university hospital physicians – a cross sectional study
Authors: Bock Christian , Zimmermann Tanja , Kahl Kai G.
Published: February 2022

Background

Hospital physicians have an increased risk for post-traumatic stress caused by work-related trauma. This study examines the frequency of reported traumatic events (TE), post-traumatic stress (PTS) and its possible consequences for the mental state and work ability of physicians at a university hospital.

Methods

As part of the mandatory psychological risk assessment, n = 145 physicians (n = 56 female; 38.6%) were examined at a university hospital in Germany in a cross sectional study. TE, PTS and symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed using the self-report questionnaires “Freiburger Screening Fragebogen to identify patients at risk for the development of a post-traumatic stress disorder in the group of severely injured patients” (PTBS-13), the “Patient Health Questionnaire” (PHQ-2) and the “Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale” (GAD-2). Work ability was assessed using a modified version of the questionnaire for workplace analysis (KFZA). The response rate was 52%.

Results

Traumatic events were experienced by n = 125 physicians (86.2%) throughout their whole career. Of these, 19 physicians (15.2%) reported PTS. PTS is reported by 12 of 56 female physicians (63.2%), compared to 7 of 89 reports of PTS by male physicians (36.8%). Physicians with PTS symptoms had higher depression scores (p = 0.007) compared to physicians without TE or with TE, but without PTS. Physicians with PTS reported significantly reduced work ability caused by constantly interrupted work (p = 0.03). Female gender was the greatest risk factor for the development of PTS. (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Physicians – especially females – with PTS may have an increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. Therefore, interventions aimed at reducing trauma-related stress symptoms may be helpful in improving mental health of hospital physicians. Further studies with more physicians from different hospitals are necessary to support the results.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist downregulation combined with hormone replacement therapy improves the reproductive outcome in frozen–thawed embryo transfer cycles for patients of advanced reproductive age with idiopathic recurrent implantation failure
Authors: Pan Dan , Yang Jie , Zhang Ni , Wang Lei , Li Na , Shi Juanzi , Zhou Hanying
Published: February 2022

Background

To determine whether gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist downregulation combined with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can improve the reproductive outcomes in frozen–thawed embryo transfer cycles for older patients (aged 36–43 years) with idiopathic recurrent implantation failure (RIF).

Methods

This retrospective cohort study involved 549 older patients undergoing their third cleavage-stage embryo or blastocyst transfer over a 5-year period (January 2015–December 2020) at Northwest Women’s and Children’s Hospital after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. Patients with known endometriosis or adenomyosis were excluded from the study. The patients were divided into three groups according to the endometrial preparation protocol: the natural cycle (NC) group (n = 65), the HRT group (n = 194), and the GnRH agonist downregulation combined with HRT cycle (GnRH agonist–HRT) group (n = 290). The primary outcome was the live birth rate, and the secondary outcomes were the clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and ongoing pregnancy rates.

Results

The live birth rate in the GnRH agonist–HRT group (36.55%) was higher than that in the HRT group (22.16%) and NC group (16.92%) (P < 0.0001). Similarly, a logistic regression model adjusting for potential confounders showed that the live birth rate was higher in the GnRH agonist–HRT group than in the HRT group (odds ratio, 0.594; 95% confidence interval, 0.381–0.926; P = 0.021) and NC group (odds ratio, 0.380; 95% confidence interval, 0.181–0.796; P = 0.010).

Conclusions

The GnRH agonist–HRT protocol improves the live birth rate in frozen–thawed embryo transfer cycles for patients of advanced reproductive age with RIF. We hypothesize that the GnRH agonist–HRT protocol enhances implantation-related factors and promotes optimal endometrial receptivity, leading to an improved live birth rate. These findings are also useful for further investigating the underlying mechanism of the GnRH agonist–HRT protocol in improving the reproductive outcomes for patients of advanced reproductive age with RIF.

Trial registration

This research protocol was approved by the hospital institutional ethics committee (No. 2021002).
Alterations in the gut microbiome and metabolome profiles of septic rats treated with aminophylline
Authors: Li Yuanzhe , Zhao Huayan , Sun Guiying , Duan Yongtao , Guo Yanjun , Xie Lina , Ding Xianfei
Published: February 2022

The treatment of sepsis remains a major challenge worldwide. Aminophylline has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects; however, the role of aminophylline in sepsis, a disease characterized by immune dysregulation, is unknown. In this study, we combined microbiome sequencing and metabolomic assays to investigate the effect of aminophylline administration on the intestinal flora and metabolites in septic rats. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: a sham-operated (SC) group, a sepsis model (CLP) group and a CLP + aminophylline treatment (Amino) group. The intestinal flora and metabolic profile of rats in the CLP group were significantly different than those of the SC group, while aminophylline administration resulted in a return to a state similar to healthy rats. Differential abundance analysis showed that aminophylline significantly back-regulated the abundance ofFirmicutes,unidentified_Bacteria,Proteobacteria,Lactobacillus,Escherichia-Shigellaand other dominant bacteria (P < 0.05) and altered chenodeoxycholic acid, isolithocholic acid and a total of 26 metabolites (variable importance in the projection (VIP) > 1,P < 0.05). In addition, we found that there were significant correlations between differential metabolites and bacterial genera of the Amino and CLP groups. For example,Escherichia-Shigellawas associated with 12 metabolites, andLactobacilluswas associated with two metabolites (P < 0.05), suggesting that differences in the metabolic profiles caused by aminophylline were partly dependent on its influence on the gutmicrobiome. In conclusion, this study identified a novel protective mechanism whereby aminophylline could regulate disordered intestinal flora and metabolites in septic rats.
Atypical skeletal involvement in patients with Erdheim–Chester disease: CT imaging findings
Authors: Zhang Zaizhu , Yu Wei , Guan Wenmin , Lin Qiang , Guermazi Ali
Published: February 2022

Objectives

To review retrospectively atypical bone findings from computed tomographic (CT) imaging in patients with Erdheim–Chester disease.

Methods

All 28 patients with Erdheim–Chester disease (13 men and 15 women; mean age, 45 years; range, 7–63 years) underwent chest-abdomen-pelvis CT. CT images were reviewed and analyzed for the various features of atypical bone lesions by two radiologists in consensus.

Results

Twenty-one patients had atypical bone involvement. Radiologically, these atypical osseous lesions were categorized into three types: diffuse, nodular and patchy. Eleven (52%) of the 21 patients had spinal lesions, of which four (36%) had the diffuse type, eight (73%) had the nodular pattern, and six (55%) had the patchy pattern. Sixteen (76%) of the 21 patients had pelvic involvement, of which two (13%) were diffuse, nine (56%) were nodular and 11 were (69%) patchy. Ribs were involved in seven (33%) of the 21 patients, with the nodular pattern in one (14%) patient and the patchy type in six (86%) patients. Clavicle involvement was seen in nine (43%) of the 21 patients, of which the diffuse type was found in only one (11%) patient, the nodular type in six (67%) patients, the solitary patchy type in four (44%) patients. Sternum involvement was seen in 10 (48%) of the 21 patients and all were nodular.

Conclusions

This series provides a detailed description of atypical bone involvement in Erdheim–Chester disease which on CT displays three major patterns. Understanding these patterns may help increase the accuracy of diagnosis of this disease.