bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Occult Autoimmune Background for Epilepsy—The Preliminary Study on Antibodies Against Neuronal Surface Antigens
Authors: Dziadkowiak Edyta , Moreira Helena , Buska-Mach Katarzyna , Szmyrka Magdalena , Budrewicz Sławomir , Barg Ewa , Janik Marta , Pokryszko-Dragan Anna
Published: October 2021

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the incidence of antibodies against neuronal surface antigens (NSA-ab) in patients with different types of epilepsy, in comparison with the subjects diagnosed with immune-mediated disorders.

Methods: Forty patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) of unknown origin, 16 with post-stroke epilepsy, and 23 with systemic autoimmune disorders (SAD) with CNS involvement were included. NSA-ab were sought in serum using indirect immunofluorescence method. Relationships were analyzed between presence of NSA-ab and clinical presentation.

Results: NSA-ab was detected in the sera from five patients: anti-DPPX in one patient, anti-AMPAR1/R2 in two, anti-LGI1 in one and, in one case, both anti-CASPR2 and DPPX IgG. Out of these five patients, three represented the SAD subgroup and two the DRE subgroup. None of the patients with post-stroke epilepsy was positive for NSA-ab.

Significance: Autoimmune etiology is worth considering in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy of unknown origin. The presence of NSA-ab in patients with systemic autoimmune disorders may be caused by unspecifically enhanced autoimmune reactivity. NSA-ab seem not to be related to epilepsy resulting from ischemic brain injury.
Atrial Fibrillation Related and Unrelated Stroke Recurrence Among Ischemic Stroke Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Kim Bum Joon , Hwang Yang-Ha , Park Man-Seok , Kim Joon-Tae , Choi Kang-Ho , Jung Jin-Man , Yu Sungwook , Kim Chi Kyung , Oh Kyungmi , Song Tae-Jin , Kim Yong-Jae , Park Kwang-Yeol , Kim Jeong-Min , Park Jong-Ho , Choi Jay Chol , Chung Jong-Won , Bang Oh Young , Kim Gyeong-Moon , Heo Sung Hyuk , Seo Woo-Keun
Published: October 2021

Background: Ischemic stroke with atrial fibrillation (AF) may recur despite appropriate treatment. It may be AF-related or AF-unrelated. We compared the factors associated with AF-related and AF-unrelated recurrences among ischemic stroke patients with AF.

Methods: Patients with ischemic stroke and AF were enrolled from 11 centers in Korea. Ischemic stroke recurrence was classified as AF-related if the lesion pattern was compatible with cardioembolism without significant stenosis or as AF-unrelated if the lesion was more likely due to small vessel disease or arterial stenosis. Factors associated with stroke recurrence (AF-related and AF-unrelated) were investigated.

Results: Among the 2,239 patients, 115 (5.1%) experienced recurrence (75 AF-related and 40 AF-unrelated). Factors independently associated with any stroke recurrence included AF diagnosed before stroke, small subcortical infarctions, and small scattered lesions in a single vascular territory. Type of AF was associated with the type of stroke recurrence, with persistent AF being associated with AF-related stroke [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.69–5.26; p < 0.001]. By contrast, paroxysmal AF (HR = 3.76, 95% CI 1.56–9.04; p = 0.003), AF diagnosed before stroke (HR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.19–4.55; p = 0.014), small scattered lesions in a single vascular territory (reference: corticosubcortical lesion, HR = 3.19, 95% CI 1.18–8.63; p = 0.022), and the use of antiplatelet agents (HR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.11–4.03; p = 0.024) were independently associated with AF-unrelated stroke.

Conclusion: Persistent AF was more associated with AF-related stroke recurrence, whereas paroxysmal AF was more associated with AF-unrelated stroke recurrence. A scattered lesion in a single vascular territory may predict AF-unrelated stroke recurrence.
Socio-Motor Improvisation in Schizophrenia: A Case-Control Study in a Sample of Stable Patients
Authors: Salesse Robin N. , Casties Jean-François , Capdevielle Delphine , Raffard Stéphane
Published: October 2021

Improvising is essential for human development and is one of the most important characteristics of being human. However, how mental illness affects improvisation remains largely unknown. In this study we focused on socio-motor improvisation in individuals with schizophrenia, one of the more debilitating mental disorder. This represents the ability to improvise gestures during an interaction to promote sustained communication and shared attention. Using a novel paradigm called the mirror game and recently introduced to study joint improvisation, we recorded hand motions of two people mirroring each other. Comparing Schizophrenia patients and healthy controls skills during the game, we found that improvisation was impaired in schizophrenia patients. Patients also exhibited significantly higher difficulties to being synchronized with someone they follow but not when they were leaders of the joint improvisation game. Considering the correlation between socio-motor synchronization and socio-motor improvisation, these results suggest that synchronization does not only promote affiliation but also improvisation, being therefore an interesting key factor to enhance social skills in a clinical context. Moreover, socio-motor improvisation abnormalities were not associated with executive functioning, one traditional underpinning of improvisation. Altogether, our results suggest that even if both mental illness and improvisation differ from normal thinking and behavior, they are not two sides of the same coin, providing a direct evidence that being able to improvise in individual situations is fundamentally different than being able to improvise in a social context.
Distributed Subnetworks of Depression Defined by Direct Intracranial Neurophysiology
Authors: Scangos Katherine Wilson , Khambhati Ankit N. , Daly Patrick M. , Owen Lucy W. , Manning Jeremy R. , Ambrose Josiah B. , Austin Everett , Dawes Heather E. , Krystal Andrew D. , Chang Edward F.
Published: October 2021

Major depressive disorder is a common and disabling disorder with high rates of treatment resistance. Evidence suggests it is characterized by distributed network dysfunction that may be variable across patients, challenging the identification of quantitative biological substrates. We carried out this study to determine whether application of a novel computational approach to a large sample of high spatiotemporal resolution direct neural recordings in humans could unlock the functional organization and coordinated activity patterns of depression networks. This group level analysis of depression networks from heterogenous intracranial recordings was possible due to application of a correlational model-based method for inferring whole-brain neural activity. We then applied a network framework to discover brain dynamics across this model that could classify depression. We found a highly distributed pattern of neural activity and connectivity across cortical and subcortical structures that was present in the majority of depressed subjects. Furthermore, we found that this depression signature consisted of two subnetworks across individuals. The first was characterized by left temporal lobe hypoconnectivity and pathological beta activity. The second was characterized by a hypoactive, but hyperconnected left frontal cortex. These findings have applications toward personalization of therapy.
Bayesian Estimation of Potential Performance Improvement Elicited by Robot-Guided Training
Authors: Takai Asuka , Lisi Giuseppe , Noda Tomoyuki , Teramae Tatsuya , Imamizu Hiroshi , Morimoto Jun
Published: October 2021

Improving human motor performance via physical guidance by an assist robot device is a major field of interest of the society in many different contexts, such as rehabilitation and sports training. In this study, we propose a Bayesian estimation method to predict whether motor performance of a user can be improved or not by the robot guidance from the user’s initial skill level. We designed a robot-guided motor training procedure in which subjects were asked to generate a desired circular hand movement. We then evaluated the tracking error between the desired and actual subject’s hand movement. Results showed that we were able to predict whether a novel user can reduce the tracking error after the robot-guided training from the user’s initial movement performance by checking whether the initial error was larger than a certain threshold, where the threshold was derived by using the proposed Bayesian estimation method. Our proposed approach can potentially help users to decide if they should try a robot-guided training or not without conducting the time-consuming robot-guided movement training.
Primary Cilia and Centrosomes in Neocortex Development
Authors: Wilsch-Bräuninger Michaela , Huttner Wieland B.
Published: October 2021

During mammalian brain development, neural stem and progenitor cells generate the neurons for the six-layered neocortex. The proliferative capacity of the different types of progenitor cells within the germinal zones of the developing neocortex is a major determinant for the number of neurons generated. Furthermore, the various modes of progenitor cell divisions, for which the orientation of the mitotic spindle of progenitor cells has a pivotal role, are a key parameter to ensure the appropriate size and proper cytoarchitecture of the neocortex. Here, we review the roles of primary cilia and centrosomes of progenitor cells in these processes during neocortical development. We specifically focus on the apical progenitor cells in the ventricular zone. In particular, we address the alternating, dual role of the mother centriole (i) as a component of one of the spindle poles during mitosis, and (ii) as the basal body of the primary cilium in interphase, which is pivotal for the fate of apical progenitor cells and their proliferative capacity. We also discuss the interactions of these organelles with the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton, and with junctional complexes. Centriolar appendages have a specific role in this interaction with the cell cortex and the plasma membrane. Another topic of this review is the specific molecular composition of the ciliary membrane and the membrane vesicle traffic to the primary cilium of apical progenitors, which underlie the ciliary signaling during neocortical development; this signaling itself, however, is not covered in depth here. We also discuss the recently emerging evidence regarding the composition and roles of primary cilia and centrosomes in basal progenitors, a class of progenitors thought to be of particular importance for neocortex expansion in development and evolution. While the tight interplay between primary cilia and centrosomes makes it difficult to allocate independent roles to either organelle, mutations in genes encoding ciliary and/or centrosome proteins indicate that both are necessary for the formation of a properly sized and functioning neocortex during development. Human neocortical malformations, like microcephaly, underpin the importance of primary cilia/centrosome-related processes in neocortical development and provide fundamental insight into the underlying mechanisms involved.
Cognitive Neuroscience Meets the Community of Knowledge
Authors: Sloman Steven A. , Patterson Richard , Barbey Aron K.
Published: October 2021

Cognitive neuroscience seeks to discover the biological foundations of the human mind. One goal is to explain how mental operations are generated by the information processing architecture of the human brain. Our aim is to assess whether this is a well-defined objective. Our contention will be that it is not because the information processing of any given individual is not contained entirely within that individual’s brain. Rather, it typically includes components situated in the heads of others, in addition to being distributed across parts of the individual’s body and physical environment. Our focus here will be on cognition distributed across individuals, or on what we call the “community of knowledge,” the challenge that poses for reduction of cognition to neurobiology and the contribution of cognitive neuroscience to the study of communal processes.
Comprehensive Analysis of IGFBPs as Biomarkers in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Liu Qi , Jiang Jianwu , Zhang Xiefu , Zhang Meixiang , Fu Yang
Published: October 2021

Objective

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Insulin-like growth-factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) were initially identified as passive inhibitors that combined with insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in serum. However, more recent data have shown that they have different expression patterns and a variety of functions in the development and occurrence of cancers. Thus, their various roles in cancer still need to be elucidated. This study aimed to explore the IGFBPs and their prognostic value as markers in gastric cancer.

Methods

Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), Kaplan–Meier Plotter, cBioPortal, GeneMANIA, and TIMER were used to analyze the differential expression, prognostic value, genetic alteration, and association with immune cell infiltration of IGFPBs in gastric cancer.

Results

Expression levels of IGFBP3, IGFBP4, and IGFBP7 were significantly elevated in gastric cancer tissues, whereas those of IGFBP1 were reduced in normal tissues. IGFBP1/5/7 expression was significantly associated with overall survival whereas IGFBP6/7 expression was significantly correlated with disease-free survival in gastric cancer patients. IGFBP3/5/6/7 were associated with clinical cancer stage. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome analyses showed that IGFBP3/5/7 were mainly enriched in focal adhesion, extracellular matrix structural constituent, cell-substratist junction, extracellular structure, and matrix organization. Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) and gastric cancer had more IGFBP1–7 mutations than other tumor types. Hub gene analysis showed that TP53 and IGF2 expression was significantly elevated in STAD patients; PLG, PAPPA, AFP, and CYR61 were associated with overall survival rate; and IGFALS, PLG, IGF1, AHSG, and FN1 were associated with disease-free survival. Finally, IGFBP3–7 were all associated with cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration in STAD, colon adenocarcinoma, and rectal adenocarcinoma.

Conclusion

Our study provides a comprehensive analysis and selection of IGFBPs as prognostic biomarkers in STAD. This was the first bioinformatic analysis study to describe the involvement of IGFBPs, especially IGFBP7, in gastric cancer development through the extracellular matrix.
Identification of a Three-Gene Signature Based on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Lung Adenocarcinoma Through Construction and Validation of a Risk-Prediction Model
Authors: Shi Jianguang , Wang Zishan , Guo Jing , Chen Yingqi , Tong Changyong , Tong Jingjie , Hu Wentao , Li Chenwei , Li Xinjian
Published: October 2021

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, which is regulated by genes of inducible factors and transcription factor family of signaling pathways, transforms epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells and is involved in tumor invasion and progression and increases tumor tolerance to clinical interventions. This study constructed a multigene marker for lung predicting the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients by bioinformatic analysis based on EMT-related genes. Gene sets associated with EMT were downloaded from the EMT-gene database, and RNA-seq of LUAD and clinical information of patients were downloaded from the TCGA database. Differentially expressed genes were screened by difference analysis. Survival analysis was performed to identify genes associated with LUAD prognosis, and overlapping genes were taken for all the three. Prognosis-related genes were further determined by combining LASSO regression analysis for establishing a prediction signature, and the risk score equation for the prognostic model was established using multifactorial COX regression analysis to construct a survival prognostic model. The model accuracy was evaluated using subject working characteristic curves. According to the median value of risk score, samples were divided into a high-risk group and low-risk group to observe the correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics of patients. Combined with the results of one-way COX regression analysis, HGF, PTX3, and S100P were considered as independent predictors of LUAD prognosis. In lung cancer tissues, HGF and PTX3 expression was downregulated and S100P expression was upregulated. Kaplan-Meier, COX regression analysis showed that HGF, PTX3, and S100P were prognostic independent predictors of LUAD, and high expressions of all the three were all significantly associated with immune cell infiltration. The present study provided potential prognostic predictive biological markers for LUAD patients, and confirmed EMT as a key mechanism in LUAD progression.
Cause of Death in Patients in Radiation Oncology
Authors: Domschikowski Justus , Koch Karoline , Schmalz Claudia
Published: October 2021

Background

The accurate attribution of death in oncologic patients is a difficult task. The patient’s death is often attributed to his or her underlying cancer and therefore judged as cancer-related. We hypothesized that even though our patient’s cancers were either advanced or metastatic, not all patients had died simply because of their cancer.

Methods

A total of 105 patients were included in this retrospective analysis. Patient data were collected from digital and paper-based records. Cause of death was assessed from death certificate and compared to the medical autopsy reports. Discrepancies between premortem and postmortem diagnoses were classified as class I and II discrepancies.

Results

Of 105 patients included, autopsy consent was obtained in 56 cases (53%). Among them, 32 of 56 were palliatively sedated, and 42/56 patients died cancer-related as confirmed by autopsy. The most common cause of death by autopsy report was multiorgan failure followed by a combination of tumor and infection, predominantly lung cancer with pneumonia. Here, 21/56 cases (37%) showed major missed diagnoses: seven cases showed class I, 10 class II, and both discrepancies. The most commonly missed diagnoses in both categories were infections, again mainly pneumonia.

Conclusions

Cancer was the leading cause of death in our study population. A quarter of the patients, however, did not die due to their advanced or metastatic cancers but of potentially curable causes. We therefore conclude that it is important to consider competing causes of death when treating palliative cancer patients. In a palliative setting, the treatment of a potentially curable complication should be discussed with the patients and their families in a shared decision-making process. From our experience, many patients will decline treatment or even further diagnostics when given the option of best supportive care.
Recurrent Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma – Review
Authors: Bekki Yuki , Von Ahrens Dagny , Takahashi Hideo , Schwartz Myron , Gunasekaran Ganesh
Published: October 2021

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second-most common primary liver malignancy after hepatocellular carcinoma. While surgical resection with negative margin is the only curative treatment, ICC has very high rate of recurrence, up to 60-70% after curative resection. We reviewed the current data available on risk factors for ICC recurrence, recurrence pattern (location and timing), treatment options, and future directions. The risk factors for recurrence include elevated preoperative CA19-9, presence of liver cirrhosis, nodal metastasis, positive margins, and vascular invasion. Understanding different recurrence patterns, timing course, and risk factors for early recurrence is important to tailor postoperative surveillance and select treatment strategies including systemic or locoregional therapy. Re-resection can be considered for a selected patient population at experienced centers, and can yield long-term survival. ICC remains a dismal disease given the high likelihood of recurrence. Advances in our understanding of the genomic landscape of ICC are beginning to identify targetable alterations in ICC in subsets of patients that allow for personalized treatment.
The Impact of Mutations in Wolframin on Psychiatric Disorders
Authors: Munshani Saira , Ibrahim Eiman Y. , Domenicano Ilaria , Ehrlich Barbara E.
Published: October 2021

Wolfram Syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by early-onset diabetes mellitus, neurodegeneration, and psychological disorders. Mutations in the gene WFS1, coding for the protein wolframin, cause Wolfram Syndrome and are associated with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This report aims to connect WFS1 mutations to their impact on protein expression and structure, which ultimately translates to altered cell function and behavioral alterations of an individual.

Methods: Published data were used to compile WFS1 mutations associated with psychiatric symptoms, both in homozygous patients and heterozygous carriers of WFS1 mutations. These mutations were evaluated in silico using SNAP2, PolyPhen-2, and PROVEAN to predict the effects of sequence variants. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the locations of the mutations and the damage prediction scores.

Results: Several mutations, clustering in the center and C-terminus of the WFS1 polypeptide, such as A559T and R558C, are found in individuals with psychiatric diseases and appear particularly impactful on protein structure. Our analysis showed that mutations in all regions of wolframin were present in patients with schizophrenia whereas only cytoplasmic and ER luminal mutations were reported in patients with manic episodes and bipolar disorders. According to Poly-Phen-2 predictions, 82.4% of the ER lumen mutations and 85.7% of the membrane mutations are damaging.

Conclusion: We propose mood disorders in Wolfram Syndrome and heterozygous carriers of WFS1 mutations are the consequence of specific mutations in WFS1 that alter the structure of wolframin, resulting in intracellular calcium dysregulations and impaired cell signaling, Understanding the effect of WFS1 mutations on bipolar disorder and schizoprenia is integral to designing clinically targeted treatments for both diseases, which need more specialized treatments.
Spondylodiscitis in Children: A Retrospective Study and Comparison With Non-vertebral Osteomyelitis
Authors: Roversi Marco , Mirra Gianluca , Musolino Antonio , Barbuti Domenico , Lancella Laura , Deriu Daniele , Iorio Carlo , Villani Alberto , Crostelli Marco , Mazza Osvaldo , Krzysztofiak Andrzej
Published: October 2021

Objectives: The aim of this study is to provide new data on pediatrics spondylodiscitis for an optimal clinical management of this site-specific osteomyelitis.

Methods: We reported 48 cases of pediatric spondylodiscitis and made three comparisons between: (1) tubercular and non-tubercular cases; (2) patients aged more or less than 5 years; (3) children with spondylodiscitis and 62 controls with non-vertebral osteomyelitis.

Results: A higher rate of sequelae was reported in patients with tubercular spondylodiscitis, but no significant differences were noted at the cut-off of 5 years of age. Compared to non-vertebral osteomyelitis, pediatric spondylodiscitis affects younger children of both genders, usually presenting with afebrile back pain, and requiring longer time to admission, hospitalization, and antibiotic therapy.

Conclusion: Pediatric spondylodiscitis is an insidious disease with a non-specific presentation in childhood and peculiarities of its own. However, when clinical remission is obtained by an early start of broad-spectrum antibiotics, prolonging the therapy does not improve, nor worsens, the outcome. Surgical management is mandatory in case of vertebral instability and neurological signs but can be avoided when the infection is promptly treated with antibiotic therapy.
Photodynamic Therapy of Novel Photosensitizer Ameliorates TNBS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis via Inhibition of AOC1
Authors: Rong Yumei , Hong Ge , Zhu Na , Liu Yang , Jiang Yong , Liu Tianjun
Published: October 2021

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic, nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by continuous and diffuse inflammatory changes in the colonic mucosa, requires novel treatment method. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), as a promising physico-chemical treatment method, were used to treat UC rats’ model with novel photosensitizer LD4 in this paper, the treatment effect and mechanism was investigated. LD4-PDT could improve the survival rate of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced UC model rats, decrease expression of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and increase the expression of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide oxidase (SOD), while protecting the integrity of the intestinal epithelium. LD4-PDT treatment could rebuild the intestinal microflora composition and reprogram the colonic protein profiles in TNBS-induced rats to almost the normal state. Proteomics analysis based upon TNBS-induced UC model rats revealed that Amine oxidase copper-containing 1 (AOC1) was a potential target of LD4-PDT. Novel photosensitizer agent LD4-PDT represents an efficient treatment method for UC, and AOC1 may be a promising target.
Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors Work as a “Regulator” of Autophagic Activity in Overnutrition Diseases
Authors: Fukushima Kazuhiko , Kitamura Shinji , Tsuji Kenji , Wada Jun
Published: October 2021

Several large clinical trials have shown renal and cardioprotective effects of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in diabetes patients, and the protective mechanisms need to be elucidated. There have been accumulating studies which report that SGLT2 inhibitors ameliorate autophagy deficiency of multiple organs. In overnutrition diseases, SGLT2 inhibitors affect the autophagy via various signaling pathways, including mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathways. Recently, it turned out that not only stagnation but also overactivation of autophagy causes cellular damages, indicating that therapeutic interventions which simply enhance or stagnate autophagy activity might be a “double-edged sword” in some situations. A small number of studies suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors not only activate but also suppress the autophagy flux depending on the situation, indicating that SGLT2 inhibitors can “regulate” autophagic activity and help achieve the appropriate autophagy flux in each organ. Considering the complicated control and bilateral characteristics of autophagy, the potential of SGLT2 inhibitors as the regulator of autophagic activity would be beneficial in the treatment of autophagy deficiency.
Effects of Cyclic Chronic Heat Stress on the Expression of Nutrient Transporters in the Jejunum of Modern Broilers and Their Ancestor Wild Jungle Fowl
Authors: Abdelli Nedra , Ramser Alison , Greene Elizabeth S. , Beer Lesleigh , Tabler Travis W. , Orlowski Sara K. , Pérez José Francisco , Solà-Oriol David , Anthony Nicholas B. , Dridi Sami
Published: October 2021

Heat stress (HS) has been reported to disrupt nutrient digestion and absorption in broilers. These effects may be more prominent in fast-growing chickens due to their high metabolic activity. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet fully elucidated. Hence, the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of chronic HS on jejunal nutrient transport in slow- (Athens Canadian Random Bred, ACRB from 1950), moderate- (The 1995 random bred, 95RAN), rapid- (modern broilers, modern random bred, MRB) growing birds and their ancestor wild jungle fowl (JF). One-day male chicks (n = 150/line) were placed by line in environmentally controlled chambers and kept under the same industry-standard environmental conditions until d28. On d29, an 8-h daily cyclic HS (36°C) was applied to half of the chambers, which lasted until d55, while keeping the rest under thermal neutral (TN, 24°C) conditions. Jejunum tissues were collected for morphology assessment and molecular analysis of carbohydrate-, amino acid-, and fatty acid-transporters. MRB exhibited the highest body weight (BW) followed by 95RAN under both conditions. HS decreased feed intake (FI) in MRB and 95RAN, which resulted in lower BW compared to their TN counterparts; however, no effect was observed in ACRB and JF. MRB showed a greater villus height (VH) to crypt depth (CD) ratio under both environmental conditions. Molecular analyses showed that glucose transporter (GLUT) 2, 5, 10, and 11 were upregulated in MRB compared to some of the other populations under TN conditions. HS downregulated GLUT2, 10, 11, and 12 in MRB while it increased the expression of GLUT1, 5, 10, and 11 in JF. GLUT2 protein expression was higher in JF compared to ACRB and MRB under TN conditions. It also showed an increase in ACRB but no effect on 95RAN and MRB under HS conditions. ACRB exhibited greater expression of the EAAT3 gene as compared to the rest of the populations maintained under TN conditions. HS exposure did not alter the gene expression of amino acid transporters in MRB. Gene expression of CD36 and FABP2 was upregulated in HS JF birds. Protein expression of CD36 was downregulated in HS JF while no effect was observed in ACRB, 95RAN, and MRB. Taken together, these data are the first to show the effect of HS on jejunal expression of nutrient transporters in three broiler populations known to represent 70 years of genetic progress in the poultry industry and a Red Jungle Fowl population representative of the primary ancestor of domestic chickens.
Red Blood Cell Metabolism in Pyruvate Kinase Deficient Patients
Authors: Roy Micaela K. , Cendali Francesca , Ooyama Gabrielle , Gamboni Fabia , Morton Holmes , D’Alessandro Angelo
Published: October 2021

Background: Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD) is the most frequent congenital enzymatic defect of glycolysis, and one of the most common causes of hereditary non spherocytic hemolytic anemia. Therapeutic interventions are limited, in part because of the incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms that compensate for the metabolic defect.

Methods: Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analyses were performed on red blood cells (RBCs) from healthy controls (n=10) and PKD patients (n=5).

Results: In PKD patients, decreases in late glycolysis were accompanied by accumulation of pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) metabolites, as a function of oxidant stress to purines (increased breakdown and deamination). Markers of oxidant stress included increased levels of sulfur-containing compounds (methionine and taurine), polyamines (spermidine and spermine). Markers of hypoxia such as succinate, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), and hypoxanthine were all elevated in PKD subjects. Membrane lipid oxidation and remodeling was observed in RBCs from PKD patients, as determined by increases in the levels of free (poly-/highly-unsaturated) fatty acids and acyl-carnitines.

Conclusion: In conclusion, in the present study, we provide the first overview of RBC metabolism in patients with PKD. Though limited in scope, the study addresses the need for basic science to investigate pathologies targeting underrepresented minorities (Amish population in this study), with the ultimate goal to target treatments to health disparities.
Skeletal Muscle Adaptations and Performance Outcomes Following a Step and Exponential Taper in Strength Athletes
Authors: Travis S. Kyle , Zwetsloot Kevin A. , Mujika Iñigo , Stone Michael H. , Bazyler Caleb D.
Published: October 2021

Before major athletic events, a taper is often prescribed to facilitate recovery and enhance performance. However, it is unknown which taper model is most effective for peaking maximal strength and positively augmenting skeletal muscle. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare performance outcomes and skeletal muscle adaptations following a step vs. an exponential taper in strength athletes. Sixteen powerlifters (24.0 ± 4.0 years, 174.4 ± 8.2 cm, 89.8 ± 21.4 kg) participated in a 6-week training program aimed at peaking maximal strength on back squat [initial 1-repetition-maximum (1RM): 174.7 ± 33.4 kg], bench press (118.5 ± 29.9 kg), and deadlift (189.9 ± 41.2 kg). Powerlifters were matched based on relative maximal strength, and randomly assigned to either (a) 1-week overreach and 1-week step taper or (b) 1-week overreach and 3-week exponential taper. Athletes were tested pre- and post-training on measures of body composition, jumping performance, isometric squat, and 1RM. Whole muscle size was assessed at the proximal, middle, and distal vastus lateralis using ultrasonography and microbiopsies at the middle vastus lateralis site. Muscle samples (n= 15) were analyzed for fiber size, fiber type [myosin-heavy chain (MHC)-I, -IIA, -IIX, hybrid-I/IIA] using whole muscle immunohistochemistry and single fiber dot blots, gene expression, and microRNA abundance. There were significant main time effects for 1RM squat (p< 0.001), bench press (p< 0.001), and deadlift, (p= 0.024), powerlifting total (p< 0.001), Wilks Score (p< 0.001), squat jump peak-power scaled to body mass (p= 0.001), body mass (p= 0.005), fat mass (p= 0.002), and fat mass index (p= 0.002). There were significant main time effects for medial whole muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA) (p= 0.006) and averaged sites (p< 0.001). There was also a significant interaction for MHC-IIA fiber cross-sectional area (fCSA) (p= 0.014) withpost hoccomparisons revealing increases following the step-taper only (p= 0.002). There were significant main time effects for single-fiber MHC-I% (p= 0.015) and MHC-IIA% (p= 0.033), as well as for MyoD (p= 0.002), MyoG (p= 0.037), and miR-499a (p= 0.033). Overall, increases in whole mCSA, fCSA, MHC-IIA fCSA, and MHC transitions appeared to favor the step taper group. An overreach followed by a step taper appears to produce a myocellular environment that enhances skeletal muscle adaptations, whereas an exponential taper may favor neuromuscular performance.
Direct Evidence for a Radial Gradient in Age of the Apple Fruit Cuticle
Authors: Si Yiru , Khanal Bishnu P. , Schlüter Oliver K. , Knoche Moritz
Published: October 2021

The pattern of cuticle deposition plays an important role in managing strain buildup in fruit cuticles. Cuticular strain is the primary trigger for numerous fruit-surface disorders in many fruit crop species. Recent evidence indicates a strain gradient may exist within the apple fruit cuticle. The outer layers of the cuticle are more strained and thus more susceptible to microcracking than the inner layers. A radial gradient in cuticle age is the most likely explanation. Our study aimed to establish whether (or not) deposition of new cutin in a developing apple fruit occurs on the inner surface of the cuticle, i.e., immediately abutting the outward-facing epidermal cell wall. Developing apples were fed with 13C oleic acid through the skin. Following a 14-d period for incorporation, the fruit was harvested and the cuticular membranes (CMs) isolated enzymatically. The CMs were then ablated to varying extents from the inner or the outer surfaces, using a cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP). Afterwards, the ablated CMs were dewaxed and the 13C contents were determined by mass spectrometry. The incorporation of 13C in the cutin fraction was higher than in the wax fraction. The 13C content was highest in non-ablated, dewaxed CM (DCM) and decreased as ablation depth from the inner surface increased. There was no change in 13C content when ablation was carried out from the outer surface. As fruit development proceeded, more 13C label was found towards the middle of the DCM. These results offered direct evidence for deposition of cutin being on the inner surface of the cuticle, resulting in a radial gradient in cuticular age—the most recent deposition (youngest) being on the inner cuticle surface (abutting the epidermal cell wall) and the earliest deposition (oldest) being on the outer surface (abutting the atmosphere).
Multi-Omics-Based Identification and Functional Characterization of Gh_A06G1257 Proves Its Potential Role in Drought Stress Tolerance in Gossypium hirsutum
Authors: Mehari Teame Gereziher , Xu Yanchao , Umer Muhammad Jawad , Shiraku Margaret Linyerera , Hou Yuqing , Wang Yuhong , Yu Shuxun , Zhang Xianlong , Wang Kunbo , Cai Xiaoyan , Zhou Zhongli , Liu Fang
Published: October 2021

Cotton is one of the most important fiber crops globally. Despite this, various abiotic stresses, including drought, cause yield losses. We used transcriptome profiles to investigate the co-expression patterns of gene networks associated with drought stress tolerance. We identified three gene modules containing 3,567 genes highly associated with drought stress tolerance. Within these modules, we identified 13 hub genes based on intramodular significance, for further validation. The yellow module has five hub genes (Gh_A07G0563, Gh_D05G0221, Gh_A05G3716, Gh_D12G1438, and Gh_D05G0697), the brown module contains three hub genes belonging to the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene family (Gh_A06G1257, Gh_A06G1256, and Gh_D06G1578), and the pink module has five hub genes (Gh_A02G1616, Gh_D12G2599, Gh_D07G2232, Gh_A02G0527, and Gh_D07G0629). Based on RT-qPCR results, the Gh_A06G1257 gene has the highest expression under drought stress in different plant tissues and it might be the true candidate gene linked to drought stress tolerance in cotton. Silencing of Gh_A06G1257 in cotton leaves conferred significant sensitivity in response to drought stress treatments. Overexpression of Gh_A06G1257 in Arabidopsis also confirms its role in drought stress tolerance. L-valine, Glutaric acid, L-proline, L-Glutamic acid, and L-Tryptophan were found to be the most significant metabolites playing roles in drought stress tolerance. These findings add significantly to existing knowledge of drought stress tolerance mechanisms in cotton.
Can Priming Multiple Identities Enhance Divergent Thinking for Middle School Students?
Authors: Ruan Qian-Nan , Ye Xin-Wu , Jia Sui-Lin , Liang Jing , Yan Wen-Jing , Huang Yao-Ju
Published: October 2021

Previous studies have found that promoting multiple identities can improve children’s creative performance (divergent thinking). The present study employed a priming paradigm to design two experiments and investigate whether promoting a sense of multiple identities in middle school students could enhance their divergent thinking, a key component of creativity. In Experiment 1, 77 junior high school students were divided into multiple identities and physical trait condition groups. They were instructed to think about a child with multiple identities or physical traits. The results showed that there were no differences in divergent thinking (DT) scores between the two groups. In Experiment 2, we modified the priming method by asking participants to think about and write a description of the various identities or physical traits and employed a subjective top-scoring method to make up for shortcomings in the traditional scoring method when applied to originality. The results still showed no significant difference in scores between the identity and physical trait groups. Thus, the results of this study contradict those of previous research, which found that the identity group demonstrated significantly higher scores on a creativity test than did those in the physical trait group. Several potential factors affect this outcome, but it seems that priming to enhance divergent thinking is not particularly effective. Thus, the social priming effect should be pursued with caution regarding both replicability and generalizability.
Impact of Green Human Resource Management on Service Recovery: Mediating Role of Environmental Commitment and Moderation of Transformational Leadership
Authors: Iftikhar Umer , Zaman Khansa , Rehmani Mahmood , Ghias Wajeeha , Islam Tahir
Published: October 2021

Greening of the hotel industry can be achieved through employees' green service recovery performance (GSRP) of employees to determine environment-friendly or unfriendly issues driven by environmental commitment and green human resource management (HRM) practices. This article attempts to resolve the research problem by analyzing the moderating effect of transformational leadership style on green HRM practices with employee environmental commitment (EEC) and GSRP in the hotel industry. The present study recruited 489 front-line employees (FLE) and their 24 direct managers. The research results reveal that environmental commitment of employee mediates the relationship between green HRM practices and GSRP. Moreover, the transformational leadership style moderates the relationship between green HRM practices and employee environmental commitment in the hotel industry. The study has critical insights and implications for hotel managers and theory.
Predicting Physical Activity Behavior by Automatic and Reflective Self-Regulatory Processes
Authors: Pfeffer Ines , Strobach Tilo
Published: October 2021

In this study, we examined the interaction of automatic (i.e., automatic affective evaluations) and reflective [i.e., reflective intention and executive functions (EFs)] processes on physical activity (PA) behavior based on dual-process theories. We expected main effects as well as significant interaction effects between automatic associations, intention, and EFs on behavior. In particular, a well-controlled implicit-association-test (IAT) was applied to assess automatic affective evaluation. A prospective study with two points of measurement (N=212 students) was conducted. At t1, age, sex, PA behavior (control variables), automatic associations, EFs (shifting, updating, inhibition), and PA intention (predictors and moderators) were assessed with standardized questionnaires and tests. At t2 (4weeks later), PA behavior (dependent variable) was measured with a standardized questionnaire. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis including two- and three-way interactions between IAT results, intention, and EFs on PA behavior was conducted. Results showed that the interactions Intention x Shifting and IAT x Intention x Inhibition were significant. Moderation analyses revealed that participants with higher intentions and lower inhibition values (improved inhibition abilities) showed a negative association between IAT and PA, while those with lower intentions and lower inhibition values showed a positive association between IAT and PA, which was documented in a significant slope difference test between these two groups. Thus, both automatic and reflective processes contribute and interact in predicting PA. As well as fostering more positive affective evaluations towards PA, interventions to strengthen PA intentions and to improve EFs could help to increase PA behavior.
Imagining the Future: Future Imagination Training Decreases Delay Discounting Among Internet Addicts and Non-Problematic Users
Authors: Li Hongxia
Published: October 2021

To test whether future imagination can reduce the delay discounting rate of the Internet addicts, we recruited 40 Internet addicts (treatment sample) and 39 non-problematic users (control sample). We used a 2 (participant type: individuals with Internet addiction vs. non-problematic users) × 2 (training type: future event imagination training vs. control condition) × 2 (training session: first session vs. final session) mixed-subjects design to test our hypothesis. The participant type and training type were between the subjects and the training session was within the subject. Half of each sample (the Internet addicts and non-problematic users) was randomly assigned to complete five sessions of future imagination training and the other half was assigned to describe some daily events they had observed. We used the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) and delay discounting task to assess our outcome variable, such as addiction, impulsivity, and delay discounting rate. The results showed that the future imagination training significantly reduced the delay discounting rate (also for impulsivity and addiction) for both the Internet addicts and non-problematic users than the control condition. Besides, the negative effect of future imagination training on the delay discounting rates (for impulsivity and addiction) remained consistent across the five training sessions. These findings suggest that the future imagination training can be a useful approach to reduce the impulsivity among those who are addicted to the Internet.
The Model for Sustainable Mental Health: Future Directions for Integrating Positive Psychology Into Mental Health Care
Authors: Bohlmeijer Ernst , Westerhof Gerben
Published: October 2021

This position paper proposes a model for systematic integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in mental healthcare. On the one hand, PPIs can contribute to the decrease of dysfunctional processes underlying mental illness. This evidence is at the core of the new domains of positive clinical psychology and positive psychiatry. On the other hand, a growing number of studies demonstrate that mental health is not merely the absence of mental illness. Mental wellbeing represents a related but separate dimension of mental health. Mental wellbeing reduces the risk of future incidence of mental illness and is highly valued by people receiving psychological treatment as an important aspect of personal and complete recovery and personal growth. This makes mental wellbeing a vital outcome of mental healthcare. PPIs can directly increase mental wellbeing. The model of sustainable mental health is presented integrating the science of positive psychology and mental wellbeing into mental healthcare. This heuristic model can guide both practitioners and researchers in developing, implementing, and evaluating a more balanced, both complaint- and strength-oriented, treatment approach. The role of gratitude interventions is discussed as an example of applying the model. Also, three potential modalities for implementing PPIs as positive psychotherapy in treatment are as: positive psychotherapy as primary treatment, as combinatorial treatment, and as intervention for personal recovery of people with severe or persistent mental disorder. Finally, we argue that longitudinal studies are needed to substantiate the model and the processes involved.