bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Environmental Hypoxia on Hemostasis—A Systematic Review
Authors: Treml Benedikt , Wallner Bernd , Blank Cornelia , Fries Dietmar , Schobersberger Wolfgang
Published: February 2022

Humans have been ascending to high altitudes for centuries, with a growing number of professional- and leisure-related sojourns occurring in this millennium. A multitude of scientific reports on hemostatic disorders at high altitude suggest that hypoxia is an independent risk factor. However, no systematic analysis of the influence of environmental hypoxia on coagulation, fibrinolysis and platelet function has been performed. To fill this gap, we performed a systematic literature review, including only the data of healthy persons obtained during altitude exposure (<60 days). The results were stratified by the degree of hypoxia and sub-categorized into active and passive ascents and sojourns. Twenty-one studies including 501 participants were included in the final analysis. Since only one study provided relevant data, no conclusions regarding moderate altitudes (1,500–2,500 m) could be drawn. At high altitude (2,500–5,400 m), only small pathophysiological changes were seen, with a possible impact of increasing exercise loads. Elevated thrombin generation seems to be balanced by decreased platelet activation. Viscoelastic methods do not support increased thrombogenicity, with fibrinolysis being unaffected by high altitude. At extreme altitude (5,400–8,850 m), the limited data showed activation of coagulation in parallel with stimulation of fibrinolysis. Furthermore, multiple confounding variables at altitude, like training status, exercise load, fluid status and mental stress, prevent definitive conclusions being drawn on the impact of hypoxia on hemostasis. Thus, we cannot support the hypothesis that hypoxia triggers hypercoagulability and increases the risk of thromboembolic disorders, at least in healthy sojourners.
Metoclopramide Test in Hyperprolactinemic Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Old Wine Into New Bottles?
Authors: Rodier Claire , Courbière Blandine , Fernandes Sara , Vermalle Marie , Florence Bretelle , Resseguier Noémie , Brue Thierry , Cuny Thomas
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent etiology of anovulation, hyperandrogenism and infertility in women. Its pathophysiology remains poorly elucidated. Hyperprolactinemia (hPRL) is common in women of reproductive age and may partially mimic the clinical phenotype of PCOS. The simultaneous finding of both conditions is therefore not rare, however there are conflicting studies on whether a link exists between them.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a retrospective monocentric study between 2015 and 2021 and among women who were referred for possible PCOS, we selected those who met the ESHRE/Rotterdam definition criteria. hPRL was defined as two values above the upper limit of normal with at least one measurement in our centre.

Results

A total of 430 women were selected, of whom 179 met the PCOS criteria. 50 out of 179 patients (27.9%) had at least one elevated value of PRL and 21 (11.7%) had hPRL according to our definition. Among the 21 women of the PCOS/hPRL cohort, 5 (23.8%) had a microprolactinoma and all of them had PRL level ≥ 60 ng/ml. The remaining cases were macroprolactinemia (n=5), iatrogenic hPRL (n=4), primary hypothyroidism (n=1) or unexplained (n=6) despite exhaustive investigations. The metoclopramide test resulted in an increase of basal PRL < 300% in all prolactinomas and ≥ 300% in all the other etiologies.

Conclusion

hPRL was a common finding in PCOS women, secondary to a microprolactinoma in a quarter of cases. Metoclopramide test performed in women with hPRL below 60 ng/ml appeared as a helpful tool 1) to discriminate pituitary causes from others etiologies, 2) to potentially avoid unnecessary pituitary MRI.
Stem Cell Based Models in Congenital Hyperinsulinism – Perspective on Practicalities and Possibilities
Authors: Lithovius Väinö , Otonkoski Timo
Published: February 2022

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a severe inherited neonatal disorder characterized by inappropriate insulin secretion caused by genetic defects of the pancreatic beta cells. Several open questions remain in CHI research, such as the optimal treatment for the most common type of CHI, caused by mutations in the genes encoding ATP-sensitive potassium channels, and the molecular mechanisms of newly identified CHI genes. Answering these questions requires robust preclinical models, particularly since primary patient material is extremely scarce and accurate animal models are not available. In this short review, we explain why pluripotent stem cell derived islets present an attractive solution to these issues and outline the current progress in stem-cell based modeling of CHI. Stem cell derived islets enable the study of molecular mechanisms of CHI and the discovery of novel antihypoglycemic drugs, while also providing a valuable model to study the biology of variable functional states of beta cells.
A Race Between Economic Growth and Carbon Emissions: How Will the CO2 Emission Reach the Peak in Transportation Industry?
Authors: Wu Ya , Zhou Yitong , Liu Yin , Liu Jiawei
Published: February 2022

Promoting carbon emissions of the transportation industry to reach the peak as soon as possible is an effective way to control carbon emissions in China. Combined with the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) model and the Tapio decoupling model, this paper tries to predict and analyze the time, path, and quality of carbon peaking in the transportation industry in China and its eastern, central, and western regions. The research shows the following: 1) Under the “benchmark scenario,” the transportation industry in China and its three regions will not achieve the international commitment of achieving peak carbon emissions by 2030. 2) Under the “radical scenario,” the peak time of China’s transportation industry can be reached in 2027, which is 5 years earlier, 10% peak value lower than that in the “benchmark scenario.” In that scenario, in transportation industry, the eastern region will reach the carbon peak in 2025 and the central and western regions will both reach the carbon peak in 2028. By then, the peak quality of carbon emissions will be better than that under the “benchmark scenario” in transportation industry. This paper can provide theoretical support for promoting carbon emission reductions and carbon peaking in China’s transportation industry.
An Investigation of the Optimum Solar Flux Distribution on a Large-Scale Particle Heating Receiver
Authors: El-Leathy Abdelrahman , Al-Ansary Hany , Danish Syed Noman , Alsuhaibani Anas , Alswaiyd Abdulelah
Published: February 2022

Solid particles have been shown to be an effective heat transmission as well as thermal storage medium for falling particle receiver based solar power systems at temperatures up to 1,000°C. The temperature distribution on the surface of the falling particle receiver is critical. High temperatures, thermal shocks, and temperature gradients produce substantial stresses on the receiver due to high, fluctuating, and non-homogeneous solar flux. To this effect, the optimum control of the heliostats’ aiming points is one of the obstacles that must be overcome. The flux distribution on the receiver surface must be carefully managed to avoid dangerous flux peaks or excessive temperature gradients which might result in local hot spots resulting in damage of the receiver’s internal components over time. To overcome this problem, specifying multiple aiming points on the receiver aperture may control the solar flux distribution. In this study both single and multi aiming points strategies are applied by assigning a group of heliostats to a specific aim point on the receiver, resulting in a uniform flux distribution over the receiver surface. Engineering software packages SolarPILOT, SOLTRACE and MATLAB are used in combination to get the optimal flux distribution. The results showed that the flux distribution is improved significantly after employing the multi aiming points strategy at the expense of greater spillage.
Wolf Conservation and Management in Spain, An Open Debate
Authors: Ordiz Andrés , Canestrari Daniela , Echegaray Jorge
Published: February 2022

Wolf management in Spain is remarkably different at regional scales. South of Douro river, wolves are protected, north of Douro wolves can be hunted, and culling occurs on both sides. After a formal request to include wolves in the Spanish Red List of Threatened Species, wolves have been “listed,” but not as a vulnerable species. Recreational hunting will no longer be a wolf management option, while culling is still allowed. We describe the process to raise wolf protection at the state level, and the factors that should be relevant to guide apex-predator management. Restricting lethal control and favoring predator-prey interactions by reducing livestock depredation should be more feasible with an overarching policy that is binding over the whole range of the species in Spain.
Deep Learning Detection and Recognition of Spot Elevations on Historical Topographic Maps
Authors: Arundel Samantha T. , Morgan Trenton P. , Thiem Phillip T.
Published: February 2022

Some information contained in historical topographic maps has yet to be captured digitally, which limits the ability to automatically query such data. For example, U.S. Geological Survey’s historical topographic map collection (HTMC) displays millions of spot elevations at locations that were carefully chosen to best represent the terrain at the time. Although research has attempted to reproduce these data points, it has proven inadequate to automatically detect and recognize spot elevations in the HTMC. We propose a deep learning workflow pretrained using large benchmark text datasets. To these datasets we add manually crafted training image/label pairs, and test how many are required to improve prediction accuracy. We find that the initial model, pretrained solely with benchmark data, fails to predict any HTMC spot elevations correctly, whereas the addition of just 50 custom image/label pairs increases the predictive ability by ∼50%, and the inclusion of 350 data pairs increased performance by ∼80%. Data augmentation in the form of rotation, scaling, and translation (offset) expanded the size and diversity of the training dataset and vastly improved recognition accuracy up to ∼95%. Visualization methods, such as heat map generation and salient feature detection, can be used to better understand why some predictions fail.
Integrative Analysis of lncRNA-mRNA Co-expression Provides Novel Insights Into the Regulation of Developmental Transitions in Female Varroa destructor
Authors: Wu Jiang-Li , Hu Ruo-Yang , Li Nan-Nan , Tan Jing , Zhou Chun-Xue , Han Bin , Xu Shu-Fa
Published: February 2022

Varroa destructor is a major pathogenic driver of the Western honeybee colony losses globally. Understanding the developmental regulation of V. destructor is critical to develop effective control measures. Development is a complex biological process regulated by numerous genes and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs); however, the underlying regulation of lncRNAs in the development of V. destructor remains unknown. In this study, we analyzed the RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data derived from the four stages of female V. destructor in the reproductive phase (i.e., egg, protonymph, deutonymph, and adult). The identified differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs exhibited a stage-specific pattern during developmental transitions. Further functional enrichment established that fat digestion and absorption, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway play key roles in the maturation of female V. destructor. Moreover, the lncRNAs and mRNAs of some pivotal genes were significantly upregulated at the deutonymph stage, such as cuticle protein 65/6.4/63/38 and mucin 5AC, suggesting that deutonymph is the key stage of metamorphosis development and pathogen resistance acquisition for female V. destructor. Our study provides novel insights into a foundational understanding of V. destructor biology.
Is Douglas Fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco] Invasive in Central Europe? A Case Study From South-West Germany
Authors: Lange Felix , Ammer Christian , Leitinger Georg , Seliger Alexander , Zerbe Stefan
Published: February 2022

Worldwide, forestry must face several challenges during the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The decline of biodiversity and ecosystem services, ongoing deforestation, climate change, and biological invasions must be mitigated with forest restoration and by applying sustainable forest management. Experiences with the integration of non-native tree species into forest management in many parts of the world show benefits but also trade-offs regarding sustainability. In Central Europe, Douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco], originating from Northern America, has been introduced by forestry and managed for more than one and a half centuries. Growth characteristics, drought tolerance, and timber quality are major reasons which make this tree species attractive for forestry and wood industry. Whether Douglas fir might be invasive with potential trade-offs regarding biodiversity, uncontrolled regeneration, and spread is not yet fully understood and controversially debated. We investigated the regeneration of Douglas fir in the Spessart mountains, a vast woodland in south-western Germany which has a considerable cover of anthropogenic coniferous afforestations. We sampled the regeneration of Douglas fir by differentiating height growth classes in various forest-stand types, taking the distance from mature mother trees, abiotic site conditions (e.g., water balance and soil properties), light supply, forest-stand characteristics, ground vegetation, and browsing pressure into account. Also integrating the individual regeneration of the accompanying tree species, we applied multivariate analyses. Most of our investigated variables did not show a significant correlation with Douglas fir regeneration. However, results point to a positive relationship of spontaneous Douglas fir regeneration at moist and light sites as well as in close distance to potential seed trees. The analysis of the current invasion potential did not reveal a major risk under the given site conditions in the study area.
Appropriate Safeguards and Article 89 of the GDPR: Considerations for Biobank, Databank and Genetic Research
Authors: Staunton Ciara , Slokenberga Santa , Parziale Andrea , Mascalzoni Deborah
Published: February 2022

The collection and use of biological samples and data for genetic research, or for storage in a biobank or databank for future research, impacts upon many fundamental rights, including the right to dignity, the right to private and family life, the right to protection of personal data, the right to freedom of arts and sciences, and the right to non-discrimination. The use of genetic data and other health-related data in this context must be used in a manner that is rooted in human rights. Owing in part to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into force, the right to the protection of personal data in the context of scientific research has been afforded increasing attention. The GDPR gives effect to the right to data protection, but states that this right must be balanced against other rights and interests. The GDPR applies to all personal data, with specific attention to special categories of data, that includes health and genetic data. The collection, access to, and sharing of such data must comply with the GDPR, and therefore directly impacts the use of such data in research. The GDPR does provide for several derogations and exemptions for research from many of the strict processing requirements. Such derogations are permitted only if there are appropriate safeguards in place. Article 89 states that to be appropriate, safeguards must be “in accordance” with the GDPR “for the rights and freedoms of the data subject”. In particular, those safeguards must ensure “respect for the principle of data minimisation”. Despite the importance of safeguards, the GDPR is silent as to the specific measures that may be adopted to meet these requirements. This paper considers Article 89 and explores safeguards that may be deemed appropriate in the context of biobanks, databanks, and genetic research.
Calculating Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) in UK Biobank: A Practical Guide for Epidemiologists
Authors: Collister Jennifer A. , Liu Xiaonan , Clifton Lei
Published: February 2022

A polygenic risk score estimates the genetic risk of an individual for some disease or trait, calculated by aggregating the effect of many common variants associated with the condition. With the increasing availability of genetic data in large cohort studies such as the UK Biobank, inclusion of this genetic risk as a covariate in statistical analyses is becoming more widespread. Previously this required specialist knowledge, but as tooling and data availability have improved it has become more feasible for statisticians and epidemiologists to calculate existing scores themselves for use in analyses. While tutorial resources exist for conducting genome-wide association studies and generating of new polygenic risk scores, fewer guides exist for the simple calculation and application of existing genetic scores. This guide outlines the key steps of this process: selection of suitable polygenic risk scores from the literature, extraction of relevant genetic variants and verification of their quality, calculation of the risk score and key considerations of its inclusion in statistical models, using the UK Biobank imputed data as a model data set. Many of the techniques in this guide will generalize to other datasets, however we also focus on some of the specific techniques required for using data in the formats UK Biobank have selected. This includes some of the challenges faced when working with large numbers of variants, where the computation time required by some tools is impractical. While we have focused on only a couple of tools, which may not be the best ones for every given aspect of the process, one barrier to working with genetic data is the sheer volume of tools available, and the difficulty for a novice to assess their viability. By discussing in depth a couple of tools that are adequate for the calculation even at large scale, we hope to make polygenic risk scores more accessible to a wider range of researchers.
Meiotic Genes and DNA Double Strand Break Repair in Cancer
Authors: Lingg Lea , Rottenberg Sven , Francica Paola
Published: February 2022

Tumor cells show widespread genetic alterations that change the expression of genes driving tumor progression, including genes that maintain genomic integrity. In recent years, it has become clear that tumors frequently reactivate genes whose expression is typically restricted to germ cells. As germ cells have specialized pathways to facilitate the exchange of genetic information between homologous chromosomes, their aberrant regulation influences how cancer cells repair DNA double strand breaks (DSB). This drives genomic instability and affects the response of tumor cells to anticancer therapies. Since meiotic genes are usually transcriptionally repressed in somatic cells of healthy tissues, targeting aberrantly expressed meiotic genes may provide a unique opportunity to specifically kill cancer cells whilst sparing the non-transformed somatic cells. In this review, we highlight meiotic genes that have been reported to affect DSB repair in cancers derived from somatic cells. A better understanding of their mechanistic role in the context of homology-directed DNA repair in somatic cancers may provide useful insights to find novel vulnerabilities that can be targeted.
Case Report: Molecular Diagnosis Revealing an Intestinal Infection of a Hybridized Tapeworm (Taenia saginata and Taenia asiatica) to Human in Yunnan, China
Authors: Chu Kan-Kan , Qiu Ye , Liao Ce-Heng , You Zhi , He Zuo-Shun , Fang Wen , Li Hong-Ying , Daszak Peter , Hu Jun-Jie , Zhang Yun-Zhi , Ge Xing-Yi
Published: February 2022

Human taeniasis caused by tapeworms is an intestinal disease prevalent in many countries around the world. Taenia asiatica, Taenia saginata, and Taenia solium are the most common pathogens causing human taeniasis. Among the three species of tapeworms, T. saginata and T. asiatica share high similarity in their genomes and have been reported to be capable of hybridization with each other. Here, we reported a case of an 18-year-old male patient hospitalized in Yunnan Province, China, in 2019. Due to long-lasting abdominal distension and white tapeworm segments in the feces, the patient was diagnosed with taeniasis. He was treated with traditional Chinese medicine, and a tapeworm approximately 2.7 m long was expelled. The morphology of the eggs and gravid proglottids of the tapeworm was observed. Interestingly, the tapeworm was identified as a hybrid between T. saginata and T. asiatica according to molecular and phylogenetic analyses. This case is the first documented case of human taeniasis caused by a T. saginata and T. asiatica hybrid in Yunnan Province. Molecular evidence suggests that the hybrid of T. saginata and T. asiatica may have caused widespread infection in rural areas of Western China, and further investigation and research on these parasites in Western China are needed. The method described in this case may be helpful for future research.
Multi-Omics Revealed the Protective Effects of Rhamnolipids in Lipopolysaccharide Challenged Broilers
Authors: Zhang Ruiqiang , Shi Xueyan , Chen Yuqi , Liu Jinsong , Wu Yanping , Xu Yinglei
Published: February 2022

Rhamnolipid (RL) is a glycolipid biosurfactant and exhibits the following outstanding characteristics: strong antibacterial properties, low toxicity, and high biodegradability. The present research was conducted to explore the protective effects and mechanisms of rhamnolipids as an alternative to antibiotics in LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-challenged broilers. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics were used for analyzing the cecal microbial composition and serum metabolites. Dietary antibiotics and RLS supplementation decreased the weight loss rate, enhanced serum immunoglobulin levels, reduced serum diamine oxidase and D-lactate acid concentration, and improved the symptoms of intestinal bleeding and villus height, when broilers were challenged with LPS. The addition of RLS in the diet enhanced serum interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 contents and reduced serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in LPS-challenged broilers compared with the antibiotics group. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that RLS may alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory responses through altering the 6-methoxymellein level in broilers. The genus Bacteroides may contribute to the decreased weight loss rate via regulating the serum lysoPC [20:5(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)] secretion. RLS alleviates LPS-induced intestinal injury, enhances the growth and immunity, ameliorates intestinal microflora, and improves serum metabolites in LPS-challenged broilers. RLS exhibited better protective effect than antibiotic supplementation in the diet of LPS-challenged broilers. These findings provide potential regulation strategies and novel insights for RLS enhancing its protective effect in LPS-challenged broilers.
Increased Interleukin 18-Dependent Immune Responses Are Associated With Myopericarditis After COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination
Authors: Won Taejoon , Gilotra Nisha Aggarwal , Wood Megan Kay , Hughes David Matthew , Talor Monica Vladut , Lovell Jana , Milstone Aaron Michael , Steenbergen Charles , Čiháková Daniela
Published: February 2022

Myocarditis and myopericarditis may occur after COVID-19 vaccination with an incidence of two to twenty cases per 100,000 individuals, but underlying mechanisms related to disease onset and progression remain unclear. Here, we report a case of myopericarditis following the first dose of the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine in a young man who had a history of mild COVID-19 three months before vaccination. The patient presented with chest pain, elevated troponin I level, and electrocardiogram abnormality. His endomyocardial biopsy revealed diffuse CD68+ cell infiltration. We characterized the immune profile of the patient using multiplex cytokine assay and flow cytometry analysis. Sex-matched vaccinated individuals and healthy individuals were used as controls. IL-18 and IL-27, Th1-type cytokines, were highly increased in the patient with COVID-19 vaccine-related myopericarditis compared with vaccinated controls who experienced no cardiac complications. In the patient, circulating NK cells and T cells showed an activated phenotype and mRNA profile, and monocytes expressed increased levels of IL-18 and its upstream NLRP3 inflammasome. We found that recombinant IL-18 administration into mice caused mild cardiac dysfunction and activation of NK cells and T cells in the hearts, similar to the findings in the patient with myopericarditis after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. Collectively, myopericarditis following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination may be associated with increased IL-18-mediated immune responses and cardiotoxicity.
A Field Validated Model of Temporal Variability in Oyster Habitat Suitability
Authors: Linhoss Anna , Mickle Paul
Published: February 2022

This work presents the development and validation of a spatially and temporally variable oyster habitat suitability model for the western Mississippi Sound, northern Gulf of Mexico. In the work, we (1) develop an oyster habitat suitability model based on existing conditions in 1 year, (2) forecast habitat suitability throughout the same location in following years, and (3) validate the model using independent data describing field counts of live and recent dead oysters in those following years. The model uses four environmental factors to determine habitat suitability, namely: maximum annual temperature, maximum annual salinity, minimum annual salinity, and minimum annual dissolved oxygen. Overall, the model does not discriminate well between good and poor habitat when the habitat suitability score is less than 0.2; however, when the habitat suitability score is greater than 0.2, there is a high confidence that are more live than recent dead oysters. The results also show that habitat suitability varies by up to 0.45 in any single location (one standard deviation; on a scale from 0 to 1). This is important for evaluating which areas will be most resilient for oyster habitat under a variety of conditions. This study presents the first validated statistical model of temporally and spatially varying oyster habitat suitability.
Proteins Are Well-Preserved in Shells Toasted at 300°C Revealed by Proteomics
Authors: Ji Xin , Huang Jingliang , Wang Zhenglu , Xu Zhiqiang , Liu Chuang
Published: February 2022

The development of protein anti-degradation strategies is important for storage at ambient conditions, for example in vaccine storage. Despite that it is known that biominerals, typical inorganic-organic composites, can preserve proteins at room temperature for a long time, it is unclear the extent of protein degradation under high temperatures. In this study, we examined remaining proteins in the toasted abalone shell under high temperatures (200 and 300°C) by biomineral proteomics method. Surprisingly, 21 proteins including carbonic anhydrase, hemocyanin, actin can still be identified from shells even after toasting under 300°C, not much decreased compared to that in the 200°C-treated and the native shell. However, the microstructure and composition (both mineral and organic matrix) of shells were altered significantly revealed by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The well-preserved proteins may be partially due to the sacrifice of mineral/organic interfaces and the formation of nanopores in the shell at high temperatures. Moreover, the extracted proteins from both groups were able to affect calcium carbonate in vitro, indicating certain remaining bioactivities of proteins. This study has potential implications in various fields such as protein storage at high temperatures and palaeoproteomics.
Impact Dynamic Behavior and Deformation Mode of a Lightweight-Coated Honeycomb Steel Structure
Authors: Luo Ning , Yuan Yishuo , Fan Xueru , Suo Yunchen , Mou Gongyu
Published: February 2022

Honeycomb materials have attracted people’s attention because of their light weight, high specific strength, high specific stiffness, and excellent impact resistance and energy absorption. At present, the specific materials have been widely used in aerospace, transportation, mechanical construction, energy, and chemical industry. The mechanical properties of honeycomb steel with special coating under quasi-static and dynamic compression were studied by using the universal strength testing machine (TAWD-2000) and split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) devices. The results showed that the stress–strain curves obtained from the quasi-static compression experiment showed the characteristics of three typical deformation stages of porous materials: the elastic deformation stage, stress platform stage, and densification stage. Due to the fact that the loading time of the dynamic compression experiment is very short and because of the effect of the sample’s height, there was no densification stage in the stress–strain curves under dynamic loading. The dynamic compression deformation process of the samples was captured by the high-speed photography equipment, and its different deformations and failure modes were analyzed in combination with the characteristics of stress–strain curves. The increasing relationship between the peak stress and strain rate showed the strain rate sensitivity of the honeycomb structure. The dynamic energy absorption characteristics of honeycomb materials were described and analyzed by using the dynamic energy absorption capacity and dynamic energy absorption efficiency. By using finite element simulation software, the same structure of the honeycomb steel was modeled and analyzed to explore the causes of dynamic compression failure. Because of its special mechanical properties and failure modes, this honeycomb structure material will have a broader research and application prospect in the future.
“Ageism” Is Associated With Self-Reported Multidimensional Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Subjects: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Zora Sabrina , Cella Alberto , Poli Stefano , Veronese Nicola , Zini Elena , Giannoni Paola , Pandolfini Valeria , Torrigiani Claudio , Pilotto Alberto
Published: February 2022

Ageism is a stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination against people, based on age. Ageism may impact the quality of life and the care of older people, a problem that can be greater when the older person is “frail.” However, few studies explored the role of frailty as a factor related to ageism. The aim of this study was to assess the association between perceived age discrimination (PAD), i.e., ageism, and multidimensional frailty in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults. We enrolled 1,337 community-dwelling subjects over-65 years that filled out a structured questionnaire to collect psycho-socio-economic and behavioral information. Multidimensional frailty was assessed by the SELFY-Multidimensional Prognostic Index Short-Form (SELFY-MPI-SF). PAD, over the past 5 years, was assessed based on explicit criteria. Overall, 83 out of 1,337 participants (6.2%) reported PAD. These subjects were older, more frequently women, with greater economic difficulties, lower level of cultural fruition, social network and psychological well-being, and a greater degree of frailty compared to their counterparts. After adjustment for age and gender, multidimensional frailty (SELFY-MPI-SF score) and negative affectivity were the two only “predictors” significantly associated with PAD (SELFY -MPI-SF, Odds Ratio: 1.19, 95%CI: 1.029–1.370; PANAS negative: Odds Ratio: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.033–1.099). In conclusion, self-reported frailty and negative affectivity are independently associated with PAD in community-dwelling older people. Interventions to prevent and treat frailty could be useful to reduce ageism and improve the well-being of the older people.
Corneal and Epidermal Nerve Quantification in Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Riva Nilo , Bonelli Filippo , Lasagni Vitar Romina Mayra , Barbariga Marco , Fonteyne Philippe , Lopez Ignazio Diego , Domi Teuta , Scarpa Fabio , Ruggeri Alfredo , Reni Michele , Marcatti Magda , Quattrini Angelo , Agosta Federica , Rama Paolo , Ferrari Giulio
Published: February 2022

Chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity is an increasingly recognized clinical issue in oncology. in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) of corneal nerves has been successfully used to diagnose peripheral neuropathies, including diabetic neuropathy. The purpose of this study was to test if the combination of corneal nerve density and morphology assessed by IVCM is useful to monitor the neurotoxic effects of chemotherapy compared to epidermal nerve quantification. Overall, 95 adult patients with different cancer types were recruited from the oncology and hematology departments of the San Raffaele Hospital. Neurological examination, including clinical Total Neuropathy Score, and in vivo corneal confocal microscopy (IVCM), were performed before and after chemotherapy. In a group of 14 patients, skin biopsy was performed at the first and last visit. In the group of 14 patients who underwent both skin biopsy and corneal nerve imaging, clinical worsening (+69%, p = 0.0018) was paralleled by corneal nerve fiber (CNF) density reduction (−22%, p = 0.0457). Clinical Total neuropathy score significantly worsened from the first to the last visit (+62%, p < 0.0001). CNF length was not significantly reduced overall. However, CNF density/tortuosity ratio significantly decreased after therapy. Correlation analysis showed that the CNF density/tortuosity ratio was also correlated with the number of chemotherapy cycles (r = −0.04790, P = 0.0009). Our data confirm that in vivo corneal confocal microscopy is a helpful, non-invasive tool which shows promise for the diagnosis of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies. IVCM could allow a rapid, reproducible and non-invasive quantification of peripheral nerve pathology in chemotherapy-associated neuropathy.
Combination of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry and Machine Learning for Rapid Antimicrobial Resistance Screening: The Case of Campylobacter spp.
Authors: Feucherolles Maureen , Nennig Morgane , Becker Sören L. , Martiny Delphine , Losch Serge , Penny Christian , Cauchie Henry-Michel , Ragimbeau Catherine
Published: February 2022

While MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) is widely considered as the reference method for the rapid and inexpensive identification of microorganisms in routine laboratories, less attention has been addressed to its ability for detection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Recently, some studies assessed its potential application together with machine learning for the detection of AMR in clinical pathogens. The scope of this study was to investigate MALDI-TOF MS protein mass spectra combined with a prediction approach as an AMR screening tool for relevant foodborne pathogens, such as Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni. A One-Health panel of 224 C. jejuni and 116 C. coli strains was phenotypically tested for seven antimicrobial resistances, i.e., ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, and ampicillin, independently, and were submitted, after an on- and off-plate protein extraction, to MALDI Biotyper analysis, which yielded one average spectra per isolate and type of extraction. Overall, high performance was observed for classifiers detecting susceptible as well as ciprofloxacin- and tetracycline-resistant isolates. A maximum sensitivity and a precision of 92.3 and 81.2%, respectively, were reached. No significant prediction performance differences were observed between on- and off-plate types of protein extractions. Finally, three putative AMR biomarkers for fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and aminoglycosides were identified during the current study. Combination of MALDI-TOF MS and machine learning could be an efficient and inexpensive tool to swiftly screen certain AMR in foodborne pathogens, which may enable a rapid initiation of a precise, targeted antibiotic treatment.
Disordered Gut Microbiota Correlates With Altered Fecal Bile Acid Metabolism and Post-cholecystectomy Diarrhea
Authors: Xu Yayun , Jing Hui , Wang Jianfa , Zhang Shilong , Chang Qimeng , Li Zhanming , Wu Xubo , Zhang Ziping
Published: February 2022

Post-cholecystectomy diarrhea (PCD) is a common complication of gallbladder removal, and gut microbiota changes have been determined in PCD patients. Bile acid diarrhea (BAD) is supposed to be the main pathogenic factor for PCD due to the disrupted fecal bile acid metabolism in diarrheal patients. However, the profiling of bile acid metabolite alteration in PCD is unclear and whether changed gut microbiota and fecal bile acid metabolism are correlated is also underdetermined. The fecal bile acid metabolites from fecal samples were profiled by targeted UPLC/MS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer) and the composition of fecal bile acid metabolites in PCD patients was demonstrated to be distinct from those in Non-PCD and HC groups. In addition, the quantification of bile acid excretion in feces of diarrheal patients was significantly elevated. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing results revealed that PCD patients had the lowest operational taxonomic units (OTU) and significant reduction in microbial richness and evenness. Bacterial composition was remarkably shifted in PCD patients, which mainly lay in dominated phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidota. Besides, the co-abundance network among genus bacteria declined in PCD. Among the genera, Prevotella, Enterococcus, and Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG-003 were enriched, but Alistipes, Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, and Phascolarctobacterium were reduced. Moreover, these disease-linked genera were closely associated with several diarrheal phenotypes. Notably, changed bile acid metabolites exhibited strong correlations with gut microbiota as well. Conclusively, this study reveals associations between PCD-linked microbes and bile acid metabolites, which may synergistically correlate to postoperative diarrhea.
Inferring the Contribution of Microbial Taxa and Organic Matter Molecular Formulas to Ecological Assembly
Authors: Danczak Robert E. , Sengupta Aditi , Fansler Sarah J. , Chu Rosalie K. , Garayburu-Caruso Vanessa A. , Renteria Lupita , Toyoda Jason , Wells Jacqueline , Stegen James C.
Published: February 2022

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the assembly of communities has long been the goal of many ecological studies. While several studies have evaluated community wide ecological assembly, fewer have focused on investigating the impacts of individual members within a community or assemblage on ecological assembly. Here, we adapted a previous null model β-nearest taxon index (βNTI) to measure the contribution of individual features within an ecological community to overall assembly. This new metric, called feature-level βNTI (βNTIfeat), enables researchers to determine whether ecological features (e.g., individual microbial taxa) contribute to divergence, convergence, or have insignificant impacts across spatiotemporally resolved metacommunities or meta-assemblages. Using βNTIfeat, we revealed that unclassified microbial lineages often contributed to community divergence while diverse groups (e.g., Crenarchaeota, Alphaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria) contributed to convergence. We also demonstrate that βNTIfeat can be extended to other ecological assemblages such as organic molecules comprising organic matter (OM) pools. OM had more inconsistent trends compared to the microbial community though CHO-containing molecular formulas often contributed to convergence, while nitrogen and phosphorus-containing formulas contributed to both convergence and divergence. A network analysis was used to relate βNTIfeat values from the putatively active microbial community and the OM assemblage and examine potentially common contributions to ecological assembly across different communities/assemblages. This analysis revealed that P-containing formulas often contributed to convergence/divergence separately from other ecological features and N-containing formulas often contributed to assembly in coordination with microorganisms. Additionally, members of Family Geobacteraceae were often observed to contribute to convergence/divergence in conjunction with both N- and P-containing formulas, suggesting a coordinated ecological role for family members and the nitrogen/phosphorus cycle. Overall, we show that βNTIfeat offers opportunities to investigate the community or assemblage members, which shape the phylogenetic or functional landscape, and demonstrate the potential to evaluate potential points of coordination across various community types.
Co-selective Pressure of Cadmium and Doxycycline on the Antibiotic and Heavy Metal Resistance Genes in Ditch Wetlands
Authors: Yu Meng-Fei , Shu Bizhi , Li Zhixuan , Liu Guihua , Liu Wenzhi , Yang Yuyi , Ma Lin
Published: February 2022

Abuse of heavy metals and antibiotics results in the dissemination of metal resistance genes (MRGs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Ditch wetlands are important sinks for heavy metals and antibiotics. The relationships between bacterial communities and MRG/ARG dissemination under dual stresses of heavy metals and antibiotics remain unclear. The responses of MRGs and ARGs to the co-selective pressure of cadmium (Cd) and doxycycline (DC) in ditch wetlands were investigated after 7-day and 84-day exposures. In ecological ditches, residual rates of Cd and DC varied from 0.4 to –5.73% and 0 to –0.61%, respectively. The greatest total relative abundance of ARGs was observed in the Cd 5 mg L–1 + DC 50 mg L–1 group. A significant level of DC (50 mg L–1) significantly reduced the total relative abundances of MRGs at a concentration of 5 mg L–1 Cd stress. Redundancy analysis indicated that Cd and DC had strong positive effects on most ARGs and MRGs after a 7-day exposure. Meanwhile, the class 1 integron gene (intI1) exhibited strong positive correlations with most ARGs and cadmium resistance genes (czcA) after an 84-day exposure. Network analysis showed that Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas were the potential dominant host genera for ARGs and MRGs, and tetracycline resistance genes (tetA), czcA, and intI1 shared the same potential host bacteria Trichococcus after an 84-day exposure.
Effect of Ensiling Density and Storage Temperature on Fermentation Quality, Bacterial Community, and Nitrate Concentration of Sorghum-Sudangrass Silage
Authors: Bai Chunsheng , Pan Gang , Leng Ruoxuan , Ni Wenhua , Yang Jiyun , Sun Juanjuan , Yu Zhu , Liu Zhigang , Xue Yanlin
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation quality, bacterial community, and nitrate content of sorghum-sudangrass silage with two ensiling densities [550 kg fresh weight (FW)/m3 (low density, LD) and 650 kg FW/m3 (high density, HD)] stored at two temperatures [10°C (low temperature, LT) and 25°C (normal temperature, NT)] for 60 days. The fermentation parameters, microbial counts, bacterial community, nutritional composition, and nitrate and nitrite levels were assessed. The pH and ammonia nitrogen (N) in all silages were below 4.0 and 80 g/kg total N, respectively. Compared with LT treatments, NT treatments had lower pH and lactic acid (LA) bacteria and yeasts counts and contained higher LA and LA/acetic acid (LA/AA) (p < 0.05). The LT-LD contained more ammonia–N than LT-HD (p < 0.05) and had higher nitrate and lower nitrate degradation than other treatments (p < 0.05). Lactobacillus was the most dominant genus with all treatments (57.2–66.9%). The LA, LA/AA, and abundances of Pantoea, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacter in the silage negatively correlated with nitrate concentration and positively correlated with nitrate degradation (p < 0.05). Moreover, pH and ammonia–N were positively correlated with nitrate concentration and negatively correlated with nitrate degradation (p < 0.05). Overall, all silage had satisfactory fermentation quality, and the silage with HD and NT had better fermentation quality and higher nitrate degradation. The bacterial communities in all silages were dominated by Lactobacillus. The nitrate degradation during the fermentation process might be related to the fermentation quality and the activity of Pantoea, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacter in silage.
Newly Isolated Paenibacillus monticola sp. nov., a Novel Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Strain From High-Altitude Spruce Forests in the Qilian Mountains, China
Authors: Li Hui-Ping , Gan Ya-Nan , Yue Li-Jun , Han Qing-Qing , Chen Jia , Liu Qiong-Mei , Zhao Qi , Zhang Jin-Lin
Published: February 2022

Species in the genus Paenibacillus from special habitats have attracted great attention due to their plant growth-promoting traits. A novel plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) species in the genus Paenibacillus was isolated from spruce forest at the height of 3,150 m in the Qilian Mountains, Gansu province, China. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA, rpoB, and nifH gene sequences demonstrated that strain LC-T2T was affiliated in the genus Paenibacillus and exhibited the highest sequence similarity with Paenibacillus donghaensis KCTC 13049T (97.4%). Average nucleotide identity (ANIb and ANIm) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) between strain LC-T2T and P. donghaensis KCTC 13049T were 72.6, 83.3, and 21.2%, respectively, indicating their genetic differences at the species level. These differences were further verified by polar lipids profiles, major fatty acid contents, and several distinct physiological characteristics. Meanwhile, the draft genome analysis provided insight into the genetic features to support its plant-associated lifestyle and habitat adaptation. Subsequently, the effects of volatile organic compound (VOC) emitted from strain LC-T2T on the growth of Arabidopsis were evaluated. Application of strain LC-T2T significantly improved root surface area, root projection area, and root fork numbers by 158.3, 158.3, and 241.2%, respectively, compared to control. Also, the effects of LC-T2T on the growth of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) were further assessed by pot experiment. Application of LC-T2T also significantly improved the growth of white clover with root fresh weight increased over three-folds compared to control. Furthermore, the viable bacterial genera of rhizosphere soil were detected in each treatment. The number of genera from LC-T2T-inoculated rhizosphere soil was 1.7-fold higher than that of control, and some isolates were similar to strain LC-T2T, indicating that LC-T2T inoculation was effective in the rhizosphere soil of white clover. Overall, strain LC-T2T should be attributed to a novel PGPR species within the genus Paenibacillus based on phylogenetic relatedness, genotypic features, and phenotypic and inoculation experiment, for which the name Paenibacillus monticola sp. nov. is proposed.