bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The more you know, the less you like: A comparative study of how news and political conversation shape political knowledge and affective polarization
Authors: Suk Jiyoun , Coppini David , Muñiz Carlos , Rojas Hernando
Published: December 2021

The contemporary communication ecology contributes to affective polarization by presenting us with extreme exemplars of disliked groups. News exposure that is associated with political discussion networks is related to greater political knowledge, yet unlike previous eras where political knowledge and tolerance went hand in hand, this is no longer the case. We employ a comparative design to examine this idea among two democracies with differing levels of journalistic professionalism and political system: Mexico and the United States. Results show that greater political knowledge is associated with affective polarization, especially for the United States. Furthermore, there was a significant indirect path between media use and affective polarization, mediated through homogeneous political talk and political knowledge, but not in Mexico.
Temporary Veno-Venous ECMO for Acute Respiratory Illness in Pediatric Berlin Heart Patient
Authors: Townsend Madeleine L. , Sadat-Hossieny Sara , Latifi Samir Q. , Boyle Gerard , Phillips Alistair
Published: December 2021

We report the unique case of a 2-year-old male with severe heart failure requiring mechanical circulatory support with a left ventricular assist device, who developed adenovirus pneumonitis infection requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. He progressed to acute respiratory failure and refractory hypoxemia despite intubation with maximum respiratory support. The patient was placed on ECMO with improvement in lung function over four days with subsequent successful decannulation. During the ECMO run, anticoagulation required escalation given the increased circuit surface area. Patient has since recovered and undergone heart transplantation.
Impact of autoantibodies against the M2-muscarinic acetylcholine receptor on clinical outcomes in peripartum cardiomyopathy patients with standard treatment
Authors: Ma Guiling , Chen Long , Yue Yin , Liu Xiyan , Wang Yidan , Shi Cheng , Song Fei , Shi Wei , Lo Yingshih , Zhang Lin
Published: December 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of autoantibodies against the M2-muscarinic receptor (anti-M2-R) on the clinical outcomes of patients receiving the standard treatment for peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Methods

A total of 107 PPCM patients who received standard heart failure (HF) treatment between January 1998 and June 2020 were enrolled in this study. According to anti-M2-R reactivity, they were classified into negative (n = 59) and positive (n = 48) groups, denoted as the anti-M2-R (−) and anti-M2-R (+) groups. Echocardiography, 6-min walk distance, serum digoxin concentration (SDC), and routine laboratory tests were performed regularly for 2 years. The all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and rehospitalisation rate for HF were compared between the two groups.

Results

A total of 103 patients were included in the final data analysis, with 46 in the anti-M2-R (+) group and 57 in the anti-M2-R (−) group. Heart rate was lower in the anti-M2-R (+) group than in the anti-M2-R (−) group at the baseline (102.7 ± 6.1 bpm vs. 96.0 ± 6.4 bpm, p < 0.001). The initial SDC was higher in the anti-M2-R (+) group than in the anti-M2-R (−) group with the same dosage of digoxin (1.25 ± 0.45 vs. 0.78 ± 0.24 ng/mL, p < 0.001). The dosages of metoprolol and digoxin were higher in the anti-M2-R (−) patients than in the anti-M2-R (+) patients (38.8 ± 4.6 mg b.i.d. vs. 27.8 ± 5.3 mg b.i.d., p < 0.0001, respectively, for metoprolol; 0.12 ± 0.02 mg/day vs. 0.08 ± 0.04 mg/day, p < 0.0001, respectively, for digoxin). Furthermore, there was a greater improvement in cardiac function in the anti-M2-R (−) patients than in the anti-M2-R (+) patients. Multivariate analysis identified negativity for anti-M2-R as the independent predictor for the improvement of cardiac function. Rehospitalisation for HF was lower in the anti-M2-R (−) group, but all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were the same.

Conclusions

There were no differences in all-cause mortality or cardiovascular mortality between the two groups. Rehospitalisation rate for HF decreased in the anti-M2-R (−) group. This difference may be related to the regulation of the autonomic nervous system by anti-M2-R.
Loeffler endocarditis with intracardiac thrombus: case report and literature review
Authors: Zhang Qian , Si Daoyuan , Zhang Zhongfan , Zhang Wenqi
Published: December 2021

Background

Loeffler endocarditis is a relatively rare and potentially life-threatening heart disease. This study aimed to identify the characteristic features of Loeffler endocarditis with intracardiac thrombus on a background of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES).

Case presentation

We described a 57-year-old woman with Loeffler endocarditis and intracardiac thrombus initially presenting with neurological symptoms, who had an embolic stroke in the setting of HES. After cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), corticosteroids and warfarin were administered to control eosinophilia and thrombi, respectively. During a 10-month follow-up, the patient performed relatively well, with no adverse events. We also systematically searched PubMed and Embase for cases of Loeffler endocarditis with intracardiac thrombus published until July 2021. A total of 32 studies were eligible and included in our analysis. Further, 36.4% of recruited patients developed thromboembolic complications, and the mortality rate was relatively high (27.3%). CMR was a powerful noninvasive modality in providing diagnostic and follow-up information in these patients. Steroids were administered in 81.8% of patients, achieving a rapid decrease in the eosinophil count. Also, 69.7% of patients were treated with anticoagulant therapy, and the thrombus was completely resolved in 42.4% of patients. Heart failure and patients not treated with anticoagulation were associated with poor outcomes.

Conclusions

Cardiac involvement in HES, especially Loeffler endocarditis with intracardiac thrombus, carries a pessimistic prognosis and significant mortality. Early steroids and anticoagulation therapy may be beneficial once a working diagnosis is established. Further studies are needed to provide evidence-based evidence for managing this uncommon manifestation of HES.
Coronary catheterization via distal transradial access in patient with superficial radial artery: a case report
Authors: Fu Yuan , Wang Lefeng , Zhang Zhiyong , Xia Kun , Xu Li
Published: December 2021

Background

The routine radial artery (RA) puncture may fail when anatomical variation of the RA is encountered. Superficial radial artery (SRA) is one of the anatomic variants of the RA, with the incidence of about 1 to 1.5%. Recently, distal transradial access (dTRA) has emerged as a novel approach for coronary catheterization (CC), but performing CC through dTRA in patient with SRA has never been reported.

Case presentation

A 57-year-old male was admitted to hospital due to intermittent chest pain for 4 days. He was diagnosed with unstable angina pectoris and planned to receive coronary angiography (CAG). Before the operation, the existence and course of SRA were confirmed by palpation and ultrasonography with color Doppler. We marked the puncture site under the guidance of ultrasonography and successfully performed CC through the dTRA during patient’s hospitalization.

Conclusions

As far as we know, this is the first report that presents a case of SRA and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment in which was successfully performed through dTRA. It is safe and feasible to perform CC via dTRA in case of SRA, and dTRA seems to be the preferred access.
Elevated circulating high-sensitivity cardiac troponin t and cardiac remodeling in obesity
Authors: Huang Jiaojiao , Liu Ming , Su Enyong , Yu Peng , Jiang Hong , Zhao Ji , Ge Junbo
Published: December 2021

Background

It is well established that body mass index (BMI) and troponins are independently associated. However, whether the obesity could cause myocardial injury independent of coronary heart disease (CHD) remains unclear. This study focuses on the relationship between BMI and troponins, and whether this relationship is being attenuated when CHD is accounted for.

Methods

In populations without acute ischemic events, 383 patients with coronary artery stenosis less than 75% were included, that is, people who have not yet reached the indications for coronary intervention, and of them 70 patients being obese according to BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2. Continuous variables were represented as mean ± SD or median(inter quartile range[IQR]). Chi-square test was adopted for categorical data. Correlations between variables were evaluated by Spearman analysis, multiple regression or logistic regression.

Results

The circulating hs-cTnT level was higher in the obese group [8(6,11) ng/L vs. 6(4,9) ng/L;p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis based on the presence or absence of coronary heart disease(CHD), the adjusted β(95%CI) for circulating hs-cTnT exhibited a proportional relationship with BMI when the non-obesity were defined as the reference[β; 2.22(95%CI, 0.73 to 3.71) in non-CHD, 5.58(95%CI, 0.70 to 10.46) in CHD, p < 0.05]. Additionally, the degree of coronary stenosis has shown a positive correlation with circulating hs-cTnT (rho = 0.1162;p < 0.05).

Conclusion

When CHD is taken into account, obesity is independently associated to the elevation of circulating hs-cTnT, a biomarker of myocardial injury, potentially indicating the impact of obesity on non-ischemic subclinical myocardial injury.
Visual outcomes and choroidal thickness associated with human leukocyte antigen DRB1*04 in unclassifiable uveitis in Japanese patients
Authors: Misawa Norihiko , Tagami Mizuki , Sakai Atsushi , Kohno Takeya , Honda Shigeru
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and immunity are related. Uveitis is also closely related to immunity. For example, the common presence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1*04 in the immune response is well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between visual prognosis and various HLA alleles before and after therapy in patients with unclassifiable uveitis, excluding those with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.

Methods

This retrospective case series included 42 eyes from 22 consecutive patients with unclassifiable uveitis, excluding those with VKH disease. Visual acuity (VA), sex, refractive error, central retinal thickness (CRT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), and duration from onset to treatment were measured at initial and 6-month visits. Mean values of parameters were compared at each visit. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification with sequence-specific primers.

Results

DRB1*04 showed a dominant change. No significant difference was observed in the other alleles. In DRB1*04, The mean differences in initial CCT, 6-month CCT, and 6-month VA showed statistically significant difference was found in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between DRB1*04+ and DRB1*04− at the first visit. BCVA values at baseline and at the final visit were 0.13 ± 0.29 and 0.20 ± 0.36 in the DRB1*04+ and 0.00045 ± 0.20 and − 0.058 ± 0.11 in the DRB1*04− groups(p = 0.00465). Central Choroidal Thickness (CCT) values pretreatment and at the final visit after treatment were (pretreatment:361.00 ± 361.0 μm,after treatment: 286.00 ± 106.53 μm,p = 0.0174) in the DRB1*04+ group, and (pretreatment:281.3 ± 139.68 μm,after treatment:223.85 ± 99.034 μm,p = 0.0426) in the DRB1*04− group, respectively, indicating changes between baseline and the final visit. CCT was significantly greater in the DRB1*04+ group at both the initial visit and at 6 months. Multivariate analysis showed a significant difference between the presence or absence of DRB1*04 and sex.

Conclusion

HLA-DRB1*04 allele may affect visual prognosis and CCT in unclassifiable uveitis.
Characterization of patients that can continue conservative treatment for adenomyosis
Authors: Miyagawa Chiho , Murakami Kosuke , Tobiume Takako , Nonogaki Takafumi , Matsumura Noriomi
Published: December 2021

Background

Historically, hysterectomy has been the radical treatment for adenomyosis. Although, some patients may not want to have their uterus removed, patients often have to no choice but to request hysterectomy during conservative treatment. The factors necessitating these hysterectomies remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine which patients can continue conservative treatment for adenomyosis.

Methods

We selected women diagnosed with adenomyosis and provided with conservative treatment at the Kindai University Hospital and Osaka Red Cross Hospital in Osaka Japan from 2008 to 2017. Age at diagnosis, parity, uterine size, subtype of adenomyosis, type of conservative treatment, and timing of hysterectomy for cases with difficulty continuing conservative treatment were examined retrospectively.

Results

A total of 885 patients were diagnosed with adenomyosis, and 124 started conservative treatment. Conservative treatment was continued in 96 patients (77.4%) and hysterectomy was required in 28 patients (22.6%). The cumulative hysterectomy rate was 32.4%, and all women had hysterectomy within 63 months. In the classification tree, 82% (23/28) of women aged 46 years or younger were able to continue conservative treatment when parity was zero or one. In those with parity two and over, 95% (20/21) of those aged 39 years and older had hysterectomy.

Conclusions

Patients who continue conservative treatment for approximately 5 years are more likely to have successful preservation of the uterus. Multiparity and higher age at diagnosis are factors that contribute to hysterectomy after conservative treatment. Parity and age at diagnosis may be stratifying factors in future clinical trials of hormone therapy.
Predicting atrial fibrillation episodes with rapid ventricular rates associated with low levels of activity
Authors: Li Zhi , Wheelock Kevin M. , Lathkar-Pradhan Sangeeta , Oral Hakan , Clauw Daniel J. , Gunaratne Pujitha , Gryak Jonathan , Najarian Kayvan , Nallamothu Brahmajee K. , Ghanbari Hamid
Published: December 2021

Background

Rapid and irregular ventricular rates (RVR) are an important consequence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Raw accelerometry data in combination with electrocardiogram (ECG) data have the potential to distinguish inappropriate from appropriate tachycardia in AF. This can allow for the development of a just-in-time intervention for clinical treatments of AF events. The objective of this study is to develop a machine learning algorithm that can distinguish episodes of AF with RVR that are associated with low levels of activity.

Methods

This study involves 45 patients with persistent or paroxysmal AF. The ECG and accelerometer data were recorded continuously for up to 3 weeks. The prediction of AF episodes with RVR and low activity was achieved using a deterministic probabilistic finite-state automata (DPFA)-based approach. Rapid and irregular ventricular rate (RVR) is defined as having heart rates (HR) greater than 110 beats per minute (BPM) and high activity is defined as greater than 0.75 quantile of the activity level. The AF events were annotated using the FDA-cleared BeatLogic algorithm. Various time intervals prior to the events were used to determine the longest prediction intervals for predicting AF with RVR episodes associated with low levels of activity.

Results

Among the 961 annotated AF events, 292 met the criterion for RVR episode. There were 176 and 116 episodes with low and high activity levels respectively. Out of the 961 AF episodes, 770 (80.1%) were used in the training data set and the remaining 191 intervals were held out for testing. The model was able to predict AF with RVR and low activity up to 4.5 min before the events. The mean prediction performance gradually decreased as the time to events increased. The overall Area under the ROC Curve (AUC) for the model lies within the range of 0.67–0.78.

Conclusion

The DPFA algorithm can predict AF with RVR associated with low levels of activity up to 4.5 min before the onset of the event. This would enable the development of just-in-time interventions that could reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with AF and other similar arrhythmias.
Heterologous production of active form of beta-lytic protease by Bacillus subtilis and improvement of staphylolytic activity by protein engineering
Authors: Hioki Takahiro , Yamashita Daichi , Tohata Masatoshi , Endo Keiji , Kawahara Akihito , Okuda Mitsuyoshi
Published: December 2021

Background

Most of the proteases classified into the M23 family in the MEROPS database exhibit staphylolytic activity and have potential as antibacterial agents. The M23 family is further classified into two subfamilies, M23A and M23B. Proteases of the M23A subfamily are thought to lack the capacity for self-maturation by auto-processing of a propeptide, which has been a challenge in heterologous production and application research. In this study, we investigated the heterologous expression, in Bacillus subtilis, of the Lysobacter enzymogenes beta-lytic protease (BLP), a member of the M23A subfamily.

Results

We found that B. subtilis can produce BLP in its active form. Two points were shown to be important for the production of BLP in B. subtilis. The first was that the extracellular proteases produced by the B. subtilis host are essential for BLP maturation. When the host strain was deficient in nine extracellular proteases, pro-BLP accumulated in the supernatant. This observation suggested that BLP lacks the capacity for self-maturation and that some protease from B. subtilis contributes to the cleavage of the propeptide of BLP. The second point was that the thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases BdbDC of the B. subtilis host are required for efficient secretory production of BLP. We infer that intramolecular disulfide bonds play an important role in the formation of the correct BLP conformation during secretion. We also achieved efficient protein engineering of BLP by utilizing the secretory expression system in B. subtilis. Saturation mutagenesis of Gln116 resulted in a Q116H mutant with enhanced staphylolytic activity. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the wild-type BLP and the Q116H mutant against Staphylococcus aureus NCTC8325 was 0.75 μg/mL and 0.375 μg/mL, respectively, and the MBC against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC43300 was 6 μg/mL and 3 μg/mL, respectively.

Conclusions

In this study, we succeeded in the secretory production of BLP in B. subtilis. To our knowledge, this work is the first report of the successful heterologous production of BLP in its active form, which opens up the possibility of industrial use of BLP. In addition, this study proposes a new strategy of using the extracellular proteases of B. subtilis for the maturation of heterologous proteins.
B- and N-doped carbon dots by one-step microwave hydrothermal synthesis: tracking yeast status and imaging mechanism
Authors: Tian Bo , Fu Tianxin , Wan Yang , Ma Yun , Wang Yanbo , Feng Zhibiao , Jiang Zhanmei
Published: December 2021

Background

Carbon dots (CDs) are widely used in cell imaging due to their excellent optical properties, biocompatibility and low toxicity. At present, most of the research on CDs focuses on biomedical application, while there are few studies on the application of microbial imaging.

Results

In this study, B- and N-doped carbon dots (BN-CDs) were prepared from citric acid, ethylenediamine, and boric acid by microwave hydrothermal method. Based on BN-CDs labeling yeast, the dead or living of yeast cell could be quickly identified, and their growth status could also be clearly observed. In order to further observe the morphology of yeast cell under different lethal methods, six methods were used to kill the cells and then used BN-CDs to label the cells for imaging. More remarkably, imaging of yeast cell with ultrasound and antibiotics was significantly different from other imaging due to the overflow of cell contents. In addition, the endocytosis mechanism of BN-CDs was investigated. The cellular uptake of BN-CDs is dose, time and partially energy-dependent along with the involvement of passive diffusion. The main mechanism of endocytosis is caveolae-mediated.

Conclusion

BN-CDs can be used for long-term stable imaging of yeast, and the study provides basic research for applying CDs to microbiol imaging.

Graphical Abstract
A scalable approach to topographically mediated antimicrobial surfaces based on diamond
Authors: Paxton William F. , Rozsa Jesse L. , Brooks Morgan M. , Running Mark P. , Schultz David J. , Jasinski Jacek B. , Jung Hyun Jin , Akram Muhammad Zain
Published: December 2021

Bio-inspired Topographically Mediated Surfaces (TMSs) based on high aspect ratio nanostructures have recently been attracting significant attention due to their pronounced antimicrobial properties by mechanically disrupting cellular processes. However, scalability of such surfaces is often greatly limited, as most of them rely on micro/nanoscale fabrication techniques. In this report, a cost-effective, scalable, and versatile approach of utilizing diamond nanotechnology for producing TMSs, and using them for limiting the spread of emerging infectious diseases, is introduced. Specifically, diamond-based nanostructured coatings are synthesized in a single-step fabrication process with a densely packed, needle- or spike-like morphology. The antimicrobial proprieties of the diamond nanospike surface are qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed and compared to other surfaces including copper, silicon, and even other diamond surfaces without the nanostructuring. This surface is found to have superior biocidal activity, which is confirmed via scanning electron microscopy images showing definite and widespread destruction of E. coli cells on the diamond nanospike surface. Consistent antimicrobial behavior is also observed on a sample prepared seven years prior to testing date.

Graphical Abstract
Development and application of a virus-induced gene silencing protocol for the study of gene function in narrow-leafed lupin
Authors: Mancinotti Davide , Rodriguez Maria Cecilia , Frick Karen Michiko , Dueholm Bjørn , Jepsen Ditte Goldschmidt , Agerbirk Niels , Geu-Flores Fernando
Published: December 2021

Background

Lupins are promising protein crops with an increasing amount of genomic and transcriptomic resources. The new resources facilitate the in silico identification of candidate genes controlling important agronomic traits. However, a major bottleneck for lupin research and crop improvement is the in planta characterization of gene function. Here, we present an efficient protocol for virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) to down-regulate endogenous genes in narrow-leafed lupin (NLL) using theapple latent spherical virus(ALSV).

Results

We identified ALSV as an appropriate VIGS vector able to infect NLL without causing a discernible phenotype. We created improved ALSV vectors to allow for efficient cloning of gene fragments into the viral genome and for easier viral propagation via agroinfiltration ofNicotiana benthamiana. Using this system, we silenced the visual marker genephytoene desaturase(PDS), which resulted in systemic, homogenous silencing as indicated by bleaching of newly produced tissues. Furthermore, by silencinglysine decarboxylase(LaLDC)—a gene likely to be involved in toxic alkaloid biosynthesis—we demonstrate the applicability of our VIGS method to silence a target gene alone or alongsidePDSin a ‘PDS co-silencing’ approach. The co-silencing approach allows the visual identification of tissues where silencing is actively occurring, which eases tissue harvesting and downstream analysis, and is useful where the trait under study is not affected byPDSsilencing. SilencingLaLDCresulted in a ~ 61% or ~ 67% decrease in transcript level, depending on whetherLaLDCwas silenced alone or alongsidePDS. Overall, the silencing ofLaLDCresulted in reduced alkaloid levels, providing direct evidence of its involvement in alkaloid biosynthesis in NLL.

Conclusions

We provide a rapid and efficient VIGS method for validating gene function in NLL. This will accelerate the research and improvement of this underutilized crop.
Psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the failure to speak: a comparison between children with selective mutism and social anxiety disorder on autonomic arousal
Authors: Vogel Felix , Schwenck Christina
Published: December 2021

Background

Selective mutism (SM) has been conceptualized as an extreme variant of social anxiety disorder (SAD), in which the failure to speak functions as an avoidance mechanism leading to a reduction of intense fear arousal. However, psychophysiological studies in children with SM are scarce and physiological mechanisms underlying the failure to speak are largely unknown. In contrast, children with SAD are characterized by a combination of a chronically elevated physiological arousal and a blunted physiological fear response to social stress. Due to the large overlap between SM and SAD, similar mechanisms might apply to both disorders, while differences might explain why children with SM fail to speak. The aim of our study is to investigate psychophysiological mechanisms of the failure to speak in children with SM.

Methods

We assessed in a total of N = 96 children [8–12 years, SM: n = 31, SAD: n = 32, typical development (TD): n = 33] resting baseline arousal in absence of social threat and the course of physiological fear response in two social stress paradigms, differing in terms of whether the children are expected to speak (verbal task) or not (nonverbal task).

Results

Children with SM were characterized by increased tonic arousal compared to the other two groups, and by a more inflexible stress response in the nonverbal but not in the verbal task compared to TD-children. Further analyses revealed that children with SM who did not speak during the verbal task already demonstrated reduced arousal in anticipation of the verbal task.

Conclusion

The increased tonic arousal generalized to non-social situations in SM could indicate a long-term alteration of the autonomic nervous system. Furthermore, the differential physiological stress response may indicate that silence acts as a maladaptive compensatory mechanism reducing stress in verbal social situations, which does not function in nonverbal situations. Our findings support the idea that the failure to speak might function as an avoidance mechanism, which is already active in anticipation of a verbal situation. Treatment of SM should take into account that children with SM may suffer from chronically elevated stress levels and that different mechanisms might operate in verbal and nonverbal social situations.
Cobolt: integrative analysis of multimodal single-cell sequencing data
Authors: Gong Boying , Zhou Yun , Purdom Elizabeth
Published: December 2021

A growing number of single-cell sequencing platforms enable joint profiling of multiple omics from the same cells. We present , a novel method that not only allows for analyzing the data from joint-modality platforms, but provides a coherent framework for the integration of multiple datasets measured on different modalities. We demonstrate its performance on multi-modality data of gene expression and chromatin accessibility and illustrate the integration abilities of by jointly analyzing this multi-modality data with single-cell RNA-seq and ATAC-seq datasets.
Bump2Baby and Me: protocol for a randomised trial of mHealth coaching for healthy gestational weight gain and improved postnatal outcomes in high-risk women and their children
Authors: O’Reilly Sharleen L. , Burden Christy , Campoy Cristina , McAuliffe Fionnuala M. , Teede Helena , Andresen Jesper , Campbell Karen J. , Geraghty Aisling A. , Harrison Cheryce L. , Laws Rachel , Norman Jane E. , Maindal Helle T. , Vrangbæk Karsten , Segurado Ricardo , Versace Vincent L. , Skinner Timothy C. ,   on behalf of the IMPACT DIABETES B2B Collaboration Group
Published: December 2021

Background

Gestational diabetes (GDM) impacts 8–18% of pregnancies and greatly increases both maternal and child risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. Whilst lifestyle interventions in pregnancy and postpartum reduce this risk, a research translation gap remains around delivering implementable interventions with adequate population penetration and participation. Impact Diabetes Bump2Baby is an implementation project of an evidence-based system of care for the prevention of overweight and obesity. Bump2Baby and Me is the multicentre randomised controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of a mHealth coaching programme in pregnancy and postpartum for women at high risk of developing GDM.

Methods

Eight hundred women will be recruited in early pregnancy from 4 clinical sites within Ireland, the UK, Spain, and Australia. Women will be screened for eligibility using the validated Monash GDM screening tool. Participants will be enrolled from 12 to 24 weeks’ gestation and randomised on a 1:1 basis into the intervention or control arm. Alongside usual care, the intervention involves mHealth coaching via a smartphone application, which uses a combination of synchronous and asynchronous video and text messaging, and allows for personalised support and goal setting with a trained health coach. The control arm receives usual care. All women and their children will be followed from early pregnancy until 12 months postpartum. The primary outcome will be a difference in maternal body mass index (BMI) of 0.8 kg/m2 at 12 months postpartum. Secondary maternal and infant outcomes include the development of GDM, gestational weight gain, pregnancy outcomes, improvements in diet, physical activity, sleep, and neonatal weight and infant growth patterns. The 5-year project is funded by the EU Commission Horizon 2020 and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. Ethical approval has been received.

Discussion

Previous interventions have not moved beyond tightly controlled efficacy trials into routine service delivery. This project aims to provide evidence-based, sustainable support that could be incorporated into usual care for women during pregnancy and postpartum. This study will contribute evidence to inform the early prevention of non-communicable diseases like obesity and diabetes in mothers and the next generation.

Trial registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620001240932. Registered on 19 November 2020
E-nergEYEze, a vision-specific eHealth intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy and self-management to reduce fatigue in adults with visual impairment: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Veldman Manon H. J. , van der Aa Hilde P. A. , Bode Christina , Knoop Hans , Hulshof Carel T. J. , Koopmanschap Marc , Stavleu Edwin , van Rens Ger H. M. B. , van Nispen Ruth M. A.
Published: December 2021

Background

More than half of the adults with visual impairment experience severe symptoms of fatigue, with a negative impact on daily life. Since there is no evidence-based treatment to reduce fatigue in adults with visual impairment, we developed E-nergEYEze, an eHealth intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy and self-management tailored to the needs of visually impaired adults. The aim is to describe the study protocol of a randomized controlled trial testing E-nergEYEze.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to investigate the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of E-nergEYEze to reduce fatigue severity compared to care as usual from a healthcare and societal perspective. A total of 172 severely fatigued adults with visual impairment will be recruited and randomized to either the E-nergEYEze intervention plus care as usual or to care as usual only (ratio 1:1). Inclusion criteria are having a visual impairment, experiencing severe fatigue (Checklist Individual Strength – subscale Fatigue Severity: CIS-FS > 35), being 18 years or older, understanding the Dutch language, and having access to the internet. The intervention consists of one face-to-face session and a computer training followed by internet-based modules with information and assignments on coping with fatigue. During this 5-month intervention, participants will be digitally supported by a social worker. All measurements will be administered at baseline, after 6 and 12 months, and additionally, those related to cost-effectiveness at 3 and 9 months. The primary outcome is fatigue severity (CIS-FS).

Discussion

Severe fatigue on top of visual impairment compromises quality of life and is associated with incremental societal costs that largely determine the economic burden of low vision or blindness. E-nergEYEze contributes to the evidence base of potentially feasible interventions to reduce the important health-related consequences of vision loss and could fulfill the gap in knowledge, skills and treatment options for low vision services.

Trial registration

Dutch Trial Register NTR7764. Registered on 28 May 2019.
BVES is a novel interactor of ANO5 and regulates myoblast differentiation
Authors: Li Haiwen , Xu Li , Gao Yandi , Zuo Yuanbojiao , Yang Zuocheng , Zhao Lingling , Chen Zhiheng , Guo Shuliang , Han Renzhi
Published: December 2021

Background

Anoctamin 5 (ANO5) is a membrane protein belonging to the TMEM16/Anoctamin family and its deficiency leads to the development of limb girdle muscular dystrophy R12 (LGMDR12). However, little has been known about the interactome of ANO5 and its cellular functions.

Results

In this study, we exploited a proximal labeling approach to identify the interacting proteins of ANO5 in C2C12 myoblasts stably expressing ANO5 tagged with BioID2. Mass spectrometry identified 41 unique proteins including BVES and POPDC3 specifically from ANO5-BioID2 samples, but not from BioID2 fused with ANO6 or MG53. The interaction between ANO5 and BVES was further confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and the N-terminus of ANO5 mediated the interaction with the C-terminus of BVES. ANO5 and BVES were co-localized in muscle cells and enriched at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. Genome editing-mediated ANO5 or BVES disruption significantly suppressed C2C12 myoblast differentiation with little impact on proliferation.

Conclusions

Taken together, these data suggest that BVES is a novel interacting protein of ANO5, involved in regulation of muscle differentiation.
The optimal vaccination strategy to control COVID-19: a modeling study in Wuhan City, China
Authors: Zhao Ze-yu , Niu Yan , Luo Li , Hu Qing-qing , Yang Tian-long , Chu Mei-jie , Chen Qiu-ping , Lei Zhao , Rui Jia , Song Cheng-long , Lin Sheng-nan , Wang Yao , Xu Jing-wen , Zhu Yuan-zhao , Liu Xing-chun , Yang Meng , Huang Jie-feng , Liu Wei-kang , Deng Bin , Liu Chan , Li Zhuo-yang , Li Pei-hua , Su Yan-hua , Zhao Ben-hua , Huang Wen-long , Frutos Roger , Chen Tian-mu
Published: December 2021

Background

Reaching optimal vaccination rates is an essential public health strategy to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to simulate the optimal vaccination strategy to control the disease by developing an age-specific model based on the current transmission patterns of COVID-19 in Wuhan City, China.

Methods

We collected two indicators of COVID-19, including illness onset data and age of confirmed case in Wuhan City, from December 2, 2019, to March 16, 2020. The reported cases were divided into four age groups: group 1, ≤ 14 years old; group 2, 15 to 44 years old; group 3, 44 to 64 years old; and group 4, ≥ 65 years old. An age-specific susceptible-exposed-symptomatic-asymptomatic-recovered/removed model was developed to estimate the transmissibility and simulate the optimal vaccination strategy. The effective reproduction number (Reff) was used to estimate the transmission interaction in different age groups.

Results

A total of 47 722 new cases were reported in Wuhan City from December 2, 2019, to March 16, 2020. Before the travel ban of Wuhan City, the highest transmissibility was observed among age group 2 (Reff = 4.28), followed by group 2 to 3 (Reff = 2.61), and group 2 to 4 (Reff = 1.69). China should vaccinate at least 85% of the total population to interrupt transmission. The priority for controlling transmission should be to vaccinate 5% to 8% of individuals in age group 2 per day (ultimately vaccinated 90% of age group 2), followed by 10% of age group 3 per day (ultimately vaccinated 90% age group 3). However, the optimal vaccination strategy for reducing the disease severity identified individuals ≥ 65 years old as a priority group, followed by those 45–64 years old.

Conclusions

Approximately 85% of the total population (nearly 1.2 billion people) should be vaccinated to build an immune barrier in China to safely consider removing border restrictions. Based on these results, we concluded that 90% of adults aged 15–64 years should first be vaccinated to prevent transmission in China.

Graphical Abstract
Development of aqueous two-phase systems-based approaches for the selective recovery of metalloproteases and phospholipases A2 toxins from Crotalus molossus nigrescens venom
Authors: Enriquez-Ochoa Daniela , Meléndez-Martínez David , Aguilar-Yáñez José Manuel , Licona-Cassani Cuauhtemoc , Mayolo-Deloisa Karla
Published: December 2021

Snake venoms are rich sources of proteins with potential biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications. Among them, metalloproteases (MPs) and phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are the most abundant. Their isolation involves a multistep chromatographic approach, which has proven to be effective, however implies high operating costs and long processing times. In this study, a cost-effective and simple method based on aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) was developed to recover MPs and PLA2 from Crotalus molossus nigrescens venom. A system with PEG 400 g mol−1, volume ratio (VR) 1, tie line length (TLL) 25% w/w and pH 7 showed the best performance for PLA2 recovery. In systems with PEG 400 g mol−1, VR 1, TLL 15% w/w, pH 7 and 1 and 3% w/w of NaCl, selective recovery of MP subtype P-III was achieved; whereas, in a system with PEG 400 g mol−1, VR 1, TLL 25% w/w and pH 8.5, MP subtypes P-I and P-III were recovered. Due to their low costs, ethanol–salt systems were also evaluated, however, failed to differentially partition PLA2 and MPs. The use of ATPS could contribute to the simplification and cost reduction of protein isolation processes from snake venoms and other toxin fluids, as well as potentially aid their biochemical, proteomic and biological analyses.

Graphic Abstract
Filamentous fungal applications in biotechnology: a combined bibliometric and patentometric assessment
Authors: Füting Pamina , Barthel Lars , Cairns Timothy C. , Briesen Heiko , Schmideder Stefan
Published: December 2021

Background

Processes and products employing filamentous fungi are increasing contributors to biotechnology. These organisms are used as cell factories for the synthesis of platform chemicals, enzymes, acids, foodstuffs and therapeutics. More recent applications include processing biomass into construction or textile materials. These exciting advances raise several interrelated questions regarding the contributions of filamentous fungi to biotechnology. For example, are advances in this discipline a major contributor compared to other organisms, e.g. plants or bacteria? From a geographical perspective, where is this work conducted? Which species are predominantly used? How do biotech companies actually use these organisms?

Results

To glean a snapshot of the state of the discipline, literature (bibliometry) and patent (patentometry) outputs of filamentous fungal applications and the related fields were quantitatively surveyed. How these outputs vary across fungal species, industrial application(s), geographical locations and biotechnological companies were analysed. Results identified (i) fungi as crucial drivers for publications and patents in biotechnology, (ii) enzyme and organic acid production as the main applications, (iii) Aspergillus as the most commonly used genus by biotechnologists, (iv) China, the United States, Brazil, and Europe as the leaders in filamentous fungal science, and (v) the key players in industrial biotechnology.

Conclusions

This study generated a summary of the status of filamentous fungal applications in biotechnology. Both bibliometric and patentometric data have identified several key trends, breakthroughs and challenges faced by the fungal research community. The analysis suggests that the future is bright for filamentous fungal research worldwide.
Do select macroeconomic factors drive momentum returns?
Authors: Balakrishnan A. , Barik Nirakar
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we examine the presence of short-term and long-term momentum returns in Indian stock market. The study also tries to shed light on the power of asset pricing models and select macroeconomic variables in explaining momentum returns. The results confirm the presence of short-term and long-term momentum returns in Indian stock market. It is also found that Carhart four-factor model’s performance is relatively superior to other factor models such as one factor capital asset pricing model and Fama–French three-factor model in terms of capturing momentum returns. Finally, macroeconomic variables which are considered for analysis do not have any power to explain momentum returns.
Transcription bursting and epigenetic plasticity: an updated view
Authors: Beckman William F. , Jiménez Miguel Ángel Lermo , Verschure Pernette J.
Published: December 2021

The vast majority of eukaryotic transcription occurs in bursts during discrete periods of promoter activity, separated by periods of deep repression and inactivity. Elucidating the factors responsible for triggering transitions between these two states has been extremely challenging, partly due to the difficulties in measuring transcriptional bursting genome-wide, but also due to the vast array of candidate transcriptional and epigenetic factors and their complex and dynamic interactions. Additionally, this long-held view of transcriptional bursting as a two-state process has become increasingly challenged, and a resulting lack in consensus on terminology of the involved events has further complicated our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved. Here, we review the impact of epigenetics on dynamic gene expression, with a focus on transcription bursting. We summarise current understanding of the epigenetic regulation of transcription bursting and propose new terminology for the interpretation of future results measuring transcription dynamics.
Solubility Study of Acetylsalicylic Acid in Ethanol + Water Mixtures: Measurement, Mathematical Modeling, and Stability Discussion
Authors: Nokhodchi Ali , Ghafourian Taravat , Nashed Nour , Asare-Addo Kofi , Behboudi Elmira , Sefid-Sefidehkhan Yasaman , Zarghampour Aynaz , Rahimpour Elaheh , Jouyban Abolghasem
Published: December 2021

Solubility determination of poorly water-soluble drugs is pivotal for formulation scientists when they want to develop a liquid formulation. Performing such a test with different ratios of cosolvents with water is time-consuming and costly. The scarcity of solubility data for poorly water-soluble drugs increases the importance of developing correlation and prediction equations for these mixtures. Therefore, the aim of the current research is to determine the solubility of acetylsalicylic acid in binary mixtures of ethanol+water at 25 and 37°C. Acetylsalicylic acid is non-stable in aqueous solutions and readily hydrolyze to salicylic acid. So, the solubility of acetylsalicylic acid is measured in ethanolic mixtures by HPLC to follow the concentration of produced salicylic acid as well. Moreover, the solubility of acetylsalicylic acid is modeled using different cosolvency equations. The measured solubility data were also predicted using PC-SAFT EOS model. DSC results ruled out any changes in the polymorphic form of acetylsalicylic acid after the solubility test, whereas XRPD results showed some changes in crystallinity of the precipitated acetylsalicylic acid after the solubility test. Fitting the solubility data to the different cosolvency models showed that the mean relative deviation percentage for the Jouyban-Acree model was less than 10.0% showing that this equation is able to obtain accurate solubility data for acetylsalicylic acid in mixtures of ethanol and water. Also, the predicted data with an average mean relative deviation percentage (MRD%) of less than 29.65% show the capability of the PC-SAFT model for predicting solubility data. A brief comparison of the solubilities of structurally related solutes to acetylsalicylic acid was also provided.
Age-Specific Clinical Features of Pediatric Malignant Hyperthermia: A Review of 187 Cases Over 60 Years in Japan
Authors: Otsuki Sachiko , Miyoshi Hirotsugu , Mukaida Keiko , Yasuda Toshimichi , Nakamura Ryuji , Tsutsumi Yasuo M.
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND:

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is an inherited muscle disorder induced by volatile anesthetics and depolarizing muscle relaxants. While the incidence of MH is high in young, there are few reports on the clinical features of pediatric MH. In this study, we selected pediatric cases from an MH database and analyzed the clinical findings by age group. We hypothesized that there would be age-related differences in the clinical characteristics.

METHODS:

A retrospective analysis of MH data collected in our database during 1960 to 2020 was performed to identify pediatric subjects (≤18 years) with a Clinical Grading Scale of ≥35, indicating “very likely” or “almost certain” MH. We compared clinical characteristics among the 0 to 24 month, 2 to 12 year, and 13 to 18 year (youngest, middle, and oldest, respectively) age groups.

RESULTS:

Data were available for 187 patients: 15 in the youngest age group, 123 in the middle-aged group, and 49 in the oldest age group. Of these, 55 patients (29.4%) had undergone muscle biopsy and muscle contracture test. The mortality rates during the study period were 13.3%, 13.8%, 20.4%, and 15.5% in the youngest, middle, and oldest cohorts and overall, respectively. In contrast, the overall mortality rate from 2000 to 2020 was 8.8%. The most frequent initial symptoms of MH were elevated temperature (46.7%) and generalized muscular rigidity (26.7%) in the youngest cohort, masseter spasm (35.0%) and generalized muscular rigidity (19.5%) in the middle cohort, and elevated end-tidal carbon dioxide (26.5%) and tachycardia (22.4%) in the oldest cohort. Physical examination revealed that elevated temperature, sinus tachycardia, and respiratory acidosis occurred frequently in all groups. The middle cohort had high frequencies of masseter spasm (58.4%; P = .02) and dark urine (75.5%; P = .01) compared to those in the oldest groups, and had a higher peak creatine kinase level compared to those in the 3 groups. Skeletal muscle symptoms tended to be more common in patients administered succinylcholine (generalized muscular rigidity, P = .053; masseter spasm, P < .0001; dark urine, P < .0001). In particular, masseter spasm and dark urine were more common in the middle cohort when succinylcholine was administered (masseter spasm: versus youngest cohort, P = .06, versus oldest cohort, P = .027; dark urine: versus youngest cohort, P = .0072, versus oldest cohort, P = .0015).

CONCLUSIONS:

The clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with MH vary according to age group. The difference in initial symptoms of MH depending on age group is noteworthy information for the early diagnosis of MH.