bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relative Deprivation and Prosocial Tendencies in Chinese Migrant Children: Testing an Integrated Model of Perceived Social Support and Group Identity
Authors: Xiong Meng , Xiao Lei , Ye Yiduo
Published: June 2021

As a particularly vulnerable group, children from rural areas in China whose families migrate to urban areas often encounter social exclusion, prejudice, and discrimination as they adjust to city life. Hence, migrant children may experience a sense of relative deprivation when they feel they are treated unjustly when compared to their urban counterparts. Although previous research has demonstrated that relative deprivation is a risk factor for prosocial tendencies, this association has not yet been examined in the population of migrant children in China. Further, few studies have revealed the mediating and moderating mechanisms between relative deprivation and prosocial tendencies. Therefore, this study constructed an integrated model examining the possible mediating role of perceived social support and moderating role of in-group identity on the association between relative deprivation and prosocial tendencies. A large sample of 1,630 Chinese rural-to-urban migrant children (845 girls; Mage = 12.30, SD = 1.74) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires regarding relative deprivation, prosocial tendencies, perceived social support, in-group identity, and demographic variables. The results indicated that relative deprivation was negatively correlated with migrant children's prosocial tendencies and this connection was partially mediated by perceived social support. Moderated mediation analysis further indicated that in-group identity moderated the effect of perceived social support on prosocial tendencies, with a high level of in-group identity strengthening the positive association between perceived social support and prosocial tendencies. Parents, educators, and other members of society concerned about migrant children's psychosocial adaptation should provide adequate social support resources and help them foster positive in-group identity to migrant populations to mitigate the adverse effects of relative deprivation and promote their prosocial tendencies.
Housing Satisfaction of Psychiatric Patients in Different Forms of Housing—A Cross-Sectional Study in Berlin, Germany
Authors: Gutwinski Stefan , Westerbarkey Ella , Schouler-Ocak Meryam , Moran James K. , Schreiter Stefanie
Published: June 2021

The growing social problem of homelessness and precarious housing situations has negative effects on psychological outcomes and quality of life (QoL) for mentally ill people. Despite a large body of research on QoL among homeless mentally ill people, research on housing satisfaction as a specific QoL domain and important outcome variable for treatment interventions is scarce. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to investigate housing satisfaction among psychiatric patients in various housing situations. Out of 1,251 patients that were treated in the targeted facilities during the admission period, 540 agreed to participate (43.2%). 123 participants were excluded from the analysis due to missing data, resulting in a sample of N = 417. Housing satisfaction data was assessed in a subjective screening and differences in satisfaction levels between housing status groups were analyzed. As hypothesized, more normative housing situations reported higher housing satisfaction. Homeless participants and those living in socio-therapeutic facilities were associated with more psychological and physical distress resulting from their housing situation than domiciled and flat-sharing participants. Problems of reducing homelessness and improving housing support are highlighted, as well as opportunities for improving support, particularly in therapeutic facilities.
Sport Administrators' Perspectives on Advancing Safe Sport
Authors: Gurgis Joseph John , Kerr Gretchen A.
Published: June 2021

Numerous international high-profile cases of athlete abuses have led to efforts to advance what has been termed “Safe Sport.” Sport and coaching organisations are urgently designing and implementing policies, procedures and programmes to advance a culture of safe sport. However, we posit that these endeavours are occurring without a conceptual framework about what constitutes safe sport or how to achieve it. Without a consistent conceptual framework for safe sport, prevention and intervention initiatives may not be fully realised. As such, the purpose of the study was to explore sport administrators' perspectives of how to advance safe sport. Given the leadership positions sport administrators hold, understanding their perspectives may be helpful in informing a framework to guide the development and implementation of safe sport strategies. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 sport administrators from different sport and coaching organisations to elicit views on how best to advance safe sport. The findings indicated that a multi-faceted approach embracing multiple advancement strategies was reportedly essential for progressing safe sport. Specifically, the sport administrators recommended that sport organisations establish a universal framework of safe sport, design and implement education, implement and enforce policies, establish independent monitoring and complaint mechanisms and conduct research to ensure that advancement strategies are current and applicable. The participants suggested that these advancement strategies are necessary to evolve sport from a culture that embraces hegemonic masculine narratives, interpersonal violence and controlling coach–athlete relationships, to a culture of sport that extends the safe sport focus beyond the prevention of harm to the promotion of positive values and human rights. The findings were interpreted through a safeguarding lens to propose a framework for achieving safeguarding sport, defined by the prevention of harm and the promotion of positive values in sport.
Oxidative Status of Marchigiana Beef Enriched in n-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin E, Treated With a Blend of Oregano and Rosemary Essential Oils
Authors: Fusaro Isa , Cavallini Damiano , Giammarco Melania , Manetta Anna Chiara , Martuscelli Maria , Mammi Ludovica Maria Eugenia , Lanzoni Lydia , Formigoni Andrea , Vignola Giorgio
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of basal dietary supplementation with linseed and linseed plus vitamin E in Marchigiana young bulls on the instrumental color, oxidative stability, and fatty acid composition of beef steaks with and without treatment with a blend of essential oils (oregano and rosemary) after storage times of 0, 3, 6, and 9 days. The fatty acid composition was evaluated in meat after 0 and 9 days of storage. No variation in the fatty acid composition of each type of meat was observed after storage. The use of dietary linseed and vitamin E, compared with linseed alone, significantly improved the oxidative stability, lightness (L*), and redness (a*) of the meat. A higher degree of oxidation was observed in meat samples from animals in the group fed linseed (L) followed by the control group (C) and the group fed linseed and vitamin E (LE). Moreover, the essential oils treatment (O) exerts a significant effect on beef oxidative stability of the group LE more than groups C and L during storage. The fatty acid composition of the meat was also affected by the diet: levels of healthful fatty acids (PUFA, n-3 PUFA, and CLA) were higher in meat from the groups that received linseed than the control group. Our results suggest that dietary vitamin E and treatment with essential oils are effective approaches to preserving the stability of beef cattle receiving a diet enriched in unsaturated fatty acids for up to 9 days of storage.
Effects of Ammonia on Gut Microbiota and Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens
Authors: Han Hongyu , Zhou Ying , Liu Qingxiu , Wang Guangju , Feng Jinghai , Zhang Minhong
Published: June 2021

In order to investigate the influence of ammonia on broiler intestinal microflora and growth performance of broiler chickens, 288 21-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers with a similar weight were randomly divided into four groups with different NH3 levels: 0 ppm, 15 ppm, 25 ppm, and 35 ppm. The growth performance of each group was recorded and analyzed. Additionally, 16s rRNA sequencing was performed on the cecal contents of the 0 ppm group and the 35 ppm group broilers. The results showed the following: a decrease in growth performance in broilers was observed after 35 ppm ammonia exposure for 7 days and 25 ppm ammonia exposure for 14 days. At phylum level, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria phylum was increased after 35 ppm ammonia exposure. At genus level, ammonia increased the relative abundance of Escherichia–Shigella and decreased the relative abundance of Butyricicoccus, Parasutterella, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-010, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-013 and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-004. Negative correlation between Escherichia–Shigella and growth performance, and positive correlation between bacteria genera (including Butyricicoccus, Parasutterella, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-010, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-013 and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-004) and growth performance was observed. In conclusion, ammonia exposure caused changes in the structure of cecal microflora, and several species were either positively or negatively correlated with growth performance. These findings will help enhance our understanding of the possible mechanism by which ammonia affect the growth of broilers.
An Integrative Transcriptomic and Methylation Approach for Identifying Differentially Expressed Circular RNAs Associated with DNA Methylation Change
Authors: Xu Tianyi , Wang LiPing , Jia Peilin , Song Xiaofeng , Zhao Zhongming
Published: June 2021

Recently, accumulating evidence has supported that circular RNA (circRNA) plays important roles in tumorigenesis by regulating gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Expression of circRNAs can be epigenetically silenced by DNA methylation; however, the underlying regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs by DNA methylation remains largely unknown. We explored this regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using genome-wide DNA methylation and RNA sequencing data of the primary tumor and matched adjacent normal tissues from 20 HCC patients. Our pipeline identified 1012 upregulated and 747 downregulated circRNAs (collectively referred to as differentially expressed circRNAs, or DE circRNAs) from HCC RNA-seq data. Among them, 329 DE circRNAs covered differentially methylated sites (adjusted p-value < 0.05, |ΔM| > 0.5) in circRNAs’ interior and/or flanking regions. Interestingly, the corresponding parental genes of 46 upregulated and 31 downregulated circRNAs did not show significant expression change in the HCC tumor versus normal samples. Importantly, 34 of the 77 DE circRNAs (44.2%) had significant correlation with DNA methylation change in HCC (Spearman’s rank-order correlation, p-value < 0.05), suggesting that aberrant DNA methylation might regulate circular RNA expression in HCC. Our study revealed genome-wide differential circRNA expression in HCC. The significant correlation with DNA methylation change suggested that epigenetic regulation might act on both mRNA and circRNA expression. The specific regulation in HCC and general view in other cancer or disease requires further investigation.
Interleukin 11 (IL-11): Role(s) in Breast Cancer Bone Metastases
Authors: Maroni Paola , Bendinelli Paola , Ferraretto Anita , Lombardi Giovanni
Published: June 2021

Bone metastases represent the main problem related to the progression of breast cancer, as they are the main cause of death for these patients. Unfortunately, to date, bone metastases are incurable and represent the main challenge for the researcher. Chemokines and cytokines affect different stages of the metastatic process, and in bone metastases, interleukin (IL) -6, IL-8, IL-1β, and IL-11 participate in the interaction between cancer cells and bone cells. This review focuses on IL-11, a pleiotropic cytokine that, in addition to its well-known effects on several tissues, also mediates certain signals in cancer cells. In particular, as IL-11 works on bone remodeling, it plays a relevant role in the osteolytic vicious cycle of bone resorption and tumour growth, which characterizes bone metastasis. IL-11 appears as a candidate for anti-metastatic therapy. Even if different therapeutic approaches have considered IL-11 and the downstream-activated gp130 signaling pathways activated downstream of gp130, further studies are needed to decipher the contribution of the different cytokines and their mechanisms of action in breast cancer progression to define therapeutic strategies.
Coordinating Effect of VEGFC and Oleic Acid Participates to Tumor Lymphangiogenesis
Authors: Morfoisse Florent , De Toni Fabienne , Nigri Jeremy , Hosseini Mohsen , Zamora Audrey , Tatin Florence , Pujol Françoise , Sarry Jean-Emmanuel , Langin Dominique , Lacazette Eric , Prats Anne-Catherine , Tomasini Richard , Galitzky Jean , Bouloumié Anne , Garmy-Susini Barbara
Published: June 2021

In cancer, the lymphatic system is hijacked by tumor cells that escape from primary tumor and metastasize to the sentinel lymph nodes. Tumor lymphangiogenesis is stimulated by the vascular endothelial growth factors-C (VEGFC) after binding to its receptor VEGFR-3. However, how VEGFC cooperates with other molecules to promote lymphatics growth has not been fully determined. We showed that lymphangiogenesis developed in tumoral lesions and in surrounding adipose tissue (AT). Interestingly, lymphatic vessel density correlated with an increase in circulating free fatty acids (FFA) in the lymph from tumor-bearing mice. We showed that adipocyte-released FFA are uploaded by lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC) to stimulate their sprouting. Lipidomic analysis identified the monounsaturated oleic acid (OA) as the major circulating FFA in the lymph in a tumoral context. OA transporters FATP-3, -6 and CD36 were only upregulated on LEC in the presence of VEGFC showing a collaborative effect of these molecules. OA stimulates fatty acid β-oxidation in LECs, leading to increased AT lymphangiogenesis. Our results provide new insights on the dialogue between tumors and adipocytes via the lymphatic system and identify a key role for adipocyte-derived FFA in the promotion of lymphangiogenesis, revealing novel therapeutic opportunities for inhibitors of lymphangiogenesis in cancer.
Glioblastoma Surgery Imaging—Reporting and Data System: Standardized Reporting of Tumor Volume, Location, and Resectability Based on Automated Segmentations
Authors: Kommers Ivar , Bouget David , Pedersen André , Eijgelaar Roelant S. , Ardon Hilko , Barkhof Frederik , Bello Lorenzo , Berger Mitchel S. , Conti Nibali Marco , Furtner Julia , Fyllingen Even H. , Hervey-Jumper Shawn , Idema Albert J. S. , Kiesel Barbara , Kloet Alfred , Mandonnet Emmanuel , Müller Domenique M. J. , Robe Pierre A. , Rossi Marco , Sagberg Lisa M. , Sciortino Tommaso , van den Brink Wimar A. , Wagemakers Michiel , Widhalm Georg , Witte Marnix G. , Zwinderman Aeilko H. , Reinertsen Ingerid , Solheim Ole , De Witt Hamer Philip C.
Published: June 2021

Treatment decisions for patients with presumed glioblastoma are based on tumor characteristics available from a preoperative MR scan. Tumor characteristics, including volume, location, and resectability, are often estimated or manually delineated. This process is time consuming and subjective. Hence, comparison across cohorts, trials, or registries are subject to assessment bias. In this study, we propose a standardized Glioblastoma Surgery Imaging Reporting and Data System (GSI-RADS) based on an automated method of tumor segmentation that provides standard reports on tumor features that are potentially relevant for glioblastoma surgery. As clinical validation, we determine the agreement in extracted tumor features between the automated method and the current standard of manual segmentations from routine clinical MR scans before treatment. In an observational consecutive cohort of 1596 adult patients with a first time surgery of a glioblastoma from 13 institutions, we segmented gadolinium-enhanced tumor parts both by a human rater and by an automated algorithm. Tumor features were extracted from segmentations of both methods and compared to assess differences, concordance, and equivalence. The laterality, contralateral infiltration, and the laterality indices were in excellent agreement. The native and normalized tumor volumes had excellent agreement, consistency, and equivalence. Multifocality, but not the number of foci, had good agreement and equivalence. The location profiles of cortical and subcortical structures were in excellent agreement. The expected residual tumor volumes and resectability indices had excellent agreement, consistency, and equivalence. Tumor probability maps were in good agreement. In conclusion, automated segmentations are in excellent agreement with manual segmentations and practically equivalent regarding tumor features that are potentially relevant for neurosurgical purposes. Standard GSI-RADS reports can be generated by open access software.
HLA-G and HLA-E Immune Checkpoints Are Widely Expressed in Ewing Sarcoma but Have Limited Functional Impact on the Effector Functions of Antigen-Specific CAR T Cells
Authors: Altvater Bianca , Kailayangiri Sareetha , Pérez Lanuza Lina F. , Urban Katja , Greune Lea , Flügge Maike , Meltzer Jutta , Farwick Nicole , König Simone , Görlich Dennis , Hartmann Wolfgang , Rossig Claudia
Published: June 2021

Immune-inhibitory barriers in the tumor microenvironment of solid cancers counteract effective T cell therapies. Based on our finding that Ewing sarcomas (EwS) respond to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) gene-modified effector cells through upregulation of human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G), we hypothesized that nonclassical HLA molecules, HLA-G and HLA-E, contribute to immune escape of EwS. Here, we demonstrate that HLA-G isotype G1 expression on EwS cells does not directly impair cytolysis by GD2-specific CAR T cells (CART), whereas HLA-G1 on myeloid bystander cells reduces CART degranulation responses against EwS cells. HLA-E was induced in EwS cells by IFN-γ stimulation in vitro and by GD2-specific CART treatment in vivo and was detected on tumor cells or infiltrating myeloid cells in a majority of human EwS biopsies. Interaction of HLA-E-positive EwS cells with GD2-specific CART induced upregulation of HLA-E receptor NKG2A. However, HLA-E expressed by EwS tumor cells or by myeloid bystander cells both failed to reduce antitumor effector functions of CART. We conclude that non-classical HLA molecules are expressed in EwS under inflammatory conditions, but have limited functional impact on antigen-specific T cells, arguing against a relevant therapeutic benefit from combining CART therapy with HLA-G or HLA-E checkpoint blockade in this cancer.
Immunomodulatory mAbs as Tools to Investigate on Cis-Interaction of PD-1/PD-L1 on Tumor Cells and to Set Up Methods for Early Screening of Safe and Potent Combinatorial Treatments
Authors: Vetrei Cinzia , Passariello Margherita , Froechlich Guendalina , Rapuano Lembo Rosa , Zambrano Nicola , De Lorenzo Claudia
Published: June 2021

Antibodies targeting Immune Checkpoints (IC) on tumor infiltrating lymphocytes improve immune responses against cancer. Recently, the expression of some ICs has also been reported on cancer cells. We used the clinically validated Ipilimumab and Nivolumab and other novel human antibodies targeting Cytotoxic T- lymphocyte-antigen 4 (CTLA-4), Programmed Death receptor-1 (PD-1) and Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) to shed light on the functions of these ICs in cancer cells. We show here for the first time that all these antagonistic mAbs are able to reduce Erk phosphorylation and, unexpectedly, to induce a significant increase of ICs expression on tumor cells, involving a hyperphosphorylation of NF-kB. On the contrary, agonistic PD-L1 and PD-1 recombinant proteins showed opposite effects by leading to a significant reduction of PD-1 and PD-L1, thus also suggesting the existence of a crosstalk in tumor cells between multiple ICs. Since the immunomodulatory mAbs show their higher anti-tumor efficacy by activating lymphocytes against cancer cells, we also investigated whether it was possible to identify the most efficient combinations of immunomodulatory mAbs for achieving potent anti-tumor efficacy associated with the lowest adverse side effects by setting up novel simple and predictive in vitro models based on co-cultures of tumor cells or human fetal cardiomyocytes with lymphocytes. We demonstrate here that novel combinations of immunomodulatory mAbs with more potent anti-cancer activity than Ipilimumab and Nivolumab combination can be identified with no or lower cardiotoxic side effects. Thus, we propose these co-cultures-based assays as useful tools to test also other combinatorial treatments of emerging immunomodulatory mAbs against different ICs for the early screening of most potent and safe combinatorial therapeutic regimens.
Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Therapeutic Opportunities and Clinical Challenges
Authors: Poh Ashleigh R. , Ernst Matthias
Published: June 2021

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignant disease with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. Macrophages are one of the earliest infiltrating cells in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, and are associated with an increased risk of disease progression, recurrence, metastasis, and shorter overall survival. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated an unequivocal role of macrophages in PDAC by contributing to chronic inflammation, cancer cell stemness, desmoplasia, immune suppression, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Several macrophage-targeting therapies have also been investigated in pre-clinical models, and include macrophage depletion, inhibiting macrophage recruitment, and macrophage reprogramming. However, the effectiveness of these drugs in pre-clinical models has not always translated into clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms that underpin macrophage heterogeneity within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, and examine the contribution of macrophages at various stages of PDAC progression. We also provide a comprehensive update of macrophage-targeting therapies that are currently undergoing clinical evaluation, and discuss clinical challenges associated with these treatment modalities in human PDAC patients.
Comparison of Resistance Spectra after First and Second Line Osimertinib Treatment Detected by Liquid Biopsy
Authors: Jóri Balázs , Schatz Stefanie , Kaller Len , Kah Bettina , Roeper Julia , Ramdani Hayat O. , Diehl Linda , Hoffknecht Petra , Grohé Christian , Griesinger Frank , Tiemann Markus , Heukamp Lukas C. , Falk Markus
Published: June 2021

Since 2009, several first, second, and third generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have been approved for targeted treatment of EGFR mutated metastatic non-small lung cancer (NSCLC). A vast majority of patients is improving quickly on treatment; however, resistance is inevitable and typically occurs after one year for TKI of the first and second generation. Osimertinib, a third generation TKI, has recently been approved for first line treatment in the palliative setting and is expected to become approved for the adjuvant setting as well. Progression-free survival (PFS) under osimertinib is superior to its predecessors but its spectrum of resistance alterations appears significantly more diverse compared to first and second generation EGFR TKI. As resistance mechanisms to osimertinib are therapeutically targetable in some cases, it is important to comprehensively test for molecular alterations in the relapse scenario. Liquid biopsy may be advantageous over tissue analysis as it has the potential to represent tumor heterogeneity and clonal diversification. We have previously shown high concordance of hybrid capture (HC) based next generation sequencing (NGS) in liquid biopsy versus solid tumor biopsies. In this study, we now present real-word data from 56 patients with metastatic NSCLC that were tested by liquid biopsy at the time of disease progression on mostly second line treated osimertinib treatment. We present examples of single and multiple TKI resistance mechanisms, including mutations in multiple pathways, copy number changes and rare fusions of RET, ALK, FGFR3 and BRAF. In addition, we present the added value of HC based NGS to reveal polyclonal resistance development at the DNA level encoding multiple EGFR C797S and PIK3CA mutations.
Podocalyxin in Normal Tissue and Epithelial Cancer
Authors: Le Tran Ngoc , Wang Yao , Nie Guiying
Published: June 2021

Podocalyxin (PODXL), a glycosylated cell surface sialomucin of the CD34 family, is normally expressed in kidney podocytes, vascular endothelial cells, hematopoietic progenitors, mesothelium, as well as a subset of neurons. In the kidney, PODXL functions primarily as an antiadhesive molecule in podocyte epithelial cells, regulating adhesion and cell morphology, and playing an essential role in the development and function of the organ. Outside the kidney, PODXL plays subtle roles in tissue remodelling and development. Furthermore, many cancers, especially those that originated from the epithelium, have been reported to overexpress PODXL. Collective evidence suggests that PODXL overexpression is linked to poor prognosis, more aggressive tumour progression, unfavourable treatment outcomes, and possibly chemoresistance. This review summarises our current knowledge of PODXL in normal tissue function and epithelial cancer, with a particular focus on its underlying roles in cancer metastasis, likely involvement in chemoresistance, and potential use as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.
Noninvasive Imaging Methods to Improve the Diagnosis of Oral Carcinoma and Its Precursors: State of the Art and Proposal of a Three-Step Diagnostic Process
Authors: Romano Antonio , Di Stasio Dario , Petruzzi Massimo , Fiori Fausto , Lajolo Carlo , Santarelli Andrea , Lucchese Alberta , Serpico Rosario , Contaldo Maria
Published: June 2021

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent form of cancer of lips and oral cavity, and its diagnostic delay, caused by misdiagnosis at the early stages, is responsible for high mortality ratios. Biopsy and histopathological assessment are the gold standards for OSCC diagnosis, but they are time-consuming, invasive, and do not always enable the patient’s compliance, mainly in cases of follow-up with the need for more biopsies. The use of adjunctive noninvasive imaging techniques improves the diagnostic approach, making it faster and better accepted by patients. The present review aims to focus on the most consolidated diagnostic techniques, such as vital staining and tissue autofluorescence, and to report the potential role of some of the most promising innovative techniques, such as narrow-band imaging, high-frequency ultrasounds, optical coherence tomography, and in vivo confocal microscopy. According to their contribution to OSCC diagnosis, an ideal three-step diagnostic procedure is proposed, to make the diagnostic path faster, better, and more accurate.
Development of EndoScreen Chip, a Microfluidic Pre-Endoscopy Triage Test for Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Webster Julie A. , Wuethrich Alain , Shanmugasundaram Karthik B. , Richards Renee S. , Zelek Wioleta M. , Shah Alok K. , Gordon Louisa G. , Kendall Bradley J. , Hartel Gunter , Morgan B. Paul , Trau Matt , Hill Michelle M.
Published: June 2021

The current endoscopy and biopsy diagnosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its premalignant condition Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is not cost-effective. To enable EAC screening and patient triaging for endoscopy, we developed a microfluidic lectin immunoassay, the EndoScreen Chip, which allows sensitive multiplex serum biomarker measurements. Here, we report the proof-of-concept deployment for the EAC biomarker Jacalin lectin binding complement C9 (JAC-C9), which we previously discovered and validated by mass spectrometry. A monoclonal C9 antibody (m26 3C9) was generated and validated in microplate ELISA, and then deployed for JAC-C9 measurement on EndoScreen Chip. Cohort evaluation (n = 46) confirmed the expected elevation of serum JAC-C9 in EAC, along with elevated total serum C9 level. Next, we asked if the small panel of serum biomarkers improves detection of EAC in this cohort when used in conjunction with patient risk factors (age, body mass index and heartburn history). Using logistic regression modeling, we found that serum C9 and JAC-C9 significantly improved EAC prediction from AUROC of 0.838 to 0.931, with JAC-C9 strongly predictive of EAC (vs. BE OR = 4.6, 95% CI: 1.6–15.6, p = 0.014; vs. Healthy OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 1.2–13.7, p = 0.024). This proof-of-concept study confirms the microfluidic EndoScreen Chip technology and supports the potential utility of blood biomarkers in improving triaging for diagnostic endoscopy. Future work will expand the number of markers on EndoScreen Chip from our list of validated EAC biomarkers.
The Effectiveness of School-Based Interventions on Obesity-Related Behaviours in Primary School Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
Authors: Nally Sarah , Carlin Angela , Blackburn Nicole , Baird Judith , Salmon Jo , Murphy Marie , Gallagher Alison
Published: June 2021

School-based interventions are promising for targeting a change in obesity-related behaviours in children. However, the efficacy of school-based interventions to prevent obesity remains unclear. This review examined the effectiveness of school-based interventions at changing obesity-related behaviours (increased physical activity, decreased sedentary behaviour and improved nutrition behaviour) and/or a change in BMI/BMI z-score. Following PRISMA guidelines, seven databases were systematically searched from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2020. Two review authors independently screened studies for eligibility, completed data extraction and assessed the risk of bias of each of the included studies. Forty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in a narrative synthesis. Thirty-eight studies were eligible for inclusion in a meta-analysis. The findings demonstrate that interventions in children when compared to controls resulted in a small positive treatment effect in the control group (2.14; 95% CI = 0.77, 3.50). There was no significant effect on sedentary behaviour, energy intake and fruit and vegetable intake. Significant reductions were found between groups in BMI kg/m2 (−0.39; 95% CI = −0.47, −0.30) and BMI z-score (−0.05; 95% CI = −0.08, −0.02) in favour of the intervention. The findings have important implications for future intervention research in terms of the effectiveness of intervention components and characteristics.
Safety of Tattoos and Permanent Make up (PMU) Colorants
Authors: Andreou Eleni , Hatziantoniou Sophia , Rallis Efstathios , Kefala Vasiliki
Published: June 2021

The art of tattooing is a popular decorative approach for body decoration and has a corrective value for the face. The tattooing procedure is characterized by placing exogenous pigments into the dermis with a number of needles. The process of creating traditional and cosmetic tattoos is the same. Colorants are deposited in the dermis by piercing the skin with needles of specific shape and thickness, which are moistened with the colorant. Colorants (pigments or dyes) most of the time include impurities which may cause adverse reactions. It is commonly known that tattoo inks remain in the skin for lifetime. It is also a fact that the chemicals that are used in permanent makeup (PMU) colorants may stay in the body for a long time so there is a significant long-term risk for harmful ingredients being placed in the body. Tattoo and PMU colorants contain various substances and their main ingredients and decomposition components may cause health risks and unwanted side effects to skin.
Responses and Indicators of Composition, Diversity, and Productivity of Plant Communities at Different Levels of Disturbance in a Wetland Ecosystem
Authors: Duan Tingting , Zhang Jing , Wang Zhengjun
Published: June 2021

Grassland tourism is a very popular leisure activity in many parts of the world. However, the presence of people in these areas causes disturbance to the local environment and grassland resources. This study analyzes the composition, diversity, and productivity under different levels of disturbance of the plant communities in the Kangxi Grassland Tourist Area and the Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve of Beijing, China. It aims to identify indicators of plant communities and their responses to different levels of disturbance. Our analysis shows that the plant community density and coverage have a certain compensatory increase under disturbed conditions. With the increase in disturbances, more drought-tolerant species have appeared (increased by 5.7%), some of which have become the grazing-tolerance indicator species in the trampled grazed area (TGA). For plant community productivity, biomass and height are good indicators for distinguishing different disturbances (p < 0.05). In addition, several diversity indices reveal the change of plant communities from different perspectives (three of the four indices were significant at the p < 0.05 level). For soil parameters, soil water content and organic matter concentration help to indicate different disturbance levels (the former has a 64% change). Moreover, the standard deviation of the plant community and soil parameters is also a good indicator of their spatial variability and disturbance levels, especially for the TGA. Our analysis confirms that the indicators of productivity, diversity, and soil parameters can indicate the disturbance level in each subarea from different perspectives. However, under disturbed conditions, a comprehensive analysis of these indicators is needed before we can accurately understand the state of health of the plant community.
Citizen Science Contributions to Address Biodiversity Loss and Conservation Planning in a Rapidly Developing Region
Authors: Soteropoulos Diana L. , De Bellis Caitlin R. , Witsell Theo
Published: June 2021

Biodiversity data support conservation research and inform conservation decisions addressing the wicked problem of biodiversity loss. However, these data often need processing and compilation before use, which exceed the time availability of professional scientists. Nevertheless, scientists can recruit, train, and support a network of citizen scientists to prepare these data using online platforms. Here, we describe three citizen science projects sponsored by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission to transcribe and georeference historic herbarium specimens and document current biodiversity through iNaturalist for two highly biodiverse and rapidly developing counties in Northwest Arkansas, USA. Citizen science-generated data will be used in a county natural heritage inventory (CNHI) report, including a comprehensive list of taxa tied to voucher specimens and records for rare plant populations. Since the CNHI project started in 2018, citizen scientists have transcribed 8855 and georeferenced 2636 specimen records. From iNaturalist observations, 125 rare plant populations of 39 taxa have been documented. This CNHI report will determine the most critical taxa, habitats, and sites for conservation action in the region and will inform conservation stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels as they engage in land acquisition, ecological restoration, natural resource management, planning of growth and development, and environmental review/regulation.
APIs for EU Governments: A Landscape Analysis on Policy Instruments, Standards, Strategies and Best Practices
Authors: Vaccari Lorenzino , Posada Monica , Boyd Mark , Santoro Mattia
Published: June 2021

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) could greatly facilitate the exchange of data and functionalities between software applications in a flexible, controlled and secure way, especially on the web. Private companies, from startups to enterprises, have been using APIs for several years now, but it is only recently that APIs have seen increased interest in the public sector. API adoption in the public sector faces organisational, technical, legal and economic obstacles, and to overcome these barriers, proposed methods from the private sector and early adopters in the public sector provide a way forward. The available documentation is often sparse, difficult to find and to reuse for new contexts. No past efforts to collect and analyse these resources have been made. To address this shortcoming, this paper describes a landscape analysis in four areas: the main European Commission policy instruments on the adoption of APIs, the available web API standards, a set of European government API strategies and cases, and a list of government proposed methods distilled from more than 3900 documents. Our results reveal that European policy legislation and associated instruments promote, and in some cases mandate, the use of APIs, and that governments’ API strategies in the European Union are rather young but also that there are well known web APIs standards and proposed methods ready to support the digital transformation of governments through rapid, harmonised and successful adoption of APIs.
How to Deal with Skin Biopsy in an Infant with Blisters?
Authors: Leclerc-Mercier Stéphanie
Published: June 2021

The onset of blisters in a neonate or an infant is often a source of great concern for both parents and physicians. A blistering rash can reveal a wide range of diseases with various backgrounds (infectious, genetic, autoimmune, drug-related, traumatic, etc.), so the challenge for the dermatologist and the pediatrician is to quickly determine the etiology, between benign causes and life-threatening disorders, for a better management of the patient. Clinical presentation can provide orientation for the diagnosis, but skin biopsy is often necessary in determining the cause of blister formations. In this article, we will provide information on the skin biopsy technique and discuss the clinical orientation in the case of a neonate or infant with a blistering eruption, with a focus on the histology for each etiology.
Concurrent Adjacent Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia without Simultaneous Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Detection: A Case Series
Authors: Saade Rayan , Najjar Saleh , Arslan Mustafa Erdem , Rady Peter , Tyring Stephen K. , Nazeer Tipu
Published: June 2021

Background: The association between Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic leukemia (CLL/SLL) is well established in the literature. A majority of MCCs are known to be associated with Merkel cell carcinoma polyomavirus (MCPyV), which is postulated to be a possible causative agent linking these two entities. We aim to identify the presence of MCPyV in patients with concurrent adjacent MCC and CLL/SLL. Methods: Archived pathology materials of three cutaneous or surgical excisions with concurrent MCC and CLL/SLL were reviewed. Additional 12-µm sections from paraffin-embedded tissue of these resections were matched with original hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides and used to extract foci from each tumor separately. DNA was extracted from these tissues, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), utilizing a primer set within a highly conserved “small T” viral DNA region, was done to detect MCPyV. Results: Out of 140 cases of cutaneous or surgical excisions with MCC identified in our electronic medical records (EMR), three had coexisting neighboring CLL/SLL in the same resection specimen. In one case out of three, MCPyV was detected in MCC but not in CLL/SLL. The remaining two cases showed no detection of MCPyV in either MCC or CLL/SLL. Conclusion: MCPyV was not concurrently associated with adjacent MCC and CLL/SLL, indicating that it is not driving simultaneous tumorigenesis, at least in a subset of these cases.
Lake Watershed Dynamics and Bathymetry Modeling of Rara and Begnas Lakes in Nepal
Authors: Thakuri Sudeep , Lama Furbe , Malla Rabin , Khadka Nitesh , Ghimire Narayan Prasad , Salerno Franco
Published: June 2021

Lake evolution and its changes over time are an evident and easily measurable signal of human activities and climate change impacts in mountain regions. This study presents bathymetric modeling of permanent lakes (Begnas and Rara Lakes) located in two different geographic settings of Nepal. Moreover, temporal changes in land cover and soil erosion of the lake watersheds, as well as climatic trends around these lakes, are assessed. This study supports establishing reference sites for exploring scientific evidence on the impacts of anthropogenic and climate change on lake hydrological systems. Second-order polynomial models best represent the relationship between lake depth and volume. Rara Lake had a maximum depth of 169 m with an area of 10.52 km2 and a volume of 1013.305 million cubic meters (Mm3), whereas Begnas Lake had a maximum depth of 12.5 m with an area of 2.98 ± 0.10 km2 and a water volume of 13.539 Mm3 in the year 2019. Both lake regions are experiencing changes in temperature and rainfall. The area and volume of Rara Lake and its watershed have been relatively stable even with minimal land-cover change during the recent decades. Begnas Lake and its watershed have experienced significant changes in the last few decades. This study concludes that human activities in the Begnas Lake watersheds are the primary source of lake area variation rather than climate change.
Soil Sensitivity to Wind and Water Erosion as Affected by Land Use in Southern Iran
Authors: Mozaffari Hasan , Rezaei Mahrooz , Ostovari Yaser
Published: June 2021

Land degradation by soil erosion is one of the most severe environmental issues that is greatly dependent on land use management. In this study, the effects of long-term land use management (including annual cultivated field (ACF), fallow field (FF), rangeland (R), and orchard field (OF)), soil depth (0–10 and 10–20 cm), and soil organic matter content (SOM) on wind- and water-erosion indices were investigated in calcareous soils of southern Iran. Soil samples were collected from four above-mentioned land-use types, and some soil properties and erosion indices were measured. Results showed that the most of soil aggregates stability indices in the surface layer (0–10 cm) of OF were higher than those in ACF, FF, and R, respectively, by nearly 39%, 32%, and 47% for dry mean weight diameter of aggregates (MWDdry); 10%, 10%, and 48% for dry geometric mean weight diameter of aggregates (GMDdry); 21%, 17%, and 15% for water-stable aggregates (WSA); and 11%, 16%, and 31% for aggregate stability index (ASI). Moreover, the mean of the soil wind erosion indicators in OF (0–10 cm) were lower than those in ACF, FF, and R, respectively, by nearly 18%, 24%, and 26%, for wind-erodible fraction (EF); 43%, 38%, and 49% for soil erodibility to wind erosion (K); and 36%, 32%, and 41% for wind erosion rate (ER). In ACF, despite the high clay content, some aggregate stability indices such as MWøDdry and WSA were the lowest among studied land-use types which showed the negative effects of conventional tillage practices. Depth factor had only a significant effect on dust emission potential (DEP) in ACF, FF, and OF. In addition, there were significant and strong correlations between SOM and MWDdry (r = 0.79), WSA (r = 0.77), EF (r = −0.85), K (r = 0.74), and ER (r = 0.74) in all datasets.
Are Soybean Yields Getting a Free Ride from Climate Change? Evidence from Argentine Time Series Data
Authors: Ahumada Hildegart , Cornejo Magdalena
Published: June 2021

We analyze the influence of climate change on soybean yields in a multivariate time-series framework for a major soybean producer and exporter—Argentina. Long-run relationships are found in partial systems involving climatic, technological, and economic factors. Automatic model selection simplifies dynamic specification for a model of soybean yields and permits encompassing tests of different economic hypotheses. Soybean yields adjust to disequilibria that reflect technological improvements to seed and crops practices. Climatic effects include (a) a positive effect from increased CO2 concentrations, which may capture accelerated photosynthesis, and (b) a negative effect from high local temperatures, which could increase with continued global warming.
Facilitating Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue and Collaboration in the Energy Transition of Municipalities through Serious Gaming
Authors: Ouariachi Tania
Published: June 2021

Within the EU, energy transition at the local level is embedded in a complex stakeholder network with highly interdependent actors; if these actors have to collaborate to contribute to an efficient transition, they have to initiate a dialogue about their roles and interests. A good way to achieve this goal could be via serious gaming. Scholars suggest that serious games have the potential to increase multi-stakeholder’s dialogue and collaboration on climate-change-related issues; however, empirical evidence on the effectiveness, and the process is still limited. The aim of this paper is to use the We-Energy Game as a case study to provide empirical evidence on how serious gaming could facilitate dialogue and collaboration among different stakeholders, and which specific features influence the engagement of participants with the issue. For that purpose, a qualitative analysis on feedback and observations of group discussions is conducted, together with a survey for 125 stakeholders from diverse municipalities in The Netherlands to assess what type of features influence the engagement. The study reveals that the game engages participants mostly at the cognitive level, and that key elements in this process are game design, the debriefing session, and the role of the facilitator.
Simulating the Effects of Intensifying Silviculture on Desired Species Yields across a Broad Environmental Gradient
Authors: Searle Eric B. , Bell F. Wayne , Larocque Guy R. , Fortin Mathieu , Dacosta Jennifer , Sousa-Silva Rita , Mina Marco , Deighton Holly D.
Published: June 2021

In the past two decades, forest management has undergone major paradigm shifts that are challenging the current forest modelling architecture. New silvicultural systems, guidelines for natural disturbance emulation, a desire to enhance structural complexity, major advances in successional theory, and climate change have all highlighted the limitations of current empirical models in covering this range of conditions. Mechanistic models, which focus on modelling underlying ecological processes rather than specific forest conditions, have the potential to meet these new paradigm shifts in a consistent framework, thereby streamlining the planning process. Here we use the NEBIE (a silvicultural intervention scale that classifies management intensities as natural, extensive, basic, intensive, and elite) plot network, from across Ontario, Canada, to examine the applicability of a mechanistic model, ZELIG-CFS (a version of the ZELIG tree growth model developed by the Canadian Forest Service), to simulate yields and species compositions. As silvicultural intensity increased, overall yield generally increased. Species compositions met the desired outcomes when specific silvicultural treatments were implemented and otherwise generally moved from more shade-intolerant to more shade-tolerant species through time. Our results indicated that a mechanistic model can simulate complex stands across a range of forest types and silvicultural systems while accounting for climate change. Finally, we highlight the need to improve the modelling of regeneration processes in ZELIG-CFS to better represent regeneration dynamics in plantations. While fine-tuning is needed, mechanistic models present an option to incorporate adaptive complexity into modelling forest management outcomes.