bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated plasma endocan and BOC in heart failure patients decrease after heart transplantation in association with improved hemodynamics
Authors: Ahmed Salaheldin , Ahmed Abdulla , Bouzina Habib , Lundgren Jakob , Rådegran Göran
Published: July 2020

Background

The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is rising with ageing population and constitutes a major health problem globally. A common complication of HF is pulmonary hypertension (PH) which negatively impacts survival. A pathophysiological association between HF and PH with tumorigenic processes has been suggested. We aimed to identify the plasma levels of, and the association between tumour-related proteins and hemodynamic improvements in patients with HF and PH due to left heart disease (LHD) before and 1-year after heart transplantation (HT).

Methods

Forty-eight tumour-related proteins were measured with proximity extension assay in plasma from 20 controls and 26 HF patients before and 1-year after HT. Patients’ hemodynamics were measured with right heart catheterization.

Results

Out of 48 proteins, specifically, plasma levels of endocan and brother of CDO (BOC) were elevated in end-stage HF patients compared to controls (p < 0.001), but decreased after HT (p < 0.01), towards controls’ levels. The decrease of endocan levels after HT correlated with improved mean pulmonary arterial pressure (rs = 0.80, p < 0.0001), pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (rs = 0.63, p = 0.0012), and pulmonary vascular resistance (rs = 0.70, p < 0.001). The decrease and normalization of BOC after HT correlated with decreased mean right atrial pressure (rs = 0.61 p = 0.0015) and NT-proBNP (rs = 0.57, p = 0.0022), as well as increased cardiac index (rs = − 0.51, p = 0.0086) and left-ventricular stroke work index (rs = − 0.57, p = 0.0039).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that (i) plasma endocan in HF may reflect the state of pulmonary vascular congestion and PH-LHD, whereas (ii) plasma BOC may reflect the cardiac function and the hemodynamic overload in HF. The exact role of these proteins and their clinical applicability as biomarkers in HF and PH-LHD ought to be investigated in larger cohorts.
Pathogenesis of multimorbidity—what is known?
Authors: Wetterling Tilman
Published: July 2020

Background

Multimorbidity is gaining increasing attention due to its substantial medical, healthcare political and social challenges. So far, however, there have been only few studies attempting to characterize the underlying pathogenesis.

Method

A selective literature search was carried out in PubMed.

Results

There is no generally accepted definition of multimorbidity. In the studies published so far, attempts have mostly been made to identify frequent clusters of diseases. In order to prevent multimorbidity, however, it is necessary to characterize the underlying mechanisms of development in more detail. For this purpose, a concept is presented based on the previously published data, in particular from longitudinal studies showing the importance of known risk factors. Possible pathogenetic processes involving multimorbidity are briefly discussed.

Conclusion

For most pathogenetic processes leading to multimorbidity there is no suitable pharmacological treatment available; however, behavior such as lack of exercise, dietary habits, smoking and high alcohol consumption are of considerable importance for the development of multimorbidity and can in principle be influenced by treatment.
Small molecule substances as molecular probes of structure and texture of coal under sorption process and modelling
Authors: Wójcik Marta , Jodłowski Grzegorz S.
Published: July 2020

Multiple Sorption Model (MSM) is used to simulate sorption isotherms and the effect of the multiplicity of physicochemical parameters is reduced by introducing an invariant procedure using a few sorbates that are small molecules. This study presents the use of water, methanol, carbon dioxide and methane as test molecules to determine the structure and texture of coal and energy parameters. Parallel calculations for a set of sorption systems on the same coal sample recursively yield the most probable estimates. The procedure was tested for 6 coal samples with different carbon content. Effect of simulations made by MSM is evaluated on measurements of sorption isotherms. Result obtained by the analysis shows that smaller submicropores are in better contact with sorbate molecule and bigger one contact is weaker-contacts play vital role in energy contribution to the molecule. Tendency of significant absorption for CO2 and CH3OH and insignificant for H2O and CH4 is confirmed on the basis of thermodynamic dissertation/calculation.
Development and Validation of a Sociodemographic and Behavioral Characteristics-Based Risk-Score Algorithm for Targeting HIV Testing Among Adults in Kenya
Authors: Muttai Hellen , Guyah Bernard , Musingila Paul , Achia Thomas , Miruka Fredrick , Wanjohi Stella , Dande Caroline , Musee Polycarp , Lugalia Fillet , Onyango Dickens , Kinywa Eunice , Okomo Gordon , Moth Iscah , Omondi Samuel , Ayieko Caren , Nganga Lucy , Joseph Rachael H. , Zielinski-Gutierrez Emily
Published: July 2020

To inform targeted HIV testing, we developed and externally validated a risk-score algorithm that incorporated behavioral characteristics. Outpatient data from five health facilities in western Kenya, comprising 19,458 adults ≥ 15 years tested for HIV from September 2017 to May 2018, were included in univariable and multivariable analyses used for algorithm development. Data for 11,330 adults attending one high-volume facility were used for validation. Using the final algorithm, patients were grouped into four risk-score categories: ≤ 9, 10–15, 16–29 and ≥ 30, with increasing HIV prevalence of 0.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46–0.75], 1.35% (95% CI 0.85–1.84), 2.65% (95% CI 1.8–3.51), and 15.15% (95% CI 9.03–21.27), respectively. The algorithm’s discrimination performance was modest, with an area under the receiver-operating-curve of 0.69 (95% CI 0.53–0.84). In settings where universal testing is not feasible, a risk-score algorithm can identify sub-populations with higher HIV-risk to be prioritized for HIV testing.
The Influence of Intra-Daily Activities and Settings upon Weekday Violent Crime in Public Spaces in Manchester, UK
Authors: Lee Won Do , Haleem Muhammad Salman , Ellison Mark , Bannister Jon
Published: July 2020

People ebb and flow across the city. The spatial and temporal patterning of crime is, in part, reflective of this mobility, of the scale of the population present in any given setting at a particular time. It is also a function of capacity of this population to perform an active role as an offender, victim or guardian in any specific crime type, itself shaped by the time-variant activities undertaken in, and the qualities of, particular settings. To this end, this paper explores the intra-daily influence of activities and settings upon the weekday spatial and temporal patterning of violent crime in public spaces. This task is achieved through integrating a transient population dataset with travel survey, point-of-interest and recorded crime data in a study of Great Manchester (UK). The research deploys a negative binomial regression model controlling for spatial lag effects. It finds strong and independent, but time-variant, associations between leisure activities, leisure settings and the spatial and temporal patterning of violent crime in public space. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and empirical implications of these findings.
The effect of hierarchical single-crystal ZSM-5 zeolites with different Si/Al ratios on its pore structure and catalytic performance
Authors: Hou Yuexin , Li Xiaoyun , Sun Minghui , Li Chaofan , Bakhtiar Syed ul Hasnain , Lei Kunhao , Yu Shen , Wang Zhao , Hu Zhiyi , Chen Lihua , Su Bao-Lian
Published: July 2020

Hierarchical single-crystal ZSM-5 zeolites with different Si/Al ratios (Hier-ZSM-5-x, where x = 50, 100, 150 and 200) were synthesized using an ordered mesoporous carbon-silica composite as hard template. Hier-ZSM-5-x exhibits improved mass transport properties, excellent mechanical and hydrothermal stability, and higher catalytic activity than commercial bulk zeolites in the benzyl alcohol self-etherification reaction. Results show that a decrease in the Si/Al ratio in hierarchical single-crystal ZSM-5 zeolites leads to a significant increase in the acidity and the density of micropores, which increases the final catalytic conversion. The effect of porous hierarchy on the diffusion of active sites and the final catalytic activity was also studied by comparing the catalytic conversion after selectively designed poisoned acid sites. These poisoned Hier-ZSM-5-x shows much higher catalytic conversion than the poisoned commercial ZSM-5 zeolite, which indicates that the numerous intracrystalline mesopores significantly reduce the diffusion path of the reactant, leading to the faster diffusion inside the zeolite to contact with the acid sites in the micropores predominating in ZSM-5 zeolites. This study can be extended to develop a series of hierarchical single-crystal zeolites with expected catalytic performance.
Cerebral Protection Devices during Transcatheter Interventions: Indications, Benefits, and Limitations
Authors: Haussig Stephan , Linke Axel , Mangner Norman
Published: July 2020

Purpose of Review

Stroke remains a devastating complication of cardiovascular interventions. This review is going to discuss stroke rates and outcomes in different cardiovascular procedures with a highlight on the current evidence for the use of cerebral protection devices (CPD).

Recent Findings

Depending on the quality of neurological assessment, stroke occurs in up to 9.1% after TAVI, 3.9% after mitral clipping, 3.1% in LAAO patients, 0.4% after PCIs, and 1.8% after catheter ablation. CPDs are available for routine use. They are easy to use in most anatomies, feasible, and safe. Data on clinical impact and stroke reduction from RCTs are still missing.

Most evidence for the routine use of CPDs exists in TAVI patients, who are at the highest risk. The PROTECTED TAVI RCT will shed more light on the clinical impact of CPD-use in TAVI patients. In other cardiovascular procedures like mitral clipping, PCIs, and ablation, the current data do not support the routine use of CPDs in these patients.
Guiding Treatment Choices for Elderly Patients with Glioblastoma by a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
Authors: Lütgendorf-Caucig Carola , Freyschlag Christian , Masel Eva Katharina , Marosi Christine
Published: July 2020

Purpose of Review

The incidence of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) increases with age; more than half of newly diagnosed patients are older than 65 years. Due to age-dependent decreasing organ functions, comorbidities, functional decline, and increasing risk of social isolation, not all patients are able to tolerate standard therapy of GBM with 6 weeks of radiochemotherapy.

Recent Findings

A set of alleviated therapies, e.g., chemotherapy or radiotherapy alone, hypofractionated radiotherapies with different total doses and variable fractionation regimens as well as hypofractionated radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant chemotherapy, have been evaluated during the last years. However, clinicians are still unsure which therapy would fit best to a given patient. Recently, the predictive value of comprehensive geriatric assessment regarding tolerance of chemotherapy and prediction of early mortality has been validated for older GBM patients in a retrospective trial.

Thus, it appears that neuro-oncology is now ready for the prospective implementation of geriatric assessment to guide treatment planning for elderly GBM patients.
Equal-order finite element approximation for mantle-melt transport
Authors: Braack Malte , Nafa Kamel , Taylor Simon
Published: July 2020

Mantle convection and melt migration are important processes for understanding Earth’s dynamics and how they relate to observations at the surface. Recently it has been established that melt migration can be modelled by coupling variable-viscosity Stokes flow and Darcy flow, where Stokes flow generally captures the long-term behaviour of the mantle and lithosphere, and Darcy flow models the two-phase regime. It is known that approximating the solution by finite element methods requires the use of mixed inf-sup stable elements or additional stabilization terms. Here, we propose a formulation with a coercive non-symmetric linear operator which allows the use of simple equal-order elements.
Disease mutations in striated muscle myosins
Authors: Parker Francine , Peckham Michelle
Published: July 2020

Over 1000 disease-causing missense mutations have been found in human β-cardiac, α-cardiac, embryonic and adult fast myosin 2a myosin heavy chains. Most of these are found in human β-cardiac myosin heavy chain. Mutations in β-cardiac myosin cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy predominantly, whereas those in α-cardiac are associated with many types of heart disease, of which the most common is dilated cardiomyopathy. Mutations in embryonic and fast myosin 2a affect skeletal muscle function. This review provides a short overview of the mutations in the different myosin isoforms and their disease-causing effects.
Beyond Antibiotics: Photo/Sonodynamic Approaches for Bacterial Theranostics
Authors: Pang Xin , Li Dengfeng , Zhu Jing , Cheng Jingliang , Liu Gang
Published: July 2020

Rapid evolution and propagation of multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens are outpacing the development of new antibiotics, but antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) provides an excellent alternative. This treatment depends on the interaction between light and photoactivated sensitizer to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are highly cytotoxic to induce apoptosis in virtually all microorganisms without resistance concern. When replacing light with low-frequency ultrasonic wave to activate sensitizer, a novel ultrasound-driven treatment emerges as antimicrobial sonodynamic therapy (aSDT). Recent advances in aPDT and aSDT reveal golden opportunities for the management of multidrug resistant bacterial infections, especially in the theranostic application where imaging diagnosis can be accomplished facilely with the inherent optical characteristics of sensitizers, and the generated ROS by aPDT/SDT cause broad-spectrum oxidative damage for sterilization. In this review, we systemically outline the mechanisms, targets, and current progress of aPDT/SDT for bacterial theranostic application. Furthermore, potential limitations and future perspectives are also highlighted.
Related Factors Associated With Earthquake Inpatient Mortality
Authors: Liu Sijia , He Chengqi
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

To date, we have only limited evidence of the determinants of earthquake inpatient mortality-related factors. This study is among the first to explore related factors of inpatient deaths using data from multiple hospitals and multiple earthquakes.

Methods:

We included and retrospectively analyzed data on 32,976 earthquake inpatients in the West China Earthquake Patients Database. Of these, we analyzed the records of 284 patients who died during hospitalization. We collected 12 dichotomous variables with reference to previous reports: patients’ age (both ≤ 15 years and ≥ 65 years), gender, prehospital treatment, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, the presence of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), trunk injury, severe poly-trauma, crush syndrome, multiple-system organ failure (MSOF), infection, and cardiac/respiratory disease. We performed multivariate logistic regression analysis to explore independent related factors of mortality.

Results:

Ultimately, we identified severe TBI, MSOF, old age (≥ 65 years), ICU admission, crush syndrome, and cardiac/respiratory disease as independent mortality-related factors. Severe TBI was the greatest risk factor of inpatient death (ods ratio [OR], 31.913, 95% confidence interval [CI], 20.484-49.720), followed by MSOF (OR 30.905, 95% CI, 21.733-43.947).

Conclusion:

To reduce earthquake inpatient mortalities, the related factors analyzed in this study should be prioritized in future inpatient earthquake response strategies.
Validation of remote-sensing products of sea-ice motion: a case study in the western Arctic Ocean
Authors: Gui Dawei , Lei Ruibo , Pang Xiaoping , Hutchings Jennifer K. , Zuo Guangyu , Zhai Mengxi
Published: July 2020

The accuracy of sea-ice motion products provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and the Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI-SAF) was validated with data collected by ice drifters that were deployed in the western Arctic Ocean in 2014 and 2016. Data from both NSIDC and OSI-SAF products exhibited statistically significant (p< 0.001) correlation with drifter data. The OSI-SAF product tended to overestimate ice speed, while underestimation was demonstrated for the NSIDC product, especially for the melt season and the marginal ice zone. Monthly Lagrangian trajectories of ice floes were reconstructed using the products. Larger spatial variability in the deviation between NSIDC and drifter trajectories was observed than that of OSI-SAF, and seasonal variability in the deviation for NSIDC was observed. Furthermore, trajectories reconstructed using the NSIDC product were sensitive to variations in sea-ice concentration. The feasibility of using remote-sensing products to characterize sea-ice deformation was assessed by evaluating the distance between two arbitrary positions as estimated by the products. Compared with the OSI-SAF product, relative errors are lower (<11.6%), and spatial-temporal resolutions are higher in the NSIDC product, which makes it more suitable for estimating sea-ice deformation.
A STRUCTURAL DICHOTOMY IN THE ENUMERATION DEGREES
Authors: GANCHEV HRISTO A. , KALIMULLIN ISKANDER SH. , MILLER JOSEPH S. , SOSKOVA MARIYA I.
Published: July 2020

We give several new characterizations of the continuous enumeration degrees. The main one proves that an enumeration degree is continuous if and only if it is not half of a nontrivial relativized
$\mathcal {K}$
-pair. This leads to a structural dichotomy in the enumeration degrees.
Real-world evidence use in assessments of cancer drugs by NICE
Authors: Bullement Ash , Podkonjak Tanja , Robinson Mark J. , Benson Eugene , Selby Ross , Hatswell Anthony J. , Shields Gemma E.
Published: July 2020

Objective

To establish how real-world evidence (RWE) has been used to inform single technology appraisals (STAs) of cancer drugs conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Methods

STAs published by NICE from April 2011 to October 2018 that evaluated cancer treatments were reviewed. Information regarding the use of RWE to directly inform the company-submitted cost-effectiveness analysis was extracted and categorized by topic. Summary statistics were used to describe emergent themes, and a narrative summary was provided for key case studies.

Results

Materials for a total of 113 relevant STAs were identified and analyzed, of which nearly all (96 percent) included some form of RWE within the company-submitted cost-effectiveness analysis. The most common categories of RWE use concerned the health-related quality of life of patients (71 percent), costs (46 percent), and medical resource utilization (40 percent). While sources of RWE were routinely criticized as part of the appraisal process, we identified only two cases where the use of RWE was overtly rejected; hence, in the majority of cases, RWE was accepted in cancer drug submissions to NICE.

Discussion

RWE has been used extensively in cancer submissions to NICE. Key criticisms of RWE in submissions to NICE are seldom regarding the use of RWE in general; instead, these are typically concerned with specific data sources and the applicability of these to the decision problem. Within an appropriate context, RWE constitutes an extremely valuable source of information to inform decision making; yet the development of best practice guidelines may improve current reporting standards.
Parsing apart affective dimensions of withdrawal: Longitudinal relations with peer victimization
Authors: Perry Kristin J. , Meisel Samuel N. , Stotsky Miriam T. , Ostrov Jamie M.
Published: July 2020

The current study examined a bifactor model of affective dimensions of withdrawal. Specifically, a model which specified a general factor of anxious-avoidant withdrawal (i.e., withdrawal with negative affect), a specific factor of unsociability (i.e., withdrawal without negative affect), and a specific factor of negative affect without withdrawal was specified in the primary sample (n= 238, 56.3% boys,Mage = 44.92 months,SD= 5.32 months) and a validation sample (n= 332, 52.6% boys,Mage = 47.11 months,SD= 7.32 months). The model provided a good fit to the data in both samples. In the primary sample, longitudinal relations between the bifactor model and peer victimization were examined across three time points (Time 1 in the spring, Time 2 in the fall, and Time 3 in the spring). Results showed that negative affect without withdrawal was concurrently associated with higher levels of relational and physical victimization at T1, unsociability predicted reductions in relational victimization from T1 to T2 as children entered a new classroom, and anxious-avoidant withdrawal predicted reductions in relational and physical victimization from T2 to T3 as children acclimated to the new classroom. Developmental considerations and clinical implications are discussed.
Do Campaign Finance Reforms Insulate Incumbents from Competition? New Evidence from State Legislative Elections
Authors: Butcher Jordan , Milyo Jeffrey
Published: July 2020

Variations in state campaign finance regulations across states and over time provide an opportunity to test the effects of reforms on the electoral success of incumbent state legislators. We use the most recent state legislative election returns dataset to test whether state campaign finance reforms help or hinder incumbents. Our analysis of nearly 66,000 contests in 33 years reveals that campaign contribution limits and partial public financing have little impact on incumbent reelection prospects. However, full public financing and prohibitions on corporate independent expenditures significantly increase the probability of incumbent reelection.
One Hundred Years of Instability: Sex, Law, and Transgender Rights
Authors: Caldwell Anne
Published: July 2020

Five years before the famous Seneca Falls Meeting in which a gathering of women demanded suffrage, Levi Suydam already had encountered the problem that sex posed for suffrage. Suydam, a 23-year-old man who supported the Whigs, petitioned to vote in 1843. The opposing party challenged his petition “on the grounds that ‘he was more a female than a male, and that, in his physical organization, he partook of both sexes’” (Reis 2009, 34). Because the Whigs won by one vote, Suydam’s status was central to the election outcome. After several medical exams in which different doctors reached different conclusions about Suydam’s true sex, Suydam was determined to be “more female than male” (Reis 2009, 35). Suydam’s case presents an important corollary to a more famous case of voting “fraud” after Susan B. Anthony voted in the 1872 presidential election. The 1873 trial and conviction of Anthony was straightforward: as a woman, she could not vote. Suydam posed a greater challenge to political order insofar as neither law nor medicine could pin down Suydam’s sex within a framework of binary sex. The Nineteenth Amendment, which prohibited the denial of the vote “on account of sex,” might have rendered the uncertainty of sex politically and legally moot. It did not.
LGBTQ State Legislative Candidates in an Era of Backlash
Authors: Haider-Markel Donald P. , Gauding Patrick , Flores Andrew , Lewis Daniel C. , Miller Patrick R. , Tadlock Barry , Taylor Jami K.
Published: July 2020

In 2017, transgender woman Danica Roem stunned political observers in Virginia by unseating a long-time anti-LGBTQ legislator from a conservative district in the Virginia House of Delegates.1 She was the first openly transgender person elected and seated to a state legislature. Delegate Roem’s election was historic in LGBTQ political representation, but it also occurred in a period when backlash against the LGBTQ community seemed to be growing (Taylor, Lewis, and Haider-Markel 2018). These two threads led us to ask: How are LGBTQ candidates achieving historic successes even as forces seem mobilized against them?
British Public Television Police Drama: an Ordo-Baroque Template for European Complex Governance (with a Case Study of the BBC Meta-Police SeriesLine of Duty)
Authors: Dobrescu Caius
Published: July 2020

In this article, Elizabethan and Jacobean Baroque drama is considered as a comparative, structuring reference and as a control parameter for understanding contemporary British public television police drama as a genre in its own right. The argument for its autonomy and specificity lies not primarily with formal arguments, but with its intimate connection with representations on government and governance, as practices and world-models aimed at the management of complexity. Starting from the above, I premise that the public police drama format is highly relevant for Europe at large, not only as a fictional means of comprehending complex government, but as an emerging forum of actual public deliberation on the means and goals of complex government. The logical extension of the current study would be a future analysis of the manner in which the suggested template of police drama was absorbed in the continental television and government culture. For the moment the argument is restricted to pointing out the premises offered by the British original format for a poetics of complex order and of multi-level governance essential for the configuration of a European political imaginary.
Competing for Distinction: Lineage and Individual Recognition in Eighteenth-Century Sindh
Authors: RAJANI SHAYAN
Published: July 2020

There is a long tradition of describing Sindh as peculiarly prone to Sayyid veneration. On the face of it, the biographical section ofTuhfat al-Kiram or Gift for the Noble,an eighteenth-century history and geography written in Persian in Sindh, appears to confirm this idea. In listing the notables of Thatta, Sindh's premier city, the author, Mir ʻAli Shir Qaniʻ, orders them by groups, giving priority in his hierarchical arrangement to Sayyids. However, this article examinesTuhfat al-Kiramnot as a transparent description of Sindh, but rather as a normative exposition of a Sayyid-led social order. It draws attention to Qaniʻs project of reconciling individual excellence with lineage in a post-Mughal context without a discerning sovereign to uphold a meritorious order. By exploring Qaniʻs silences, particularly on Hindus and women, this article investigates the anxieties that run through this text about the threat to the old Persianate elite of Thatta. This threat spurred Qaniʻ to reimagine a social order in Sindh where claims of descent served to close off mobility in an otherwise meritocratic Persianate society. Sayyid priority in eighteenth-century Sindh was not an established fact, but a newly-fashioned claim, which remained contested and contradictory, even withinTuhfat al-Kiram.
Flexible Emotionsregulation: Theoretische Modelle und Empirische Befunde
Authors: Barnow Sven , Pruessner Luise , Schulze Katrin
Published: July 2020

Zusammenfassung. Emotionsregulationsstrategien werden häufig unabhängig von dem Kontext der Verwendung in adaptiv und maladaptiv klassifiziert. Aktuelle empirische Studien und theoretische Modelle der flexiblen Emotionsregulation hinterfragen diese Kategorisierung und versuchen, die Adaptivität von regulatorischen Strategien stärker kontextbezogen zu untersuchen. In dem vorliegenden Artikel geben wir eine selektive Übersicht über dieses Forschungsgebiet und gehen dabei auf folgende zwei Fragestellungen ein: (1) Welche Rolle spielen Kontextfaktoren bei der Adaptivität von Emotionsregulationsstrategien? (2) Wie kann flexible Emotionsregulation konzeptualisiert und erfasst werden? Aus den vorgestellten empirischen Befunden und theoretischen Modellen leiten wir Implikationen für zukünftige ambulatorische und experimentelle Untersuchungen flexibler Emotionsregulation ab.
The association between socioeconomic factors and weight loss 5 years after gastric bypass surgery
Authors: Stenberg Erik , Näslund Ingmar , Persson Carina , Szabo Eva , Sundbom Magnus , Ottosson Johan , Näslund Erik
Published: July 2020

Introduction

Patients with low socioeconomic status have been reported to have poorer outcome than those with a high socioeconomic status after several types of surgery. The influence of socioeconomic factors on weight loss after bariatric surgery remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between socioeconomic factors and postoperative weight loss.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective, nationwide cohort study with 5-year follow-up data for 13,275 patients operated with primary gastric bypass in Sweden between January 2007 and December 2012 (n = 13,275), linking data from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry, Statistics Sweden, the Swedish National Patient Register, and the Swedish Prescribed Drugs Register. The assessed socioeconomic variables were education, profession, disposable income, place of residence, marital status, financial aid and heritage. The main outcome was weight loss 5 years after surgery, measured as total weight loss (TWL). Linear regression models, adjusted for age, preoperative body mass index (BMI), sex and comorbid diseases were constructed.

Results

The mean TWL 5 years after surgery was 28.3 ± 9.86%. In the adjusted model, first-generation immigrants (%TWL, B −2.4 [95% CI −2.9 to −1.9], p < 0.0001) lost significantly less weight than the mean, while residents in medium-sized (B 0.8 [95% CI 0.4–1.2], p = 0.0001) or small towns (B 0.8 [95% CI 0.4–1.2], p < 0.0001) lost significantly more weight.

Conclusions

All socioeconomic groups experienced improvements in weight after bariatric surgery. However, as first-generation immigrants and patients residing in larger towns (>200,000 inhabitants) tend to have inferior weight loss compared to other groups, increased support in the pre- and postoperative setting for these two groups could be of value. The remaining socioeconomic factors appear to have a weaker association with postoperative weight loss.
Patient-specific Alzheimer-like pathology in trisomy 21 cerebral organoids reveals BACE2 as a gene dose-sensitive AD suppressor in human brain
Authors: Alić Ivan , Goh Pollyanna A. , Murray Aoife , Portelius Erik , Gkanatsiou Eleni , Gough Gillian , Mok Kin Y. , Koschut David , Brunmeir Reinhard , Yeap Yee Jie , O’Brien Niamh L. , Groet Jürgen , Shao Xiaowei , Havlicek Steven , Dunn N. Ray , Kvartsberg Hlin , Brinkmalm Gunnar , Hithersay Rosalyn , Startin Carla , Hamburg Sarah , Phillips Margaret , Pervushin Konstantin , Turmaine Mark , Wallon David , Rovelet-Lecrux Anne , Soininen Hilkka , Volpi Emanuela , Martin Joanne E. , Foo Jia Nee , Becker David L. , Rostagno Agueda , Ghiso Jorge , Krsnik Željka , Šimić Goran , Kostović Ivica , Mitrečić Dinko ,   LonDownS Consortium, Strydom Andre , Fisher Elizabeth , Wiseman Frances , Nizetic Dean , Hardy John , Tybulewicz Victor , Karmiloff-Smith Annette , Francis Paul T. , Blennow Kaj , Strydom Andre , Hardy John , Zetterberg Henrik , Nižetić Dean
Published: July 2020

A population of more than six million people worldwide at high risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are those with Down Syndrome (DS, caused by trisomy 21 (T21)), 70% of whom develop dementia during lifetime, caused by an extra copy of β-amyloid-(Aβ)-precursor-protein gene. We report AD-like pathology in cerebral organoids grown in vitro from non-invasively sampled strands of hair from 71% of DS donors. The pathology consisted of extracellular diffuse and fibrillar Aβ deposits, hyperphosphorylated/pathologically conformed Tau, and premature neuronal loss. Presence/absence of AD-like pathology was donor-specific (reproducible between individual organoids/iPSC lines/experiments). Pathology could be triggered in pathology-negative T21 organoids by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated elimination of the third copy of chromosome 21 gene BACE2, but prevented by combined chemical β and γ-secretase inhibition. We found that T21 organoids secrete increased proportions of Aβ-preventing (Aβ1–19) and Aβ-degradation products (Aβ1–20 and Aβ1–34). We show these profiles mirror in cerebrospinal fluid of people with DS. We demonstrate that this protective mechanism is mediated by BACE2-trisomy and cross-inhibited by clinically trialled BACE1 inhibitors. Combined, our data prove the physiological role of BACE2 as a dose-sensitive AD-suppressor gene, potentially explaining the dementia delay in ~30% of people with DS. We also show that DS cerebral organoids could be explored as pre-morbid AD-risk population detector and a system for hypothesis-free drug screens as well as identification of natural suppressor genes for neurodegenerative diseases.
Glomerular endothelial cell heterogeneity in Alport syndrome
Authors: Soloyan Hasmik , Thornton Matthew , Villani Valentina , Khatchadourian Patrick , Cravedi Paolo , Angeletti Andrea , Grubbs Brendan , De Filippo Roger , Perin Laura , Sedrakyan Sargis
Published: July 2020

Glomerular endothelial cells (GEC) are a crucial component of the glomerular physiology and their damage contributes to the progression of chronic kidney diseases. How GEC affect the pathology of Alport syndrome (AS) however, is unclear. We characterized GEC from wild type (WT) and col4α5 knockout AS mice, a hereditary disorder characterized by progressive renal failure. We used endothelial-specific Tek-tdTomato reporter mice to isolate GEC by FACS and performed transcriptome analysis on them from WT and AS mice, followed by in vitro functional assays and confocal and intravital imaging studies. Biopsies from patients with chronic kidney disease, including AS were compared with our findings in mice. We identified two subpopulations of GEC (dimtdT and brighttdT) based on the fluorescence intensity of the TektdT signal. In AS mice, the brighttdT cell number increased and presented differential expression of endothelial markers compared to WT. RNA-seq analysis revealed differences in the immune and metabolic signaling pathways. In AS mice, dimtdT and brighttdT cells had different expression profiles of matrix-associated genes (Svep1, Itgβ6), metabolic activity (Apom, Pgc1α) and immune modulation (Apelin, Icam1) compared to WT mice. We confirmed a new pro-inflammatory role of Apelin in AS mice and in cultured human GEC. Gene modulations were identified comparable to the biopsies from patients with AS and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, possibly indicating that the same mechanisms apply to humans. We report the presence of two GEC subpopulations that differ between AS and healthy mice or humans. This finding paves the way to a better understanding of the pathogenic role of GEC in AS progression and could lead to novel therapeutic targets.
Evolutionary and phylogenetic aspects of the chloroplast genome of Chaenomeles species
Authors: Sun Jiahui , Wang Yiheng , Liu Yanlei , Xu Chao , Yuan Qingjun , Guo Lanping , Huang Luqi
Published: July 2020

Chaenomeles (family Rosaceae) is a genus of five diploid species of deciduous spiny shrubs that are native to Central Asia and Japan. It is an important horticultural crop (commonly known as flowering quinces) in Europe and Asia for its high yield in fruits that are rich in juice, aroma, and dietary fiber. Therefore, the development of effective genetic markers of Chaenomeles species is advantageous for crop improvement through breeding and selection. In this study, we successfully assembled and analyzed the chloroplast genome of five Chaenomeles species. The chloroplast genomes of the five Chaenomeles species were very similar with no structural or content rearrangements among them. The chloroplast genomes ranged from 159,436 to 160,040 bp in length and contained a total of 112 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. Three highly variable regions, including trnR-atpA, trnL-F, and rpl32-ccsA, were identified. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete chloroplast genome showed that Chaenomeles forms a monophyletic clade and had a close relationship with the genera Docynia and Malus. Analyses for phylogenetic relationships and the development of available genetic markers in future could provide valuable information regarding genetics and breeding mechanisms of the Chaenomeles species.
Enhancing particle bunch-length measurements based on Radio Frequency Deflector by the use of focusing elements
Authors: Arpaia Pasquale , Corsini Roberto , Gilardi Antonio , Mostacci Andrea , Sabato Luca , Sjobak Kyrre N.
Published: July 2020

A method to monitor the length of a particle bunch, based on the combination of a Radio Frequency Deflector (RFD) with magnetic focusing elements, is presented. With respect to state-of-the-art bunch length measurement, the additional focusing element allows to measure also the correlations between the longitudinal and transverse planes in terms of both position and divergence. Furthermore, the quadrupole-based focusing increases the input dynamic range of the measurement system (i.e.  allows for a larger range of beam Twiss parameters at the entrance of the RFD). Thus, measurement resolution and precision are enhanced, by simultaneously preserving the accuracy. In this paper, the method is first introduced analytically, and then validated in simulation, by the reference tool ELEctron Generation ANd Tracking, ELEGANT. Finally, a preliminary experimental validation at CLEAR (CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research) is reported.
Multi-scale habitat modelling and predicting change in the distribution of tiger and leopard using random forest algorithm
Authors: Rather Tahir A. , Kumar Sharad , Khan Jamal A.
Published: July 2020

Tigers and leopards have experienced considerable declines in their population due to habitat loss and fragmentation across their historical ranges. Multi-scale habitat suitability models (HSM) can inform forest managers to aim their conservation efforts at increasing the suitable habitat for tigers by providing information regarding the scale-dependent habitat-species relationships. However the current gap of knowledge about ecological relationships driving species distribution reduces the applicability of traditional and classical statistical approaches such as generalized linear models (GLMs), or occupancy surveys to produce accurate predictive maps. This study investigates the multi-scale habitat relationships of tigers and leopards and the impacts of future climate change on their distribution using a machine-learning algorithm random forest (RF). The recent advancements in the machine-learning algorithms provide a powerful tool for building accurate predictive models of species distribution and their habitat relationships even when little ecological knowledge is available about the species. We collected species occurrence data using camera traps and indirect evidence of animal presences (scats) in the field over 2 years of rigorous sampling and used a machine-learning algorithm random forest (RF) to predict the habitat suitability maps of tiger and leopard under current and future climatic scenarios. We developed niche overlap models based on the recently developed statistical approaches to assess the patterns of niche similarity between tigers and leopards. Tiger and leopard utilized habitat resources at the broadest spatial scales (28,000 m). Our model predicted a 23% loss in the suitable habitat of tigers under the RCP 8.5 Scenario (2050). Our study of multi-scale habitat suitability modeling provides valuable information on the species habitat relationships in disturbed and human-dominated landscapes concerning two large felid species of conservation importance. These areas may act as refugee habitats for large carnivores in the future and thus should be the focus of conservation importance. This study may also provide a methodological framework for similar multi-scale and multi-species monitoring programs using robust and more accurate machine learning algorithms such as random forest.
Hematocrit, hemoglobin and red blood cells are associated with vascular function and vascular structure in men
Authors: Kishimoto Shinji , Maruhashi Tatsuya , Kajikawa Masato , Matsui Shogo , Hashimoto Haruki , Takaeko Yuji , Harada Takahiro , Yamaji Takayuki , Han Yiming , Kihara Yasuki , Chayama Kazuaki , Goto Chikara , Yusoff Farina Mohamad , Nakashima Ayumu , Higashi Yukihito
Published: July 2020

High and low hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels are associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships of Hct, Hb and red blood cells (RBCs) with vascular function and structure. We measured flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation (NID), brachial intima media thickness (IMT), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in 807 men. The subjects were divided into six groups according to the levels of Hct, Hb and RBCs. NID was highest in the 46.0–48.9% Hct group among the six groups according to Hct levels. Brachial IMT was lowest in the 46.0–48.9% Hct group among the six groups. There were no significant differences in FMD and baPWV among the six groups. We used 46.0–48.9% Hct as a reference to define the lower tertile. The adjusted odds ratio of being in the low tertile of NID was significantly higher in the < 42.9% and ≥ 49.0% Hct groups. Adjusted odds ratio of being in the low tertile of brachial IMT was significantly lower in the < 39.9% Hct groups. Similar results were obtained for Hb and RBCs. Low and high levels of Hct, Hb and RBCs were associated with vascular smooth muscle dysfunction, and low Hct levels were associated with abnormal vascular structure. Increases in the levels of Hct, Hb and RBCs within normal ranges may have beneficial effects on the vasculature.
Ultra-fast detection and quantification of nucleic acids by amplification-free fluorescence assay
Authors: Uhd Jesper , Miotke Laura , Ji Hanlee P. , Dunaeva Marina , Pruijn Ger J. M. , Jørgensen Christian Damsgaard , Kristoffersen Emil Laust , Birkedal Victoria , Yde Christina Westmose , Nielsen Finn Cilius , Hansen Jonas , Astakhova Kira
Published: July 2020

Fast and reliable assay for amplification-free absolute quantification of DNA and RNA in biofluids.
Factors influencing the measurement of the secretion rate of extracellular vesicles
Authors: Wen Yi , Chen Yundi , Wang Guosheng , Abhange Komal , Xue Fei , Quinn Zachary , Mao Wenjun , Wan Yuan
Published: July 2020

Direct measurement of the small extracellular vesicle in the cell culture supernatant.
NMR assignment of thein vivodaphnia magna metabolome
Authors: Anaraki Maryam Tabatabaei , Lysak Daniel H. , Soong Ronald , Simpson Myrna J. , Spraul Manfred , Bermel Wolfgang , Heumann Hermann , Gundy Marcel , Boenisch Holger , Simpson André J.
Published: July 2020

Daphnia(freshwater fleas) are among the most widely used organisms in regulatory aquatic toxicology/ecology, while their recent listing as an NIH model organism is stimulating research for understanding human diseases and processes.
Nucleophilic reactivity of a mononuclear cobalt(iii)–bis(tert-butylperoxo) complex
Authors: Shin Bongki , Park Younwoo , Jeong Donghyun , Cho Jaeheung
Published: July 2020

A mononuclear cobalt(iii)–bis(tert-butylperoxo) adduct (CoIII–(OOtBu)2) bearing a tetraazamacrocyclic ligand was synthesized and characterized using various physicochemical methods, such as X-ray, UV-vis, ESI-MS, EPR, and NMR analyses.
Ion chemistry of phthalates in selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry: isomeric effects and secondary reactions with water vapour
Authors: Lacko Michal , Michalczuk Bartosz , Matejčík Štefan , Španěl Patrik
Published: July 2020

Reactions of H3O+, O2+and NO+with phthalates and secondary reactions of product ions with water vapor were studied by SIFT.
Compound-tunable embedding potential: which oxidation state of uranium and thorium as point defects in xenotime is favorable?
Authors: Lomachuk Yuriy V. , Maltsev Daniil A. , Mosyagin Nikolai S. , Skripnikov Leonid V. , Bogdanov Roman V. , Titov Anatoly V.
Published: July 2020

The cluster model of xenotime YPO4 is provided to determine the properties of thorium and uranium ion impurity in the crystal.
The ditetrel bond: noncovalent bond between neutral tetrel atoms
Authors: Scheiner Steve
Published: July 2020

The ability of a tetrel atom to serve in the capacity of electron donor in a σ-hole noncovalent bond is tested by quantum calculations.
Enhanced power density of a supercapacitor by introducing 3D-interfacial graphene
Authors: Wang Zegao , Liu Jingbo , Hao Xin , Wang Yin , Chen Yuanfu , Li Pingjian , Dong Mingdong
Published: July 2020

The influence of 3D interfacial graphene on the capacitive performance of rGO-based supercapacitor has been studied, where the power density increase by 220%.
Recent advances in PIII-assisted deoxygenative reactions under photochemical or electrochemical conditions
Authors: Shao Xiaoqing , Zheng Yue , Ramadoss Velayudham , Tian Lifang , Wang Yahui
Published: July 2020

Recent progress in PIII-assisted direct deoxygenative reactions under photochemical or electrochemical conditions is reviewed.
Fe(iii)-Catalyzed synthesis of steroidal imidazoheterocycles as potent antiproliferative agents
Authors: Samanta Sadhanendu , Ghosh Asim Kumar , Ghosh Sumit , Ilina Anastasia A. , Volkova Yulia A. , Zavarzin Igor V. , Scherbakov Alexander M. , Salnikova Diana I. , Dzichenka Yaraslau U. , Sachenko Anton B. , Shirinian Valerii Z. , Hajra Alakananda
Published: July 2020

An efficient and practical method has been developed for the synthesis of steroidal imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines as potent antiproliferative agentsviaFeCl3-catalyzed oxidative amination in high yields.
Identification and characterization of adipose surface epitopes
Authors: Onogi Yasuhiro , Khalil Ahmed Elagamy Mohamed Mahmoud , Ussar Siegfried
Published: July 2020

Adipose tissue is a central regulator of metabolism and an important pharmacological target to treat the metabolic consequences of obesity, such as insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Among the various cellular compartments, the adipocyte cell surface is especially appealing as a drug target as it contains various proteins that when activated or inhibited promote adipocyte health, change its endocrine function and eventually maintain or restore whole-body insulin sensitivity. In addition, cell surface proteins are readily accessible by various drug classes. However, targeting individual cell surface proteins in adipocytes has been difficult due to important functions of these proteins outside adipose tissue, raising various safety concerns. Thus, one of the biggest challenges is the lack of adipose selective surface proteins and/or targeting reagents. Here, we discuss several receptor families with an important function in adipogenesis and mature adipocytes to highlight the complexity at the cell surface and illustrate the problems with identifying adipose selective proteins. We then discuss that, while no unique adipocyte surface protein might exist, how splicing, posttranslational modifications as well as protein/protein interactions can create enormous diversity at the cell surface that vastly expands the space of potentially unique epitopes and how these selective epitopes can be identified and targeted.