bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal Timoshenko beam system with suspenders and Kelvin–Voigt damping
Authors: Mukiawa Soh Edwin , Khan Yasir , Al Sulaimani Hamdan , Omaba McSylvester Ejighikeme , Enyi Cyril Dennis
Published: May 2023

In the present study, we consider a thermal-Timoshenko-beam system with suspenders and Kelvin–Voigt damping type, where the heat is given by Cattaneo's law. Using the existing semi-group theory and energy method, we establish the existence and uniqueness of weak global solution, and an exponential stability result. The results are obtained without imposing the equal-wave speed of propagation condition.

2010 MSC:35D30, 35D35, 35B35.
Ethical and social insights into synthetic biology: predicting research fronts in the post-COVID-19 era
Authors: Wang Gaofeng , Kong Qingqing , Wang Dong , Asmi Fahad
Published: May 2023

As a revolutionary biological science and technology, synthetic biology has already spread its influence from natural sciences to humanities and social sciences by introducing biosafety, biosecurity, and ethical issues to society. The current study aims to elaborate the intellectual bases and research front of the synthetic biology field in the sphere of philosophy, ethics, and social sciences, with knowledge mapping and bibliometric methods. The literature records from the Social Sciences Citation Index and Arts & Humanities Citation Index in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1982 to 2021 were collected and analyzed to illustrate the intellectual structure of philosophical, ethical, and social research of synthetic biology. This study profiled the hotspots of research focus on its governance, philosophical and ethical concerns, and relevant technologies. This study offers clues and enlightenment for the stakeholders and researchers to follow the progress of this emerging discipline and technology and to understand the cutting-edge ideas and future form of this field, which takes on greater significance in the post-COVID-19 era.
Economic optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems supplying electrical and thermal loads of a tourist building in different climates
Authors: Hajinejad Ahmad , Seraj Farhad , Jahangir Mohammad Hossein , Askari Minoo
Published: May 2023

Due to the high potential of tourism in Iran and the high utilization of tourist buildings in Iran, as well as the high energy consumption in the buildings sector, this study aims to provide a feasible model for designing a renewable energy supply system for a tourist building in different climates of Iran. According to the country’s climate, 5 cities of Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, Rasht, Mashhad, and Yazd were selected as the cities under study. The hybrid system also consists of photovoltaic panels, wind turbine, battery, and converter for power supply and boilers with natural gas fuel and geothermal heat pump to provide building thermal load. The heat pump is used to supply the load needed to preheat the building’s hot water. The system is connected to the electricity grid, so by selling excess electricity, the net project costs (NPC) will be reduced and the system can provide part of its need from the grid. The scenarios which were studied are of two categories. In the first category, all the thermal load is supplied by the boiler. After selecting the best economic scenario by Homer software in this category, the heat pump is added to the system by calculating the thermal load required to preheat the hot water. The scenarios used two types of wind turbines with a capacity of 10 and 50 kW and two types of 25-W panels with different efficiencies of 15.3% and 18%. Finally, a top-down scenario was chosen for each city. The best city to run the project on economic criteria is Mashhad with an NPC of $ 195,745 and a renewable fraction of $ 50.5. Using a heat pump to preheat the hot water, would also save 7% on fuel consumption and reduce CO2 production by 639,000 kg per year.
Climate responsive lessons from an architectural and ethnographic study of Hijazi traditional dwellings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Basunbul Anwar Islem , Braham William W.
Published: May 2023

This study investigated the thermal environment in a traditional Hijazi building, the Baeshen House in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a city on the Red Sea. This dwelling, which was built in 1856, was designed based on the accumulated local knowledge and experience of the region’s conditions. Such buildings were constructed to provide thermal comfort without air conditioning to occupants in the hot humid climate of a coastal area. During the time period of December 2021 to August 2022, on-site monitoring was performed in winter and summer to record and analyze field measurements and the effectiveness of thermal comfort strategies. Two different ventilation strategies—i.e. full-day and night-time—were examined. The results showed the thermal mass of the vernacular architecture played an essential role in regulating the indoor air temperature from the extreme outdoor conditions. Moreover, night-time ventilation practices accounted for significant temperature reductions indoors and a more comfortable living environment. It was observed that construction materials, namely, Al-Mangabi stones, played a substantial role in Hijazi architecture in mitigating the impact of severely high summer temperatures, as did specific traditional occupant strategies. The study established that natural cooling ventilation strategies are effective for maintaining thermal comfort and are valuable features of vernacular architecture with a substantial application for modern architectural design.
Distortion of sectoral roles in climate change threatens climate goals
Authors: Cohen-Shields Naomi , Sun Tianyi , Hamburg Steven P. , Ocko Ilissa B.
Published: May 2023

The longstanding method for reporting greenhouse gas emissions—carbon dioxide equivalence (CO2e)—systematically underestimates methane-dominated economic sectors' contributions to warming in the coming decades. This is because it only calculates the warming impact of a pulse of emissions over a 100-year period. For short-lived climate forcers that mostly influence the climate for a decade or two, like methane, this method masks their near-term potency. Assessing the impacts of future greenhouse gas emissions using a simple climate model reveals that midcentury warming contributions of sectors dominated by methane—agriculture, fossil fuel production and distribution, and waste—are two times higher than estimated using CO2e. The CO2e method underemphasizes the importance of reducing emissions from these sectors, and risks misaligning emissions targets with desired temperature outcomes. It is essential to supplement CO2e-derived insights with approaches that convey climate impacts of ongoing emissions over multiple timescales, and to never rely exclusively on CO2e.
The evolution of lexical semantics dynamics, directionality, and drift
Authors: Carling Gerd , Cronhamn Sandra , Lundgren Olof , Bogren Svensson Victor , Frid Johan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The directionality of semantic change is problematic in traditional comparative models of language reconstruction. Compared to, e.g., phonological and morphological change, the directions of meaning change over time are potentially endless and difficult to reconstruct. The current paper attempts to reconstruct the mechanisms of lexical meaning change by a quantitative model. We use a data set of 104 core concepts in 160 Eurasian languages from several families, which are coded for colexification as well as cognacy, including semantic change of lexemes in etymologies. In addition, the various meanings are coded for semantic relation to the core concept, including relations such as metaphor, metonymy, generalization, specialization, holonymy, and meronymy. Further, concepts are coded into classes and semantic properties, including factors such as animacy, count/mass, concrete/abstract, or cultural connotations, such as taboo/non-taboo.

Methodology

We use a phylogenetic comparative model to reconstruct the probability of presence at hidden nodes of different colexifying meanings inside etymological trees. We find that these reconstructions come close to meaning reconstructions based on the comparative method. By means of the phylogenetic reconstructions, we measure the evolutionary dynamics of meaning loss of co-lexifying meanings as well as concepts.

Results and discussion

These change rates are highly varying, from almost complete stability to complete unstability. Change rates vary between different semantic classes, where for instance wild animals have low change rates and domestic animals and implements have high change rates. We find a negative correlation between taboo animals and change rate, i.e., taboo animals have lower change rates than non-taboo words. Further, we find a negative correlation between animacy and change rate, indicating that animate nouns have lower change rate than inanimate nouns. A further result is a negative correlation between change rate and degree of borrowing (borrowability) of concepts, indicating that lexemes that are more likely to be borrowed are less likely to change semantically. Among semantic relations, we find that metonomy is more frequent than any other change, including metaphor, and that a change from general to more specific is in all cases more frequent than the other way round.
Critical roles of m6A methylation in cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Zhang Xinmin , Cai He , Xu He , Dong Su , Ma Haichun
Published: May 2023

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been established as a major cause of mortality globally. However, the exact pathogenesis remains obscure. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is the most common epigenetic modification on mRNAs regulated by methyltransferase complexes (writers), demethylase transferases (erasers) and binding proteins (readers). It is now understood that m6A is a major player in physiological and pathological cardiac processes. m6A methylation are potentially involved in many mechanisms, for instance, regulation of calcium homeostasis, endothelial function, different forms of cell death, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, macrophage response and inflammation. In this review, we will summarize the molecular functions of m6A enzymes. We mainly focus on m6A-associated mechanisms and functions in CVDs, especially in heart failure and ischemia heart disease. We will also discuss the potential application and clinical transformation of m6A modification.
Integrated Chinese and Western medicine for stable angina pectoris of coronary heart disease: a real-world study including 690 patients
Authors: Yu Linghua , Wang Zihan , Xu Chenxi , Liu Anxiang , Li Tong , Wang Yubi , Lu Xiaoyan , Xu Hao
Published: May 2023

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the effects of integrated Chinese and Western medical therapeutic modalities on clinical prognosis in a population with stable angina pectoris (SAP) of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods

In a prospective cohort study, 732 patients with SAP of CHD hospitalized in the Integrated Cardiology Unit of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital From October 2020 to October 2021 were included. The patients were divided into integrated treatment and conventional treatment groups according to whether they had been taking Chinese medicine for more than 6 months per year. The occurrence of composite cardiovascular events (CVEs), including cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, revascularization, stroke, all-cause death, and readmission due to angina attack, heart failure, or malignant arrhythmia, was recorded during follow-up. The effects of different treatment modalities on prognosis were evaluated using univariate and multifactorial logistic regression. Logistic regression models were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. In sensitivity analysis, the correlation between treatment modality and outcome events was corrected by rematching the two groups of patients using the propensity score matching (PSM) method.

Results

The data from 690 patients were included in the analysis, with 327 patients in the integrated treatment group and 363 patients in the conventional treatment group. CVEs occurred in 19 patients (5.8%) in the integrated treatment group and 37 patients (10.2%) in the conventional treatment group. The proportion of outcome events was significantly lower in the combination treatment group than in the conventional treatment group (P = 0.037). Covariate correction by multimodal multifactorial logistic regression revealed a lower risk of CVEs in patients receiving integrated therapy compared with conventional therapy (OR = 0.246, 95% CI = 0.097–0.622, P = 0.003). Moreover, a history of renal insufficiency (OR = 3.991, 95% CI = 1.164–13.684, P = 0.028) and a higher Gensini score (OR = 1.039, 95% CI = 1.028–1.050, P < 0.001) were risk factors for the development of CVEs. Model evaluation showed that C-statistic = 0.955 and area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.955. After PSM correction, the results still showed that integrated Chinese and Western medical treatment reduced the occurrence of CVEs in patients compared with Western treatment alone (OR = 0.339, 95% CI = 0.131–0.874, P = 0.025).

Conclusion

Integrated treatment based on Chinese and Western medicine might improve the prognosis and reduce the risk of CVEs in this disease population.

Trial registration

China Clinical Trials Registry, ChiCTR1800017891, Registered 20 August 2018, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj = 30170.
The pass/fail grading system at Jordanian universities for online learning courses from students’ perspectives
Authors: Al-Sayyed Rizik , Abu Awwad Ferial , Itriq Mariam , Suleiman Dima , AlSaqqa Samar , AlSayyed Ayat
Published: May 2023

This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Jordanian university students toward the pass/fail grading system (PFGS) that was used during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire was prepared, consisting of 37 items in its final form; divided into four subscales: advantages, drawbacks of (PFGS), the reasons for its use by students, and their attitudes toward it. This questionnaire was applied to a sample of 6,404 male and female students from four Jordanian universities: Al al-Bayt University, Balqa Applied University, The Hashemite University, and The University of Jordan. Out of the 6,404 responses, we rejected 263 responses due to careless survey filling and/or incomplete answers. The results revealed that most students were satisfied with applying the PFGS to all courses, especially among the freshmen. They believed that the PFGS was the best choice for grading due to online exams and full distance learning lectures. The results showed significant differences at α = 0.05 in how students evaluated the PFGS; namely: its advantages, drawbacks, reasons, and their attitudes toward it, based on participants’ gender, school, and academic level. As for the relationship between GPA and students’ perspectives on the PFGS, it was clear that the correlation coefficients indicated weak but significant correlations.
Pregnancy complicated with adrenal adenoma causing ACTH-independent Cushing’s syndrome, accompanied by obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome and severe pre-eclampsia: case report and literature review
Authors: Xu Shenghan , Liu Miao , Xu Jiamu , Che Bangwei , Zhang Wenjun , Li Wei , Huang Tao , Yu Ying , Zha Cheng , Peng Zheng , Huang Kunyuan , Tang Kaifa
Published: May 2023

This case report shares the management experience of a patient with pregnancy combined with adrenal adenoma causing ACTH-independent Cushing’s syndrome (CS), accompanied by obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS) and severe pre-eclampsia. The case was a 26-year-old that presented with typical clinical symptoms and signs of CS. The patient had a history of 4 spontaneous abortions in the last 4 years. The 24-hour urinary free cortisol was significantly increased, an abnormal cortisol circadian rhythm was demonstrated by a high late-night salivary cortisol, blood ACTH was suppressed (< 1ng/dL), anticardiolipin antibody was positive, and imaging examination showed an adrenal tumor. The patient underwent laparoscopic adrenal tumor resection under general anesthesia at 23 weeks of gestation. The tumor was pathologically confirmed to be an adrenocortical adenoma. The patient underwent a cesarean section at 39 weeks of gestation to give birth to a healthy baby girl with an Apgar score of 10. Pregnancy complicated by CS is clinically rare, easily masked by normal physiological changes of pregnancy, and is difficult to diagnose. The determination of 24-hour urinary free cortisol, the circadian rhythm of serum cortisol, ultrasound, and MRI can be helpful in the diagnosis of CS during pregnancy. Surgery is the first choice for the treatment of CS during pregnancy. As a subtype of antiphospholipid syndrome, patients with OAPS are prone to thrombotic events and recurrent miscarriages if not treated accordingly. To our knowledge no cases of CS with OAPS and severe pre-eclampsia have been reported. We summarize the experience of the treatment of this patient and review the literature to improve clinicians’ awareness of this disease.
Oocyte degeneration in a cohort adversely affects clinical outcomes in conventional IVF cycles: a propensity score matching study
Authors: Liu Lanlan , Jiang Xiaoming , Liu Zhenfang , Chen Jinghua , Yang Chao , Chen Kaijie , Yang Xiaolian , Cai Jiali , Ren Jianzhi
Published: May 2023

Background

Oocyte degeneration was mostly described in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles; there is no report showing the relationship between oocyte degeneration and clinical outcomes in conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. This retrospective study using the propensity score (PS) matching method aimed to explore whether the presence of oocyte degeneration in conventional IVF cycles would affect the sibling embryo development potential and clinical outcomes.

Methods

Patients with at least one oocyte degenerated after short-term insemination and stripping were defined as the degeneration (DEG) group, while patients with no oocyte degenerated were defined as the non-degeneration (NONDEG) group. The PS matching method was used to control for potential confounding factors, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was made to evaluate whether the presence of oocyte degeneration would affect the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR).

Results

After PS matching, basic characteristics were similar between the two groups, oocyte yield was significantly higher in the DEG group than the NON-DEG group (P < 0.05), mature oocyte number, 2 pronuclear (2PN) embryo number, 2PN embryo clearage rate, “slow” embryo number, “accelerated” embryo number, rate of cycles with total day 3 embryo extended culture, number of frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles, transferred embryo stage, transferred embryo number, and live birth rate in fresh embryo transfer cycles were all similar between the two groups (P > 0.05), but the 2PN fertilization rate, available embryo number, high-quality embryo number, “normal” embryo number, frozen embryo number, blastocyst formation rate, and no available embryo cycle rate were all significantly lower in the DEG group than the NON-DEG group (P < 0.05). The cumulative live birth rate was also significantly lower in the DEG group than in the NON-DEG group (70.2% vs. 74.0%, P = 0.0019). Multivariate logistic regression analysis further demonstrated that the presence of oocyte degeneration in conventional IVF cycles adversely affects the CLBR both before (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.75–0.92) and after (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72–0.93) PS matching.

Conclusion

Our findings together revealed that the presence of oocyte degeneration in a cohort of oocytes may adversely affect subsequent embryo development potential and clinical outcomes in conventional IVF cycles.
Dust impacts on Mongolian cyclone and cold front in East Asia: a case study during 18–22 March 2010
Authors: Li Jing , Chen Shu-Hua
Published: May 2023

The Gobi Desert in East Asia experiences dust outbreaks during the spring, which are often caused by high winds associated with Mongolian cyclones. The radiative forcing that arises from dust aerosols could affect the intensity and movement of Mongolian cyclones and cold fronts. A case study on a Mongolian cyclone that occurred during 18–22 March 2010 in East Asia examines these factors using an atmosphere-dust coupled model. Our numerical results show that dust’s impact on the intensity of the cyclone and its cold front varies between day and night and depends on the relative position of the weather systems of interest to the dust plume, i.e., the edge or the main dust plume region. When the dust plume approaches the cold front, most of the dust is trapped behind the cold front at low levels, but a small amount of dust extends to the middle levels, thereby reaching the warm side of the middle-level front. As a result, dust weakens the intensity of the low-level front and intensifies the middle-level front during the daytime, modifying the cold front oppositely at night. On the other hand, dust influences the cyclone in two phases. During the first phase, the dust plume edge arrives at the center of the cyclone in the daytime and warms the region, slightly intensifying the cyclone. During the second phase, the major dust plume feeds into the cyclone center in the early morning. The net dust effect is negative, which cools the cyclone center and decreases or stops the intensification. Subsequently, the cyclone is taken over by a nearby cyclonic circulation downstream. The dust plume approaches the new cyclone center, which repeats a similar pattern of intensity change: intensifying and then leveling off. Our results show that dust has no apparent influence on the movement of the cyclone and its cold front for this case study.
Numerical study on the influence of salt marsh plants on coastal wetland hydrodynamics and suspended sediment transport
Authors: Jiang Hengzhi , Chai Chongxu , Zhang Mingliang
Published: May 2023

Salt-marsh plants play important roles in the hydrodynamics and sediment transport and deposition processes in coastal regions. The Delft3D model was applied to quantify the influence of salt-marsh plants on the hydrodynamic characteristics and suspended sediment transport of a coastal wetland, and to reveal the contribution of plants in trapping sediment in the local area. Specifically, the spatial distributions of salt-marsh plants were acquired from remote sensing images and coupled with the Delft3D model. A comparison showed that the modeled results and observed data fit very well. The model results indicated that salt marsh plants had a negligible effect on tidal level, but they did significantly affect flow velocity and tidal flux, as indicated by the obvious slow-flow zones in vegetated belts. Phragmites australis attenuated the flow velocity more than Suaeda heteroptera. We also found that the suspended sediment concentration was lower in P. australis and S. heteroptera areas because the resistance created by vegetation prevented sediment from being resuspended and helped trap suspended sediment. Numerical experiments further confirmed that the suspended sediment flux was obviously different with and without vegetation. The interception of suspended sediment by salt marsh plants could reduce the suspended sediment by more than 60%.
Transcriptomic analysis of the Brazilian blind characid, Stygichthys typhlops, reveals convergent selection with Astyanax mexicanus and other cavefishes
Authors: Arcila Dahiana , Rincon-Sandoval Melissa , Hanson William , Hart Pamela B. , González Vanessa L. , Betancur-R Ricardo , Bichuette Maria E.
Published: May 2023

Molecular studies have shown that Neotropical fishes of the order Characiformes have undergone two independent events of cave colonization. Among these fishes are the Mexican blind cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), a well-studied model system for cave adaptation, and the lesser-known Brazilian blind characid (Stygichthys typhlops). Although various genomic and transcriptomic approaches have been used to identify genes responsible for cave adaptation in A. mexicanus, these genetic factors have not been explored in an evolutionary comparative framework in cave-adapted characiforms. To address this gap, we assembled a de novo transcriptome for the Brazilian blind characid, identifying 27,845 assembled unigenes, of which 22,580 were assigned as putative one-to-one orthologs to the Mexican cavefish. We then used the package RELAX to analyze 789 genes in cavefishes, identifying 311 genes under intensified or relaxed selection. Our analysis revealed 26 genes with signatures of convergent, relaxed selection linked to vision, circadian cycles, pigmentation, and hematopoiesis processes. Additionally, we conducted differential gene expression analyzes between the snout region and a control tissue sample (muscle), identifying 96 differentially expressed genes associated with cell-surface-bound and calcium-binding proteins. Our study offers insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying cave adaptation in characiform fishes, particularly the Brazilian blind characid. Moreover, our transcriptome dataset and list of genes under convergent, relaxed, and intensified selection serve as a valuable resource for future functional studies of genes involved in cave adaptation. Our work highlights the importance of examining genetic adaptations in multiple independent lineages to better understand the evolutionary processes underlying cave adaptation.
Monitoring and mapping vegetation greenery in residential communities using street view images and a Normalized Vegetation Greenery Index: a case study in Beijing, China
Authors: Song Jiaxuan , Zhu Xicun , Yu Xinyang
Published: May 2023

Vegetation greenery is essential for the sensory and psychological wellbeing of residents in residential communities. To enhance the quality of regulations and policies to improve people’s living environments, it is crucial to effectively identify and monitor vegetation greenery from the perspective of the residents using effective images and methods. In this study, Baidu street view (BSV) images and a Normalized Vegetation Greenery Index (NVGI) based method were examined to distinguish vegetation greenery in residential communities of Beijing, China. The magnitude of the vegetation was quantified and graded, and spatial analysis techniques were employed to investigate the spatial characteristics of vegetation greenery. The results demonstrated that (1) the identified vegetation greenery using the proposed NVGI-based method was closely correlated with those of the reference classification (r = 0.993, p = 0.000), surpassing the comparison results from the SVM method, a conventional remote sensing classification means; (2) the vegetation greenery was distributed unevenly in residential communities and can be categorized into four grades, 63.79% of the sampling sites were found with relatively low (Grade II) and moderate (Grade III) vegetation greenery distribution, most of the districts in the study area contained zero-value green view index sites; and (3) there was significant spatial heterogeneity observed in the study area, with low-value clustering (cold spots) predominantly located in the central region and high-value clustering (hot spots) primarily concentrated in the peripheral zone. The findings of this study can be applied in other cities and countries that have street view images available to investigate greenery patterns within residential areas, which can help improve the planning and managing efforts in urban communities.
The Pandora’s box of transparency opened by direct-to-consumer genetic testing
Authors: Saruwatari Zavala Garbiñe
Published: May 2023

With the increasing use of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing, several cases of fertility fraud have been uncovered throughout the world. A review of newspaper articles and specialized literature was made to analyze the issue of fertility fraud. The most famous cases, some of which are narrated in this article, became a scandal because they were committed by the doctors who treated the patients in question as a routine procedure in their medical practice. Some have been widely exposed in documentaries on streaming platforms, thereby raising awareness about a grave problem. The discussion focuses on the ambiguous regulation on the anonymity of donors, which has been one of the elements of the deception committed against the families using these services. Anonymity nowadays collides with the fascinating Pandora’s box of transparency in genetic information that has been opened by DTC genetic testing.
The role of regulatory T cells and follicular T helper cells in HBV infection
Authors: Lin Nengqi , Yin Wei , Miller Heather , Byazrova Maria G. , Herrada Andrés A. , Benlagha Kamel , Lee Pamela , Guan Fei , Lei Jiahui , Gong Quan , Yan Youqing , Filatov Alexander , Liu Chaohong
Published: May 2023

Hepatitis B has become one of the major global health threats, especially in developing countries and regions. Hepatitis B virus infection greatly increases the risk for liver diseases such as cirrhosis and cancer. However, treatment for hepatitis B is limited when considering the huge base of infected people. The immune response against hepatitis B is mediated mainly by CD8+ T cells, which are key to fighting invading viruses, while regulatory T cells prevent overreaction of the immune response process. Additionally, follicular T helper cells play a key role in B-cell activation, proliferation, differentiation, and formation of germinal centers. The pathogenic process of hepatitis B virus is generally the result of a disorder or dysfunction of the immune system. Therefore, we present in this review the critical functions and related biological processes of regulatory T cells and follicular T helper cells during HBV infection.
Staphylococcus aureus δ-toxin present on skin promotes the development of food allergy in a murine model
Authors: Yamada Hiromichi , Kaitani Ayako , Izawa Kumi , Ando Tomoaki , Kamei Anna , Uchida Shino , Maehara Akie , Kojima Mayuki , Yamamoto Risa , Wang Hexing , Nagamine Masakazu , Maeda Keiko , Uchida Koichiro , Nakano Nobuhiro , Ohtsuka Yoshikazu , Ogawa Hideoki , Okumura Ko , Shimizu Toshiaki , Kitaura Jiro
Published: May 2023

Background

Patients with food allergy often suffer from atopic dermatitis, in which Staphylococcus aureus colonization is frequently observed. Staphylococcus aureus δ-toxin activates mast cells and promotes T helper 2 type skin inflammation in the tape-stripped murine skin. However, the physiological effects of δ-toxin present on the steady-state skin remain unknown. We aimed to investigate whether δ-toxin present on the steady-state skin impacts the development of food allergy.

Material and methods

The non-tape-stripped skins of wild-type, KitW-sh/W-sh, or ST2-deficient mice were treated with ovalbumin (OVA) with or without δ-toxin before intragastric administration of OVA. The frequency of diarrhea, numbers of jejunum or skin mast cells, and serum levels of OVA-specific IgE were measured. Conventional dendritic cell 2 (cDC2) in skin and lymph nodes (LN) were analyzed. The cytokine levels in the skin tissues or culture supernatants of δ-toxin-stimulated murine keratinocytes were measured. Anti-IL-1α antibody-pretreated mice were analyzed.

Results

Stimulation with δ-toxin induced the release of IL-1α, but not IL-33, in murine keratinocytes. Epicutaneous treatment with OVA and δ-toxin induced the local production of IL-1α. This treatment induced the translocation of OVA-loaded cDC2 from skin to draining LN and OVA-specific IgE production, independently of mast cells and ST2. This resulted in OVA-administered food allergic responses. In these models, pretreatment with anti-IL-1α antibody inhibited the cDC2 activation and OVA-specific IgE production, thereby dampening food allergic responses.

Conclusion

Even without tape stripping, δ-toxin present on skin enhances epicutaneous sensitization to food allergen in an IL-1α-dependent manner, thereby promoting the development of food allergy.
Potential of algae-derived alginate oligosaccharides and β-glucan to counter inflammation in adult zebrafish intestine
Authors: Rehman Saima , Gora Adnan H. , Abdelhafiz Yousri , Dias Jorge , Pierre Ronan , Meynen Koen , Fernandes Jorge M. O. , Sørensen Mette , Brugman Sylvia , Kiron Viswanath
Published: May 2023

Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) are natural bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. We performed a feeding trial employing a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model of soybean-induced intestinal inflammation. Five groups of fish were fed different diets: a control (CT) diet, a soybean meal (SBM) diet, a soybean meal+β-glucan (BG) diet and 2 soybean meal+AOS diets (alginate products differing in the content of low molecular weight fractions - AL, with 31% < 3kDa and AH, with 3% < 3kDa). We analyzed the intestinal transcriptomic and plasma metabolomic profiles of the study groups. In addition, we assessed the expression of inflammatory marker genes and histological alterations in the intestine. Dietary algal β-(1, 3)-glucan and AOS were able to bring the expression of certain inflammatory genes altered by dietary SBM to a level similar to that in the control group. Intestinal transcriptomic analysis indicated that dietary SBM changed the expression of genes linked to inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum, reproduction and cell motility. The AL diet suppressed the expression of genes related to complement activation, inflammatory and humoral response, which can likely have an inflammation alleviation effect. On the other hand, the AH diet reduced the expression of genes, causing an enrichment of negative regulation of immune system process. The BG diet suppressed several immune genes linked to the endopeptidase activity and proteolysis. The plasma metabolomic profile further revealed that dietary SBM can alter inflammation-linked metabolites such as itaconic acid, taurochenodeoxycholic acid and enriched the arginine biosynthesis pathway. The diet AL helped in elevating one of the short chain fatty acids, namely 2-hydroxybutyric acid while the BG diet increased the abundance of a vitamin, pantothenic acid. Histological evaluation revealed the advantage of the AL diet: it increased the goblet cell number and length of villi of the intestinal mucosa. Overall, our results indicate that dietary AOS with an appropriate amount of < 3kDa can stall the inflammatory responses in zebrafish.
Interleukin-10-alveolar macrophage cell membrane-coated nanoparticles alleviate airway inflammation and regulate Th17/regulatory T cell balance in a mouse model
Authors: Li Jun-Da , Yin Jia
Published: May 2023

Background

Allergic airway disease (AAD) is a chronic disease characterized by airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and hyperresponsiveness. Although exogenous interleukin-10 (IL-10) alleviates allergic inflammation, it has a short half-life in vivo. Cell membrane-coated nanomaterials have been shown to protect therapeutic payloads and increase therapeutic efficacy.

Objective

This study was aimed at investigating the efficacy of a novel macrophage-based nanoparticle drug for the treatment of house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic airway diseases.

Methods

IL-10-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles were encapsulated in alveolar macrophage cell membranes. An allergic airway disease mouse model was established by repeated inhalation of HDM extracts. The mice were treated with free IL-10, IL-10-PLGA nanoparticles (IL10-NP), or IL-10-alveolar macrophage cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (IL10-AMNP). The therapeutic effects were evaluated by measuring airway hyperresponsiveness, lung inflammation, cytokine levels, and regulatory T cells (Treg)- T-helper 17 (Th17) cell balance.

Results

Compared to free IL-10, IL10-AMNP significantly reduced airway hyperresponsiveness and T-helper 2 (Th2)/Th17 cytokines and inhibited neutrophilia and eosinophilia recruitment into the airways of HDM-induced mouse models. Additionally, the balance between Tregs and Th17 cells was significantly improved in groups treated with IL10-AMNP.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that PLGA nanoparticle cores coated with alveolar macrophage cell membranes can effectively deliver therapeutic cytokines to the lungs and improve the homeostatic balance between Tregs and Th17 cells. These findings suggest that macrophage-based nanoparticle drugs represent a promising approach for treating allergic airway diseases.
Characterisation of the bovine C-type lectin receptor Mincle and potential evidence for an endogenous ligand
Authors: Holder Angela , Kolakowski Jeannine , Rosentreter Chloe , Knuepfer Ellen , Jégouzo Sabine A. F. , Rosenwasser Oliver , Harris Heather , Baumgaertel Lotta , Gibson Amanda , Werling Dirk
Published: May 2023

Innate immune receptors that form complexes with secondary receptors, activating multiple signalling pathways, modulate cellular activation and play essential roles in regulating homeostasis and immunity. We have previously identified a variety of bovine C-type lectin-like receptors that possess similar functionality than their human orthologues. Mincle (CLEC4E), a heavily glycosylated monomer, is involved in the recognition of the mycobacterial component Cord factor (trehalose 6,6′-dimycolate). Here we characterise the bovine homologue of Mincle (boMincle), and demonstrate that the receptor is structurally and functionally similar to the human orthologue (huMincle), although there are some notable differences. In the absence of cross-reacting antibodies, boMincle-specific antibodies were created and used to demonstrate that, like the human receptor, boMincle is predominantly expressed by myeloid cells. BoMincle surface expression increases during the maturation of monocytes to macrophages. However, boMincle mRNA transcripts were also detected in granulocytes, B cells, and T cells. Finally, we show that boMincle binds to isolated bovine CD4+ T cells in a specific manner, indicating the potential to recognise endogenous ligands. This suggests that the receptor might also play a role in homeostasis in cattle.
Major cardiovascular events and associated factors among routine hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease at tertiary care hospital in Somalia
Authors: Farah Yusuf Mohamud Mohamed , Nur Adan Faduma , Osman Omar Jeele Mohamed , Ahmed Mohamed A. M.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Cardiovascular complications are the most significant cause of death in patients undergoing routine hemodialysi (HD) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The main objective of this study is to determine the significant cardiac events and risk factors in patients undergoing routine hemodialysis in Somalia.

Methods

We carried out a cross-sectional retrospective study in a single dialysis center in Somalia. Two hundred out of 224 were included. All of them had ESRD and were on hemodialysis during the study period between May and October 2021. The records of all patients were reviewed, and the following parameters were analyzed socio-demographic factors, risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and the presence of cardiovascular diseases.

Results

The mean age was 54 ± 17.5 years (range 18–88 years), and 106 (53%) patients were males. The prevalence of a cardiovascular disease among hemodialysis patients was 29.5%. Moreover, the distribution of cardiovascular diseases was different; heart failure was the most common, about 27.1%, followed by coronary artery disease (17%), pericarditis and pericardial-effusion (13.6%), dysrhythmia (10.2%), cerebrovascular-accident (8.5%), and peripheral vascular disease (3.4%). About 176 (88%) participants had at least one modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. The most common modifiable cardiovascular risk factor was hypertension (n = 45, 25.1%), followed by anemia (n = 28, 15.6%) and diabetes (n = 26, 14.5%). Younger (18–30) participants were six times less likely to have cardiovascular events among hemodialysis than older age 0.4 (0.11–1.12).

Conclusion

Low prevalence rate of cardiovascular complications was confirmed in ESRD patients receiving hemodialysis in the main HD center in Somalia. Diabetes, anemia, and hypertension were the highest significant risk factors for CVD in HD patients with ESRD in Somalia.
Promotion of the growth and yield of Zea mays by synthetic microbial communities from Jala maize
Authors: De la Vega-Camarillo Esaú , Sotelo-Aguilar Josimar , Rios-Galicia Bibiana , Mercado-Flores Yuridia , Arteaga-Garibay Ramón , Villa-Tanaca Lourdes , Hernández-Rodríguez César
Published: May 2023

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are a source of nutrient supply, stimulate plant growth, and even act in the biocontrol of phytopathogens. However, these phenotypic traits have rarely been explored in culturable bacteria from native maize landraces. In this study, synthetic microbial communities (SynCom) were assembled with a set of PGPB isolated from the Jala maize landrace, some of them with additional abilities for the biocontrol of phytopathogenic fungi and the stimulation of plant-induced systemic resistance (ISR). Three SynCom were designed considering the phenotypic traits of bacterial strains, including Achromobacter xylosoxidans Z2K8, Burkholderia sp. Z1AL11, Klebsiella variicola R3J3HD7, Kosakonia pseudosacchari Z2WD1, Pantoea ananatis E2HD8, Pantoea sp. E2AD2, Phytobacter diazotrophicus Z2WL1, Pseudomonas protegens E1BL2, and P. protegens E2HL9. Plant growth promotion in gnotobiotic and greenhouse seedlings assays was performed with Conejo landrace; meanwhile, open field tests were carried out on hybrid CPL9105W maize. In all experimental models, a significant promotion of plant growth was observed. In gnotobiotic assays, the roots and shoot length of the maize seedlings increased 4.2 and 3.0 times, respectively, compared to the untreated control. Similarly, the sizes and weights of the roots and shoots of the plants increased significantly in the greenhouse assays. In the open field assay performed with hybrid CPL9105W maize, the yield increased from 11 tons/ha for the control to 16 tons/ha inoculated with SynCom 3. In addition, the incidence of rust fungal infections decreased significantly from 12.5% in the control to 8% in the treatment with SynCom 3. All SynCom designs promoted the growth of maize in all assays. However, SynCom 3 formulated with A. xylosoxidans Z2K8, Burkholderia sp. Z1AL11, K. variicola R3J3HD7, P. ananatis E2HD8, P. diazotrophicus Z2WL1, and P. protegens E1BL2 displayed the best results for promoting plant growth, their yield, and the inhibition of fungal rust. This study demonstrated the biotechnological eco-friendly plant growth-promoting potential of SynCom assemblies with culturable bacteria from native maize landraces for more sustainable and economic agriculture.
Antifungal activity of a novel synthetic polymer M451 against phytopathogens
Authors: Tetz Victor , Kardava Kristina , Krasnov Konstantin , Vecherkovskaya Maria , Tetz George
Published: May 2023

Phytopathogenic fungi are the predominant causal agents of plant diseases. Available fungicides have substantial disadvantages, such as being insufficiently effective owing to intrinsic tolerance and the spread of antifungal resistance accumulating in plant tissues, posing a global threat to public health. Therefore, finding a new broad-spectrum fungicide is a challenge to protect plants. We studied the potency of a novel antimicrobial agent, M451, a 1,6-diaminohexane derivative, against different phytopathogenic fungi of the Ascomycota, Oomycota, and Basidiomycota phyla. M451 exhibited significant antifungal activity with EC50 values from 34–145 μg/mL. The minimal fungicidal concentration against Fusarium oxysporum ranged from 4 to 512 μg/mL depending on the exposure times of 5 min to 24 h. M451 has the highest activity and significantly lower exposure times compared to different polyene, azole, and phenylpyrrole antifungals. The conidial germination assay revealed that M451 induced 99 and 97.8% inhibition against F. oxysporum within 5 min of exposure to 5,000 and 500 μg/mL, respectively. Germ tube elongation, spore production, and spore germination were also significantly inhibited by M451 at concentrations of ≥50 μg/mL. Based on the broad spectrum of antifungal effects across different plant pathogens, M451 could be a new chemical fungicide for plant disease management.
Low prevalence of mobilized resistance genes blaNDM, mcr-1, and tet(X4) in Escherichia coli from a hospital in China
Authors: Sun Lin , Sun Guo-Zhuang , Jiang Yue , Mei Cai-Yue , Wang Zhen-Yu , Wang Han-Yun , Kong Gui-Mei , Jiao Xinan , Wang Jing
Published: May 2023

The emergence and spread of carbapenemase genes, colistin resistance genes mcr-1, and tigecycline resistance gene tet(X) represent a significant threat to clinical therapy and public health. In this study, we investigated the presence of carbapenemase genes, mcr-1, and tet(X) in 298 Escherichia coli strains obtained from a teaching hospital in China. In total, eight (2.68%), six (2.01%), and one (0.34%) E. coli isolates carried blaNDM, mcr-1, and tet(X4), respectively. The blaNDM gene was located on IncX3 (n = 4), F2:A-:B- (n = 3), and F2:A1:B1 (n = 1) plasmids, with high similarity to multiple plasmids belonging to the same incompatibility type from Enterobacteriaceae. Six MCR-producing strains contained mcr-1-carrying IncI2 plasmids, organized similarly to other mcr-1-bearing IncI2 plasmids from animals in China. The blaCTX−M−55/64/132/199 gene located within a typical transposition unit (ISEcp1-blaCTX−M-orf477Δ) was inserted near dnaJ to generate 5-bp direct repeats in four mcr-1-positive plasmids. The tet(X) and another four resistance genes [aadA2, tet(A), floR, and Δlnu(F)] were co-located on an IncX1 plasmid, highly similar to other tet(X4)-carrying IncX1 plasmids from Escherichia and Klebsiella of animal or food origin, except that the conjugative transfer region of IncX1 plasmids was absent in our plasmid. Although a low prevalence of blaNDM, mcr-1, and tet(X) was observed in E. coli from patients in this study, their dissemination associated with some successful pandemic plasmids is of great concern. The continued surveillance of these crucial resistance genes in patients should be strengthened.
Eye movements and ERP biomarkers for face processing problems in avoidant attachment-style individuals
Authors: Gu Simeng , Jiang Yao , Liu Mei , Li Yumeng , Liang Yuan , Feng Rou , Xu Minghong , Wang Fushun , Huang Jason H.
Published: May 2023

Background

Avoidant attachment poses a serious risk to intimate relationships and offspring. However, there are few studies on the face-processing characteristics and impairments of avoidant individuals based on basic emotion theory. Therefore, this study investigated the issues of emotional processing and deactivation strategies in individuals with avoidant attachment.

Methods

Avoidant and secure individuals were recruited to participate in an eye-tracking experiment and a two-choice oddball task in which they had to distinguish facial expressions of basic emotions (sadness, anger, fear, disgust, and neutral). Eye fixation durations to various parts of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, were measured, and three event-related potentials (ERP) components (P100, N170, and P300) were monitored.

Results

Avoidant individuals could not process facial expressions as easily as secure individuals. Avoidant individuals focused less on the eyes of angry faces when compared to secure individuals. They also exhibited a more positive P100 component and a less negative N170 component when processing faces and a larger amplitude of the P300 component than secure individuals when processing emotional expressions.

Conclusion

Avoidant individuals use deactivating strategies and exhibit specific characteristics at different stages, which are of great significance in social interaction.