bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histone acetyltransferase TaHAG1 interacts with TaPLATZ5 to activate TaPAD4 expression and positively contributes to powdery mildew resistance in wheat
Authors: Song Na , Lin Jingchen , Liu Xingbei , Liu Zehui , Liu Debiao , Chu Wei , Li Jinpeng , Chen Yongming , Chang Shumin , Yang Qun , Liu Xiaoyu , Guo Weilong , Xin Mingming , Yao Yingyin , Peng Huiru , Ni Zhongfu , Xie Chaojie , Sun Qixin , Hu Zhaorong
Published: July 2022

Plants have evolved a two‐branched innate immune system to detect and cope with pathogen attack, which are initiated by cell‐surface and intracellular immune receptors leading to pattern‐triggered immunity (PTI) and effector‐triggered immunity (ETI), respectively. A core transducer including PAD4‐EDS1 node is proposed as the convergence point for a two‐tiered immune system in conferring pathogen immunity. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling expression of these key transducers remain largely unknown.

Here, we identified histone acetyltransferase TaHAG1 as a positive regulator of powdery mildew resistance in wheat. TaHAG1 regulates expression of key transducer gene TaPAD4 and promotes SA and reactive oxygen species accumulation to accomplish resistance to Bgt infection.

Moreover, overexpression and CRISPR‐mediated knockout of TaPAD4 validate its role in wheat powdery mildew resistance. Furthermore, TaHAG1 physically interacts with TaPLATZ5, a plant‐specific zinc‐binding protein. TaPLATZ5 directly binds to promoter of TaPAD4 and together with TaHAG1 to potentiate the expression of TaPAD4 by increasing the levels of H3 acetylation.

Our study revealed a key transcription regulatory node in which TaHAG1 acts as an epigenetic modulator and interacts with TaPLATZ5 that confers powdery mildew resistance in wheat through activating a convergence point gene between PTI and ETI, which could be effective for genetic improvement of disease resistance in wheat and other crops.
ROP GTPase‐dependent polarity establishment during tip growth in plants
Authors: Ou Hongxin , Yi Peishan
Published: July 2022

Polar cell growth in plants requires a cell peripheral region that undergoes membrane extension and cell wall remodeling. Since the 1990s, RHO‐RELATED GTPASES FROM PLANTS (ROPs) have been identified as master regulators that determine the site of cell growth. ROPs function to regulate actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, calcium gradients, and exocytosis, thus directing the delivery of materials for membrane and cell wall extension. In recent years, our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying polar localization and the activation of ROPs has greatly advanced. Evidence points to the crucial roles of membrane lipids, receptor‐like kinases, and cell wall components. In this review, we provide updates on the mechanisms underlying polarity control in tip‐growing cells, with a focus on ROP effectors and membrane‐associated signals. By integrating knowledge from pollen tubes, root hairs, and findings in bryophyte protonema cells and rhizoids, we hope to offer important insights into a common conceptual framework on polarity establishment governed by intercellular and extracellular signals.
Photosynthesis in sun and shade: the surprising importance of far‐red photons
Authors: Zhen Shuyang , van Iersel Marc W. , Bugbee Bruce
Published: July 2022

The current definition of photosynthetically active radiation includes only photons from 400 up to 700 nm, despite evidence of the synergistic interaction between far‐red photons and shorter‐wavelength photons. The synergy between far‐red and shorter‐wavelength photons has not been studied in sunlight under natural conditions.

We used a filter to remove photons above 700 nm to quantify the effects on photosynthesis in diverse species under full sun, medium light intensity and vegetation shade.

Far‐red photons (701 to 750 nm) in sunlight are used efficiently for photosynthesis. This is especially important for leaves in vegetation shade, where far‐red photons can be > 50% of the total incident photons between 400 and 750 nm. Far‐red photons accounted for 24–25% of leaf gross photosynthesis (Pgross) in a C3 and a C4 species when sunlight was filtered through a leaf, and 10–14% of leaf Pgross in a tree and an understory species in deep shade.

Accounting for the photosynthetic activity of far‐red photons is critical for accurate measurement and modeling of photosynthesis at single leaf, canopy and ecosystem scales. This, in turn, is crucial in understanding crop productivity, the global carbon cycle and climate change impacts on agriculture and ecosystems.
Increased sensitivity of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans to human serum is mediated by induction of a bacteriophage
Authors: Tang‐Siegel Gaoyan G. , Chen Casey , Mintz Keith P.
Published: July 2022

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a Gram‐negative oral pathobiont causing aggressive periodontitis and systemic infections, demonstrates serum resistance. We have identified a dsDNA‐tailed bacteriophage, S1249, which was found to convert from this microorganism inducible by human serum into a lytic state to kill the bacterium. This phage demonstrated active transcripts when exposed to human serum: 20% of genes were upregulated more than 10‐fold, and 45% of them were upregulated 5–10‐fold when the bacterium was grown in the presence of human serum compared to without the presence of human serum. Transcriptional activation when grown in equine serum was less pronounced. This phage demonstrated a tail with inner rigid tubes and an outer contractile sheath, features of Myoviridae spp. Further characterization revealed that the lysogenized integration of the phage in the chromosome of A. actinomycetemcomitans occurred between the genes encoding cold‐shock DNA‐binding domain‐containing protein (csp) and glutamyl‐tRNA synthetase (gltX). Both phage DNA integrated lysogeny and nonintegrated pseudolysogeny were identified in the infected bacterium. A newly generated, lysogenized strain using this phage displayed similar attributes, including 63% growth inhibition compared to its isogenic phage‐free strain when in the presence of human serum. Our data suggest that bacteriophage S1249 can be induced in the presence of human serum and enters the lytic cycle, which reduces the viability of infected bacteria in vivo.
The Religious Communication Approach and Political Behavior
Authors: Djupe Paul A. , Neiheisel Jacob R.
Published: July 2022

The religious communication approach concerns the identification of causal explanations of political behavior through the explicit measurement of exposure to communication and the variable reception and adoption of the messages in a religious context. The approach requires more questions or different research designs than those on omnibus surveys, which focus on religious affiliation and religiosity. It is particularly amenable to experimentation, where exposure is manipulated by the researcher and adoption can be measured precisely. However, experimental research, such as about religious elite influence, often returns different results than those from observational research wherein histories between clergy and congregants may overwhelm the delicate mechanisms of persuasion. Research from congregations points toward credibility and salience as important conditions for religious influence, which help reconcile experimental and observational results. This review article covers how organizational forces shape communication strategies, especially concerning when and how politics and democratic norms are engaged by clergy. Contrary to simple survey evidence that Americans oppose politics in churches, this approach suggests that politics is an important piece of congregational affairs that attracts and retains people, though there are clearly conditions when it repels. In this way, the religious communication approach is essential to understanding religious engagement with politics.
An event‐related potential study of self‐positivity bias in native and foreign language contexts
Authors: Liu Shuang , Schwieter John W. , Wang Fenqi , Liu Huanhuan
Published: July 2022

Self‐positivity bias is a common psychological phenomenon in which individuals often associate positive information with themselves. However, little is known about how self‐positivity bias is modulated by different language contexts (e.g., a first vs. second language). To this end, we analyzed behavioral and electrophysiological data to examine whether first or second languages play differential roles in the self‐positivity bias effect. We used a modified self‐positivity bias task which required Chinese–English bilinguals to judge strings of letters or characters as realwords or not and match associations between identity (self, other) and a geometric shape (circle, triangle). The target words in the experiment consisted of positive, negative, and neutral emotional words. The results showed that in the L2 context, the self‐positivity condition elicited a smaller N400 effect relative to the self‐negativity condition and a larger late positive component effect relative to the self‐negativity and self‐neutrality conditions. Furthermore, the other‐positivity condition elicited a stronger N400 effect than the other‐neutrality condition. These patterns did not emerge in the L1 context. We discuss the implications and contributions of these findings to better understand the interaction between emotion and self‐concept in different language contexts.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality trends worldwide: An update to 2019
Authors: Mei Federico , Dalmartello Michela , Bonifazi Martina , Bertuccio Paola , Levi Fabio , Boffetta Paolo , Negri Eva , La Vecchia Carlo , Malvezzi Matteo
Published: July 2022

Background and objective

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) incidence, prevalence, mortality and socioeconomic burden are considerable and vary across countries. The aim of the present study was to update the analysis of COPD mortality worldwide using data from the World Health Organization (WHO) up to 2019.

Methods

We obtained COPD mortality and population data for 22 European countries and the European Union (EU) as a whole, 10 American countries and six other countries from the WHO mortality database. We calculated age‐standardized mortality rates in both sexes and examined trends by country with joinpoint analysis between 1994 and 2019.

Results

Between 2005–2007 and 2015–2017, overall COPD mortality decreased in EU men (−16.3%) but increased in women (12.7%) to reach rates of 14.0/100,000 in men and of 6.4/100,000 in women. In the United States, mortality declined in men to 21.3/100,000 but rose in women to 18.3/100,000. Mortality declined in most Latin American countries and all Asian countries, while an increase in Australian women was observed.

Conclusion

A steady decrease in COPD mortality was observed in most of countries for men, whilst a different trend was observed in women in several countries. These trends are largely explained by changes in smoking habits, with an additional contribution of air pollution and occupational exposures. Despite past and ongoing tobacco control initiatives, this condition still remains a leading cause of death, in particular in countries with lower socio‐demographic indices.
The moderating role of early traumatic experiences on the association of schizotypal traits with visual perception
Authors: Zouraraki Chrysoula , Kyriklaki Andriani , Economou Elias , Giakoumaki Stella G.
Published: July 2022

The findings on the association of schizotypal traits with the perception of visual illusions are scarce and inconsistent and have not taken into consideration potential effects of childhood traumatic experiences, a risk factor for schizophrenia‐spectrum conditions. Thus, the present study addressed the question of potential moderating effects of early traumatic experiences on the association between different aspects of schizotypal traits with the perception of the Müller‐Lyer and Navon's Hierarchical Letters (NHL) illusions. The study revealed that (a) increased suspiciousness was associated with increased liability to the Müller‐Lyer illusion, when the exposure to traumatic events was high, whereas the opposite pattern was true when the exposure to traumatic events was low; (b) negative schizotypy was associated with more accurate global perception, and high disorganized schizotypy was associated with superior accuracy when target letters were present during the NHL illusion, when early traumatic experiences were at lower levels; and (c) high negative, disorganized, and total schizotypy were associated with lower accuracy when target letters were present in the NHL paradigm, when early traumatic experiences were at higher levels. The findings of the study suggest that early traumatic events differentially moderate the relationship between various aspects of schizotypal traits and visual perceptual processing.
Tranexamic acid: Beyond antifibrinolysis
Authors: Prudovsky Igor , Kacer Doreen , Zucco Victoria Vieira , Palmeri Monica , Falank Carolyne , Kramer Robert , Carter Damien , Rappold Joseph
Published: July 2022

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a popular antifibrinolytic drug widely used in hemorrhagic trauma patients and cardiovascular, orthopedic, and gynecological surgical patients. TXA binds plasminogen and prevents its maturation to the fibrinolytic enzyme plasmin. A number of studies have demonstrated the broad life‐saving effects of TXA in trauma, superior to those of other antifibrinolytic agents. Besides preventing fibrinolysis and blood loss, TXA has been reported to suppress posttraumatic inflammation and edema. Although the efficiency of TXA transcends simple inhibition of fibrinolysis, little is known about its mechanisms of action besides the suppression of plasmin maturation. Understanding the broader effects of TXA at the cell, organ, and organism levels are required to elucidate its potential mechanisms of action transcending antifibrinolytic activity. In this article, we provide a brief review of the current clinical use of TXA and then focus on the effects of TXA beyond antifibrinolytics such as its anti‐inflammatory activity, protection of the endothelial and epithelial monolayers, stimulation of mitochondrial respiration, and suppression of melanogenesis.
Expression and therapeutic targeting of BMI1 in canine gliomas
Authors: Al‐Nadaf Sami , Peacott‐Ricardos Kyle S. , Dickinson Peter J. , Rebhun Robert B. , York Daniel
Published: July 2022

The BMI1 proto‐oncogene, polycomb ring finger protein (BMI1) is a key component of the epigenetic polycomb repressor complex 1, and has been associated with aggressive behaviour and chemotherapeutic resistance in various malignances including human gliomas. Similar to humans, spontaneous canine gliomas carry a poor prognosis with limited therapeutic options. BMI1 expression and the effects of BMI1 inhibition have not been evaluated in canine gliomas. Here, we demonstrate that BMI1 is highly expressed in canine gliomas. Although increased BMI1 protein expression correlated with higher glioma grade in western blot assays, this correlation was not observed in a larger sample set using immunohistochemical analysis. The BMI1 inhibitor, PTC‐209, suppressed BMI1 expression in established canine glioma cell lines and resulted in antiproliferative activity when used alone and in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. PTC‐209 targeting of BMI1 activated the retinoblastoma (RB) pathway through downregulation of total and phosphorylated RB, independent of INK4A/ARF signalling, likely through BMI1‐inhibition mediated upregulation of p21. These data support the rationale for targeting of BMI1 signalling and the use of canine glioma as a translational therapeutic model for human disease.
Uncertainty-based Gompertz growth model for tumor population and its numerical analysis
Authors: Sheergojri Aadil Rashid , Iqbal Pervaiz , Agarwal Praveen , Ozdemir Necati
Published: July 2022

For treating cancer, tumor growth models have shown to be a valuable resource, whether they are used to develop therapeutic methods paired with process control or to simulate and evaluate treatment processes. In addition, a fuzzy mathematical model is a tool for monitoring the influences of various elements and creating behavioral assessments. It has been designed to decrease the ambiguity of model parameters to obtain a reliable mathematical tumor development model by employing fuzzy logic.The tumor Gompertz equation is shown in an imprecise environment in this study. It considers the whole cancer cell population to be vague at any given time, with the possibility distribution function determined by the initial tumor cell population, tumor net population rate, and carrying capacity of the tumor. Moreover, this work provides information on the expected tumor cell population in the maximum period. This study examines fuzzy tumor growth modeling insights based on fuzziness to reduce tumor uncertainty and achieve a degree of realism. Finally, numerical simulations are utilized to show the significant conclusions of the proposed study.
Tool Wear Characterization in Turning of a Nickel Superalloy Through Customized Pin-On-Disk Tests and Acoustic Emission Signals Analysis
Authors: Franchi Rodolfo , Rotella Giovanna , Del Prete Antonio
Published: July 2022

Wear mechanisms taking place during machining strongly affect the overall process reliability, product quality, and production costs. It is necessary to have useful monitoring techniques for monitoring the wear trend during the process and to identify wearing phenomena occurring during the evolution of the process. In order to get a reliable tool, it is necessary to identify and distinguish the contributing factors and wear mechanisms happening during machining. In this paper, an acoustic emission sensor has been used to identify characteristic features pertaining different wear mechanism displayed during turning of waspaloy. The methodology used to distinguish the contributing elements was developed coupling turning tests with corresponding tribological experiments so that clear evidences on different contributions were identified showing a useful tool for industrial and research applications.
Modeling of Flexible-Link Manipulators Under Uncertain Parameters Based on Stochastic Finite Element Method
Authors: Lara-Molina Fabian A.
Published: July 2022

This paper presents a novel approach to obtain the dynamic model of flexible-link manipulators based on the stochastic finite element method. The links and elements of flexible manipulators are affected by uncertainties. The main sources of uncertainties include the variation of mechanical properties. The present research study conveys the following contributions: (i) modeling the uncertain parameters such as the stiffness of the links as an extension of the finite element method based on stochastic fields and the stochastic finite element method, (ii) numerical method to simulate the dynamic response of flexible manipulation with uncertain parameters in the links based on the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), and (iii) numerical application of the proposed method to the one-link flexible manipulator and two-link flexible manipulator. Numerical simulations illustrate the proposed approach in terms of joint responses and frequency response functions subject to uncertain parameters.
Thermal Analysis of the Effect of Absorber Plate Geometric Parameters on the Dynamic of an Indirect Type Solar Dryer
Authors: Lemoubou Ernest Léontin , Aghogue Donchi Carine Pamela , Tchinda René , Bogning Jean Roger
Published: July 2022

This paper studies the effects of the absorber plate geometry on the thermal performance of an indirect solar dryer considering temperature dependent thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficients. The main goal was to explore the effects of the absorbers confined air as well as the absorber plate thicknesses and to provide more realistic characterizations of the thermal dynamic of an indirect solar dryer. The heat transfer process is described using highly nonlinear partial differential equations. The mathematical model accounts the contribution of the upper soil surface temperature calculated using the boundary layer similarity theory. The established mathematical equations describing heat transfer in the solar drying system are solved numerically using a developed matlab program. The investigations of heat transfer of the proposed model reveal excellent agreement of prediction responses with the experimental results from the literature. Mathematical model of indirect solar drying prototype developed with double absorber plates separated with a confined air layer operates more effectively with a thermal efficiency greater than 6% compared to the model without confined air configuration. The numerical experiments also show the non-negligible effects of the absorber plate thickness on the thermal dynamic of an indirect solar dryer.
Sound variation by hypertrophy and atrophy sonic muscle in the male southern black drum (Pogonias courbina)
Authors: Tellechea Javier S. , Izquierdo Sebastian , Perez William , Norbis Walter
Published: July 2022

The male and female southern black drum possess highly specialized, bilateral, striated sonic muscles used in sound production during courtship by males and in the production of disturbance calls by both males and females. Androgen-driven hypertrophy of the sonic muscles in males during the late spring spawning period results in increased growth of sonic muscle mass followed by post-spawning atrophy of sonic muscles. We examined changes in sonic muscle morphology and in the sound characteristics of males and females underlying seasonal changes in sonic muscle mass and muscle contraction as measured by sound production. In males, the sound pressure level increased while sound pulse duration decreased with increasing sonic muscle mass, indicating that sonic muscle fibers contract with greater force and shorter duration during the spawning season. Interpulse interval and the total number of pulses varied seasonally with muscle mass, which suggests that the effects of steroids on male southern black drum sound characteristics are more pronounced peripherally than in the central nervous system. In females, no increase in sonic muscle mass was found, and therefore, a change was not observed in the acoustic variables analyzed. Seasonal sonic muscle hypertrophy in males likely functions as a secondary sexual characteristic that maximizes vocalization amplitude or loudness during the spawning period.
TCR-Vγδ usage distinguishes protumor from antitumor intestinal γδ T cell subsets
Authors: Reis Bernardo S. , Darcy Patrick W. , Khan Iasha Z. , Moon Christine S. , Kornberg Adam E. , Schneider Vanessa S. , Alvarez Yelina , Eleso Olawale , Zhu Caixia , Schernthanner Marina , Lockhart Ainsley , Reed Aubrey , Bortolatto Juliana , Castro Tiago B. R. , Bilate Angelina M. , Grivennikov Sergei , Han Arnold S. , Mucida Daniel
Published: July 2022

γδ T cells represent a substantial fraction of intestinal lymphocytes at homeostasis, but they also constitute a major lymphocyte population infiltrating colorectal cancers (CRCs); however, their temporal contribution to CRC development or progression remains unclear. Using human CRC samples and murine CRC models, we found that most γδ T cells in premalignant or nontumor colons exhibit cytotoxic markers, whereas tumor-infiltrating γδ T cells express a protumorigenic profile. These contrasting T cell profiles were associated with distinct T cell receptor (TCR)–Vγδ gene usage in both humans and mice. Longitudinal intersectional genetics and antibody-dependent strategies targeting murine γδ T cells enriched in the epithelium at steady state led to heightened tumor development, whereas targeting γδ subsets that accumulate during CRC resulted in reduced tumor growth. Our results uncover temporal pro- and antitumor roles for γδ T cell subsets.
ZAKα-driven ribotoxic stress response activates the human NLRP1 inflammasome
Authors: Robinson Kim S. , Toh Gee Ann , Rozario Pritisha , Chua Rae , Bauernfried Stefan , Sun Zijin , Firdaus Muhammad Jasrie , Bayat Shima , Nadkarni Rhea , Poh Zhi Sheng , Tham Khek Chian , Harapas Cassandra R. , Lim Chrissie K. , Chu Werncui , Tay Celest W. S. , Tan Kiat Yi , Zhao Tianyun , Bonnard Carine , Sobota Radoslaw , Connolly John E. , Common John , Masters Seth L. , Chen Kaiwen W. , Ho Lena , Wu Bin , Hornung Veit , Zhong Franklin L.
Published: July 2022

Human NLRP1 (NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 1) is an innate immune sensor predominantly expressed in the skin and airway epithelium. Here, we report that human NLRP1 senses the ultraviolet B (UVB)- and toxin-induced ribotoxic stress response (RSR). Biochemically, RSR leads to the direct hyperphosphorylation of a human-specific disordered linker region of NLRP1 (NLRP1
DR
) by MAP3K20/ZAKα kinase and its downstream effector, p38. Mutating a single ZAKα phosphorylation site in NLRP1
DR
abrogates UVB- and ribotoxin-driven pyroptosis in human keratinocytes. Moreover, fusing NLRP1
DR
to CARD8, which is insensitive to RSR by itself, creates a minimal inflammasome sensor for UVB and ribotoxins. These results provide insight into UVB sensing by human skin keratinocytes, identify several ribotoxins as NLRP1 agonists, and establish inflammasome-driven pyroptosis as an integral component of the RSR.
A treaty to break the pandemic cycle
Authors: Phelan Alexandra L. , Carlson Colin J.
Published: July 2022

An evidence-based treaty must balance prevention, preparedness, response, and repair
Nailing the nuance on COVID-19
Authors: Wachter Robert M.
Published: July 2022

In messaging the public about COVID-19, brevity and simplicity are crucial. But so too is scientifically accurate and nuanced communication that tells people what the latest numbers mean and how they should influence behavior. Nearly 3 years into the pandemic, public health communicators continue to struggle to get this balance right.
Bill would bar NIH and CDC from funding lab research in China
Authors: Kaiser Jocleyn
Published: July 2022

House of Representatives measure catalyzed in part by suspicions that Wuhan lab leak led to pandemic
Regulation of
l
- and
d
-Aspartate Transport and Metabolism in Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1
Authors: Bedore Stacy R. , Schmidt Alicia L. , Slarks Lauren E. , Duscent-Maitland Chantel V. , Elliott Kathryn T. , Andresen Silke , Costa Flavia G. , Weerth R. Sophia , Tumen-Velasquez Melissa P. , Nilsen Lindsey N. , Dean Cassandra E. , Karls Anna C. , Hoover Timothy R. , Neidle Ellen L.
Published: July 2022

A regulatory scheme was revealed in which AalR responds to
l
-Asp and DarR responds to
d
-Asp, a molecule with critical signaling functions in many organisms. The RacD-mediated interconversion of these isomers causes overlap in transcriptional control in
A. baylyi
.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Environmental Isolate from Zanzibar, Tanzania, Harboring Novel Insertion Elements and Two
bla
CTX-M-15
Genes
Authors: Lallement Claire , Krogfelt Karen A. , Skovgaard Ole , Jelsbak Lotte
Published: July 2022

Here, we report the annotated whole-genome sequence of
Klebsiella pneumoniae
strain KP_3b, isolated in Zanzibar, Tanzania, from plastic litter. The strain is extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing and multidrug resistant, encoding 17 resistance genes, most of which are located on a 230,544-bp plasmid. The isolate contains two copies of the
bla
CTX-M-15
gene and novel insertion elements.
Natural Competence in the Filamentous, Heterocystous Cyanobacterium
Chlorogloeopsis fritschii
PCC 6912
Authors: Nies Fabian , Springstein Benjamin L. , Hanke Dustin M. , Dagan Tal
Published: July 2022

Cyanobacteria are crucial players in the global biogeochemical cycles, where they contribute to CO
2
- and N
2
-fixation. Their main ecological significance is the primary biomass production owing to oxygenic photosynthesis.
Evaluation of 3-Deoxy-D-Arabino-Heptulosonate 7-Phosphate Synthase (DAHPS) as a Vulnerable Target in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Galina Luiza , Hopf Fernanda S. M. , Abbadi Bruno Lopes , Sperotto Nathalia D. de Moura , Czeczot Alexia M. , Duque-Villegas Mario A. , Perello Marcia Alberton , Matter Letícia Beatriz , de Souza Eduardo Vieira , Parish Tanya , Machado Pablo , Basso Luiz A. , Bizarro Cristiano V.
Published: July 2022

Determining the vulnerability of a potential target allows us to assess whether its partial inhibition will impact bacterial growth. Here, we evaluated the vulnerability of the enzyme 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) from
M. tuberculosis
by silencing the DAHPS-coding
aroG
gene in different contexts. These results could lead to the development of novel and potent anti-tubercular agents in the near future.
Generating Heterokaryotic Cells via Bacterial Cell-Cell Fusion
Authors: Shitut Shraddha , Shen Meng-Jie , Claushuis Bart , Derks Rico J. E. , Giera Martin , Rozen Daniel , Claessen Dennis , Kros Alexander
Published: July 2022

Cell-cell fusion is instrumental in introducing different sets of genes in the same environment, which subsequently leads to diversity. There is need for new protocols to fuse cells of different types together for biotechnological applications like drug discovery.
Bilateral traumatic renal artery dissection managed by endovascular therapy
Authors: Vandebeek Quentin , Henroteaux Denis , Pitance Francois , Bertrand Xavier
Published: July 2022

We present the case of post-traumatic bilateral renal artery injury with renal perfusion disorder, successfully treated by endovascular treatment. This therapeutic approach avoided the need for long-term dialysis by maintaining a sufficient renal function. This case is an illustration of the feasibility and the efficiency of endovascular treatment in severe post-traumatic renal artery lesions.
Cohort profile: the Halland osteoarthritis (HALLOA) cohort–from knee pain to osteoarthritis: a longitudinal observational study in Sweden
Authors: Andersson Maria L E , Haglund Emma , Aili Katarina , Bremander Ann , Bergman S
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The overall objective in this study is to investigate the early development of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) and its association with hand or/and knee OA, metabolic diseases, biomarkers, chronic pain, physical function and daily physical activity types.

Participants

The Halland osteoarthritis (HALLOA) cohort is a longitudinal cohort study that includes individuals with knee pain in the southwest of Sweden. Enrolment took place from 2017 to 2019. The inclusion criteria were current knee pain, with no former known radiographic knee OA and no cruciate ligament rupture or rheumatological disorder. The participants were recruited: (1) when seeking care for knee pain in primary healthcare or (2) by advertisements in local newspapers. There are 306 individuals included in the study, mean age (SD) 51.7 (8.7) years and 69% are women. The baseline and follow-ups include clinical tests, radiographical examinations, blood samples, metabolic measures, pain pressure thresholds, tests of physical functions, daily physical activity types and patient-reported outcomes.

Findings to date

There were associations between metabolic factors and radiographic knee OA, even in those with normal body mass index at baseline. In addition, clinical hand OA was positively associated with fasting plasma glucose. We also found that modifiable factors as increased visceral fat and total body fat were associated with increased pain sensitivity among individuals with knee pain.

Future plans

By studying possible pathophysiological mechanisms of OA over time, we aim to provide new insights on OA progression, identify usable preventive measures helping the clinicians in the management of the disease and improve health for the patients. It is also important to study the development of chronic pain in OA, to get tools to identify individuals at risk and to be able to offer them treatment.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04928170).
Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial on the use of intraoperative ultrasound-guided laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy (UGLOC) as a method of fertility preservation in the management of benign ovarian cysts
Authors: Kasaven Lorraine S , Jones Benjamin P , Ghaem-Maghami Sadaf , Verbakel Jan Yvan Jos , El-Bahrawy Mona , Saso Srdjan , Yazbek Joseph
Published: July 2022

Introduction

The lifetime risk of women undergoing surgery for the presence of benign ovarian pathology in the UK is 5%–10%. Despite minimally invasive surgical techniques, evidence suggests a number of healthy ovarian follicles and tissues are resected intraoperatively, resulting in subsequent decline of ovarian reserve. As such, there is an increasing demand for the implementation of fertility preservation surgery (FPS). This study will evaluate the effect on ovarian reserve following two different surgical interventions for the management of benign ovarian cysts.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a two-armed randomised controlled trial comparing laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy, considered gold standard treatment as per the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) Green Top guidelines for the management of benign ovarian cysts, with ultrasound-guided laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy (UGLOC), a novel method of FPS. The study commencement date was October 2021, with a completion date aimed for October 2024. The primary outcome will be the difference in anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) (pmol/L) and antral follicle count (AFC) measured 3 and 6 months postoperatively from the preoperative baseline. Secondary outcomes include assessment of various surgical and histopathological findings, including duration of hospital stay (days), duration of surgery (minutes), presence of intraoperative cyst rupture (yes/no), presence of ovarian tissue within the resected specimen (yes/no) and the grade of follicles excised within the specimen (grade 0–4). We aim to randomise 94 patients over 3 years to achieve power of 80% at an alpha level of 0.05.

Ethics and dissemination

Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences and scientific meetings. The Chelsea NHS Research and Ethics Committee have awarded ethical approval of the study (21/LO/036).

Trial registration number

NCT05032846.
Neonatal outcomes associated with mode of subsequent birth after a previous caesarean section in a first pregnancy: a Swedish population-based register study between 1999 and 2015
Authors: Dencker Anna , Lyckestam Thelin Ida , Smith Valerie , Lundgren Ingela , Nilsson Christina , Li Huiqi , Ladfors Lars , Elfvin Anders
Published: July 2022

Objective

To investigate neonatal outcomes within 28 days in the subsequent birth in women who gave birth to their first baby by caesarean section (CS).

Design and setting

National retrospective population-based register study. A cohort of 94 451 neonates who were born in Sweden between 1999 and 2015 as a second child to a mother who had her first birth by emergency or planned caesarean.

Methods

Data were retrieved from the national registers held by Statistics Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare. Logistic regression was used to calculate unadjusted and adjusted ORs (aOR) with 95% CIs for each outcome.

Main outcome measures

Neonatal infection, neonatal asphyxia/respiratory distress, neonatal hospital care and neonatal death within 28 days.

Results

Emergency CS and instrumental vaginal birth were associated with a doubled risk of neonatal infection (aOR 2.0) and planned CS with a decreased risk (aOR 0.7) compared with spontaneous vaginal birth. Compared with spontaneous vaginal birth, an increased risk of birth asphyxia and/or respiratory distress was identified with all other modes of birth (aOR 2.2–3.2). Emergency CS and instrumental vaginal birth, but not planned CS, were associated with neonatal hospital care (aOR 1.8 and 1.7) and an increased mortality rate during the neonatal period (aOR 2.9 and 3.2), compared with spontaneous vaginal birth.

Conclusions

In childbirth following a previous birth by CS, spontaneous vaginal birth appears to confer better neonatal outcomes within 28 days after birth overall than other modes of birth.
Eligibility for early rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation in the UK Biobank
Authors: Kany Shinwan , Cardoso Victor Roth , Bravo Laura , Williams John A , Schnabel Renate , Fabritz Larissa , Gkoutos Georgios V , Kirchhof Paulus
Published: July 2022

Objective

The Early Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation for Stroke Prevention (EAST-AFNET4) trial showed a clinical benefit of early rhythm-control therapy in patients with recently diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). The generalisability of the results in the general population is not known.

Methods

Participants in the population-based UK Biobank were assessed for eligibility based on the EAST-AFNET4 inclusion/exclusion criteria. Treatment of all eligible participants was classified as early rhythm-control (antiarrhythmic drug therapy or AF ablation) or usual care. To assess treatment effects, primary care data and Hospital Episode Statistics were merged with UK Biobank data.

Efficacy and safety outcomes were compared between groups in the entire cohort and in a propensity-matched data set.

Results

AF was present in 35 526/502 493 (7.1%) participants, including 8340 (988 with AF <1 year) with AF at enrolment and 27 186 with incident AF during follow-up. Most participants (22 003/27 186; 80.9%) with incident AF were eligible for early rhythm-control.

Eligible participants were older (70 years vs 63 years) and more likely to be female (42% vs 21%) compared with ineligible patients. Of 9004 participants with full primary care data, 874 (9.02%) received early rhythm-control. Safety outcomes were not different between patients receiving early rhythm-control and controls. The primary outcome of EAST-AFNET 4, a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke/transient ischaemic attack and hospitalisation for heart failure or acute coronary syndrome occurred less often in participants receiving early rhythm-control compared with controls in the entire cohort (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.94, p=0.005). In the propensity-score matched analysis, early rhythm-control did not significantly decrease of the primary outcome compared with usual care (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.04, p=0.124).

Conclusion

Around 80% of participants diagnosed with AF in the UK population are eligible for early rhythm-control. Early rhythm-control therapy was safe in routine care.
Evolution of transvenous embolization in vein of Galen malformation: case series and review of the literature
Authors: Fifi Johanna T , Bazil Maximilian Jeremy , Matsoukas Stavros , Shigematsu Tomoyoshi , Sorscher Michelle , Berenstein Alejandro
Published: July 2022

Background

Treatment of vein of Galen malformations (VOGMs) has improved greatly since the inception of endovascular treatment. Transvenous embolization (TVE) is an attractive option to achieve complete obliteration.

Objective

To review the literature on TVE of VOGM and then analyze our practice’s unique experience and evolving treatment strategies over 30 years.

Methods

A retrospective review of our clinical database for patients with the diagnosis of VOGM treated between January 2004 and August 2021 was performed. A literature review of 49 relevant articles was also carried out.

Results

TVE in VOGM has evolved with initial introduction as a transtorcular (TT) approach, which then lost favor to transarterial embolization (TAE). TAE has been considered the more favorable approach in most high-volume centers. In more recent times, the transvenous embolization (TVE) approach has been revisited as a last treatment to achieve a cure after a series of TAE treatments. We presently favor beginning treatment with staged TAE to reduce flow to the lesion and, importantly, shrink the draining vein. This then allows for the performance of TVE with the Chapot pressure cooker technique (CPCT) with coils and liquid embolic embolization.

Conclusions

TT TVE itself carries a high degree of risk and is most highly associated with long-term morbidities and mortality. Traditional transfemoral/transjugular TVE approaches are safe and effective in simple fistulas with a small venous pouch; however, we believe that the CPCT is the safest technique as a last-stage treatment for its security in avoiding reflux and obtaining occlusion of the small perforators.
Pristimerin alleviates cigarette smoke-induced inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease via inhibiting NF-κB pathway
Authors: Huang Dongsheng , Su Lianhui , He Chaowen , Chen Licheng , Huang Dongxuan , Peng Jianfeng , Yang Fan , Cao Yahui , Luo Xiaohua
Published: July 2022

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can exacerbate inflammation and oxidative stress. Pristimerin (Pris) is a natural compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We managed to evaluate the protective effects of Pris on CS-induced COPD. The CS-induced COPD mice model and cell model were constructed. The effects of Pris treatment on lung function, inflammatory cell infiltration, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and pathological changes of lung tissues in mice model were evaluated. The impacts of Pris treatment on inflammatory factors, chemokines, and oxidative stress parameters in mice lung tissues and cells were determined by kits. The viability of human bronchial epithelial cells after Pris treatment was tested by CCK-8. The activation of NF-κB pathway was confirmed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. CS treatment impaired lung function, reduced weight of mice, and enhanced inflammatory cell infiltration, MPO, and lung tissue damage, but these effects of CS were reversed by Pris treatment. Furthermore, Pris treatment downregulated the levels of malondialdehyde, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, CXCL1, and CXLC2, but upregulated superoxide dismutase and catalase levels. Pris treatment could overturn CS-induced activation of the NF-κB pathway. Pris alleviates CS-induced COPD by inactivating NF-κB pathway.
Oscillation tomografy study of Earth’s composition and density with atmospheric neutrinos
Authors: D’Olivo Juan Carlos , Lara José Arnulfo Herrera , Romero Ismael , Sampayo Oscar A.
Published: July 2022

Knowledge of the composition of the Earth’s interior is highly relevant to many geophysical and geochemical problems. Neutrino oscillations are modified in a non-trivial way by the matter effects and can provide valuable and unique information not only on the density but also on the chemical and isotopic composition of the deep regions of the planet. In this paper, we re-examine the possibility of performing an oscillation tomography of the Earth with atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos to obtain information on the composition and density of the outer core and the mantle, complementary to that obtained by geophysical methods. Particular attention is paid to the D$$^{\prime \prime }$$

″

layer just above the core-mantle boundary and to the water (hydrogen) content in the mantle transition zone. Our analysis is based on a Monte-Carlo simulation of the energy and azimuthal angle distribution of $$\mu $$
μ
-like events generated by neutrinos. Taking as reference a model of the Earth consisting of 55 concentric layers with constant densities determined from the PREM, we evaluate the effect on the number of events due to changes in the composition and density of the outer core and the mantle. To examine the capacity of a detector like ORCA to resolve such variations, we construct regions in planes of two of these quantities where the statistical significance of the discrepancies between the reference and the modified Earth are less than $$1\sigma $$

1
σ

. The variations are implemented in such a way that the constraint imposed by both the total mass of the Earth and its moment of inertia are verified.
CAUSALITY, INFORMATION FLOW, AND CO-MOVEMENT ANALYSIS OF MAJOR STOCK INDICES
Authors: KARATAS CENGIZ , UNAL GAZANFER
Published: July 2022

Stock indices are key indicators of the economy since they indicate the strength of a country’s stock market. For this reason, causality, information flow and co-movement analysis of stock indices gain importance in comparing countries’ economies. Here, we apply a novel approach by analyzing the results of two different methodologies; in wavelet coherence (WTC) analysis, the co-movement between stock indices provided and coherent areas can be shown, and information flow is indicated for five-year periods, especially on coherent zones by Transfer Entropy (TE), which detects cause-and-effect relations. This paper analyzed the information flow and co-movement among FTSE100 in the United Kingdom, the DAX in Germany and S&P500 Index in the United States stock indices. Three different results are obtained as follows: (1) DAX is on the leading side in general for five-year periods, (2) bidirectional information flows arise for every pair in the coherent periods and (3) TE-guided WTC analysis shows that TE sign change can be explained by phase angle direction obtained with WTC. These results indicate that both the methods yield proper outcomes in coherent time zones and during financial crisis like the COVID period, which we have faced for two years; for this reason, the results were also obtained for the COVID period, and in general, that shows DAX dominated other indices. We published this study to help researchers understand the connectedness between stock indices and investors avoiding risk in their stock portfolios, especially during financial crisis periods.
A Decision Model for Ranking Asian Higher Education Institutes Using an NLP-Based Text Analysis Approach
Authors: Prabadevi B. , Deepa N. , Ganesan K. , Srivastava Gautam
Published: July 2022

Identification of the best institute for higher education has become one of the most challenging issues in the present education system. It has become more complicated as more institutes exist with extraordinary infrastructural facilities. Therefore, a decision model is required to identify the best institute for higher education based on multiple criteria. This article proposes a Natural Language Processing (NLP) -based decision model for the identification of the best higher education institute using MCDM methods. The existing decision models for the selection of the best higher education institutions consider a limited number of criteria for decision-making. In this proposed model, 17 criteria and 15 institute datasets have been identified for the development of the decision model through extensive research and experts opinion. The NLP-based text analysis approach is applied to extract the relevant information and convert it to a suitable format. As the relative importance of the criteria plays a crucial role in decision-making, CRITIC and Rank centroid methods are applied for the calculation of relative weights of criteria. TOPSIS method is used to generate the ranking grades of alternatives for each criterion. An objective function is defined to calculate the evaluation scores and select the best institute for higher education. It has been observed that the ranks obtained from the developed model match pretty well with the ranks obtained from other MCDM methods and the experts.