bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the particulate air pollution and the ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 concentrations in the atmosphere over the lignite mining and lignite-fired power plants region of Western Macedonia, Greece.
Authors: Evagelopoulos V , Begou P , Kassomenos P , Zoras S
Published: December 2022

The lignite long-lasting exploitation has resulted in a series of negative impacts on the air quality of the lignite basin of Ptolemaida, Amynteo and Florina. The coal-fired plants in this region are the greatest sources of air pollutants, such as SO2, NOX, CO2, PM, heavy metals and fly ash. In this study, we investigate the air quality of Western Macedonia based on measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 in ten air quality monitoring stations (Filotas, Koilada, Oikismos, Petrana, Komi, Amyntaio, Florina, Vevi-Meliti, Pontokomi and Anargyroi) which are located in the broader area of the lignite power plants. The trends of PM time series over a 12-year period (2010-2021) show a gradual decrease of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations following the decline of lignite production in Greece. In order to characterize the underlying atmospheric and anthropogenic processes affecting the PM concentrations we assessed the ratios of PM2.5 to PM10. The high ratios of PM2.5/PM10 indicate a major contribution of fine particles attributable to anthropogenic air pollution sources, while small ratios indicate that coarse particles are dominant, which might be related to natural sources of air pollution. We found that average PM2.5/PM10 ratios during the study period ranged between 0.48 in Oikismos and 0.70 in Florina and Vevi-Meliti. For Florina and Vevi-Meliti, the daily PM2.5/PM10 ratios were found to reach the value of 1.0, while the daily average ratios of PM2.5/PM10 were above 0.9 for almost the 15 % of the days in these sites. In the other sites high daily ratios of PM2.5/PM10 were found for a lesser number of days. The high ratios which have been found at these sites indicate the considerable contribution of energy combustion for heating purposes and other anthropogenic processes. Overall, we used the PM2.5/PM10 ratio to characterize the processes affecting the air quality within the local environment.
Photocatalytic treatment of metronidazole-containing wastewater
Authors: Abdirova Perizat , Kanafin Yerkanat N. , Poulopoulos Stavros G.
Published: December 2022

The presence of antibiotics in wastewater is risky for the environment as the conventional wastewater treatment plants are not always capable of removing them completely. Therefore, antibiotics may enter the water bodies and affect the health of aquatic living organisms. In this work, the effluent after the continuous flow activated sludge process was collected and analyzed. The average total organic carbon (TOC) and metronidazole (MNZ) concentrations were 43 ± 13.1 mg/L and 5.3 ± 0.2 mg/L, respectively. The catalytic activities of TiO, TiO2, Bi2O3, and WO3 were tested under the visible light (VIS, 500 nm) and near-visible ultraviolet light (UV, 365 nm) irradiations. The structure and properties of the catalysts have been verified using SEM-EDX and Mastersizer 3000. 25% of MNZ have been degraded under VIS only after 150 min. Even though all four catalysts were able to degrade MNZ to some extent (28-33%) after 150 min of VIS irradiation, they were not able to mineralize the organic compounds of the wastewater. On the other hand, the application of UV alone and with the catalysts resulted in the complete degradation of MNZ. Moreover, UV/TiO2 achieved 52% TOC removal after 150 min of the experiment.
Optimization of the remediation of oil-drilling cuttings by combining artificial neural networks with knowledge-based models
Authors: Kalari K , Christodoulis K F , Nikolakopoulou D , Bali N , Theodoropoulou M , Economou P , Tsakiroglou C D
Published: December 2022

In the present study, a feed-forward dense multilayer artificial neural network (ANN) trained with backpropagation algorithm (BP) is used to determine the kinetic parameters governing the performance of the oil-drilling cuttings (ODC) ozonation. Ozonation tests of ODC, pre-treated with surfactant (SDS) and diluted with synthetic seawater, are conducted on a semi-batch bubble flow reactor. The performance of ozonation experiments on semi-batch bubble flow reactors is evaluated by measuring the removal efficiency of the total organic carbon (TOC). The experimental datasets are employed to calibrate two mathematical models of increasing complexity: a tank-in-series (TSM), and a computational fluid dynamics (CFM) model, both combining multiphase transport with reactive processes, involving a high number of unknown parameters, and being able to provide numerous simulated datasets for various values of dimensionless parameters. These data are employed for the training and validation of the neural network. The trained neural network is then interpreted through the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method to provide insights about the experimental parameters.
Predicting Coastal Dissolved Oxygen Values with the Use of Artificial Neural Networks: A Case Study for Cyprus
Authors: Hadjisolomou E , Antoniadis K , Vasiliades L , Rousou M , Thasitis I , Abualhaija R , Herodotou H , Michaelides M , Kyriakides I
Published: December 2022

Coastal hypoxia is a serious environmental problem that needs to be addressed at a global level. The phenomenon of hypoxia is characterized by low Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels in the water column that causes detrimental effects on aquatic organisms. Anthropogenic activities such as intensive agriculture practices and point-source nutrient loading are considered the main causes of coastal hypoxia. This study utilizes data-driven modelling based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), and specifically Feed-Forward ANNs, to predict surface DO levels. Several surface water quality parameters such as water temperature, nitrogen species (ammonium, nitrite and nitrate), phosphorus, pH, salinity, electrical conductivity, and chlorophyll-a served as the ANN’s input parameters. These parameters were measured at several sampling sites in the coastal waters of Cyprus and some of the sites were located near areas with anthropogenic activities, during the period 2000-2021. An ANN with a 9-5-1 topology was developed and ANN managed to predict with good accuracy the DO levels, with the Coefficient of determination (r
2) as high as r
2=0.991 for the test set. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was performed to measure the impact of each input parameter on the DO level, and it was estimated that the water temperature is the most influential factor. The “Weights” sensitivity analysis algorithm was used for this purpose. The ANN-based method proposed can be used as a management tool for predicting the DO levels and prevention of hypoxia. Therefore, this work has a positive impact on marine sciences and marine information technology.
Valuing Natural Ecosystems: The Case of National Park Kotychi-Strofilia in Peloponnese, Greece
Authors: Dimopoulos V. , Tourkolias C. , Mirasgedis S.
Published: December 2022

Ecosystem services are among the environmental goods that are not directly included in the market mechanism, hindering their integration in the framework of cost-benefit analysis. To fill this gap, environmental valuation techniques can provide useful insights as regards the economic value of ecosystems, facilitating their integration in decision-making processes. The present work values an extremely sensitive and protected ecosystem in the Southern Peloponnese, namely the National Park of Waterfalls of Kotychi – Strofilia, which comprises one of the largest pine forests in Europe (Strofilia) and several important wetlands and lagoons (Kotychi). The Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) has been implemented for valuing the ecosystem services of the park in question and depicting how the results of the analysis can be used for decision making. The analysis was supported by a survey of the residents of the wider area, through the completion of an appropriately designed questionnaire, with a view to estimate the expenditures that are socially acceptable to be allocated for its restoration and protection. The results showed that the mean willingness to pay per household to protect the national park under consideration ranges between 5.5-9.5 EURs/semester for a period of 4 years, leading to a total value of the ecosystems in question of 14.7-25.5 million EURs.
Environmental taxes in the European Union and their use as a means of environmental restoration
Authors: Tsiantikoudis S , Galatsidas S , Paschalidou A , Zafeiriou E , Arabatzis G
Published: December 2022

Environmental degradation caused by intense human activities has allured scientific and social concerns. Environmental taxes are a part of a wider policy context integrating various tools, including pricing instruments, subsidies, and investment in public infrastructure. Environmental taxes are the only fiscal policy tool the revenue which can be used for environmental protection purposes. They are used in modern societies, as means of optimizing consumers’ and producers’ behavior. These taxes generate revenues that can be used by governments to invest in environmental protection projects or in the effective management of natural resources. Eastern European countries’ environmental taxation regime, is a successful example since appropriate policies and actions were used for environmental degradation resilience along with the formerly degraded land restoration and funding environmental information dissemination programs for local communities. The present work aims to unveil successful practices adopted related to the implementation of environmental taxation in European countries and the use of their revenues in projects and actions to protect the environment and limit the anthropogenic impacts. In addition, a comparative analysis of individual EU countries efficiency in the use of taxation for mitigation of natural environment degradation is conducted with significant findings for policymakers.
Effectiveness of interventions in older adults with cognitive frailty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Zheng Lufang , Wang Cong , Qiu Yiming , Li Xin , Zhang Xueyan , Zhang Meishuang , Ma Tianjiao , Li Guichen , Chen Li
Published: December 2022

Background

interventions targeting older adults with cognitive frailty have grown rapidly in recent years with inconsistent findings. However, there is no meta-analysis that has synthesised pooled estimates.

Objective

to synthesise the pooled effect of current targeted interventions in older people with cognitive frailty.

Methods

we conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, the JBI database and three Chinese databases (CNKI, Wan-Fang and VIP) for literature from the inception of the database until 8 March 2022. The mean difference or standardised mean difference with 95% CIs was calculated. The methodological quality was assessed by the Cochrane RoB 2.0. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE criteria.

Results

thirteen randomised controlled trials with a total of 1,089 participants were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that older adults with cognitive frailty in the intervention groups had significant improvement in frailty score [MD = −1.67, 95% CI (−2.39, −0.95), P < 0.00001, I2 = 97%], global cognitive function [MD = 3.38, 95% CI (1.90, 4.85), P < 0.00001, I2 = 93%], mobility [MD = −0.96, 95% CI (−1.27, −1.66), P < 0.00001, I2 = 0%], muscle strength [SMD = 0.75, 95% CI (0.09, 1.41), P = 0.03, I2 = 85%] and nutritional status [MNA:MD = 5.64, 95% CI (3.99, 7.29), P < 0.00001, I2 = 89%; ALB: MD = 3.23, 95% CI (0.76, 5.71), P = 0.01, I2 = 93%; PALB: MD = 54.52, 95% CI (25.26, 83.77), P = 0.0003, I2 = 96%; TRF: MD = 0.64, 95% CI (0.22, 1.06), P = 0.003, I2 = 97%]. The overall certainty of the evidence ranged from low to moderate.

Conclusions

interventions targeting older adults with cognitive frailty are effective in improving physical frailty, global cognitive function, physical function and nutritional status with low to moderate certainty. More research is still needed in the future to further enrich the evidence in these fields.

PROSPERO number

CRD42022318758.
Changes in anticoagulant and antiplatelet drug supply at US hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2021)
Authors: Wong Paul J , Mosley Scott A , Ng Tien M H , Shooshtari Andrew , Alexander G Caleb , Qato Dima M
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Antithrombotic agents have a role in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, but the pandemic disrupted medication supply. This study examined changes in the volume of oral and parenteral anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications at US hospitals during the pandemic.

Methods

IQVIA National Sales Perspective (NSP) data was used to determine the monthly volume of anticoagulants and antiplatelets purchased at US hospitals between January 2018 and February 2021. Mean monthly medication volumes, reported as extended units (EUs), and year-over-year changes in medication volume were determined. A single-group interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate changes in the rate of growth of monthly medication volumes before (January 2019-February 2020) and during (March 2020-February 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Overall, there was a 43.4% decline in the total volume of anticoagulants and antiplatelets at US hospitals in March 2020, driven by a decrease in heparin volume. Mean monthly volumes decreased significantly (P < 0.05) for parenteral anticoagulants (–106,691,340 EU [95% CI, –200,033,910 to –13,348,780]), oral anticoagulants (–354,800 EU [95% CI, –612,180 to –97,420]), and parenteral antiplatelets (–391,880 EU [95% CI, –535,420 to –248,330]). During the pandemic, the monthly volume of oral anticoagulants, parenteral anticoagulants, and parenteral antiplatelets grew significantly more than in the prepandemic period. This growth was primarily seen in volumes of apixaban, argatroban, enoxaparin, heparin, eptifibatide, and tirofiban. Apixaban and heparin volumes continued a prepandemic uptrend, while argatroban and eptifibatide volumes reversed trend.

Conclusion

Rapid changes in anticoagulant and antiplatelet volume at US hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for institutional protocols to manage fluctuating medication volume demands.
VirusRecom: an information-theory-based method for recombination detection of viral lineages and its application on SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Zhou Zhi-Jian , Yang Chen-Hui , Ye Sheng-Bao , Yu Xiao-Wei , Qiu Ye , Ge Xing-Yi
Published: December 2022

Genomic recombination is an important driving force for viral evolution, and recombination events have been reported for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic, which significantly alter viral infectivity and transmissibility. However, it is difficult to identify viral recombination, especially for low-divergence viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, since it is hard to distinguish recombination from in situ mutation. Herein, we applied information theory to viral recombination analysis and developed VirusRecom, a program for efficiently screening recombination events on viral genome. In principle, we considered a recombination event as a transmission process of ``information'' and introduced weighted information content (WIC) to quantify the contribution of recombination to a certain region on viral genome; then, we identified the recombination regions by comparing WICs of different regions. In the benchmark using simulated data, VirusRecom showed a good balance between precision and recall compared to two competing tools, RDP5 and 3SEQ. In the detection of SARS-CoV-2 XE, XD and XF recombinants, VirusRecom providing more accurate positions of recombination regions than RDP5 and 3SEQ. In addition, we encapsulated the VirusRecom program into a command-line-interface software for convenient operation by users. In summary, we developed a novel approach based on information theory to identify viral recombination within highly similar sequences, providing a useful tool for monitoring viral evolution and epidemic control.
Bubble: a fast single-cell RNA-seq imputation using an autoencoder constrained by bulk RNA-seq data
Authors: Chen Siqi , Yan Xuhua , Zheng Ruiqing , Li Min
Published: December 2022

Single-cell RNA-sequencing technology (scRNA-seq) brings research to single-cell resolution. However, a major drawback of scRNA-seq is large sparsity, i.e. expressed genes with no reads due to technical noise or limited sequence depth during the scRNA-seq protocol. This phenomenon is also called ‘dropout’ events, which likely affect downstream analyses such as differential expression analysis, the clustering and visualization of cell subpopulations, cellular trajectory inference, etc. Therefore, there is a need to develop a method to identify and impute these dropout events. We propose Bubble, which first identifies dropout events from all zeros based on expression rate and coefficient of variation of genes within cell subpopulation, and then leverages an autoencoder constrained by bulk RNA-seq data to only impute those values. Unlike other deep learning-based imputation methods, Bubble fuses the matched bulk RNA-seq data as a constraint to reduce the introduction of false positive signals. Using simulated and several real scRNA-seq datasets, we demonstrate that Bubble enhances the recovery of missing values, gene-to-gene and cell-to-cell correlations, and reduces the introduction of false positive signals. Regarding some crucial downstream analyses of scRNA-seq data, Bubble facilitates the identification of differentially expressed genes, improves the performance of clustering and visualization, and aids the construction of cellular trajectory. More importantly, Bubble provides fast and scalable imputation with minimal memory usage.
AccuVIR: an ACCUrate VIRal genome assembly tool for third-generation sequencing data
Authors: Yu Runzhou , Cai Dehan , Sun Yanni
Published: December 2022

Motivation

RNA viruses tend to mutate constantly. While many of the variants are neutral, some can lead to higher transmissibility or virulence. Accurate assembly of complete viral genomes enables the identification of underlying variants, which are essential for studying virus evolution and elucidating the relationship between genotypes and virus properties. Recently, third-generation sequencing platforms such as Nanopore sequencers have been used for real-time virus sequencing for Ebola, Zika, coronavirus disease 2019, etc. However, their high per-base error rate prevents the accurate reconstruction of the viral genome.

Results

In this work, we introduce a new tool, AccuVIR, for viral genome assembly and polishing using error-prone long reads. It can better distinguish sequencing errors from true variants based on the key observation that sequencing errors can disrupt the gene structures of viruses, which usually have a high density of coding regions. Our experimental results on both simulated and real third-generation sequencing data demonstrated its superior performance on generating more accurate viral genomes than generic assembly or polish tools.

Availability and implementation

The source code and the documentation of AccuVIR are available at https://github.com/rainyrubyzhou/AccuVIR.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Untangling white matter fibre changes in Alzheimer's disease and small vessel disease
Authors: Koops Elouise A , Jacobs Heidi I L
Published: December 2022

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Disentangling the effects of Alzheimer’s and small vessel disease on white matter fibre tracts’ by Dewenter et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awac265).
Mechanisms underlying apathy in frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Husain Masud
Published: December 2022

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Effort avoidance as a core mechanism of apathy in frontotemporal dementia’ by Le Bouc et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awac427).
Multiple pathways of lipid dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Phan Katherine , He Ying , Bhatia Surabhi , Pickford Russell , McDonald Gordon , Mazumder Srestha , Timmins Hannah C , Hodges John R , Piguet Olivier , Dzamko Nicolas , Halliday Glenda M , Kiernan Matthew C , Kim Woojin Scott
Published: December 2022

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons and loss of various muscular functions. Dyslipidaemia is prevalent in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with aberrant changes mainly in cholesterol ester and triglyceride. Despite this, little is known about global lipid changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or in relation to disease progression. The present study incorporated a longitudinal lipidomic analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis serum with a comparison with healthy controls using advanced liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results established that diglyceride, the precursor of triglyceride, was enriched the most, while ceramide was depleted the most in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared with controls, with the diglyceride species (18:1/18:1) correlating significantly to neurofilament light levels. The prenol lipid CoQ8 was also decreased in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and correlated to neurofilament light levels. Most interestingly, the phospholipid phosphatidylethanolamine and its three derivatives decreased with disease progression, in contrast to changes with normal ageing. Unsaturated lipids that are prone to lipid peroxidation were elevated with disease progression with increases in the formation of toxic lipid products. Furthermore, in vitro studies revealed that phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis modulated TARDBP expression in SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. Finally, diglyceride, cholesterol ester and ceramide were identified as potential lipid biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis and monitoring disease progression. In summary, this study represents a longitudinal lipidomics analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis serum and has provided new insights into multiple pathways of lipid dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Aberrant allometric scaling of cortical folding in preterm-born adults
Authors: Schmitz-Koep Benita , Menegaux Aurore , Zimmermann Juliana , Thalhammer Melissa , Neubauer Antonia , Wendt Jil , Schinz David , Wachinger Christian , Daamen Marcel , Boecker Henning , Zimmer Claus , Priller Josef , Wolke Dieter , Bartmann Peter , Sorg Christian , Hedderich Dennis M
Published: December 2022

A universal allometric scaling law has been proposed to describe cortical folding of the mammalian brain as a function of the product of cortical surface area and the square root of cortical thickness across different mammalian species, including humans. Since these cortical properties are vulnerable to developmental disturbances caused by preterm birth in humans and since these alterations are related to cognitive impairments, we tested (i) whether cortical folding in preterm-born adults follows this cortical scaling law and (ii) the functional relevance of potential scaling aberrances. We analysed the cortical scaling relationship in a large and prospectively collected cohort of 91 very premature-born adults (<32 weeks of gestation and/or birthweight <1500 g, very preterm and/or very low birth weight) and 105 full-term controls at 26 years of age based on the total surface area, exposed surface area and average cortical thickness measured with structural magnetic resonance imaging and surface-based morphometry. We found that the slope of the log-transformed cortical scaling relationship was significantly altered in adults (very preterm and/or very low birth weight: 1.24, full-term: 1.14, P = 0.018). More specifically, the slope was significantly altered in male adults (very preterm and/or very low birth weight: 1.24, full-term: 1.00, P = 0.031), while there was no significant difference in the slope of female adults (very preterm and/or very low birth weight: 1.27, full-term: 1.12, P = 0.225). Furthermore, offset was significantly lower compared with full-term controls in both male (very preterm and/or very low birth weight: −0.546, full-term: −0.538, P = 0.001) and female adults (very preterm and/or very low birth weight: −0.545, full-term: −0.538, P = 0.023), indicating a systematic shift of the regression line after preterm birth. Gestational age had a significant effect on the slope in very preterm and/or very low birth weight adults and more specifically in male very preterm and/or very low birth weight adults, indicating that the difference in slope is specifically related to preterm birth. The shape or tension term of the scaling law had no significant effect on cognitive performance, while the size of the cortex did. Results demonstrate altered scaling of cortical surface and cortical thickness in very premature-born adults. Data suggest altered mechanical forces acting on the cortex after preterm birth.
Treg specialization and functions beyond immune suppression
Authors: Astarita Jillian L , Dominguez Claudia X , Tan Corey , Guillen Jovanny , Pauli Mariela L , Labastida Rosario , Valle Jose , Kleinschek Melanie , Lyons Jesse , Zarrin Ali A
Published: December 2022

The actions of the immune system are finely tuned, involving complex communication and coordination between diverse immune and non-immune cells across the tissues of the body. A healthy immune system requires a precise balance between immunity and tolerance. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have long been appreciated as one of the master regulators of this balance; their importance is underscored by the autoimmunity that develops in mice and humans when Tregs are missing or dysfunctional. In addition to the immunoregulatory roles of Tregs in suppressing autoimmunity and inflammation via control of adaptive and innate immune responses, several non-immune modulatory functions of Tregs have been identified in recent years. In this review, we have highlighted the growing literature on the action of Tregs in metabolism, stem cell maintenance, tissue repair, and angiogenesis. Alongside Tregs’ immune suppressive role, these non-suppressive activities comprise a key function of Tregs in regulating health and disease. As Tregs receive increasing attention as therapeutic targets, understanding their non-canonical functions may become an important feature of Treg-directed interventions.
Combination therapy of a TRPV2 agonist with a TNF inhibitor achieves sustained suppression of disease severity and reduced joint damage
Authors: Laragione Teresina , Harris Carolyn , Gulko Percio S
Published: December 2022

We aimed to compare a transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) agonist with a TNF inhibitor, and to test the potential of their combination in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) as a potential future strategy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Following the onset of CIA DBA1/j mice were started on treatment with either vehicle, etanercept (8 mg/kg three times a week), the TRPV2 agonist O1821 (20–30 mg/kg/day), or a combination of both. Mice were scored over a 61-day period. Synovial tissues were obtained for RNA sequencing. Mice on monotherapy with either O1821 or etanercept developed milder clinical disease. The O1821 protection was observed at an earlier time-point than in the etanercept group. The combination therapy group achieved a more robust and sustained reduction in disease severity than either monotherapy group. All treatment groups had reduced scores for synovial inflammation, synovial hyperplasia, and erosive changes, compared with controls, with the combination group achieving the most significant protection. RNA sequencing and pathway analyses of synovial tissues identified pathways and processes regulated by the TRPV2 agonist, such as chemotaxis and cytokine receptor signaling, including IL6R. The combination therapy affected additional pathways not seen in the monotherapy groups. In conclusion, the TRPV2 agonist achieved an overall similar reduction in arthritis severity and histology scores as etanercept, but the combination therapy achieved a more sustained disease control and more pronounced reduction in joint damage, suggesting a potential future option for improving disease control in RA. RNA sequencing analyses identified new pathways regulated by TRPV2, and also by the combination treatment.
Determination of 23 Amino Acids and Amines in Plasma and Cortex of C57BL/6 Mice with HPLC–FLD
Authors: Zhang Jing , Yang Junqing , Luo Ying , Li Jiansha , Gong Tao , Huang Suqiong , Xiong Yan , Jiang Xinhui
Published: December 2022

Using 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate as a pre-column derivatization reagent, optimized derivatization and chromatography parameters, a simple high-performance liquid chromatography fluorescence detector (HPLC–FLD) method was developed and validated to determine 23 related amines in plasma and cortex of C57BL/6 mice with cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury. The prepared samples were separated on a ZORBAX SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) with 60% acetonitrile (ACN) and 20 mM sodium acetate solution (pH adjusted to 5.0 by phosphoric acid). All analytes achieved good separation within 1.2 h at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The limits of detection and limits of detection quantitation of the method were ranged from (0.1–9.2) to (0.3–30.6) ng/mL, respectively. The analytical method was apt for simultaneously determining 23 amino acids in plasma and cortex. Our results revealed that the relevant amino acids were significantly altered (P < 0.05) in C57BL/6 mice.
Assessment of the clinical and allergy profiles of PPI responsive and non-responsive eosinophilic esophagitis
Authors: Goldin Alison H , Muftah Mayssan , Mangla Shikha , Hornick Jason L , Hsu Blatman Karen , Hamilton Matthew J , Lo Wai-Kit , Chan Walter W
Published: December 2022

A subset of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) respond to proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, however they cannot be distinguished prior to PPI trial and the mechanism of PPI response remains unclear. Improved understanding of the distinct patient phenotypes in PPI-responsive EoE (PPI-r-EoE), PPI-non-responsive EoE (PPI-nr-EoE) and erosive esophagitis (EE) may help guide management. The aim of this paper is to compare the clinical and allergy profiles of PPI-r-EoE versus PPI-nr-EoE and EE. This was a retrospective case-control study of EoE patients (>15 eos/hpf on esophageal biopsies) at a tertiary center. EE controls were identified from the pathology database. EoE patients were classified as PPI-r-EoE or PPI-nr-EoE based on histologic response to twice-daily PPI for ≥8 weeks. Patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, allergy history and endoscopic findings were recorded. Univariate analyses were performed using the Fisher-exact test or t-test. Multivariable analyses were performed using logistic regression. In all, 104 EoE (57 PPI-r-EoE/47 PPI-nr-EoE) and 80 EE subjects were included. On multivariable analyses, allergic conditions (aOR 20.1, P < 0.0001) and rings (aOR 108.3, P = 0.001) were independent predictors for PPI-r-EoE versus EE, whereas allergic conditions (aOR 4.8, P = 0.03), rings (aOR 27.5, P = 0.002) and furrows (aOR 17.1, P = 0.04) were independent predictors for PPI-nr-EoE versus EE. Esophageal rings was the only significant predictor found in PPI-nr-EoE versus PPI-r-EoE (OR 2.5, P = 0.03). Allergic conditions and esophageal rings are significantly more prevalent in PPI-r-EoE and PPI-nr-EoE compared with EE. PPI-r-EoE appears clinically similar to PPI-nr-EoE and significantly different from EE. Further studies are needed to delineate the underlying pathophysiology of PPI-r-EoE versus PPI-nr-EoE.
Nationwide cardiovascular risk categorization: applying the European Society of Cardiology guidelines to the Swedish National Diabetes Register
Authors: Eliasson Björn , Ekelund Jan , Holmberg Cecilia Nagorny , Wolden Michael Lyng , Matthiessen Kasper Sommer , James Stefan
Published: December 2022

Aims

The 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines recommend that patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with a very high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk receive cardiovascular (CV)-protective glucose-lowering medication (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists or sodium–glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors). This analysis compared previous prescribing practices with the ESC recommendations.

Methods and results

Patients in the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR) with T2D, aged 18–90 years, not receiving CV-protective glucose-lowering medication in 2017 were identified, and the ESC criteria for very high CVD risk were applied. The composite outcome of major adverse CV events (MACEs; defined as CV death, non-fatal stroke or non-fatal myocardial infarction) during 2017 was calculated, and the number of MACE avoided with semaglutide, an example of a CV-protective glucose-lowering medication, was estimated for patients with a certain CV risk score. Of the 320 028 patients in the NDR with T2D who were not receiving CV-protective glucose-lowering medication, 129 512 patients had a very high CVD risk. Patients with a very high CVD risk had a high incidence of MACE (75.4 events/1000 person-years), which was higher in those with atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) with and without elevated glycated haemoglobin (>9%; 136.5 and 90.8 events/1000 person-years, respectively). If patients with a very high CVD risk, according to the ESC, and ASCVD received semaglutide, 803 MACE may have been avoided in 2017.

Conclusions

This analysis highlights differences between previous prescribing practices in Sweden and the 2021 ESC guidelines and offers strategies to prioritize CV-protective glucose-lowering medication for patients who would benefit most.
Longitudinal Associations Between Loneliness and  Self-Rated Health Among Black and White Older Adults
Authors: Sol Ketlyne , Brauer Simon , Antonucci Toni C
Published: December 2022

Objectives

This study examined the longitudinal association between loneliness and self-rated health (SRH), and whether there were race differences between non-Hispanic Black and White adults in these associations.

Method

A total of 1,407 participants were drawn Social Relations Study, a regional study of social relations across the life span with 3 waves of data collection in 1992, 2005, and 2015 (Wave 1, W1: Mage = 50.28, 28% Black, 59% women). Cross-lagged structural equation models examined the association between loneliness and SRH over 3 waves. We adjusted for baseline age, gender, social network size, and depressive symptoms.

Results

There were no race differences in loneliness at any wave. Loneliness W1 was associated with Loneliness W2; Loneliness W2 was associated with Loneliness W3. We had similar findings for associations among SRH. However, only one of the cross-lagged paths was significant. Worse SRH W2 was associated with more Loneliness W3. The only path that varied across race was in the association between SRH W2 and Loneliness W3, and this path was significant only in Whites.

Discussion

Findings indicate that worse SRH at later midlife may increase risk for loneliness in later life, particularly for Whites. As a valid indicator of health, SRH can be used in the body of research on health correlates of loneliness as adults age. Use of the current sample of Black and White adults provides nuanced understanding in the ways in which racially diverse adults experience loneliness and should be useful in refining and developing culturally competent interventions for older adults.
The trade-off function of photorespiration in a changing environment
Authors: Hernandez Jakob Sebastian , Nägele Thomas
Published: December 2022

The photorespiratory pathway in plants comprises metabolic reactions distributed across several cellular compartments. It emerges from the dual catalytic function of Rubisco, i.e. ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. Rubisco either carboxylates or oxygenates ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate. Carboxylation reactions produce 3-phosphoglycerate molecules which are substrates for the central carbohydrate metabolism. However, oxygenation reactions additionally form 2-phosphoglycolate molecules which are (i) substrate for a multicompartmental recovery process, and (ii) inhibit several enzymes of the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle. Here, an approach of structural kinetic modelling is presented to investigate the extent of stabilization of the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle and carbohydrate metabolism by photorespiration. This method is based on a parametric representation of the Jacobian matrix of a metabolic system which offers a robust strategy for handling uncertainties associated with in vitro kinetic constants. Our findings indicate that oxygenation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by Rubisco significantly stabilizes the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle. Hence, a trade-off function of photorespiration is suggested which reduces carbon assimilation rates but simultaneously stabilizes metabolism by increasing plasticity of metabolic regulation within the chloroplast. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that increasing carbon flux towards sucrose biosynthesis has a stabilizing effect. Finally, our findings shed light on the role of a multicompartmental metabolic pathway in stabilizing plant metabolism against perturbation induced by a dynamic environment.
Association of longer telomere length in cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts with worse prognosis
Authors: Matsuda Yoko , Ye Juanjuan , Yamakawa Keiko , Mukai Yuri , Azuma Kazuki , Wu Linxuan , Masutomi Kenkichi , Yamashita Taro , Daigo Yataro , Miyagi Yohei , Yokose Tomoyuki , Oshima Takashi , Ito Hiroyuki , Morinaga Soichiro , Kishida Takeshi , Minamoto Toshinari , Kojima Motohiro , Kaneko Shuichi , Haba Reiji , Kontani Keiichi , Kanaji Nobuhiro , Okano Keiichi , Muto-Ishizuka Mariko , Yokohira Masanao , Saoo Kousuke , Imaida Katsumi , Suizu Futoshi
Published: December 2022

Background

Telomere dysfunction has been reported to be directly involved in carcinogenesis owing to chromosomal instability and immortalization; however, the clinicopathological significance of telomeres remains controversial. We have shown that telomere shortening occurs in normal-appearing duct cells at initiation and then continues during the progression of pancreatic cancer. In this study, we determined the clinicopathological and prognostic value of telomere length (TL) in cancer progression.

Methods

TL in both cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) was analyzed by high-throughput quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization using a previously reported cohort comprising 1434 cases of adenocarcinoma (ADC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenosquamous carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which are known cancers with a statistically significantly low incidence of alternative lengthening of telomeres. Cases were divided into 2 groups as follows: longer and shorter telomeres, according to the median TL of cancer cells and CAFs. The statistical significance of TL in cancer cells and CAFs on clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis was analyzed.

Results

There was a close association between TL in cancer cells and CAFs. Longer telomeres in cancer cells and CAFs were associated with aggressive features such as advanced stage, high mitosis score and nuclear score, poorly differentiated cancer, and desmoplastic stroma in ADC. Furthermore, a longer TL was an independent prognostic factor for ADC, SCC, and RCC.

Conclusions

Longer telomeres are associated with worse prognosis in ADC, SCC, and RCC. Thus, TL is a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of aggressive cancers with poor prognoses.
Challenges in research approaches to the ‘just energy transition’ in legal studies and other branches of the social sciences
Authors: Muinzer Thomas L
Published: December 2022

The ‘just energy transition’ (JET) is a concept that is starting to pervade climate and energy scholarship to a greater and greater degree at present. It is often difficult, however, to interpret clearly and precisely what this increasingly common term is intended to mean. This study explores the JET as a scholarly concept and as a compound discursive term, identifying problems that arise in research and scholarship where semantic and associated analytical precision is lacking or unclear. Such problems include the disruption of the ability to construct scholarly hypotheses and theories that allow testable propositions to be utilized with reference to the term. The study argues that these outcomes should be guarded against in legal studies, and in any branch of the social sciences that seeks to integrate JET considerations meaningfully into serious research. It is also argued that elements of the sorts of difficulties under review in relation to the JET exist in a more developed condition within the field of Energy Justice (EJ). The study draws upon the juxtaposition of JET–EJ scholarship in order to throw into relief a range of issues that JET studies should guard against.
Trichodermaroot colonization in maize triggers epigenetic changes in genes related to the jasmonic and salicylic acid pathways that prime defenses againstColletotrichum graminicolaleaf infection
Authors: Agostini Romina B , Ariel Federico , Rius Sebastián P , Vargas Walter A , Campos-Bermudez Valeria A
Published: December 2022

Beneficial interactions between plant roots and Trichoderma species lead to both local and systemic enhancements of the plant immune system through a mechanism known as priming of defenses. Previously, we have reported a number of genes and proteins that are differentially regulated in distant tissues of maize plants following inoculation with Trichoderma atroviride. To further investigate the mechanisms involved in the systemic activation of plant responses, here we have further evaluated the regulatory aspects of a selected group of genes when priming is triggered in maize plants. Time-course experiments from the beginning of the interaction between T. atroviride and maize roots followed by leaf infection with Colletotrichum graminicola allowed us to identify a gene set regulated by priming in the leaf tissue. In the same experiment, phytohormone measurements revealed a decrease in jasmonic acid concentration while salicylic acid increased at 2 d and 6 d post-inoculation. In addition, chromatin structure and modification assays showed that chromatin was more open in the primed state compared with unprimed control conditions, and this allowed for quicker gene activation in response to pathogen attack. Overall, the results allowed us to gain insights on the interplay between the phytohormones and epigenetic regulatory events in the systemic and long-lasting regulation of maize plant defenses following Trichoderma inoculation.
Astraeus VII: the environmental-dependent assembly of galaxies in the Epoch of Reionization
Authors: Legrand Laurent , Dayal Pratika , Hutter Anne , Gottlöber Stefan , Yepes Gustavo , Trebitsch Maxime
Published: December 2022

Using the astraeus (seminumerical rAdiative tranSfer coupling of galaxy formaTion and Reionization in N-body dark matter simUlationS) framework, we explore the impact of environmental density and radiative feedback on the assembly of galaxies and their host haloes during the Epoch of Reionization. The astraeus framework allows us to study the evolution of galaxies with masses ($10^{8.2}\,\rm M_\odot \lt M_{\rm h}\lt 10^{13}\,\rm M_\odot$) in a wide variety of environment [−0.5 < log (1 + δ) < 1.3 averaged over (2 cMpc)3]. We find that: (i) there exists a mass- and redshift- dependent ‘characteristic’ environment [${\rm log}\, (1+\delta _a(M_{\rm h}, z)) = 0.021\times (M_{\rm h}/\rm M_\odot)^{0.16} + 0.07 z -1.12$, up to $z$ ∼ 10] at which galaxies are most efficient at accreting dark matter, e.g at a rate of $0.2{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of their mass every Myr at $z$ = 5; (ii) the number of minor and major mergers and their contributions to the dark matter assembly increases with halo mass at all redshifts and is mostly independent of the environment; (iii) at $z$ = 5 minor mergers contribute slightly more (by up to $\sim 10{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) to the dark matter assembly while for the stellar assembly, major mergers dominate the contribution from minor mergers for $M_{\rm h}\lesssim 10^{11.5}\rm\, M_\odot$ galaxies; (iv) radiative feedback quenches star formation more in low-mass galaxies ($M_{\rm h}\lesssim 10^{9.5}\rm\, M_\odot$) in over-dense environments [log(1 + δ) > 0.5]; dominated by their major branch, this yields star formation histories biased towards older ages with a slower redshift evolution.
Discovery of clinical and demographic determinants of symptom burden in primary brain tumor patients using network analysis and unsupervised clustering
Authors: Bergsneider Brandon H , Vera Elizabeth , Gal Ophir , Christ Alexa , King Amanda L , Acquaye Alvina , Choi Anna , Leeper Heather E , Mendoza Tito , Boris Lisa , Burton Eric , Lollo Nicole , Panzer Marissa , Penas-Prado Marta , Pillai Tina , Polskin Lily , Wu Jing , Gilbert Mark R , Armstrong Terri S , Celiku Orieta
Published: December 2022

Background

Precision health approaches to managing symptom burden in primary brain tumor (PBT) patients are imperative to improving patient outcomes and quality of life, but require tackling the complexity and heterogeneity of the symptom experience. Network Analysis (NA) can identify complex symptom co-severity patterns, and unsupervised clustering can unbiasedly stratify patients into clinically relevant subgroups based on symptom patterns. We combined these approaches in a novel study seeking to understand PBT patients’ clinical and demographic determinants of symptom burden.

Methods

MDASI-BT symptom severity data from a two-institutional cohort of 1128 PBT patients were analyzed. Gaussian Graphical Model networks were constructed for the all-patient cohort and subgroups identified by unsupervised clustering based on co-severity patterns. Network characteristics were analyzed and compared using permutation-based statistical tests.

Results

NA of the all-patient cohort revealed 4 core dimensions that drive the overall symptom burden of PBT patients: Cognitive, physical, focal neurologic, and affective. Fatigue/drowsiness was identified as pivotal to the symptom experience based on the network characteristics. Unsupervised clustering discovered 4 patient subgroups: PC1 (n = 683), PC2 (n = 244), PC3 (n = 92), and PC4 (n = 109). Moderately accurate networks could be constructed for PC1 and PC2. The PC1 patients had the highest interference scores among the subgroups and their network resembled the all-patient network. The PC2 patients were older and their symptom burden was driven by cognitive symptoms.

Conclusions

In the future, the proposed framework might be able to prioritize symptoms for targeting individual patients, informing more personalized symptom management.