bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Saw Palmetto Therapy on some Inflammatory Biomarkers in a Sample of Iraqi Male with Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Authors: Mazin Abdulridha Ateyah  , Manal Khalid Abdulridha  , Munaim Jumaa Alkabee
Published: April 2022

Background Saw palmetto contains powerful anti-inflammatory components commonly used in Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with symptoms. The current study was designed to assess the effectiveness of saw palmetto alone or supplementation

 

therapy with tamsulosin via measurement of some inflammatory biomarker in male with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) consistent with (BPH).

Methods The present study is an interventional prospective randomized enrolled newly diagnosed patients with moderate to severe symptomatic BPH. The eligible 60 patients were allocated into (3) groups, each group with (20) patients; Group (1) treated with Saw palmetto cap (320 mg); Group (2) treated with  Saw palmetto cap (320 mg) and tamsulosin (0.4mg); Group (3) treated with tamsulosin (0.4mg), protocols to be given once daily for 12 weeks. Measurement of prostate specific antigen (PSA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) was done.

Results There was significant decrease in the serum PSA, CRP and IL-6 level (P<0.01) in group1 and 2 patients only after treatment when compared to pretreatment.  Patients on combination therapy presented with high percent of change compared to other groups. No change in CRP and IL-6 level in patients on tamsulosin alone.

Conclusion From the findings of the present study, phytotherapy with Saw Palmetto alone or as supplement produced significant 3 months drop in both inflammatory markers, the total CRP level and IL-6 level. Also produced significant decrease in PSA level, and may substitute the conventional therapy in mild disease status.
Phytochemical study and thin layer chromatography of Ficusreligiosa leaves extract cultivated in Iraq
Authors: Noor S Jaafar  , Maha N Hamad  , Duha A Alshammaa  , Zainab S Noori
Published: April 2022

Ficusreligiosa Linn, (Moraceae), is a large evergreen or deciduous, irregularly shaped tree. Traditionally the leaves are used for the treatment of constipation, vomiting, hiccup, and others. Leaves were extracted by two methods; maceration and soxhelt using hexane and   80% aqueous methanol, then subjected to preliminary phytochemical examination, fractionation with chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n.butanol, then TLC. Soxhelt was the suitable extraction method. Sterols, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids were identified in leaves. TLC examination demonstrates the possible presence of stigmasterol, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and luteolin or apigenin.
Factores asociados a la producción científica de académicos en Ciencias Sociales de la UNISON
Authors: Barreras Beltrán Carlos Alberto , Castillo Ochoa Emilia
Published: April 2022

Las universidades se han consolidado como instituciones generadoras de aconocimiento a tal grado que, en México y Latinoamérica, son los principales espacios para desarrollar investigación y los que más aportan a la producción científica del país. En el contexto de educación superior la investigación funge como misión de la universidad aunada a la docencia y extensión del conocimiento, convirtiéndose en un indicador de la calidad educativa medida a través de la producción científica que reportan sus investigadores. Lo anterior ha hecho que las universidades desplieguen acciones para favorecer y promover la investigación en sus académicos y académicas. A pesar de esto, en universidades públicas áreas disciplinares como las ciencias sociales muestran un rezago en la actividad científica y sus indicadores. Con relación a lo anterior, el presente estudio tiene por objetivo indagar en torno a los factores individuales que favorecen la producción científica de académicos y académicas en la División de Ciencias Sociales en la Universidad de Sonora (UniSon). El estudio desarrolla una metodología cuantitativa, no experimental, considerando como muestra 40 investigadores reconocidos por el Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI). Los resultados vislumbran nuevas prácticas en la producción científica en esta área, la relevancia epistemológica de la formación en investigación, así como los retos que aún enfrenta.
Enseñanza de la historia con perspectiva de género. Una experiencia en la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria
Authors: Bolaños Jaimes Guillermina
Published: April 2022

El presente artículo expone una experiencia de enseñanza del pensamiento histórico con perspectiva de género implementada en la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria 1 de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. El objetivo principal es exponer los resultados y a la vez reflexionar una actividad de investigación-acción participativa sobre violencia de género realizada por estudiantes de quinto grado titulada “Construye tu ley”, realizada en la asignatura de Historia de México II en modalidad a distancia el pasado mes de enero del 2021 durante el contexto de pandemia causada por la COVID-19. Los resultados fueron expuestos en video y analizados desde algunas habilidades del pensamiento histórico como la relevancia histórica y de herramientas teórico-prácticas propuestas por los estudios de género como el análisis del discurso, el lenguaje y el uso de estereotipos. Las propuestas dieron cuenta de la ausencia de valoración histórica para la comprensión de algunas problemáticas sociales actuales, así como también las soluciones legales, concebidas a partir de roles y estereotipos sexistas.
PENGARUH CURRENT RATIO, RETURN ON ASSET, EARNING PER SHARE, DAN DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO TERHADAP HARGA SAHAM PADA PERUSAHAAN MANUFAKTUR SUBSEKTOR MAKANAN DAN MINUMAN YANG TERDAFTAR DI BURSA EFEK INDONESIA PERIODE 2015-2019
Authors: Muhammad Rizky Novalddin  , Muhammad Nurrasyidin  , Meita Larasati
Published: April 2022

Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh current ratio, return on asset, earning per share, dan debt to equity ratio terhadap harga saham. Penelitian ini menggunakan data sekunder yang berupa data runtun waktu (time series) dari tahun 2015 sampai dengan tahun 2019. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis deskriptif kuantitatif dengan melihat pengaruh current ratio, return on asset, earning per share, dan debt to equity ratio. Metode pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini adalah dengan cara dokumentasi yaitu berupa data laporan keuangan sub sektor makanan dan minuman yang terdaftar di BEI. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Current Ratio berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap harga saham dengan perolehan nilai signifikan sebesar 0,01 < 0,05, Return On Asset tidak memiliki pengaruh secara signifikan terhadap harga saham dengan perolehan nilai signifikan sebesar 0,32 > 0,05. Earning Per Share berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap harga saham dengan perolehan nilai signifikan sebesar 0,00 < 0,05. Dan Debt to Equity Ratio berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap harga saham dengan perolehan nilai signifikan sebesar 0,00 < 0,05
Self and Knowledge in Psychedelic Therapy
Authors: Letheby Chris
Published: April 2022

Much of my book Philosophy of Psychedelics is devoted to elaborating and defending two basic claims: that psychedelic therapy works mainly by changing mental representations of the self, and that it has many epistemic benefits consistent with a naturalistic worldview. The commentaries in this symposium generally focus on one or the other of these claims. On the mechanistic front, the commentaries by Hoffman and by Martin and Sterzer seek to supplement my account by drawing attention to factors it does not emphasize. In this reply I agree with most of their claims, but propose some important qualifications. Meanwhile, the commentaries by Lyon and Farrenikova and by Colombo challenge some core commitments of my account. I agree with many of their claims, but defend some of these core commitments. On the epistemological front, Bortolotti and Murphy-Hollies endorse the overall shape of my account and make some productive connections to ideas concerning agency-first epistemology and self know-how. Caporuscio brings into play the idea of self-shaping, which connects to self know-how, but argues against certain core claims of my account. I endorse many of these claims about agency-first, self know-how, and self-shaping, but propose some important qualifications. Finally, Fink agrees that psychedelic experiences can have some epistemic benefits, but argues that these do not pertain to epistemic justification, and that the main benefit is increased understanding. I am sympathetic to Fink’s proposal about understanding, but criticize some of his arguments for the thesis of Psychedelic Justification Impossibilism.
New Approaches to Assessing the Effectiveness of Federal Budget Allocations and Extrabudgetary Funds for R&D
Authors: Tikhonov Roman , Vyunov Sergey
Published: April 2022

Introduction. The article presents approaches to assessing the effec­tiveness of spending budget allocations of the federal budget and extra­budgetary funds for research and development (R&D) works of civil pur­pose, prepared on the basis of an analysis of programme documents at the federal level. Methods. The study was conducted using comparative and non-comparative analysis, synthesis, abstraction and concretisation. The deductive and inductive analysis of the Report on the Spending of the Federal Budget (f. 0507011) and the Consolidated Annual Report of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia on the progress of im­plementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of state programmes of the Russian Federation for 2019 was also used. Results and Discussion. Sources of data on the spending of federal budget allocations and extra­budgetary funds on civil research and development within the state pro­grammes of the Russian Federation, as well as on the progress in the im­plementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of state programmes have been identified. The instruments for spending budget allocations of the federal budget (instruments of the 1st and 2nd levels) have been defined. Approaches have been developed to assess the effectiveness of spending on R&Ds of civil purpose, including determining the degree of impact of spending federal budget allocations and extrabudgetary funds on the achievement of goals under the relevant state programs of the Russian Federation; assessing the degree of impact of using federal budget allocations on R&D in the context of tools for implementing 1st and 2nd level R&D by achieving the established indicators in the process of their implementation. Conclusion. The developed approaches will allow the state authorities concerned to check and confirm or refute the stated result in the programme and reporting documents, which provide information on the achievement of goals and solving tasks under the relevant state programmes of the Russian Federation at the expense of the budget allocations of the federal budget of the Russian Federation and extrabudgetary sources for R&Ds, and will also allow determining the extent to which the use of these funds within state programmes of the Russian Federation was effective.
Acacetin Prevents Bone Loss by Disrupting Osteoclast Formation and Promoting Type H Vessel Formation in Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis
Authors: Lin Xiao , Xu Fang , Zhang Ke-Wen , Qiu Wu-Xia , Zhang Hui , Hao Qiang , Li Meng , Deng Xiao-Ni , Tian Ye , Chen Zhi-Hao , Qian Ai-Rong
Published: April 2022

Osteoporosis, characterized by the destruction of bone resorption and bone formation, is a serious disease that endangers human health. Osteoporosis prevention and treatment has become one of the important research contents in the field of medicine. Acacetin, a natural flavonoid compound, could promote osteoblast differentiation, and inhibit osteoclast formation in vitro. However, the mechanisms of acacetin on osteoclast differentiation and type H vessel formation, as well as the effect of preventing bone loss, remain unclear. Here, we firstly used primary bone marrow derived macrophages (BMMs), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and ovariectomized (OVX) mice to explore the function of acacetin on bone remodeling and H type vessel formation. In this study, we found that acacetin inhibits osteoclast formation and bone resorption of BMMs induced by the macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) in a concentration of 20 μM without exerting cytotoxic effects. It was accompanied by downregulation of osteoclast differentiation marker genes (Ctsk, Acp5, and Mmp9) and cell fusion genes (CD9, CD47, Atp6v0d2, Dc-stamp, and Oc-stamp). Moreover, acacetin disrupted actin ring formation and extracellular acidification in osteoclasts. Mechanistic analysis revealed that acacetin not only inhibits the expression of the major transcription factor NFATc1 and NF-κB during RANKL-induced osteoclast formation, but also suppresses RANKL-induced the phosphorylation of Akt, GSK3β, IκBα, and p65. Additionally, acacetin enhanced the ability of M-CSF and RANKL-stimulated BMMs to promote angiogenesis and migration of EPCs. We further established that, in vivo, acacetin increased trabecular bone mass, decreased the number of osteoclasts, and showed more type H vessels in OVX mice. These data demonstrate that acacetin prevents OVX-induced bone loss in mice through inhibition of osteoclast function and promotion of type H vessel formation via Akt/GSK3β and NF-κB signalling pathway, suggesting that acacetin may be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis.
A Communication Coding System for Use in High Conflict Interpersonal Relationships
Authors: Dunbar Norah E. , Summary Jennifer J. , Jackson Felecia F. Jordan , Nassuna Rita
Published: April 2022

Conflict is a natural but uncomfortable part of all human relationships. Researchers and practitioners alike are interested in developing training and therapeutic methods for teaching couples and families healthy conflict management styles. However, the research literature offers little for practitioners in the way of specific verbal and nonverbal “skills” they can teach to their clients and patients. In this paper, we examine the work of Dr. Steven Winer, educator and practitioner in Communication, with a focus on anger management and conflict resolution in interpersonal relationships. We review the research literature on interpersonal conflict and compare it to the advice offered through Dr. Winer's workshops, which he developed through years of viewing over 4,000 videotapes of communication behavior patterns exhibited by his clients during conflict role-play sessions.
Facilitating Research-Informed Educational Practice for Inclusion. Survey Findings From 147 Teachers and School Leaders in England
Authors: Brown Chris , MacGregor Stephen , Flood Jane , Malin Joel
Published: April 2022

This paper considers the engagement by teachers and school leaders in England in educational practices that are both ‘research-informed’ and supportive of inclusive education. We do so by seeking to understand the benefits, costs, and signifying factors these educators associate with research-use. In undertaking the study, we first worked to develop and refine a survey instrument (the ‘Research-Use BCS survey’) that could be used to uniquely and simultaneously measure these concepts. Our survey development involved a comprehensive process that comprised: (1) a review of recent literature; (2) item pre-testing; and (3) cognitive interviews. We then administered this questionnaire to a representative sample of English educators. Although response rates were somewhat impacted by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, we achieved a sufficient number of responses (147 in total) to allow us to engage in descriptive analyses, as well as the production of classification trees. Our analysis resulted in several key findings, including that: (1) if respondents see the benefits of research, they are likely to use it (with the converse also true); (2) if educators have the needed support of their colleagues, they are more likely to use research; and (3) perceiving research-use as an activity that successful teachers and schools engage in is also associated with individual-level research use. We conclude the paper by pointing to potential interventions and strategies that might serve (at least, in the English context) to enhance research-use, so increasing the likelihood of the development and use of effective inclusive practices in schools.
The Experience of Fertility Preservation in a Single Tertiary Center in Korea
Authors: Choi Yae Ji , Hong Yeon Hee , Kim Seongbeen , Kim Seul Ki , Lee Jung Ryeol , Suh Chang Suk
Published: April 2022

Objective

Oocyte (OC), embryo (EC), and ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) are options for fertility preservation (FP) before going through gonadotoxic cancer treatment, or anticipated fertility decline in benign ovarian diseases, or for planned OC. The aim of this study is to report outcomes of FP in a single tertiary hospital in Korea.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of OC, EC, and OTC cycles. All patients who visited or were referred to the infertility clinic at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for the purpose of FP between 2010 and October 2021 were included.

Results

A total of 564 controlled ovarian stimulation cycles were conducted in 416 women. Three hundred fifty-seven women underwent 494 OC cycles. Most patients were diagnosed with breast cancer (22.4%), followed by endometriomas (21.9%), and then by planned OC (20.7%). Cases of OC have increased over the years, peaking at 109 cycles in 2019 compared to one in 2010. Fifty-nine women underwent 70 EC cycles, and breast cancer (50.8%) was the most common indication. Repetitive OC and EC cycles were undergone in 92 and 9 women, respectively (mean number of repetition, 1.37 and 1.19 times in OC and EC, respectively), yielding a maximum number of 33 oocytes or 23 embryos being cryopreserved per patient. The utilization rate was 3.1% (11/357) in OC and 16.9% (10/59) in EC. Twenty-six women underwent OTC, and gynecologic cancer was the most common indication (9/26, 34.6%). One woman had the cryopreserved ovarian tissue retransplanted and successfully generated embryos.

Conclusion

OC, EC, and OTC are possible options for preserving fertility, and these opportunities should be provided for women at risk of fertility decline or those who are eager to protect their future fertility. This is the first report on long-term FP outcomes in a single tertiary center in Korea. We expect that there will be more cases over the years and more women returning to use their gametes or embryos for pregnancy.
Primary Aldosteronism More Prevalent in Patients With Cardioembolic Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Nguyen Van , Tu Tian Ming , Mamauag Marlie Jane B. , Lai Jovan , Saffari Seyed Ehsan , Aw Tar Choon , Ong Lizhen , Foo Roger S. Y. , Chai Siang Chew , Fones Shaun , Zhang Meifen , Puar Troy H.
Published: April 2022

Background

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, and patients are at an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke. We assessed the prevalence of PA in patients with recent stroke.

Methods

We recruited 300 patients admitted to an acute stroke unit with diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (haemorrhagic/ischaemic) or transient ischaemic attack. Three months post-stroke, plasma renin and aldosterone were measured. Patients with an elevated aldosterone–renin ratio proceeded to the confirmatory saline loading test.

Results

Twenty-six of 192 (14%) patients had an elevated aldosterone–renin ratio. Three of 14 patients who proceeded to saline loading were confirmed with PA (post-saline aldosterone >138 pmol/l). Another three patients were classified as confirmed/likely PA based on the markedly elevated aldosterone–renin ratio and clinical characteristics. The overall prevalence of PA amongst stroke patients with hypertension was 4.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9%–7.1%). Prevalence of PA was higher amongst patients with cardioembolic stroke, 11% (95% CI: 1.3%–33%), resistant hypertension, 11% (95% CI: 0.3%–48%), and hypertension and AF, 30% (95%CI: 6.7%–65%). If only young patients or those with hypokalaemia were screened for PA, half of our patients with PA would not have been diagnosed. Our decision tree identified that stroke patients with AF and diastolic blood pressure ≥83mmHg were most likely to have PA.

Conclusion

We found that amongst hypertensive patients with stroke, PA was more prevalent in those with AF, or cardioembolic stroke. Screening for PA should be considered for all patients with stroke.
Acoustic Mapping of Gas Stored in Sediments of Shallow Aquatic Systems Linked to Methane Production and Ebullition Patterns
Authors: Marcon Lediane , Sotiri Klajdi , Bleninger Tobias , Lorke Andreas , Männich Michael , Hilgert Stephan
Published: April 2022

Bubble-mediated transport is the predominant pathway of methane emissions from inland waters, which are a globally significant sources of the potent greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. High uncertainties exist in emission estimates due to high spatial and temporal variability. Acoustic methods have been applied for the spatial mapping of ebullition rates by quantification of rising gas bubbles in the water column. However, the high temporal variability of ebullition fluxes can influence estimates of mean emission rates if they are based on reduced surveys. On the other hand, echo sounding has been successfully applied to detect free gas stored in the sediment, which provide insights into the spatial variability of methane production and release. In this study, a subtropical, midsize, mesotrophic drinking water reservoir in Brazil was investigated to address the spatial and temporal variability of free gas stored in the sediment matrix. High spatial resolution maps of gas content in the sediment were estimated from echo-sounding surveys. The gas content was analyzed in relation to water depth, sediment deposition, and organic matter content (OMC) available from previous studies, to investigate its spatial variability. The analysis was further supported by measurements of potential methane production rates, porewater methane concentration, and ebullition flux. The largest gas content (above average) was found at locations with high sediment deposition, and its magnitude depended on the water depth. At shallow water depth (<10 m), high methane production rates support gas-rich sediment, and ebullition is observed to occur rather continuously. At larger water depth (>12 m), the gas stored in the sediment is released episodically during short events. An artificial neural network model was successfully trained to predict the gas content in the sediment as a function of water depth, OMC, and sediment thickness (R2 = 0.89). Largest discrepancies were observed in the regions with steep slopes and for low areal gas content (<4 L m−2). Although further improvements are proposed, we demonstrate the potential of echo-sounding for gas detection in the sediment, which combined with sediment and water body characteristics provides insights into the processes that regulate methane emissions from inland waters.
The SITE-100 Project: Site-Based Biodiversity Genomics for Species Discovery, Community Ecology, and a Global Tree-of-Life
Authors: Bian Xueni , Garner Beulah H. , Liu Huaxi , Vogler Alfried P.
Published: April 2022

Most insect communities are composed of evolutionarily diverse lineages, but detailed phylogenetic analyses of whole communities are lacking, in particular in species-rich tropical faunas. Likewise, our knowledge of the Tree-of-Life to document evolutionary diversity of organisms remains highly incomplete and especially requires the inclusion of unstudied lineages from species-rich ecosystems. Here we present the SITE-100 program, which is an attempt at building the Tree-of-Life from whole-community sampling of high-biodiversity sites around the globe. Combining the local site-based sets into a global tree produces an increasingly comprehensive estimate of organismal phylogeny, while also re-tracing evolutionary history of lineages constituting the local community. Local sets are collected in bulk in standardized passive traps and imaged with large-scale high-resolution cameras, which is followed by a parataxonomy step for the preliminary separation of morphospecies and selection of specimens for phylogenetic analysis. Selected specimens are used for individual DNA extraction and sequencing, usually to sequence mitochondrial genomes. All remaining specimens are bulk extracted and subjected to metabarcoding. Phylogenetic analysis on the mitogenomes produces a reference tree to which short barcode sequences are added in a secondary analysis using phylogenetic placement methods or backbone constrained tree searches. However, the approach may be hampered because (1) mitogenomes are limited in phylogenetic informativeness, and (2) site-based sampling may produce poor taxon coverage which causes challenges for phylogenetic inference. To mitigate these problems, we first assemble nuclear shotgun data from taxonomically chosen lineages to resolve the base of the tree, and add site-based mitogenome and DNA barcode data in three hierarchical steps. We posit that site-based sampling, though not meeting the criterion of “taxon-completeness,” has great merits given preliminary studies showing representativeness and evenness of taxa sampled. We therefore argue in favor of site-based sampling as an unorthodox but logistically efficient way to construct large phylogenetic trees.
Lost to the Sea: Predicted Climate Change Threats to Saltwater Crocodile Nesting Habitat
Authors: Fukuda Yusuke , McDonald Peter J. , Crase Beth
Published: April 2022

Climate change is predicted to have devastating impacts on apex predators such as eliminating their required habitats. Crocodilians are no exception as most species require freshwater for nesting, and such freshwater habitats are particularly vulnerable to saltwater inundation (SWI) caused by the sea level rise (SLR) from global warming. Here, we examined the impacts of climate change on saltwater crocodiles Crocodylus porosus in terms of the potential loss of nesting habitat in the Northern Territory, Australia; an area that contains the world’s most extensive nesting habitat for the species. Our spatial model, derived from 730 nest locations and selected environmental features, estimated a total of 32,306.91 km2 of current suitable habitat across the study region. The most important variable was distance to perennial lakes (71.0% contribution, 87.5% permutation importance), which is negatively correlated with nesting habitat suitability. We found that projected changes in temperature and rainfall by 2100 could impact the area of suitable nesting habitat negatively or positively (0.33% decrease under low future emission climate scenario, and 32.30% increase under high emission scenario). Nevertheless, this can be canceled by the strong negative impact of SLR and concomitant SWI on nesting areas. A portion (16.40%) of the modeled suitable habitat for a subsection of our study area, the Kakadu Region, were already subject to > 0.25 m SWI in 2013. The suitable area for nesting in this region is predicted to be further reduced to 1775.70 km2 with 1.1 m SLR predicted for 2100, representing 49.81% loss between 2013 and 2100. Although the estimates of habitat loss do not account for the potential creation of new habitat, nor for the uncertainty in the degree of future SLR, our results suggest that SLR driven by continuing global warming can be the major threat to mound-nest-building crocodilians including C. porosus, rather than direct impacts from changes in temperature and rainfall. The degree of impact on saltwater crocodiles will be determined by the interplay between the loss of nesting habitat, which would appear inevitable under current global warming, and the ability to expand into new areas created by the expansion of the tropics.
Third-Party Perceptions of Male and Female Status: Male Physical Strength and Female Physical Attractiveness Cue High Status
Authors: Krems Jaimie Arona , Merrie Laureon A. , Short Victoria , Duarte Krystal , Rodriguez Nina N. , French Juliana E. , Sznycer Daniel , Byrd-Craven Jennifer
Published: April 2022

Status is a universal feature of human sociality. A lesser-studied adaptive problem surrounding status is assessing who has which levels of status in a given group (e.g., identifying which people possess high status). Here, we integrate theory and methods from evolutionary social science, animal behavior, and social psychology, and we use an emotion inference paradigm to investigate what cues render people high status in the eyes of social perceivers. This paradigm relies on robust associations between status and emotion display—particularly the anger display. If a target is expected to enact (but not necessarily feel) anger, this would suggest that social perceivers view that target as higher status. By varying target attributes, we test whether those attributes are considered status cues in the eyes of social perceivers. In two well-powered, pre-registered experiments in the United States (N= 451) and India (N= 378), participants read one of eight vignettes about a male or female target—described as high or low in either physical strength or physical attractiveness (possible status cues)—who is thwarted by another person, and then reported expectations of the target’s felt and enacted anger. We find that people expected physically stronger (versus less strong) men and more (versus less) physically attractive women to enact greater anger when thwarted by a same-sex other. Strength had no significant effect on estimations of female status and attractiveness had no significant effect on estimations of male status. There were no differences in expectations of felt anger. Results suggest that people use men’s strength and women’s attractiveness as status cues. Moreover, results underscore the notion that focusing on male-typical cues of status might obscure our understanding of the female status landscape. We discuss how this paradigm might be fruitfully employed to examine and discover other unexplored cues of male and female status.
Increasing Liana Abundance and Associated Reductions in Tree Growth in Secondary Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest
Authors: Becknell Justin M. , Vargas G. German , Wright Lacey A. , Woods Natalie-Francesca , Medvigy David , Powers Jennifer S.
Published: April 2022

Lianas are thought to be increasing and altering tree growth and ecosystem productivity in tropical forests, but less research has focused on secondary or seasonally dry tropical forest. We report on an 11-year study of tree growth and liana presence from Guanacaste, Costa Rica, where we measured the diameter growth and liana presence on more than 1,700 trees in regenerating forest of different ages. We find that the proportion of trees without lianas is decreasing and the number of trees with lianas occupying more than 10% of tree’s crowns is increasing. We also find that lianas are affecting the diameter growth of trees. The 11-year average relative growth rates of trees with lianas in more than 10% of the tree’s crown are lower than the relative growth of trees with no lianas or lianas in less than 10% of their crown. Year-to-year, tree relative growth rate is related to annual precipitation and tree diameter. However, trees that were heavily infested with lianas (i.e., with lianas in more than 50% of their crowns) had lower relative growth and a weaker precipitation-growth relationship. This work underscores the value of long-term longitudinal data in secondary forest and adds critical data on dry forest liana abundance change.
Dissecting the Role of Immune Checkpoint Regulation Patterns in Tumor Microenvironment and Prognosis of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Zhen Zili , Shen Zhemin , Sun Peilong
Published: April 2022

Many studies suggest that immune checkpoint molecules play a vital role in tumor progression and immune responses. However, the impact of the comprehensive regulation pattern of immune checkpoint molecules on immune responses, tumor microenvironment (TME) formation, and patient prognosis is poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated immune checkpoint regulation patterns in 1,174 gastric cancer (GC) samples based on 31 immune checkpoint genes (ICGs). Three distinct immune checkpoint regulation patterns with significant prognostic differences were ultimately identified. Moreover, GC patients were divided into two subgroups according to immune checkpoint score (ICscore). Patients with lower ICscore were characterized by a favorable prognosis and enhanced immune infiltration as well as an increased tumor mutation burden, non-recurrence, and microsatellite instability-high. Collectively, this study indicated that immune checkpoint regulation patterns were essential to forming the diversity of TME and a better understanding of that will contribute to assessing the characteristics of TME in GC, which intends to improve the development of immunotherapy.
Analysis and Allocation of Cancer-Related Genes Using Vague DNA Sequence Data
Authors: Aslam Muhammad , Albassam Mohammed
Published: April 2022

To test the equality of several independent multinomial distributions, the chi-square test for count data is applied. The existing test can be applied when complete information about the data is available. The complex process, such as DNA count, the existing test under classical statistics may mislead. To overcome the issue, the modification of the chi-square test for multinomial distribution under neutrosophic statistics is presented in this paper. The modified form of the chi-square test statistic under indeterminacy/uncertainty is presented and applied using the DNA count data. From the DNA count data analysis, simulation, and comparative studies, the proposed test is found to be informative, springy, and good as compared with the existing tests.
Moving Beyond DNA Sequence to Improve Plant Stress Responses
Authors: Saeed Faisal , Chaudhry Usman Khalid , Bakhsh Allah , Raza Ali , Saeed Yasir , Bohra Abhishek , Varshney Rajeev K.
Published: April 2022

Plants offer a habitat for a range of interactions to occur among different stress factors. Epigenetics has become the most promising functional genomics tool, with huge potential for improving plant adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses. Advances in plant molecular biology have dramatically changed our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control these interactions, and plant epigenetics has attracted great interest in this context. Accumulating literature substantiates the crucial role of epigenetics in the diversity of plant responses that can be harnessed to accelerate the progress of crop improvement. However, harnessing epigenetics to its full potential will require a thorough understanding of the epigenetic modifications and assessing the functional relevance of these variants. The modern technologies of profiling and engineering plants at genome-wide scale provide new horizons to elucidate how epigenetic modifications occur in plants in response to stress conditions. This review summarizes recent progress on understanding the epigenetic regulation of plant stress responses, methods to detect genome-wide epigenetic modifications, and disentangling their contributions to plant phenotypes from other sources of variations. Key epigenetic mechanisms underlying stress memory are highlighted. Linking plant response with the patterns of epigenetic variations would help devise breeding strategies for improving crop performance under stressed scenarios.
Exploring the Love Triangle of Authoritarianism, Populism, and COVID-19 Through Political Ecology: Time for a Break-Up?
Authors: Gonda Noémi , Prado Córdova José Pablo , Huybrechs Frédéric , Van Hecken Gert T.
Published: April 2022

Authoritarian and populist regimes have used the coronavirus pandemic as another excuse to further push back on democracy. Through the lens of boundary-making, we discuss power processes in pandemic politics of three countries whose governments and power constellations rely on authoritarian and/or populist politics (Hungary, Nicaragua, and Guatemala). Our aim is to envision the conceptual and practical possibilities for breaking up the unhealthy love relationship amid pandemic politics, authoritarianism, and populism, and for ultimately dismantling all three. On the basis of secondary data, personal communications, and our lived experiences, we analyze pandemic politics in authoritarian and populist contexts, exploring their ambiguous and co-constitutive effects through three apparent contradictions. First, we discuss control, or the ways in which the framing of the pandemic by authoritarian and populist regimes as an emergency, a quasi-war situation, or an excuse for political opportunism entails an attempt to justify command-and-control policies upon public behavior, intimate daily life, and subject classification. However, these control measures also bring about contestation through self-quarantine calls, accountability-driven demands of epidemiological data, and/or counter-narratives. Second, we engage with the contradiction of knowledge, by pointing out how authoritarian knowledge politics regarding the pandemic are based on over-centralized decision-making processes, manipulation of epidemiological data, and the silencing of unauthorized voices. Simultaneously, these measures are challenged and resisted by counter-knowledge alternatives on pandemic data and the struggles for subaltern forms of knowledge that could make relevant contributions to public health. Third, we discuss the contradiction of subjectivation processes. Authoritarian regimes make extraordinary efforts to draw a line between those bodies and subjects that deserve state protection and those that do not. In this situation, multiple forms of exclusion intersect and are reinforced based on ethnic, political, national, and gender differences. The manipulation of emotions is crucial in these divisions, often creating “worthy” and “unworthy” subjects. This highlights interconnectedness among vulnerabilities and emphasizes how care and solidarity are important elements in defying authoritarian populism. Finally, we conclude by proposing strategies that would allow political ecology to support prospects of emancipation for social justice, desperately needed in a pandemic-prone foreseeable future.
Multi-Platform Omics Analysis Reveals Molecular Signatures for Pathogenesis and Activity of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Huang Xiaolan , Luu Laurence Don Wai , Jia Nan , Zhu Jia , Fu Jin , Xiao Fei , Liu Chunyan , Li Shengnan , Shu Gaixiu , Hou Jun , Kang Min , Zhang Dan , Xu Yingjie , Wang Yi , Cui Xiaodai , Lai Jianming , Li Jieqiong , Tai Jun
Published: April 2022

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with heterogeneous clinical manifestations and the pathogenesis of SLE is still unclear. Various omics results have been reported for SLE, but the molecular hallmarks of SLE, especially in patients with different disease activity, using an integrated multi-omics approach have not been fully investigated. Here, we collected blood samples from 10 healthy controls (HCs) and 40 SLE patients with different clinical activity including inactive (IA), low activity (LA), and high activity (HA). Using an integrative analysis of proteomic, metabolomic and lipidomic profiles, we report the multi-omics landscape for SLE. The molecular changes suggest that both the complement system and the inflammatory response were activated in SLEs and were associated with disease activity. Additionally, activation of the immunoglobulin mediated immune response were observed in the LA stage of the disease, however this immune response was suppressed slightly in the HA stage. Finally, an imbalance in lipid metabolism, especially in sphingolipid metabolism, accompanied with dysregulated apolipoproteins were observed to contribute to the disease activity of SLE. The multi-omics data presented in this study and the characterization of peripheral blood from SLE patients may thus help provide important clues regarding the pathogenesis of SLE.
Interleukin-17 Links Inflammatory Cross-Talks Between Comorbid Psoriasis and Atherosclerosis
Authors: Wang Yan , Zang Jinxin , Liu Chen , Yan Zhongrui , Shi Dongmei
Published: April 2022

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder that is associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies have shown that psoriasis often coexists with atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of large and medium-sized arteries, which is a major cause of CVD. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying this comorbidity are not fully understood, clinical studies have shown that when interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitors effectively improve psoriatic lesions, atherosclerotic symptoms are also ameliorated in patients with both psoriasis and atherosclerosis. Also, IL-17A levels are highly expressed in the psoriatic lesions and atherosclerotic plaques. These clinical observations implicit that IL-17A could be a crucial link for psoriasis and atherosclerosis and IL-17A-induced inflammatory responses are the major contribution to the pathogenesis of comorbid psoriasis and atherosclerosis. In this review, the current literature related to epidemiology, genetic predisposition, and inflammatory mechanisms of comorbidity of psoriasis and atherosclerosis is summarized. We focus on the immunopathological effects of IL-17A in both diseases. The goal of this review is to provide the theoretical base for future preventing or treating psoriasis patients with atherosclerosis comorbidity. The current evidence support the notion that treatments targeting IL-17 seem to be hold some promise to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriasis.
Inflammatory Immune-Associated eRNA: Mechanisms, Functions and Therapeutic Prospects
Authors: Wan Lilin , Li Wenchao , Meng Yuan , Hou Yue , Chen Ming , Xu Bin
Published: April 2022

The rapid development of multiple high-throughput sequencing technologies has made it possible to explore the critical roles and mechanisms of functional enhancers and enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). The inflammatory immune response, as a fundamental pathological process in infectious diseases, cancers and immune disorders, coordinates the balance between the internal and external environment of the organism. It has been shown that both active enhancers and intranuclear eRNAs are preferentially expressed over inflammation-related genes in response to inflammatory stimuli, suggesting that enhancer transcription events and their products influence the expression and function of inflammatory genes. Therefore, in this review, we summarize and discuss the relevant inflammatory roles and regulatory mechanisms of eRNAs in inflammatory immune cells, non-inflammatory immune cells, inflammatory immune diseases and tumors, and explore the potential therapeutic effects of enhancer inhibitors affecting eRNA production for diseases with inflammatory immune responses.
Neutralizing Dromedary-Derived Nanobodies Against BotI-Like Toxin From the Most Hazardous Scorpion Venom in the Middle East and North Africa Region
Authors: Ben Abderrazek Rahma , Ksouri Ayoub , Idoudi Faten , Dhaouadi Sayda , Hamdi Emna , Vincke Cécile , Farah Azer , Benlasfar Zakaria , Majdoub Hafedh , El Ayeb Mohamed , Muyldermans Serge , Bouhaouala-Zahar Balkiss
Published: April 2022

Scorpion envenoming is a severe health problem in many regions causing significant clinical toxic effects and fatalities. In the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region, Buthidae scorpion stings are responsible for devastating toxic outcomes in human. The only available specific immunotherapeutic treatment is based on IgG fragments of animal origin. To overcome the limitations of classical immunotherapy, we have demonstrated the in vivo efficacy of NbF12-10 bispecific nanobody at preclinical level. Nanobodies were developed against BotI analogues belonging to a distinct structural and antigenic group of scorpion toxins, occurring in the MENA region. From Buthus occitanus tunetanus venom, BotI-like toxin was purified. The 41 N-terminal amino acid residues were sequenced, and the LD50 was estimated at 40 ng/mouse. The BotI-like toxin was used for dromedary immunization. An immune VHH library was constructed, and after screening, two nanobodies were selected with nanomolar and sub-nanomolar affinity and recognizing an overlapping epitope. NbBotI-01 was able to neutralize 50% of the lethal effect of 13 LD50 BotI-like toxins in mice when injected by i.c.v route, whereas NbBotI-17 neutralized 50% of the lethal effect of 7 LD50. Interestingly, NbBotI-01 completely reduced the lethal effect of the 2 LD50 of BotG50 when injected at 1:4 molar ratio excess. More interestingly, an equimolar mixture of NbBotI-01 with NbF12-10 neutralized completely the lethal effect of 7 and 5 LD50 of BotG50 or AahG50, at 1:4 and 1:2 molar ratio, respectively. Hence, NbBotI-01 and NbF12-10 display synergic effects, leading to a novel therapeutic candidate for treating Buthus occitanus scorpion stings in the MENA region.
Bacterioplankton Community Profiling of the Surface Waters of Kuwait
Authors: Ismail Nasra , Almutairi Awatef
Published: April 2022

The marine waters of Kuwait are highly dynamic and strongly influenced by extreme environmental conditions and high levels of anthropogenic activities. This study explored the bacterioplankton community composition and diversity in Kuwait Bay and at four offshore sites close to urbanized coastal areas during two seasons, autumn (October) and spring (April). 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing detected higher bacterial diversity and richness in spring than in autumn. Also, bacterial community beta diversity revealed a significant seasonal partitioning between the two sampling periods but no clear spatial variation could be depicted. Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Flavobacteriia, and Acidimicrobiia dominated the seasonal samples, and SARII clade Ia, SARII clade II, Synechococcus, and SUP05 cluster were among the most abundant taxa in the seasonal samples. However, the strong temporal shift in bacterial community composition was related to Synechococcus abundance. The prevailing physicochemical parameters displayed a significant influence on the bacterioplankton community composition, which was mainly driven by shifts in temperature and nutrient inputs. Furthermore, functional prediction by PICRUSt analysis revealed a relatively stable conserved functional profile in Kuwait’s waters. However, functional genes related to membrane transport were enriched in eutrophic spring waters, while photosynthetic genes were enriched in autumn. Our results provide in-depth insights into the temporal and spatial variations of bacterioplankton dynamics in Kuwait waters and highlight the strong seasonal influence of natural and anthropogenic stressors on their composition and predicted functional capabilities.