bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence and Risk of Hypertension in Cancer Patients Treated With Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Jiang Linhan , Tan Xiaoxia , Li Jun , Li Yaling
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to inform previous clinical assessments to better understand the total risk of hypertension with atezolizumab and bevacizumab (hereafter referred to as “A-B”) in cancer patients, and reduce future incidence of hypertension-related cardiovascular complications.

Methods

Databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant studies, which were retrieved from inception to March 6, 2021. Studies focused on cancer patients treated with A-B that provided data on hypertension were included. Statistical analyses were conducted to calculate hypertension incidence and relative risk (RR) with a random-effects or fixed-effects model, hinging on heterogeneity status.

Results

Ten studies including 2106 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ovarian cancer, anal cancer, neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and cervical cancer were selected for this meta-analysis. For patients treated with A-B, the all-grade and high-grade (grade 3) hypertension incidence were 31.1% (95% CI: 25.5-37.3) and 14.1% (95% CI: 10.9-18.1), respectively. No significant difference was observed in all-grade hypertension incidence between RCC and a non-RCC patients (32.9% [95% CI: 25.3-42.6] v.s. 29.2% [95% CI: 19.7-39.6)]). However, the number of high-grade hypertension incidence in RCC patients (9.4% [95% CI: 4.1-21.3]) was lower than that of non-RCC patients (15.6% [95% CI: 12.8-19.1]). RCC or HCC patients who received the A-B treatment were associated with significantly increased risk of all-grade hypertension with a RR of 7.22 (95% CI: 3.3-15.7; p = 0.6) compared with patients treated with atezolizumab.

Conclusions

Cancer Patients treated with atezolizumab and bevacizumab have a significantly increased risk of hypertension. Sufficient monitoring is highly recommended to prevent the consequences of treatment-induced hypertension and other cardiovascular complications.
Hadrontherapy for Thymic Epithelial Tumors: Implementation in Clinical Practice
Authors: Loap Pierre , Vitolo Viviana , Barcellini Amelia , De Marzi Ludovic , Mirandola Alfredo , Fiore Maria Rosaria , Vischioni Barbara , Jereczek-Fossa Barbara Alicja , Girard Nicolas , Kirova Youlia , Orlandi Ester
Published: October 2021

Radiation therapy is part of recommendations in the adjuvant settings for advanced stage or as exclusive treatment in unresectable thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). However, first-generation techniques delivered substantial radiation doses to critical organs at risk (OARs), such as the heart or the lungs, resulting in noticeable radiation-induced toxicity. Treatment techniques have significantly evolved for TET irradiation, and modern techniques efficiently spare normal surrounding tissues without negative impact on tumor coverage and consequently local control or patient survival. Considering its dosimetric advantages, hadrontherapy (which includes proton therapy and carbon ion therapy) has proved to be worthwhile for TET irradiation in particular for challenging clinical situations such as cardiac tumoral involvement. However, clinical experience for hadrontherapy is still limited and mainly relies on small-size proton therapy studies. This critical review aims to analyze the current status of hadrontherapy for TET irradiation to implement it at a larger scale.
Non-Ablative Chemotherapy Followed by HLA-Mismatched Allogeneic CD3+ T-Cells Infusion Causes An Augment of T-Cells With Mild CRS: A Multi-Centers Single-Arm Prospective Study on Elderly Acute Myeloid Leukemia and int-2/High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patients
Authors: Huang Yan , Hong Minghua , Qu Zhigang , Zheng Weiyan , Hu Huixian , Li Linjie , Lu Ting , Xie Ying , Ying Shuangwei , Zhu Yuanyuan , Liu Lizhen , Huang Weijia , Fu Shan , Chen Jin , Wu Kangli , Liu Mingsuo , Luo Qiulian , Wu Yajun , He Fang , Zhang Jingcheng , Zhang Junyu , Chen Yu , Zhao Minlei , Cai Zhen , Huang He , Sun Jie
Published: October 2021

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of standard or low-dose chemotherapy followed by HLA-mismatched allogeneic T-cell infusion (allo-TLI) for the treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and patients with intermediate-2 to high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Methods

We carried out a prospective, multicenter, single-arm clinical trial. Totally of 25 patients were enrolled, including 17 AML patients and 8 MDS patients. Each patient received four courses of non-ablative chemotherapy, with HLA-mismatched donor CD3+ allo-TLI 24 h after each course. AML patients received chemotherapy with decitabine, idarubicin, and cytarabine, and MDS patients received decitabine, cytarabine, aclarubicin, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Results

A total of 79 procedures were performed. The overall response rates of the AML and MDS patients were 94% and 75% and the 1-year overall survival rates were 88% (61–97%) and 60% (13–88%), respectively. The overall 60-day treatment-related mortality was 8%. Compared with a historical control cohort that received idarubicin plus cytarabine (3 + 7), the study group showed significantly better overall response (94% vs. 50%, P=0.002) and overall survival rates (the 1-year OS rate was 88% vs. 27%, P=0.014). Post-TLI cytokine-release syndrome (CRS) occurred after 79% of allo-TLI operations, and 96% of CRS reactions were grade 1.

Conclusion

Elderly AML patients and intermediate-2 to high-risk MDS patients are usually insensitive to or cannot tolerate regular chemotherapies, and may not have the opportunity to undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Our study showed that non-ablative chemotherapy followed by HLA-mismatched allo-TLI is safe and effective, and may thus be used as a first-line treatment for these patients.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=20112.
Tumor DNA From Tumor In Situ Fluid Reveals Mutation Landscape of Minimal Residual Disease After Glioma Surgery and Risk of Early Recurrence
Authors: Yu Jinliang , Sheng Zhiyuan , Wu Shuang , Gao Yushuai , Yan Zhaoyue , Bu Chaojie , Gu Jianjun , Bu Yage , Deng Kaiyuan , Xu Sensen , Chen Zhongcan , Zhang Qianqian , Zemmar Ajmal , Hernesniemi Juha , Wang Meiyun , Liu Gang , Li Tianxiao , Bu Xingyao
Published: October 2021

The recurrence of glioma is a difficult problem in clinical treatment. The molecular markers of primary tumors after resection cannot fully represent the characteristics of recurrent tumors. Here, abundant tumor DNA was detected in tumor in situ fluid (TISF). We report that TISF-derived tumor DNA (TISF-DNA) can detect genomic changes in recurrent tumors and facilitate recurrence risk analysis, providing valuable information for diagnosis and prognosis. The tumor DNA in TISF is more representative and sensitive than that in cerebrospinal fluid. It reveals the mutational landscape of minimal residual disease after glioma surgery and the risk of early recurrence, contributing to the clinical management and clinical research of glioma patients.
Coumarins and Gastrointestinal Cancer: A New Therapeutic Option?
Authors: Banikazemi Zarrin , Mirazimi Seyed Mohammad , Dashti Fatemeh , Mazandaranian Mohammad Reza , Akbari Maryam , Morshedi Korosh , Aslanbeigi Fatemeh , Rashidian Amir , Chamanara Mohsen , Hamblin Michael R. , Taghizadeh Mohsen , Mirzaei Hamed
Published: October 2021

Cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are often life-threatening malignancies, which can be a severe burden to the health care system. Globally, the mortality rate from gastrointestinal tumors has been increasing due to the lack of adequate diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic measures to combat these tumors. Coumarin is a natural product with remarkable antitumor activity, and it is widely found in various natural plant sources. Researchers have explored coumarin and its related derivatives to investigate their antitumor activity, and the potential molecular mechanisms involved. These mechanisms include hormone antagonists, alkylating agents, inhibitors of angiogenesis, inhibitors of topoisomerase, inducers of apoptosis, agents with antimitotic activity, telomerase inhibitors, inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrase, as well as other potential mechanisms. Consequently, drug design and discovery scientists and medicinal chemists have collaborated to identify new coumarin-related agents in order to produce more effective antitumor drugs against GI cancers. Herein, we summarize the therapeutic effects of coumarin and its derivatives against GI cancer.
Association of Insomnia, Depressive Disorders, and Mood Disorders as Risk Factors With Breast Cancer: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study of 232,108 Women in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Hui-Pu , Wei James Cheng-Chung , Yip Hei-Tung , Yeh Ming-Hsin
Published: October 2021

Background

Insomnia, depressive disorders, and to a more general view, mood disorders are raising people’s concerns and causing disability of life. Herein, we try to seek the association of such illnesses with subsequent breast cancer.

Methods

This population-based, retrospective cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. This study included 232,108 women diagnosed with insomnia, depressive disorders, and mood disorders from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2013. Physician diagnosed insomnia, depressive disorders, or mood disorders using outpatient and inpatient records before diagnosis of breast cancer. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis is adjusted for women with insomnia, depressive disorders, mood disorders, and other factors like insured amount, urbanization, and comorbidities such as having subsequent breast cancer.

Results

Sleep medication was associated with a significantly increased incidence rate of breast cancer (aHR = 1.23 (95% CI = 1.13, 1.35), p < 0.001). Insomnia was associated with significant increased hazard of breast cancer (aHR = 1.16 (95% CI = 1.07, 1.27), p < 0.001). Annual insured amount >20,000 (TWD), high urbanization area, and hyperlipidemia were associated with increased hazard of breast cancer (aHR = 1.13 (95% CI = 1.01, 1.27), p = 0.04; aHR = 1.41 (95% CI = 1.17, 1.71), p < 0.001; aHR = 1.14 995% CI = 1.02, 1.29), p = 0.02, respectively). There was a positive correlation between depressive disorders and increased incidence rate of breast cancer but not statistically significant (aHR = 1.11 (95% CI = 0.99, 1.25), p = 0.08). Mood disorders were not associated with increased hazard (aHR = 1.11 (95% CI = 0.91, 1.34), p = 0.31).

Conclusion

In this study, women with insomnia had increased risk of breast cancer, particularly those in high urbanization or with high insured amounts. Sleep medication (benzodiazepine (BZD) or non-BZD) and hyperlipidemia were independently associated with a higher hazard ratio of breast cancer. Insomnia along with sleep medication did not yield more hazards than each alone. Mood disorders appeared to be not associated with subsequent breast cancer. However, depressive disorders, the subgroups of mood disorders, could possibly increase the incidence rate of breast cancer though not statistically significant.
Radiation Induced Cavernomas in the Treatment of Pediatric Medulloblastoma: Comparative Study Between Proton and Photon Radiation Therapy
Authors: Trybula S. Joy , Youngblood Mark W. , Kemeny Hanna R. , Clark Jeffrey R. , Karras Constantine L. , Hartsell William F. , Tomita Tadanori
Published: October 2021

Radiation induced cavernomas among children with medulloblastoma are common following external beam radiation (XRT) treatment with either photon or proton beams. However, with the increased utilization of proton beam therapy over the last decade we sought to determine if there was any difference in the development or natural history of these cavernous malformations (CM) or CM-like lesions. We performed a retrospective analysis of 79 patients from 2003 to 2019 who had undergone resection of medulloblastoma and subsequent XRT (30 photon or 49 proton beam therapy). The average age of patients at radiation treatment was 8.7 years old. Average follow up for patients who received photon beam therapy was 105 months compared to 56.8 months for proton beam therapy. A total of 68 patients (86.1%) developed post-radiation CMs, including 26 photon and 42 proton patients (86.7% and 85.7% respectively). The time to cavernoma development was significantly different, with a mean of 40.2 months for photon patients and 18.2 months for proton patients (p = 1.98 x 10-4). Three patients, one who received photon and two who received proton beam radiation, required surgical resection of a cavernoma. Although CM or CM-like lesions are detected significantly earlier in patients after receiving proton beam therapy, there appears to be no significant difference between the two radiation therapy modalities in the development of significant CM requiring surgical resection or intervention other than continued follow up and surveillance.
Platelet Count Might Be Associated With the Closure of Hemodynamically Significant Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Authors: Zhong Junyan , Lin Binchun , Fu Yongping , Yu Yanliang , Zhao Jie , Zhao Depeng , Yang Chuanzhong , Chen Xueyu
Published: October 2021

Background: Platelet-rich thrombosis leads to the occlusion of arteries. Whether the association between platelet count and closure of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) exists remains inconclusive. Given that neonatal platelet count is significantly affected by infection, this study aims to evaluate the association of platelet parameters before ibuprofen treatment with the closure of hsPDA in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants without concurrent infection.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the NICU of Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital from January 2016 to August 2020. VLBW infants diagnosed with hsPDA, treated with oral ibuprofen and without concurrent infection were included in this study. The platelet parameters were retrieved from the whole-blood test routinely performed within 24 h before starting treatment of oral ibuprofen. A multiple regression model was built to evaluate the association between platelet parameters before ibuprofen treatment and successful closure of hsPDA.

Results: A total of 129 premature infants with hsPDA were analyzed in this study. After oral ibuprofen treatment, successful closure of hsPDA was achieved in 70 (54.3%) infants. The gestational age at birth and birth weight in infants with successful or failed closure of hsPDA after ibuprofen treatment were 28.3 vs. 27.6 weeks (p = 0.016) and 1,120 vs. 960 g (p = 0.043), respectively. The rate of mechanical ventilation in infants with successful closure of hsPDA was significantly lower compared to those with failed closure of hsPDA, 31.4 vs. 54.2%, p = 0.014. The platelet count in infants with successful closure of hsPDA after ibuprofen treatment was significantly higher compared to those with failed closure of hsPDA, 212 vs. 183 (in a unit of 109/L), respectively (p = 0.024). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a higher platelet count (≥181 × 109/L) before ibuprofen treatment was independently associated with successful closure of hsPDA [odds ratio 2.556, 95% confidence interval (1.101–5.932), p = 0.029].

Conclusion: The findings in this study suggest that a higher platelet count before oral ibuprofen treatment may predict the probability of successful closure of hsPDA in VLBW infants.
Investigation of Angiogenesis and Wound Healing Potential Mechanisms of Zinc Oxide Nanorods
Authors: Hassan Amr , Elebeedy Dalia , Matar Emadeldin R. , Fahmy Mohamed Elsayed Aly , Abd El Maksoud Ahmed I.
Published: October 2021

The angiogenesis process is an essential issue in tissue engineering. Zinc oxide nanorods are biocompatible metals capable of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) that respond to induced angiogenesis through various mechanisms; however, released Zn (II) ions suppress the angiogenesis process. In this study, we fabricated green ZnO nanorods using albumin eggshell as a bio-template and investigate its angiogenic potential through chorioallantoic membrane assay and excision wound healing assay. This study demonstrated that angiogenesis and wound healing processes depend on pro-angiogenic factors as VEGF expression due to ZnO nanorods' exiting. Angiogenesis induced via zinc oxide nanorods may develop sophisticated materials to apply in the wound healing field.
LncRNA NONHSAT114552 Sponges miR-320d to Promote Proliferation and Invasion of Chordoma Through Upregulating NRP1
Authors: Zhang Kai , Liu Zixiang , Tang Yingchuang , Shao Xiaofeng , Hua Xi , Liu Hao , Yang Huilin , Chen Kangwu
Published: October 2021

Chordoma is a relatively rare malignant bone tumor with high local recurrence. To date, the mechanism remains unclear. lncRNAs play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis by acting as competitive endogenous RNAs of microRNAs. However, the biological role of lncRNA is still unclear in chordoma. In this research, our aim is to investigate the roles and regulation mechanisms of lncRNA NONHSAT114552 in chordoma development. The expression level of NONHSAT114552 and miR-320d in chordoma tissues was determined by qRT-PCR. Meantime, the correlation between NONHSAT114552 and clinical prognosis was also studied. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the relationship between NONHSAT114552 and miR-320d, and between miR-320d and Neuropilin 1 (NRP1). In addition, effects of NONHSAT114552 on chordoma cells (U-CH1 and U-CH2) proliferation and invasion and its regulation on miR-320d were also evaluated. Furthermore, the influences of NONHSAT114552/miR-320d/NRP1 axis on chordoma tumorigenesis were investigated in vivo. NONHSAT114552 was overexpressed while miR-320d was down-regulated in chordoma tissue compared to fetal nucleus pulposus. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that NONHSAT114552 overexpression was associated with patients’ poor prognosis. Knockdown of NONHSAT114552 significantly suppressed chordoma cell proliferation and invasion. In vitro studies confirmed that NONHSAT114552 acted as ceRNA to regulate NRP1 by directly sponging miR-320d, thus facilitating chordoma cell proliferation and invasion. In vivo study demonstrated that NONHSAT114552 moderated chordoma growth by sponging miR-320d to regulating NRP1. Our findings indicate that lncRNA NONHSAT114552 exhibits a critical role in the tumorigenesis and development of chordoma and it may become one potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this disease. .
Phase-Aberration Correction in Shear-Wave Elastography Imaging Using Local Speed-of-Sound Adaptive Beamforming
Authors: Chintada Bhaskara R. , Rau Richard , Goksel Orcun
Published: October 2021

Shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) is a non-invasive imaging modality that provides tissue elasticity information by measuring the travelling speed of an induced shear-wave. It is commercially available on clinical ultrasound scanners and popularly used in the diagnosis and staging of liver disease and breast cancer. In conventional SWEI methods, a sequence of acoustic radiation force (ARF) pushes are used for inducing a shear-wave, which is tracked using high frame-rate multi-angle plane wave imaging (MA-PWI) to estimate the shear-wave speed (SWS). Conventionally, these plane waves are beamformed using a constant speed-of-sound (SoS), assuming an a-priori known and homogeneous tissue medium. However, soft tissues are inhomogeneous, with intrinsic SoS variations. In this work, we study the SoS effects and inhomogeneities on SWS estimation, using simulation and phantoms experiments with porcine muscle as an abbarator, and show how these aberrations can be corrected using local speed-of-sound adaptive beamforming. For shear-wave tracking, we compare standard beamform with spatially constant SoS values to software beamforming with locally varying SoS maps. We show that, given SoS aberrations, traditional beamforming using a constant SoS, regardless of the utilized SoS value, introduces a substantial bias in the resulting SWS estimations. Average SWS estimation disparity for the same material was observed over 4.3 times worse when a constant SoS value is used compared to that when a known SoS map is used for beamforming. Such biases are shown to be corrected by using a local SoS map in beamforming, indicating the importance of and the need for local SoS reconstruction techniques.
Reviewing Bioinspired Technologies for Future Trends: A Complex Systems Point of View
Authors: Arena Paolo , Bucolo Maide , Buscarino Arturo , Fortuna Luigi , Frasca Mattia
Published: October 2021

In this contribution, the main guidelines that, in the opinion of the authors, will address bioinspired technologies in the next future are discussed. The topics are related to some specific subjects. The presented perspectives could be useful to remark how bioinspired technologies can be applied to solve every day problems in a low cost and sustainable way. Moreover, all the considerations reported hallmark the need of changing the paradigm to design innovative bionspired systems. Efficient and alternative bioinspired systems cannot be designed by only looking at macroscopic scale as observed in nature. The efforts of this paper are oriented towards providing a wide perspective on bioinspired technologies as complex systems where nonlinear phenomena are fundamental elements.
Numerical Analysis of Effective Permeability of Concrete-Like Material With a Random Three-Phase Mesostructure
Authors: Zhang Shibing , Sun Zhen , Zhou Junli , Yang Bo , Zhang Jiuchang , Cui Zhihao
Published: October 2021

Interfacial transition zone (ITZ) is an important component of a concrete-like material. Accurately simulating the ITZ's characteristics of the concrete-like materials is a difficult process in numerical simulation. This article proposed a random three-phase mesostructural modeling method using the incorporation of random aggregate generation, Minkowski sum theory, and polygon union techniques. It was found that this method can better simulate the mesostructure and ITZ characteristics of concrete-like materials. By using this method, a random three-phase mesostructural model had been built for conducting a finite element analysis to investigate the effective permeability parameters of concrete. A good agreement between numerical and experimental results indicates the feasibility of this method in the concrete-like material analysis.
Functional Profiling Reveals Altered Metabolic Activity in Divers’ Oral Microbiota During Commercial Heliox Saturation Diving
Authors: Monnoyer Roxane , Eftedal Ingrid , Hjelde Astrid , Deb Sanjoy , Haugum Kjersti , Lautridou Jacky
Published: October 2021

Background: The extreme environment in saturation diving affects all life forms, including the bacteria that reside on human skin and mucosa. The oral cavity alone is home to hundreds of different bacteria. In this study, we examined the metabolic activity of oral bacteria from healthy males during commercial heliox saturation diving. We focused on environmentally induced changes that might affect the divers’ health and fitness.

Methods: We performed pathway abundance analysis using PICRUSt2, a bioinformatics software package that uses marker gene data to compute the metabolic activity of microbial communities. The analysis is based on 16S rRNA metagenomic data generated from the oral microbiota of 23 male divers before, during, and after 4weeks of commercial heliox saturation diving. Environmentally induced changes in bacterial metabolism were computed from differences in predicted pathway abundances at baseline before, versus during, and immediately after saturation diving.

Results and Conclusion: The analysis predicted transient changes that were primarily associated with the survival and growth of bacteria in oxygenated environments. There was a relative increase in the abundance of aerobic metabolic pathways and a concomitant decrease in anaerobic metabolic pathways, primarily comprising of energy metabolism, oxidative stress responses, and adenosylcobalamin biosynthesis. Adenosylcobalamin is a bioactive form of vitamin B12 (vitB12), and a reduction in vitB12 biosynthesis may hypothetically affect the divers’ physiology. While host effects of oral bacterial vitamin metabolism are uncertain, this is a finding that concurs with the existing recommendations for vitB12 supplements as part of the divers’ diet, whether to boost antioxidant defenses in bacteria or their host or to improve oxygen transport during saturation diving.
The Glucocorticoid Receptor Polymorphism Landscape in Patients With Diamond Blackfan Anemia Reveals an Association Between Two Clinically Relevant Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Time to Diagnosis
Authors: Lonetti Annalisa , Indio Valentina , Dianzani Irma , Ramenghi Ugo , Da Costa Lydie , Pospíšilová Dagmar , Migliaccio Anna Rita
Published: October 2021

NR3C1, the gene encoding the glucocorticoid receptor, is polymorphic presenting numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) some of which are emerging as leading cause in the variability of manifestation and/or response to glucocorticoids in human diseases. Since 60–80% of patients with Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA), an inherited pure red cell aplasia induced by mutations in ribosomal protein genes became transfusion independent upon treatment with glucocorticoids, we investigated whether clinically relevant NR3C1 SNPs are associated with disease manifestation in DBA. The eight SNPs rs10482605, rs10482616, rs7701443, rs6189/rs6190, rs860457, rs6198, rs6196, and rs33388/rs33389 were investigated in a cohort of 91 European DBA patients. Results were compared with those observed in healthy volunteers (n=37) or present in public genome databases of Italian and European populations. Although, cases vs. control analyses suggest that the frequency of some of the minor alleles is significantly altered in DBA patients with respect to healthy controls or to the Italian or other European registries, lack of consistency among the associations across different sets suggests that overall the frequency of these SNPs in DBA is not different from that of the general population. Demographic data (47 females and 31 males) and driver mutations (44 S and 29 L genes and eight no-known mutation) are known for 81 patients while glucocorticoid response is known, respectively, for 81 (36 responsive and 45 non-responsive) and age of disease onsets for 79 (55 before and 24 after 4months of age) patients. Neither gender nor leading mutations were associated with the minor alleles or with disease manifestation. In addition, none of the SNPs met the threshold in the response vs. non-responsive groups. However, two SNPs (rs6196 and rs860457) were enriched in patients manifesting the disease before 4months of age. Although the exact biomechanistical consequences of these SNPs are unknown, the fact that their configuration is consistent with that of regulatory regions suggests that they regulate changes in glucocorticoid response during ontogeny. This hypothesis was supported by phosphoproteomic profiling of erythroid cells expanded ex vivo indicating that glucocorticoids activate a ribosomal signature in cells from cord blood but not in those from adult blood, possibly providing a compensatory mechanism to the driving mutations observed in DBA before birth.
The Scavenger Function of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells in Health and Disease
Authors: Bhandari Sabin , Larsen Anett Kristin , McCourt Peter , Smedsrød Bård , Sørensen Karen Kristine
Published: October 2021

The aim of this review is to give an outline of the blood clearance function of the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) in health and disease. Lining the hundreds of millions of hepatic sinusoids in the human liver the LSECs are perfectly located to survey the constituents of the blood. These cells are equipped with high-affinity receptors and an intracellular vesicle transport apparatus, enabling a remarkably efficient machinery for removal of large molecules and nanoparticles from the blood, thus contributing importantly to maintain blood and tissue homeostasis. We describe here central aspects of LSEC signature receptors that enable the cells to recognize and internalize blood-borne waste macromolecules at great speed and high capacity. Notably, this blood clearance system is a silent process, in the sense that it usually neither requires or elicits cell activation or immune responses. Most of our knowledge about LSECs arises from studies in animals, of which mouse and rat make up the great majority, and some species differences relevant for extrapolating from animal models to human are discussed. In the last part of the review, we discuss comparative aspects of the LSEC scavenger functions and specialized scavenger endothelial cells (SECs) in other vascular beds and in different vertebrate classes. In conclusion, the activity of LSECs and other SECs prevent exposure of a great number of waste products to the immune system, and molecules with noxious biological activities are effectively “silenced” by the rapid clearance in LSECs. An undesired consequence of this avid scavenging system is unwanted uptake of nanomedicines and biologics in the cells. As the development of this new generation of therapeutics evolves, there will be a sharp increase in the need to understand the clearance function of LSECs in health and disease. There is still a significant knowledge gap in how the LSEC clearance function is affected in liver disease.
Chromosome-Scale Genome and Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis Reveal Transcriptional Regulators of β-Carotene Biosynthesis in Mango
Authors: Ma Xiaowei , Luo Xiang , Wei Yongzan , Bai Tuanhui , Shi Jiangli , Zheng Bing , Xu Wentian , Li Li , Wang Songbiao , Zhang Jisen , Wu Hongxia
Published: October 2021

Mango (2n = 2x = 40) is an important tropical/subtropical evergreen fruit tree grown worldwide and yields nutritionally rich and high-value fruits. Here, a high-quality mango genome (396 Mb, contig N50 = 1.03 Mb) was assembled using the cultivar “Irwin” from Florida, USA. A total of 97.19% of the sequences were anchored to 20 chromosomes, including 36,756 protein-coding genes. We compared the β-carotene content, in two different cultivars (“Irwin” and “Baixiangya”) and growth periods. The variation in β-carotene content mainly affected fruit flesh color. Additionally, transcriptome analysis identified genes related to β-carotene biosynthesis. MiPSY1 was proved to be a key gene regulating β-carotene biosynthesis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis, dual luciferase, and yeast one-hybrid assays confirmed that transcription factors (TFs) MibZIP66 and MibHLH45 activate MiPSY1 transcription by directly binding to the CACGTG motif of the MiPSY1 promoter. However, the two TFs showed no significant synergistic effect on promoter activity. The results of the current study provide a genomic platform for studying the molecular basis of the flesh color of mango fruit.
The Political Consequences of Be(com)ing Mindful. How Mindfulness Might Affect Political Attitudes
Authors: Ramstetter Lena
Published: October 2021

Though research provides ample evidence that mindfulness shapes psychological processes and states that are linked to political attitudes and behavior, political science has so far largely ignored mindfulness as a potential explanatory factor shaping political attitudes and actions. This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the concept of mindfulness and outlines potential linkages between mindfulness and outlines political attitudes. I begin by identifying gaps in the literature on political attitude formation and change as well as its linkage to political behavior. I then introduce mindfulness as a multifaceted concept, discussing its definitional features and unravelling the mechanisms of mindfulness affecting cognitive and emotional abilities. Building on this foundation, I review research on correlates and effects of mindfulness on attitudes and behaviors related to the political domain, such as pro-environmentalism and pro-social behavior. Critically reflecting on extant research on mindfulness, I propose possible research avenues for political science that enhance its dialogue with neuroscience and social psychology.
How Institutional Evaluation Bridges Uncertainty and Happiness: A Study of Young Chinese People
Authors: Wu Ying , Qin Guangqiang , He Chuanyi , Wang Wenying
Published: October 2021

Uncertainty triggers negative psychological responses, while positive institutional evaluations elevate the sense of control in individuals and satisfy their need for structure and order. Data from the 2015 Chinese Social Survey (CSS) (N = 4,605) demonstrated that objective uncertainty negatively predicted the happiness of young people (aged 18–45 years). However, this negative relationship was attenuated among those who evaluated the institutional system (e.g., social security, local government effectiveness, and trust in government) positively; in other words, positive institutional evaluation may have protected people's happiness from the threat of uncertainty. In addition, participants from different age groups evaluated the institutional system differently. The first generation born after the Chinese economic reform, which includes young people born in the 1980s (aged 26–35 years), had unique experiences compared to the preceding (aged 36–45 years, born in the 1970s) and succeeding (aged 18–25 years, born in the 1990s) generations. Among the three age groups, young people born in the 1980s held the least positive evaluation of the institutional system. The institutional evaluation also showed the weakest moderating effect on this group's happiness.
A Mediating Model of Emotional Balance and Procrastination on Academic Performance
Authors: Diotaiuti Pierluigi , Valente Giuseppe , Mancone Stefania , Bellizzi Fernando
Published: October 2021

Deficit in the management of time continues to be an important difficulty students are faced with. The present work aimed to test the hypothesis that self-regulation is the major predictor of academic performance and that this effect can be mediated both by the student’s emotional regulation and his propensity for procrastination. Participants were 450 university students who were administered MPP and AIP. The procedures involved the administration of instruments and the collection of average exam grades as a measure of academic performance. The effect of a specific component of self-regulation on academic performance, namely action orientation, was significant, while procrastination showed a limiting effect on the performative quality of the student. The model confirmed the mediation role of emotional balance on the effect that action orientation exerts on procrastination, and the mediation of procrastination in the relationship between action orientation and Academic Performance. Results of the study suggest focusing on student support and on prevention of procrastinating behavior through programs that enhance first of all student’s proactive attitude, planning skills, self-monitoring and effective/efficient time management, and secondly, emotional awareness and regulation of emotional response in situations of stress and performance anxiety.
I Feel Less Blue When I Read With You: The Effect of Reading Aloud With a Child on Adult Readers’ Affect
Authors: Rabinowitz Sara , Pavlov Christina , Mireku Brianna , Ying Katrina , Zhang Jiaqi , Read Kirsten
Published: October 2021

This study examined the potential benefits of shared reading with a child on adult readers’ mood. In two experiments, young adults were randomly assigned to either read storybooks with a child or to read the same books aloud alone. In both experiments, readers experienced more positive emotions than those who read the story aloud alone. In Experiment 1, the level of interactivity between the reader and child also positively correlated with readers’ experience of positive emotions. In Experiment 2, participants who read with a child aligned their own book preferences with those of the child. Overall, participants preferred the longer and more complex storybook as it gave more opportunities for the reader and child to interact. These findings support the hypothesis that simple read-aloud experiences are not only positive for children, but have the potential to also positively impact the mood of adult readers who share books with a child.
Verbally Highlighting Extrinsic Causes of Novel Social Disparities Helps Children View Low-Status Groups as Structurally Disadvantaged Rather Than Personally Inferior
Authors: Peretz-Lange Rebecca , Muentener Paul
Published: October 2021

As part of their “essentialist” intuitions, young children tend to form personal attributions for observed intergroup differences – attributing them to groups’ intrinsic natures or inborn characteristics. Much research has linked this essentialist view of social groups with prejudiced attitudes. However, less research has explored children’s capacity to form structural attributions for observed intergroup differences – attributing them to groups’ extrinsic circumstances or access to opportunities – or how structural attributions relate to social attitudes. Structural attributions could enable children to view low-status groups as extrinsically disadvantaged rather than intrinsically inferior. We were interested in whether verbally highlighting the extrinsic causes of novel social status disparities could support young children in forming structural attributions for them, thereby mitigating the formation of prejudice toward novel low-status groups. To investigate, we introduced participants (n=106 5- and 6-year olds) to novel social status disparities that could be attributed to either intrinsic or extrinsic causes, and we framed the disparities in either intrinsic, neutral, or extrinsic terms. We then assessed children’s attributions for the disparities (through two measures: explanations and interventions) and their social attitudes toward the groups (through two measures: friendship preferences and prize allocations). Results indicated that participants tended to provide mostly personal attributions overall but that extrinsic framing led them to provide significantly more structural attributions. Extrinsic framing did not significantly impact social attitudes overall, but exploratory analyses revealed that it impacted participants’ friendship preferences in particular. Together, results suggest that verbally highlighting extrinsic causes can disrupt children’s intuitive tendency toward personal attributions, with promising implications for their views of low-status groups.
Patterns of Adaptation in Child-Directed and Child Speech in the Emergence of Hebrew Verbs
Authors: Dattner Elitzur , Levie Ronit , Ravid Dorit , Ashkenazi Orit
Published: October 2021

Children approach verb learning in ways that are specific to their native language, given the differential typological organization of verb morphology and lexical semantics. Parent-child interaction is the arena where children's socio-cognitive abilities enable them to track predictive relationships between tokens and extract linguistic generalizations from patterns and regularities in the ambient language. The current study examines how the system of Hebrew verbs develops as a network over time in early childhood, and the dynamic role of input-output adaptation in the network's increasing complexity. Focus is on the morphological components of Hebrew verbs in a dense corpus of two parent-child dyads in natural interaction between the ages 1;8-2;2. The 91-hour corpus contained 371,547 word tokens, 62,824 verb tokens, and 1,410 verb types (lemmas) in CDS and CS together. Network analysis was employed to explore the changing distributions and emergent systematicity of the relations between verb roots and verb patterns. Taking the Semitic root and pattern morphological constructs to represent linked nodes in a network, findings show that children's networks change with age in terms of node degree and node centrality, representing linkage level and construct importance respectively; and in terms of network density, as representing network growth potential. We put forward three main hypotheses followed by findings concerning (i) changes in verb usage through development, (ii) CS adaptation, and (iii) CDS adaptation: First, we show that children go through punctuated development, expressed by their using individual constructs for short periods of time, whereas parents' patterns of usage are more coherent. Second, regarding CS adaptation within a dynamic network system relative to time and CDS, we conclude that children are attuned to their immediate experience consisting of current CDS usage as well as previous usage in the immediate past. Finally, we show that parents (unintentionally) adapt to their children's language knowledge in three ways: First, by relating to their children's current usage. Second, by expanding on previous experience, building upon the usage their children have already been exposed to. And third, we show that when parents experience a limited network in the speech of their children, they provide them with more opportunities to expand their system in future interactions.
Interventions to Dispel Neuromyths in Educational Settings—A Review
Authors: Rousseau Luc
Published: October 2021

Neuromyths are misconceptions about the brain and learning, for instance Tailoring instruction to students' preferred “learning styles” (e.g., visual, auditory, kinesthetic) promotes learning. Recent reviews indicate that the high prevalence of beliefs in neuromyths among educators did not decline over the past decade. Potential adverse effects of neuromyth beliefs on teaching practices prompted researchers to develop interventions to dispel these misconceptions in educational settings. This paper provides a critical review of current intervention approaches. The following questions are examined: Does neuroscience training protect against neuromyths? Are refutation-based interventions effective at dispelling neuromyths, and are corrective effects enduring in time? Why refutation-based interventions are not enough? Do reduced beliefs in neuromyths translate in the adoption of more evidence-based teaching practices? Are teacher professional development workshops and seminars on the neuroscience of learning effective at instilling neuroscience in the classroom? Challenges, issues, controversies, and research gaps in the field are highlighted, notably the so-called “backfire effect,” the social desirability bias, and the powerful intuitive thinking mode. Future directions are outlined.
The Journey of Business Opportunity Evaluation: When and Why Does Opportunity Novelty Promote Vs. Inhibit Opportunity Adoption?
Authors: Lin Lin , Lin Yanan , Lin Song
Published: October 2021

As a typical characteristic of entrepreneurial opportunities, novelty is essential for firms to establish and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage under the current complex and dynamic business environment. However, why is it that some entrepreneurs adopt novel opportunities but others do not. Little is known about the precise nature of cognitive evaluation for opportunity novelty. Drawing upon information processing theory and construal level theory (CLT), we propose that the effects of opportunity novelty on adoption decisions depend on entrepreneurs' construal level through which information is processed. We design an experiment and find partial support for our hypotheses. Results indicate that entrepreneurs using a low-level construal perceive more risk for opportunity novelty, which in turn decreases the possibility of opportunity adoption. Meanwhile, opportunity novelty also positively influences entrepreneurs' creativity perception, which in turn increases the possibility of opportunity adoption. But construal level does not play any role in this evaluation path. Taken together, the findings improve our understanding of “how entrepreneurs evaluate an opportunity based on its objective characteristics” by providing empirical insights into the cognitive information processing process from opportunity novelty to adoption. Additionally, we discuss implications for entrepreneurial practice and future research.
Meta-Accuracy of Very First Impressions: A Mini Review
Authors: Tsankova Elena , Tair Ergyul
Published: October 2021

The meta-accuracy of first impressions (i.e., how accurately one understands others’ perception of oneself) can be conceptualized and measured in various ways. In order to reduce conceptual and methodological overwhelm, facilitate understanding of the topic, and stimulate future work in the field, we conducted a brief introductory literature review on the meta-accuracy of first impressions. Following a definitions-and-methodology-focused overview of the historical development of the topic, we present comparative synthesis and analysis of the key conceptualization and measurement methods used to study the meta-accuracy of first impressions. We also summarize the central research themes and types of stimuli that have been studied in relation to the meta-accuracy of first impressions. Finally, we make several suggestions for further research that could be beneficial to the future development and expansion of the field.
Conspiratorial Beliefs and Cognitive Styles: An Integrated Look on Analytic Thinking, Critical Thinking, and Scientific Reasoning in Relation to (Dis)trust in Conspiracy Theories
Authors: Gjoneska Biljana
Published: October 2021

The tendency to believe in conspiracy theories (implying secret and malevolent plots by scheming groups or individuals), incites growing decennial interest among psychological researchers (exploring the associated personality traits, worldviews and cognitive styles of people). The link between the conspiratorial beliefs and the cognitive styles remains of particular interest to scholars, requiring integrated theoretical considerations. This perspective article will focus on the relationship between the propensity to (dis)trust conspiracy theories and three cognitive styles: analytic thinking, critical thinking, and scientific reasoning. Analytic thinking (inclination toward slow and deliberate processing of information in a conscious effort to mitigate biases and reach objective understanding of facts), is a well-studied concept in the context of conspiratorial beliefs, while the negative mutual relationship seems well-evidenced. On the other hand, the evidence on the link with the critical thinking (readiness to consider, reason, appraise, review, and interpret facts to update existing beliefs) has only started to emerge in the last years. Finally, scientific reasoning (ability to apply principles of scientific inquiry to formulate, test, revise and update knowledge in accordance with new evidence), is the least studied of the three cognitive styles in relation to conspiracy theories. The present article will: (a) revise the (lack of) scientific consensus on the definitional and conceptual aspects (by providing theoretical framework); (b) summarize the state of the art on the subject (by providing overview of empirical evidence); (c) discuss directions for future research (especially in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic). An integrated perspective on the relationship between conspiratorial beliefs and cognitive styles of people, may serve to inspire future behavioral interventions.