bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sequence-structure functional implications and molecular simulation of high deleterious nonsynonymous substitutions in IDH1 revealed the mechanism of drug resistance in glioma
Authors: Suleman Muhammad , Umme-I-Hani Syeda , Salman Muhammad , Aljuaid Mohammed , Khan Abbas , Iqbal Arshad , Hussain Zahid , Ali Syed Shujait , Ali Liaqat , Sher Hassan , Waheed Yasir , Wei Dong-Qing
Published: September 2022

In the past few years, various somatic point mutations of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) encoding genes (IDH1 and IDH2) have been identified in a broad range of cancers, including glioma. Despite the important function of IDH1 in tumorigenesis and its very polymorphic nature, it is not yet clear how different nsSNPs affect the structure and function of IDH1. In the present study, we employed different machine learning algorithms to screen nsSNPs in the IDH1 gene that are highly deleterious. From a total of 207 SNPs, all of the servers classified 80 mutations as deleterious. Among the 80 deleterious mutations, 14 were reported to be highly destabilizing using structure-based prediction methods. Three highly destabilizing mutations G15E, W92G, and I333S were further subjected to molecular docking and simulation validation. The docking results and molecular simulation analysis further displayed variation in dynamics features. The results from molecular docking and binding free energy demonstrated reduced binding of the drug in contrast to the wild type. This, consequently, shows the impact of these deleterious substitutions on the binding of the small molecule. PCA (principal component analysis) and FEL (free energy landscape) analysis revealed that these mutations had caused different arrangements to bind small molecules than the wild type where the total internal motion is decreased, thus consequently producing minimal binding effects. This study is the first extensive in silico analysis of the IDH1 gene that can narrow down the candidate mutations for further validation and targeting for therapeutic purposes.
WZB117 enhanced the anti-tumor effect of apatinib against melanoma via blocking STAT3/PKM2 axis
Authors: Zhang Ren-Shu , Li Zhi-Ke , Liu Jie , Deng Yao-Tiao , Jiang Yu
Published: September 2022

Background: Melanoma is the most lethal skin malignant tumor with a short survival once stepping into the metastatic status and poses a therapeutic challenge. Apatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) is a promising antiangiogenic agent for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, antiangiogenic monotherapy is prone to acquired drug resistance and has a limited therapeutic effect. The persistence dependence of glycolytic metabolism in antiangiogenic therapy-resistant cells provides evidence that glycolysis inhibitors may enhance the effect of antiangiogenic therapy. So, this study aimed to investigate whether WZB117 (a specific GLUT1 inhibitor) could enhance the anti-tumor effect of apatinib against melanoma and its potential mechanisms.

Methods: We investigated the anti-tumor effects of apatinib alone or in combination with WZB117 on human melanoma cell lines (A375 and SK-MEL-28). The MTT assay determined cell viability and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Multiple drug effect/combination indexes (CI) analysis was conducted to assess interactions between apatinib and WZB117. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway measured by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. RNA expression analyses were performed using the reverse transcription-quantitative PCR method.

Results: Apatinib and WZB117 showed dose and time-dependent growth inhibitory effects in both melanoma cells. The IC50 of apatinib at 48 h in A375 and SK-MEL-28 cells was 62.58 and 59.61 μM, respectively, while the IC50 of WZB117 was 116.85 and 113.91 μM, respectively. The CI values of the two drugs were 0.538 and 0.544, respectively, indicating a synergistic effect of apatinib combined with WZB117. We also found that glucose consumption and lactate production were suppressed by apatinib plus WZB117 in a dose-dependent manner, paralleled by reducing glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2). The potential mechanism of the combination was to suppress the phosphorylation of STAT3. Knockdown of STAT3 by siRNA inhibited the expression of PKM2, while the activation of STAT3 by IL-6 increased the expression of PKM2. The effects of IL-6 were attenuated by apatinib combined with WZB117 treatment.

Conclusion: WZB117 enhanced the anti-tumor effect of apatinib against melanoma via modulating glycolysis by blocking the STAT3/PKM2 axis, which suggested the combination of apatinib with WZB117 could be a potential therapeutic candidate for melanoma.
Dose- and time-dependent manners of moxifloxacin induced liver injury by targeted metabolomics study
Authors: Hu Ting , Sun Yuan , An Zhuoling
Published: September 2022

Moxifloxacin is the most widely prescribed antibiotics due to its excellent oral bioavailability and broad-spectrum antibacterial effect. Despite of its popularity, the rare and severe liver injury induced by moxifloxacin is a big concern that cannot be ignored in clinical practice. However, the early warning and related metabolic disturbances of moxifloxacin induced hepatoxicity were rarely reported. In this study, the dose- and time-dependent manners of moxifloxacin induced liver injury were investigated by a targeted metabolomics method. In dose-dependent experiment, three different dosages of moxifloxacin were administered to the rats, including 36 mg kg−1 d−1, 72 mg kg−1 d−1, and 108 mg kg−1 d−1. In time-dependent experiment, moxifloxacin was orally administered to the rats for 3, 7 or 14 consecutive days. Pathological analysis showed that moxifloxacin caused obvious transient hepatotoxicity, with the most serious liver injury occurred in the 7 days continuous administration group. The transient liver injury can be automatically restored over time. Serum levels of liver function related biochemical indicators, including ALT, AST, TBIL, alkaline phosphatase, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde, were also measured for the evaluation of liver injury. However, these indicators can hardly be used for the early warning of hepatotoxicity caused by moxifloxacin due to their limited sensitivity and significant hysteresis. Targeted metabolomics study demonstrated that serum concentrations of fatty acyl carnitines, fatty acids and dehydroepiandrosterone can change dynamically with the severity of moxifloxacin related liver injury. The elevated serum levels of fatty acyl carnitine, fatty acid and dehydroepiandrosterone were promising in predicting the hepatotoxicity induced by moxifloxacin.
Different responses of skeletal muscles to femoral artery ligation-induced ischemia identified in BABL/c and C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Tu Huiyin , Qian Junliang , Zhang Dongze , Barksdale Aaron N. , Wadman Michael C. , Pipinos Iraklis I. , Li Yu-Long
Published: September 2022

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common circulatory problem in lower extremities, and the murine ischemic model is used to reproduce human PAD. To compare strain differences of skeletal muscle responses to ischemia, the left femoral artery was blocked by ligation to reduce blood flow to the limb of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. After 6 weeks of the femoral artery ligation, the functional and morphological changes of the gastrocnemius muscle were evaluated. BALB/c mice displayed serious muscular dystrophy, including smaller myofibers (524.3 ± 66 µM2), accumulation of adipose-liked tissue (17.8 ± 0.9%), and fibrosis (6.0 ± 0.5%), compared to C57BL/6 mice (1,328.3 ± 76.3 µM2, 0.27 ± 0.09%, and 1.56 ± 0.06%, respectively; p < 0.05). About neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in the gastrocnemius muscle, 6 weeks of the femoral artery ligation induced more damage in BALB/c mice than that in C57BL/6 mice, demonstrated by the fragment number of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) clusters (8.8 ± 1.3 in BALB/c vs. 2.5 ± 0.7 in C57BL/6 mice, p < 0.05) and amplitude of sciatic nerve stimulated-endplate potentials (EPPs) (9.29 ± 1.34 mV in BALB/c vs. 20.28 ± 1.42 mV in C57BL/6 mice, p < 0.05). More importantly, 6 weeks of the femoral artery ligation significantly weakened sciatic nerve-stimulated skeletal muscle contraction in BALB/c mice, whereas it didn’t alter the skeletal muscle contraction in C57BL/6 mice. These results suggest that the femoral artery ligation in BALB/c mice is a useful animal model to develop new therapeutic approaches to improve limb structure and function in PAD, although the mechanisms about strain differences of skeletal muscle responses to ischemia are unclear.
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular responses to urodynamics testing after spinal cord injury: The influence of autonomic injury
Authors: Sahota Inderjeet S. , Lucci Vera-Ellen M. , McGrath Maureen S. , Ravensbergen H. J. C. (Rianne) , Claydon Victoria E.
Published: September 2022

Autonomic dysfunction is a prominent concern following spinal cord injury (SCI). In particular, autonomic dysreflexia (AD; paroxysmal hypertension and concurrent bradycardia in response to sensory stimuli below the level of injury) is common in autonomically-complete injuries at or above T6. AD is currently defined as a >20 mmHg increase in systolic arterial pressure (SAP) from baseline, without heart rate (HR) criteria. Urodynamics testing (UDS) is performed routinely after SCI to monitor urological sequelae, often provoking AD. We, therefore, aimed to assess the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular responses to UDS and their association with autonomic injury in individuals with chronic (>1 year) SCI. Following blood draw (plasma norepinephrine [NE]), continuous SAP, HR, and middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCAv) were recorded at baseline (10-minute supine), during standard clinical UDS, and recovery (10-minute supine) (n = 22, age 41.1 ± 2 years, 15 male). Low frequency variability in systolic arterial pressure (LF SAP; a marker of sympathetic modulation of blood pressure) and cerebral resistance were determined. High-level injury (≥T6) with blunted/absent LF SAP (<1.0 mmHg2) and/or low plasma NE (<0.56 nmol•L−1) indicated autonomically-complete injury. Known electrocardiographic markers of atrial (p-wave duration variability) and ventricular arrhythmia (T-peak–T-end variability) were evaluated at baseline and during UDS. Nine participants were determined as autonomically-complete, yet 20 participants had increased SAP >20 mmHg during UDS. Qualitative autonomic assessment did not discriminate autonomic injury. Maximum SAP was higher in autonomically-complete injuries (207.1 ± 2.3 mmHg) than autonomically-incomplete injuries (165.9 ± 5.3 mmHg) during UDS (p < 0.001). HR during UDS was reduced compared to baseline (p = 0.056) and recovery (p = 0.048) only in autonomically-complete lesions. MCAv was not different between groups or phases (all p > 0.05). Cerebrovascular resistance index was increased during UDS in autonomically-complete injuries compared to baseline (p < 0.001) and recovery (p < 0.001) reflecting intact cerebral autoregulation. Risk for both atrial and ventricular arrhythmia increased during UDS compared to baseline (p < 0.05), particularly in autonomically-complete injuries (p < 0.05). UDS is recommended yearly in chronic SCI but is associated with profound AD and an increased risk of arrhythmia, highlighting the need for continued monitoring during UDS. Our data also highlight the need for HR criteria in the definition of AD and the need for quantitative consideration of autonomic function after SCI.
Sublethal impacts of essential plant oils on biochemical and ecological parameters of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii
Authors: Ghasemzadeh Somayyeh , Messelink Gerben J. , Avila Gonzalo A. , Zhang Yongjun
Published: September 2022

The generalist predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii is a widely used natural enemy of phytophagous pests. Due to the negative effects of conventional pesticides on non-target organisms, the development of selective natural and eco-friendly pesticides, such as essential plant oils, are useful pest control tools to use in synergy with biological control agents. Essential oils of Nepeta crispa, Satureja hortensis, and Anethum graveolens showed promising results to control Tetranychus urticae. Hence an experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of these essential oils on the biochemical and demographic parameters of A. swirskii. A significant reduction of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein contents of oil-treated predatory mites was observed. However, essential oils of S. hortensis and A. graveolens had no effect on lipid reserves. The glutathione S-transferase activity of A. swirskii was influenced by A. graveolens oil treatment. In addition, the enzyme activity of the α-esterases was elevated by all treatments. The essential oils showed no effect on β-esterases activity compared to the control treatment. None of the concentrations of the different tested oils affected the population growth parameters of A. swirskii. However, a significant reduction was observed in oviposition time and total fecundity of predatory mites. A population projection predicted the efficacy of predatory mites will likely be decreased when expose to the essential oils; however, population growth in the S. hortensis treatment was faster than in the other two treatments not including the control. The results presented in this study may have critical implications for integrated pest management (IPM) programs. However, our observations show that using the tested essential plant oils requires some caution when considered as alternatives to synthetic pesticides, and in combination with A. swirskii. Semi-field and field studies are still required to evaluate the effects on T. urticae and A. swirskii of the essential oils tested in this study, before incorporating them into IPM strategies.
The alteration from agricultural to nomadic regimes resulted in human livelihood transformation in North-Central China during the 12th century: The archaeobotanical evidence
Authors: Li Ruo , Li Bing , Chen Wei , Liu Peilun , Xie Mingxia , Zhang Yunqing , Wang Sai , Li Yuecong , Dong Guanghui
Published: September 2022

Human livelihoods provided a crucial economic foundation for social development in ancient times and were influenced by various factors including environmental change, agricultural origin and intensification, as well as long-distance exchange and culinary tradition. The effect of geopolitical change on human subsistence, especially the shifts between agricultural and nomadic regimes, has not been well understood due to the absence of detailed historical records and archaeological evidence. During the 12th century, the control of the Zhengding area in Hebei Province of north-central China changed from the Northern Song (960–1127 CE) to the Jurchen Jin Dynasty (Jin Dynasty; 1115–1234 CE). Recent excavation of the Zhengding Kaiyuan Temple South (ZKS) site in the area provides a rare opportunity to study human livelihood transformation in relation to geopolitical change. In total, 21,588 charred crop caryopses including foxtail millet, wheat, broomcorn millet, hulled barley, and rice, and other carbonized remains including 55.15 g of boiled foxtail millet and 353.5 g of foxtail millet caryopses were identified, and nine AMS 14C dates of crop remains were obtained from the Northern Song and Jin layers at the ZKS site. This revealed that the dominant plant subsistence transformed from wheat to foxtail millet during the change from the Northern Song to the Jin Dynasties in Zhengding area. By comparing with historical documents and paleoclimate records, we propose that this abnormal shift of primary staple food from the relatively high-yield wheat to low-yield foxtail millet was induced by the traditional dietary preference for foxtail millet in the nomadic Jin society. The Jin government levied foxtail millet as taxation and promoted massive immigration from northeastern China to north-central China to consolidate their rule, which resulted in the adoption of foxtail millet as the most important crop in Zhengding area. The advantage for the cultivation of this frost-sensitive crop in north-central China over northeast China was probably enhanced by notable cold events during the 12th century, while the primary influencing factor for the transformation of human livelihoods in north-central China during that period was geopolitics rather than climate change.
An investigation of multicultural personality traits of EFL learners in English as a medium of instruction setting: The case of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alghizzi Talal Musaed , Alshahrani Tahani Munahi
Published: September 2022

Many studies have investigated the effect of multilingualism on improving personality traits, namely cultural empathy, open-mindedness, flexibility, emotional stability, and social initiative of international students, or students in an international degree program. However, few studies have examined such an issue for EFL learners as they further their academic levels in English as a medium of instruction (EMI) setting. The main tool used in this exploratory descriptive study was the short version (40 items) of the multicultural personality questionnaire (MPQ) that was developed by Van der Zee et al. Five hundred and seventy-seven Saudi female EFL undergraduates participated voluntarily across various academic levels (1–8), as well as recently graduated students; all of whom were exposed to various amounts of EMI. Prior to the study and before administering the questionnaire, the IELTS test was used to measure language proficiency of EFL learners to make sure that the collected data of the MPQ were analyzed statistically to generate means and standard deviations. The results of ANOVA test revealed that not only did all participants improved in cultural empathy followed by open-mindedness, but their improvement of the other dimensions of flexibility, social initiative, and emotional stability appeared to be randomly similar between only two or three groups of academic levels. The results also showed that there was no gradual sequence of developments or deterioration of any multicultural personality dimensions as students advanced in their academic levels or as a result of getting exposed to various amounts of EMI. Finally, this research provides some implications related to widening the scope of the study for further research such as comparing trilingual and bilingual learners and modifying the diagnostic ability of the MPQ.
The effects of transformational leadership dimensions on employee performance in the hospitality industry in Malaysia
Authors: Teoh Brenda Ern Wei , Wider Walton , Saad Abidah , Sam Toong Hai , Vasudevan Asokan , Lajuma Surianti
Published: September 2022

Employee performance plays a crucial role in the productivity of organizations, especially in the hospitality industry in Malaysia. This work performance is influenced by leadership style, and finding the type of leadership style that is suitable to apply to employees is crucial, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Transformational leadership theory is selected for this study in determining leadership styles. There are four dimensions under transformational leadership theory, namely idealized influence, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation. Data were collected online from 400 employees working in the hospitality industry in Malaysia and analyzed using partial least square structure equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that only two dimensions of transformational leadership, namely idealized influence and inspirational motivation, have a significant positive influence on employee performance. Implications in the context of human resource management and recommendations to increase employee performance are also discussed.
Advancing the debate on hotel employees’ environmental psychology by promoting energy-saving behavior in a corporate social responsibility framework
Authors: Yang Long , Cherian Jacob , Sial Muhammad Safdar , Samad Sarminah , Yu Jongsik , Kim Youngbae , Han Heesup
Published: September 2022

Considering the vulnerable climatic conditions in most parts of the planet, a successful transition toward a carbon-free future is a critical challenge worldwide. In this respect, around 35% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emission (GHG) is associated with the power sector (especially electrical energy). To this end, a vast of electrical energy has been used by the people in buildings. Specifically, a significant amount of energy in buildings is used for heating, cooling, and ventilation. While the available literature highlights the importance of neat, clean, and green electrical energy for the decarbonization of society, a critical gap exists in such literature. That is, most of the literature under this stream deals with the supply side (production) of electrical energy, while the demand side (consumption at an individual level) was neglected. To bridge this critical knowledge gap, this study investigates how the CSR engagement of a hotel organization can promote the energy-related pro-environmental behavior (ERPEB) among the employees with the intervening effect of employees’ environmental commitment (EMEC) and Green intrinsic motivation (GRIM). Further, the conditional indirect role of altruistic values was also tested in this study. The data were collected from different hotel employees in Pakistan with the help of a self-administered questionnaire. We tested the hypothesized relationship through structural equation modeling (SEM). The results confirmed that CSR can be a potential motivator to impact the ERPEB of employees, while EMEC and GRIM mediated this relationship significantly. The findings of this study also confirmed the conditional indirect role of altruistic values. These findings offer various theoretical and practical contributions which are conversed in detail.
Prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress in war- and conflict-afflicted areas: A meta-analysis
Authors: Lim Isis Claire Z. Y. , Tam Wilson W. S. , Chudzicka-Czupała Agata , McIntyre Roger S. , Teopiz Kayla M. , Ho Roger C. , Ho Cyrus S. H.
Published: September 2022

Background

With the rise of fragility, conflict and violence (FCV), understanding the prevalence and risk factors associated with mental disorders is beneficial to direct aid to vulnerable groups. To better understand mental disorders depending on the population and the timeframe, we performed a systematic review to investigate the aggregate prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms among both civilian and military population exposed to war.

Methods

We used MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Embase to identify studies published from inception or 1–Jan, 1945 (whichever earlier), to 31–May, 2022, to reporting on the prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms using structured clinical interviews and validated questionnaires as well as variables known to be associated with prevalence to perform meta-regression. We then used random-effects bivariate meta-analysis models to estimate the aggregate prevalence rate.

Results

The aggregate prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress during times of conflict or war were 28.9, 30.7, and 23.5%, respectively. Our results indicate a significant difference in the levels of depression and anxiety, but not post-traumatic stress, between the civilian group and the military group respectively (depression 34.7 vs 21.1%, p < 0.001; anxiety 38.6 vs 16.2%, p < 0.001; post-traumatic stress: 25.7 vs 21.3%, p = 0.256). The aggregate prevalence of depression during the wars was 38.7% (95% CI: 30.0–48.3, I2 = 98.1%), while the aggregate prevalence of depression post-wars was 29.1% (95% CI: 24.7–33.9, I2 = 99.2%). The aggregate prevalence of anxiety during the wars was 43.4% (95% CI: 27.5–60.7, I2 = 98.6%), while the aggregate prevalence of anxiety post-wars was 30.3% (95% CI: 24.5–36.9, I2 = 99.2%). The subgroup analysis showed significant difference in prevalence of depression, and anxiety between the civilians and military group (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The aggregate prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress in populations experiencing FCV are 28.9, 30.7, and 23.5%, respectively. There is a significant difference in prevalence of depression and anxiety between civilians and the military personnels. Our results show that there is a significant difference in the prevalence of depression and anxiety among individuals in areas affected by FCV during the wars compared to after the wars. Overall, these results highlight that mental health in times of conflict is a public health issue that cannot be ignored, and that appropriate aid made available to at risk populations can reduce the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms during time of FCV.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=337486, Identifier 337486.
Acceptance of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines among healthcare workers: A meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Linlin , Wang Ye , Cheng Xianbin , Li Xingzhao , Yang Yanyan , Li Jun
Published: September 2022

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed increasing challenges to global health systems. Vaccination against COVID-19 can effectively prevent the public, particularly healthcare workers (HCWs), from being infected by this disease.

Objectives

We aim to understand the factors influencing HCWs' acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science to collect literature published before May 15, 2022, about HCWs' acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. The Newcastle–Ottawa quality assessment scale was used to assess the risk of bias and the quality of the included studies. We utilized Stata 14.0 software for this meta-analysis with a random-effects model, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. This meta-analysis was conducted in alignment with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guideline.

Results

Our meta-analysis included 71 articles with 93,508 HCWs involved. The research showed that the acceptance of vaccines had significantly increased among HCWs compared to non-HCWs (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.16–3.12). A willingness to undergo COVID-19 vaccination was observed in 66% (95% CI: 0.61–0.67) of HCWs. Among the HCWs involved, doctors showed a generally increased intention to be vaccinated compared with nurses (OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.71–2.89). Additionally, males were found to hold more positive attitudes toward vaccination than females (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.55–2.12). When the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines was improved, the vaccination acceptance of HCWs was greatly increased accordingly (OR = 5.03, 95% CI: 2.77–9.11). The HCWs who were willing to vaccinate against seasonal influenza showed an increased acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines (OR = 3.52, 95% CI: 2.34–5.28). Our study also showed that HCWs who were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 experienced a reduced rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.66–0.92).

Conclusions

Our analysis revealed that the five factors of occupation, gender, vaccine effectiveness, seasonal influenza vaccines, and SARS-CoV-2 infection presumably affected the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among HCWs. It is essential to boost the confidence of HCWs in COVID-19 vaccines for the containment of the epidemic.
Inequalities in access to community-based diabetes examination and its impact on healthcare utilization among middle-aged and older adults with diabetes in China
Authors: Deng Qingwen , Wei Yan , Chen Yingyao
Published: September 2022

Globally, diabetes and its complications are becoming one of the leading challenges in health governance. As health inequalities and primary care services related to diabetes are gaining traction, the status of community-based diabetes examination largely remains unclear in the literature. This study aims to investigate inequalities in access to community-based diabetes examination among people with diabetes and to analyze its impact on healthcare utilization. Data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were applied, and a total of 767 patients with diabetes were included. Inequalities in community-based diabetes examination were illustrated by the concentration curve and normalized concentration index. Propensity score matching (PSM) were used to identify the impact of community-based diabetes examination on outpatient and inpatient care utilization. We found that community-based diabetes examination was accessible to 23.08% of the respondents, of which 76.84% were free, and the highest frequency was 2–6 times per year, accounting for 47.46%. Community-based diabetes examinations were more concentrated among people with poorer-economic condition (95% confidence interval, 95%CI = −0.104, p = 0.0035), lower-education level (95%CI = −0.092, p = 0.0129), and less-developed areas (95%CI = −0.103, p = 0.0007). PSM analyses showed that community-based diabetes examination increased the utilization of outpatient care (odds ratio, OR = 1.989, 95%CI = 1.156–3.974) and decreased the use of inpatient care (OR = 0.544, 95%CI = 0.325–0.909), and the sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. This study is the first to examine the status and inequalities of community-based regular diabetes examination and its effect on the likelihood of healthcare utilization among patients with diabetes. The findings suggest that the overall level of community-based diabetes examination is low, and there are pro-socioeconomically disadvantaged inequalities. The value of community-based diabetes examination should be recognized to help person with diabetes face up to their health needs for better disease control and health promotion.
Cost of health inequality to the NHS in Wales
Authors: Kadel Rajendra , Allen James , Darlington Oliver , Masters Rebecca , Collins Brendan , Charles Joanna M. , Asaria Miqdad , Dyakova Mariana , Bellis Mark , Cookson Richard
Published: September 2022

Background

Forty years from the seminal work of Welsh GP Julian Tudor Hart on the Inverse Care Law, inequalities in health and healthcare remain deeply embedded in Wales. There is a wider gap (over 17 years) in healthy life expectancy between people living in the most and least deprived neighborhoods in Wales. This health inequality is reflected in additional healthcare use. In this study we estimate the cost of inequality associated with this additional healthcare use to the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS) in Wales.

Methods

We retrieved administrative data on all NHS inpatient admissions, outpatient and accident and emergency attendances in Wales between April 2018 and March 2019 from Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW). Hospital service use data were translated to costs using Healthcare Resource Group (HRG) and health service specific unit cost data and linked with area level mid-year population and deprivation indices in order to calculate the healthcare costs associated with socioeconomics deprivation.

Results

Inequality in healthcare use between people from more and less deprived neighborhoods was associated with an additional cost of £322 million per year to the NHS in Wales, accounting for 8.7% of total NHS hospital expenditure in the country. Emergency inpatient admissions made up by far the largest component of this additional cost contributing £247.4 million, 77% of the total. There are also substantial costs of inequality for A&E attendances and outpatient visits, though not maternity services. Elective admissions overall have a negative cost of inequality, since among men aged 50–75 and women aged 60–70, elective utilization is actually negatively associated with deprivation.

Conclusion

There are wide inequalities in health and healthcare use between people living in more deprived neighborhoods and those living in less deprived neighborhoods in Wales. Tackling health inequality through a combination of health promotion and early intervention policies targeted toward deprived communities could yield substantial improvement in health and wellbeing, as well as savings for the Welsh NHS through reduced use of emergency hospital care.
SARS-CoV-2 infection among employees working from home and on site: An occupational study in Switzerland
Authors: Schmid Alexia , Anker Daniela , Dubois Julie , Bureau-Franz Isabelle , Piccardi Nathalie , Colombo Mottaz Sara , Cullati Stéphane , Chiolero Arnaud , Rodondi Pierre-Yves
Published: September 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies implemented working from home to mitigate the spread of the disease among their employees. Using data from Corona Immunitas Nestlé, a seroepidemiological study conducted among employees from two Nestlé sites in Switzerland, we aimed to investigate whether there was a difference in SARS-CoV-2 infection rates between employees working most of the time from home and employees mobilized in a workplace equipped with a specialized occupational safety unit and strict sanitary measures. We also investigated whether this association was modified by household size, living with children, vulnerability, worries about an infection, and worries about adverse health consequences if infected. Data were collected between 8 December 2020, and 11 February 2021. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infections were ascertained by the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the blood. Of the 425 employees included (53% women; mean age 42 years ranging between 21 and 64 years), 37% worked most of the time from home in 2020 and 16% had been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Participants who worked most of the time from home in 2020 had slightly higher odds of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to participants who never or only sometimes worked from home (adjusted OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.73–2.27). The association was stronger in participants living alone or with one other person (adjusted OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.13–6.25). Among participants living with two or more other persons (adjusted OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.30–1.39) and among vulnerable participants (adjusted OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.13–1.93), working from home tended to be associated with lower odds of infection. In conclusion, in a context of strict sanitary measures implemented in the workplace, employees working from home did not seem to be at lower risk of infection compared to those working on site, especially if living alone or with one other person.
Production of microalgae-derived exo-polygalacturonase for fruit juice clarification
Authors: Uzuner Sibel , Evrendilek Gulsun Akdemir , Kurhan Sebnem
Published: September 2022

Due to the growing demand for commercial enzymes derived from renewable and sustainable resources with higher efficacy, algal biomass has gained more attention. Thus, the production of exo-polygalacturonase (PGase) from Bacillus subtilis under submerged fermentation (SmF) using algal feedstocks as a carbon source in fermentation medium and its potential use for the clarification of apple and carrot juices with the optimization of the enzyme loading, pH, and time using Box–Behnken response surface methodology (RSM) were prompted. The maximum PGase activity of 510.61 ± 7.86 U/L was achieved at pH 5.0 after 48 h at 40°C using 0.5% (w/v) pectin, 0.1% (w/v) yeast extract, 0.02% (w/v) MgSO47H2O, 0.02% (w/v) K2HPO4, 0.3% (w/v) glucose, and 0.583% (w/v) microalgae hydrolysate as a fermentation medium. PGase production without glucose was favored by SmF with a shake flask working volume of 100 ml (248.90 ± 4.58 U/L) as compared to a bioreactor with a working volume of 1 L (192.99 ± 0.84) for 48 h. Both carrot and apple juices were treated with the crude PGase (248.9 U/L) at different concentrations (0.1–0.5%), temperature (30–50°C), and time (30–120 min), and the maximal clarification conditions were obtained as 0.3% (w/v) enzyme concentration at 50°C for 30 min exposure time. This study revealed that microalgae-derived PGase in crude form could be effectively used for clarification of the juices.
Building a vision for more effective equity indices and planning tools
Authors: Rosan Christina D. , Heckert Megan , Zerbo Russell , Benitez Mercado Erykah
Published: September 2022

Recent years have seen a proliferation of equity indices and environmental justice screening tools to support more just environmental planning processes that attempt to quantify the concept of equity. While the equity index framework has proven important to advance the conversation around environmental equity and connect need to investments, we are concerned that these tools do not adequately address the intersectional nature of environmental justice concerns, effectively incorporate local knowledge on the lived experience of residents, or provide an actionable set of next steps to be taken. We see opportunities to rethink and expand on the equity index model to address issues of climate justice and preparedness through the development of Planning for Resilience and Equity through Accessible Community Technology (PREACT), a multipurpose and multi-scalar climate preparedness and neighborhood planning software application informed by both community need and community assets. This perspective article will discuss the theoretical and practical importance of adding these perspectives into screening tools and will describe our research in Philadelphia, PA aimed at understanding these challenges and developing a more inclusive and community-responsive methodology for effective tool development.
Psychiatrization of adoption practices in contemporary Poland
Authors: Witeska-Młynarczyk Anna
Published: September 2022

In this article, I propose to take a closer look at the practices of kinning in the context of adoption in contemporary Poland. I am interested in the social production of this ‘unfamiliar kind of kinship' and the positions of various actors involved in defining the “adoptable” children and the “families of excess” capable of adopting. My focus will be on the ways in which the psy-knowledge and practices are implied in these social processes of defining and delimiting the norm, the proper, and the ideal. This process can be called a progressing psychiatrization of kinning, this time developing on a specific terrain of adoption (i.e., the most desired state of exception from ideal family—nuclear, heteronormative, based around married, and non-divorced couple). I will consider both top-down and bottom-up processes within which the individuals, state institutions, and psy-knowledge interact. Thus, I propose to look at a sub-process of psychiatrization, which takes place in the specific ethnographic context at the intersection of family and social policies, medicalization and psychologization of familial relations, and troubled, disconnected biographies. Throughout the article, I discuss how the adoptive families become patient-consumers within the system of healthcare. It is despite the fact that when they enter the adoption network, they start to take part in the political process of solving the social problem. In fact, they become a part of the network, which enables privatization of the social problem and works toward individualizing the responsibility for solving it.
Building bridges: Connecting sport marketing and critical social science research
Authors: Evans Zachary Charles Taylor , Gee Sarah , Eddy Terry
Published: September 2022

Recently, sport management scholars have called for researchers to critically evaluate the ways in which research questions and resulting contributions truly disrupt what is known, how it is known, why it is important to know, and for whom. Historically, sport marketing research has adapted traditional research approaches from the parent marketing discipline to sport. Yet, sport is a constantly evolving social and cultural phenomenon and a reliance on conventional theories, concepts, and methods can serve to crystalize the discourse in sport marketing in ways that may limit knowledge production. Responding to this call, we believe that sport marketing research has much to gain from engaging with critical social science assumptions, worldviews, and perspectives to examine complex issues in sport. We position this paper as a starting point for advancing the field of sport marketing in meaningful and impactful ways by offering two research propositions, each accompanied by four actional recommendations. We employ a particular focus on the marketing campaigns that activate and promote corporate partnerships in sport to frame our two propositions, which discuss (1) consumer culture theory and (2) the circuit of culture as two important frameworks that begin to build bridges between sport marketing and critical social science.
Development of a colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip for the rapid detection of antibodies against Fasciola gigantica in buffalo
Authors: Wang Jinhui , He Kangxin , Wu Zhengjiao , Jin Weikun , Wu Wende , Guo Yanfeng , Zhang Weiyu , Di Wenda
Published: September 2022

Background

Fasciola gigantica, a tropical liver fluke, infects buffalo in Asian and African countries, causing significant economic losses and posing public health threats. The diagnostic of buffalo fascioliasis caused by F. gigantica is vital in fascioliasis control and preventation. The 22nd gel filtration chromatography fraction of F. gigantica Excretory-Secretory Products (FgESP), namely Fasciola 22 (F22), which was used as a diagnostic antigen in indirect ELISA, has demonstrated great potential for fascioliasis diagnosing. In the absence of rapid diagnostic methods, the use of a colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip based on F22 was applied to detect F. gigantica infection in buffalo.

Methods

In the present study, the 22nd gel filtration chromatography fraction of FgESP (F22) was used as an antigen to establish the colloidal gold-based immunochromatographic strip (ICS). The nitrocellulose membrane was incubated with F22 at the test line (T line) and goat anti-mouse secondary antibody at the control line (C line). The mouse anti-buffalo secondary antibody 2G7 conjugated to colloidal gold particles was used as the detection system for line visualization. The strip was assembled and developed by optimizing reaction conditions. The sensitivity, specificity, stability, and early diagnostic value of the strip were evaluated employing buffalo-derived sera.

Results

An immunochromatographic strip for the rapid detection of antibodies against F. gigantica-FgICS was developed. The strip demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity. Sensitivity tests confirmed positive results even when the positive reference serum was diluted 4,096 times. Except for one Schistosoma japonicum-positive serum that tested positive via FgICS, specificity tests confirmed no cross-reactivity with other positive sera of Schistosoma japonicum and Babesia bovis. The strip remained stable after storage at 4°C for up to 3 months. In infected buffalo, antibodies could be detected as early as 14–21 days post-infection. The detection of 17 positive sera yielded an 82.4% positive rate via FgICS vs. a 100.0% positive rate via ELISA based on FgESP. For FgICS, the 95% confidence interval of sensitivity was 84.8–95.4%, while specificity was 4.2–14.7%.

Conclusion

The immunochromatographic strip FgICS developed in this study provides a simple and rapid method of F. gigantica antibody detection and infected buffalo monitoring in the field.
Alternative splicing signature of alveolar type II epithelial cells of Tibetan pigs under hypoxia-induced
Authors: Yuan Haonan , Liu Xuanbo , Wang Zhengwen , Ren Yue , Li Yongqing , Gao Caixia , Jiao Ting , Cai Yuan , Yang Yanan , Zhao Shengguo
Published: September 2022

Alternative splicing (AS) allows the generation of multiple transcript variants from a single gene and affects biological processes by generating protein diversity in organisms. In total, 41,642 AS events corresponding to 9,924 genes were identified, and SE is the most abundant alternatively spliced type. The analysis of functional categories demonstrates that alternatively spliced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway. Proteoglycans in cancer between the normoxic (21% O2, TN and LN) and hypoxic (2% O2, TL and LL) groups, such as SLC2A1, HK1, HK2, ENO3, and PFKFB3, have the potential to rapidly proliferate alveolar type II epithelial (ATII) cells by increasing the intracellular levels of glucose and quickly divert to anabolic pathways by glycolysis intermediates under hypoxia. ACADL, EHHADH, and CPT1A undergo one or two AS types with different frequencies in ATII cells between TN and TL groups (excluding alternatively spliced DEGs shared between normoxic and hypoxic groups), and a constant supply of lipids might be obtained either from the circulation or de novo synthesis for better growth of ATII cells under hypoxia condition. MCM7 and MCM3 undergo different AS types between LN and LL groups (excluding alternatively spliced DEGs shared between normoxic and hypoxic groups), which may bind to the amino-terminal PER-SIM-ARNT domain and the carboxyl terminus of HIF-1α to maintain their stability. Overall, AS and expression levels of candidate mRNAs between Tibetan pigs and Landrace pigs revealed by RNA-seq suggest their potential involvement in the ATII cells grown under hypoxia conditions.
Asymptotic Behavior of Solutions of the Cauchy Problem for a Hyperbolic Equation with Periodic Coefficients II
Authors: Matevossian Hovik A. , Korovina Maria V. , Vestyak Vladimir A.
Published: September 2022

The paper is devoted to studying the behavior of solutions of the Cauchy problem for large values of time—more precisely, obtaining an asymptotic expansion characterizing the behavior of the solution of the Cauchy problem for a one-dimensional second-order hyperbolic equation with periodic coefficients for large values of the time parameter t. To obtain this asymptotic expansion as t→∞, methods of the spectral theory of differential operators are used, as well as the properties of the spectrum of a non-positive Hill operator with periodic coefficients.
Modeling the Resistance Evolution to Insecticides Driven by Lepidopteran Species Competition in Cotton, Soybean, and Corn Crops
Authors: Malaquias José B. , Ferreira Cláudia P. , Ramalho Francisco de S. , Godoy Wesley A. C. , Pachú Jéssica K. S. , Omoto Celso , Neto Dyrson de O. A. , Padovez Fernando E. O. , Silva Luciana Barboza
Published: September 2022

Intra- and interspecific competition is considered a fundamental phenomenon in ecology. It acts as one of the most powerful selective forces that drives ecological diversity, the spatiotemporal distribution of organisms, fitness, and evolutionary aspects. Spodoptera frugiperda and Helicoverpa armigera are devastating pests and can co-occur in systems consisting of multiple agricultural crops and compete for food resources. Insecticide resistance in populations of these species has been a major threat to the sustainability of agroecosystems. No study to date has shown the effect of intra- and interspecific competition as a selective pressure agent on the evolution of insecticide resistance in lepidopteran pests in an experimental and theoretical way. Our study developed a parameterized computational model with experimental results for S. frugiperda and H. armigera competition. We simulated the behavior of heterozygous individuals with a competition capacity 100% equal to homozygous individuals resistant (100 RR) or susceptible to insecticides (00 RR), and intermediate between them (50 RR). Competition involving strains of these insect species can accelerate the evolution of their resistance to insecticides in agricultural crops. We found that competitive processes can result in a high probability of competitive exclusion for individuals with the susceptibility allele of these lepidopteran species. The results of this study are of paramount importance for understanding the impact of ecological factor competition on the evolution of insecticide resistance in lepidopteran pests, which until now has been neglected in these types of evolutionary dynamics studies.