bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical diagnosis and etiology of patients with Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia based on metagenomic next-generation sequencing
Authors: Liang Yueming , Dong Tingyan , Li Minjing , Zhang Peifang , Wei Xiaoqun , Chen Haitao , Wang Yongsi , Gao Xinglin
Published: October 2022

The incidence of severe Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) pneumonia and coinfections is increasing. Early detection of this condition is needed to prevent negative outcomes, along with detailed descriptions of its associated clinical characteristics. Our study contributes by undertaking etiological analysis of patients with C. psittaci pneumonia based on metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). A retrospective analysis of 30 patients with C. psittaci pneumonia was undertaken and confirmed by mNGS or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Clinical manifestations of the severe and non-severe C. psittaci pneumonia groups were compared for clinical reference. Etiological analyses were also performed to comprehensively understand pathogeny and coinfection with other respiratory pathogens in C. psittaci patients. The absolute value of lymphocytes (LYM) in the severe group was lower than in the non-severe group. At the same time, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), procalcitonin (PCT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), D-II polymer, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), myoglobin (MYO), and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the severe group. mNGS has a broader pathogen spectrum and can more sensitively detect C. psittaci and other low-abundance pathogens with a higher positive detection rate (100%, 13/13 vs. 46%, 6/13, P <0.05) than conventional culture methods. mNGS detected the following dominant species associated with C. psittaci in patients: bacteria (53.2%, 39% gram-positive, 61% gram-negative), fungi (12.9%), and viruses (33.9%). A total of 73.3% (11/15) of patients had suspected coinfections, with a coinfection rate of 91.7% (11/12) in the severe group. No coinfection or death occurred in the non-severe group. Prognosis in the severe group was poor, with a mortality rate of 27.3% (3/11) for patients with coinfection. Eight of 11 patients with coinfections (72.7%) recovered. In conclusion, the clinical symptoms of severe C. psittaci pneumonia manifested as abnormal inflammatory indicators, impaired liver function, myocardial injury, coagulation, and relatively low immune responses. The higher proportion of patients with coinfections in our study supports the use of mNGS for comprehensive early detection of respiratory infections in patients with C. psittaci pneumonia. Simultaneous early identification of coinfections would further improve the clinical treatment of these patients.
Antimicrobial peptide human β-defensin-2 improves in vitro cellular viability and reduces pro-inflammatory effects induced by enteroinvasive Escherichia coli in Caco-2 cells by inhibiting invasion and virulence factors’ expression
Authors: Fusco Alessandra , Savio Vittoria , Perfetto Brunella , Mattina Roberto , Donnarumma Giovanna
Published: October 2022

Escherichia coli is one of the commensal species most represented in the intestinal microbiota. However, there are some strains that can acquire new virulence factors that enable them to adapt to new intestinal niches. These include enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) that is responsible for the bacillary dysentery that causes severe diarrheal symptoms in both children and adults. Due to the increasing onset of antibiotic resistance phenomena, scientific research is focused on the study of other therapeutic approaches for the treatment of bacterial infections. A promising alternative could be represented by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), that have received widespread attention due to their broad antimicrobial spectrum and low incidence of bacterial resistance. AMPs modulate the immune defenses of the host and regulate the composition of microbiota and the renewal of the intestinal epithelium. With the aim to investigate an alternative therapeutic approach, especially in the case of antibiotic resistance, in this work we created a line of intestinal epithelial cells able to express high concentrations of AMP human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2) in order to test its ability to interfere with the pathogenicity mechanisms of EIEC. The results showed that HBD-2 is able to significantly reduce the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines by intestinal epithelial cells, the invasiveness ability of EIEC and the expression of invasion-associated genes.
Cryptococcus escapes host immunity: What do we know?
Authors: Yang Chen , Huang Yemei , Zhou Yangyu , Zang Xuelei , Deng Hengyu , Liu Yitong , Shen Dingxia , Xue Xinying
Published: October 2022

Cryptococcus is an invasive fungus that seriously endangers human life and health, with a complex and well-established immune-escaping mechanism that interferes with the function of the host immune system. Cryptococcus can attenuate the host’s correct recognition of the fungal antigen and escape the immune response mediated by host phagocytes, innate lymphoid cells, T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes with antibodies, and peripheral cytokines. In addition, the capsule, melanin, dormancy, Titan cells, biofilm, and other related structures of Cryptococcus are also involved in the process of escaping the host’s immunity, as well as enhancing the ability of Cryptococcus to infect the host.
Interactions of host miRNAs in the flavivirus 3´UTR genome: From bioinformatics predictions to practical approaches
Authors: Avila-Bonilla Rodolfo Gamaliel , Salas-Benito Juan Santiago
Published: October 2022

The genus Flavivirus of the Flaviviridae family includes important viruses, such as Dengue, Zika, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, Yellow fever, Saint Louis encephalitis, and Usutu viruses. They are transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks, and they can infect humans, causing fever, encephalitis, or haemorrhagic fever. The treatment resources for these diseases and the number of vaccines available are limited. It has been discovered that eukaryotic cells synthesize small RNA molecules that can bind specifically to sequences present in messenger RNAs to inhibit the translation process, thus regulating gene expression. These small RNAs have been named microRNAs, and they have an important impact on viral infections. In this review, we compiled the available information on miRNAs that can interact with the 3’ untranslated region (3’UTR) of the flavivirus genome, a conserved region that is important for viral replication and translation.
IL-10 regulates Th17 response to inhibit hepatobiliary injury caused by Clonorchis sinensis infection in C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Zhang Beibei , Wang Jianling , Liu Man , Zhao Qianqian , Yu Guozhi , Zhang Bo , Hua Hui , Xu Jinyao , Li Jing , Yu Qian , Koda Stephane , Xu Yin-Hai , Jiang Zhihua , Yan Chao , Zheng Kui-Yang
Published: October 2022

Clonorchiasis caused by Clonorchis sinensis is a mainly foodborne parasitic disease. It can lead to hepatobiliary duct inflammation, fibrosis, obstructive jaundice, liver cirrhosis, and even cholangiocarcinoma. Interleukin (IL)-10 is an immune-regulatory cytokine which plays an immunosuppressive role during infection. Our previous study found that IL-10 was increased in mice with C. sinensis infection. However, the role and mechanism of IL-10 playing in hepatobiliary injury induced by C. sinensis infection remain unknown. Herein, Il10+/+ mice and Il10+/- C57BL/6J mice were infected with C. sinensis. It was found that IL-10 deficiency aggravated biliary hyperplasia and exacerbated periductal fibrosis induced by C. sinensis infection. Moreover, IL-10 deficiency increased CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells but not macrophages in the liver of mice with infection. There were no apparent differences in Th1 and Treg cells between Il10+/+ and Il10+/- mice infected with C. sinensis. However, the proportion of Th17 cells in CD4+T cells in Il10+/- infected mice was significantly higher than that in Il10+/+ infected mice. IL-10 deficiency also enhanced the increase of Th17 cells induced by ESPs stimulation in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest that IL-10 plays a protective role in hepatobiliary injury in C57BL/6J mice induced by C. sinensis infection via inhibiting Th17 cells, which could deepen our understanding of the immunopathology of clonorchiasis.
Reparation ecology and climate risk in Latin-America: Experiences from four countries
Authors: Lampis Andrea , Brink Ebba , Carrasco-Torrontegui Amaya , dos Santos Agni Hévea , Solórzano-Lemus Estuardo , Vásquez-Arango Claudia
Published: October 2022

IPCC's Sixth Assessment is a landmark in recognizing social justice and local knowledge as imperative for successful climate adaptation; however, taking this new scientific consensus seriously has profound implications. While narratives of fossil fuel companies and closing climate windows often dominate climate politics, there is an urgent need for new thinking frames, especially given that everyday adaptations by the most vulnerable are often hindered by incumbent actors at more local scales. In response, this paper tackles the issue of climate risk and human wellbeing in Latin America from an emerging and innovative perspective: reparation ecology. Reparation is a heuristic category by means of which we systematize converging evidence about the responses of local Latin-American communities to severe socio-environmental crises that are closely connected to climate risks and to long-lasting threats to the wellbeing of human societies and ecosystems. The results focus on a comparative analysis of five case studies on nature-based urban adaptation in two low-income settlements in Brazil; local ecological governance led by actors from the organized civil society in Colombia; agroecological and just innovative food production systems in Ecuador and sustainable urban-rural food markets in Guatemala. Assuming the complexity of climate change from a culturally and geographically located perspective, the paper unveils the non-doomed, ecologically reparative character of these initiatives. It therefore contributes to the recent turn in the debate on climate risk, claiming that diverse groups of people and communities around the world are contributing to radical change, tuning their behaviors and social arrangements in what an emerging scholarship defines as reparation ecology.
The writing processes underpinning wellbeing: Insight and emotional clarity in poetic autoethnography and freewriting
Authors: Hanauer David I.
Published: October 2022

Investigations of the expressive writing paradigm have shown that writing about one's experiences have positive effects on wellbeing. Understanding the writing processes facilitating self-discovery which underpin these positive outcomes is currently lacking. Prior research has suggested two writing processes that can lead to discovery: (1)Knowledge Constitutinginvolving the fast synthesis of verbal and non-verbal memory traces into text; and (2)Knowledge Transforminginvolving controlled engagement with written text for revision. Here, two genres—autoethnographic poetry and freewriting–were studied as they manifest a different pattern design forKnowledge ConstitutingandKnowledge Transforming. One hundred and seventeen, L1 English speaking participants from 3 northwestern universities in the US completed a two-stage, genre specific writing process. Participants were randomly assigned to a writing condition. Poetry writers first did aKnowledge Constitutingwriting task followed by aKnowledge Transformingtask. Freewriters repeated aKnowledge Constitutingtask. Participants completed insight and emotional clarity scales after stage one and stage two. Data was analyzed using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA with one between (writing condition) and one within subject (time of prompt) variables. Descriptive results show that it is theKnowledge Constitutingprocess which elicits high levels of insight and emotional clarity for both genres at the first time point.Knowledge Transformingat time-point 2 significantly reduced insight. WhileKnowledge Constitutingat time-point 2 significantly increased emotional clarity. The results provide initial support for the position that it is theKnowledge Constitutingwriting process which facilitates self-discovery and underpins writing-for-wellbeing outcomes.
Association between arterial stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function: A large population-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Kim Minkwan , Kim Hack-Lyoung , Lim Woo-Hyun , Seo Jae-Bin , Kim Sang-Hyun , Kim Myung-A , Zo Joo-Hee
Published: October 2022

Background

The association between arterial stiffness and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function has been demonstrated in several studies, but the samples size in those studies was small. This study aims to verify this issue in a large number of study subjects.

Methods

A total of 7,013 consecutive participants (mean age 60.6 years and 43.3% female) who underwent both baPWV and transthoracic echocardiography were retrospectively analyzed. Subjects with significant cardiac structural abnormalities were excluded.

Results

There were significant correlations of baPWV with septal e′ velocity (r = – 0.408; P < 0.001), septal E/e′ (r = 0.349; P < 0.001), left atrial volume index (LAVI) (r = 0.122; P < 0.001) and maximal velocity of tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR Vmax) (r = 0.322; P < 0.001). The baPWV values increased proportionally with an increase in the number of LV diastolic indices meeting LV diastolic dysfunction criteria (P-for-trend < 0.001). In multivariable analyses with adjustment for confounding effects of various clinical covariates, higher baPWV was independently associated with septal e′ < 7 (odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–1.60; P < 0.001), septal E/e′ ≥ 15 (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.21–1.78; P < 0.001), and TR Vmax > 2.8 m/s (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.23–2.09; P < 0.001) but not with LAVI ≥ 34 mL/m2 (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.76–1.03; P = 0.123).

Conclusions

Increased arterial stiffness, as measured by baPWV, was associated with abnormal diastolic function parameters in a large number of study participants, providing strong evidence to the existing data about ventricular-vascular coupling.
Fatal heart disease in patients with bone and soft tissue sarcoma
Authors: Chen Bei , Zhao Xin , Li Xiying , Liu Jun , Tang Juyu
Published: October 2022

Background/purpose

With improved cancer survivorship, non-cancer events, especially heart disease (HD), have become the underlying cause of death in cancer patients, but the risk of HD mortality in sarcoma patients remains poorly characterized. Therefore, our purpose was to: (1) identify sarcoma patients at the highest risk of fatal HD compared with the general population, (2) identify patients and sarcoma characteristics associated with a higher risk of HD death, and (3) determine if chemotherapy increased the risk of HD death in sarcoma patients.

Methods

From 1975 to 2016, we identified patients diagnosed with bone and soft tissue sarcoma from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database in the US. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were evaluated using mortality data from the general population collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. This was the largest retrospective cohort study of fatal HD in individuals with sarcoma.

Results

In 80,905 sarcoma patients observed for 530,290 person-years, 3,350 deaths from HD were identified with a mortality of 631.7/100,000 person-years. The SMR of death from HD was 1.38 (95% CI: 1.33–1.42). The highest risks of death from HD were observed in patients with Ewing sarcoma (SMR = 5.44; 95% CI: 3.38–8.75) and osteosarcoma (SMR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.55–2.38). Patients diagnosed at < 19 years old had the highest SMR in all age subgroups, and a higher risk of fatal HD relative to the general population was observed in sarcoma survivors diagnosed at < 85 years old. In patients diagnosed at < 19 years old, HD plurality occurred in those with Ewing sarcoma (29.4%) and osteosarcoma (32.4%) and at > 35 years old, HD plurality occurred in those diagnosed with liposarcoma (19.0%) and malignant fibro histiocytoma (MFH) (23.6%). For sarcoma survivors, HD mortality risks were highest within the first year after diagnosis (SMR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.21–1.41), and this risk remained elevated throughout follow-up compared with the general population. Subgroup analyses indicated that chemotherapy significantly increased the risk of fatal HD in patients with localized osteosarcoma (Hazard ratio (HR) = 3.18; 95% CI: 1.24–8.13; P = 0.016), but not in patients with other histological sarcoma subtypes and clinical stages.

Conclusion

The risk of death from HD mainly varied in patients with different histological sarcoma subtypes and clinical stages. Chemotherapy increased the risk of fatal HD in patients with localized osteosarcoma. To lower the risk of fatal HD in patients with sarcoma, we call for enhanced multidisciplinary cooperation, including cardiologists and orthopedic surgeons.
Women in mechanical circulatory support: She persisted!
Authors: Benck Kelley N. , Khan Fatima A. , Munagala Mrudula R.
Published: October 2022

Many women physicians have blazed trails and played instrumental roles in advancing the field of Advanced Heart Failure (AHF), Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS), and cardiac transplantation to its current recognition and glory. In contrast to other areas of cardiology, women have played an integral role in the evolution and emergence of this sub-specialty. Although the ceiling had been broken much later for women cardiothoracic (CT) surgeons in the field of AHF, the ingress of women into surgical fields particularly CT surgery was stonewalled due to pervasive stereotyping. The constancy, commitment, and contributions of women to the field of AHF and MCS cannot be minimized in bringing this field to the forefront of innovation both from technological aspect as well as in redesigning of healthcare delivery models. Integrated team-based approach is a necessity for the optimal care of MCS patients and forced institutions to develop this approach when patients with durable left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) began discharging from the hospitals to local communities. Women in various roles in this field played a pivotal role in developing and designing patient centered care and coordination of care in a multidisciplinary manner. While embracing the challenges and turning them to opportunities, establishing partnerships and finding solutions with expectations to egalitarianism, women in this field continue to push boundaries and subscribe to the continued evolution of the field of AHF and advanced cardiac therapies.
Pharmacogenomics in drug-induced cardiotoxicity: Current status and the future
Authors: Li Mo-Yun , Peng Li-Ming , Chen Xiao-Ping
Published: October 2022

Drug-induced cardiotoxicity (DICT) is an important concern of drug safety in both drug development and clinical application. The clinical manifestations of DICT include cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, heart failure, and a series of cardiac structural and functional changes. The occurrence of DICT has negative impacts on the life quality of the patients, brings additional social and economic burden. It is important to identify the potential factors and explore the mechanisms of DICT. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors can only partially explain the risk of DICT. Pharmacogenomic studies show accumulated evidence of genetics in DICT and suggest the potential to guide precision therapy to reduce risk of cardiotoxicity. The comprehensive application of technologies such as third-generation sequencing, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and genome editing has promoted the in-depth understanding of the functional role of susceptible genes in DICT. This paper reviewed drugs that cause DICT, the clinical manifestations and laboratory tests, as well as the related content of genetic variations associated with the risk of DICT, and further discussed the implication of new technologies in pharmacogenomics of DICT.
“Replacing teachers? Doubt it.” Practitioners' views on adaptive learning technologies' impact on the teaching profession
Authors: Merikko Joonas , Kivimäki Ville
Published: October 2022

Novel learning technologies have potential in reshaping the teaching profession by automating some parts of the work. However, teachers' perspectives toward automation have generally been critical. In the present study, we examine Finnish education practitioners' thoughts on adaptive learning technologies and their impact on the teaching profession. Using thematic and epistemic network analysis (ENA), we analyzed 114 social media posts. Supportive posts connected technological capabilities and self-directed or self-regulated learning, emphasizing that technology can also guide and support students. Critical posts connected human presence, educational arrangements, and pupil diversity and equality, emphasizing the importance of teachers' presence in addressing pupils' varying needs. Overall, the role of a human teacher was seen as necessary even with adaptive learning technologies available. Our findings reveal themes relevant when discussing the development of adaptive learning technologies and their potential impact on the teaching profession. Moreover, our findings increase the understanding of how supportive and critical argumentation on technology differ.
Reproductive roles of the vasopressin/oxytocin neuropeptide family in teleost fishes
Authors: Mennigen Jan A. , Ramachandran Divya , Shaw Katherine , Chaube Radha , Joy Keerikkattil P. , Trudeau Vance L.
Published: October 2022

The vertebrate nonapeptide families arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) are considered to have evolved from a single vasopressin-like peptide present in invertebrates and termed arginine vasotocin in early vertebrate evolution. Unprecedented genome sequence availability has more recently allowed new insight into the evolution of nonapeptides and especially their receptor families in the context of whole genome duplications. In bony fish, nonapeptide homologues of AVP termed arginine vasotocin (Avp) and an OXT family peptide (Oxt) originally termed isotocin have been characterized. While reproductive roles of both nonapeptide families have historically been studied in several vertebrates, their roles in teleost reproduction remain much less understood. Taking advantage of novel genome resources and associated technological advances such as genetic modifications in fish models, we here critically review the current state of knowledge regarding the roles of nonapeptide systems in teleost reproduction. We further discuss sources of plasticity of the conserved nonapeptide systems in the context of diverse reproductive phenotypes observed in teleost fishes. Given the dual roles of preoptic area (POA) synthesized Avp and Oxt as neuromodulators and endocrine/paracrine factors, we focus on known roles of both peptides on reproductive behaviour and the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Emphasis is placed on the identification of a gonadal nonapeptide system that plays critical roles in both steroidogenesis and gamete maturation. We conclude by highlighting key research gaps including a call for translational studies linking new mechanistic understanding of nonapeptide regulated physiology in the context of aquaculture, conservation biology and ecotoxicology.
Association between rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid dysfunction: A meta-analysis and systematic review
Authors: Liu Yi-jing , Miao Hai-bing , Lin Shu , Chen Zhen
Published: October 2022

Objective

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder. Multiple studies have investigated the risk of thyroid dysfunction in patients with RA but have reached conflicting conclusions. This systematic review aimed to determine whether patients with RA are at higher risk of thyroid dysfunction.

Methods

We comprehensively reviewed online literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, from their respective inception dates to March 25, 2022. Studies that provided data on at least one case of thyroid dysfunction in RA patients and their controls were included. Based on these data, we calculated pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for thyroid dysfunction in RA and non-RA patients.

Results

Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria, involving a total of 35,708 patients with RA. The meta-analysis showed that, compared with non-RA patients, RA patients had an increased risk of developing thyroid dysfunction, particularly hypothyroidism (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.78–2.84). Subgroup analysis suggested that study type and sample source of control group were the source of heterogeneity.

Conclusions

Patients with RA are at increased risk of developing thyroid dysfunction, especially hypothyroidism. Routine biochemical examination of thyroid function in RA patients should be strengthened. Larger prospective studies are needed to explore the causal relationship between RA and thyroid dysfunction, and to investigate the impact of thyroid dysfunction on RA disease activity, drug efficacy, and medication safety.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022331142.
Spontaneous preterm birth: Involvement of multiple feto-maternal tissues and organ systems, differing mechanisms, and pathways
Authors: Vidal Manuel S. , Lintao Ryan C. V. , Severino Mary Elise L. , Tantengco Ourlad Alzeus G. , Menon Ramkumar
Published: October 2022

Survivors of preterm birth struggle with multitudes of disabilities due to improper in utero programming of various tissues and organ systems contributing to adult-onset diseases at a very early stage of their lives. Therefore, the persistent rates of low birth weight (birth weight < 2,500 grams), as well as rates of neonatal and maternal morbidities and mortalities, need to be addressed. Active research throughout the years has provided us with multiple theories regarding the risk factors, initiators, biomarkers, and clinical manifestations of spontaneous preterm birth. Fetal organs, like the placenta and fetal membranes, and maternal tissues and organs, like the decidua, myometrium, and cervix, have all been shown to uniquely respond to specific exogenous or endogenous risk factors. These uniquely contribute to dynamic changes at the molecular and cellular levels to effect preterm labor pathways leading to delivery. Multiple intervention targets in these different tissues and organs have been successfully tested in preclinical trials to reduce the individual impacts on promoting preterm birth. However, these preclinical trial data have not been effectively translated into developing biomarkers of high-risk individuals for an early diagnosis of the disease. This becomes more evident when examining the current global rate of preterm birth, which remains staggeringly high despite years of research. We postulate that studying each tissue and organ in silos, as how the majority of research has been conducted in the past years, is unlikely to address the network interaction between various systems leading to a synchronized activity during either term or preterm labor and delivery. To address current limitations, this review proposes an integrated approach to studying various tissues and organs involved in the maintenance of normal pregnancy, promotion of normal parturition, and more importantly, contributions towards preterm birth. We also stress the need for biological models that allows for concomitant observation and analysis of interactions, rather than focusing on these tissues and organ in silos.
Identification of differentially expressed genes in mouse paraspinal muscle in response to microgravity
Authors: Li Yongjin , Kong Chao , Wang Baobao , Sun Wenzhi , Chen Xiaolong , Zhu Weiguo , Ding Junzhe , Lu Shibao
Published: October 2022

Lower back pain (LBP) is the primary reason leading to dyskinesia in patients, which can be experienced by people of all ages. Increasing evidence have revealed that paraspinal muscle (PSM) degeneration (PSMD) is a causative contributor to LBP. Current research revealed that fatty infiltration, tissue fibrosis, and muscle atrophy are the characteristic pathological alterations of PSMD, and muscle atrophy is associated with abnormally elevated oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation. Interestingly, microgravity can induce PSMD and LBP. However, studies on the molecular mechanism of microgravity in the induction of PSMD are strongly limited. This study identified 23 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the PSM (longissimus dorsi) of mice which were flown aboard the Bion M1 biosatellite in microgravity by bioinformatics analysis. Then, we performed protein–protein interaction, Gene Ontology function, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis for the DEGs. We found that Il6ra, Tnfaip2, Myo5a, Sesn1, Lcn2, Lrg1, and Pik3r1 were inflammatory genes; Fbox32, Cdkn1a, Sesn1, and Mafb were associated with muscle atrophy; Cdkn1a, Sesn1, Lcn2, and Net1 were associated with ROS; and Sesn1 and Net1 were linked to oxidative stress. Furthermore, Lcn2, Fbxo32, Cdkn1a, Pik3r1, Sesn1, Net1, Il6ra, Myo5a, Lrg1, and Pfkfb3 were remarkably upregulated, whereas Tnfaip2 and Mafb were remarkably downregulated in PSMD, suggesting that they might play a significant role in regulating the occurrence and development of PSMD. These findings provide theoretical basis and therapeutic targets for the treatment of PSMD.
The pattern of TSH and fT4 levels across different BMI ranges in a large cohort of euthyroid patients with obesity
Authors: Mele Chiara , Mai Stefania , Cena Tiziana , Pagano Loredana , Scacchi Massimo , Biondi Bernadette , Aimaretti Gianluca , Marzullo Paolo
Published: October 2022

Purpose

A multifold association relates the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis to body weight. The potential underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Further, the mild severity of obesity and the small proportion of individuals with obesity in so far published cohort studies provide little insights on metabolic correlates of thyroid function in obesity.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 5009 adults with obesity (F/M, 3448/1561; age range, 18-87 years; BMI range, 30.0-82.7 kg/m2), without known thyroid disease in a study on TSH and fT4 levels, lipid profile, glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance, anthropometric parameters including BIA-derived fat mass (%FM) and fat-free mass (FFM).

Results

The overall reference interval for TSH in our obese cohort was 0.58-5.07 mIU/L. As subgroups, females and non-smokers showed higher TSH levels as compared to their counterparts (p<0.0001 for both), while fT4 values were comparable between groups. There was a significant upward trend for TSH levels across incremental BMI classes in females, while the opposite trend was seen for fT4 levels in males (p<0.0001 for both). Expectedly, TSH was associated with %FM and FFM (p<0,0001 for both). TSH and fT4 showed correlations with several metabolic variables, and both declined with aging (TSH, p<0.0001; fT4, p<0.01). In a subgroup undergoing leptin measurement, leptin levels were positively associated with TSH levels (p<0.01). At the multivariable regression analysis, in the group as a whole, smoking habit emerged as the main independent predictor of TSH (β=-0.24, p<0.0001) and fT4 (β=-0.25, p<0.0001) levels. In non-smokers, %FM (β=0.08, p<0.0001) and age (β=-0.05, p<0.001) were the main significant predictors of TSH levels. In the subset of nonsmokers having leptin measured, leptin emerged as the strongest predictor of TSH levels (β=0.17, p<0.01).

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence of a gender- and smoking-dependent regulation of TSH levels in obesity.
The value of radiomics to predict abnormal bone mass in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients based on CT imaging for paravertebral muscles
Authors: Qiu Hui , Yang Hui , Yang Zhe , Yao Qianqian , Duan Shaofeng , Qin Jian , Zhu Jianzhong
Published: October 2022

Objective

To investigate the value of CT imaging features of paravertebral muscles in predicting abnormal bone mass in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

The clinical and QCT data of 149 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were collected retrospectively. Patients were randomly divided into the training group (n = 90) and the validation group (n = 49). The radiologic model and Nomogram model were established by multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Predictive performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results

A total of 829 features were extracted from CT images of paravertebral muscles, and 12 optimal predictive features were obtained by the mRMR and Lasso feature selection methods. The radiomics model can better predict bone abnormality in type 2 diabetes mellitus, and the (Area Under Curve) AUC values of the training group and the validation group were 0.94(95% CI, 0.90-0.99) and 0.90(95% CI, 0.82-0.98). The combined Nomogram model, based on radiomics and clinical characteristics (vertebral CT values), showed better predictive efficacy with an AUC values of 0.97(95% CI, 0.94-1.00) in the training group and 0.95(95% CI, 0.90-1.00) in the validation group, compared with the clinical model.

Conclusion

The combination of Nomogram model and radiomics-clinical features of paravertebral muscles has a good predictive value for abnormal bone mass in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Differences in the choroid plexus volume and microstructure are associated with body adiposity
Authors: Alisch Joseph S. R. , Egan Josephine M. , Bouhrara Mustapha
Published: October 2022

The choroid plexus (CP) is a cerebral structure located in the ventricles that functions in producing most of the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and transporting proteins and immune cells. Alterations in CP structure and function has been implicated in several pathologies including aging, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke. However, identification of changes in the CP remains poorly characterized in obesity, one of the main risk factors of neurodegeneration, including in the absence of frank central nervous system alterations. Our goal here was to characterize the association between obesity, measured by the body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference (WC) metrics, and CP microstructure and volume, assessed using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methodology. This cross-sectional study was performed in the clinical unit of the National Institute on Aging and included a participant population of 123 cognitively unimpaired individuals spanning the age range of 22 – 94 years. Automated segmentation methods from FreeSurfer were used to identify the CP structure. Our analysis included volumetric measurements, quantitative relaxometry measures (T1 and T2), and the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measure of mean diffusivity (MD). Strong positive associations were observed between WC and all MRI metrics, as well as CP volume. When comparing groups based on the established cutoff point by the National Institutes of Health for WC, a modest difference in MD and a significant difference in T1 values were observed between obese and lean individuals. We also found differences in T1 and MD between obese and overweight individuals as defined using the BMI cutoff. We conjecture that these observations in CP volume and microstructure are due to obesity-induced inflammation, diet, or, very likely, dysregulations in leptin binding and transport. These findings demonstrate that obesity is strongly associated with a decline in CP microstructural integrity. We expect that this work will lay the foundation for further investigations on obesity-induced alterations in CP structure and function.
Sex-specific regulation of IL-10 production in human adipose tissue in obesity
Authors: Subramanian Narmadha , Tavira Beatriz , Hofwimmer Kaisa , Gutsmann Beate , Massier Lucas , Abildgaard Julie , Juul Anders , Rydén Mikael , Arner Peter , Laurencikiene Jurga
Published: October 2022

Background

Obesity-associated metabolic complications display sexual dimorphism and can be impacted by cytokines. We previously showed that interleukin-10 (IL-10) was upregulated in white adipose tissue (WAT) of obese women with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Whether this pertains to men is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of obesity and T2D on WAT IL-10 levels in men versus women.

Methods

Plasma and subcutaneous WAT biopsies were obtained from 108 metabolically well-characterized individuals. WATIL10expression/secretion and WAT-resident IL-10-secreting macrophage number were measured. Circulating sex hormone levels were correlated to WATIL10expression in 22 individuals and sex hormone effects on macrophageIL10expression were investigatedin vitro.

Results

Obese women with T2D showed increasedIL10expression/secretion and IL-10-secreting WAT macrophage number compared to other female groups. This difference was absent in men. Non-obese women and men with T2D showed similar IL-10 levels compared to healthy controls, indicating that T2D alone does not regulate IL-10. Although WATIL10expression correlated with serum estrone (E1) concentrations, recombinant E1 did not affect macrophageIL10expressionin vitro.

Conclusion

WAT IL-10 levels are higher in women with obesity and T2D, but not in men and this effect is primarily attributed to obesityper se. This is less likely to be driven by circulating sex hormones. We propose that the WAT IL-10 might exert protective effects in obesity-associated chronic inflammation in women which could be one of the contributing factors for the decreased morbidity observed in women during obesity than men.
Does the construction of an ecological civilization promote firm technology investment? a Quasi-natural experiment
Authors: Chen Meijin , Chen Yulei , Jiang Chengxin , Ran Maosheng
Published: October 2022

The government of China has launched an environmental campaign called “Ecological Civilization Construction” and successively set up demonstration zones for ecological civilization construction in some regions since 2012. This paper studies how demonstration zones influence technology investment of local enterprises. In order to eliminate potential endogeneity issues and differences in time trends of technology investment in regions and industries outside of policy impacts, so as to accurately identify policy effects of demonstration zones, we adopted the difference-in-difference (DID) and difference-in-difference-in-difference (DDD) model. The results are as follows: first, after the policy, firms in the demonstration zones make more investment in technology, and the necessary condition for this effect is that the firms are in a state of growth. Second, the level of regional economic development has a positive moderating effect on the main results by influencing the impact of policies on local government incentives. Third, the intensity of environmental regulation expressed by air pollution index has a positive moderating effect on the main results. Fourth, firms with strong social responsibility will not be affected by such administrative pressure. Fifth, whether firms with strong financing constraints can increase technology investment depends on government subsidies.
Research on the temporal and spatial characteristics, spatial clustering and governance strategies of carbon emissions in cities of Shandong
Authors: Yang Ahui , Zhang Long , Zhang ShanZhong , Zhan Zhe , Shi Jie
Published: October 2022

In September 2020, China proposed a carbon neutral target for 2060, and at the same time proposed to accelerate the implementation of the national carbon peaking task for 2030. In the context of “dual carbon,” provinces and cities urgently need to achieve low-carbon transformational development, but there are significant differences in the development level, process and trend of carbon emission reduction among regions. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the carbon emission characteristics of each city, so as to provide scientific and effective guidance for local governments to adopt differentiated low-carbon emission reduction measures. In this paper, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of carbon emissions and carbon intensity of 16 cities in Shandong Province were analyzed with the help of ArcGIS, and then the static and dynamic factors affecting urban carbon emissions were considered comprehensively, and the clustering analysis of 16 cities was conducted by using the systematic clustering method. The results show that, according to the characteristics of each type of cities, they can be summarized into four categories: “low economic high carbon type,” “high economic high carbon type,” “high economic low carbon type,” “low carbon.” The results show that the cities in each category do not have complete geographical continuity. Finally, after analyzing the characteristics of carbon emissions in each type of cities, this paper proposes targeted policy recommendations to promote the development of low-carbon emission reduction.
How innovative organization culture affects firm performance in the wake of enterprise resource planning? evidence from energy- and non-energy-sector firms in Pakistan
Authors: Ashraf Yumna , Ali Fahad
Published: October 2022

Rapid globalization during the last few decades has caused many difficulties for firms to survive, sustain, and maximize shareholders’ wealth. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system provides extensive access to data and upgraded information to achieve the specified objectives. This study examines how Innovative Organizational Culture (IOC) affects firm performance in Pakistan. In doing so, this study collects a comprehensive dataset from 234 high- and medium-level managers working in different sectors across six major cities of Pakistan. We construct several hypotheses and employ Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modeling to test the selected premises. The results reveal that IOC and the benefits of ERP are positively related to firm performance, IOC is also positively associated with the implementation of ERP, and the implementation of ERP is positively related to the benefits of ERP. Regarding mediating relationship among the constructs, this study shows that the implementation of ERP mediates the relationship between IOC and the benefits of ERP and the benefits of ERP mediate the relationship between the implementation of ERP and firm performance. Given that Pakistan has been facing a chronic energy crisis for the last few decades, this study conducts a subsample analysis and divides the sample into two groups—“energy and manufacturing” and “service and non-manufacturing” sector firms. Our robustness tests reveal that the implementation of ERP is positively and significantly related to firm performance only in the subsample of service and non-manufacturing sector firms. In contrast, it is negatively and insignificantly related to firm performance in the subsample of energy and manufacturing sector firms. The findings of this study provide numerous operational insights to managers to adequately emphasize and strengthen IOC to sustain the change management system. Specifically, this study suggests that senior- and medium-level managers should continuously monitor the implementation of ERP and determinedly engage themselves in the team management and communication process to achieve higher firm performance.
Understanding deforestation lock-in: Insights from Land Reform settlements in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Russo Lopes Gabriela , Bastos Lima Mairon G.
Published: October 2022

Cropland and pasture expansion continues to erase natural ecosystems at a staggering speed globally, notably in the tropics. Conventional policy approaches, usually focused on a particular land-use change driver (e.g., specific commodities) or individual regulations (e.g., the Amazon Soy Moratorium), have consistently failed to achieve sufficient or sustained results. The swift reversal of Brazil’s earlier success in reducing Amazon deforestation – now again accelerated – offers perhaps the most sobering illustration of that. Therefore, this article draws from scholarship on sustainability transitions to propose a more comprehensive systems view of unsustainable land-use patterns. We examine persistent tropical deforestation as a case of “lock-in,” using a transitions lens, and explore its constitutive elements. As a case study, we analyze the situation of Land Reform settlements in the Brazilian Amazon, where as much as one-third of that biome’s deforestation takes place. While subject to some specific factors, those places are also enmeshed in a broader setting that is common across the Brazilian Amazon’s deforestation frontier (e.g., infrastructure conditions, market demands, and sociocultural norms). Drawing from document analysis of Brazilian policies and fieldwork in three Land Reform settlements in Pará State, we expose multiple forms of techno-economic, institutional, and socio-cognitive lock-in that together drive deforestation systemically in those settlements. These drivers form a strongly consolidated socio-technical regime around large-scale agriculture that includes material and immaterial factors (e.g., cultural ones), a regime that not only resists change but also – like a vortex – pulls others into it. Escaping deforestation lock-in may thus require outside forces to help local actors destabilize and eventually replace this unsustainable land-use regime. International zero-deforestation efforts offer a starting point, but a transition requires moving beyond piecemeal, incremental change or end-of-pipe approaches and toward concerted, strategic action that addresses multiple of those regime elements in a coordinated way to replace it as a system. We argue that understanding deforestation lock-in is vital for tackling its worrisome persistence and that sustainability transitions theory offers an illuminating, but still underutilized, framework to analyze and eventually overcome unsustainable land use.
Understanding factors influencing the estimated genetic variance and the distribution of breeding values
Authors: Nilforooshan Mohammad Ali , Ruíz-Flores Agustín
Published: October 2022

This study investigated the main factors influencing the genetic variance and the variance of breeding values (EBV). The first is the variance of genetic values in the base population, and the latter is the variance of genetic values in the population under evaluation. These variances are important as improper variances can lead to systematic bias. The inverse of the genetic relationship matrix (K−1) and the phenotypic variance are the main factors influencing the genetic variance and heritability (h2). These factors and h2 are also the main factors influencing the variance of EBVs. Pedigree- and genomic-based relationship matrices (A and G as K) and phenotypes on 599 wheat lines were used. Also, data were simulated, and a hybrid (genomic-pedigree) relationship matrix (H as K) and phenotypes were used. First, matrix K underwent a transformation (K* = wK + α11′ + βI), and the responses in the mean and variation of diag(K−1) and offdiag(K−1) elements, and genetic variance in the form of h2 were recorded. Then, the original K was inverted, and matrix K−1 underwent the same transformations as K, and the responses in the h2 estimate and the variance of EBVs in the forms of correlation and regression coefficients with the EBVs estimated based on the original K−1 were recorded. In response to weighting K by w, the estimated genetic variance changed by 1/w. We found that μ(diag(K)) − μ(offdiag(K)) influences the genetic variance. As such, α did not change the genetic variance, and increasing β increased the estimated genetic variance. Weighting K−1 by w was equivalent to weighting K by 1/w. Using the weighted K−1 together with its corresponding h2, EBVs remained unchanged, which shows the importance of using variance components that are compatible with the K−1. Increasing βI added to K−1 increased the estimated genetic variance, and the effect of α11′ was minor. We found that larger variation of diag(K−1) and higher concentration of offdiag(K−1) around the mean (0) are responsible for lower h2 estimate and variance of EBVs.