bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable development scores using spatial information systems-analytic hierarchy process
Authors: Abdullah Lazim , Mohd Najib Norliana
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This research aims to develop sustainable development scores at districts level based on weights of thirteen sub-indicators using a spatial information system.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical study was conducted at seven districts in the state of Terengganu Malaysia. The evaluation was implemented using a spatial information system combined with weights of sub-indicators that were computed from the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method.

Findings

In this study the sub-indicators layers overlaid into one raster layer to produce a sustainability development score from 1 to 3 for every district. The one raster layer shows that Marang district received the highest sustainable development score of 2.284. On the other hand, Kemaman district received the poorest sustainable development score of 1.686.

Research limitations/implications

In this study the weights that obtained from the AHP method are verified and validated using a sensitivity analysis. The scores at districts level perhaps may not be accurate due to difficulties in differentiating the variability of indicators and sub-indicators. These are among the unsettled issues that could be explored as future research direction.

Social implications

The results would have greatly benefited the policy makers and stakeholders, particularly in planning for future development without compromising the significance of environment, social and economic indicators.

Originality/value

Sustainable development is one of the key elements that needs to be considered seriously in assessing development of a country. The assessment may include proposing indices for environment, social, economic indicators and related sub-indicators of sustainable development. Instead of considering specific indices for indicators, this approach departs more formally from the concept of unweighted indices at country level.
Climatic Conditions and Lexis: Some Diachronic Notes on Weather‐Related Words in English and Other European Languages
Authors: Grzega Joachim
Published: June 2022

Focusing on metalinguistic sources and passages with words from the conceptual field of weather in cooccurrence (and including language contrasts), the study analyses whether changes in weather‐related lexemes in English language history, particularly words for “weather, condition of the air,” “cloud,” and “mist,” may be related to climatic conditions. This is supported for the following cases: (1) the use of the lexeme for “weather” in the sense of “fair weather” in the so‐called Medieval Warm Period (950–1250); (2) changes among “cloud” words: welkin, cloud, sky, and rack “mass of cloud moving quickly” toward or at the beginning of the Little Ice Age (1250s–1450); and (3) changes among “mist” words: the revived rime “hoar frost, frozen mist, chill mist, or fog,” the metaphorical use of fog “long grass left uncut” for “thick clouds of water vapor” and the figurative use of haze “body of dust” for “fog, thick mist” during the Tudor Inflation (1525–1600).
In Love with Social Order: William Allen and the ‘Science’ and ‘Art’ of Early Nineteenth‐Century British Philanthropy
Authors: Cazzola Matilde
Published: June 2022

This article surveys the charitable and humanitarian activities of the Quaker philanthropist William Allen (1770–843), who was at the forefront of several campaigns for the relief and schooling of the poor and labouring classes in Britain and the emancipation and ‘civilisation’ of the enslaved and colonised peoples in the broader empire between the late eighteenth and the mid‐nineteenth centuries. By focusing on the first series of Allen's periodical The Philanthropist (1811–19), the essay sheds light on the underlying principles of early nineteenth‐century philanthropy as programmatically different from the motivations of traditional private charity. Understood as a political yet nonstate activity, associational philanthropy demarcated the space of civil society as the field where the middle classes, still excluded from the franchise, could impact state legislation and public policies. As they shared the same critical views as political economists on the statutory system of the Poor Laws, these philanthropists played a crucial role in enlarging the ‘scale’ of social policy‐making from the parish to the nation in the early nineteenth century. The article argues that even though they were religiously inspired, Allen and his associates understood philanthropy as a secular pursuit aimed at promoting material welfare and incrementing the utilitarian ‘stock of happiness’ of society. As such, philanthropy was even explicitly conceptualised as a ‘social science’, which, being driven by a love for an ordered society rather than for other men, prescribed the policies to be adopted by the ‘art’ of government.
MicroRNA miR‐2765‐3p regulates reproductive diapause by targeting FoxO in Galeruca daurica
Authors: Duan Tian‐Feng , Li Ling , Wang Hai‐Chao , Pang Bao‐Ping
Published: June 2022

The forkhead box O (FoxO), as a conserved transcription factor, plays an indispensable role in regulating insect diapause. However, how FoxO is regulated to control diapause in insects remains unknown. In this study, we discovered functional binding sites for miR‐2765‐3p in the 3′ untranslated region of FoxO in Galeruca daurica. The luciferase reporter assay showed that miR‐2765‐3p targeted FoxO and suppressed its expression. The expression profiles of miR‐2765‐3p and FoxO displayed opposite patterns during the female developmental process. Overexpression of miR‐2765‐3p by the injection of the miR‐2765‐3p agomir into adult females reduced FoxO expression, leading to the suppression of lipid accumulation, promotion of ovarian development, and inhibition of reproductive diapause. This is similar to the phenotype that results from the depletion of FoxO by injecting dsFoxO into adult females. In addition, the repression of miR‐2765‐3p by injecting the miR‐2765‐3p antagomir increased the FoxO transcript level, leading to the stimulation of lipid accumulation, depression of ovarian development, and induction of reproductive diapause. A hormone injection assay showed that the juvenile hormone (JH) agonist (methoprene) upregulated miR‐2765‐3p and downregulated FoxO. Notably, injecting methoprene rescued ovarian development defects associated with miR‐2765‐3p inhibition. These findings indicate that the JH/miR‐2765‐3p/FoxO axis plays a vital role in the regulation of reproductive diapause in G. daurica.
A dynamic nomogram for predicting survival among diabetic patients on maintenance hemodialysis
Authors: Chen Ying , Wang Yao , Shen Yan , Dai Houyong , Huang Xinzhong , Fang Li , Huang Xi , Shen Yi , Yuan Li
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, ones with diabetes mellitus (DM) are known to have the worst outcome.

Methods

A total of 263 MHD patients were included, a dynamic nomogram was established based on multivariable Cox regression analysis.

Results

The median overall survival (OS) time was 46 months. The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year OS rates were 90.9%, 70.5% and 53.9%, respectively. The multivariable Cox regression analysis indicated that DM duration, cardiovascular complication, baseline values before starting MHD for estimated glomerular filtration rate and serum phosphate were independent risk factors. The C‐index of the dynamic nomogram was 0.745 and the calibration curves showed optimal agreement between the model prediction and actual observation for predicting survival probabilities.

Conclusions

Our study was the first to establish dynamic nomogram among diabetic MHD patients, the fast and convenient online tool can be used for individual risk estimation at the point of prognosis prediction.
Environmental nucleic acids: A field‐based comparison for monitoring freshwater habitats using eDNA and eRNA
Authors: Littlefair Joanne E. , Rennie Michael D. , Cristescu Melania E.
Published: June 2022

Nucleic acids released by organisms and isolated from environmental substrates are increasingly being used for molecular biomonitoring. While environmental DNA (eDNA) has received much attention, the potential of environmental RNA as a biomonitoring tool remains under‐explored. Several recent studies using paired DNA and RNA metabarcoding of bulk samples suggest that RNA might better reflect “metabolically active” parts of the community. However, such studies mainly capture organismal eDNA and eRNA. For larger eukaryotes, isolation of extra‐organismal RNA will be important, but viability needs to be examined in a field‐based setting. In this study we evaluate (a) whether extra‐organismal eRNA release from macroeukaryotes can be detected given its supposedly rapid degradation, and (b) if the same field collection methods for eDNA can be applied to eRNA. We collected eDNA and eRNA from water in lakes where fish community composition is well documented, enabling a comparison between the two nucleic acids in two different seasons with monitoring using conventional methods. We found that eRNA is released from macroeukaryotes and can be filtered from water and metabarcoded in a similar manner as eDNA to reliably provide species composition information. eRNA had a small but significantly greater true positive rate than eDNA, indicating that it correctly detects more species known to exist in the lakes. Given relatively small differences between the two molecules in describing fish community composition, we conclude that if eRNA provides significant advantages in terms of lability, it is a strong candidate to add to the suite of molecular monitoring tools.
The role of central serotonergic markers and estradiol changes in perinatal mental health
Authors: Borgsted Camilla , Høgh Stinne , Høgsted Emma Sofie , Fonnesbech‐Sandberg Laura , Ekelund Kim , Albrechtsen Charlotte Krebs , Wiis Julie Therese , Hegaard Hanne , Cvetanovska Eleonora , Juul Anders , Frederiksen Hanne , Pinborg Anja , Weikop Pia , Frokjaer Vibe
Published: June 2022

Objective

Women have an increased risk for mental distress and depressive symptoms in relation to pregnancy and birth. The serotonin transporter (SERT) may be involved in the emergence of depressive symptoms postpartum and during other sex‐hormone transitions. It may be associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the main serotonin metabolite 5‐hydroxyindolacetic acid (5‐HIAA). In 100 healthy pregnant women, who were scheduled to deliver by cesarean section (C‐section), we evaluated 5‐HIAA and estradiol contributions to mental distress 5 weeks postpartum.

Methods

Eighty‐two women completed the study. CSF collected at C‐section was analyzed for 5‐HIAA, with high performance liquid chromatography. Serum estradiol concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry before C‐section and postpartum. Postpartum mental distress was evaluated with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Associations between EPDS, 5‐HIAA, and Δestradiol were evaluated in linear regression models adjusted for age, parity and SERT genotype.

Results

Higher levels of postpartum mental distress symptoms were negatively associated with a large decrease in estradiol concentrations (βΔE2 = 0.73, p = 0.007) and, on a trend level, positively associated with high antepartum 5‐HIAA levels (β5‐HIAA = 0.002, p = 0.06).

Conclusion

In a cohort of healthy pregnant women, postpartum mental distress was higher in women with high antepartum 5‐HIAA (trend) and lower in women with a large perinatal estradiol decrease. We speculate that high antepartum 5‐HIAA is a proxy of SERT levels, that carry over to the postpartum period and convey susceptibility to mental distress. In healthy women, the postpartum return to lower estradiol concentrations may promote mental well‐being.
High adult mortality and failure of recruitment in a population of Banksia spinulosa following high‐intensity fire
Authors: Whelan Robert J. , Ayre David J.
Published: June 2022

Serotinous plants that both release seed and resprout after fire are thought to be resistant to wildfires within the range of intensities that have been experienced up until now. However, the frequency and scale of intense wildfires is increasing under climate change. We studied annual flowering and fruit‐set in a large population of Banksia spinulosa plants in south‐eastern Australia from the early 1990s to 2006. The results led us to predict that there would be little recruitment from seedlings after the next fire but good resprouting from very long‐lived lignotubers. Our study population burned in the widespread, high‐intensity wildfires of December 2019, providing an opportunity to test the hypothesis. Most above‐ground stems and cones were reduced to ash, and only 15 cones (on 10 plants) remained after the fire. We found no seedlings in the 0.3 ha site that had initially contained over 350 adult plants. Little natural mortality had been observed pre‐fire, but by 5 months after the fire, nearly 25% of lignotubers had failed to resprout. We conclude that even common and widespread resprouting species will suffer population decline and reduced genetic diversity as high‐intensity fires become more extensive and frequent.
Analysis of the movements generated by a multi‐field functional electrical stimulation device for upper extremity rehabilitation
Authors: Martín‐Odriozola Aitor , Rodríguez‐de‐Pablo Cristina , Caceres‐Salegi Ane , García‐Calleja Andrea , Marín‐Ojea Juan Ignacio , Hernández Erik , Imatz‐Ojanguren Eukene , Keller Thierry , Zabaleta‐Rekondo Haritz
Published: June 2022

Background

The most common chronic sequela after stroke is the loss of arm function, and functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the forearm muscles is one of the options to treat it. Surface multi‐field electrodes have emerged, showing a great potential to improve the selectivity of the stimulation, delay muscle fatigue, and provide easier donning and doffing. The muscular selectivity takes on special relevance in the rehabilitation of the upper extremity as hand dexterity requires a wide diversity of specific muscle actions.

Methods

This pilot study analyses the movements generated in the wrist and fingers using a commercial multi‐field technology‐based FES device (Fesia Grasp). The study included five patients with hemiplegic subacute stroke, in which scanning of all cathodes of the electrode was carried out daily for 5 days, in two different forearm positions, with the resulting movements being labeled by experienced therapists.

Results

The aim of this pilot study was to determine if there were differences between subjects and between forearm positions in terms of produced movements. Movements of the wrist (two movements) and the fingers (six movements) could be achieved in two different forearm positions.

Conclusions

The multi‐field electrode of Fesia Grasp enables to generate a wide range of movements of the hand in different positions. This fact could allow to produce more physiological movement patterns during the rehabilitation process with FES, which could have a beneficial effect on the recovery of patients with neurological diseases.
Nonparametric Inference of General While-Alive Estimands for Recurrent Events
Authors: Mao Lu
Published: June 2022

Measuring the treatment effect on recurrent events like hospitalization in the presence of death has long challenged statisticians and clinicians alike. Traditional inference on the cumulative frequency unjustly penalizes survivorship as longer survivors also tend to experience more adverse events. Expanding a recently suggested idea of the “while-alive” event rate, we consider a general class of such estimands that adjust for the length of survival without losing causal interpretation. Given a user-specified loss function that allows for arbitrary weighting, we define as estimand the average loss experienced per unit time alive within a target period and use the ratio of this loss rate to measure the effect size. Scaling the loss rate by the width of the corresponding time window gives us an alternative, and sometimes more photogenic, way of showing the data. To make inferences, we construct a nonparametric estimator for the loss rate through the cumulative loss and the restricted mean survival time and derive its influence function in closed form for variance estimation and testing. As simulations and analysis of real data from a heart failure trial both show, the while-alive approach corrects for the false attenuation of treatment effect due to patients living longer under treatment, with increased statistical power as a result. The proposed methods are implemented in the R-package WA, which is publicly available from the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN).
An explanatory mixture IRT model for careless and insufficient effort responding in self‐report measures
Authors: Ulitzsch Esther , Yildirim‐Erbasli Seyma Nur , Gorgun Guher , Bulut Okan
Published: June 2022

Careless and insufficient effort responding (C/IER) on self‐report measures results in responses that do not reflect the trait to be measured, thereby posing a major threat to the quality of survey data. Reliable approaches for detecting C/IER aid in increasing the validity of inferences being made from survey data. First, once detected, C/IER can be taken into account in data analysis. Second, approaches for detecting C/IER support a better understanding of its occurrence, which facilitates designing surveys that curb the prevalence of C/IER. Previous approaches for detecting C/IER are limited in that they identify C/IER at the aggregate respondent or scale level, thereby hindering investigations of item characteristics evoking C/IER. We propose an explanatory mixture item response theory model that supports identifying and modelling C/IER at the respondent‐by‐item level, can detect a wide array of C/IER patterns, and facilitates a deeper understanding of item characteristics associated with its occurrence. As the approach only requires raw response data, it is applicable to data from paper‐and‐pencil and online surveys. The model shows good parameter recovery and can well handle the simultaneous occurrence of multiple types of C/IER patterns in simulated data. The approach is illustrated on a publicly available Big Five inventory data set, where we found later item positions to be associated with higher C/IER probabilities. We gathered initial supporting validity evidence for the proposed approach by investigating agreement with multiple commonly employed indicators of C/IER.
A non‐retinol retinoic acid receptor‐γ (RAR‐γ/NR1B3) selective agonist, tectorigenin, can effectively inhibit the ultraviolet A‐induced skin damage
Authors: Dai Xintong , Jin Jing , Jia Yan , Yang Kai , Han Jingxia , Zhang Zhiyuan , Ding Xiujuan , Yao Cheng , Sun Tao , Zhu Caibin , Liu Huijuan
Published: June 2022

Background and Purpose

Long‐term ultraviolet (UV) exposure can cause inflammation, pigmentation and photoaging. All‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA/tretinoin) is a commonly used retinoic acid receptor (RAR) agonist in the clinical treatment of UV‐induced skin problems. However, the use of such drugs is often accompanied by systemic adverse reactions caused by nonspecific activation of RARs. Therefore, this study was designed to screen for a novel RAR‐γ‐selective agonist with high safety.

Experimental Approach

Molecular docking, dynamic simulation and Biacore were used to screen and identify novel RAR‐γ‐selective agonists. RT‐PCR, ELISA, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry and proteomic analysis were used to detect the effects of these novel RAR‐γ selective agonists on UVA‐induced inflammation and photoaging cell models. UVA‐induced mouse models were used to evaluate the effects of tectorigenin on skin repair, ageing and inflammation.

Key Results

Tectorigenin is a novel RAR‐γ‐selective agonist, which inhibits UV‐induced oxidative damage, inflammatory factor release and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production. Tectorigenin can also reverse the UVA‐induced loss of collagen. The results of the signalling pathway research showed that tectorigenin mainly affects the MAPK/JNK/AP‐1 pathway. In animal experiments, tectorigenin showed better anti‐inflammatory and anti‐photoaging effects, and caused less skin irritation than ATRA. Nano‐particle loaded tectorigenin significantly improved the utilization of tectorigenin.

Conclusions and Implications

Tectorignen is a non‐retinol RAR‐γ‐selective agonist that can inhibit UV‐induced skin damage and could be developed as a safe pharmaceutical component for the prevention of photoaging and skin inflammation.
Effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccine against cervical precancer in Japan: Multivariate analyses adjusted for sexual activity
Authors: Kudo Risa , Sekine Masayuki , Yamaguchi Manako , Hara Megumi , Hanley Sharon J. B. , Kurosawa Megumi , Adachi Sosuke , Ueda Yutaka , Miyagi Etsuko , Ikeda Sayaka , Yagi Asami , Enomoto Takayuki
Published: June 2022

Japanese girls aged 12–16 years are offered free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening is conducted with cytology and not HPV testing from the age of 20 years. So far, no study has analyzed the effect of HPV vaccination against cervical precancers considering HPV infection status and sexual activity. We aimed to analyze the vaccine effectiveness (VE) against HPV infection and cytological abnormalities, adjusted for sexual activity. This study comprised women aged 20–26 years who underwent cervical screening in Niigata. We obtained HPV vaccination status from municipal records and a questionnaire along with information concerning sexual activity. Of 5194 women registered for this study, final analyses included 3167 women in the vaccinated group (2821 vaccinated women prior to sexual debut) and 1386 women in the unvaccinated group. HPV 16/18 (0.2% vs 3.5%), 31/45/52 (3.4% vs 6.6%), and 31/33/45/52/58 (5.0% vs 9.3%) positive rates were significantly lower in the vaccinated group (P < 0.001). No women vaccinated before sexual debut had HPV 16/18‐related cytological abnormalities. VE for HPV 16/18 infection and high‐grade cytological abnormalities in women vaccinated prior to sexual debut were 95.8% (95% CI 81.9–99.0%; P < 0.001) and 78.3% (95% CI 11.3–94.7%; P = 0.033), respectively, in multivariate analyses adjusted for age and number of sexual partners. However, analyses of all vaccinated women did not show significant effectiveness against cytological abnormalities. Our results showed the effectiveness of HPV vaccine against high‐grade cervical cytological abnormalities and the importance of the vaccination before sexual debut.
Upregulation of miR‐144‐3p alleviates Doxorubicin‐induced heart failure and cardiomyocytes apoptosis via SOCS2/PI3K/AKT axis
Authors: Zhang Donglin , Pan Aiqin , Gu Jianke , Liao Renfeng , Chen Xueyu , Xu Zhaozhu
Published: June 2022

MicroRNAs (miRs) are implicated in heart failure (HF). Thereby, we aim to uncover the role of miR‐144‐3p in HF. Doxorubicin (Dox)‐induced HF model was constructed in rats and cardiomyocytes H9C2, and the cardiac function was determined using ultrasound cardiogram. Morphology of cardiac tissue was observed using hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining. The viability and apoptosis of Dox‐treated and transfected cardiomyocytes were determined using Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay and flow cytometry. Relative expressions of the HF‐associated miRs (including miR‐144‐3p), suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2), apoptosis‐ and phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway‐related factors (B‐cell lymphoma 2, Bcl‐2; Bcl‐2 associated X protein, Bax; cleaved [C] capsase‐3; phosphoinositide 3‐kinase, PI3K; phosphorylated‐PI3K, p‐PI3K; p‐AKT; AKT) were measured with quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. Target gene of miR‐144‐3p was predicted by Starbase and TargetScan and confirmed with dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Dox caused rat cardiac dysfunction, aggravated cardiac injury, decreased cardiomyocytes viability, and the expression of miR‐144‐3p, Bcl‐2, and phosphorylation of both PI3K and AKT yet the upregulated those of Bax and C caspase‐3, which was reversed by upregulating miR‐144‐3p, whereas downregulating miR‐144‐3p did oppositely. SOCS2 was the target gene of miR‐144‐3p, Dox promoted SOCS2 expression, which was reversed by upregulating miR‐144‐3p, while downregulating miR‐144‐3p did conversely. In addition, silencing SOCS2 reversed the effects of miR‐144‐3p downregulation in Dox‐treated cardiomyocytes. Upregulating miR‐144‐3p alleviated Dox‐induced cardiac dysfunction and cell apoptosis via targeting SOCS2, providing a novel evidence of miR‐144‐3p in HF.
Cross-cultural assessment of the impact of eczema in six countries with different lifestyles
Authors: Merhand Stéphanie , Taieb Charles
Published: June 2022

Atopic dermatitis or eczema is a common skin disease in children but also in adults; in Europe alone, it affects more than 23 million adults. At the time of internationalization of studies, it seems important to know that the impact of eczema is different according to lifestyle. It seems that the use of two patient-reported outcomes, one specific, the other not, to measure the impact of eczema is relevant and should be recommended.
Eco‐friendly dyeing of cotton using waste‐derived natural dyes and mordants
Authors: Nazir Faiza , Siddique Amna , Nazir Ahsan , Javed Sonia , Hussain Tanveer , Abid Sharjeel
Published: June 2022

Because of the environmental burden of synthetic dyes, there has been a revival in practising natural dyeing globally. Natural dyeing uses metallic mordants for improving the dye's fastness properties. However, metallic mordants are also toxic. Herein, both the dyes and mordants were extracted from plant waste using water as a green solvent. The extracted dyes were then applied to the cotton fabric using a natural mordant. The dyed fabric samples were characterised for colour yield, fastness properties, ultraviolet protection and antibacterial activity. For the intended purpose, the wastes of sugarcane bagasse, wheat bran and rice husk were used for dye and mordant extraction. It was found that by increasing the extraction temperature from 30 to 60°C, the dye yield increased. From the K/S values, it was observed that premordanting gave better colour strength than post‐mordanting or meta‐mordanting. The overall ratings for washing and crocking were 3‐4 and 4‐5, respectively. No significant antibacterial activity was observed in the dyed samples. However, excellent ultraviolet protection was observed.
A risk scoring system integrating postoperative factors for predicting early mortality after major non‐cardiac surgery
Authors: Chae Dongwoo , Kim Na Young , Kim Hyun Joo , Kim Tae Lim , Kang Su Jeong , Kim So Yeon
Published: June 2022

We aimed to develop a risk scoring system for 1‐week and 1‐month mortality after major non‐cardiac surgery, and assess the impact of postoperative factors on 1‐week and 1‐month mortality using machine learning algorithms. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 21,510 patients who were transfused with red blood cells during non‐cardiac surgery and collected pre‐, intra‐, and postoperative features. We derived two patient cohorts to predict 1‐week and 1‐month mortality and randomly split each of them into training and test cohorts at a ratio of 8:2. All the modeling steps were carried out solely based on the training cohorts, whereas the test cohorts were reserved for the evaluation of predictive performance. Incorporation of postoperative information demonstrated no significant benefit in predicting 1‐week mortality but led to substantial improvement in predicting 1‐month mortality. Risk scores predicting 1‐week and 1‐month mortality were associated with area under receiver operating characteristic curves of 84.58% and 90.66%, respectively. Brain surgery, amount of intraoperative red blood cell transfusion, preoperative platelet count, preoperative serum albumin, and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status were included in the risk score predicting 1‐week mortality. Postoperative day (POD) 5 (neutrophil count × mean platelet volume) to (lymphocyte count × platelet count) ratio, preoperative and POD 5 serum albumin, and occurrence of acute kidney injury were included in the risk score predicting 1‐month mortality. Our scoring system advocates the importance of postoperative complete blood count differential and serum albumin to better predict mortality beyond the first week post‐surgery.
Determining suitable observation times for testing odor preferences of a parasitoid wasp, Cotesia kariyai, using a four‐arm olfactometer
Authors: Mizuno Yota , Kuramitsu Kazumu , Kainoh Yooichi
Published: June 2022

Parasitoid wasps locate their hosts by tracking host‐related chemicals, such as herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). Attractiveness of HIPVs to parasitoid wasps has often been investigated using four‐arm olfactometers, but suitability of observation times for behavioral tests using olfactometers has received insufficient attention. In this study, we evaluated differences in results of two‐choice bioassays with multiple observation times in a four‐arm olfactometer. We found that odor preferences of the parasitoid Cotesia kariyai (Watanabe) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to host‐induced plant volatiles changed with time in a four‐arm olfactometer. These changes were detected only between 60–120 s from the start of experiments, and there were no changes in preference after 120 s. The gradual decrease in odor preference can be explained by habituation. It is necessary to consider habituation of parasitoid wasps to plant volatiles and to determine suitable observation times depending on the species, so that appropriate behavioral assays can be performed in a multi‐arm olfactometer or other equipment.
Increased expression of bone/cartilage‐associated genes and core transcription factors in keloids by RNA sequencing
Authors: Lin Pingping , Zhang Guohong , Peng Rui , Zhao Mingming , Li Hang
Published: June 2022

Fibroblasts in keloids undergo cell identity transition with altered transcriptional characteristics. However, the core transcription factors driving this cellular reprogramming remain largely unknown. Here, we report the results of transcriptional profiling from 48 keloid and 24 control dermal tissues. We identified 1187 upregulated differentially expressed genes (foldchange > 2, false discovery rate < 0.05) in keloids, which were mainly enriched in extracellular matrix organization and bone/cartilage development, with significantly increased expression of bone/cartilage‐associated collagens (COL5A1, COL10A1, and COL11A1) and glycoproteins (ACAN, COMP, and SPARC). Deconvolution analysis also revealed significantly increased composition of osteoblasts in keloid dermis. A total of 92 upregulated transcription factors were screened out from differentially expressed genes and mainly enriched in transcription process and skeleton development. Additional sequencing of six keloid individuals with multiple regions and intersection further narrow the list with 10 transcription factors. Finally, AEBP1, CREB3L1, RUNX2, and ZNF469 have been identified as candidate core regulators in promoting the gaining of bone/cartilage‐like characteristics in keloids. RNA‐sequencing of full‐skin keloids consolidated the existence of these four transcription factors. Immunohistochemistry was employed to verify the expression of AEBP1, CREB3L1, RUNX2, and ZNF469 in keloid fibroblasts. In conclusion, we bioinformatically discovered the increased expression of bone/cartilage‐associated genes and candidate core transcription factors in keloids. Our findings promise to provide molecular clues to develop novel therapeutic modalities against skin fibrosis.
Proximal deposition of collagen IV by fibroblasts contributes to basement membrane formation by colon epithelial cells in vitro
Authors: Tentaku Aya , Kurisu Shusaku , Sejima Kurumi , Nagao Toshiki , Takahashi Akira , Yonemura Shigenobu
Published: June 2022

The basement membrane (BM) underlying epithelial tissue is a thin layer of extracellular matrix that governs tissue integrity and function. Epithelial BMs are generally assembled using BM components secreted from two origins: epithelium and stroma. Although de novo BM formation involves self‐assembly processes of large proteins, it remains unclear how stroma‐derived macromolecules are transported and assembled, specifically in the BM region. In this study, we established an in vitro co‐culture model of BM formation in which DLD‐1 human colon epithelial cells were cultured on top of collagen I gel containing human embryonic OUMS‐36T‐2 fibroblasts as stromal cells. A distinct feature of our system is represented by OUMS‐36T‐2 cells which are almost exclusively responsible for synthesis of collagen IV, a major BM component. Exploiting this advantage, we found that collagen IV incorporation was significantly impaired in culture conditions where OUMS‐36T‐2 cells were not allowed to directly contact DLD‐1 cells. Soluble collagen IV, once diluted in the culture medium, did not accumulate in the BM region efficiently. Live imaging of fluorescently tagged collagen IV revealed that OUMS‐36T‐2 cells deposited collagen IV aggregates directly onto the basal surface of DLD‐1 cells. Collectively, these results indicate a novel mode of collagen IV deposition in which fibroblasts proximal to epithelial cells exclusively contribute to collagen IV assembly during BM formation.
Use of hurdle technology to extend the shelf life of escamoles (Liometopum apiculatum Mayr)
Authors: Ramirez‐Garcia Gabriela L. , Ruiz‐Cabrera Miguel A. , Abud‐Archila Miguel , Grajales‐Lagunes Alicia
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combining techniques such as blanching time, pH and aw reduction on microbiological growth and enzymatic activity to increase the shelf life of fresh escamoles. A completely randomised factorial design with three factors (aw, pH and blanching time) and two different levels per factor was created to obtain the preservative conditions based on the microbiological growth and enzymatic activity of escamoles. The results indicated that the experimental conditions of aw, pH and blanching time were 0.90, 5 and 10 or 15 s, respectively, with reduced microbial growth and proteolytic activity, which allowed significantly increasing the escamoles' shelf life from 4 to 45 days under refrigeration at 4°C. Therefore, it is feasible to use this methodology for the preservation of this product in order to resemble fresh, microbiologically safe escamoles.
Changes in physicochemical quality and protein properties of porcine longissimus lumborum during dry ageing
Authors: Wang Hengpeng , Wang Yinlan , Wu Danxuan , Gao Sumin , Jiang Songsong , Tang Hailian , Lv Guanhua , Zou Xiaobo , Meng Xiangren
Published: June 2022

The present study investigated the effects of dry‐ageing time on physicochemical quality and protein properties of porcine longissimus lumborum within 48 h of postmortem ageing. Results showed that appropriately prolonged dry‐ageing time (24 and 36 h) had a positive effect on the tenderness, water‐holding capacity, thermal stability and gel properties of meat, as evident from the decrease of shear force, dripping loss, cooking loss, T2 relaxation time, enthalpy value and the increase in storage and loss modulus. Nevertheless, the excessive extension of ageing (48 h) increased the degree of protein oxidation and degradation by maintaining the lowest total sulfhydryl but the highest carbonyl content, and producing more small molecular weight protein chains (35.4, 20 and 19.6 KDa). Chemometric analysis further clarified the appropriate ageing time of desirable meat. In conclusion, dry ageing 24 and 36 h were suggested as the reasonable postmortem ageing time for porcine longissimus lumborum in China.
Influence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the alteration of historical unstable glasses
Authors: Cid Raquel , Palomar Teresa
Published: June 2022

Historic glasses can be altered in the presence of inorganic pollutants, such as CO2, SO2, or NO2, but also, by the volatile organic compounds emitted by the museum cabinets. Among these pollutants, compounds with carbonyl groups such as acetic and formic acids, and formaldehyde are the most common ones. In this work, a study of the interaction of these contaminants with three of the most relevant historical glasses was carried out. These glasses were soda silicate glass, potash silicate glass, and lead crystal glass. Two alteration tests were carried out in these glasses in the presence of water, acetic acid, formic acid, or formaldehyde. In the first test, the alteration induced by the liquid solution was evaluated by the pH monitoring and the study of the ions lixiviated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. In the second study, the alteration with gaseous contaminants was carried out. The hygroscopic capacity of the glasses was analyzed by gravimetry, the evolution of the glass surface by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode, and the ions found on the glass surface by ion chromatography. These methods allowed to observe the different degradations that occurred in the three glasses in the presence of different pollutants in aqueous or gaseous environments.
Levilactobacillus brevis from carnivores can ameliorate hypercholesterolemia: In vitro and in vivo mechanistic evidence
Authors: Munir Aneela , Javed Ghulam Ayesha , Javed Saman , Arshad Najma
Published: June 2022

Aims

The aim was to explore the probiotic and hypocholesterolaemic potential of two Levilactobacillus brevis strains of carnivore origin along with selected underlying mechanisms.

Methods and Results

Levilactobacillus brevis MT950194 and L. brevis MW365351 were analysed in vitro for oro-gastro-intestinal stress tolerance, cholesterol reduction, cholesterol adsorption (through scanning electron microscopy) and bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity. Strains could survive (>80%) in oro-gastro-intestinal conditions and reduce high amount of cholesterol (35% and 54%) from media containing bile salts (0.3%) as compared with Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 and presented the least pathogenicity towards mammalian cells. Exopolysaccharide production, cell surface cholesterol adherence and BSH activity were witnessed as possible cholesterol-lowering mechanisms. In in vivo experiment, the treatments of hypercholesterolaemic rats with L. brevis MT950194, L. brevis MW365351 and their mixture led to significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum and hepatic cholesterol, low-density lipids, cholesterol ratio, liver steatosis and size of adipocytes. It further ameliorated diet-induced changes in hepatic enzymes.

Conclusions

Levilactobacillus brevis MT950194 and L. brevis MW365351 from carnivores have probiotic pharmacological potential and can reduce serum cholesterol through surface adherence and BSH production.

Significance and Impact of the Study

These strains may be utilized in treating hypercholesterolaemia and production of low-fat functional foods.
Supporting young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities to deliver a peer mentoring intervention: Evaluating fidelity and resources required
Authors: Schwartz Ariel , Hwang I‐Ting
Published: June 2022

Background

Peer‐delivered interventions are a best practice in mental health, yet no such intervention exists for young adults (YA) with intellectual/developmental disabilities with co‐occurring mental health conditions. We evaluated YA with intellectual/developmental disabilities' ability to deliver a novel peer mentoring intervention with fidelity and the supports received.

Methods

We coded audio‐recorded mentoring sessions to evaluate if 4 mentors adhered to ‘content’ (e.g., psychoeducation) and ‘quality’ (e.g., validation) fidelity criteria (codes: yes/no). We conducted content analysis of mentor support logs and interviews with mentors', mentors' parents and teachers to describe the supports mentors received.

Results

Average fidelity for content criteria (M = 73.3%) was higher than quality criteria (M = 60.0%). Weekly support addressed logistics, delivering content, interpersonal interactions, emotional support, professionalism, and organisation. Family members and teachers rarely provided additional support.

Conclusions

With support, YA can deliver a peer mentoring intervention addressing mental health. Additional training activities will be developed to improve fidelity.
Cholesterol efflux capacity of high‐density lipoprotein was not associated with cognitive decline and brain structures in older people with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Wu Yuanyuan , Tan Kathryn CB , Shiu Sammy WM , Luo Yishan , Shi Lin , Kwok Timothy CY
Published: June 2022

Aims/Introduction

To examine the association between cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) of serum high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) and cognitive function and brain structures in older people with diabetes mellitus.

Materials and Methods

Participants of a randomized placebo‐controlled trial of 27‐month vitamin B12 supplementation in older people with diabetes mellitus, which showed no effect on cognition, were further followed up at month 72. Cognitive tests included the Clinical Dementia Rating scale, Neuropsychological Test Battery in memory, executive function and psychomotor speed. Brain magnetic resonance imaging scans were carried out in a subset at baseline, month 27 and month 45. Fasting serum at baseline, month 9, month 27 and month 72 were analyzed for adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette transporter A1‐mediated CEC of HDL and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1).

Results

Serum HDL cholesterol at baseline was associated with better executive and memory function at follow up. Serum ApoA1 was associated with a better memory Z‐score at month 18. Serum CEC and ApoA1 were not associated with Clinical Dementia Rating scale, Neuropsychological Test Battery, hippocampal volume and white matter disease on magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and whole brain atrophy rates. They were also not associated with cognitive function at month 27 and 72 on multilevel modeling. CEC and ApoA1 decreased significantly from baseline to month 27. Faster decliners in CEC had a greater increase in brain peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity.

Conclusions

Higher serum HDL cholesterol was associated with more favorable changes in memory and executive function in older people with diabetes mellitus. However, this was not due to CEC or ApoA1. A decline in CEC was associated with small vessel disease in the brain.
Efficacy of platelet‐rich fibrin and connective tissue graft in papilla reconstruction
Authors: Ozcan Bulut Selcen , Ilhan Dilek , Karabulut Erdem , Caglayan Feriha , Keceli H. Gencay
Published: June 2022

Purpose

To evaluate efficacy of platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) or connective tissue graft (CTG) in papilla reconstruction (PR) with the semilunar incision (SI) technique.

Materials and Methods

The analysis consisted of 55 sites (27 CTG and 28 PRF) from 20 patients who underwent PR with either PRF or CTG placed in the maxillary anterior region with SI technique. Baseline (BL) and follow‐up (T1, first month, T3, third month, T6, sixth month) clinical data including periodontal evaluations (gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), pocket depth (PD), keratinized tissue width (KTW), gingival recession), papilla‐associated recordings (alveolar crest‐interdental contact point [AC‐IC], alveolar crest‐papilla tip [AC‐PT], papilla tip‐interdental contact point [PT‐IC], papilla height loss [PHL], interdental tissue stroke [ITS] and papilla presence index [PPI]) and patient satisfaction were analyzed.

Results

CTG provided better PR outcomes. GI, PI, and PD showed a slight increase at T1 and then, turned to their BL levels. The other periodontal parameters showed significant improvement after both treatment modalities. No inter‐group difference was found except for KTW, which was in favor of CTG.

Conclusion

Based on the results, CTG is recommended over PRF in PR treatment due to its superior outcomes with less recurrence risk.

Clinical Significance

Connective tissue graft provides superior results than platelet‐rich fibrin in papilla reconstruction with the semilunar incision technique.
Endoscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding caused by malignancy
Authors: Abu‐Sbeih Hamzah , Szafron David , Elkafrawy Ahmed A. , Garcia‐Rodriguez Victor , Ma Weijie , Xu Ann , Khurana Shruti , Numan Laith , Chen Ellie , Goldstein Ryan , Tsen Adrianne , Peng Yuanzun , Blum Mariela , Kopetz Edmund S , Ikoma Naruhiko , Shatila Malek , Qiao Wei , Raju Gottumukkala S. , Ross William A , Ge Phillip S , Coronel Emmanuel , Wang Yinghong
Published: June 2022

Background and Aim

The diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding secondary to malignancy can be challenging. Endoscopy is the gold standard to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal bleeding but clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with malignancy‐related bleeding are not well understood. This study aims to look at clinical characteristics, endoscopic findings, safety and clinical outcomes of endoscopic interventions for GI malignancy‐related bleeding.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed outcomes of patients with confirmed GI malignancies who underwent endoscopy for GI bleeding at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2010 and 2019. Cox hazard analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with survival.

Results

A total of 313 patients were included, with median age of 59 years; 74.8% were male. The stomach (30.0%) was the most common tumor location. Active bleeding was evident endoscopically in 47.3% of patients. Most patients (77.3%) did not receive endoscopic treatment. Of the patients who received endoscopic treatment, 57.7% had hemostasis. No endoscopy‐related adverse events were recorded. Endoscopic treatment was associated with hemostasis (P < 0.001), but not decreased recurrent bleeding or mortality. Absence of active bleeding on endoscopy, stable hemodynamic status at presentation, lower cancer stage, and surgical intervention were associated with improved survival.

Conclusions

This study indicates that endoscopy is a safe diagnostic tool in this patient population; while endoscopic treatments may help achieve hemostasis, it may not decrease the risk of recurrent bleeding or improve survival.