bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and thiazolidinediones on treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A network meta-analysis
Authors: Park Min Jeong , Kim Hayeon , Kim Myeong Gyu , Kim Kyungim
Published: March 2023

Background/Aims: Previous studies have revealed that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) and thiazolidinedione (TZD) can improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, comprehensive research comparing the effects of GLP-1RA and TZD is limited. Thus, this study aimed to compare the effects of GLP-1RA and TZD on NAFLD or NASH through a network meta-analysis.Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that explored the efficacy of GLP-1RAs or TZDs in adult patients with NAFLD or NASH. The outcomes were liver biopsy-based (NAFLD activity score [NAS], fibrosis stage, and NASH resolution), noninvasive technique-based (liver fat content on proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy [1H-MRS] and controlled attenuation parameter [CAP]), biological, and anthropometric indicators. A random effects model was used to calculate the mean difference (MD) and relative risk with 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: Twenty-five RCTs with 2,237 overweight or obese patients were included. GLP-1RA was significantly superior in reducing liver fat content evaluated using 1H-MRS (MD –2.42, 95% CI –3.84 to –1.00), body mass index (MD –1.60, 95% CI –2.41 to –0.80), and waist circumference (MD –4.89, 95% CI –8.17 to –1.61) than TZD. In liver biopsy-based evaluation and liver fat content assessment using CAP, GLP-1RA tended to surpass TZD, albeit not significantly. Sensitivity analysis showed consistent results with the main results.Conclusions: Compared with TZD, GLP-1RA had better effects on liver fat content, body mass index, and waist circumference in overweight or obese patients with NAFLD or NASH.
Pentingnya Pengelolaan Kecerdasan Finansial Pada OMK (Orang Muda Katolik) Di Surabaya
Authors:   Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya Indonesia, Junaedi Marliana , Rahmawati Veronika ,   Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University Indonesia, Susanti Christina Esti ,   Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University Indonesia, Koesworo Yulius ,   Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University Indonesia
Published: March 2023

Pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk memperkuat kecerdasan finansial kaum muda di Kevikepan Surabaya Barat. Kegiatan ini diadakan pada Sabtu 20 Mei 2017. Kegiatan meningkatkan kecerdasan financial ini dilakukan dengan cara sharing pendapat, diskusi, presentasi, pemutaran film, ceramah, simulasi keuangan dan tanya jawab. Peserta pelatihan menilai program ini sangat baik
Pendampingan Bisnis Melalui Strategi Menangkap Peluang Usaha pada Usaha Mikro Kecil dan Menengah di Koperasi Setia Bhakti Wanita Surabaya
Authors:   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Nagel P. Julius , Suhartatik Ani ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Arini Arini ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Muljani Ninuk ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia
Published: March 2023

Pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk memberikan tambahan wawasan berbasis pendampingan bisnis terkait strategi di bidang bisnis, yang meliputi: Tantangan dan kesempatan berwirausaha, menilai peluang, membuka usaha dan keunggulan kompetitif bagi wirausahawan, serta strategi menangkap peluang usaha, penyebab utama dan beberapa kekurangan kegagalan usaha. Peserta kegiatan pengabdian ini adalah anggota Koperasi Setia Bhakti Wanita Surabaya. Hasil evaluasi menunjukkan kegiatan yang dilakukan oleh Tim Abdimas berhasil, karena para peserta yang hadir sangat antusias mengikuti setiap sesi pemaparan materi. Hal itu terbukti dari masih banyaknya peserta mengerubuti Tim Abdimas dan mengajukan pertanyaan-pertanyaan kasuistik dalam bisnisnya serta keinginan adanya kegiatan pelatihan dengan topik yang berbeda.
Pelatihan Mengaplikasikan Model Kewirausahaan Bagi OMK (Orang Muda Katolik) Paroki di Surabaya
Authors:   Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University Indonesia, Rahmawati Veronika , Tulipa Diyah ,   Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University Indonesia
Published: March 2023

Pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan memberdayakan OMK Paroki Keuskupan Surabaya sehingga mampu memunculkan usahawan usahawan yang mandiri dan tangguh lalu membantu memperkaya pengetahuan dalam pengembangan masyarakat bagi pengusul serta memperkuat rencana induk pengabdian masyarakat yang mengedepankan keserjahteran keluarga bagi lembaga. Kegiatan pengabdian ini digelar dalam bentuk seminar pemaparan materi yang dilakukan oleh dosen Widya Mandala. Yang menjadi kendala dalam kegiatan ini adalah adanya pergantian jadwal acara yang disebabkan adanya diskusi lanjutan antara penyelenggara dan tempat sasaran acara pengabdian masyarakat.
PELATIHAN MANAJEMEN DIRI DAN LITERASI KEUANGAN PADA ANGGOTA CREDIT UNION
Authors:   Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata Indonesia, Hapsari Widawati , Haryanti Kristiana ,   Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata Indonesia, Widyantari Maria Braman ,   Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata Indonesia
Published: March 2023

COVID-19 pandemic affects every aspect of human life, including economic aspect. The government urged the implementation of social restriction policy, and as consequences, public activities are limited. According to Credit Union’s board members, there is an increase of loans rate since the social restriction begin. It is inevitable since essential needs are increasing and at the same time the financial conditions are unstable. All of the members in Credit Union Pangudi Luhur Kasih Semarang need to manage their financial issues properly regardless of their age especially in this pandemic time. Thus, this community service program aims to give better understandings to the members about the importance of self-management and financial literation by webinar. Webinar was divided into three sections according to the audiences characteristics, members who had already married (n=100), close to pension age (n=334), and young member or singles (n=169). Based on the analyses, there is significant differences between pre-test and post-test score after conducting the webinar.
PELATIHAN PENGEMBANGAN KEMAMPUAN SENI DENGAN APE BERBASIS BAHAN KERTAS ASTURO BAGI KOMUNITAS PRAKTISI PROGRAM SEKOLAH PENGGERAK WILAYAH SURABAYA 2
Authors:   Universitas PGRI Adi Buana Surabaya Indonesia, Aisyah Aisyah , Hasiana Isabella ,   Universitas PGRI Adi Buana Surabaya Indonesia, Affrida Ervin Nurul ,   Universitas PGRI Adi Buana Surabaya Indonesia
Published: March 2023

Art skills development training with asturo paper-based APE for the community of practitioners of the driving school program which was attended by five kindergartens in East Surabaya. This activity aims to: (1) participants have skills in making media to develop artistic abilities; (2). Participants have skills in making educational aids made from asturo paper as a medium in learning activities in kindergarten or early childhood. The training methods used include lectures, questions and answers, demonstrations of how to make what is trained and practice making media from asturo paper. The results obtained from this training are that individuals are able to understand and master the concept of art development using asturo paper and have skills in making educational aids from asturo paper as learning media
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT: GEN Z AS THE AGENT OF INNOVATION TO ACHIEVE SDGs
Authors:   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Agung Deatri Arumsari , Erwita Monica Adjeng ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Mokoginta Dirgantara Dahana ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Memarista Gesti ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Sancoko Aldo Hardi ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Sulistyo Andy Pratama ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Kristina Natalia ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Mawasti Alpi ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia, Kristyanto Visi Saujaningati ,   Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya Indonesia
Published: March 2023

The pandemic era has caused a loss of opportunities to obtain information regarding product management through online media. This led to the implementation of this community service activity which aims to help the MSME community in Surabaya to innovate by using online platforms to increase product sales. The Abdimas team of lecturers from the Faculty of Business and the Faculty of Entrepreneurship at UKWMS is also assisted by UKWMS students and international students who are included in generation Z, there is also the provision of international materials by lecturers from TAR UMT Malaysia who support community service activities with continuous innovation to help MSME businesses with social media. The series of activities were carried out using the service-learning method in two sub-themes namely product improvement and social media management for 5 days. The results of community service activities are prototype updates on the packaging, product design, and changes to MSME owners' social media which can later be included in local village bazaar activities and outlets at culinary tourism centers in Surabaya. In addition, students also get many benefits to apply the knowledge gained in class.
Can an artificial intelligence chatbot be the author of a scholarly article?
Authors: Lee Ju Yoen
Published: March 2023

At the end of 2022, the appearance of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot with amazing writing ability, caused a great sensation in academia. The chatbot turned out to be very capable, but also capable of deception, and the news broke that several researchers had listed the chatbot (including its earlier version) as co-authors of their academic papers. In response, Nature and Science expressed their position that this chatbot cannot be listed as an author in the papers they publish. Since an AI chatbot is not a human being, in the current legal system, the text automatically generated by an AI chatbot cannot be a copyrighted work; thus, an AI chatbot cannot be an author of a copyrighted work. Current AI chatbots such as ChatGPT are much more advanced than search engines in that they produce original text, but they still remain at the level of a search engine in that they cannot take responsibility for their writing. For this reason, they also cannot be authors from the perspective of research ethics.
Evaluation of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation from 1901 to 2014 in CMIP6 models
Authors: Xu Y , Li T , Xu M , Shen S , Hu Z
Published: March 2023

The simulation of internal climate variability is key to understanding climate change. Internal fluctuations can fully obscure or amplify the underlying climate-change signal in many fields over years to decades. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is an important mechanism that dominates interdecadal climate variations. Here, the capacity of 36 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models for reproducing the PDO during the period 1901-2014 was evaluated across spatial pattern, amplitude, periodicity and phase aspects. The results suggested that approximately 71% of the models were capable of capturing the spatial pattern of the PDO. However, most of the other models underestimated the percentage of the variance explained and the pattern amplitude. CMIP6 models can capture the periodicity over shorter periods (<20 yr), while most CMIP6 models underestimate the periodicity of the PDO on the interdecadal scale (60 yr periods). In particular, the probability distribution functions (PDFs) of the raw PDO index showed that most CMIP6 models could capture the unimodal probability distribution. Some of the models were able to reproduce the bimodal probability distribution of the PDO index filtered by the ensemble empirical mode decomposition method. Moreover, the findings also showed that the multimodel ensemble (MME) for 36 CMIP6 models could effectively capture the spatial pattern and periodicity over a shorter period (<20 yr) of the PDO. Moreover, the MME exhibited higher fidelity to the observation in the PDF of the PDO index, although the positive area was larger than the observation. These findings are crucial because they may help detect simulation gaps and provide valuable references for the design and applicability of future models worldwide.
Local Newspapers in Four Major Latin American Countries Trend and Meaning of Korean Wave Articles
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Son Sanghee
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this paper is to find out the substance and characteristic meaning of the ‘Hallyu’ in Latin America through analysis of local newspaper articles in major Latin American countries. The passionate local response to the ‘Hallyu’ is a topic frequently covered by the Korean media through foreign media. However, it was found that the ‘Hallyu’ in Latin America is somewhat over-packaged than reported by the Korean media. The ‘Hallyu’ in Latin American is being enjoyed by a small number of fandoms at the center of 'K-POP' and some categories of ‘Hallyu’. But it could not spread to consumer goods such as beauty, fashion, and tourism. However, through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘Hallyu’ can grow significantly due to the combination of Latin America's digital transformation business and the change of perception of “COREA.” Therefore, providing sophisticated local information and balanced analysis on the ‘Hallyu’ could be of practical help to Latin American relations policies.
An Individual’s Body that Produces the Meaning of Existence: Proposal for a Different Approach to The Stranger for Humanities Education
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Seo Younghee
Published: March 2023

Camus focuses on Mörso's body, which is in contact with the world with rich and poetic expressions. Mörso's body serves as a point that specifically reveals its identity as a rebel who denies the customs and order of civilized society, expressing the sense of originality before the body and humans are separated. The world Mörso senses vividly embodies his existence and confirms the proposition that existence precedes nature. Mörso's daily life opens up five senses to the world and consists of vast materials of vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste through physical experience. A different approach, based on the fact that the body is an inseparable entity from Mörso, finds specific points where Mörso senses the world and presents a new perspective on reading The Stranger. Through this, we find answers to the absurdity and contradiction of Camus' existence and the possibility of transcendence to overcome it.
A Study on Placeness in Contemporary Art and the Application of Art Education: Focused on works of Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller‘s
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Park Jungsun
Published: March 2023

As the global pandemic prompted a significant growth of virtual teaching, this study begins from questioning how, the sensory experiences involving a sense of site and place can, despite the unprecedented circumstances, be incorporated into practice-driven art classes. Therefore, the study aims to supplement the limitations of virtual art classes by suggesting concrete methods of teaching art which deploy senses applicable to the current system of online teaching conducted with pre-recorded or live lectures. First, the prospect of art education through sensory experiences along with the main contents of the recently-revised 2022 Revised Korean National Art Curriculum, then the (2001) and the  Series－two of the major works of Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller who embody the senses of the body to the process of expressing and appreciating their art－are examined. Based on their study, the new ways of experiencing the space of the daily life through the individual’s narrative and their sense of place and site overlapped through media are explored to facilitate the opportunities of sensory experiences in various teaching environments.
From static buckling to nonlinear dynamics of circular rings
Authors: Babilio Enrico , Mascolo Ida , Guarracino Federico
Published: March 2023

The dynamic buckling of circular rings is a pervasive instability problem with a major impact in various fields, such as structural, nuclear and offshore engineering, robotics, electromechanics, and biomechanics. This phenomenon may be simply seen as the complex motion that occurs deviating from the original circular shape under, for instance, any kind of time-dependent forcing load. Despite the fact that this topic has progressively gained importance since the mid-20th century, it seems that the same points have not been made completely clear. In fact, even some subtleties in the derivation of classical static buckling load may still give rise to misinterpretations and lead to misleading results. A fortiori, research concerning the nonlinear dynamics of rings still suffers the inherent difficulties associated with different possible analytical formulations of post-buckling dynamics. Advancement in this respect would be relevant, both from a theoretical and a practical point of view, since the applications are endless, with countless possibilities, especially in the biomedical and biotechnological fields: buckling-driven transformations of thin-film materials for applications in electronic microsystems, self-excited oscillations in collapsible tubes and pliable fluid-carrying shells, vocal-fold oscillations during phonation and snoring, pulse wave propagation in arteries, closure and reopening of pulmonary airways, stability of cardiac and venous valves during vascular surgery, stability of annuloplasty devices, flow-induced deformation and ultimate rupture of a cerebral aneurysm, and much more. The present article, in the framework of a critical review of the classic formulation of elastic ring buckling, proposes a straightforward approach for the nonlinear dynamics of an elastic ring that leads to a Mathieu–Duffing equation. In such a manner, some possible evolutions of the system under pulsing loads are analyzed and discussed, showing the inherent complexity of its dynamic behavior.
Immobilization and property of penicillin G acylase on amino functionalized magnetic Ni0.3Mg0.4Zn0.3Fe2O4 nanoparticles prepared via the rapid combustion process
Authors: Ma Mingyi , Chen Xiu , Yue Yao , Wang Jie , He Dawei , Liu Ruijiang
Published: March 2023

Penicillin G acylase plays an important role in the biocatalytic process of semi-synthetic penicillin. In order to overcome the disadvantages of free enzymes and improve the catalytic performance of enzymes, it is a new method to immobilize enzymes on carrier materials. And magnetic materials have the characteristics of easy separation. In the present study, the Magnetic Ni0.3Mg0.4Zn0.3Fe2O4 nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a rapid-combustion method and calcined at 400°C for 2 h. The surface of the nanoparticles was modified with sodium silicate hydrate, and the PGA was covalently bound to the carrier particles through the cross-linking of glutaraldehyde. The results showed that the activity of immobilized PGA reached 7121.00 U/g. The optimum pH for immobilized PGA was 8 and the optimum temperature was 45°C, the immobilized PGA exhibited higher stability against changes in pH and temperature. The Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) values of the free and immobilized PGA were 0.00387 and 0.0101 mol/L and the maximum rate (Vmax) values were 0.387 and 0.129 μmol/min. Besides, the immobilized PGA revealed excellent cycling performance. The immobilization strategy presented PGA had the advantages of reuse, good stability, cost saving and had considerable practical significance for the commercial application of PGA.
Health Passport: A blockchain-based PHR-integrated self-sovereign identity system
Authors: George Merlin , Chacko Anu Mary
Published: March 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was necessary to validate a person’s health status along with their identity to permit travel. This was facilitated via paper-based certificates and centralized digital apps. Even after COVID-19, it is anticipated that such health status verifications will be required for travel and other purposes. As a result, there needs to be an additional credential, a “Health Passport,” that establishes whether a person satisfies the health requirements for various purposes. Digital credentials so prepared should be trustable, unforgeable, and verifiable. The Health Passport should be designed to protect the end-users’ privacy and give people control over the data they use to confirm their credentials. This article explores the requirements for a generalized Health Passport system and uses agent-oriented modeling (AOM) to design a blockchain-based self-sovereign identity (SSI) system integrated with the Personal Health Record (PHR) to address this requirement. The article demonstrates the feasibility of the solution by implementing a proof of concept on Hyperledger Indy and Aries, integrated with the PHR – MediTrans. Credential issuance and verification time were calculated, and it was observed that the time overhead was minimal. This solution allows users to verify their credentials with the verifier without revealing any significant personal information. Our solution can be integrated into any PHR solution as the SSI solution is added as a plugin to the PHR accessible via a mobile/web app.
Effectiveness of educational intervention in improving medication adherence among patients with diabetes in Klang Valley, Malaysia
Authors: Atolagbe Emmanuel Timilehin , Sivanandy Palanisamy , Ingle Pravinkumar Vishwanath
Published: March 2023

Background

The diabetes patients’ adherence to prescription medication is 67.5%, which is lower than that of patients with any other medical conditions. Patients with low medication adherence are more likely to experience clinical complications, repeated hospitalizations, increased mortality, and increased healthcare costs, hence, education on disease and medication adherence is vital now. This study aimed to assess the level of medication adherence, medicine and information-seeking behaviour, and the effectiveness of online educational intervention in improving medication adherence and medicine and information-seeking behaviours among patients with diabetes in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Methods

Individuals aged 12 years and above with a prior diagnosis of diabetes were identified and randomly divided into (control (n=183), and intervention groups (n = 206). Data about their medication adherence and information-seeking behaviour were obtained. As part of the online educational intervention, a month of daily general reminders to take their medications and educational materials about diabetes had provided to them via WhatsApp groups. After a month, the groups were reassessed, and the data were compared.

Results

The results showed that, at baseline, most of the respondents in the control (58.8% females and 53.08% males) and intervention (65.52% females and 85.12% males) groups had a low level of medication adherence. After a month of intervention, medication adherence was significantly improved in the intervention group (91.4% females and 71.28% males) compared to the control group (38.23% females and 44.44% males). At baseline, only 96 (52.45%) respondents in the control group and 110 (52.38%) in the intervention group preferred to read online educational materials to know more about their condition(s), it was improved after a month of intervention in the intervention group where 204 (99.02%) respondents prefer online materials, however no change in the control group response.

Conclusion

The study concludes that medication adherence and information-seeking behaviours among the study population have been significantly improved after a month of structured intervention. Medication adherence plays a crucial role in risk reduction strategies subsequently it improves the patient’s quality of life. Thus, well-planned more robust educational interventions on chronic diseases are warranted to improve the health outcomes of the patients.
Sustained IP3-linked Ca2+ signaling promotes progression of triple negative breast cancer cells by regulating fatty acid metabolism
Authors: Filadi Riccardo , De Mario Agnese , Audano Matteo , Romani Patrizia , Pedretti Silvia , Cardenas Cesar , Dupont Sirio , Mammucari Cristina , Mitro Nico , Pizzo Paola
Published: March 2023

Rewiring of mitochondrial metabolism has been described in different cancers as a key step for their progression. Calcium (Ca2+) signaling regulates mitochondrial function and is known to be altered in several malignancies, including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, whether and how the alterations in Ca2+ signaling contribute to metabolic changes in TNBC has not been elucidated. Here, we found that TNBC cells display frequent, spontaneous inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-dependent Ca2+ oscillations, which are sensed by mitochondria. By combining genetic, pharmacologic and metabolomics approaches, we associated this pathway with the regulation of fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Moreover, we demonstrated that these signaling routes promote TNBC cell migration in vitro, suggesting they might be explored to identify potential therapeutic targets.
Determination of the autophagic flux in murine and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Authors: Walter Sophia , Jung Tobias , Herpich Catrin , Norman Kristina , Pivovarova-Ramich Olga , Ott Christiane
Published: March 2023

The autophagy lysosomal system (ALS) is crucial for cellular homeostasis, contributing to maintain whole body health and alterations are associated with diseases like cancer or cardiovascular diseases. For determining the autophagic flux, inhibition of lysosomal degradation is mandatory, highly complicating autophagy measurement in vivo. To overcome this, herein blood cells were used as they are easy and routinely to isolate. Within this study we provide detailed protocols for determination of the autophagic flux in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from human and, to our knowledge the first time, also from murine whole blood, extensively discussing advantages and disadvantages of both methods. Isolation of PBMCs was performed using density gradient centrifugation. To minimize changes on the autophagic flux through experimental conditions, cells were directly treated with concanamycin A (ConA) for 2 h at 37°C in their serum or for murine cells in serum filled up with NaCl. ConA treatment decreased lysosomal cathepsins activity and increased Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) protein and LC3A/B-II:LC3A/B-I ratio in murine PBMCs, while transcription factor EB was not altered yet. Aging further enhanced ConA-associated increase in SQSTM1 protein in murine PBMCs but not in cardiomyocytes, indicating tissue-specific differences in autophagic flux. In human PBMCs, ConA treatment also decreased lysosomal activity and increased LC3A/B-II protein levels, demonstrating successful autophagic flux detection in human subjects. In summary, both protocols are suitable to determine the autophagic flux in murine and human samples and may facilitate a better mechanistic understanding of altered autophagy in aging and disease models and to further develop novel treatment strategies.
The diverse roles of macrophages in metabolic inflammation and its resolution
Authors: Guha Ray Aleepta , Odum Oluwatomilayo Patience , Wiseman Destini , Weinstock Ada
Published: March 2023

Macrophages are one of the most functionally diverse immune cells, indispensable to maintain tissue integrity and metabolic health. Macrophages perform a myriad of functions ranging from promoting inflammation, through inflammation resolution to restoring and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Metabolic diseases encompass a growing list of diseases which develop from a mix of genetics and environmental cues leading to metabolic dysregulation and subsequent inflammation. In this review, we summarize the contributions of macrophages to four metabolic conditions–insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and neurodegeneration. The role of macrophages is complex, yet they hold great promise as potential therapies to address these growing health concerns.
Bcs1, a novel target for fungicide
Authors: Zhan Jingyu , Xia Di
Published: March 2023

The mitochondrial respiratory chain has long been a primary target for the development of fungicides for its indispensable role in various cellular functions including energy metabolism. Over the years, a wide range of natural and synthetic fungicides and pesticides targeting the respiratory chain complexes have been discovered or developed and used in agriculture and in medicine, which brought considerable economic gains but was also accompanied by the emergence of resistance to these compounds. To delay and overcome the onset of resistance, novel targets for fungicides development are actively being pursued. Mitochondrial AAA protein Bcs1 is necessary for the biogenesis of respiratory chain Complex III, also known as cyt bc1 complex, by delivering the last essential iron-sulfur protein subunit in its folded form to the cyt bc1 precomplex. Although no report on the phenotypes of knock-out Bcs1 has been reported in animals, pathogenic Bcs1 mutations cause Complex III deficiency and respiratory growth defects, which makes it a promising new target for the development of fungicides. Recent Cryo-EM and X-ray structures of mouse and yeast Bcs1 revealed the basic oligomeric states of Bcs1, shed light on the translocation mechanism of its substrate ISP, and provided the basis for structure-based drug design. This review summarizes the recent progress made on understanding the structure and function of Bcs1, proposes the use of Bcs1 as an antifungal target, and provides novel prospects for fungicides design by targeting Bcs1.
Diarrhoeal pathogens in the stools of children living with HIV in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Bejide Oyeniyi S. , Odebode Mariam A. , Ogunbosi Babatunde O. , Adekanmbi Olukemi , Akande Kolawole O. , Ilori Temitope , Ogunleye Veronica O. , Nwachukwu Victoria U. , Grey-Areben Aghogho , Akande Elizabeth T. , Okeke Iruka N.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Diarrhoea can be debilitating in young children. Few aetiological investigations in Africans living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been performed since antiretrovirals became widely available.

Methods

Stool specimens from children with diarrhoea living with HIV, and HIV-uninfected controls, recruited at two hospitals in Ibadan, Nigeria, were screened for parasites and occult blood, and cultured for bacteria. Following biochemical identification of at least five colonies per specimen, diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella were confirmed by PCR. Data were line-listed and comparisons were made using Fisher’s Exact test.

Results

Only 10 children living with HIV could be enrolled during the 25-month study period and 55 HIV-uninfected children with diarrhoea were included for comparison. The most common pathogens overall were enteroaggregative E. coli (18/65, 27.7%), enteroinvasive E. coli (10/65, 15.4%), Cryptosporidium parvum (8/65, 12.3%) and Cyclospora cayetanensis (7/65, 10.8%). At least one pathogen was detected from seven of ten children living with HIV and 27 (49.1%) HIV-uninfected children. Parasite detection was associated with HIV positive status (p=0.03) with C. parvum specifically recovered more commonly from children living with HIV (p=0.01). Bacterial-parasite pathogen combinations were detected in specimens from four of ten children living with HIV but only 3(5.5%) HIV-uninfected children (p=0.009). Stools from five of ten children living with HIV and 7(12.7%) HIV-negative children (p = 0.014) contained occult blood.

Discussion

Even though children living with HIV present infrequently to Ibadan health facilities with diarrhoea, their greater propensity for mixed and potentially invasive infections justifies prioritizing laboratory diagnosis of their stools.
Vaccination against swine influenza in pigs causes different drift evolutionary patterns upon swine influenza virus experimental infection and reduces the likelihood of genomic reassortments
Authors: López-Valiñas Álvaro , Valle Marta , Wang Miaomiao , Darji Ayub , Cantero Guillermo , Chiapponi Chiara , Segalés Joaquim , Ganges Llilianne , Núñez José I.
Published: March 2023

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) can infect a wide variety of bird and mammal species. Their genome is characterized by 8 RNA single stranded segments. The low proofreading activity of their polymerases and the genomic reassortment between different IAVs subtypes allow them to continuously evolve, constituting a constant threat to human and animal health. In 2009, a pandemic of an IAV highlighted the importance of the swine host in IAVs adaptation between humans and birds. The swine population and the incidence of swine IAV is constantly growing. In previous studies, despite vaccination, swine IAV growth and evolution were proven in vaccinated and challenged animals. However, how vaccination can drive the evolutionary dynamics of swine IAV after coinfection with two subtypes is poorly studied. In the present study, vaccinated and nonvaccinated pigs were challenged by direct contact with H1N1 and H3N2 independent swine IAVs seeder pigs. Nasal swab samples were daily recovered and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was also collected at necropsy day from each pig for swine IAV detection and whole genome sequencing. In total, 39 swine IAV whole genome sequences were obtained by next generation sequencing from samples collected from both experimental groups. Subsequently, genomic, and evolutionary analyses were carried out to detect both, genomic reassortments and single nucleotide variants (SNV). Regarding the segments found per sample, the simultaneous presence of segments from both subtypes was much lower in vaccinated animals, indicating that the vaccine reduced the likelihood of genomic reassortment events. In relation to swine IAV intra-host diversity, a total of 239 and 74 SNV were detected within H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes, respectively. Different proportions of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions were found, indicating that vaccine may be influencing the main mechanism that shape swine IAV evolution, detecting natural, neutral, and purifying selection in the different analyzed scenarios. SNV were detected along the whole swine IAV genome with important nonsynonymous substitutions on polymerases, surface glycoproteins and nonstructural proteins, which may have an impact on virus replication, immune system escaping and virulence of virus, respectively. The present study further emphasized the vast evolutionary capacity of swine IAV, under natural infection and vaccination pressure scenarios.
Research progress of gut microbiota and obesity caused by high-fat diet
Authors: Fan Shuyi , Chen Suyun , Lin Lin
Published: March 2023

Obesity, a chronic metabolic disorder caused by an energy imbalance, has been increasingly prevalent and poses a global health concern. The multifactorial etiology of obesity includes genetics factors, high-fat diet, gut microbiota, and other factors. Among these factors, the implication of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of obesity has been prominently acknowledged. This study endeavors to investigate the potential contribution of gut microbiota to the development of high-fat diet induced obesity, as well as the current state of probiotic intervention therapy research, in order to provide novel insights for the prevention and management of obesity.
Uncovering the specificity and predictability of tryptophan metabolism in lactic acid bacteria with genomics and metabolomics
Authors: Pan Tong , Pei Zhangming , Fang Zhifeng , Wang Hongchao , Zhu Jinlin , Zhang Hao , Zhao Jianxin , Chen Wei , Lu Wenwei
Published: March 2023

Tryptophan is metabolized by microorganisms into various indole derivatives that have been proven to alleviate diseases and promote human health. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a broad microbial concept, some of which have been developed as probiotics. However, the capacity of most LAB to metabolize tryptophan is unknown. In this study, the aim is to reveal the rule of tryptophan metabolism in LAB by multi-omics. The findings showed that LAB were rich in genes for tryptophan catabolism and that multiple genes were shared among LAB species. Although the number of their homologous sequences was different, they could still form the same metabolic enzyme system. The metabolomic analysis revealed that LAB were capable of producing a variety of metabolites. Strains belonging to the same species can produce the same metabolites and have similar yields. A few strains showed strain-specificity in the production of indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), indole-3-acetic acid, and 3-indolealdehyde (IAld). In the genotype-phenotype association analysis, the metabolites of LAB were found to be highly consistent with the outcomes of gene prediction, particularly ILA, indole-3-propionic acid, and indole-3-pyruvic acid. The overall prediction accuracy was more than 87% on average, which indicated the predictability of tryptophan metabolites of LAB. Additionally, genes influenced the concentration of metabolites. The levels of ILA and IAld were significantly correlated with the numbers of aromatic amino acid aminotransferase and amidase, respectively. The unique indolelactate dehydrogenase in Ligilactobacillus salivarius was the primary factor contributing to its large production of ILA. In summary, we demonstrated the gene distribution and production level of tryptophan metabolism in LAB and explored the correlation between genes and phenotypes. The predictability and specificity of the tryptophan metabolites in LAB were proven. These results provide a novel genomic method for the discovery of LAB with tryptophan metabolism potential and offer experimental data for probiotics that produce specific tryptophan metabolites.
Patterns of sedentary behavior in adults: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Silva Gustavo O. , Cunha Paolo M. , Oliveira Max D. , Christofaro Diego G. D. , Tebar William R. , Gerage Aline M. , Kanegusuku Hélcio , Correia Marilia A. , Ritti-Dias Raphael M.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Sedentary behavior (SB) has been associated with adverse health outcomes, however, it is not completely clear whether total time in SB during the day or prolonged uninterrupted SB are interrelated. The aim of the current study was to describe the different patterns of SB of adults, their relationships, and associated factors.

Methods

The sample included 184 adults aged ranging from 18 to 59 years old. SB was objectively measured by an accelerometer and the following SB pattern parameters were obtained: total time in sedentary bouts, mean time of sedentary bouts, and total time in sedentary breaks. Demographic data (age and sex), anthropometry [weight, height, body mass index (BMI)], blood pressure (BP), medical history (self-reported comorbid conditions), and cardiac autonomic modulation, were assessed to identify factors associated with SB. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the relationship between SB parameters and the associated factors.

Results

The parameters of SB indicated 2.4 (0.9) h/day for total time in sedentary bouts, 36.4 (7.9) min for the mean time of sedentary bouts, and 9.1 (1.9) h/day for the total time in sedentary breaks. Multiple adjusted regression indicated that age was the only factor associated with SB patterns (p < 0.05) after adjustment for confounding variables (sex, age, BMI, dyslipidemia, systolic and diastolic BP). Young adults (18–39 years old) spent more time in sedentary bouts and less time in uninterrupted sedentary bouts compared to middle-aged adults (40–59 years old) (2.58 (0.88) h/day vs. 2.13 (0.90) h/day, respectively; p = 0.001 and 34.5 (5.8) min 18–39 years old vs. 38.8 (9.6) min 40–59 years old; p  ≤ 0.001; respectively). The total time in sedentary breaks was similar between age groups (p = 0.465). The total time in sedentary bouts was significantly correlated with the mean time of sedentary bouts (r = −0.58; p ≤ 0.001), and with the total time in sedentary breaks (r = −0.20; p = 0.006). The mean time of sedentary bouts was significantly related to the total time in sedentary breaks (r -= 0.19; p = 0.007).

Discussion and Conclusion

In conclusion, age seems to be a relevant factor associated with sedentary behavior with young adults spending more time in SB and accumulating this behavior in a higher amount of sedentary bouts compared to middle-aged adults.
Prevalence and clinical implications of atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19: Data from a registry in Poland
Authors: Terlecki Michał , Wojciechowska Wiktoria , Klocek Marek , Drożdż Tomasz , Kocowska-Trytko Maryla , Lis Paweł , Pavlinec Christopher , Pęksa Jan W. , Kania Michał , Siudak Zbigniew , Januszewicz Andrzej , Kreutz Reinhold , Małecki Maciej , Grodzicki Tomasz , Rajzer Marek ,   CraCov HHS Investigators
Published: March 2023

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia with increasing prevalence with respect to age and comorbidities. AF may influence the prognosis in patients hospitalized with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to assess the prevalence of AF among patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 and the association of AF and in-hospital anticoagulation treatment with prognosis.

Methods and results

We assessed the prevalence of AF among patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 and the association of AF and in-hospital anticoagulation treatment with prognosis. Data of all COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the University Hospital in Krakow, Poland, between March 2020 and April 2021, were analyzed. The following outcomes: short-term (30-days since hospital admission) and long-term (180-days after hospital discharge) mortality, major cardiovascular events (MACEs), pulmonary embolism, and need for red blood cells (RBCs) transfusion, as a surrogate for major bleeding events during hospital stay were assessed. Out of 4,998 hospitalized patients, 609 had AF (535 pre-existing and 74 de novo). Compared to those without AF, patients with AF were older and had more cardiovascular disorders. In adjusted analysis, AF was independently associated with an increased risk of short-term {p = 0.019, Hazard Ratio [(HR)] 1.236; 95% CI: 1.035–1.476} and long-term mortality (Log-rank p < 0.001) as compared to patients without AF. The use of novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC) in AF patients was associated with reduced short-term mortality (HR 0.14; 95% CI: 0.06–0.33, p < 0.001). Moreover, in AF patients, NOAC use was associated with a lower probability of MACEs (Odds Ratio 0.3; 95% CI: 0.10–0.89, p = 0.030) without increase of RBCs transfusion.

Conclusions

AF increases short- and long-term risk of death in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. However, the use of NOACs in this group may profoundly improve prognosis.
Parameterization of soil evaporation and coupled transport of moisture and heat for arid and semiarid regions
Authors: Meng Chunlei , Jin Haidong , Jin Bo
Published: March 2023

Soil moisture is an important parameter in numerical weather forecasting and climate projection studies, and it is extremely important for arid and semiarid areas. Different from those in relatively wet areas, for arid and semiarid areas, mechanisms associated with the transportation, condensation, and evaporation of water vapor in soil interior cannot be neglected. In this paper, schemes associated with soil evaporation and coupled transport of soil moisture and heat were developed for the integrated urban land model (IUM) to improve the simulation of soil moisture in arid and semiarid areas. The whole layer soil evaporation (WSE) scheme was developed to improve the simulation of soil evaporation. The soil’s inner layer water vapor transport is considered a part of WSE. The transport of water and heat in the inner soil was linked to the phase change of water. The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission Level-4 Soil Moisture product and 10-cm volumetric soil moisture observations in 358 autonomic soil moisture observation sites were used for validating the simulation results. The results indicate that after using the WSE scheme and considering the coupled transport of moisture and heat in the soil interior, the simulation of soil moisture was improved definitely. For June, July, and August, the biases of soil moisture simulation decreased by approximately 22.5, 34.4, and 27.5%, respectively, while the RMSEs decrease by approximately 7.0, 8.7, and 9.6%, respectively. The improvement of soil moisture simulation indicates that in arid and semiarid areas soil water vapor transport is important and cannot be neglected.
Genotype-phenotype correlation in patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency
Authors: Tang Peng , Zhang Jun , Peng Song , Wang Yapeng , Li Haoyang , Wang Ze , Zhang Yao , Huang Yiqiang , Xu Jing , Zhang Dianzheng , Liu Qiuli , Wang Luofu , Lan Weihua , Jiang Jun
Published: March 2023

Introduction

21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) is the most common cause of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). However, patients with 21OHD manifest various phenotypes due to a wide-spectrum residual enzyme activity of different CYP21A2 mutations.

Methods

A total of 15 individuals from three unrelated families were included in this study. Target Capture-Based Deep Sequencing and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism was conducted on peripheral blood DNA of the three probands to identify potential mutations/deletions in CYP21A2; Sanger sequencing was conducted with the DNA from the family members of the probands.

Results

Dramatically different phenotypes were seen in the three probands of CAH with different compound heterozygous mutations in CYP21A2. Proband 1 manifested simple virilizing with mutations of 30-kb deletion/c.[188A>T;518T>A], the latter is a novel double mutants classified as SV associated mutation. Although both probands carry the same compound mutations [293-13C>G]:[518T>A], gonadal dysfunction and giant bilateral adrenal myelolipoma were diagnosed for proband 2 and proband 3, respectively.

Conclusion

Both gender and mutations contribute to the phenotypes, and patients with the same compound mutations and gender could present with different phenotypes. Genetic analysis could help the etiologic diagnosis, especially for atypical 21OHD patients.