bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urinary extracellular vesicles carry multiple activators and regulators of coagulation
Authors: Saraswat Mayank , Przybyla Beata , Joenvaara Sakari , Tohmola Tiialotta , Strandin Tomas , Puhka Maija , Jouppila Annukka , Lassila Riitta , Renkonen Risto
Published: September 2022

Cells shape their extracellular milieu by secreting intracellular products into the environment including extracellular vesicles which are lipid-bilayer limited membrane particles. These vesicles carry out a range of functions, including regulation of coagulation, via multiple contributor mechanisms. Urinary extracellular vesicles are secreted by various cells, lining the urinary space, including the nephron and bladder. They are known to have procoagulant properties, however, the details of this function, beyond tissue factor are not well known. The aim of the study was to access the role of urinary extracellular vesicles in impacting coagulation upon supplementation to plasma. This could indicate their physiological function upon kidney injury or pathology. Supplementation to standard human plasma and plasmas deficient in various coagulation factors was used for this purpose, and calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT®) was the major technique applied. We found that these vesicles contain multiple coagulation-related factors, and their lipid composition affects coagulation activities of plasma upon supplementation. Remarkably, these vesicles can restore thrombin generation in FVII, FVIII, FIX and FXI -deficient plasmas. This study explores the multiple roles of urinary extracellular vesicles in coagulation in in vitro blood coagulation and implies their importance in its regulation by several mechanisms.
Synthesis, crystal and electronic structure of BaLixCd13–x (x ≈ 2)
Authors: Peng Wanyue , Baranets Sviatoslav , Bobev Svilen
Published: September 2022

A new ternary phase has been synthesized and structurally characterized. BaLixCd13–x (x ≈ 2) adopts the cubic NaZn13 structure type (space group Fm3¯c, Pearson symbol cF112) with unit cell parameter a = 13.5548 (10) Å. Structure refinements from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data demonstrate that the Li atoms are exclusively found at the centers of the Cd12-icosahedra. Since a cubic BaCd13 phase does not exist, and the tetragonal BaCd11 is the most Cd-rich phase in the Ba–Cd system, BaLixCd13–x (x ≈ 2) has to be considered as a true ternary compound. As opposed to the typical electron count of ca. 27e-per formula unit for many known compounds with the NaZn13 structure type, BaLixCd13–x (x ≈ 2) only has ca. 26e-, suggesting that both electronic and geometric factors are at play. Finally, the bonding characteristics of the cubic BaLixCd13–x (x ≈ 2) and tetragonal BaCd11 are investigated using the TB-LMTO-ASA method, showing metallic-like behavior.
Increased susceptibility to pneumonia due to tumour necrosis factor inhibition and prospective immune system rescue via immunotherapy
Authors: Ha Ryan , Keynan Yoav , Rueda Zulma Vanessa
Published: September 2022

Immunomodulators such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are used to treat autoimmune conditions by reducing the magnitude of the innate immune response. Dampened innate responses pose an increased risk of new infections by opportunistic pathogens and reactivation of pre-existing latent infections. The alteration in immune response predisposes to increased severity of infections. TNF inhibitors are used to treat autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, transplant recipients, and inflammatory bowel disease. The efficacies of immunomodulators are shown to be varied, even among those that target the same pathways. Monoclonal antibody-based TNF inhibitors have been shown to induce stronger immunosuppression when compared to their receptor-based counterparts. The variability in activity also translates to differences in risk for infection, moreover, parallel, or sequential use of immunosuppressive drugs and corticosteroids makes it difficult to accurately attribute the risk of infection to a single immunomodulatory drug. Among recipients of TNF inhibitors,Mycobacterium tuberculosishas been shown to be responsible for 12.5-59% of all infections;Pneumocystis jiroveciihas been responsible for 20% of all non-viral infections; andLegionella pneumophilainfections occur at 13-21 times the rate of the general population. This review will outline the mechanism of immune modulation caused by TNF inhibitors and how they predispose to infection with a focus onMycobacterium tuberculosis,Legionella pneumophila, andPneumocystis jirovecii. This review will then explore and evaluate how other immunomodulators and host-directed treatments influence these infections and the severity of the resulting infection to mitigate or treat TNF inhibitor-associated infections alongside antibiotics.
Outcomes after right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with valve substitutes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Xu , Bakhuis Wouter , Veen Kevin M. , Bogers Ad J. J. C. , Etnel Jonathan R. G. , van Der Ven Carlijn C. E. M. , Roos-Hesselink Jolien W. , Andrinopoulou Eleni-Rosalina , Takkenberg Johanna J. M.
Published: September 2022

Introduction

This study aims to provide an overview of outcomes after right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction using different valve substitutes in different age groups for different indications.

Methods

The literature was systematically searched for articles published between January 2000 and June 2021 reporting on clinical and/or echocardiographic outcomes after RVOT reconstruction with valve substitutes. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted for outcomes, and time-related outcomes were visualized by pooled Kaplan–Meier curves. Subgroup analyses were performed according to etiology, implanted valve substitute and patient age.

Results

Two hundred and seventeen articles were included, comprising 37,078 patients (age: 22.86 ± 11.29 years; 31.6% female) and 240,581 patient-years of follow-up. Aortic valve disease (Ross procedure, 46.6%) and Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF, 27.0%) were the two main underlying etiologies. Homograft and xenograft accounted for 83.7 and 32.6% of the overall valve substitutes, respectively. The early mortality, late mortality, reintervention and endocarditis rates were 3.36% (2.91–3.88), 0.72%/y (95% CI: 0.62–0.82), 2.62%/y (95% CI: 2.28–3.00), and 0.38%/y (95%CI: 0.31–0.47) for all patients. The early mortality for TOF and truncus arteriosus (TA) were 1.95% (1.31–2.90) and 10.67% (7.79–14.61). Pooled late mortality and reintervention rate were 0.59%/y (0.39–0.89), 1.41%/y (0.87–2.27), and 1.20%/y (0.74–1.94), 10.15%/y (7.42–13.90) for TOF and TA, respectively. Endocarditis rate was 0.21%/y (95% CI: 0.16–0.27) for a homograft substitute and 0.80%/y (95%CI: 0.60–1.09) for a xenograft substitute. Reintervention rate for infants, children and adults was 8.80%/y (95% CI: 6.49–11.95), 4.75%/y (95% CI: 3.67–6.14), and 0.72%/y (95% CI: 0.36–1.42), respectively.

Conclusion

This study shows RVOT reconstruction with valve substitutes can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidity rates for most patients. Reinterventions after RVOT reconstruction with valve substitutes are inevitable for most patients in their life-time, emphasizing the necessity of life-long follow-up and multidisciplinary care. Follow-up protocols should be tailored to individual patients because patients with different etiologies, ages, and implanted valve substitutes have different rates of mortality and morbidity.

Systematic review registration

[www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero], identifier [CRD42021271622].
Higher serum phosphorus and calcium levels provide prognostic value in patients with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Cao Wei , Li Yilan , Wen Yao , Fang Shaohong , Zhao Bing , Zhang Xiaoyuan , Zhang Yanxiu , Lang Xueyan , Yu Bo , Zhang Yao
Published: September 2022

Background

Although traditional cardiovascular risk factors are closely related to the poor prognosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, there are few studies on the relationship of serum phosphorus and calcium with prognosis in AMI patients. The relationship of serum phosphorus and calcium with prognostic biomarkers in AMI remains unclear.

Methods and results

A total of 3,891 AMI patients were enrolled from a prospective cohort study. We investigated the association of serum phosphorus and calcium with prognostic biomarkers. The risk of in-hospital heart failure (HF), post-discharge HF, all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality was estimated across quartiles of serum phosphorus and calcium levels. Serum phosphorus and calcium levels were associated with biomarkers of prognosis. Overall, 969 patients developed in-hospital HF during hospitalization, 549 patients developed post-discharge HF during a median follow-up of 12 months, and 252 patients died, with 170 cardiac deaths since admission. In the fully adjusted model, compared with patients in quartile 2 (Q2), patients with serum phosphorus levels in Q4 were at greater risk of post-discharge HF [sub-distributional hazard ratios (SHR) 1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.21–1.99], in-hospital HF [odds ratio (OR) 1.84; 95% CI, 1.47–2.31], all-cause mortality (HR 1.59; 95% CI, 1.08–2.32), and cardiac mortality (SHR 1.68; 95% CI, 1.03–2.75). Compared with patients in Q2, patients with corrected calcium levels in Q4 had a higher risk of in-hospital HF (OR 1.62; 95% CI, 1.29–2.04), all-cause mortality (HR 1.99; 95% CI, 1.37–2.88), and cardiac mortality (SHR 1.87; 95% CI, 1.19–2.96; all p-trend < 0.05).

Conclusion

Serum phosphorus and calcium levels were associated with AMI prognostic biomarkers in AMI. Higher serum phosphorus was independently related to the increased risk of in-hospital HF, postdischarge HF, all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality, and higher serum calcium was independently related to the increased risk of in-hospital HF, all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality after AMI.
Scaling up a decentralized offline patient ID generation and matching algorithm to accelerate universal health coverage: Insights from a literature review and health facility survey in Nigeria
Authors: Chukwu Emeka , Ekong Iniobong , Garg Lalit
Published: September 2022

Background

Quality of health service delivery data remains sub-optimal in many Low and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite over a decade of progress in digitization and Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) improvements. Identifying everyone residing in a country utilizing universal civil registration and/or national unique identification number systems especially for vulnerable patients seeking care within the care continuum is an essential part of pursuing universal health coverage (UHC). Many different strategies or candidate digital technologies exist for uniquely identifying and tracking patients within a health system, and the different strategies also have their advantages and trade-offs. The recent approval of Decentralized identifier (DID) core specification by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) heralds the search for consensus on standard interoperable DID methods.

Objective

This paper aims to: (1) assess how candidate Patient Identification Systems fit the digital Patient ID desirable attributes framework in literature; and (2) use insights from Nigeria to propose the scale-up of an offline, interoperable decentralized Patient ID generation and a matching model for addressing network reliability challenges of centralized electronic registries in LMICs.

Methods

We combined: (i) systematic review of the literature to identify the characteristics of leading candidates for Patient ID systems, with (ii) review of policies and (iii) quantitative survey of 14 general hospitals in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory to understand the model(s) of patient ID strategies currently implemented by public hospitals.

Results

Evidence from the literature review and quantitative survey showed that no current Patient ID strategy in Nigeria simultaneously meets the six attributes of uniqueness, unchanging, uncontroversial, inexpensive, ubiquitous, and uncomplicated required for ensuring the reliability of unique patient identification systems and of the HMIS more generally.

Conclusions

The findings are used to propose a model of algorithms for universal-offline Patient ID generation and matching models that is cost effective and can be easily scaled-up throughout Nigeria. The prototype has promise for generating and validating a universally unique Patient ID given a set of patient characteristics without a central rigid authority. The model can also help to fast-track the implementation of a Master Patient Index (MPI) and interoperability of existing digital health platforms in LMICs.
Application of potential vorticity tendency diagnosis method to high-resolution simulation of tropical cyclones
Authors: Xie Tong , Wu Liguang , Yu Jinhua
Published: September 2022

As the grid spacing in the numerical simulation decreases to ∼1 km, the potential vorticity (PV) structure of the simulated tropical cyclone (TC) is an annular tower of high PV with low PV in the eye and the resulting reversal of the radial PV gradient in the inner core is subject to dynamic instability, leading to complicated small-scale features in the PV field. While the PV tendency (PVT) method has been successfully used to diagnose TC motion in numerical simulations with relatively coarse resolution (∼10 km), it has been found that the PVT diagnosis method fails in the TC simulation with grid spacing of ∼1 km. This study reveals that the failure of the PVT diagnosis method in the high-resolution simulation with grid spacing of ∼1 km arises from the induced small-scale features in the PV field. The high localized PV features do not affect TC motion, but make it difficult to calculate the gradient of azimuthal mean PV when the time interval of the model output is ∼1 h. It is suggested that the PVT method can be applied to high-resolution simulations by increasing the time interval of the model output and/or smoothing the model output to reduce the influence of small-scale PV features.
Height outcomes in Korean children with idiopathic short stature receiving growth hormone treatment
Authors: Chae Hyun Wook , Hwang Il-Tae , Lee Ji-Eun , So Cheol Hwan , Rhie Young-Jun , Lim Jung Sub , Kwon Eun Byul , Yi Kyung Hee , Kim Eun Young , Jo Chae-Ku , Shim Kye Shik , Gil Ha-Yeong , Seong Min-Jeong , Nam Chung Mo , Moon Ji-Su , Hwang Jin Soon
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Growth hormone (GH) therapy’s capacity to increase height velocity and height at the end of the study in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) is controversial. We aimed to investigate the height standard deviation score (SDS) and height velocity of patients with ISS in Korea who received GH treatment.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed and performed linear mixed model and survival analyses on data from 12 tertiary hospitals in Korea, including subjects diagnosed with ISS from January 2009 to September 2019, treated with GH therapy for more than 6 months, and who were at a pre-pubertal state at the time of diagnosis.

Results

We included 578 children (330 boys and 248 girls). The mean daily dose of GH in this study was 0.051 mg/kg, which was lower than the approved dose in Korea of 0.062 - 0.067 mg/kg. Height SDS was higher in patients who started treatment before the age of 6 years. The probability of reaching the target SDS (-1 SDS) from the beginning of treatment to 2–3 years after its start was higher in children starting treatment before the age of 6 years. The hazard ratio to reach the target SDS (-1 SDS) when using automatic pen or electronic devices was 1.727 times higher than that when using the needle and syringe device.

Conclusion

ISS patients should start GH treatment at an early age, and even lower-than-recommended drug doses may be effective. The selection of automatic pen or electronic device can have a positive effect on reaching the target height SDS.
Minimum hydrogen consumption power allocation strategy for the multi-stack fuel cell (MFC) system based on a discrete approach
Authors: Liang YiFan , Liang QianChao , Zhao JianFeng , He JunNeng
Published: September 2022

In high-powered application scenarios, a multi-stack fuel cell system (MFCS) could have advantages such as higher robustness, lifetime, and reliability than a single-stack fuel cell system. In particular, MFCS could maintain a high efficiency and increase system redundancy by power configuration between subsystems. In order to reduce the operational expenses for systems, a reasonable power management strategy is necessary to minimize the hydrogen consumption of MFCS. First, the power-hydrogen consumption curve of the single-stack fuel cell system is discretized from experimental measurements. Next, the discrete data are reassembled by the inverse derivation of the dynamic programming method to produce a minimum solution for the hydrogen consumption in the output power range. It is found that the strategy varies depending on activated state On or Off. Finally, two power allocation strategies are developed and modeled in a lookup-table block considering the activated state. The optimal stack output power strategy is analyzed with four stacks. The results indicate that the hydrogen consumption is smaller and more efficient than the other allocation strategies. It can respond to the load demand with a high efficiency sooner than the average strategy.
Using a vegetation index to assess wetland condition in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America
Authors: Tangen Brian A. , Bansal Sheel , Jones Seth , Dixon Cami S. , Nahlik Amanda M. , DeKeyser Edward S. , Hargiss Christina L. M. , Mushet David M.
Published: September 2022

Wetlands deliver a suite of ecosystem services to society. Anthropogenic activities, such as wetland drainage, have resulted in considerable wetland loss and degradation, diminishing the intrinsic value of wetland ecosystems worldwide. Protecting remaining wetlands and restoring degraded wetlands are common management practices to preserve and reclaim wetland benefits to society. Accordingly, methods for monitoring and assessing wetlands are required to evaluate their ecologic condition and outcomes of restoration activities. We used an established methodology for conducting vegetation-based assessments and describe a case study consisting of a wetland condition assessment in the Prairie Pothole Region of the North American Great Plains. We provide an overview of an existing method for selecting wetlands to sample across broad geographic distributions using a spatially balanced statistical design. We also describe site assessment protocols, including vegetation survey methods, and how field data were applied to a vegetation index that categorized wetlands according to ecologic condition. Results of the case study indicated that vegetation communities in nearly 50% of the surveyed wetlands were in very poor or poor condition, while only about 25% were considered good or very good. Approximately 70% of wetlands in native grasslands were categorized as good or very good compared to only 12% of those in reseeded grasslands (formerly cropland). In terms of informing restoration and management activities, results indicated that improved restoration practices could include a greater focus on establishing natural vegetation communities, and both restored and native prairie wetlands would benefit from enhanced management of invasive species.
Affordable Electric Vehicles: Their Role in Meeting the U.S. Contribution to the Paris Climate Goals
Authors: Graham John D. , Brungard Eva
Published: September 2022

The United States government established a national goal of 50% plug-in vehicle penetration of the new light-duty vehicle fleet by 2030. Achievement of this goal is required to satisfy the country’s commitments to greenhouse-gas control under the 2015 Paris climate accords. Based on a market analysis of historical sales patterns, current and planned plug-in vehicle offerings, and sales forecasts for 2030, this article concludes that the US is unlikely to meet the 2030 goal without rapid commercialization of affordable plug-in vehicles, where affordable is defined as a price less than $45,000 per vehicle. Public policies are reviewed, in part based on European experience, that can accelerate the commercialization of affordable plug-in vehicles in the United States.
Validating a smart nutrient solution replenishment strategy to save water and nutrients in hydroponic crops
Authors: Neocleous Damianos , Savvas Dimitrios
Published: September 2022

Sustainable use of water and nutrients is fundamental in modern Mediterranean greenhouses and the use of modern decision support systems (DSS) can contribute to this direction. This work focuses on implementing new elements in water and nutrient recycling in cropping systems under saline conditions. Thus, two nutrient solution (NS) control strategies were applied to tomato crops grown in a recirculated NS under low- and high-salinity (NaCl) conditions. According to the first strategy, (i.e., Standard-STD) NS was replenished with water and nutrients based on predetermined “uptake concentrations” (UCs), i.e., nutrient to water uptake ratios, following standard commercial practices. According to the second strategy, NS was replenished by applying recalculated UCs of all nutrients after chemical analysis of a drainage solution sample using the software NUTRISENSE (NTS). Compared with the STD strategy, tomato plants treated with NTS retained drainage nutrient concentrations closer to the optimal values irrespectively of the salinity treatment. This eventually accounted for a smaller deviation from the mean threshold salinity value in the root zone at higher salinity levels, thus plants retained water consumption and crop yield potential at higher stomatal conductance minimizing physiological impacts of salinity on plants. Nutritional control strategies did not impose substantial difference in the UCs for most of the nutrients; however, this was not the case under salinity. Nutrient UCs determined and NTS strategy can be successfully used in DSS to optimize nutrient supply and prolong recirculation, thereby saving precious water and nutrients, in Mediterranean hydroponic crops with particular emphasis on saline environments.
A case analysis of turbulence characteristics and ozone perturbations over eastern China
Authors: Qin Zilin , He Yang , Zhao Xiaoran , Feng Yutao , Yi Xin
Published: September 2022

Our knowledge of the vertical variabilities in turbulence and ozone perturbation in the free atmosphere is severely limited because of the scarcity of high-resolution observation data. Based on the Thorpe method, a new set of sounding data in Shanghai, China, was used herein to analyze the distributions of turbulence and ozone perturbation. The region in which turbulence activity is relatively frequent spans from 5-15 km in the middle and upper troposphere. Due to the combined action of large wind shear and thermal convection, the low-troposphere stratification conditions are conducive to the generation of large-scale turbulence. Turbulence has a certain effect on atmospheric ozone concentration exchanges; in most regions located near turbulence, ozone partial pressure perturbations occur. In the troposphere, the ozone profile is most influenced by atmospheric static instability, while in the stratosphere, both wind shear and thermal convection play important roles in the emergence of ozone perturbations.
The recent Asian elephant range expansion in Yunnan, China, is associated with climate change and enforced protection efforts in human-dominated landscapes
Authors: Bai Defeng , Wan Xinru , Zhang Li , Campos-Arceiz Ahimsa , Wei Fuwen , Zhang Zhibin
Published: September 2022

Recently, the northward movement of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Yunnan, China, has attracted international attention. Climate change or human disturbances have been proposed to be the key drivers, but these hypotheses have not been rigorously tested. In this study, we quantified the relationship between climate change and human impacts on the recent range expansion of Asian elephants in southwest China. We found that the first observation probability of this species in a new place during 1959–2021 had a significant and positive association with change in air temperature and human density, resulting in a movement toward a high-latitude region with a warmer climate and higher human density; however, its association with precipitation was scale-dependent in time: positive or negative during the past 10 or 5 years, respectively. Under the enforced protection policy, human-dominated areas became preferred habitats for elephants. Our results indicate that climate change and enforced protection efforts in human-dominated landscapes in the last few decades are significant drivers of the recent range expansion of Asian elephants in Yunnan, China. It is necessary to expand the current protected areas or habitat corridors toward the north or set up new reserves in the north and set up barriers between human settlements and elephant habitats to facilitate elephant movements and minimize human-elephant conflicts under accelerated global change.
Hydrogeochemical processes controlling the salinity of surface water and groundwater in an inland saline-alkali wetland in western Jilin, China
Authors: Cui Geng , Liu Yan , Tong Shouzheng
Published: September 2022

Understanding the hydrochemical evolutionary mechanisms of surface water and groundwater in saline-alkali wetlands in arid and semi-arid regions is necessary for assessing how wetland water resource utilization and restoration processes may affect the natural interface between wetland salinity and water. The Momoge National Nature Reserve (MNNR) is an inland wetland in northeastern China that is mainly fed by irrigation water and floods from the Nenjiang River. The purpose of the present study is to describe the spatial distribution characteristics of surface water and groundwater hydrochemistry and salinity in the MNNR and analyze the main processes controlling these parameters. The composition of stable isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) and water chemistry, including the levels of Na, K, Ca, Mg, HCO3, SO4, and Cl, of 156 water samples were analyzed. The results show that the lake water in the MNNR is at a risk of salinization owing to a high degree of evaporation. The analysis of the ion ratio and mineral saturation index showed that the ions in water are primarily derived from aquifer leaching, and the precipitation of Ca2+ and Mg2+ resulted in lower Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels in lake water than in groundwater. Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope and deuterium excess analyses show that evaporation is the dominant factor controlling the hydrochemistry and salinity of lake water in the MNNR. Long-term effective monitoring of lake water and groundwater must be developed to provide an early warning for the salinization of lake water and a scientific basis for the protection and restoration of wetland ecosystem functions within the MNNR.
Construction of five cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature for predicting prognosis and immune activity in skin cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Yang Xiaojing , Wang Xing , Sun Xinti , Xiao Meng , Fan Liyun , Su Yunwei , Xue Lu , Luo Suju , Hou Shuping , Wang Huiping
Published: September 2022

Cuproptosis is a newly discovered new mechanism of programmed cell death, and its unique pathway to regulate cell death is thought to have a unique role in understanding cancer progression and guiding cancer therapy. However, this regulation has not been studied in SKCM at present. In this study, data on Skin Cutaneous Melanoma (SKCM) patients were downloaded from the TCGA database. We screened the genes related to cuproptosis from the published papers and confirmed the lncRNAs related to them. We applied Univariate/multivariate and LASSO Cox regression algorithms, and finally identified 5 cuproptosis-related lncRNAs for constructing prognosis prediction models (VIM-AS1, AC012443.2, MALINC1, AL354696.2, HSD11B1-AS1). The reliability and validity test of the model indicated that the model could well distinguish the prognosis and survival of SKCM patients. Next, immune microenvironment, immunotherapy analysis, and functional enrichment analysis were also performed. In conclusion, this study is the first analysis based on cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in SKCM and aims to open up new directions for SKCM therapy.
Genome-wide analysis of the acyl-coenzyme A synthetase family and their association with the formation of goat milk flavour
Authors: Zhang Fuhong , Luo Jun , Shi Chenbo , Zhu Lu , He Qiuya , Tian Huibin , Wu Jiao , Zhao Jianqing , Li Cong
Published: September 2022

Goat milk is rich in fat and protein, thus, has high nutritional values and benefits human health. However, goaty flavour is a major concern that interferes with consumer acceptability of goat milk and the 4-alkyl-branched-chain fatty acids (vBCFAs) are the major substances relevant to the goaty flavour in goat milk. Previous research reported that the acyl-coenzyme A synthetases (ACSs) play a key role in the activation of fatty acids, which is a prerequisite for fatty acids entering anabolic and catabolic processes and highly involved in the regulation of vBCFAs metabolism. Although ACS genes have been identified in humans and mice, they have not been systematically characterized in goats. In this research, we performed genome-wide characterization of the ACS genes in goats, identifying that a total of 25 ACS genes (without ACSM2A) were obtained in the Capra hircus and each ACS protein contained the conserved AMP-binding domain. Phylogenetic analysis showed that out of the 25 genes, 21 belonged to the ACSS, ACSM, ACSL, ACSVL, and ACSBG subfamilies. However, AACS, AASDH, ACSF, and ACSF3 genes were not classified in the common evolutionary branch and belonged to the ACS superfamily. The genes in the same clade had similar conserved structures, motifs and protein domains. The expression analysis showed that the majority of ACS genes were expressed in multi tissues. The comparative analysis of expression patterns in non-lactation and lactation mammary glands of goat, sheep and cow indicated that ACSS2 and ACSF3 genes may participate in the formation mechanisms of goaty flavour in goat milk. In conclusion, current research provides important genomic resources and expression information for ACSs in goats, which will support further research on investigating the formation mechanisms of the goaty flavour in goat milk.
Recent expansion and intensification of hypoxia in the Arabian Gulf and its drivers
Authors: Lachkar Zouhair , Mehari Michael , Lévy Marina , Paparella Francesco , Burt John A.
Published: September 2022

The Arabian Gulf (also known as Persian Gulf, hereafter Gulf) is a shallow semi-enclosed subtropical sea known for its extreme physical environment. Recent observations suggest a decline in oxygen concentrations in the Gulf over the past few decades accompanied by an expansion of seasonal near-bottom hypoxia. Here, we reconstruct the evolution of dissolved oxygen in the Gulf from 1982 through 2010 and explore its controlling factors. To this end, we use an eddy-resolving hindcast simulation forced with winds and heat and freshwater fluxes from an atmospheric reanalysis. We show that seasonal near-bottom hypoxia (O2< 60 mmol m-3) emerges in the deeper part of the Gulf over summer and peaks in autumn in response to enhanced vertical stratification inhibiting mixing and O2 replenishment at depth. We also find a significant deoxygenation in the Gulf over the study period, with the Gulf O2 content dropping by nearly 1% per decade and near-bottom O2 decreasing by between 10 and 30 mmol m-3 in the deeper part of the Gulf between the early 1980s and the late 2000s. These changes result in the horizontal expansion of seasonal bottom hypoxia with the hypoxia-prone seafloor area increasing from less than 20,000 km2 in the 1980s to around 30,000 km2 in the 2000s. The expansion of hypoxia is also accompanied by a lengthening of the hypoxic season with hypoxia emerging locally 1 to 2 months earlier in the late 2000s relative to the early 1980s. Furthermore, declining near-bottom O2 levels result in the expansion of suboxic conditions (O2< 4 mmol m-3) and the emergence and amplification of denitrification there. An analysis of the Gulf oxygen budget demonstrates that deoxygenation is essentially caused by reduced oxygen solubility near the surface and enhanced respiration near the bottom. While reduced solubility results from the warming of the Gulf waters, enhanced respiration is mostly driven by an increased supply of nutrients imported from the Arabian Sea due to the weakening of winter Shamal winds over the study period. Our findings suggest that recent changes in local climate are not only altering the Gulf physical environment but are also having a strong impact on the Gulf biogeochemistry with profound potential implications for the ecosystems and the fisheries of the region.
Biologics for psoriasis patients under 18 years of age: Real-world evidence from the Chinese psoriasis real world evidence research group
Authors: Zheng Yu-Xin , Ye Li-Ran , Yan Bing-Xi , Chen Si-Qi , Cai Sui-Qing , Man Xiao-Yong
Published: September 2022

Background

Treatment for pediatric psoriasis is challenging because of the lack of real-world evidence, especially for biological therapies.

Objectives

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of biologics in children with psoriasis based on real-world evidence.

Methods

Pediatric psoriasis patients aged <18 years who were treated with biologics in our hospital (2020–2022) were prospectively analyzed. Patients treated with adalimumab, secukinumab, or ixekizumab were followed up for at least 16 weeks, and 22 of 38 patients completed the 52-week observation period. Dermatologist raters were blinded to ensure the reliability of the PASI, BSA, and PGA score assessments. PASI 75 or PGA 0/1 at week 12 represented an efficient indicator.

Results

Thirty-eight patients (20 males and 18 females; median age, 12.6 ± 4.1 years) were enrolled, and none were lost to follow-up. All participants were diagnosed with psoriasis, including plaque psoriasis (n = 36), nail psoriasis (n = 1), and pustular psoriasis (n = 1). Within 12 weeks, all patients achieved scores above PASI 75 and PGA 0/1. The average time to reach PASI 75 was 4.3 ± 2.0, 3.2 ± 1.8, and 2.4 ± 0.4 weeks in patients using adalimumab, secukinumab, and ixekizumab, respectively, and, 27.2% (3/11), 86.4% (19/22), and 75.0% (3/4) of these patients achieved PASI 100 at week 12, respectively. Moreover, 18 of 20 patients with plaque psoriasis maintained ≥PASI 75 after 52 weeks. The most commonly reported adverse effect was upper respiratory tract infection, and no severe adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

Our real-world data demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of adalimumab, secukinumab, and ixekizumab in children with psoriasis.
Langerin-expressing dendritic cells in pulmonary immune-related diseases
Authors: Xuan Shurui , Li Yuebei , Wu Yunhui , Adcock Ian M. , Zeng Xiaoning , Yao Xin
Published: September 2022

Dendritic cells (DCs) are “frontline” immune cells dedicated to antigen presentation. They serve as an important bridge connecting innate and adaptive immunity, and express various receptors for antigen capture. DCs are divided into various subclasses according to their differential expression of cell surface receptors and different subclasses of DCs exhibit specific immunological characteristics. Exploring the common features of each sub-category has became the focus of many studies. There are certain amounts of DCs expressing langerin in airways and peripheral lungs while the precise mechanism by which langerin+DCs drive pulmonary disease is unclear. Langerin-expressing DCs can be further subdivided into numerous subtypes based on the co-expressed receptors, but here, we identify commonalities across these subtypes that point to the major role of langerin. Better understanding is required to clarify key disease pathways and determine potential new therapeutic approaches.
Effect of scalp nerve block with ropivacaine on postoperative pain in pediatric patients undergoing craniotomy: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ning Li , Jiang Lai , Zhang Qingqing , Luo Mengqiang , Xu Daojie , Peng Yuanzhi
Published: September 2022

Background

Scalp nerve block (SNB) is widely used for postoperative pain control, intraoperative hemodynamic control, and opioid-sparing in adult craniotomies. However, there are few studies of SNB in pediatric patients undergoing craniotomy. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of SNB on postoperative pain, intraoperative hemodynamic stability, and narcotic consumption in pediatric craniotomy under general anesthesia.

Methods

This trial is a single-center, prospective, randomized, and double-blind study. A total of 50 children aged between 2 and 12 years who are undergoing elective brain tumor surgery will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 0.2% ropivacaine for SNB (group SNB, intervention group, n = 25) or the same volume of saline (group Ctrl, control group, n = 25). The primary outcome was to assess the score of postoperative pain intensity at time 1, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively using the FLACC score method. Secondary outcomes were to record intraoperative hemodynamic variables (MAP and HR) during skull-pin fixation, skin incision and end of skin closure, intraoperative total consumption of remifentanil and propofol, postoperative opioid consumption, and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Results

Fifty patients were analyzed (n = 25 in SNB group; n = 25 in control group). Compared to the control group, postoperative pain intensity was significantly relieved in the SNB group up to 8 h post-operatively. In addition, SNB provided good intraoperative hemodynamic stability, reduced intraoperative overall propofol and remifentanil consumption rate, and postoperative fentanyl consumption compared to the control group. However, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was not different between SNB and the control group.

Conclusions

In pediatric craniotomies, SNB with 0.2% ropivacaine provides adequate postoperative pain control and good intraoperative hemodynamic stability during noxious events compared to the control group.

Clinical trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry [No: ChiCTR2100050594], Prospective registration.
The role of autophagy in colorectal cancer: Impact on pathogenesis and implications in therapy
Authors: Mahgoub Eglal , Taneera Jalal , Sulaiman Nabil , Saber-Ayad Maha
Published: September 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is considered as a global major cause of cancer death. Surgical resection is the main line of treatment; however, chemo-, radiotherapy and other adjuvant agents are crucial to achieve good outcomes. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a well-recognized key player in CRC progression, yet the processes linking the cancer cells to its TME are not fully delineated. Autophagy is one of such processes, with a controversial role in the pathogenesis of CRC, with its intricate links to many pathological factors and processes. Autophagy may apparently play conflicting roles in carcinogenesis, but the precise mechanisms determining the overall direction of the process seem to depend on the context. Additionally, it has been established that autophagy has a remarkable effect on the endothelial cells in the TME, the key substrate for angiogenesis that supports tumor metastasis. Favorable response to immunotherapy occurs only in a specific subpopulation of CRC patients, namely the microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H). In view of such limitations of immunotherapy in CRC, modulation of autophagy represents a potential adjuvant strategy to enhance the effect of those relatively safe agents on wider CRC molecular subtypes. In this review, we discussed the molecular control of autophagy in CRC and how autophagy affects different processes and mechanisms that shape the TME. We explored how autophagy contributes to CRC initiation and progression, and how it interacts with tumor immunity, hypoxia, and oxidative stress. The crosstalk between autophagy and the TME in CRC was extensively dissected. Finally, we reported the clinical efforts and challenges in combining autophagy modulators with various cancer-targeted agents to improve CRC patients’ survival and restrain cancer growth.
Case report: Congenital arterioportal fistula: An unusual cause of variceal bleeding in adults
Authors: Xia Junlin , Zhao Jingwen , Chang Bing
Published: September 2022

The aberrant vascular connecting channel that forms between the portal vein and the hepatic artery is the essence of a hepatic arterioportal fistula. Congenital hepatic arterioportal fistula more frequently occurs in early childhood rather than in adults. We describe a rare instance of a large, isolated, congenital hepatic arterioportal fistula that was successfully treated following selective hepatic arteriography and transcatheter embolization. The patient presented with significant variceal bleeding when the fistula was discovered at the age of 73. The patient's condition improved during the brief postoperative follow-up period without a recurrence. Our research suggests that in older patients with portal hypertension and an unclear etiology, selective arteriography and embolization can provide a definitive diagnosis and successfully treat symptoms.
Electron shuttles enhanced the removal of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic systems: A review
Authors: Deng Yuepeng , Zhang Kaoming , Zou Jie , Li Xiuying , Wang Zhu , Hu Chun
Published: September 2022

The environmental and epidemiological problems caused by antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes have attracted a lot of attention. The use of electron shuttles based on enhanced extracellular electron transfer for anaerobic biological treatment to remove widespread antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes efficiently from wastewater or organic solid waste is a promising technology. This paper reviewed the development of electron shuttles, described the mechanism of action of different electron shuttles and the application of enhanced anaerobic biotreatment with electron shuttles for the removal of antibiotics and related genes. Finally, we discussed the current issues and possible future directions of electron shuttle technology.
Nitrogen and phosphorus significantly alter growth, nitrogen fixation, anatoxin-a content, and the transcriptome of the bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Dolichospermum
Authors: Kramer Benjamin J. , Jankowiak Jennifer G. , Nanjappa Deepak , Harke Matthew J. , Gobler Christopher J.
Published: September 2022

While freshwater cyanobacteria are traditionally thought to be limited by the availability of phosphorus (P), fixed nitrogen (N) supply can promote the growth and/or toxin production of some genera. This study characterizes how growth on N2 (control), nitrate (NO3–), ammonium (NH4+), and urea as well as P limitation altered the growth, toxin production, N2 fixation, and gene expression of an anatoxin-a (ATX-A) – producing strain of Dolichospermum sp. 54. The transcriptomes of fixed N and P-limited cultures differed significantly from those of fixed N-deplete, P-replete (control) cultures, while the transcriptomes of P-replete cultures amended with either NH4+ or NO3– were not significantly different relative to those of the control. Growth rates of Dolichospermum (sp. 54) were significantly higher when grown on fixed N relative to without fixed N; growth on NH4+ was also significantly greater than growth on NO3–. NH4+ and urea significantly lowered N2 fixation and nifD gene transcript abundance relative to the control while cultures amended with NO3– exhibited N2 fixation and nifD gene transcript abundance that was not different from the control. Cultures grown on NH4+ exhibited the lowest ATX-A content per cell and lower transcript abundance of genes associated ATX-A synthesis (ana), while the abundance of transcripts of several ana genes were highest under fixed N and P - limited conditions. The significant negative correlation between growth rate and cellular anatoxin quota as well as the significantly higher number of transcripts of ana genes in cultures deprived of fixed N and P relative to P-replete cultures amended with NH4+ suggests ATX-A was being actively synthesized under P limitation. Collectively, these findings indicate that management strategies that do not regulate fixed N loading will leave eutrophic water bodies vulnerable to more intense and toxic (due to increased biomass) blooms of Dolichospermum.
Cultivation of different seaweed species and seasonal changes cause divergence of the microbial community in coastal seawaters
Authors: Xu Ningning , Wang Wenlei , Xu Kai , Xu Yan , Ji Dehua , Chen Changsheng , Xie Chaotian
Published: September 2022

Although the effects of certain species of seaweed on the microbial community structure have long been a research focus in marine ecology, the response of the microbial community to seasons and different seaweed species is poorly understood. In the present study, a total of 39 seawater samples were collected during 3 months from three zones: Neoporphyra haitanensis cultivation zones (P), Gracilaria lemaneiformis-Saccharina japonica mixed cultivation zones (G), and control zones (C). These samples were then analyzed using 18S and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to ascertain the fungal and bacterial communities, respectively, along with the determination of environmental factors. Our results showed that increased dissolved oxygen (DO), decreased inorganic nutrients, and released dissolved organic matter (DOM) in seaweed cultivation zone predominantly altered the variability of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbial communities. Certain microbial groups such as Aurantivirga, Pseudomonas, and Woeseia were stimulated and enriched in response to seaweed cultivation, and the enriched microorganisms varied across seaweed cultivation zones due to differences in the composition of released DOM. In addition, seasonal changes in salinity and temperature were strongly correlated with microbial community composition and structure. Our study provides new insights into the interactions between seaweed and microbial communities.
The effects of age and sex on the incidence of multiple step saccades and corrective saccades
Authors: Ma Wenbo , Zhang Mingsha
Published: September 2022

Objective

Although multiple step saccades (MSS) is occasionally observed in healthy subjects, it is more pronounced in patients with aging-related neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease (PD). Thus, MSS has been treated as a complementary biomarker for diagnosing PD. Despite the aforementioned knowledge, several questions remain unexplored: (1) How does aging affect MSS? (2) Is there a sex difference in MSS? (3) Are there differences in MSS between vertical and horizontal saccades? (4) Are MSS and corrective saccade (CS) the same behavior? (5) How do age and sex affect CS? The objectives of the present study are to address these questions.

Method

Four hundred eighty healthy participants were recruited to perform a visually guided reactive saccade task. Participants were divided into six groups according to their ages. Each group consisted of 40 male and 40 female participants. Eye movements were recorded with infrared eye trackers.

Results

The incidence of MSS increased as a function of age, whereas the incidence of CS first increased with age 20–49 and then decreased with age 50–79. The incidences of both MSS and CS did not show sex differences. The incidence of MSS in vertical saccades was significantly higher than that in horizontal saccades, and their difference increased with increasing age, whereas the incidence of CS showed a reversed pattern.

Conclusion

Age and saccadic direction affect the occurrences of MSS and CS differently, indicating that MSS and CS are different saccadic behaviors. In addition, measuring saccades could reliably reflect the function of human’s brain which is affected by aging.