bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhance energy supply of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in gills during acute hypoxia exposure
Authors: Liu Qiao , Wang Hong , Ge Jiayu , Luo Jie , He Kuo , Yan Haoxiao , Zhang Xin , Tahir Rabia , Luo Wei , Li Zhiqiong , Yang Song , Zhao Liulan
Published: July 2022

Gills are the location of gas exchange and also the first target organ of fish response for environmental stress. As a multifunctional organ, its energy supply, when faced with insufficient dissolved oxygen in the water, remain unclear. In this study, largemouth bass were subjected to hypoxia stress (1.2 mg/L) for 24 h and 12 h reoxygenation (R12) to evaluate energy supply strategy of gills. Under hypoxia, gills respond firstly and rapidly by increasing respiratory rate and changing gene expression. Transcriptome data showed that 2026 differential expressed genes (DGEs) were detected in the early stage of hypoxia exposure, including genes related to oxygen sensor and transport. KEGG functional analysis of DEGs revealed that the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway was enriched across all the sampling points (0, 4, 8, 12, 24h, R12). The gene expression and enzyme activity of three rate-limiting enzymes (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase-6, pyruvate kinase) in glycolysis pathway were significantly increased. The increase of glycolysis products pyruvate and lactic acid, as well as the number of mitochondria, suggest the enhancement of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism of glucose. These results suggest that gill of largemouth bass enhanced energy supply during acute exposure to hypoxia stress.
Visible-light-responsive Ag/TiO2/PVA nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of Cr, Ni, Zn, and Cu heavy metal ions
Authors: Dehghani Mohammadtaha , Delnavaz Mohammad
Published: July 2022

The rapid growth of industrialization has led to the uncontrolled pollution of the environment, and rapid action is needed. This study synthesized Ag/TiO2/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nano photocatalyst for promising light-derived photocatalytic removal of heavy metal ions. The design of experiment (DOE) was used to study the effect of important factors (pH, reaction time, and photocatalyst dosage) to maximize the final performance of the photocatalyst. In the optimized condition, the Ag/TiO2/PVA nano-photocatalyst removed more than 94% of Cr6+ in 180 minutes, and the efficiency was more than 70% for Cu2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+ metal ions. The adsorption of the heavy metal ions on the photocatalyst was described well with the Langmuir isotherm, while the pseudo-second-order linear kinetic model fitted with the experimental data. The nano-photocatalyst's stability was confirmed after maintaining its performance for five successive runs. The enhanced photocatalytic activity for the heavy metal ions removal can be attributed to the presence of metallic silver nanoparticles (electron transfer and plasmonic fields mechanisms) and PVA, which delayed the recombination of electron-hole. The synthesized ternary Ag/TiO2/PVA nano-photocatalyst showed promising performance for the elimination of heavy metal ions and can be used for environmental remediation purposes.
Attenuating the virulence of the superbug Staphylococcus aureus by sodium bicarbonate, dexamethasone, and ascorbic acid
Authors: Saleh Moustafa M. , Yousef Nehal , Shafik Shokri M. , Abbas Hisham A.
Published: July 2022

Background: Infections affecting neonates caused by Staphylococcus aureus are widespread in healthcare facilities; hence, novel strategies are needed to fight this pathogen. Targeting virulence factors necessary to induce host damage and disease is a new tactic for antimicrobial therapy with several benefits which could lead to decreased resistance. The effect of FDA-approved drugs (sodium bicarbonate, dexamethasone, and ascorbic acid) with sub-inhibitory concentration (1/8 MIC) was evaluated for their capability to hinder virulence factors production in Staphylococcus aureus phenotypically. Furthermore, their effects were estimated genotypically using qRT‑PCR.Results: Sub-inhibitory concentrations (1/8 MIC) of sodium bicarbonate, dexamethasone, and ascorbic acid reduced the production of Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors, including biofilm formation, staphyloxanthin, proteases, and hemolysin production, as well as resistance to oxidative stress. At the molecular level, qRT-PCR was used to assess the relative expression levels of CrtM, SigB, SarA, AgrA, hla, fnbA, and icaA genes regulating virulence factors production and showed a significant reduction in the relative expression levels of all the tested genes. Conclusions: In summary, the current findings reveal that sodium bicarbonate, dexamethasone, and ascorbic acid have strong anti-virulence effects against multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, suggesting the use of sodium bicarbonate, dexamethasone, and ascorbic acid for fighting Staphylococcus aureus, and also suggesting that they might be used to treat infections caused by multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus in place of or in addition to conventional antimicrobials.
Slow and incomplete recovery of gut microbiome in Clostridioides difficile patients treated with metronidazole
Authors: Antharam Vijay C , Mesbah Zhubene , Zori Andreas , Kozlov Andrew , Zhao Lisa , Santos Janelle , Li Eric , Wang Gary P.
Published: July 2022

Background: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) causes 3 million cases of diarrhea and colitis in the US annually. Although antibiotic therapy is effective in suppressing C. difficile, up to 30% of treated patients experience recurrences. Recovery of gut microbiota may be important for sustained resolution of C. difficile diarrhea and achieve clinical cure. However, the extent and the dynamics of microbiome recovery following C. difficile therapy remains poorly understood. Methods: Fecal samples from 25 C. difficile patients treated with metronidazole and 14 healthy controls were collected prospectively over 3 months and analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing and bioinformatic methods. Results: 19 of 25 patients (76%) achieved clinical cure and 6 (24%) developed recurrent CDI. Analysis of 448 longitudinal fecal samples revealed that the recovery of gut microbiome in patients who achieved clinical cure was slow and incomplete. In most patients, microbiome recovery was accompanied by increased diversity, richness and abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. However, the microbiome composition and structure in most patients did not resemble that of healthy controls at the end of the study. Microbiome functions associated with amino acid and nitrogen metabolism were enriched during CDI, but not at clinical cure, suggesting their role in CDI. In patients who developed recurrent CDI, the recovery of gut microbiome was variable and individualized.Conclusions: Resolution of C. difficile diarrhea and clinical cure is characterized by slow but incomplete recovery of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. Microbiome functions associated with amino acid and nitrogen metabolism may play a role in C. difficile pathogenesis.
Coral Reproduction in a Changing Climate
Authors: Bouwmeester Jessica , Daly Jonathan , Zuchowicz Nikolas , Lager Claire , Henley E. Michael , Quinn Mariko , Hagedorn Mary
Published: July 2022

Coral reefs worldwide are at risk due to climate change. Coral bleaching is becoming increasingly common and corals that survive bleaching events can suffer from temporary reproductive failure for several years. While water temperature is a key driver in causing coral bleaching, other environmental factors are involved, such as solar radiation. We investigated the individual and combined effects of temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the spawning patterns and reproductive physiology of the Hawaiʻian mushroom coral Lobactis scutaria, using long-term experiments in aquaria. We examined effects on spawning timing, fertilisation success, and gamete physiology. Both warmer temperatures and filtering UVR altered the timing of spawning. Warmer temperatures caused a drop in fertilisation success. Warmer temperatures and higher PAR both negatively affected sperm and egg physiology. Thermal stress from global climate change will need to be adequately addressed to ensure the survival of reef-building corals in their natural environment throughout the next century and beyond. Until then, reproduction is likely to be increasingly impaired. On a regional scale, some damage related to photo-oxidative stress may be partially mitigated through shading reefs or specific corals, to reduce bleaching, minimise the loss of coral fitness, and maintain coral reproduction.
Contribution of coronal vertebral and IVD wedging to Cobb angle changes in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis during growth
Authors: Cheung Wing Ki , Cheung Jason Pui Yin
Published: July 2022

BackgroundVertebral and intervertebral disc (IVD) wedging are often seen in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, the relationship between wedging and curve progression, and the change of wedging before bracing to final weaning is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern and sequence of vertebral and IVD wedging development, and to determine the relationship between the change of wedging and curve progression in AIS during growth.MethodsThis was a prospective study of 32 AIS females with right-sided thoracic curves and/or left-sided lumbar curves who completed brace treatment. They were classified into progression and non-progression groups. Vertebral and IVD wedging were calculated for each spinal segment. The wedging pattern was first identified and then used to determine the sequence of wedging development. Percentage change in the sum of wedging during growth was calculated and compared.ResultsThe sum of vertebral wedging for both groups was 2.4° to 8.7° more than that of IVD wedging in the thoracic spine but 8.7° to 17.7° less in the lumbar spine. Out of the 20 curves assessed, 5 thoracic curves and 1 lumbar curve developed vertebral wedging before IVD wedging, and 3 thoracic curves and 4 lumbar curves had the opposite pattern. The progression group had larger increases in sum of vertebral (40%) and IVD (28.6%) wedging as compared to the non-progression group (both 16.7%). A significant difference in wedging between the first and the latest visits was found in the progression group only (p<0.05).ConclusionPattern and sequence of vertebral and IVD wedging were related to the location of the curve rather than the presence of curve progression. Progressed curves were associated with increasing wedging during growth.
Exploring facilitators and barriers to self-management engagement of Chinese people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and poor blood glucose control: A descriptive qualitative study
Authors: LIU YUAN , Jiang Jiajia , You Wenjun , Gong Dandan , Ma Xiaoqing , Wu Min , Li Feng
Published: July 2022

Background: Blood glucose is poorly controlled and self-management engagement is inadequate in Chinese people with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to explore facilitators and barriers to self-management engagement of Chinese people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.Methods: Patients wit poorly controlled type 2 diabetes were recruited from National Metabolic Management Center. Purposive sampling method was used for recruitment. Semi-structured interview and thematic analysis was used for data collection and analysis. Results: 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Poor blood glucose increased awareness of susceptibility to complications, which motivated self-management engagement. However, emotional burdens could be concomitant. General knowledge about lifestyle management was useless for successful lifestyle management engagement. Unhealthy habits impeded lifestyle management engagement. Temporary remission of hyperglycemia and no perceived physical symptoms interfered engagement of medication therapy and regular blood glucose monitoring. Family and work environment could impact self-management engagement. Accessibility to reliable diabetes-related information could also influence self-management engagement.Conclusions: Increasing patients’ awareness of poor blood glucose status and susceptibility to complications is essential. However, concomitant emotional burdens could be concomitant. Formulating customized lifestyle management plans should be considered to replace providing general knowledge. Behavior change technologies should integrate in current Chinese diabetes services. Diabetes educators should emphasize the natural progression of diabetes and the importance of medication therapy continuity. Furthermore, the value of blood glucose monitoring should be clarified. Policies on building diabetes-friendly family and work environments should be considered. Building a channel that provides reliable diabetes-related information and is accessible in routine life is essential.
Physiotherapists’ Knowledge of and Adherence to Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines and Recommendations for Ankle Sprains Management: a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Caffini Giulia , Battista Simone , Raschi Andrea , Testa Marco
Published: July 2022

Background
Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is a common and burdensome injuries. However, the quality of its management is scant. Nowadays, physiotherapy management of musculoskeletal diseases seems to be generally not based on research evidence. Studies that investigated the knowledge-to-practice gap in LAS management are yet to be carried out. Therefore, this research investigated physiotherapists’ knowledge of and adherence to LAS Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and recommendations.
Methods
A cross-sectional study based on an online survey built on the LAS CPGs 2013 updated in 2018 and in 2021 and the recommendations of the 2018 Consensus Statement. The survey was structured in three sections. The first section collected demographic data. Second section showed two clinical cases (with positive and negative Ottawa Ankle Rules (OAR), respectively). The participants indicated which treatments they would adopt to manage them. Participants were classified as ‘following’, ‘partially following’, ‘partially not following’ and ‘not following’ the CPGs and recommendations. In the third section, participants expressed their agreement with different CPG and recommendation statements through a 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree) scale. We defined a ≥ 70% agreement with a statement as consensus.
Results
In total, 483 physiotherapists (age: 34 ± 10; female 38%, male 61.5%, other 0.5%) answered the survey: 85% completed the first two sections, 76% completed all three sections. In a case of acute LAS with negative OAR, 4% of the participants were considering as ‘following’ recommended treatments, 68% as ‘partially following’, 23% as ‘partially not following’, and 5% as ‘not following’. In a case of acute LAS with positive OAR, 37% were considered ‘following’ recommended treatments, 35% as ‘partially following’, and 28% as ‘not following’. In section III, the consensus was achieved for 73% of the statements. These statements dealt with assessments choices, such as the need to use the OAR, and with treatments choices.
Conclusion
This study showed that although there is a good knowledge about first-line recommended treatments, a better use of CPGs and recommendations should be fostered among physiotherapists. Our results identify an evidence-to-practice gap in LAS management, which may lead to non-evidence-based practice behaviours.
Individualized precise scheduling strategy based on program’s runtime characteristic for workload consolidation
Authors: Wang Lin , Huang Tianyuan , Geng Shichao
Published: July 2022

In data centers, workload consolidation is the common method to improve resource utilization. However, efficient workload consolidation faces challenges from two aspects: the first is the wide variety of program characteristics; the second is the multiple performance indexes in clusters or data centers, such as the program performance requirement from custom and the system utilization from the cluster provider. In this paper, multiple experiments are executed about program performance with restricted resource usage, and four conclusions are summarized. Then based on the conclusions, two individualized precise scheduling strategies are proposed for efficient consolidation. Sche-index2 schedule programs by considering the resource sensitivity hyper-plane on five resource dimensions, and Sche-utility scheduling programs by considering the sensitivity curve of five resource dimensions. The experiment results show that compared with the common scheduling strategy, Sche-index2 can improve the average performance of the program by 36%, and Sche-utility can improve the average performance of the program by 27.6%. Meanwhile, both of the scheduling strategies can improve the resource utilization of CPU, disk read/write bandwidth, memory, and network bandwidth.
Simulation and evaluation method of loess subsidence based on model test
Authors: Wang Ping , Xu Shuya , Shao Shengjun , Wang Huijuan
Published: July 2022

Loess is characterized by high dynamic vulnerability due to its macro-porous and weakly cemented structure. Under the action of medium strong earthquake, it can induce earthquake subsidence, landslide, liquefaction, and other seismic geological disasters. （Zhang Z L，2016）The existing evaluation methods for earthquake subsidence are limited in scale simulation and seismic source simulation, leading to the deviation between the evaluation results and the actual situation. At the same time, the existing calculation method of seismic subsidence does not fully consider the structural environment factors, resulting in the deviation between the evaluation result and the actual situation, which is not conducive to reducing the construction cost. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the existing evaluation methods for earthquake subsidence. Developed a device to simulate the overburden pressure of the soil layer, and the model test of loess subsidence under strong earthquake was carried out in this study. The result of research shows that（1）The overburden pressure device can simulate the consolidation of soil at different depths and effectively reduce the boundary effect.（2）Axial deformation is the result of horizontal shear stress and vertical compression stress. Under the simultaneous amplification effect of upper earthquake, the soil subjected to shear damage is cracked. （3）Compared with the triaxial evaluation results, the evaluation results of shaking table test can provide a theoretical basis for correcting the phenomenon that the evaluation result of dynamic triaxial test is 1/3 larger than that of model test.
Experimental and analytical investigation into age-dependent properties of recycled coarse aggregate and bottom ash concrete
Authors: Saxena Ashray , Sulaiman Syed Sarosh , Shariq Mohd , Ansari Mohd Asif
Published: July 2022

This paper addresses the age-dependent concrete properties using recycled coarse aggregate (RCA), coal bottom ash (BA), and their combination. The RCA was prepared from the concrete blocks procured from the demolished concrete building. The RCA was used partially and fully to replace crushed rock aggregate to prepare RCA concrete. The thermal power plant BA was used partially and fully for fine aggregate replacement in RCA concrete. Firstly, the collected concrete boulders were crushed to the required RCA sizes and sieved as per the recommended standards. Then, the mix design of RCA and BA concrete of M25 grade was carried out based on the trial method. The intrinsic and surface quality of concrete was also checked using pulse velocity and rebound hammer for all concrete mixes. The mechanical properties of RCA, BA, and RCA + BA concrete are compared with the properties of conventional concrete and found in the acceptable range. The experimental results are justified with the help of microstructural analysis through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analytical models for predicting age-dependent compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and static elastic modulus of RCA, BA, and RCA + BA concrete have been proposed. The analytical models for predicting the above mechanical properties of RCA, BA, and RCA + BA concrete using UPV and RHN at any age have also been suggested. The analytical models can be applied to the existing concrete industries to assess the health of buildings, where buildings are built with RCA, BA, and their combination. The present research will also contribute to sustainable development.
Determinants of outflow rate during flexible ureteroscopy: an experimental in vivo study in an anesthetized porcine model
Authors: Faria-Costa Gabriel , Tsaturyan Arman , Peteinaris Angelis , Faitatziadis Solon , Liatsikos Evangelos , Kallidonis Panagiotis
Published: July 2022

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of different ureteroscope positions, saline pumping frequency, laser fiber diameter and ureteral access sheath (UAS) on outflow rate during flexible ureteroscopy (fURS). Material and Methods: This study was performed in an anesthetized porcine model. The fURS setup included a manual pumping system, a 9.5Fr single used-digital flexible ureteroscope and a ureteral access sheath (UAS). Outflow was collected and measured from the UAS during 1 minute in all experimental settings. The evaluated variables were the position of the ureteroscope, the pumping frequency (2s, 3s or 5s), the diameter of the used UAS (12/14Fr or 14/16Fr) and laser fiber (200 μm or a 272 μm). Results: Ureteroscope position in the lower calyx was associated with significantly lower outflow rate (p<0.05). The use of the 14/16Fr UAS resulted in improved flow in the renal pelvis and upper calyx (p<0.05) but not in the lower calyx. The use of a 200 μm laser fiber only improved flow in the upper calyx and when a 14/16Fr UAS was being used.Pumping frequency did not show a significant correlation with outflow rate.Conclusions: The ureteroscope positioning and UAS size were important determinants of outflow rate during fURS, while laser fiber diameter had a limited effect. In the lower calyx the outflow was minimal and was not improved by using a larger UAS.
Investigation of railway track subsidence based on Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Sensitivity analysis
Authors: Rupesh Rupesh , Tiwari Prarabdh , Sharma Shashi Prakash
Published: July 2022

Subsidence of ground is a common global problem. Several environmental and ecological destructions can observe due to subsidence. The present geophysical study includes investigating the subsidence of railway tracks in Salanpur, Paschim Bardhaman district, West Bengal (India). Electrical Resistivity Tomography (E.R.T.), an advanced geophysical method, has been applied to locate and delineate subsurface cavities mainly responsible for subsidence. ABEM-Terrameter LS-2 instrument incorporated for data acquisition with the prospecting techniques of Wenner, Wenner-Schlumberger, Dipole-dipole, and Gradient array. The generated forward model using the Res2dmod algorithm includes hollow and filled cavities to simulate the subsurface response. 2D inversion and sensitivity analysis was carried out through the Res2dinv program based on a smoothness constrained regularized least-square optimization procedure for different electrode configurations. E.R.T. survey has shown its proficiency in detecting various cavities and unstable subsurface zone responsible for railway track subsidence. The present research paper could help to locate subsidence-prone zones in different areas.
Digital twins of nonlinear dynamical systems
Authors: Kong Ling-Wei , Weng Yang , Glaz Bryan , Haile Mulugeta , Lai Ying-Cheng
Published: July 2022

We articulate the design imperatives for machine-learning based digital twins for nonlinear dynamical systems subject to external driving, which can be used to monitor the ``health'' of the target system and anticipate its future collapse. We demonstrate that, with single or parallel reservoir computing configurations, the digital twins are capable of challenging forecasting and monitoring tasks. Employing prototypical systems from climate, optics and ecology, we show that the digital twins can extrapolate the dynamics of the target system to certain parameter regimes never experienced before, make continual forecasting/monitoring with sparse real-time updates under nonstationary external driving, infer hidden variables and accurately predict their dynamical evolution, adapt to different forms of external driving, and extrapolate the global bifurcation behaviors to systems of some different sizes. These features make our digital twins appealing in significant applications such as monitoring the health of critical systems and forecasting their potential collapse induced by environmental changes.
Frequency of Virulence Genes and Their Association with Biofilm Formation Ability in Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Wound Infections
Authors: Kelishomi Fatemeh Zeynali , Amereh Samira , Ghayyaz Fatemeh , Javadi Amir , Anari Raana Kazemzadeh , Nikkhahi Farhad
Published: July 2022

In recent years, the prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae in wound infections has been increasing. The current study aimed to evaluate the biofilm formation capacity of wound-related K. pneumoniae isolates and to find a possible association between the presence of virulence genes and biofilm formation. A total of 74 K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from wound site infections. Molecular studies were performed to confirm the presence of fimH, mrkD, mrkA, wcaG, magA, entB, and irp2 genes. Biofilm formation was determined by microtiter plate assay. All of the tested isolates were able to produce biofilm structure. The frequency of entB, fimH, mrkD, mrkA, wcaG, irp2, and magA was 95.9%, 94.6%, 90.5%, 75.7%, 55.4%, 50%, and 9.5%, respectively. The statistical analysis proved that there was a significant association between biofilm production, presence of fimH, mrkD, mrkA, and wcaG genes and resistance to cephalosporins, amikacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (P < 0.05).
An Approximate Travel Time Calculation and a Robust GNSS-Acoustic Positioning Method Using a MCMC technique
Authors: Tomita Fumiaki , Kido Motoyuki
Published: July 2022

It is important to consider horizontal heterogeneity in an underwater sound speed structure to accurately estimate positions of GNSS-acoustic sites. Although large amounts of moving survey data (a sea-surface platform moves around when acoustic signals are transmitted) are required to accurately detect a sloping sound speed structure, the actual observational data do not necessarily include sufficient moving survey data due to sea conditions or observational time. To treat these insufficient data, it was assumed that a shallow sound speed gradient was continuously present up to a fixed water depth (gradient depth). However, the validity of this assumption has not been investigated, and the gradient depth has not been optimized. In this study, we developed a new GNSS-acoustic array positioning method that optimizes the gradient depth using an MCMC technique. To employ this technique, we also developed an approximate technique for rapidly calculating travel time because the conventional travel-time calculation requires high computational cost for integration into the MCMC technique. We assessed the performance of the approximate travel time calculation technique and demonstrated its sufficient accuracy and precision for estimating array positions. Then, we applied the new GNSS-acoustic array positioning method to the actual observational data collected by the Japan Coast Guard and Tohoku University. Using enough amounts of the moving survey data, our method demonstrated the results comparable with the conventional GNSS-acoustic positioning method estimating a sloping sound speed structure; thus, the assumption of the sound speed gradient with the fixed water depth was valid. Moreover, due to the physical restriction of this assumption, our method provided robust solutions even when the observational data contained small quantities of moving survey data with a simple sea-surface track. Although our method still cannot be used in the scenario where no moving survey data are available, it can work robustly compared with the conventional method.
Interleukin-17A promotes proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human ligamentum flavum cells through regulation of β-catenin nuclear translocation
Authors: Lin Jialiang , Jiang Shuai , Xiang Qian , Zhao Yongzhao , Wang Longjie , Fan Dongwei , Zhong Woquan , Sun Chuiguo , Chen Zhongqiang , Li Weishi
Published: July 2022

Thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF) is the leading cause of thoracic spinal stenosis with no specifc treatment available. IL-17A has received widespread attention for its key contribution in the regulation of bone metabolism and heterotopic ossification. However, it is unclear whether IL-17A is involved in TOLF. Our results showed that IL-17A expression was elevated in ossified ligamentum flavum tissue compared to normal ligamentum flavum. In in vitro experiments, IL-17A stimulation promoted the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of ligamentum flavum cells (LFCs) derived from TOLF patients. Mechanistically, we found that IL-17A stimulation promoted nuclear translocation of β-catenin, whereas silencing of β-catenin attenuated IL-17A-induced proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of LFCs. Furthermore, co-culture of T helper 17 (Th17) cells with LFCs showed that IL-17A secreted by Th17 cells significantly enhanced the accumulation of β-catenin in the nucleus, as well as the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of LFCs. However, these effects were markedly attenuated after the neutralization of IL-17A. Our study demonstrates that IL-17A secreted by Th17 cells in the lesion microenvironment may be involved in TOLF by regulating nuclear translocation of β-catenin to promote proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of LFCs. This study helps to elucidate the pathological mechanism of TOLF and suggests the possibility of IL-17A as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of TOLF.
Expression of S100A8 protein on B cells is associated with disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Kitagori Koji , Oku Takuma , Wakabayashi Masaki , Nakashima Ran , Murakami Kosaku , Hirayama Yoshitaka , Ishihama Yasushi , Ohmura Koichiro , Morinobu Akio , Mimori Tsuneyo , Yoshifuji Hajime
Published: July 2022

Background
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an intractable disease characterized by autoantibody production and autoreactive B and T cell proliferation. Although several studies have revealed multiple genetic and environmental associations, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.
Methods
We performed proteomics and transcriptomics using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and DNA microarray, using peripheral blood B cells from patients with SLE, and explored molecules associated with the pathophysiology of SLE.
Results
We identified for the first time that expression of both S100A8 protein and mRNA were markedly upregulated in SLE B cells. The results obtained using flow cytometry showed that S100A8 was highly expressed on the surface of B cells of patients with active SLE, and S100A8 on the cell surface was decreased after treatment; therefore, it is suggested that S100A8 may be a marker for disease activity. The mRNA expression of S100A8 was particularly upregulated in memory B cells, suggesting that S100A8 may be mainly secreted by memory B cells in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Conclusions
Our results imply that the S100A8 proteins secreted from memory B cells may stimulate granulocytes and monocytes through pattern recognition receptors, activate the innate immune system, and are involved in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Cross-sectional study for derivation of a cut-off value for identification of a timely versus late diagnosis of endometriosis based on analytical and descriptive research methods
Authors: Brandes Iris , Kleine-Budde Katja , Heinze Nicole , Binder Sebastian , Klug Constanze , Schippert Cordula , Ebert Andreas D. , Halis Gülden
Published: July 2022

BackgroundEndometriosis is a benign, hormone-dependent, chronic inflammatory gynecological disease accompanied by cyclic and acyclic pelvic pain and other complaints. The long lists of research recommendations in the AWMF guideline [5] and ESHRE Endometriosis Guideline [6] show that there is still a great need for research in all aspects of the disease. Diagnostic delay, defined as the mean time between symptom onset and confirmed diagnosis, is a particular problem associated with endometriosis. Some quantitative and qualitative studies have investigated possible reasons for this. A range of physician-related [7, 8] and patient-related factors [9] as well as stigmatization of the topic of menstruation by society have been identified [10, 11]. The consequences of the disease being diagnosed late (or too late) on the course of disease, the quality of life and the costs of the disease have already been documented in studies [12, 13]. However, a systematically derived cut-off value that clearly distinguishes between short and long delay is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of our study was to derive a threshold value for the definition of a target corridor for endometriosis diagnosis based on descriptive and analytical methods.MethodsSince our review of the rather sparse publications on diagnostic delay did not yield satisfactory results, we used descriptive statistics and location parameters to calculate a cut-off value for German population data from the EndoCost study. Statistical methods were used for correlation analysis of shortDD versus longDD (correlation analysis and logistic regression) and group membership (discriminant analysis). ResultsFive years was identified as the cut-off value that significantly differentiated between shortDD and longDD based on various disease-related variables. This suggests that endometriosis should be definitively diagnosed within less than five years to minimize the risk of an unfavorable course of the disease. Our findings confirmed that an early onset of endometriosis-related symptoms is the most important risk factor for a long diagnostic delay. Consequently, adolescent females should receive increased attention as an especially vulnerable group. Evidently, there is an urgent need to develop adequate concepts to improve the endometriosis education and care among this target group.
Faecal egg counts and bulk milk Anti-O. ostertagi antibody testing in pasture based dairy cattle of Victoria, Australia
Authors: Loughnan Tom , Mansell Peter , Beggs David
Published: July 2022

Background:International research has suggested that anti Ostertagia ostertagi antibody optical density ratio (ODR) of vat milk can indicate the level of milk production benefit producers will get from applying effective anthelmintic treatments to lactating dairy cows. ODR is an indirect antibody ELISA assessment of the magnitude of antibody production specific to O. ostertagi. In Australian pastoral dairy systems, the worm challenge season can be prolonged with high rainfall temperate climates where lactating cattle and young stock are grazing year-round. The objective of this study was to look for a correlation between ODR and faecal egg count (FEC) or the presence of parasite eggs in faeces in corresponding cohorts.Methods:Fourteen commercial dairy herds in south-west Victoria (Australia) were sampled in the study. Faecal samples were collected from recently calved cows (less than 30 days in milk) for individual FEC (sensitive to 2.5 eggs per gram of faeces) Fifteen primiparous and 15 multiparous animals of representative ages were sampled. On the same day, milk vat samples were collected during the calving period for ODR. Farm management practices including recent and routine anthelmintic use was recorded for each property and each cohort of animals.Results:Bulk milk ODR was not related to measurable FEC in corresponding herds. Bulk milk ODR was also not related to the proportion of animals in each corresponding cohort with detected parasite eggs in faeces. Bulk milk ODR was strongly correlated with days since most recent anthelmintic application (r2=0.73).Conclusion:Anti-O. ostertagi ODR is a good measure of likely antibody presence against O. ostertagi. However, in pastoral systems in Australia where worms are present on pasture for sustained periods, possibly year-round, it may not be a good measure of current parasite load. ODR should not be used as the sole determinant of anthelmintic application in Victorian pastoral dairy herds.
Sulfated galactofucan from Sargassum thunbergii Attenuates atherosclerosis by suppressing inflammation via TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhu Ke-fu , Wang Xi-hao , Weng Ying-zheng , Mao Gen-xiang , Bao Yi-zhong , Lou Jiang-jie , Wu Shao-ze , Jin Wei-hua , Tang Lijiang
Published: July 2022

Purpose: Sulfated galactofucan (SWZ-4), which was extracted from Sargassum thunbergii, has recently been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer property. The present study aimed to evaluate if SWZ-4 could attenuate atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE KO) mice by suppressing inflammatory response through TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.Methods: Male ApoE KO mice were fed with high-fat diet for 16 weeks and intraperitoneally injected with SWZ-4. RAW246.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and SWZ-4. Atherosclerotic lesions were measured by Sudan IV and Oil Red O staining. Serum lipid profiles, inflammatory cytokines, and mRNA and protein expression levels were evaluated.Results: SWZ-4 decreased serum TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1 levels, but cannot improve blood lipid profiles. SWZ-4 downregulated the mRNA and protein expression of TLR4, MyD88 and phosphorylation of p65 and attenuated atherosclerosis in the ApoE KO mice (P < 0.01). In LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, SWZ-4 inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokines and the mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88 and p65 and reduced the proteins expression of TLR4, MyD88 and the phosphorylation of p65 (P < 0.01).Conclusion: These results suggest that SWZ-4 exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in ApoE KO atherosclerosis mice via inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in macrophages, and may potentially serve as a treatment for atherosclerosis.
Lethal and sublethal effects of five common herbicides on the wolf spider, Pardosa milvina (Araneae: Lycosidae)
Authors: Ward William , Heinly Briana , Preston Jack , Johnson Catherine , Sweger Alexander , Persons Matthew
Published: July 2022

We tested lethal and sublethal effects of five commonly applied herbicides on the agrobiont wolf spider Pardosa milvina. Pardosa were collected from two agricultural fields; one kept under continuous crop rotation and sprayed for over twenty years, the other had no pesticide application for the last twelve years. Male and female Pardosa from each site were exposed to one of seven herbicide treatments (atrazine, glyphosate, mesotrione, S-metolachlor, rimsulfuron, a combination of all five herbicides, or a distilled water control; N = 1201) and maintained for 52 days on the treated soil substrate. We recorded mortality, prey capture behavior, weight change, courtship behavior, and egg sac production across treatments. Mesotrione and the five-herbicide combination showed significantly higher mortality than control substrates while atrazine, glyphosate and S-metolachlor showed significantly higher survival than the control. Both male spiders and spiders collected from the conventional field had reduced survival under some herbicide treatments. Prey capture behavior varied significantly by herbicide treatment, sex, and site. We observed significant weight change differences in males and differences in egg sac production in females, with, compared to the control, significant male weight loss in the rimsulfuron treatment collected from the no herbicide field, and an increase in egg sac production in atrazine, rimsulfuron, and S-metolachlor among females collected from the no herbicide field. Our results show some herbicides may have modest but significant fitness benefits (atrazine, glyphosate, and S-metolachlor) while others strongly increase the mortality of Pardosa (mesotrione and the combination herbicide treatment).
Laser-and-catalysis-assisted direct bonding of metal and non-reactive polymer for industrially durable multimaterial manufacturing
Authors: Tei Mika , Kawafuchi Tatsumi , Washika Kiminori , Ozaki Hitoshi , Mayama Norihito , Fukumoto Katsuji , Yamashita Masahiro , Kawahito Yusuke
Published: July 2022

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an ideal coating material with superior chemical resistance, lubrication, and hydrophobicity. Multimaterial manufacturing with metal and PTFE is desirable for their complementary strengths, but non-robust bonding at the interface remains a significant challenge for durability. Here, we devise a strategy combining iron catalyst deposition and thermostatic control on a high-power laser to directly bond steel and pure PTFE. As a result, we achieve unprecedented peel strength surpassing 3.5 N/mm and stable chemical bond formation between the two materials. Furthermore, manufacturing a 10-ton truck's loading box with steel-PTFE composites proves the ultra-durable lubrication effect that enables zero load waste and 10.7 % CO2 reduction during repetitive soil transportation. Our novel method to control polymer decomposition at the metal-polymer interface should facilitate multimaterial manufacturing with superior mechanochemical durability.
Robotic Automation and Unsupervised Cluster Assisted Modeling for Solving the Forward and Reverse Design Problem of Paper Airplanes
Authors: Obayashi Nana , Junge Kai , Ilic Stefan , Hughes Josie
Published: July 2022

Although often regarded a childhood toy, the design of paper airplanes is subtly complex. The design space and mapping from geometry to distance flown is highly nonlinear and probabilistic where a single airplane design exhibits a multitude of trajectory forms and flight distances. This makes optimization and understanding of their behavior challenging for humans. By understanding the behavior of paper airplanes and predicting flight behavior, there is a potential to improve the design of aerial vehicles that operate at low Reynolds numbers. By developing a robotic system that can fabricate, test, analyze, and model the flight behavior in an unsupervised fashion, a wide design space can be reliably characterized. We find there are discrete behavioral groups that result in different trajectories: nose dive, glide and recovery glide. Informed by this characterization we propose a method of using Gaussian mixture models to extract the clusters of the design space that map to these different behaviors. This allows us to solve both the forward and reverse design problem for paper airplanes, and also to perform efficient optimization of the geometry for a given target flight distance.
To compare Spot Urine Protein-Creatinine Ratio within 24 Hours Urine Protein for Quantification of Proteinuria - a hospital based cross-sectional study
Authors: Mahaseth Aditya , Pahari Bishnu , Ghimire Madhav , PVS Rana , Rayamajhi Sushil
Published: July 2022

Background: Proteinuria is a condition in which urine contains an excess amount of proteins. Proteinuria is a common finding during routine clinical evaluation. Quantifying the amount of proteinuria is mandatory in various disease condition.
Methods: The spot urinary protein/creatinine ratio (P/Cr) and 24 h urine protein were determined from 70 patients with persistent glomerular proteinuria, either new onset proteinuria secondary to diabetes, hypertension, CKD, or glomerulonephritis or due to pre-existing glomerular disease and tabulated. Correlation study was done using the spearman’s correlation coefficient and plotted on a scatterplot.
Results: In this study age ranged from 2 to 83 years, mean age was 36.56 years (SD 20.78). The number of males was slightly higher than females and M: F was 1.26:1. Hypertension was present in 44.3 % of patients; Diabetes was present in 20 % of patients. 74.3 % of patients were suffering from acute glomerulonephritis due to various causes, 12.9% patients had CKD. A linear relationship exists between the spot urine PCR and the 24 hours Urinary total protein, with a correlation coefficient of 0.877, p < 0.01. Correlation was suboptimal at higher levels of protein excretion (>3.5 grams/day).
Conclusion: Random spot urine PCR is correlates well with the 24 hours urinary total protein particularly at lower levels of protein excretion and can be an useful adjunct to 24 hours urinary protein measurement particularly if 24 hours urine sample is difficult to obtain or unavailable.
Pyridinoline in Evaluation of Subchondral Remodeling and Cartilaginous Tissue Metabolism in Patients With Early Signs of Knee Osteoarthrosis
Authors: Belova Svetlana V. , Gladkova Ekaterina V. , Zubavlenko Roman A. , Ulyanov Vladimir Yu.
Published: July 2022

Osteoarthrosis is a polyetiological disease affecting 15 to 85 percent of people over 40 years of age. It makes as much as 50 percent of all articular pathology cases, so the interest of the scientific community in this problem keeps growing. One of the key patterns of osteoarthrosis progressing is the disorder of metabolic processes in articular connective tissue and, in particular, the disorder of collagen synthesis and disorganization of the spatial orientation of collagen molecules. Pyridinoline (PYD) is the integral indicator of this disorganization; it ensures the stability of collagen matrix due to the formation of pyridine crosslinks. Some research claim the predictive value of PYD determining in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue pathologies in joints. Our study involved 42 patients aged 36-50 years with early signs of knee osteoarthrosis and 19 virtually healthy individuals without articular pathologies. All patients underwent standard radiography of their knee joints in the anterior (maximally extended position of the knee joint) and lateral (joint flexion up to 15º) projections in the supine position. Bone formation was assessed by osteocalcin (OC) content and bone resorption by CrossLaps and PYD levels while cartilage matrix destruction by cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and cartilage glycoprotein (YKL-40) serum concentrations with enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) method. Our findings showed that the disorders of bone formation (increased OC level) and bone resorption (increased CrossLaps and PYD levels) as well as the rearrangement of the cartilage matrix structure featured by the increased COMP and YKL-40 contents were specific for patients with early signs of knee osteoarthrosis lacking evident clinical and radiological manifestations of the disease. Interestingly, the significant (p<0.05) increase in pyridinoline serum concentration possibly resulted from the intermolecular disbanding in collagen polypeptide chains as a structure-forming component of the extracellular matrix in connective tissue. The sensitivity and specificity assessment of changes in PYD serum concentrations reneders the use of this indicator in the comprehensive evaluation of the condition of patients with early signs of knee osteoarthrosis aimed at increasing the effectiveness of diagnostic approaches to early osteoarthrosis detection and the designning pathogenetic therapy to be a promising trend for further research.