bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exosomal circSCMH1/miR-874 ratio in serum to predict carotid and coronary plaque stability
Authors: Wang Jiayu , Liu Yixuan , Tian Peiqing , Xing Liyun , Huang Xianwei , Fu Caihua , Xu Xiangyu , Liu Ping
Published: December 2023

Background

To investigate the correlation between lg (circSCMH1/miR-874) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and carotid plaque stability.

Methods

701 patients were divided into stable coronary artery disease (SCAD), ACS, and control groups. Furthermore, 225 patients who underwent carotid ultrasound were selected from the above 701 patients and were divided into low-risk plaque, medium-to-high risk plaque, and control (without carotid plaques) groups. We collected their baseline characteristics and measured the contents of exosomal circSCMH1 and miR-874 in peripheral blood. Then lg(circSCMH1/miR-874) was calculated and statistical analysis was performed.

Results

The lg (circSCMH1/miR-874) values of ACS, SCAD, and the control group decreased successively (P < 0.05). Compared with the low-risk plaque and control groups, the lg (circSCMH1/miR-874) value of medium-high risk plaque group decreased (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that with the decrease of lg (circSCMH1/miR-874), the risk of ACS, AMI, and medium-high risk plaques increased. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that lg (circSCMH1/miR-874) has a higher diagnostic value for ACS, AMI and medium-high risk plaques than previously used predictive ratios.

Conclusion

Lg (circSCMH1/miR-874) is closely associated with coronary and carotid plaque stability.
Fire-human-climate interactions in the Bolivian Amazon rainforest ecotone from the Last Glacial Maximum to late Holocene
Authors: Maezumi S. Yoshi , Power Mitchell J. , Smith Richard J. , McLauchlan Kendra K. , Brunelle Andrea R. , Carleton Christopher , Kay Andrea U. , Roberts Patrick , Mayle Francis E.
Published: December 2023

The Amazon Rainforest Ecotone (the ARF-Ecotone) of the southwestern Amazon Basin is a transitional landscape from tropical evergreen rainforests and seasonally flooded savannahs to savannah woodlands and semi-deciduous dry forests. While fire activity plays an integral role in ARF-Ecotones, recent interactions between human activity and increased temperatures and prolonged droughts driven by anthropogenic climate change threaten to accelerate habitat transformation through positive feedbacks, increasing future fire susceptibility, fuel loads, and fire intensity. The long-term factors driving fire in the ARF-Ecotone remain poorly understood because of the challenge of disentangling the effects of prolonged climatic variability since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ~24,000 to 11,000 cal BP) and over 10,500 years of human occupation in the region. To investigate this issue, we implement an interdisciplinary framework incorporating multiple lake sediment cores, with varying basin characteristics with existing regional palaeoclimatological and archaeological data. These data indicate expansive C4 grasslands coupled with low fire activity during the LGM, higher sensitivity of small basins to detecting local-scale fire activity, and increased spatial diversity of fire during the Holocene (~10,500 cal year BP to the limit of our records ~4,000 cal year BP), despite a similar regional climate. This may be attributed to increased human-driven fire. These data raise the intriguing possibility that the composition of modern flora at NKMNP developed as part of a co-evolutionary process between people and plants that started at the beginning of the ARE occupation.
Antioxidants positively regulate obesity dependent circRNAs - sperm quality - functional axis
Authors: Mele Vincenza Grazia , Chioccarelli Teresa , Finamore Rosario , D’Agostino Antonella , d’Agostino Maria , Cimini Donatella , Mattia Monica , Porreca Veronica , Giori Andrea Maria , Fasano Silvia , Cobellis Gilda , Schiraldi Chiara , Chianese Rosanna , Manfrevola Francesco
Published: December 2023

Obesity is a pathophysiological condition, dependent on body fat accumulation, that progressively induces systemic oxidative stress/inflammation leading to a set of associated clinical manifestations, including male infertility. CircRNAs, covalently closed RNA molecules, are key regulators of sperm quality. Recently, we have characterized a complete profile of high-fat diet (HFD) spermatic circRNA cargo, predicting paternal circRNA dependent networks (ceRNETs), potentially involved in sperm oxidative stress and motility anomalies. In the current work, using HFD C57BL6/J male mice, orally treated with a mix of bioactive molecules (vitamin C; vitamin B12; vitamin E; selenium-L-methionine; glutathione-GSH) for 4 weeks, a reversion of HFD phenotype was observed. In addition, the functional action of the proposed formulations on circRNA biogenesis was evaluated by assessing the endogenous spermatic FUS-dependent backsplicing machinery and related circRNA cargo. After that, spermatic viability and motility were also analyzed. Paternal ceRNETs, potentially involved in oxidative stress regulation and sperm motility defects, were identified and used to suggest that the beneficial action of the food supplements here conveniently formulated on sperm motility was likely due to the recovery of circRNA profile. Such a hypothesis was, then, verified by an in vitro assay.
Transport infrastructure environmental performance: the role of stakeholders, technological integration, government policies and lean supply chain management
Authors: Fan Jianqiang , Mehmood Saqib , Hussain Iftikhar , Nazir Samera , Basit Abdul
Published: December 2023

The recent past is characterized by heightened environmental awareness, enhancing the environmental performance of transportation infrastructure was of utmost importance. The central purpose of this study was to delve into and comprehend methods for improving the environmental performance of transportation infrastructure. It aimed to investigate three pivotal factors: engagement of stakeholders, integration of technology and formulation of government policies. Furthermore, the study emphasized exploring how Lean Supply Chain Management could act as a facilitator in accomplishing these enhancements. The study’s approach involved a mediation analysis, utilizing quantitative methods to collect data from 89 construction firms operating in Pakistan. The customized questionnaire was employed to gather the necessary data, and employed random sampling techniques to select participants. The hypotheses were tested through partial least squares (PLS 4) analysis. The findings of this study highlighted that stakeholder, including government entities, private enterprises, and local communities, significantly shape the environmental outcomes of transport projects. It explored how technological integration influences environmental performance and assesses the effectiveness of current government policies in promoting sustainability. The study also examined the role of lean supply chain management practices. Implications stressed the importance of stakeholder collaboration, the integration of innovative technologies and policies, refining regulations for sustainability goals and adopting a holistic approach for enhancing overall environmental performance in the transport sector.
How environmental awareness affects the spatial convergence of urban economic resilience: evidence from China
Authors: Li Yanling , Xiao Ya
Published: December 2023

This study utilizes a panel dataset covering 262 Chinese cities from 2012 to 2019 and employs spatial econometric convergence test models to investigate the impact of public environmental awareness on spatial convergence of urban economic resilience. Empirical results reveal a significant spatial convergence pattern in urban economic resilience, but environmental awareness hampers this convergence. Through a mediation analysis, we find that the role of environmental awareness in the spatial convergence of urban economic resilience is moderated by two critical factors: foreign investment and scientific expenditure. The development of foreign investment and an increase in the scale of scientific expenditure weaken the inhibitory effect of environmental awareness on the spatial convergence of urban economic resilience.
Comparison of recycled vapor contribution to precipitation in urban vs. rural area—A case study in western China
Authors: Zhao Pei , Xia Chengcheng , Liu Guodong , Tang Jialiang , Zhou Minghua
Published: December 2023

While urbanization’s strong effect on local precipitation has been widely documented, knowledge of how urbanization affects isotopic composition in precipitation is still lacking. In the present study, deuterium-excess (d-excess) served to quantify the contribution of recycled vapor to precipitation in Chengdu city (China) and a nearby rural area. Precipitation from the urban and rural areas showed no significant difference in δ18O values (p > 0.05). The rural area had significantly higher d-excess (24.29 ± 7.39‰) than the urban (12.71 ± 4.88‰) through the seasons due to higher evapotranspiration flux in the rural area. In summer, however, urban precipitation amount was higher than that of the rural area. Based on d-excess model, the average ratio of recycled vapor was 8.2% in Chengdu, which was lower than in the rural area (36.1%). This highlights the effect of urbanization in decreasing the proportion of vapor from local evapotranspiration contributing to precipitation but blocked much advected moisture. This also implied that precipitation taken in cities were used to represent upwind advected vapor or used as referenced isotopic records for paleoclimate reconstruction based on tree rings or stalagmites sampled in rural area may be erroneous as the effect of urbanization on precipitation vapor. Further studies are needed to explore the effect of urbanization on vapor source of precipitation under different climatic zones.
The causal association between COVID-19 and herpes simplex virus: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Yan Ming , Xiao Li-yuan , Gosau Martin , Friedrich Reinhard E. , Smeets Ralf , Fu Ling-ling , Feng Hong-chao , Burg Simon
Published: December 2023

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a main global public health challenge. Additionally, herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are widespread viruses that can cause orolabial herpes and genital herpes. Several clinical case reports have declared a possible association between the two, however, the causal relationship between them has not been clarified.

Methods

This study utilized a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach for causality assessment between COVID-19 infection and HSV infection based on the latest public health data and Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) data. Multiple causal estimation methods, such as IVW, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode, were employed to validate the causal relation between COVID-19 infection and HSV infection, with COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 hospitalization, and severe COVID-19 as exposures, and HSV1/2 infection as the outcome. A reverse MR analysis was subsequently performed.

Results

MR analysis exhibited that COVID-19 infection was relevant to a reduced risk of HSV1 infection (p=7.603239e−152, OR=0.5690, 95%CI=0.5455−0.5935, IVW). Regarding the effect of COVID-19 infection on HSV2, MR analysis suggested that COVID-19 infection was correlated with an augmented risk of HSV2 infection (p=6.46735e−11, OR=1.1137, 95%CI=1.0782−1.1502, IVW). The reverse MR analysis did not demonstrate a reverse causal relationship between HSV and COVID-19.

Discussion

Altogether, COVID-19 infection might cause a decreased risk of HSV1 infection and an elevated risk of HSV2 infection.
Leveraging diverse cell-death related signature predicts the prognosis and immunotherapy response in renal clear cell carcinoma
Authors: Wu Zhengqi , Jin Mingyue , Xin Peng , Zhang Hao
Published: December 2023

Background

Modulation of programmed cell death in tumor cells alters the tumor microenvironment and the influx of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and the combination of its inducers and immune checkpoint inhibitors plays a synergistic role in enhancing antitumor effects.

Methods

We downloaded the data of clear cell renal cell carcinoma samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas and used a machine learning approach to build a new programmed cell death index (PCDI) through 13 programmed cell death-related genes. Based on PCDI, clinical features, tumor immune microenvironment, chemotherapy response and immunotherapy response were systematically analyzed.

Results

PCDI consists of eight programmed cell death-related genes (TBX3, BID, TCIRG1, IDUA, KDR, PYCARD, IFNG and LRRK2). PCDI is a reliable predictor of survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients and has been validated in multiple external datasets. We found that the high PCDI group showed higher levels of immune cell infiltration and better response to immunotherapy compared to the low PCDI group, and PCDI can also be used for prognostic prediction in a variety of cancers other than clear cell renal cell carcinoma. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of IDUA inhibited the proliferation and migration of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Conclusions

The PCDI identified in this study provides valuable insights into the clinical management of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by accurately evaluating the prognosis of patients with clear cell renal carcinoma and identifying the patient population that would benefit from immunotherapy.
Circulating levels of cytokines and risk of inflammatory bowel disease: evidence from genetic data
Authors: Liu Bin , Qian Yu , Li Yanan , Shen Xiangting , Ye Ding , Mao Yingying , Sun Xiaohui
Published: December 2023

Background

Prior epidemiological studies have established a correlation between inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the nature of this relationship remains uncertain. Mendelian randomization (MR) study has the advantages of avoiding confounding and reverse causality compared with traditional observational research.

Objective

We aimed to evaluate whether genetically determined circulating levels of cytokines are associated with the risk of IBD by using the MR approach.

Materials and methods

We selected genetic variants associated with circulating levels of 28 cytokines at the genome-wide significance level from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) including 8,293 individuals. Summary-level data for IBD (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) were obtained from the International Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium and UK Biobank. We performed the primary analysis using the inverse-variance weighted method, as well as sensitivity analyses to test the stability of our results. We subsequently replicated the results of IBD in the UK Biobank dataset. A reverse MR analysis was also conducted to evaluate the possibility of reverse causation.

Results

Genetically predicted elevated levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG) were associated with an increased risk of IBD[odds ratio (OR): 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.10-2.08, P =0.010 for IL-17 and OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.24-2.00, P = 1.60×10-4 for MIG]. Moreover, we observed suggestive associations between β-NGF and MIP-1β with the risk of Crohn’s disease (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52-0.98, P = 0.039) and ulcerative colitis (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01-1.15, P= 0.019). In the reverse MR study, there was no evidence of causal effects of IBD and these cytokines.

Conclusion

Our study suggests the potential causal associations of IL-17 and MIG with IBD. Further studies are needed to determine whether IL-17 and MIG or their downstream effectors could be useful in the management of IBD.
Sample contamination explains evidence of close kin proximity in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean
Authors: Anderson Giulia , Macdonald Jed I. , Lal Monal , Hampton John , Smith Neville , Rico Ciro
Published: December 2023

Anderson et al.’s 2019 paper ‘Close Kin Proximity in Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) as a Driver of Population Genetic Structure in the Tropical Western and Central Pacific’ provided observations of genetically related individuals among sampled yellowfin tuna. Resampling of some individuals from the original study produced very different sequencing results when compared with the original dataset, one possible explanation of which is cross-contamination among the original samples. Re-analyses produced no indication of strong population structure, including a very slightly and consistent heterozygosity deficit with only one statistically significant pairwise FST value of 0.002. We identified only one pair of genetically similar individuals that could still be an artefact of lingering contamination. These new results therefore support a highly connected population of yellowfin tuna in the study area, although we do not rule out the potential for local adaptation driven by non-observed loci or genetic sub-structure operating at more contemporary scales.
Ultrasound characterization of superficial lymph nodes in HIV patients with Talaromyces marneffei infection
Authors: Pan Lin , Shao Huaguo
Published: December 2023

Objectives

This study aimed at exploring the ultrasound characteristics of superficial lymph nodes (LNs) in HIV patients with Talaromyces marneffei infection to provide assistance and understanding for diagnosis and therapy.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 26 patients with confirmed HIV and T.marneffei coinfection. These patients underwent ultrasound examination and ultrasound-guided puncture biopsies at our hospital from March 2015 to March 2023.

Results

In all 26 patients, lymphadenectasis was observed. Among the 21 cases (80.76%), LNs showed a diffusely hyperechoic appearance with a tulle-like change, and 6 cases (23.07%) showed liquefaction. When the hila were present or thinned, the blood flow signals were primarily hilar, whether rich or poor, and when the hila were absent, the blood flow signals were peripheral or poor. The axillary LN long-to-short diameter (L/S) ratios exhibited a significant positive correlation with CD4+T cell counts (r = 0.8214, p = 0.0341). Patients with retroperitoneal lymphadenectasis showed decreased NK cell counts (p = 0.03).

Conclusion

In summary, the T.marneffei infection of LNs in HIV patients often manifests with superficial LN enlargement, mostly affecting the cervical LNs. The T.marneffei-infected LNs exhibit several characteristics such as echogenicity, hilum, and blood flow signal. Furthermore, there might be associations between lymphocyte subsets and enlarged superficial LNs. Ultrasound examinations should be paid attention to if patients have superficial LN enlargement, and the diagnosis of the T.marneffei infection is considered.
Winds of change a tale of: asthma and microbiome
Authors: Galeana-Cadena David , Gómez-García Itzel Alejandra , Lopez-Salinas Karen Gabriel , Irineo-Moreno Valeria , Jiménez-Juárez Fabiola , Tapia-García Alan Rodrigo , Boyzo-Cortes Carlos Alberto , Matías-Martínez Melvin Barish , Jiménez-Alvarez Luis , Zúñiga Joaquín , Camarena Angel
Published: December 2023

The role of the microbiome in asthma is highlighted, considering its influence on immune responses and its connection to alterations in asthmatic patients. In this context, we review the variables influencing asthma phenotypes from a microbiome perspective and provide insights into the microbiome’s role in asthma pathogenesis. Previous cohort studies in patients with asthma have shown that the presence of genera such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, and Bacteroides in the gut microbiome has been associated with protection against the disease. While, the presence of other genera such as Haemophilus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Moraxella in the respiratory microbiome has been implicated in asthma pathogenesis, indicating a potential link between microbial dysbiosis and the development of asthma. Furthermore, respiratory infections have been demonstrated to impact the composition of the upper respiratory tract microbiota, increasing susceptibility to bacterial diseases and potentially triggering asthma exacerbations. By understanding the interplay between the microbiome and asthma, valuable insights into disease mechanisms can be gained, potentially leading to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Analysis of critical residues for peroxygenation and improved peroxygenase activity via in situ H2O2 generation in CYP105D18
Authors: Pardhe Bashu Dev , Oh Tae-Jin
Published: December 2023

Limited numbers of CYPs have been reported to work naturally as peroxygenases. The peroxide shunt pathway can be efficiently used as an alternative for the NAD(P)H and reductase systems, particularly in high hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) resistance CYPs. We reported the structural and biochemical features of CYP105D18 peroxygenase for its high H2O2 tolerance capacity. Q348 was a crucial residue for the stability of CYP105D18 during the exposure to H2O2. In addition, the role of the hydrophilic amino acid T239 from the I helix for peroxygenation and regiospecificity toward testosterone was investigated. Interestingly, T239E differs in product formation from wild type, catalyzing testosterone to androstenedione in the presence of H2O2. The other variant, T239A, worked with the Pdx/Pdr system and was unable to catalyze testosterone conversion in the presence of H2O2, suggesting the transformation of peroxygenase into monooxygenase. CYP105D18 supported the alternative method of H2O2 used for the catalysis of testosterone. The use of the same concentration of urea hydrogen peroxide adducts in place of direct H2O2 was more efficient for 2β-hydroxytestosterone conversion. Furthermore, in situ H2O2 generation using GOx/glucose system enhanced the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) for wild type and F184A by 1.3- and 1.9-fold, respectively, compared to direct use of H2O2 The engineering of CYP105D18, its improved peroxygenase activity, and alteration in the product oxidation facilitate CYP105D18 as a potential candidate for biotechnological applications.
A prognostic model based on prognosis-related ferroptosis genes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Wu Feima , Xu Guosheng , Li Guangchao , Yin Zhao , Shen Huijuan , Ye Kaiheng , Zhu Yangmin , Zhang Qing , Ou Ruiming , Liu Shuang
Published: December 2023

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disorder with an unpredictable prognosis. Ferroptosis, the iron-dependent cell death program, could serve as an alternative for overcoming drug resistance. However, its effect on AML remains largely unclear.

Methods: We collected RNA sequencing data and relevant clinical information of AML patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas to construct a prognosis prediction model. Risk score was calculated with eight prognosis-related ferroptosis genes (PRFGs) discovered through univariate analysis and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression. A nomogram was constructed by incorporating LASSO risk score, age, and cytogenetic risk based on univariate/multivariate Cox regression.

Results: Of the 33 AML PRFGs identified from the TCGA-derived dataset, 8 genes were used to construct a gene signature to predict AML prognosis. Principal component analysis and heatmap showed significant differences between the low and high risk score groups. Next, LASSO risk score, age, and cytogenetic risk were incorporated into the nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) of AML patients. According to survival analysis, patients with a low risk score had markedly increased OS as compared to those with a high risk score. Based on the results of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, the differences between the two risk groups showed a close relationship with immune-related pathways and membrane transportation. The analysis of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and immune checkpoints revealed that the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment possibly facilitated different prognostic outcomes between the two groups. Gene expression analyses showed that the mRNA expression levels of PARP1 and PARP3 (PARPs) were closely related to the different clinical subgroups and the analyzed OS in AML patients. Finally, the PARP inhibitor talazoparib and the ferroptosis inducer erastin exerted a synergistic anti-proliferative effect on AML cells.

Conclusion: We constructed a nomogram by incorporating PRFGs, and the constructed nomogram showed a good performance in AML patient stratification and prognosis prediction. The combination of PARP inhibitors with ferroptosis inducers could be a novel treatment strategy for treating AML patients.
A scoping review of scientific concepts concerning motor recovery after stroke as employed in clinical trials
Authors: Favetta Martina , Romano Alberto , Valè Nicola , Cieslik Blazej , Federico Sara , Girolami Alessia , Mazzarotto Deborah , Pregnolato Giorgia , Righetti Anna , Salvalaggio Silvia , Castelli Enrico , Smania Nicola , Bargellesi Stefano , Kiper Pawel , Petrarca Maurizio
Published: December 2023

The scientific literature on poststroke rehabilitation is remarkably vast. Over the last decades, dozens of rehabilitation approaches have been investigated. However, sometimes it is challenging to trace new experimental interventions back to some of the known models of motor control and sensorimotor learning. This scoping review aimed to investigate motor control models’ diffusion among the literature on motor recovery after stroke. We performed a literature search on Medline, Cochrane, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases. The last search was conducted in September 2023. This scoping review included full-text articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals that provided rehabilitation interventions based on motor control or motor learning frameworks for at least one individual with stroke. For each study, we identified the theoretical framework the authors used to design the experimental treatment. To this aim, we used a previously proposed classification of the known models of motor control, dividing them into the following categories: neuroanatomy, robotics, self-organization, and ecological context. In total, 2,185 studies were originally considered in this scoping review. After the screening process, we included and analyzed 45 studies: 20 studies were randomized controlled trials, 12 were case series, 4 were case reports, 8 were observational longitudinal pilot studies, and 1 was an uncontrolled trial. Only 10 studies explicitly declared the reference theoretical model. Considering their classification, 21 studies referred to the robotics motor control model, 12 to the self-organization model, 8 to the neuroanatomy model, and 4 to the ecological model. Our results showed that most of the rehabilitative interventions purposed in stroke rehabilitation have no clear theoretical bases on motor control and motor learning models. We suggest this is an issue that deserves attention when designing new experimental interventions in stroke rehabilitation.
Inhibition of lipid synthesis by the HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitor elvitegravir in primary rat oligodendrocyte cultures
Authors: Monnerie Hubert , Romer Micah , Roth Lindsay M. , Long Caela , Millar John S. , Jordan-Sciutto Kelly L. , Grinspan Judith B.
Published: December 2023

Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has greatly decreased mortality and morbidity among persons with HIV; however, neurologic impairments remain prevalent, in particular HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs). White matter damage persists in cART-treated persons with HIV and may contribute to neurocognitive dysfunction as the lipid-rich myelin membrane of oligodendrocytes is essential for efficient nerve conduction. Because of the importance of lipids to proper myelination, we examined the regulation of lipid synthesis in oligodendrocyte cultures exposed to the integrase strand transfer inhibitor elvitegravir (EVG), which is administered to persons with HIV as part of their initial regimen. We show that protein levels of genes involved in the fatty acid pathway were reduced, which correlated with greatly diminished de novo levels of fatty acid synthesis. In addition, major regulators of cellular lipid metabolism, the sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP) 1 and 2, were strikingly altered following exposure to EVG. Impaired oligodendrocyte differentiation manifested as a marked reduction in mature oligodendrocytes. Interestingly, most of these deleterious effects could be prevented by adding serum albumin, a clinically approved neuroprotectant. These new findings, together with our previous study, strengthen the possibility that antiretroviral therapy, at least partially through lipid dysregulation, may contribute to the persistence of white matter changes observed in persons with HIV and that some antiretrovirals may be preferable as life-long therapy.
Prevalence of malnutrition and its associated factors among 18,503 Chinese children aged 3–14 years
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqian , Wang Qiong , Gao Ziyu , Zhang Zifeng , Wu Jing , Zhang Zhixin , Niu Wenquan
Published: December 2023

Background

Child malnutrition places a major burden on global public health. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of child malnutrition and identify its potential factors among children aged 3–14 years from Beijing and Tangshan.

Methods

We cross-sectionally recruited 18,503 children aged 3–14 years from September 2020 to January 2022, according to a stratified cluster random sampling strategy. Child malnutrition was defined according to the World Health Organization criteria. Data were analyzed by STATA software and R language.

Results

The prevalence of malnutrition among 18,503 children was 10.93%. After multivariable adjustment, seven factors significantly associated with child malnutrition were parental education (adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, p: 1.52, 1.40 to 1.67, <0.001), family income (1.23, 1.16 to 1.30, <0.001), fast food intake frequency (1.14, 1.06 to 1.21, <0.001), night meals intake frequency (1.09, 1.04 to 1.15, <0.001), eating speed (1.01, 1.01 to 1.02, <0.001), maternal obesity (0.97, 0.95 to 0.99, <0.001), and paternal obesity (0.97, 0.96 to 0.98, <0.001). The seven significant factors had better prediction performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic, 0.956) for child malnutrition.

Conclusion

Approximately 10% of Chinese children aged 3–14 years were in malnutrition status, and seven factors were found to be significant predictors for child malnutrition.
The complex nature of lncRNA-mediated chromatin dynamics in multiple myeloma
Authors: Nylund Patrick , Garrido-Zabala Berta , Kalushkova Antonia , Wiklund Helena Jernberg
Published: December 2023

Extensive genome-wide sequencing efforts have unveiled the intricate regulatory potential of long non-protein coding RNAs (lncRNAs) within the domain of haematological malignancies. Notably, lncRNAs have been found to directly modulate chromatin architecture, thereby impacting gene expression and disease progression by interacting with DNA, RNA, and proteins in a tissue- or condition-specific manner. Furthermore, recent studies have highlighted the intricate epigenetic control of lncRNAs in cancer. Consequently, this provides a rationale to explore the possibility of therapeutically targeting lncRNAs themselves or the epigenetic mechanisms that govern their activity. Within the scope of this review, we will assess the current state of knowledge regarding the epigenetic regulation of lncRNAs and how, in turn, lncRNAs contribute to chromatin remodelling in the context of multiple myeloma.
The s(quad) model, a pattern approach for understanding the individual and their social network relations: application to loneliness
Authors: Ybarra Oscar , Chan Todd
Published: December 2023

The present research presents a model of how individuals relate to their personal social networks (i. e., spouse, children, other family, friends) by considering the degree to which the individual's needs for communion and agency are satisfied by these relations. The model proposes four prototypical configurations of the individual and their social network, which reflect different combinations of the high and low poles of communion and agency. The squad model is then applied to loneliness, an outcome the literature has considered predominantly from the perspective of deficits in the communion and relatedness domain with little attention paid to people's need for agency. Clustering analyses showed that people's networks can be characterized as proposed by the squad model, but also that loneliness varies as a function of both the level of communion and agency represented by each prototype. The findings thus contribute to our understanding of loneliness, but the framework is much broader and can be applied to varied outcomes. The model also has several implications for research on social networks as well as models of relationship processes.
Medicalizing disabled people's emotions—Symptom of a dis/ableist society
Authors: Wechuli Yvonne
Published: December 2023

The theoretical–conceptual article at hand explores how emotional discourses shape social relations by specifically focusing on the medicalization of disabled— and chronically ill—people's emotions. Medicalization is a concept from medical sociology that describes medicine's expansion into non-medical life areas, for instance into the realm of emotions, sometimes in order to challenge this expansion. The emotions of disabled people are often presented as a medicalized problem, rather than recognizing their embeddedness in a dis/ableist socio-cultural context. Such discourses instrumentalize feelings in order to individualize the responsibility for disability. For a contextualized and emancipatory approach, this study reviews papers on medicalized emotions from Disability Studies—a research program that can provide a rich archive of experiential accounts yet to be theorized through a comprehensive emotional perspective. The medicalization of disabled people's emotions can manifest in different ways: (1) In a dis/ableist society, able-mindedness is compulsory; i.e., we fail to question that a healthy mind is the norm and something to strive for unconditionally. This is also true on an emotional level; after all, some medical diagnoses are based on the wrong degree or temporality of emotionality. (2) Unpleasant feelings such as sadness are misunderstood as symptoms of impairment rather than effects of discrimination. (3) The expression of hurt feelings, e.g., related to discrimination, can easily be dismissed as hysterical. This assumption epistemologically disables patients. (4) Love and desire are delegitimized as fetish, for example, the desire for a disabled lover or the wish to start a family despite a chronic illness. The medicalization of disabled people's emotions individualizes and delegitimizes unpleasant emotions that emerge in a dis/ableist society. Different facets of medicalization enforce medical treatment instead, albeit in different ways. Disabled and sick people are cast as not feeling and desiring the right way, while hegemonic discourse prescribes psychological treatment against the effects of discrimination and bodily symptoms it cannot explain. Beyond the dismissal of disabled people's experience, adverse effects on healthcare delivery and health outcomes can be expected.
Research on the impact of domestic agricultural R&D on high-quality agricultural development in China
Authors: Yang Dandan , Wang Yongping , Li Chengjiang , Zhao Gang , Xu Fei
Published: December 2023

A fresh wave of technical change is seen as one of the most effective ways to achieve sustainable agricultural development due to the declining carrying capacity of resources and the environment. China, a nation with a sizable population, has drawn immense research attention over the following question: How can China promote agricultural transformation and achieve high-quality agricultural development through technological innovation? Based on the panel data that considers 28 provincial-level administrative regions in mainland China from 2010 to 2018, the study utilizes two-way fixed models; thus, it tests the impact of domestic agricultural research and development on high-quality agricultural development. Furthermore, it utilizes the moderating effect to verify the relationship between the two aforementioned factors under the influence of foreign technology introduction, human capital, and financial support. We observed the following: First, the high-quality agricultural development that characterized all the Chinese regions exhibited a steady upward trend. The industrial system, ecological system, and management system exhibited considerable development, whereas the development of the production system was lagging. Second, domestic agricultural research and development has promoted high-quality agricultural development. Third, under the moderating effect of foreign technology introduction, human capital, and financial support, the promotion effect of domestic agricultural research and development on high-quality agricultural development has gradually weakened. This study presents various proposals; thus, it strengthens the role of domestic agricultural research and development in promoting high-quality agricultural development.
Endoscopic transpapillary stent placement in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis and disconnected main pancreatic duct syndrome
Authors: Shabunin Aleksey V. , Bagatelia Zurab A. , Bedin Vladimir V. , Korzheva Irina Yu , Shikov Dmitry V. , Kolotilshchikov Andrei A. , Kalashnikova Elena A. , Covantsev Serghei
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Pancreatic necrosis is one of the most severe acute abdominal conditions, accounting for 15%–20% of all patients with acute pancreatitis and characterized by significant rates of postoperative complications and mortality. Patients with pancreatic necrosis, in which pathological changes are localized in the proximal pancreas and retroperitoneal space, deserve special attention. This form of the disease includes patients with disconnected main pancreatic duct (MPD) syndrome who have a difficult prognosis.

Aim

The aim of the study was an improvement of treatment results in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis and signs of the dissociation of the pancreas duct system using the endoscopic transpapillary stent placement method.

Material and methods

This study was a retrospective cohort study. There were 32 patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis who were managed using the endoscopic transpapillary stent placement method between 2019 and 2021. Disconnected MPD syndrome was diagnosed in all 32 patients. In total, 26 patients were admitted to hospital in the first 72 h, while 6 patients were admitted after 72 h. We diagnosed the necrotizing process located in the proximal and central areas of the pancreas and peripancreatic space in all these patients (“model III”).

Results

Positive results related to transpapillary stent placement were noted in 24 (75%) patients (first cohort). A total of 20 patients from this group were admitted to hospital in the first 48 h, and 4 patients were admitted later than 72 h from the onset of disease. Moreover, 8 patients (25%; second cohort) failed to succeed in transpapillary stent placement. Complications in the first cohort occurred in 3 (12.5%) patients: dislocation of the stent into the duodenum occurred in 1 patient, and bleeding after papillosphincterotomy took place in 2 patients. Meanwhile, infected necrotized pancreatitis developed in 5 patients, and 1 patient (5%) died. Complications among the second cohort occurred in 2 (25%) patients: erosive bleeding (after debridement). Infected necrotized pancreatitis developed in 4 patients, and 2 patients (25%) died.

Conclusions

Endoscopic transpapillary stent placement is an effective minimally invasive approach in the management of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis.
Nutritional management of a dog with hepatic enzymopathy suspected to be secondary to copper-associated hepatitis: a case report
Authors: Poblanno Silva Francisco Manuel , Grant Caitlin Elizabeth , Ribeiro Érico de Mello , Verbrugghe Adronie
Published: December 2023

A 4-year-old, female-spayed American Bulldog presented to the Ontario Veterinary College’s Health Sciences Center’s Clinical Nutrition Service for nutritional management of hepatic enzymopathy and suspected copper-associated hepatitis. Medical history revealed a 3-month history of gradually increasing serum ALT. Additional diagnostics included negative Leptospira titters, normal bile acids, and laparoscopic liver biopsy. Histopathology findings were consistent with diffuse moderate vacuole hepatocellular degeneration, mild positive copper staining, mild chronic lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis both portal and central, and mild biliary hyperplasia. Hepatic copper quantification results were above normal ranges (630 μg/g dry tissue), but below those seen in familial copper-associated hepatitis (>800–1,000 μg/g dry tissue). The patient was prescribed ursodeoxycholic acid, recommended to be fed a homemade diet (HMD), and referred for a nutrition consult. Two days before the nutrition consult, serum ALT fell within the normal range. The body condition score was 5/9, with a good muscle condition score and the dog’s appetite and body weight remained stable. Energy intake was appropriate for maintenance. Key nutrient levels of all diets reported were compared to industry standards (AAFCO, NRC, and FEDIAF). Diet history included a commercially available raw meat-based diet (RMBD), of unknown copper content; a high energy commercial dry food (HEC), with copper content higher than the maximum recommended by FEDIAF and immediately prior to nutrition consult the patient had been eating an unbalanced homemade diet (HMD1) for 4 weeks. HMD1 was low in copper and deficient in the hepatoprotectant nutrients vitamin E and zinc. As per the owner’s preference and to accommodate the patient’s unique nutritional needs, a homemade diet addressing key nutrients for liver disease was formulated (HMD2), with copper content just above the recommended minimum. The new diet was found palatable and the patient’s body weight, body, and muscle condition scores remained unchanged. Two months after starting HMD2, all bloodwork values remained within the normal range, including ALT. The reduction of dietary copper content likely reduced serum ALT. However, unbalanced diets cause a risk of nutrient deficiencies and excess. This dog was maintained with no known adverse effects on a complete and balanced HMD diet with a moderately low copper content, moderate protein, and inclusion of hepatoprotective nutrients.
Isolation and genomic characteristics of the novel variant infectious bursal disease virus in China
Authors: Bo Zongyi , Wang Shixu , Xu Keke , Zhang Chengcheng , Guo Mengjiao , Cao Yongzhong , Zhang Xiaorong , Wu Yantao
Published: December 2023

The infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a member of the viruses that can induce immunosuppression in chickens. In recent years, more and more IBDV-infected cases by the novel variant IBDV were reported in China, and it has been demonstrated that currently used vaccines could not provide complete protection against these new IBDV variants. However, a lack of comprehensive analysis of the genomic characteristics of the novel variant strain IBDV has hampered its vaccine development. In this study, a strain of IBDV, designated HB202201, was phylogenetically analyzed, and it was found that the hypervariable region (HVR) of VP2 belonged to the novel variant strain. Furthermore, the 5′- and 3′-ends of segments A and B were analyzed using the rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE) method. After the full-length of segment A and segment B were determined, the phylogenetic analysis of the segment A and segment B showed that the isolated HB202201 belonged to A2dB1 genotype, which demonstrated the HB202201 belonged to the novel variant strain. In addition, the specific mutations in VP1-VP5 amino acids were analyzed, which showed that there were multiple typical mutations in novel variant IBDV proteins, including VP1 (G24, I141, V163, and E240), VP2 (K221, and I252), VP3 (Q167 and L196), and VP5 (R7, P44, R92, G104, and E147), whereas there was no typical mutation in VP4. This study provides insights into the genomic and antigenic characteristics of the novel variant IBDV, which will promote the development of novel vaccine against the novel variant IBDV.
A Convolutional Neural Network Algorithm for Pest Detection Using GoogleNet
Authors: Yulita Intan Nurma , Rambe Muhamad Farid Ridho , Sholahuddin Asep , Prabuwono Anton Satria
Published: December 2023

The primary strategy for mitigating lost productivity entails promptly, accurately, and efficiently detecting plant pests. Although detection by humans can be useful in detecting certain pests, it is often slower compared to automated methods, such as machine learning. Hence, this study employs a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, specifically GoogleNet, to detect pests within mobile applications. The technique of detection involves the input of images depicting plant pests, which are subsequently subjected to further processing. This study employed many experimental methods to determine the most effective model. The model exhibiting a 93.78% accuracy stands out as the most superior model within the scope of this investigation. The aforementioned model has been included in a smartphone application with the purpose of facilitating Indonesian farmers in the identification of pests affecting their crops. The implementation of an Indonesian language application is a contribution to this research. Using this local language makes it easier for Indonesian farmers to use it. The potential impact of this application on Indonesian farmers is anticipated to be significant. By enhancing pest identification capabilities, farmers may employ more suitable pest management strategies, leading to improved crop yields in the long run.