bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A COVID-19 és a máj
Authors: Hunyady Béla , Varga Márta , Gerlei Zsuzsanna
Published: April 2022

A 2019-ben azonosított SARS-CoV-2 koronavírus által okozott COVID-19 betegség elsősorban a lég­utakat támadja meg, nemritkán súlyos, akár fatális kimenetellel járhat. Napjainkra nyilvánvalóvá vált, hogy egyrészt a betegség különböző gyakorisággal és súlyossággal más szerveket is érinthet, másrészt az akut fertőzési időszak után tartós tünetek/betegségek alakulhatnak ki (poszt-akut COVID szindróma). Ebben a közleményben a szerzők a SARS-CoV-2 vírus májjal kapcsolatos összefüggéseit mutatják be, beleértve a vírusfertőzés és a meglévő májbetegségek kölcsönhatását, a COVID-19 betegség és kezelésének a májműködésre, májbetegekre gyakorolt hatását, valamint a vakcinációval kapcsolatos hepatológiai szempontokat. A COVID-19-infekció során szerepet játszó immunológiai, gyulladásos és trombotikus folyamatok, az immunrendszer aktiválódása és különösen a citokinvihar májkárosodáshoz vezethet, ami viszont ronthatja a COVID-19 betegség lefolyását, kimenetelét. A SARS-CoV-2 vírus direkt kötődhet a cholangiocytákon kimutatható ACE2 receptorokhoz, de nem igazolt közvetlen hepatopatogenitása. A COVID-19-betegek felében májérintettségre utaló laboratóriumi eltérések alakulnak ki. A májkárosodás kockázati tényezője a COVID-19-fertőzés súlyossága, a korábbi májbetegség típusa és súlyossága, az alkoholos eredet, valamint a magasabb élet­kor. Gyógyszer okozta májkárosodással COVID-19-fertőzöttek kezelése során is számolni kell, fontos a mellékhatások gondos ellenőrzése.
Türk Dış Politikasında Statü Arayışı: Birleşmiş Milletler Güvenlik Konseyi Geçici Üyeliği (1951-52, 1954-55, 1961, 2009-2010)
Authors: KUMEK İbrahim
Published: April 2022

Devletler uluslararası politikada güç arayışında oldukları gibi, aynı zamanda statü arayışındadırlar. Uluslararası örgütlerde etkin roller üstlenmek arzu ettikleri statüye ulaşmalarında önemli bir pratiktir. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’nin 1951-52, 1954-55, 1961 ve 2009-2010 dönemlerinde üstlendiği Birleşmiş Milletler Güvenlik Konseyi (BMGK) geçici üyeliklerinin temel motivasyonu sorgulanmaktadır. Uluslararası sistemin yapısı, devletin göreli güç kapasitesi, tehdit algıları ve karar vericilerin dış politika yönelimleri dikkate alınarak, Türkiye’nin üyelik dönemlerindeki seçim kampanyalarına, oy tercihlerine ve performanslarına bakılmaktadır. İlk üç dönemde ‘Batı kampının eşit ve saygın bir üyesi’ ve ‘iyi ve yararlı bir müttefik’ olarak görülme, 2009- 2010 döneminde ise ‘merkez ülke’ ve ‘oyun kurucu’ olma arzularının temel motivasyonu teşkil ettiği iddia edilmektedir. Her iki dönemde statü kimliğini oluşturan ‘muasır medeniyetler seviyesine ulaşma’ hedefi süreklilik gösterirken, medeniyet tasavvurunda farklılıklar tespit edilmiştir. Konstrüktivist yaklaşım çerçevesinde konuyu tarihsel, yapısal ve sosyal bağlamı içinde değerlendirerek Türk dış politikasının farklı dönemlerini karşılaştırması bakımından literatüre katkı sağlanmaktadır.
The Life of Abdur Rahman, Amir of Afghanistan, G.C.B., G.C.S.I.Composition, Reception, and Influence on the Historiography of Afghanistan
Authors: McChesney R. D. , Tarzi Amin
Published: April 2022

The fin-de-siècle Afghan amir, ‘Abd al-Rahman Khan (r. 1880–1901), is noted for many things, among which is the two-volume work The Life of Abdur Rahman, Amir of Afghanistan (1900), promoted by its editor, Sultan Mahomed Khan, and publisher as the amir’s “autobiography.” It was also said to have represented the amir’s authentic views on numerous topics—royal succession, administrative and judicial organization, economic policy, Afghanistan’s society, and the country’s international relations. That the work contained autobiographical elements is beyond question. However, The Life of Abdur Rahman (henceforward The Life), drew only selectively on known autobiographical elements and omitted or distorted much of what it drew from its main source, a “book of advice” ( Pandnāmah-i dunya wa dīn). A great deal of the historiography relating to this formative period in Afghanistan, especially its relations with the Russian and British empires, is based not on the amir’s own words but rather on those that Sultan Mahomed Khan put in his mouth and reflect the editor’s and not the amir’s thoughts. The Life has had a distorting effect on the historiography, both Euro-American and Afghan, of this period. The object here is to establish the autobiographical legacy of Amir ‘Abd al-Rahman Khan; the writing and publication of The Life and its translations, its reception by critics and scholars, and thus its impact on the writing of Afghanistan’s history. In a separate study, we deal in detail with Sultan Muhammad Khan’s treatment of the most important autobiography of the amir’s life up to his taking the throne in July 1880, his Pandnāmah-i dunyā wa dīn.1
In the Garden of Language: Religion, Vernacularization, and the Pashto Poetry of Arzānī in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
Authors: Sherman William E. B.
Published: April 2022

This article presents translations and analyses of some of the earliest known examples of Pashto literature: the poems of a figure known as Mullā Arzānī. The Pashto ghazals of Arzānī reflect a Sufi and messianic religio-cultural milieu in which Pashto is understood to be a divine language. An exploration of Arzānī’s poetry and Arzānī’s understanding of his own language use presents a strong challenge to the overly deterministic role that notions of “Pashtun identity” have played in Euro-American understandings of Pashto literature. Arzānī’s use of Pashto aimed not to express Pashtun ethnic identity. Rather, Arzānī’s ghazals position Pashto as an elite language that accords with the messianic and mystical logics of early modern Persianate cultures. Arzānī paired the cosmopolitanism of Persian and Islamic discourses with the particularity of Pashto language as a means to present Pashto as a divine and revelatory language within the messianic milieu of the Roshaniyya movement.
Enhancement of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Yield Using Elite Rhizobial Inoculants on Acidic Soils of the Central Highlands of Ethiopia
Authors: Mekonnen Mulugeta , Menalku Abere , Tamiru Gezehagne
Published: April 2022

This study was intended to evaluate the inoculation response of faba bean to six indigenous rhizobial isolates, 100 kg ha-1 DAP as a positive control and non-inoculated negative control under acidic field conditions at Damotu (in 2019) and Chiri (in 2020) of Ejere district, Ethiopia. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and a plot size of 4 m x 3 m. The result confirmed the existence of a significant difference between treatments (p ≤ 0.05) in aboveground biomass, grain, and haulms yields. The highest grain yields (3378.3 kg ha-1 and 3286.7 kg ha-1) were obtained from inoculation of rhizobial isolate FB-EM-11 at both experimental sites. The second higher grain yields were obtained from inoculation of rhizobial isolates FB-NS-03 (3376.7 kg ha-1) at Damotu and FB-EM-07 (3269.5 kg ha-1) at Chiri. Based on the two successive years’ grain yield response, FB-EM-11(3332.6 kg ha-1) and FB-NS-03(3198 kg ha-1) were the first and the second most performing isolates at Ejere district. Moreover, from the partial budget analysis result, FB-EM-11, FB-NS-03, and FB-EM-07 were the most promising isolates that showed the higher marginal rate of return 8309%, 7344%, and 6865%, respectively. Thus, these rhizobial isolates are the best promising candidate for further verification over the farmers’ field at different agro-ecologies to identify candidates for the development of commercial faba bean rhizobial inoculants in acid-prone faba bean growing areas of Ethiopia.
Evaluation of Different Planting Geometries and Fertilizer Application Rates for Water Productivity and Yield Attributes of Cotton under Surface Drip Irrigation
Authors: Chattha Muhammad B. , Habib Habibullah , Haider Muhammad S. , Sial Manzoor A.
Published: April 2022

An experiment was conducted during Kharif 2017 under drip irrigation system in the field to evaluate the two different planting geometries (P1= 60 cm and P2=75 cm wide beds) and two fertilizer application rates (F1=100% and F2=75% of recommended NPK) for cotton productivity and yield related traits at Water Management Research Farm, Renala Khurd, district Okara, Punjab, Pakistan. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Net plot size was 9.0 m × 7.0 m and crop were sown on 60 cm and 75 cm wide beds with 30 cm plant to plant distance manually. Drip laterals were laid in small groves at the center of the beds. Crop variety FH-142 was sown on fifteenth May 2017. Irrigation schedule prepared on the basis of environmental data was used to irrigate the crop with drip irrigation system to maintain the moisture content in the soil. All other agronomic practices were kept uniform. Data were recorded for yield and yield parameters. Data collected was analyzed statistically using Fisher’s analysis of variance technique and by employing computer program Statistix 8.1. Least significance difference test at 5% probability level was evaluated to compare the treatment means. The results indicated that the combination of planting geometry P1 (planting at 60 cm wide beds) with fertilizer application rate F1 (100 % of recommended NPK) performed significantly better regarding cotton seed yield (4354 kg-1) than all other treatments. The crop sown on 60 cm wide beds with 100% of NPK also attained maximum plant height of 131cm, maximum number of bolls per plant (33.33) and the highest water productivity (0.78 kg m-3) for seed cotton yield. The highest boll weight (3.80 g) and plant population of 3.67m-2 were shown by the crop sown under treatment F1P1 and F2P1, respectively.
The Relationship of Social Policy and Public Diplomacy: Black Economic Empowerment Strategy and Turkey-South Africa Relations
Authors: ÖZTÜRK Şenol
Published: April 2022

Turkey-South Africa Relations, whose history goes back to the beginning of the 19th century, entered the process of development again in the post-2000 period. Although Turkey and South Africa are two countries that have the potential to support each other economically and politically, the relations are not at the desired level. In this new period, unlike previous years, Turkey has been using public diplomacy tools intensively in the relations between the two countries within the framework of the African expansion in foreign policy. South Africa's policies to change the unequal social structure from the past and the failure of these policies with respect to the desired performance emerge as an appropriate and even necessary field for public diplomacy that can be implemented by Turkey in the relations between the two countries. For this reason, it is thought that Turkey's understanding of the black economic empowerment policies of South Africa since 1994, the problems related to these policies, and the development of appropriate public diplomacy tools for these problems will contribute to the development of relations between the two countries.
Mer minoritet
Authors: Danielsson Rebecka , Finndin Johanna , Neld Anna , Nordström Ellen
Published: April 2022

Vi som står bakom Mer minoritet är Rebecka, Johanna, Anna och Ellen från sista terminen på kandidatprogrammet Språk, litteratur och medier vid Linköpings universitet. Projektet skapades i syfte att sprida kunskap om ett ämne som vi ansåg borde få mer uppmärksamhet i offentligheten. När vi insåg att vi kunde alldeles för lite om det förtryck som svenska nationella minoriteter har behövt och fortfarande behöver utstå, bestämde vi oss för att lära oss mer om ämnet. Vi vill med detta forum uppmärksamma röster från minoriteterna, men också belysa den bristande kunskapen som inte stannar hos oss utan är stor i hela landet och förhoppningsvis få fler att vilja lära sig mer.
Vi vill inte ta upp den redan begränsade platsen som finns för personer som tillhör minoriteterna att yttra sig. Istället vill vi skapa en plattform där personer kan berätta om sina upplevelser och vad de tycker borde komma till ytan. Du som läsare av denna hemsida kan ta del av intervjuer med representanter från tre av minoritetsgrupperna, läsa snabbfakta för att få kortfattad information och dessutom lära dig mer via våra förslag till vidare kunskapsinhämtning.
Har du egna erfarenheter som du vill dela med dig av? Kontakta gärna oss så att vi kan sprida fler upplevelser från representanter.Som befolkning måste vi lära oss mer och dessutom bredda våra perspektiv för att på ett bättre sätt kunna lyssna och försöka förstå.
Okunskap kräver utbildning – Läs, lyssna och lär med oss!
WOMAN'S MYTH INFLUENCE IN TOURISM OBJECTS NAME IN PULAU BANGKA: AN ECOFEMINISM STUDY
Authors: Fitri Dian , Wulansari Dini , Ferianda Sandy
Published: April 2022

Since there were many stories told by the society related to the name of the tourism places, the researchers were interested to find out the story behind the name of the tourism places in Belinyu, Central Bangka called, Pulau Putri. This research mainly focused on finding what kind of myth existed in Pulau Putri and discovered how the myth protected the environment. The study employed two major theories namely Myth by Levi Strauss and ecofeminism by Jamie Thompson to shape the understanding of this research. The methodology employed in this research was the qualitative method. From the data collected through interviews with locals, the results showed that there was a myth told by the ancestors living around the area about a woman spirit. Furthermore, the existence of the spirit hence became the protection for preserving nature and also the environment. Moreover, not only did myth name the tourism places, but it also helped or became the symbol of protection of the environment.
ONOMATOPOEIA IN MOVIE HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: SEMIOTIC APPROACH
Authors: Ramadhan Wahyu Uli Afriqur , Kurniawan Muhammad Hafiz
Published: April 2022

There were so many movies that using onomatopoeia in their script. Onomatopoeia was when the sound of a word imitated what the word referred to. One of those movies was How To Train Your Dragon. Moreover. Words can be categorized as onomatopoeia if it fulfilled a certain condition and divided into three types of onomatopoeia. However there were types of sound that explained the processes and sources of that sound of words.  Because of that, this study wanted to analyze those two topics from the aspect of the references to the meaning of the signs. The data were collected and analyzed in five steps: 1) downloading the movie script from fandom.com, 2) transcribing in table of analysis, 3) analyzing the semiotic aspects of onomatopoeia using Peircian model and 4) classifying their types using Bredin’s theory and then 5) analyzing the process of onomatopoeia using semantic extension. This research found twenty one onomatopoeia that consist of thirteen direct onomatopoeia, six associative, and two exemplary. Also, the researcher have been gathered the type of sound. They were two voice – human, six voices – non-human, and twenty three noises, or sound produced by non-living this. Using these theories, onomatopoeic words can be further classified and analyzed both types and process, and these findings are expected to help the investigation of language analysis especially in analyzing onomatopoeia.
THE INTERPLAY OF PERSONALITY FACTORS AND LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES IN DEVELOPING SPEAKING SKILL
Authors: Imansari Nurul , Asrawaty Andi , Mas'ud Bulqia
Published: April 2022

Speaking skill was one of essential parts in language learning and needed to be mastered by every student for a better foreign language communication. The aims of this research were (1) to find out the language learning strategies used by the students based on their personality factors (2) to observe the extent to which the personality factors and language learning strategies correlate with speaking skill, (3) to elaborate the interplay of personality factors and language learning strategies in developing students’ speaking skill. 25 students in the fourth semester of 2015/2016 class of English Education Department at Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan (STKIP) Muhammadiyah Bone were selected by purposive sampling. The research employed mixed method of descriptive quantitative (correlation) and descriptive qualitative analysis. Quantitative data were collected first from questionnaires and speaking test and qualitative data from interview. The results of the research indicated that most of extrovert students prefer to use indirect learning strategies (69%) while introvert students prefer to use direct learning strategies (89%). The correlation of personality factors and speaking skills was low (r=0.08), whereas the correlation of language learning strategies and speaking skill was strong (r=0.6). Therefore, the interplay of personality factors and language learning strategies showed that personality factors contribute to important roles in choosing the appropriate language learning strategies in developing speaking skill.
Perspectives on the Structure and Function of the Avian Respiratory System: Functional Efficiency Built on Structural Complexity
Authors: Maina John N.
Published: April 2022

Among the air-breathing vertebrates, regarding respiratory efficiency, the avian respiratory system rests at the evolutionary zenith. Structurally, it is separated into a lung that serves as a gas exchanger and air sacs that mechanically ventilate the lung continuously and unidirectionally in a caudocranial direction. Largely avascular, the air sacs are delicate, transparent, compliant and capacious air-filled spaces that are not meaningfully involved in gas exchange. The avian lungs are deeply and firmly attached to the vertebrae and the ribs on the dorsolateral aspects, rendering them practically rigid and inflexible. The attachment of the lung to the body wall allowed extreme subdivision of the exchange tissue into minuscule and stable terminal respiratory units, the air capillaries. The process generated a large respiratory surface area in small lungs with low volume density of gas exchange tissue. For the respiratory structures, invariably, thin blood-gas barrier, large respiratory surface area and large pulmonary capillary blood volume are the foremost adaptive structural features that confer large total pulmonary morphometric diffusing capacities of O2. At parabronchial level, the construction and the arrangement of the airway- and the vascular components of the avian lung determine the delivery, the presentation and the exposure of inspired air to capillary blood across the blood-gas barrier. In the avian lung, crosscurrent-, countercurrent- and multicapillary serial arterialization systems that stem from the organization of the structural parts of the lung promote gas exchange. The exceptional respiratory efficiency of the avian respiratory system stems from synergy of morphological properties and physiological processes, means by which O2uptake is optimized and high metabolic states and capacities supported. Given that among the extant animal taxa insects, birds and bats (which accomplished volancy chronologically in that order) possess structurally much different respiratory systems, the avian respiratory system was by no means a prerequisite for evolution of powered flight but was but one of the adaptive solutions to realization of an exceptionally efficient mode of locomotion.
MEMO: Mass Spectrometry-Based Sample Vectorization to Explore Chemodiverse Datasets
Authors: Gaudry Arnaud , Huber Florian , Nothias Louis-Félix , Cretton Sylvian , Kaiser Marcel , Wolfender Jean-Luc , Allard Pierre-Marie
Published: April 2022

In natural products research, chemodiverse extracts coming from multiple organisms are explored for novel bioactive molecules, sometimes over extended periods. Samples are usually analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with fragmentation mass spectrometry to acquire informative mass spectral ensembles. Such data is then exploited to establish relationships among analytes or samples (e.g., via molecular networking) and annotate metabolites. However, the comparison of samples profiled in different batches is challenging with current metabolomics methods since the experimental variation—changes in chromatographical or mass spectrometric conditions - hinders the direct comparison of the profiled samples. Here we introduce MEMO—MS2 BasEd SaMple VectOrization—a method allowing to cluster large amounts of chemodiverse samples based on their LC-MS/MS profiles in a retention time agnostic manner. This method is particularly suited for heterogeneous and chemodiverse sample sets. MEMO demonstrated similar clustering performance as state-of-the-art metrics considering fragmentation spectra. More importantly, such performance was achieved without the requirement of a prior feature alignment step and in a significantly shorter computational time. MEMO thus allows the comparison of vast ensembles of samples, even when analyzed over long periods of time, and on different chromatographic or mass spectrometry platforms. This new addition to the computational metabolomics toolbox should drastically expand the scope of large-scale comparative analysis.
Identification and Validation of a Prognostic Immune-Related Gene Signature in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Xiong Kai , Tao Ziyou , Zhang Zeyang , Wang Jianyao , Zhang Peng
Published: April 2022

Esophageal carcinoma (EC) is a common malignant cancer worldwide. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the main type of EC, is difficult to treat because of the widespread morbidity, high fatality rates, and low quality of life caused by postoperative complications and no specific molecular target. In this study, we screened genes to establish a prognostic model for ESCC. The transcriptome expression profiles of 81 ESCC tissues and 340 normal esophageal mucosal epithelium tissues were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) cohorts. The transcriptome expression datasets of 19 esophageal squamous carcinoma cell lines were downloaded from Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE). The R software Limma package was used to identify 6,231 differentially expressed genes and 647 differentially expressed immune-related genes between normal and ESCC tissues. Gene functional analysis was performed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to screen out 18 immune-related prognostic genes. We then established the prognostic and risk signature using these genes, and the patients were divided into low-risk and high-risk groups. Compared with high-risk group patients, the low-risk group patients had longer overall survival. M1 macrophages and resting dendritic cells were differentially distributed between the low-risk and high-risk groups and were related to patient survival. We also examined the functional immune cell and immune molecule levels in low-risk and high-risk group patients, with significant differences in the tumor microenvironment between the two groups. To further verify the accuracy of the prognostic risk model, we performed area under the ROC curve (AUC) analysis. The AUC value was 0.931 for the prognostic risk, which was better than the microsatellite instability (MSI) and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores. In conclusion, we found 18 immune-related prognostic genes related to the occurrence of ESCC and established a prognostic model for predicting disease severity.
Coaxial Spring-Like Stretchable Triboelectric Nanogenerator Toward Personal Healthcare Monitoring
Authors: Liu Jinmei , Li Saixuan , Yang Maosen , Wang Yuxin , Cui Nuanyang , Gu Long
Published: April 2022

Stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators have attracted increasing interests in the field of Internet of Things and sensor network. Therefore, great efforts have been made to realize the stretchability of electronic devices via elaborated material configurations and ingenious device designs. In this work, a flexible and stretchable TENG is developed with a coaxial spring-like structure. The unique structure allows it to generate electrical energy for different degrees of stretching deformations. Its output demonstrates good response to the strain and frequency of the mechanical deformation. At the same time, it exhibits excellent stability and washability. The TENG can be worn on the human fingers, elbow, and knee to monitor the body activities. Furthermore, a self-powered temperature sensor system is fabricated by integrating the TENG with a temperature sensor to identify the operating ambient temperature in real time. A combination of this flexible and stretchable TENG with body motions and a temperature sensor brings a novel insight into wearable functional electronics and user-friendly health monitoring, which has an important basic research significance and practical application value in biometric systems.
Influence of Beams Distribution on the Dynamic and Seismic Linear Response of RC Frame Buildings
Authors: Silvestri Stefano , Allahverdiyev Rovshan , Marconi Enrico
Published: April 2022

The present study compares the dynamic properties and seismic performances offered by reinforced concrete frame structures characterized by different beams distribution. The understanding of the influence of beams distribution on spatial frames is not only useful when dealing with the seismic vulnerability assessment of existing buildings that may show unusual layouts of beams, such as alternating beams at each storey, but also when facing the design of new buildings with fluid viscous dampers for which some structural flexibility is required. A systematic study is described in this paper. Four (2-, 3-, 6-, and 10-storey) regular frame buildings with rectangular plan are considered as reference structures. Different models are developed according to various layouts of the primary beams, exploring alternatives to the full three-dimensional organisation of beams and frames. For instance: beams placed along the longitudinal direction at the odd storeys and placed along the transversal direction at the even storeys, and vice versa; alternating beams every one and two storeys; beams just placed along one direction. Modal analysis has been conducted to evaluate the influence of beams distribution on the dynamic properties (periods of vibration and modal participating mass ratios). Response spectrum analysis and linear time-history dynamic analysis have been carried out to assess the effects of beams distribution on the fundamental seismic response parameters (shear forces, bending moments, top-storey displacements, interstorey drifts, and floor accelerations). On the contrary of what could be expected, the results indicate that structures with beams alternating every storey may show interesting advantages in terms of reduced total base shear, almost comparable bending moments and accelerations, within a still balanced overall behaviour along the two directions, with respect to the complete three-dimensional frame. Two effects are recognized: the period effect and the static scheme effect. The former acting basically on the storey shear forces; the latter acting mainly on the bending moments.
Detection of Structural Variations and Fusion Genes in Breast Cancer Samples Using Third-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Hu Taobo , Li Jingjing , Long Mengping , Wu Jinbo , Zhang Zhen , Xie Fei , Zhao Jin , Yang Houpu , Song Qianqian , Lian Sheng , Shi Jiandong , Guo Xueyu , Yuan Daoli , Lang Dandan , Yu Guoliang , Liang Baosheng , Zhou Xiaohua , Ishibashi Toyotaka , Fan Xiaodan , Yu Weichuan , Wang Depeng , Wang Yang , Peng I-Feng , Wang Shu
Published: April 2022

Background: Structural variations (SVs) are common genetic alterations in the human genome that could cause different phenotypes and diseases, including cancer. However, the detection of structural variations using the second-generation sequencing was limited by its short read length, which restrained our understanding of structural variations.

Methods: In this study, we developed a 28-gene panel for long-read sequencing and employed it to Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Pacific Biosciences platforms. We analyzed structural variations in the 28 breast cancer-related genes through long-read genomic and transcriptomic sequencing of tumor, para-tumor, and blood samples in 19 breast cancer patients.

Results: Our results showed that some somatic SVs were recurring among the selected genes, though the majority of them occurred in the non-exonic region. We found evidence supporting the existence of hotspot regions for SVs, which extended our previous understanding that they exist only for single nucleotide variations.

Conclusion: In conclusion, we employed long-read genomic and transcriptomic sequencing to identify SVs from breast cancer patients and proved that this approach holds great potential in clinical application.
Potential Impact of Rapid Multiplex PCR on Antimicrobial Therapy Guidance for Ventilated Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in Critically Ill Patients, A Prospective Observational Clinical and Economic Study
Authors: Guillotin Florian , Poulain Cécile , Gaborit Benjamin , Bouras Marwan , Cinotti Raphaël , Lakhal Karim , Vourc’h Mickael , Rozec Bertrand , Asehnoune Karim , Vibet Marie-Anne , Riche Valéry-Pierre , Gibaud Sophie-Anne , Crémet Lise , Roquilly Antoine
Published: April 2022

Objectives

To investigate the potential impact of the syndromic multiplex FilmArray® Pneumonia plus Panel (FAPP) on the antimicrobial treatment guidance of patients with ventilated hospital-acquired pneumonia (VHAP).

Methods

Respiratory fluids from 100 adult patients with VHAP, receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in three intensive care units from one French university hospital, were tested prospectively using FAPP. Conventional cultures were performed in parallel as routine practice. Clinicians were left blinded to the FAPP results. Antimicrobial therapies based on FAPP results were simulated by independent blinded experts according to a predefined algorithm and compared to 1) those prescribed in practice according to local guidelines (real-life), and 2) those that complied with the international ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ALAT recommendations. The primary endpoint was the number of days of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. Secondary endpoints were the rates of microbiological treatment failure and cost-effectiveness ratio.

Results

The predicted median duration of broad-spectrum antibiotics was 0 [0-1.25] day in the FAPP-based simulation, versus 2 [0-6] days in real-life (p<0.0001) and 2 [2-3.25] days in the recommendations-based simulation (p<0.0001). Treatment failure was predicted in 3% of cases with FAPP results versus observed in 11% in real-life (p=0.08) and 6% with recommendations-based simulation (p=0.37). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 1 121 € [-7021; 6794] to avoid one day of non-optimized antimicrobial therapy.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that using FAPP in patients with VHAP has the potential to reduce the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy without increasing the risk of microbial treatment failure.
From Climate Model Output to Actionable Climate Information in Norway
Authors: Nilsen Irene Brox , Hanssen-Bauer Inger , Dyrrdal Anita Verpe , Hisdal Hege , Lawrence Deborah , Haddeland Ingjerd , Wong Wai Kwok
Published: April 2022

The Norwegian Centre for Climate Services (NCCS) has developed a production chain for climate information with the aim of delivering a knowledge base for climate change adaptation suitable for use by planners at various administrative levels in Norway. This process consists of two main steps: First, climate and hydrological projections are produced at a local scale (1 × 1 km resolution) using available results from global and regional climate models (GCMs and RCMs). In a second step, climate factsheets with abridged information relevant for individual counties in Norway have been co-produced with users and county authorities. Projections were produced by using a climate–hydrological modeling chain driven by downscaled simulations from 10 GCM–RCM combinations and two climate scenarios in which temperature and precipitation were first downscaled and bias-adjusted to a 1 × 1 km resolution. Bias-adjustment was necessary, partly due to biases in the RCMs. These results were published in the Norwegian climate assessment report “Climate in Norway 2100.” The results have then been disseminated through various formats, such as reports, dataportals, visualizations and factsheets (available at https://klimaservicesenter.no/). NCCS has issued climate factsheets for 17 counties in Norway and Svalbard. The county-wise climate factsheets have become the most extensive product issued by NCCS. A challenge when developing information about climate change for use in adaptation is the issue of uncertainty, and the trade-off between robustness vs. precision in the numerical values given should guide the dissemination of climate information. Based on our experiences, we also recommend that climate information is developed in collaboration with users because this ensures that it will be understood by a wider audience. Most climate-related challenges for infrastructure are related to extreme events. For technical applications in Norway, climate change allowances are now available for heavy precipitation, floods, and storm surges as a tool for design analyses of buildings and infrastructure. This paper describes the production chain for the presently available climate projections following the release of IPCC AR5 (CMIP5), our experiences of the dissemination process, as well as our plans for further development of the next national climate assessment report based on IPCC AR6 (CMIP6).
COVID-19 School Re-opening Plans: Rolling Back School Food Programming in Canada?
Authors: Coulas Mary , Ruetz Amberley T. , Ismail Mariam R. , Goodridge Lindsay H. , Stutz Sterling , Engler-Stringer Rachel
Published: April 2022

At the beginning of 2020 national school food programs reached more children than any time in history making school food programs the most extensive form of social safety nets in the world. Looking to Canada, school food programs across the country serve more than 1 million students and provide multifaceted benefits including access to healthy fresh food choices, improving learning capacities, promoting nutritional awareness, assisting food-insecure households, and promoting local food procurement. However, since the beginning of the SARS-Cov 2 (COVID-19) pandemic these programs have faced operational challenges resulting in many rolling back their operations while food insecurity rates in Canada have increased dramatically. Framed as a Canadian case study analysis, this paper considers the discursive effects of provincial and territorial school reopening plans and the material consequences felt by SFPs. Specifically, this paper considers the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of provincial and territorial school food programs within the broader conceptualization of ecological public health to consider if these programs were enabled or constrained by school reopening plans. The authors conducted a policy analysis of 57 primary and 164 supportive school reopening documents developed between April 2020 and September 2021. It was found that provincial and territorial school reopening plans primarily focused on measures to limit infectious disease transmission while food discussed in broad terms demonstrated policy makers' limited awareness of the important role of school food programs and support required to maintain them. In turn, two key observations were made: 1) government school reopening plans have overlooked the benefits of school food programs in Canada, and 2) school reopening plan designers missed opportunities to improve school food programs. This paper argues a thorough understanding of the impacts to school food programs by provincial and territorial COVID-19 public health guidelines is needed for politicians, policymakers, and school food practitioners to support the short- and long-term capacity of these programs and to ensure food insecurity and nutritional health issues in Canada continue to be on thepolitical agenda.
Exploration of Mechanisms of Sacubitril/Valsartan in the Treatment of Cardiac Arrhythmias Using a Network Pharmacology Approach
Authors: Zhou Yu , Rui Shibao , Tang Shengxin , Ju Changlin
Published: April 2022

Significant reductions in the incidence of cardiac arrhythmia (CA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD), along with amelioration of heart failure, have been reported for treatment with Sacubitril/valsartan (SV). However, its anti-arrhythmic mechanism remains unclear. The current study aims to explore the anti-arrhythmic molecular mechanism of SV. The direct protein targets (DPT) of SV were extracted from DrugBank. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of SV DPTs was constructed using STRING, and the indirect protein targets (IPTs) were also identified. A search for arrhythmia-related genes was conducted using GeneCards and the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). The DTPs, ITPs, and arrhythmia-related genes from the two datasets were combined in a Venn diagram, and the overlapping genes were identified as core target genes. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses identified the top 20 biological processes and signaling pathways related to disease and the therapeutic effects of SV. The renin-angiotensin system, adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes, and gap junction pathways are strongly implicated in the effects of SV on CA. In conclusion, our bioinformatics analyses provided evidence pertaining to the possible antiarrhythmic mechanisms of SV and may contribute to the development of novel drugs for CA.
The Potential and Limitations of Mobile Health and Insertable Cardiac Monitors in the Detection of Atrial Fibrillation in Cryptogenic Stroke Patients: Preliminary Results From the REMOTE Trial
Authors: Wouters Femke , Gruwez Henri , Vranken Julie , Vanhaen Dimitri , Daelman Bo , Ernon Ludovic , Mesotten Dieter , Vandervoort Pieter , Verhaert David
Published: April 2022

Aim

This paper presents the preliminary results from the ongoing REMOTE trial. It aims to explore the opportunities and hurdles of using insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) and photoplethysmography-based mobile health (PPG-based mHealth) using a smartphone or smartwatch to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) in cryptogenic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients.

Methods and Results

Cryptogenic stroke or TIA patients (n = 39) received an ICM to search for AF and were asked to use a blinded PPG-based mHealth application for 6 months simultaneously. They were randomized to smartphone or smartwatch monitoring. In total, 68,748 1-min recordings were performed using PPG-based mHealth. The number of mHealth recordings decreased significantly over time in both smartphone and smartwatch groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Insufficient signal quality was more frequently observed in smartwatch (43.3%) compared to smartphone recordings (17.8%, p < 0.001). However, when looking at the labeling of the mHealth recordings on a patient level, there was no significant difference in signal quality between both groups. Moreover, the use of a smartwatch resulted in significantly more 12-h periods (91.4%) that were clinically useful compared to smartphone users (84.8%) as they had at least one recording of sufficient signal quality. Simultaneously, continuous data was collected from the ICMs, resulting in approximately 6,660,000 min of data (i.e., almost a 100-fold increase compared to mHealth). The ICM algorithm detected AF and other cardiac arrhythmias in 10 and 19 patients, respectively. However, these were only confirmed after adjudication by the remote monitoring team in 1 (10%) and 5 (26.3%) patients, respectively. The confirmed AF was also detected by PPG-based mHealth.

Conclusion

Based on the preliminary observations, our paper illustrates the potential as well as the limitations of PPG-based mHealth and ICMs to detect AF in cryptogenic stroke and TIA patients in four elements: (i) mHealth was able to detect AF in a patient in which AF was confirmed on the ICM; (ii) Even state-of-the-art ICMs yielded many false-positive AF registrations; (iii) Both mHealth and ICM still require physician revision; and (iv) Blinding of the mHealth results impairs compliance and motivation.
Cardiac Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction: Functional Contribution of microRNAs to Inflammation and Fibrosis
Authors: Varzideh Fahimeh , Kansakar Urna , Donkor Kwame , Wilson Scott , Jankauskas Stanislovas S. , Mone Pasquale , Wang Xujun , Lombardi Angela , Santulli Gaetano
Published: April 2022

After an ischemic injury, the heart undergoes a complex process of structural and functional remodeling that involves several steps, including inflammatory and fibrotic responses. In this review, we are focusing on the contribution of microRNAs in the regulation of inflammation and fibrosis after myocardial infarction. We summarize the most updated studies exploring the interactions between microRNAs and key regulators of inflammation and fibroblast activation and we discuss the recent discoveries, including clinical applications, in these rapidly advancing fields.
Management of Postoperative Myocardial Injury After Non-cardiac Surgery in Patients Aged ≥ 80 Years: Our 10 Years' Experience
Authors: Gao Linggen , Chen Lei , Wang Bin , He Jing , Liu Chaoyang , Wang Rong , Cheng Rui
Published: April 2022

Background

Postoperative myocardial injury (PMI) is associated with short- and long-term mortality. The incidence of PMI in very old patients is currently unknown. There is currently neither known effective prophylaxis nor a uniform strategy for the elderly with PMI.

Objective

To share our 10 years of experience in the comprehensive management of PMI after non-cardiac surgery in patients aged ≥ 80 years.

Methods

In this case series, we retrospectively collected and assessed the 2,984 cases aged ≥ 80 years who accepted non-cardiac surgery from 2011 to 2021 at the second Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital. The incidence, risk factors, management strategy, and prognosis of surgical patients with PMI were analyzed.

Results

A total of 2,984 patients met our inclusion criteria. The overall incidence of PMI was 14%. In multivariable analysis, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, and hypotension were independently associated with the development of PMI. The patients with PMI were at a higher risk of death (OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.78–3.65). They were more likely to have received low molecular heparin, anti-plantlet therapy, beta-blocker, early coronary angiography, and statin than patients without PMI. The 30-day (0.96% vs. 0.35%; OR 3.46; 95% CI, 1.49–7.98; P < 0.001) and 1-year mortality (5.37% vs. 2.60%; OR 2.35; 95% CI, 1.12–6.53; P < 0.001) was significantly higher in patients with PMI compared with those without PMI.

Conclusions

The incidence of PMI in very old patients was high. The PMI is associated with an increased risk of 30 days and 1-year mortality. These patients can benefit from intensification of assessment and individualized care of multi-morbidities during the perioperative period. Especially cardiovascular medical treatments, such as antiplatelet, anticoagulation, β-blockers, and statins are very important for patients with PMI.
Daytime Sleepiness and Prosocial Behaviors in Kindergarten: The Mediating Role of Student-Teacher Relationships Quality
Authors: Longobardi Claudio , Lin Shanyan , Fabris Matteo Angelo
Published: April 2022

High sleep quality is an important indicator of children’s development as well as their good health. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and prosocial behaviors in kindergarten-aged children, as well as exploring the possible mediating role of the teacher-student relationship underlying them. Participants included 60 teachers aged from 23 to 62 (M = 47.9, SD = 9.73) in Italy who completed the student-teacher relationship scale, the daytime sleepiness questionnaire, and the strength and difficulties questionnaire. The children who were rated by teachers were 936 kindergarten children aged from 3 to 6 (M = 4.20, SD = 0.91). The results showed that children’s daytime sleepiness significantly predicted all three dimensions of the student-teacher relationship. Specifically, children’s EDS negatively predicted closeness and positively predicted conflict and dependence, and furthermore, these three dimensions of the relationship significantly predicted children’s prosocial behaviors. For older children in our sample, their EDS was more significantly and positively associated with conflict in their relationship with teachers. Our data seem to support the importance of good teacher-student relationship quality in promoting a child’s positive social adjustment, especially in children with behavioral difficulties. Our data also suggest the importance of evaluating the quality of the student-teacher relationship as well as the sleep quality in the children’s daytime sleepiness.
Pancreas Whole Tissue Transcriptomics Highlights the Role of the Exocrine Pancreas in Patients With Recently Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Välikangas Tommi , Lietzén Niina , Jaakkola Maria K. , Krogvold Lars , Eike Morten C. , Kallionpää Henna , Tuomela Soile , Mathews Clayton , Gerling Ivan C. , Oikarinen Sami , Hyöty Heikki , Dahl-Jorgensen Knut , Elo Laura L. , Lahesmaa Riitta
Published: April 2022

Although type 1 diabetes (T1D) is primarily a disease of the pancreatic beta-cells, understanding of the disease-associated alterations in the whole pancreas could be important for the improved treatment or the prevention of the disease. We have characterized the whole-pancreas gene expression of patients with recently diagnosed T1D from the Diabetes Virus Detection (DiViD) study and non-diabetic controls. Furthermore, another parallel dataset of the whole pancreas and an additional dataset from the laser-captured pancreatic islets of the DiViD patients and non-diabetic organ donors were analyzed together with the original dataset to confirm the results and to get further insights into the potential disease-associated differences between the exocrine and the endocrine pancreas. First, higher expression of the core acinar cell genes, encoding for digestive enzymes, was detected in the whole pancreas of the DiViD patients when compared to non-diabetic controls. Second, In the pancreatic islets, upregulation of immune and inflammation related genes was observed in the DiViD patients when compared to non-diabetic controls, in line with earlier publications, while an opposite trend was observed for several immune and inflammation related genes at the whole pancreas tissue level. Third, strong downregulation of the regenerating gene family (REG) genes, linked to pancreatic islet growth and regeneration, was observed in the exocrine acinar cell dominated whole-pancreas data of the DiViD patients when compared with the non-diabetic controls. Fourth, analysis of unique features in the transcriptomes of each DiViD patient compared with the other DiViD patients, revealed elevated expression of central antiviral immune response genes in the whole-pancreas samples, but not in the pancreatic islets, of one DiViD patient. This difference in the extent of antiviral gene expression suggests different statuses of infection in the pancreas at the time of sampling between the DiViD patients, who were all enterovirus VP1+ in the islets by immunohistochemistry based on earlier studies. The observed features, indicating differences in the function, status and interplay between the exocrine and the endocrine pancreas of recent onset T1D patients, highlight the importance of studying both compartments for better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of T1D.