bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of body fluids—menstrual blood, saliva, and nasal secretions—over different periods of time, using mRNA
Authors: Hussein Riham F. , El Mahdy Sherif Mohamed , Saged Nashwa Mohammed , Rashed L. , Ghaleb Sherien S.
Published: December 2021

Background

Forensic examination of biological samples started at the beginning of the twentieth century by applying the ABO blood group system in evidence related to crimes or human identification. In the present study, real-time PCR multiplex was used to identify dried and stored swabs (saliva, nasal secretions, and menstrual blood) through the target genes of saliva (histatin 3 and statherin), nasal secretions (statherin and BPIFA1), and menstrual blood (metalloproteinases 10 and 7).

Results

The expressions of histatin 3 and statherin in the dried saliva decreased over days of storage with a significant p value of <0.001. BPIFA1 was highly expressed in nasal secretions, and the expression level significantly decreased throughout the study with a significant p value of <0.001. The MMP7 and MMP10 genes were highly expressed in the menstrual blood, and the expression level decreased over days of storage with a significant p value of p<0.001.

Conclusions

Dried swabs of the saliva, Nasal secretions, Menstrual blood can be identified over the storage duration of the study using mRNA profiling of specific markers.
Coxiella burnetti prosthetic joint infection in an immunocompromised woman: iterative surgeries, prolonged ofloxacin-rifampin treatment and complex reconstruction were needed for the cure
Authors: Miailhes Patrick , Conrad Anne , Sobas Chantal , Laurent Frederic , Lustig Sebastien , Ferry Tristan ,   on behalf of the Lyon BJI study group, Ferry Tristan , Valour Florent , Perpoint Thomas , Ader Florence , Roux Sandrine , Becker Agathe , Triffault-Fillit Claire , Conrad Anne , Pouderoux Cécile , Chauvelot Pierre , Chabert Paul , Lippman Johanna , Braun Evelyne , Lustig Sébastien , Servien Elvire , Batailler Cécile , Gunst Stanislas , Schmidt Axel , Sappey-Marinier Elliot , Ode Quentin , Fessy Michel-Henry , Viste Anthony , Besse Jean-Luc , Chaudier Philippe , Louboutin Lucie , Van Haecke Adrien , Mercier Marcelle , Belgaid Vincent , Gazarian Aram , Walch Arnaud , Bertani Antoine , Rongieras Frédéric , Martres Sébastien , Trouillet Franck , Barrey Cédric , Mojallal Ali , Brosset Sophie , Hanriat Camille , Person Hélène , Céruse Philippe , Fuchsmann Carine , Gleizal Arnaud , Aubrun Frédéric , Dziadzko Mikhail , Macabéo Caroline , Patrascu Dana , Laurent Frederic , Beraud Laetitia , Roussel-Gaillard Tiphaine , Dupieux Céline , Kolenda Camille , Josse Jérôme , Craighero Fabien , Boussel Loic , Pialat Jean-Baptiste , Morelec Isabelle , Tod Michel , Gagnieu Marie-Claude , Goutelle Sylvain , Mabrut Eugénie
Published: December 2021

Background

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, a strictly intracellular pathogen that can cause acute and chronic infection. Chronic Q fever can occur in immunocompetent as well as in immuno-compromised hosts, as a persistent localized infection. The main localizations are endocardial, vascular and, less frequently, osteoarticular. The most frequent osteoarticular form is spondyliscitis. Recommended treatment is combined doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine for 18 months, with cotrimoxazole as another option. Coxiella burnetti infection has been implicated in rare cases of prosthetic joint infection (PJI), and the medical and surgical management and outcome in such cases have been little reported.

Case presentation

We report an unusual case of chronic Q fever involving a hip arthroplasty in an immunocompromised woman treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α blockers for rheumatoid arthritis. Numerous surgical procedures (explantation, “second look”, femoral resection and revision by megaprosthesis), modification of the immunosuppressant therapy and switch from doxycycline-hydroxychloroquine to prolonged ofloxacin-rifampin combination therapy were needed to achieve reconstruction and treat the PJI, with a follow-up of 7 years.

Conclusions

Coxiella burnetti PJI is a complex infection that requires dedicated management in an experienced reference center. Combined use of ofloxacin-rifampin can be effective.
A surgical approach of an unusual variant of complete atrioventricular defect; A case report
Authors: Qabha Hamad , Alanazi Tariq , Khouqeer Mohamad , Dawary Mohannad , Khouqeer Fareed
Published: December 2021

Background

Complete atrioventricular canal is a congenital heart defect that is characterized by an atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, and a common atrioventricular valve. Standard surgical techniques for repairing complete atrioventricular canal defect mainly includes repairing the defect with a single patch, a double patch, or with the modified single patch technique.

Case presentation

This paper presents a novel surgical repair technique of an unusual anatomical presentation for a complete atrioventricular canal defect in a patient with Down syndrome.

Conclusions

Unusual anatomical variant for congenital heart defects occurs frequently, which gives surgeons real opportunities to innovate surgical approaches. This patient was an example of an unusual anatomical presentation for complete atrioventricular canal, and the surgical technique used for this patient was novel. Follow up for these patients is mandatory for long term results.
The Relation Between Mean Arterial Pressure and Cardiac Index in Major Abdominal Surgery Patients: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Kouz Karim , Bergholz Alina , Timmermann Lea M. , Brockmann Lennart , Flick Moritz , Hoppe Phillip , Briesenick Luisa , Schulte-Uentrop Leonie , Krause Linda , Maheshwari Kamal , Sessler Daniel I. , Saugel Bernd
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND:

Cardiac output is an important hemodynamic variable and determines oxygen delivery. In contrast to blood pressure, cardiac output is rarely measured even in high-risk surgical patients, suggesting that clinicians consider blood pressure to be a reasonable indicator of systemic blood flow. However, the relationship depends on constant vascular tone and volume, both of which routinely vary during anesthesia and surgery. We therefore tested the hypothesis that there is no clinically meaningful correlation between mean arterial pressure and cardiac index in major abdominal surgery patients.

METHODS:

In this prospective observational study, we assessed the relationship between mean arterial pressure and cardiac index in 100 patients having major abdominal surgery under general anesthesia.

RESULTS:

The pooled within-patient correlation coefficient calculated using meta-analysis methods was r = 0.34 (95% confidence interval, 0.28–0.40). Linear regression using a linear mixed effects model of cardiac index on mean arterial pressure revealed that cardiac index increases by 0.014 L·min−1·m−2 for each 1 mm Hg increase in mean arterial pressure. The 95% Wald confidence interval of this slope was 0.011 to 0.018 L·min−1·m−2·mm Hg−1 and thus within predefined equivalence margins of −0.03 and 0.03 L·min−1·m−2·mm Hg−1, thereby demonstrating lack of clinically meaningful association between mean arterial pressure and cardiac index.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is no clinically meaningful correlation between mean arterial pressure and cardiac index in patients having major abdominal surgery. Intraoperative blood pressure is thus a poor surrogate for cardiac index.
Fundchronik: Ausgrabungen und Funde im Jahr 2020
Authors: Allemann Martin , Bernasconi Marco , Billo Sven , Braun Ingmar M. , Graber Simon , Hodel Corinne , Roth David , Roth Pascale , Savary Johann , Schmidig Roman , Steiner Susan
Published: December 2021

Berichte zu den archäologischen Untersuchungen der Archäologischen Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt im Jahr 2020.
Knowledge creation in IT projects to accelerate digital innovation: two decade systematic literature review
Authors: Soon Seng Tung , Dorasamy Magiswary , Razak Ruzanna , Kaliannan Maniam , Sambasivan Murali
Published: December 2021

The interactivity and ubiquity of digital technologies are exerting a significant impact on the knowledge creation in information technology (KC-IT) projects. According to the literature, the critical relevance of KC-IT is highly associated with digital innovation (DI) for organisational success. However, DI is not yet a fully-fledged research subject but is an evolving corpus of theory and practise that draws from a variety of social science fields. Given the preceding setting, this study explores the interaction of KC-IT with DI. This work provides a systemic literature review (SLR) to examine the literature in KC-IT and its connection to DI. A SLR of 527 papers from 2001 to 2021 was performed across six online databases. The review encompasses quantitative and qualitative studies on KC-IT factors, processes and methods. Three major gaps were found in the SLR. Firstly, only 57 (0.23%) papers were found to examine the association between KC and IT projects. These works were analysed for theories, type of papers, KC-IT factors, processes and methods. Secondly, the convergence reviews indicate that scarce research has examined TMS and trust in KC-IT as factors. Thirdly, only 0.02% (5) core papers appeared in the search relevant to KC in IT projects to accelerate DI. The majority of the papers examined were not linked to DI. A significant gap also exists in these areas. These findings warrant the attention of the research community.
A draft genome sequence of the common, or spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus
Authors: Okamoto Kenichi , Dopkins Nichole , Kinfu Elias
Published: December 2021

The common, or spectacled, caiman Caiman crocodilus is an abundant, widely distributed Neotropical crocodilian exhibiting notable morphological and molecular diversification. The species also accounts by far for the largest share of crocodilian hides on the global market, with the C. crocodilus hide trade alone valued at about US$86.5 million per year. We obtained 239,911,946 paired-end reads comprising approximately 72 G bases using IlluminaTM sequencing of tissue sampled from a single Caiman crocodilus individual. These reads were de-novo assembled and progressively aligned against the genomes of increasingly related crocodilians; liftoff was used to annotate the draft C. crocodilus genome assembly based on an Alligator mississipiensis (a confamilial species) annotation. The draft assembly has been submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information and both assembly and annotation are currently available for review at doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4755063
NaijaCovidAPI: an application programming interface for retrieval of COVID19 data from the Nigerian Center for Disease Control web platform
Authors: Mbaya Emmanuel Baldwin , Alao Babatunde , Ewejobi Philip , Nwokolo Innocent , Oguntosin Victoria , Adetiba Emmanuel
Published: December 2021

Background: In this work, a COVID19 Application Programming Interface (API) was built using the Representational State Transfer (REST) API architecture and it is designed to fetch data daily from the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) website.

Methods: The API is developed using ASP.NET Core Web API framework using C# programming language and Visual Studio 2019 as the Integrated Development Environment (IDE). The application has been deployed to Microsoft Azure as the cloud hosting platform and to successfully get new data from the NCDC website using Hangfire where a job has been scheduled to run every 12:30 pm (GMT + 1) and load the fetched data into our database. Various API Endpoints are defined to interact with the system and get data as needed, data can be fetched from a single state by name, all states on a particular day or over a range of days, etc.

Results: The results from the data showed that Lagos and Abuja FCT in Nigeria were the hardest-hit states in terms of Total Confirmed cases while Lagos and Edo states had the highest death causalities with 465 and 186 as of August 2020. This analysis and many more can be easily made as a result of this API we have created that warehouses all COVID19 Data as presented by the NCDC since the first contracted case on February 29, 2020. This system was tested on the BlazeMeter platform, and it had an average of 11Hits/s with a response time of 2905milliseconds.

Conclusions: The extension of NaijaCovidAPI over existing COVID19 APIs for Nigeria is the access and retrieval of previous data. Our contribution to the body of knowledge is the creation of a data hub for Nigeria's COVID-19 incidence from February 29, 2020, to date
Assessment of normal anal sphincter anatomy using transanal ultrasonography in healthy Korean volunteers: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Shon Daeho , Kim Sohyun , Kang Sung Il
Published: December 2021

Background: To date, there have been no studies on the normal anatomic values of the anal sphincter in healthy Koreans. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the normal anatomic values of transanal ultrasonography (TAUS).Methods: The thickness of the external anal sphincter (EAS) and internal anal sphincter (IAS) was measured by TAUS from healthy Korean volunteers between September 2019 and August 2021.Results: Thirty-six volunteers with a median age of 37 years (range, 20–77 years) and a median body mass index (BMI) of 23.5 kg/m2 (range, 17.2–31.2 kg/m2) were examined. The median thickness of the EAS at 4 cm and 2 cm from the anal verge was 7.4 mm (range, 5.8–8.8 mm) and 6.5 mm (range, 5.6–8.0 mm), respectively. The median thickness of the IAS at 2 cm from the anal verge was 1.8 mm (range, 0.8-4.3 mm). There were no differences in sphincter muscle thickness between the sexes. However, the EAS tended to thicken as the BMI increased (EAS at 2 cm and 4 cm from the anal verge, Spearman rho=0.433, 0.363; p=0.008 and p=0.029, respectively).Conclusion: In healthy Korean, the median thickness of the IAS at 2 cm from the anal verge was 1.8 mm and the median thickness of the EAS at 2 cm and 4 cm from the anal verge was 6.5 mm and 7.4 mm respectively. There were no differences in anal sphincter thickness between sexes, but BMI was related to EAS thickness.
Calidad del servicio administrativo: impacto sobre el compromiso, la satisfacción y el rendimiento de estudiantes universitarios
Authors: Quesada Javier
Published: December 2021

El presente artículo pretende comprender la relación que existe entre la calidad del servicio administrativo, la satisfacción, el compromiso y el rendimiento de los estudiantes universitarios, en procura de una visión desde la perspectiva latinoamericana. Se investigó el impacto que tiene esta calidad en una población de estudiantes del área de ciencias básicas de la Universidad de Costa Rica. Para ello se empleó un esquema mixto de investigación (cuantitativa-cualitativa) para contrastar la información obtenida. Se determinó que el estudiantado considera que la calidad del servicio impacta su satisfacción, pero no así el compromiso. Además, ninguno de los aspectos anteriores tiene influencia sobre su rendimiento. Se identificó que las personas estudiantes entienden que la satisfacción es producto del servicio académico y que el compromiso se asocia a otros elementos en el contexto universitario. Finalmente, el rendimiento aparece desvinculado a los aspectos estudiados.
The Role of Vendor Legitimacy in IT Outsourcing Performance: Theory and Evidence
Authors: Hsu Carol , Lee Jae-Nam , Fang Yulin , Straub Detmar W. , Su Ning , Ryu Hyun-Sun
Published: December 2021

Information technology outsourcing (ITO) relationships today are facing increasingly turbulent environments. This research examines ITO performance by focusing on client firms’ perceived legitimacy of vendors, termed “vendor legitimacy,” consisting of pragmatic, cognitive, and moral dimensions. Based on our surveys with executives and managers at 200 ITO client firms, the study’s findings present the imperative to actively manage vendor legitimacy for achieving and sustaining ITO performance. Specifically, at the strategic level, clients’ perception of vendors as mutually aligned, long-term-oriented, tightly integrated partners is critical. At the operational level, clients should collaborate with vendors to design and establish interorganizational routines that undergird vendor legitimacy. At the managerial level, clients’ relational governance plays a pivotal role in attaining procedural justice, ethical standards, and fairness in the interorganizational collaboration. In sum, our study suggests that creating a dedicated corporate function or unit for continually overseeing and assessing a portfolio of vendors and swiftly identifying and responding to potential issues and crises related to vendor legitimacy would be a worthwhile investment.
Observable variations in human sex ratio at birth
Authors: Long Yanan , Chen Qi , Larsson Henrik , Rzhetsky Andrey
Published: December 2021

The human sex ratio at birth (SRB), defined as the ratio between the number of newborn boys to the total number of newborns, is typically slightly greater than 1/2 (more boys than girls) and tends to vary across different geographical regions and time periods. In this large-scale study, we sought to validate previously-reported associations and test new hypotheses using statistical analysis of two very large datasets incorporating electronic medical records (EMRs). One of the datasets represents over half (∼ 150 million) of the US population for over 8 years (IBM Watson Health MarketScan insurance claims) while another covers the entire Swedish population (∼ 9 million) for over 30 years (the Swedish National Patient Register). After testing more than 100 hypotheses, we showed that neither dataset supported models in which the SRB changed seasonally or in response to variations in ambient temperature. However, increased levels of a diverse array of air and water pollutants, were associated with lower SRBs, including increased levels of industrial and agricultural activity, which served as proxies for water pollution. Moreover, some exogenous factors generally considered to be environmental toxins turned out to induce higher SRBs. Finally, we identified new factors with signals for either higher or lower SRBs. In all cases, the effect sizes were modest but highly statistically significant owing to the large sizes of the two datasets. We suggest that while it was unlikely that the associations have arisen from sex-specific selection mechanisms, they are still useful for the purpose of public health surveillance if they can be corroborated by empirical evidences.
Wastewater network infrastructure in public health: Applications and learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Sharara Nour , Endo Noriko , Duvallet Claire , Ghaeli Newsha , Matus Mariana , Heussner Jennings , Olesen Scott W. , Alm Eric J. , Chai Peter R. , Erickson Timothy B.
Published: December 2021

Accurate estimates of COVID-19 burden of infections in communities can inform public health strategy for the current pandemic. Wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) leverages sewer infrastructure to provide insights on rates of infection by measuring viral concentrations in wastewater. By accessing the sewer network at various junctures, important insights regarding COVID-19 disease activity can be gained. The analysis of sewage at the wastewater treatment plant level enables population-level surveillance of disease trends and virus mutations. At the neighborhood level, WBE can be used to describe trends in infection rates in the community thereby facilitating local efforts at targeted disease mitigation. Finally, at the building level, WBE can suggest the presence of infections and prompt individual testing. In this critical review, we describe the types of data that can be obtained through varying levels of WBE analysis, concrete plans for implementation, and public health actions that can be taken based on WBE surveillance data of infectious diseases, using recent and successful applications of WBE during the COVID-19 pandemic for illustration.
Nest parasitism, promiscuity, and relatedness among wood ducks
Authors: Harvey Kayla , Lavretsky Philip , Foth Justyn , Williams Christopher K.
Published: December 2021

Nest parasitism is a common reproductive strategy used by many species of cavity nesting birds. Among these, the wood duck (Aix sponsa) is known to have evolved very specific strategies of when and whom to parasitize that is often based on population and/or environmental queues. Here, we investigated the genetic relationship of two female wood ducks competing over an artificial nesting box in Delaware, including the continued incubation of one female despite the death and body remains of the other female throughout the incubation process. We test whether such an extreme case of nest parasitism can be explained by relatedness, egg lineage composition, or a combination of other factors. To do so, we extracted genomic DNA from blood and tissue of the females, as well as chorioallantoic membranes of all viable and inviable eggs. Subsequently, we assessed relatedness among females and eggs based on hundreds of nuclear loci and the mitochondrial control region. We concluded that (1) the two incubating females were entirely unrelated, (2) the single clutch is in fact represented by a minimum of four unrelated females, and (3) a single female can lay eggs sired by different males. The latter finding is the first direct evidence for successful extra-pair copulation in wood ducks. With decreasing costs and increasing effectiveness, genomic methods have the potential to provide important insights into more complex ecological and evolutionary tactics of such populations.
Taylor’s rule, political cycle, and Latin America—An analysis of time series in search of responsibility for monetary stabilization
Authors: Menezes Nery de Oliveira Nadja Simone , Mourao Paulo Reis
Published: December 2021

The decades before 1990 were dramatic for Latin American economies. However, from 1990 onwards, a set of policies followed by the various states in the region acheived economic stabilization with real income recovery. The attribution of this success has been disputed by politicians, economists and officials from international economic support institutions. This work will analyze the responsibility for this success in 4 economies in the region (Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru). Through the combined analysis of ARDL, Markov states and structural breaks, we highlight different sources of responsibility in different periods. Additionally, detailing the states of each regime, we verify the duration of the regimes related to inflation rates and to interest rates in the region. We identify specific governments as associated with moments of economic stabilization in the region, so the hypothesis of the political cycle cannot be rejected for the set of results achieved. As policy implication, we claim that Taylor rules are endogenous to Political Budget Cycles and so stabilization plans are restricted to political tenures.
The bioinformatics analysis of RIOX2 gene in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Sun Bingqing , Zhao Hongwen
Published: December 2021

Lung cancer is characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates, and it has become an important public health issue worldwide. The occurrence and development of tumors is a multi-gene and multi-stage complex process. As an oncogene, ribosomal oxygenase 2 (RIOX2) has been associated with a variety of cancers. In this article, we analyzed the correlation between RIOX2 expression and methylation in lung cancer based on the databases including the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) (https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/) and the gene expression omnibus (GEO) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/). It was found that RIOX2 is highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) tissues, whose expression is negatively correlated with its methylation level. In this regard, methylation at cg09716038, cg14773523, cg14941179, and cg22299097 had a significant negative correlation with RIOX2 expression in LUAD, whereas in LUSC, methylation at cg09716038, cg14773523, cg14941179, cg22299097, cg05451573, cg10779801, and cg23629183 is negatively correlated with RIOX2 expression. According to the analysis based on the databases, RIOX2 gene could not be considered as the independent prognostic biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma or squamous cell lung cancer. However, the molecular mechanism of RIOX2 gene in the development of lung cancer may be helpful in improving lung cancer therapy.
Geometrical model of lobular structure and its importance for the liver perfusion analysis
Authors: Rohan Eduard , Camprová Turjanicová Jana , Liška Václav
Published: December 2021

A convenient geometrical description of the microvascular network is necessary for computationally efficient mathematical modelling of liver perfusion, metabolic and other physiological processes. The tissue models currently used are based on the generally accepted schematic structure of the parenchyma at the lobular level, assuming its perfect regular structure and geometrical symmetries. Hepatic lobule, portal lobule, or liver acinus are considered usually as autonomous functional units on which particular physiological problems are studied. We propose a new periodic unit—the liver representative periodic cell (LRPC) and establish its geometrical parametrization. The LRPC is constituted by two portal lobulae, such that it contains the liver acinus as a substructure. As a remarkable advantage over the classical phenomenological modelling approaches, the LRPC enables for multiscale modelling based on the periodic homogenization method. Derived macroscopic equations involve so called effective medium parameters, such as the tissue permeability, which reflect the LRPC geometry. In this way, mutual influences between the macroscopic phenomena, such as inhomogeneous perfusion, and the local processes relevant to the lobular (mesoscopic) level are respected. The LRPC based model is intended for its use within a complete hierarchical model of the whole liver. Using the Double-permeability Darcy model obtained by the homogenization, we illustrate the usefulness of the LRPC based modelling to describe the blood perfusion in the parenchyma.
High-gamma mirror activity patterns in the human brain during reach-to-grasp movement observation, retention, and execution—An MEG study
Authors: Dreyer Alexander M. , Rieger Jochem W.
Published: December 2021

While the existence of a human mirror neuron system is evident, the involved brain areas and their exact functional roles remain under scientific debate. A number of functionally different mirror neuron types, neurons that selectively respond to specific grasp phases and types for example, have been reported with single cell recordings in monkeys. In humans, spatially limited, intracranially recorded electrophysiological signals in the high-gamma (HG) range have been used to investigate the human mirror system, as they are associated with spiking activity in single neurons. Our goal here is to complement previous intracranial HG studies by using magnetoencephalography to record HG activity simultaneously from the whole head. Participants performed a natural reach-to-grasp movement observation and delayed imitation task with different everyday objects and grasp types. This allowed us to characterize the spatial organization of cortical areas that show HG-activation modulation during movement observation (mirroring), retention (mnemonic mirroring), and execution (motor control). Our results show mirroring related HG modulation patterns over bilateral occipito-parietal as well as sensorimotor areas. In addition, we found mnemonic mirroring related HG modulation over contra-lateral fronto-temporal areas. These results provide a foundation for further human mirror system research as well as possible target areas for brain-computer interface and neurorehabilitation approaches.
Estimation of sodium consumption by novel formulas derived from random spot and 12-hour urine collection
Authors: Sonuch Pitchaporn , Kantachuvesiri Surasak , Vathesatogkit Prin , Lappichetpaiboon Raweewan , Chailimpamontri Worawan , Thokanit Nintita Sripaiboonkij , Aekplakorn Wichai
Published: December 2021

The gold standard for estimating sodium intake is 24h urine sodium excretion. Several equations have been used to estimate 24h urine sodium excretion, however, a validated formula for calculating 24h urine sodium excretion from 12h urine collection has not yet been established. This study aims to develop novel equations for estimating 24h urine sodium excretion from 12h and random spot urine collection and also to validate existing spot urine equations in the Thai population. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 209 adult hospital personnel. Participants were asked to perform a 12h daytime, 12h nighttime, and a random spot urine collection over a period of 24 hours. The mean 24h urine sodium excretion was 4,055±1,712 mg/day. Estimated urine sodium excretion from 3 different equations using random spot urine collection showed moderate correlation and agreement with actual 24h urine sodium excretion (r = 0.54, P<0.001, ICC = 0.53 for Kawasaki; r = 0.57, P<0.001, ICC = 0.44 for Tanaka; r = 0.60, P<0.001, ICC = 0.45 for INTERSALT). Novel equations for predicting 24h urine sodium excretion were then developed using variables derived from 12h daytime urine collection, 12h nighttime urine collection, random spot urine collection, 12h daytime with random spot urine collection, and 12h nighttime with random spot urine collection which showed strong correlation and agreement with actual measured values (r = 0.88, P<0.001, ICC = 0.87; r = 0.83, P<0.001, ICC = 0.81; r = 0.67, P<0.001, ICC = 0.62; r = 0.90, P<0.001, ICC = 0.90; and r = 0.83, p<0.001, ICC = 0.82 respectively). Bland-Altman plots indicated good agreement between predicted values and actual 24h urine sodium excretion using the new equations. Newly derived equations from 12h daytime and 12h nighttime urine collection with or without casual spot urine collection were able to accurately predict 24h urine sodium excretion.
Association of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children: A meta-analysis
Authors: Kuang Linghan , Zhou Wei , Jiang Yongmei
Published: December 2021

It has been suggested that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) could cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but this association was not examined in children by meta-analysis. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the association between SIBO and NAFLD in children. The electronic databases PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies published before April 22, 2021. The outcome was the association between SIBO and NAFLD. Three studies and 205 children were included. All three studies reported the association between SIBO and NAFLD. Children with SIBO were more likely to have NAFLD (odds ratio = 5.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.66–16.68, P<0.001; I2 = 63.5%, Pheterogeneity = 0.065). When directly pooling the reported relative risks (RR) from two studies, children with NAFLD had an over 2-fold increased relative risk of developing SIBO (RR = 2.17, 05%CI: 1.66–2.82, P<0.001; I2 = 0.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.837). This meta-analysis reports a possible association between SIBO and NAFLD in children.
Relationships of sex hormones with muscle mass and muscle strength in male adolescents at different stages of puberty
Authors: Xu Yang , Wen Zhigang , Deng Kaili , Li Ran , Yu Qing , Xiao Su-Mei
Published: December 2021

This study analysed the associations of sex steroids with fat-free mass (FFM) and handgrip strength in 641 Chinese boys. Serum total testosterone (TT) and oestradiol were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Free testosterone (FT) and oestradiol were calculated. FFM and handgrip strength were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis and a hand dynamometer, respectively. Generalised additive models and multiple linear regression were used to explore the relationships. A subgroup analysis was conducted in early-mid pubertal and late-post pubertal groups. Age, height, weight, physical activity, intake of dietary protein and/or stage of puberty were adjusted. TT and FT were positively related to FFM and handgrip strength, with a curvilinear relationship being detected for handgrip strength (p<0.050). This curvilinear relationship was only observed in the late-post pubertal group, suggesting a potential threshold effect (FT>11.99ng/dL, β = 1.275, p = 0.039). In the early-mid pubertal group, TT and/or FT were linearly or near-linearly related to FFM or handgrip strength (β = 0.003–0.271, p<0.050). The association between FT and FFM was stronger than that in the late-post pubertal group. This study found that serum T had different associations with muscle parameters in Chinese early-mid pubertal and late-post pubertal boys. In the late-post pubertal boys, serum T was curvilinearly related to muscle strength with a threshold effect and its link with muscle mass was weaker.
Serial measurement of cytokines strongly predict COVID-19 outcome
Authors: Ozger Hasan Selcuk , Karakus Resul , Kuscu Elif Nazli , Bagriacik Umit Emin , Oruklu Nihan , Yaman Melek , Turkoglu Melda , Erbas Gonca , Atak Aysegul Yucel , Senol Esin
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Cytokines are major mediators of COVID-19 pathogenesis and several of them are already being regarded as predictive markers for the clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 cases. A major pitfall of many COVID-19 cytokine studies is the lack of a benchmark sampling timing. Since cytokines and their relative change during an infectious disease course is quite dynamic, we evaluated the predictive value of serially measured cytokines for COVID-19 cases.

Methods

In this single-center, prospective study, a broad spectrum of cytokines were determined by multiplex ELISA assay in samples collected at admission and at the third day of hospitalization. Appropriateness of cytokine levels in predicting mortality were assessed by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses for both sampling times in paralel to conventional biomarkers.

Results

At both sampling points, higher levels of IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, IL-15, IL-27 IP-10, MCP-1, and GCSF were found to be more predictive for mortality (p<0.05). Some of these cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-10, IL-7 and GCSF, had higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting mortality. AUC values of IL-6, IL-10, IL-7 and GCSF were 0.85 (0.65 to 0.92), 0.88 (0.73 to 0.96), 0.80 (0.63 to 0.91) and 0.86 (0.70 to 0.95), respectively at hospital admission. Compared to hospital admission, on the 3rd day of hospitalization serum levels of IL-6 and, IL-10 decreased significantly in the survivor group, unlike the non-survivor group (IL-6, p = 0.015, and IL-10, p = 0.016).

Conclusion

Our study results suggest that single-sample-based cytokine analyzes can be misleading and that cytokine levels measured serially at different sampling times provide a more precise and accurate estimate for the outcome of COVID-19 patients.
A translational rat model for ex vivo lung perfusion of pre-injured lungs after brain death
Authors: van Zanden Judith E. , Leuvenink Henri G. D. , Verschuuren Erik A. M. , Erasmus Michiel E. , Hottenrott Maximilia C.
Published: December 2021

The process of brain death (BD) detrimentally affects donor lung quality.Ex vivolung perfusion (EVLP) is a technique originally designed to evaluate marginal donor lungs. Nowadays, its potential as a treatment platform to repair damaged donor lungs is increasingly studied in experimental models. Rat models for EVLP have been described in literature before, yet the pathophysiology of BD was not included in these protocols and prolonged perfusion over 3 hours without anti-inflammatory additives was not achieved. We aimed to establish a model for prolonged EVLP of rat lungs from brain-dead donors, to provide a reliable platform for future experimental studies. Rat lungs were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups (n = 7/group): 1) healthy, directly procured lungs, 2) lungs procured from rats subjected to 3 hours of BD and 1 hour cold storage (CS), 3) healthy, directly procured lungs subjected to 6 hours EVLP and 4), lungs procured from rats subjected to 3 hours of BD, 1 hour CS and 6 hours EVLP. Lungs from brain-dead rats showed deteriorated ventilation parameters and augmented lung damage when compared to healthy controls, in accordance with the pathophysiology of BD. Subsequentex vivoperfusion for 6 hours was achieved, both for lungs of healthy donor rats as for pre-injured donor lungs from brain-dead rats. The worsened quality of lungs from brain-dead donors was evident during EVLP as well, as corroborated by deteriorated ventilation performance, increased lactate production and augmented inflammatory status during EVLP. In conclusion, we established a stable model for prolonged EVLP of pre-injured lungs from brain-dead donor rats. In this report we describe tips and pitfalls in the establishment of the rat EVLP model, to enhance reproducibility by other researchers.
Spatial and time domain analysis of eye-tracking data during screening of brain magnetic resonance images
Authors: Suman Abdulla Al , Russo Carlo , Carrigan Ann , Nalepka Patrick , Liquet-Weiland Benoit , Newport Robert Ahadizad , Kumari Poonam , Di Ieva Antonio
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Eye-tracking research has been widely used in radiology applications. Prior studies exclusively analysed either temporal or spatial eye-tracking features, both of which alone do not completely characterise the spatiotemporal dynamics of radiologists’ gaze features.

Purpose

Our research aims to quantify human visual search dynamics in both domains during brain stimuli screening to explore the relationship between reader characteristics and stimuli complexity. The methodology can be used to discover strategies to aid trainee radiologists in identifying pathology, and to select regions of interest for machine vision applications.

Method

The study was performed using eye-tracking data 5 seconds in duration from 57 readers (15 Brain-experts, 11 Other-experts, 5 Registrars and 26 Naïves) for 40 neuroradiological images as stimuli (i.e., 20 normal and 20 pathological brain MRIs). The visual scanning patterns were analysed by calculating the fractal dimension (FD) and Hurst exponent (HE) using re-scaled range (R/S) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) methods. The FD was used to measure the spatial geometrical complexity of the gaze patterns, and the HE analysis was used to measure participants’ focusing skill. The focusing skill is referred to persistence/anti-persistence of the participants’ gaze on the stimulus over time. Pathological and normal stimuli were analysed separately both at the “First Second” and full “Five Seconds” viewing duration.

Results

All experts were more focused and a had higher visual search complexity compared to Registrars and Naïves. This was seen in both the pathological and normal stimuli in the first and five second analyses. The Brain-experts subgroup was shown to achieve better focusing skill than Other-experts due to their domain specific expertise. Indeed, the FDs found when viewing pathological stimuli were higher than those in normal ones. Viewing normal stimuli resulted in an increase of FD found in five second data, unlike pathological stimuli, which did not change. In contrast to the FDs, the scanpath HEs of pathological and normal stimuli were similar. However, participants’ gaze was more focused for “Five Seconds” than “First Second” data.

Conclusions

The HE analysis of the scanpaths belonging to all experts showed that they have greater focus than Registrars and Naïves. This may be related to their higher visual search complexity than non-experts due to their training and expertise.
Genome wide association study of plant height and tiller number in hulless barley
Authors: Bai Yixiong , Zhao Xiaohong , Yao Xiaohua , Yao Youhua , An Likun , Li Xin , Wang Yong , Gao Xin , Jia Yatao , Guan Lulu , Li Man , Wu Kunlun , Wang Zhonghua
Published: December 2021

Hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum), also called naked barley, is a unique variety of cultivated barley. The genome-wide specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) method is a rapid deep sequencing technology that is used for the selection and identification of genetic loci or markers. In this study, we collected 300 hulless barley accessions and used the SLAF-seq method to identify candidate genes involved in plant height (PH) and tiller number (TN). We obtained a total of 1407 M paired-end reads, and 228,227 SLAF tags were developed. After filtering using an integrity threshold of >0.8 and a minor allele frequency of >0.05, 14,504,892 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) loci were screened out. The remaining SNPs were used for the construction of a neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree, and the three subcluster members showed no obvious differentiation among regional varieties. We used a genome wide association study approach to identify 1006 and 113 SNPs associated with TN and PH, respectively. Based on best linear unbiased predictors (BLUP), 41 and 29 SNPs associated with TN and PH, respectively. Thus, several of genes, including Hd3a and CKX5, may be useful candidates for the future genetic breeding of hulless barley. Taken together, our results provide insight into the molecular mechanisms controlling barley architecture, which is important for breeding and yield.
Time-to-event estimation of birth prevalence trends: A method to enable investigating the etiology of childhood disorders including autism
Authors: MacInnis Alexander G.
Published: December 2021

An unbiased, widely accepted estimate of the rate of occurrence of new cases of autism over time would facilitate progress in understanding the causes of autism. The same may also apply to other disorders. While incidence is a widely used measure of occurrence, birth prevalence—the proportion of each birth year cohort with the disorder—is the appropriate measure for disorders and diseases of early childhood. Studies of autism epidemiology commonly speculate that estimates showing strong increases in rate of autism cases result from an increase in diagnosis rates rather than a true increase in cases. Unfortunately, current methods are not sufficient to provide a definitive resolution to this controversy. Prominent experts have written that it is virtually impossible to solve. This paper presents a novel method, time-to-event birth prevalence estimation (TTEPE), to provide accurate estimates of birth prevalence properly adjusted for changing diagnostic factors. It addresses the shortcomings of prior methods. TTEPE is based on well-known time-to-event (survival) analysis techniques. A discrete survival process models the rates of incident diagnoses by birth year and age. Diagnostic factors drive the probability of diagnosis as a function of the year of diagnosis. TTEPE models changes in diagnostic criteria, which can modify the effective birth prevalence when new criteria take effect. TTEPE incorporates the development of diagnosable symptoms with age. General-purpose optimization software estimates all parameters, forming a non-linear regression. The paper specifies all assumptions underlying the analysis and explores potential deviations from assumptions and optional additional analyses. A simulation study shows that TTEPE produces accurate parameter estimates, including trends in both birth prevalence and the probability of diagnosis in the presence of sampling effects from finite populations. TTEPE provides high power to resolve small differences in parameter values by utilizing all available data points.
In vitro co-metabolism of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) by the mucin-degrading bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila
Authors: Xia Yun , Zhang Xuxiang , Jiang Mingxin , Zhang Hongbo , Wang Yinfeng , Zhang Yuyu , Seviour Robert , Kong Yunhong
Published: December 2021

Akkermansia muciniphila is a Gram-negative bacterium that resides within the gut mucus layer, and plays an important role in promoting gut barrier integrity, modulating the immune response and inhibiting gut inflammation. Growth stimulation of A. muciniphila by polyphenols including epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) from difference sources is well-documented. However, no published in vitro culture data on utilization of polyphenols by A. muciniphila are available, and the mechanism of growth-stimulating prebiotic effect of polyphenols on it remains unclear. Here in vitro culture studies have been carried out on the metabolism of EGCG by A. muciniphila in the presence of either mucin or glucose. We found that A. muciniphila did not metabolize EGCG alone but could co-metabolize it together with both these substrates in the presence of mineral salts and amino acids for mucin and protein sources for glucose. Our metabolomic data show that A. muciniphila converts EGCG to gallic acid, epigallocatechin, and (-)-epicatechin through ester hydrolysis. The (-)-epicatechin formed is then further converted to hydroxyhydroquinone. Co-metabolism of A. muciniphila of EGCG together with either mucin or glucose promoted substantially its growth, which serves as a further demonstration of the growth-promoting effect of polyphenols on A. muciniphila and provides an important addition to the currently available proposed mechanisms of polyphenolic prebiotic effects on A. muciniphila.
7, 8-Dihydroxyflavone, a TrkB receptor agonist, provides minimal protection against retinal vascular damage during oxygen-induced ischemic retinopathy
Authors: Zaitoun Ismail S. , Song Yong-Seok , Suscha Andrew , El Ragaby Mohamed , Sorenson Christine M. , Sheibani Nader
Published: December 2021

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the main causes of blindness in children worldwide. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB), play critical protective roles in the development and function of neurons and vasculature. Lack of BDNF expression results in increased endothelial cell apoptosis and reduced endothelial cell-cell contact. Premature babies who develop ROP tend to have lower serum BDNF levels. BDNF expression is also significantly lower in mouse retinas following exposure to hyperoxia compared to those reared in room air. Specifically, BDNF promotes angiogenic tube formation of endothelial cells (EC), and it is considered an EC survival factor required for stabilization of intramyocardial vessels. We hypothesized that the activation of TrkB receptor protects retinal vasculature in the mice during oxygen-induced ischemic retinopathy (OIR), a model of ROP. To test this hypothesis, we treated neonatal mice with 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (DHF) (5 mg/kg body weight), a TrkB receptor agonist. We examined its potential protective effects on retinal vessel obliteration and neovascularization, two hallmarks of ROP and OIR. We found that retinas from DHF treated postnatal day 8 (P8) and P12 mice have similar levels of vessel obliteration as retinas from age-matched control mice subjected to OIR. Similarly, DHF showed no significant effect on mitigation of retinal neovascularization during OIR in P17 mice. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that the TrkB receptor agonist DHF provides no significant protective effects during OIR.