bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A képregény használata az alapfokú oktatásban
Authors: Schlichter-Takács Anett , Csimáné Pozsegovics Beáta
Published: March 2023

Az új digitális kultúra egyre inkább a jobb agyféltekére épít, míg a hagyományos írásbeliség eddig a bal agyféltekét erősítette (Gyarmathy 2011 idézi Szalay 2016). A képregényben lehetőség nyílik az írásbeliség és képiség, a verbalitás és vizualitás szintetizálására (Szalay 2016). Egyes kutatók, akik az elvontabb, összetettebb tudományos gondolkodást vizsgálták, nem találtak a vizsgált tanulóknál a tudásra vonatkozó jelentősebb javulást a képregények olvasása, felhasználása során (Spiegel et al. 2013; Ahmad et al. 2017; Rofii et al. 2018 idézi Phoon et al. 2020) míg mások, jelentős javulást figyeltek meg (Lin et al. 2015 idézi Phoon et al. 2020). Abban mindnyájan egyet értenek, hogy a gyerekek szívesen olvasnak képregényeket, hatással van rájuk a grafikus prezentáció vizuális vonzereje, olvasásuk hatékonyan befolyásolja és pozitívan alakítja a tanulók tudományhoz való hozzáállását, elköteleződését, ezáltal a képregények hatékony eszközei lehetnek az oktatásnak. Kutatásunkban kérdőíves felmérést készítettünk a képregény használat gyakoriságáról az oktatásban és felhasználási területeiről az általános iskolákban dolgozó pedagógusok körében. A megkérdezések során elsődlegesen arra kerestük a választ, hogy milyen arányban használják az oktatásban a pedagógusok a képregényt, mint oktatási módszert, milyen tantárgyak esetében, milyen gyakorisággal. A kérdőívet elsődlegesen közösségi média felületen közzétett formátumban, különböző szakmai csoportokban, külső gyakorlati intézmény segítségével és hólabda módszerrel juttattuk el azon pedagógusokhoz, akik önkéntesen és anonim módon vállalták a kitöltést. A kitöltők száma 96 volt. Eredményeink nem reprezentatívak.
Az ügynök: Harari, avagy hogyan (ne) tanítsunk történelmet képregénnyel
Authors: Domokos Áron , Molnár Gábor
Published: March 2023

Háromrészes írásunk, amelynek ez az első része, Yuval Noah Harari Sapiens című világtörténelmi ismeretterjesztő könyvének képregényváltozatát vizsgálja és értékeli abból a szempontból, hogy mennyire alkalmas oktatási célokra.Az alább olvasható első részben először röviden abba az elmúlt évtizedekben folyó vitába kapcsolódunk be, amely a képregény mint mcluhani értelemben vett hideg médium pedagógiai használhatóságáról szól. Saját álláspontunk megfogalmazásához Paolo Freire radikális kritikai pedagógiájából indulunk ki, de a képregénypedagógia újabb eredményeit is bevonjuk a tárgyalásba. Ezután Harari sikerkönyveinek, köztük a Sapiensnek és a belőle készült Sapiens – Rajzolt történelem című képregénynek a kiadástörténetét rekonstruáljuk. Rámutatunk arra, hogy az eredeti mű sikere összefügg a hasonló jellegű, úgynevezett „agyas könyvek” iránti kereslet nagy mértékű növekedésével a 2010-es évek közepén, noha a teljes magyarázathoz további tényezőket is fel kell tárni. Ezt írásunk következő részeiben végezzük el.A második részben először Harari munkásságának recepcióját elemezzük három területen: a nemzetközi politikai, üzleti és kulturális elit körében, az általános olvasóközönség körében és végül a nyomtatott és elektronikus sajtó részéről. Ezt követően térünk rá a művek kritikai elemzésére, elsőként a képregény pedagógiai-didaktikai szempontú értékelésére. E vonatkozásban jórészt kedvező a róla alkotott ítéletünk, a képregényben valóban kiváló didaktikai megoldásokat találnunk.Az utolsó részben végül a könyv és a képregény filozófiai és ideológiakritikai elemzését nyújtjuk. Megvizsgáljuk a bennük tükröződő ember-, társadalom- és történelemképet, alapvető filozófiai előfeltevéseiket, valamint ideológiai elkötelezettségeiket. Harari könyvét a kortárs fősodorbeli liberális történelemszemlélet egyik legjellegzetesebb képviselőjeként mutatjuk be. Azt is szemügyre vesszük azonban, hogy a képregény médiumába történő átültetés során az eredeti könyv jellemzői hogyan változnak meg: felerősödnek, torzulnak, elvésznek, vagy ellentmondásokkal telítődnek. Figyelmünk fókuszában a médiaváltás nyílt és rejtett céljai és e célok teljesülése áll. Néhány alkalmasan megválasztott példán keresztül azt elemezzük, hogy az ifjabb generációkat célzó ismeretterjesztés mikor és hogyan fordul át burkolt propagandába.
Radiographic Evaluation of Position and Angulation of Impacted Maxillary Canines in Cleft Palate Cases
Authors: Korde Swapnil J , Diagavane Pallavi , Kulshrestha Rohit , Umale Vinay , Chandurkar Kshama , Hawaldara Chinmaya
Published: March 2023

Objective: To evaluate the position and angulation of impacted maxillary canines in unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate cases and compare them to noncleft cases.

Material and method: In this study 60 patients OPGs were taken out of which 20 (12 males, 8 females) presented with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) (Group I), 20 (15 males, 5 females) had bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) (Group II) and 20 (13 males, 7 females) had no clefts (Group III). All the subjects had impacted maxillary canines (bilateral or unilateral). Cases with 2/3rd canine root completion were selected. Intruis suite R2 software was used to determine the position and angulation of the canine.

Results: A total of 63% (37) of the canines were in Sector 1, and 31% (18) were in Sector 2. In-depth of canine impaction relative to the root of the incisor maximum canines were in Grade II and Grade III at 45% (27) and 36% (22) respectively. Angulation of the canine relative to the intercondylar line was seen most in Group II (75%) and (19%) in Group I as compared to the noncleft group (Group III). No difference was seen in the position of canine impaction for buccally and palatally canines and for the unilateral and bilateral cleft groups or the noncleft and cleft groups.

Conclusions: The majority of the impacted canines had cusp tips located in sectors II and III. In almost all cases, angulation did not increase the prediction of eventual impaction, although it may have contributed slightly in Sector II.
Evaluation of Sexual Dysfunction in Brazilian Women with Infertility Undergoing Assisted Reproduction Treatment
Authors: Sater Ana Carolina , Nisihara Renato , Miyague Danielle Medeiros Teixeira , Schuffner Alessandro , Miyague André Hadyme
Published: March 2023

Purpose: The increase in infertility around the world has a negative impact on sexual desire and function. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with infertility, comparing them with healthy controls.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study based on online questionnaire. Infertile women and healthy controls filled a questionnaire about epidemiological and assisted reproduction data. The infertile patients answered the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) questionnaires to assess sexual performance, physical, and mental health. The control group answered only to the FSFI.

Results: The survey was completed by 357 subjects: 157 infertility patients and 200 matched controls. All medians of the FSFI domains of patients in the infertility group are lower (p=0.036) when compared to controls, especially the scores in the arousal and lubrication domains (p=0.003 and p<0.0001, respectively). In this group, most are in good physical health and half are in good mental health. The depression rate was 12.7%. Patients who have depression have worse FSFI scores (p=0.009). Depression and sexual dysfunction were experienced by 27.4% (n=17) patients (p<0.0001). Worse mental health was related to patients at higher risk for sexual dysfunction (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: In our sample of women undergoing infertility treatment, we found that the FSFI scores were significantly lower than in the control group, mainly in the arousal and lubrication domains. Additionally, it was found that the worse the mental health, the greater the possibility of sexual dysfunction in this group.
Immersive and interactive visualization of 3D spatio-temporal data using a space time hypercube: Application to cell division and morphogenesis analysis
Authors: Fouché Gwendal , Argelaguet Ferran , Faure Emmanuel , Kervrann Charles
Published: March 2023

The analysis of multidimensional time-varying datasets faces challenges, notably regarding the representation of the data and the visualization of temporal variations. We propose an extension of the well-known Space-Time Cube (STC) visualization technique in order to visualize time-varying 3D spatial data, taking advantage of the interaction capabilities of Virtual Reality (VR). First, we propose the Space-Time Hypercube (STH) as an abstraction for 3D temporal data, extended from the STC concept. Second, through the example of embryo development imaging dataset, we detail the construction and visualization of a STC based on a user-driven projection of the spatial and temporal information. This projection yields a 3D STC visualization, which can also encode additional numerical and categorical data. Additionally, we propose a set of tools allowing the user to filter and manipulate the 3D STC which benefits the visualization, exploration and interaction possibilities offered by VR. Finally, we evaluated the proposed visualization method in the context of 3D temporal cell imaging data analysis, through a user study (n = 5) reporting the feedback from five biologists. These domain experts also accompanied the application design as consultants, providing insights on how the STC visualization could be used for the exploration of complex 3D temporal morphogenesis data.
Personalized statistical modeling of soft tissue structures in the knee
Authors: Van Oevelen A. , Duquesne K. , Peiffer M. , Grammens J. , Burssens A. , Chevalier A. , Steenackers G. , Victor J. , Audenaert E.
Published: March 2023

Background and Objective: As in vivo measurements of knee joint contact forces remain challenging, computational musculoskeletal modeling has been popularized as an encouraging solution for non-invasive estimation of joint mechanical loading. Computational musculoskeletal modeling typically relies on laborious manual segmentation as it requires reliable osseous and soft tissue geometry. To improve on feasibility and accuracy of patient-specific geometry predictions, a generic computational approach that can easily be scaled, morphed and fitted to patient-specific knee joint anatomy is presented.

Methods: A personalized prediction algorithm was established to derive soft tissue geometry of the knee, originating solely from skeletal anatomy. Based on a MRI dataset (n = 53), manual identification of soft-tissue anatomy and landmarks served as input for our model by use of geometric morphometrics. Topographic distance maps were generated for cartilage thickness predictions. Meniscal modeling relied on wrapping a triangular geometry with varying height and width from the anterior to the posterior root. Elastic mesh wrapping was applied for ligamentous and patellar tendon path modeling. Leave-one-out validation experiments were conducted for accuracy assessment.

Results: The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) for the cartilage layers of the medial tibial plateau, the lateral tibial plateau, the femur and the patella equaled respectively 0.32 mm (range 0.14–0.48), 0.35 mm (range 0.16–0.53), 0.39 mm (range 0.15–0.80) and 0.75 mm (range 0.16–1.11). Similarly, the RMSE equaled respectively 1.16 mm (range 0.99–1.59), 0.91 mm (0.75–1.33), 2.93 mm (range 1.85–4.66) and 2.04 mm (1.88–3.29), calculated over the course of the anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, the medial and the lateral meniscus.

Conclusion: A methodological workflow is presented for patient-specific, morphological knee joint modeling that avoids laborious segmentation. By allowing to accurately predict personalized geometry this method has the potential for generating large (virtual) sample sizes applicable for biomechanical research and improving personalized, computer-assisted medicine.
Biomechanical performance of the novel assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage in single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: A finite element analysis
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Yang Yi , Shen Yi-Wei , Zhang Ke-Rui , Ma Li-Tai , Ding Chen , Wang Bei-Yu , Meng Yang , Liu Hao
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is widely accepted as the gold standard surgical procedure for treating cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy. However, there is concern about the low fusion rate in the early period after ACDF surgery using the Zero-P fusion cage. We creatively designed an assembled uncoupled joint fusion device to improve the fusion rate and solve the implantation difficulties. This study aimed to assess the biomechanical performance of the assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage in single-level ACDF and compare it with the Zero-P device.

Methods: A three-dimensional finite element (FE) of a healthy cervical spine (C2−C7) was constructed and validated. In the one-level surgery model, either an assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage or a zero-profile device was implanted at the C5–C6 segment of the model. A pure moment of 1.0 Nm combined with a follower load of 75 N was imposed at C2 to determine flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. The segmental range of motion (ROM), facet contact force (FCF), maximum intradiscal pressure (IDP), and screw−bone stress were determined and compared with those of the zero-profile device.

Results: The results showed that the ROMs of the fused levels in both models were nearly zero, while the motions of the unfused segments were unevenly increased. The FCF at adjacent segments in the assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage group was less than that that of the Zero-P group. The IDP at the adjacent segments and screw–bone stress were slightly higher in the assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage group than in those of the Zero-P group. Stress on the cage was mainly concentrated on both sides of the wings, reaching 13.4–20.4 Mpa in the assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage group.

Conclusion: The assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage provided strong immobilization, similar to the Zero-P device. When compared with the Zero-P group, the assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage achieved similar resultant values regarding FCF, IDP, and screw–bone stress. Moreover, the assembled uncovertebral joint fusion cage effectively achieved early bone formation and fusion, probably due to proper stress distributions in the wings of both sides.
Eco-friendly construction materials and health benefits in the design of an all-inclusive health resorts, Nigeria
Authors: Ekhaese Eghosa N. , Ndimako Onyedikachukwu O.
Published: March 2023

Health resort designs are health sanctuaries and a conducive treatment, healing, and wellness environment. In providing a health and wellness-beneficial environment, the material selection choices by health resort designers should conform to certain minimum specifications and standards. On this premise and SDG-based selection criteria, the study aims to investigate eco-friendly construction materials and their health benefits in an all-inclusive health resort design proposed for Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This study addressed three key objectives—Ascertaining the physical architectural features of health resorts, assessing the eco-friendly building material contribution to SDG attainment, and identifying the health benefits of eco-friendly building materials in the health resort. The researchers engaged the qualitative research method for the study, using a case study technique as a qualitative research design/strategy. The authors used three health resorts across three countries in the global south; China, India, and Brazil. The data collection instruments include; an in-depth interview guide In-depth Interviews (IDI), a direct observation guide, a checklist of green construction materials for health facilities and a qualitative photo-production study based on the essential features of a health resort checklist. The authors use content and narrative analyses to analyze data. Findings show that eco-friendly materials may be best suited for both exterior and interior works of health resort facilities. Wood, stone and concrete are the most preferred materials as they occur across all three case studies. The results align with current global trends towards eco-beneficial facilities. Adopting natural materials such as wood and stone for the Port Harcourt health resort would be expedient, given the health benefits inherent in using such eco-friendly materials and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SGD 11 and 13).
Yersinia enterocolitica in Crohn’s disease
Authors: Fang Xue , Kang Le , Qiu Yi-Fan , Li Zhao-Shen , Bai Yu
Published: March 2023

Increasing attention is being paid to the unique roles gut microbes play in both physiological and pathological processes. Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract with unknown etiology. Currently, gastrointestinal infection has been proposed as one initiating factor of CD. Yersinia enterocolitica, a zoonotic pathogen that exists widely in nature, is one of the most common bacteria causing acute infectious gastroenteritis, which displays clinical manifestations similar to CD. However, the specific role of Y. enterocolitica in CD is controversial. In this Review, we discuss the current knowledge on how Y. enterocolitica and derived microbial compounds may link to the pathogenesis of CD. We highlight examples of Y. enterocolitica-targeted interventions in the diagnosis and treatment of CD, and provide perspectives for future basic and translational investigations on this topic.
Interactive landscape–scale cloud animation using DCGAN
Authors: Goswami Prashant , Cheddad Abbas , Junede Fredrik , Asp Samuel
Published: March 2023

This article presents an interactive method for 3D cloud animation at the landscape scale by employing machine learning. To this end, we utilize deep convolutional generative adversarial network (DCGAN) on GPU for training on home-captured cloud videos and producing coherent animation frames. We limit the size of input images provided to DCGAN, thereby reducing the training time and yet producing detailed 3D animation frames. This is made possible through our preprocessing of the source videos, wherein several corrections are applied to the extracted frames to provide an adequate input training data set to DCGAN. A significant advantage of the presented cloud animation is that it does not require any underlying physics simulation. We present detailed results of our approach and verify its effectiveness using human perceptual evaluation. Our results indicate that the proposed method is capable of convincingly realistic 3D cloud animation, as perceived by the participants, without introducing too much computational overhead.
Feasibility and safety of 1-min sit-to-stand test in acute decompensated heart failure confirmed by lung ultrasound
Authors: Zhang Xiu , Kang Yu , Luo Zeruxin , Chen Qiaowei , Yang Mengxuan , Zeng Jijuan , Yu Pengming , Zhang Qing
Published: March 2023

Aim

This study innovatively proposed the 1-min sit-to-stand test (1-min STST) as an assessment tool for functional capacity in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), in which its feasibility and safety were investigated.

Methods

This was a prospective, single-center cohort study. The 1-min STST was performed after the first 48 h of admission when vital signs and Borg score were collected. Lung ultrasound was used to measure pulmonary edema by B-lines before and after the test.

Results

Seventy-five patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 40% were in functional class IV on admission. The mean age was 58.3 ± 15.7 years and 40% of the patients were male. 95% patients accomplished the test and the average number of repetitions was 18 ± 7. No adverse event was recorded during or after the 1-min STST. Blood pressure, heart rate, and degree of dyspnea were increased after the test (all p < 0.001), while oxygen saturation was slightly decreased (97.0 ± 1.6 vs. 96.3 ± 2.0%, p = 0.003). The degree of pulmonary edema (χ2 = 8.300, p = 0.081) was not significantly changed, while there was a reduction in the absolute number of B-lines [9 (3, 16) vs. 7 (3, 13), p = 0.008].

Conclusion

The application of the 1-min STST in early stage of ADHF appeared to be safe and feasible, which induce neither adverse event nor pulmonary edema. It may serve as a new tool of functional capacity assessment, as well as a reference of exercise rehabilitation.
Use of the cardiopulmonary coupling index based on refined composite multiscale entropy for prognostication of acute type A aortic dissection
Authors: Mao Zhi-Jie , Wen Wei-Wei , Han Yi-Chen , Dong Wei-hua , Shen Li-juan , Huang Zhou-Qing , Xie Qiang-Li
Published: March 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study is to assess the influence of cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) based on RCMSE on the prediction of complications and death in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD).

Background

The cardiopulmonary system may be nonlinearly regulated, and its coupling relationship with postoperative risk stratification in ATAAD patients has not been studied.

Methods

This study was a single-center, prospective cohort study (ChiCTR1800018319). We enrolled 39 patients with ATAAD. The outcomes were in-hospital complications and all-cause readmission or death at 2 years.

Results

Of the 39 participants, 16 (41.0%) developed complications in the hospital, and 15 (38.5%) died or were readmitted to the hospital during the two-year follow-up. When CPC-RCMSE was used to predict in-hospital complications in ATAAD patients, the AUC was 0.853 (p < 0.001). When CPC-RCMSE was used to predict all-cause readmission or death at 2 years, the AUC was 0.731 (p < 0.05). After adjusting for age, sex, ventilator support (days), and special care time (days), CPC-RCMSE remained an independent predictor of in-hospital complications in patients with ATAAD [adjusted OR: 0.8 (95% CI, 0.68–0.94)].

Conclusion

CPC-RCMSE was an independent predictor of in-hospital complications and all-cause readmission or death in patients with ATAAD.
Transdermal estrogen gel vs oral estrogen after hysteroscopy for intrauterine adhesion separation: A prospective randomized study
Authors: Yi Tianjin , Zhang Xiaofang , Gupta Vani , Li Li , Zhong Qian
Published: March 2023

Background

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to compare two different routes of postoperative estrogen treatment on the improvements of menstruation, postoperative endometrial thickness, and fertility outcomes in patients with moderate to severe intrauterine adhesions (IUA).

Methods

This study prospectively included 78 women (age: 25 to 45 years) with moderate to severe IUA who underwent hysteroscopic resection of adhesions between March 2019 and October 2020. The enrolled patients were randomized 1:1 into either the transdermal gel group (n = 39) or the estradiol valerate oral tablet group (n = 39) on the day of receiving hysteroscopy. Postoperative endometrial thickness, AFS (American Fertility Society) score, estrogen level, and the pattern and amount of menstruation were compared. Pregnancy information was actively collected during 1-year follow-up after the operation.

Results

The postoperative endometrium thickness was improved in both groups, and both groups gained menstruation improvement rates of 67%. For patients who underwent second-look hysteroscopy (17 from the oral group and 19 from the transdermal group), the mean AFS score declined greater than 2 in both groups. For patients with postoperative pregnancy intention, the pregnancy rates at 1-year follow-up after the procedures were 40.5% and 28% in the transdermal group and oral group, respectively. Although no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups, patients in the transdermal group had a tendency toward increased pregnancy rate.

Conclusions

Transdermal administration of estrogen is equally efficacious as oral estrogen in postoperative treatment of IUA patients with a relatively safe profile. It is very likely to broaden its indication to the field of IUA.

Trial Registration

http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=37197, identifier ChiCTR1900022110.
Trends in lipid profile and lipid control among survivors of stroke or myocardial infarction among US adults, 2001–2018
Authors: Dong Weiwei , Yang Zhiyong
Published: March 2023

Background

We aim to analyze the change in lipid profile and lipid control among survivors of stroke and/or myocardial infarction among US adults from 2001–2018.

Methods

In total, 3,736 survivors of stroke and/or myocardial infarction from the 2001–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were included in this study, representing a weighted total population of 110,005,898. Trends for lipid concentration and lipid control rate over time were detected via general linear regression analysis and lipid control was compared by sex and race via survey-weighted logistic regression analysis.

Results

The total cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly decreased in survivors from the 2001–2002 survey cycle to the 2017–2018 survey cycle (p for trend < 0.01). Lipid control was defined as total cholesterol < 200 mg/dL. Among survivors, the lipid control rate increased from 56.2% (95% CI: 43.9%, 67.7%) in the 2001–2002 survey cycle to 73.2% (95% CI: 64.8%, 80.2%) in the 2017–2018 survey cycle (p for trend < 0.01). Women had a higher lipid concentration and were more likely have poor lipid control compared to men. Non-Hispanic White survivors possessed better lipid control than other races survivors.

Conclusions

Lipid concentrations decreased and lipid control improved in stroke and/or myocardial infarction survivors from 2001 to 2018, with heterogeneity observed according to sex and race.
Effect of “maccog” TCM tea on improving glucolipid metabolism and gut microbiota in patients with type 2 diabetes in community
Authors: Hu Biyue , Yin Tongtong , Zhang Jiajia , Liu Minjing , Yun Hang , Wang Jian , Guo Renmei , Huang Jie , Zhou Yixia , Meng Hongyan , Wang Li
Published: March 2023

Objectives

This work aimed to observe the effect of consuming Chinese herb tea on glucolipid metabolism and gut microbiota in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

Ninety patients with T2DM were recruited from a community and randomly divided into the control group (CG) and intervention group (IG). CG maintained conventional treatment and lifestyle, and IG accepted additional “maccog” traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) tea (mulberry leaf, radix astragali, corn stigma, cortex lycii, radix ophiopogonis, and gynostemma) for 12 weeks. Glucolipid metabolism, hepatorenal function, and gut microbiota were then measured.

Results

After the intervention, the decreases in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and total cholesterol (TC) were greater (P<0.05) in IG than in CG, and those in glycosylated serum protein (GSP) were almost significantly greater (P=0.066) in IG than in CG. The total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), and creatinine (CREA) levels in IG were significantly lower and their decreases were larger in IG than in CG (P<0.05) after the intervention. The Ace and Chao1 indices in IG were slightly higher after the intervention (P=0.056 and 0.052, respectively) than at baselines. The abundance of Actinobacteria, Lachnospiraceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and Phascolarctobacterium increased significantly after the intervention in IG (P<0.05), and the abundance was higher in IG than in CG (P<0.05 or P<0.1). The abundance of Clostridiales and Lactobacillales was negatively correlated with FPG (P<0.05), Clostridiales and Lachnospiraceae was negatively correlated with GSP (P<0.05), and Bacteroides/Firmicutes was positively correlated with both (P<0.05). No adverse event was observed during the intervention.

Conclusions

Administration of “maccog” TCM tea for 12 weeks slightly improved glucolipid metabolism and significantly increased the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota in community patients with T2DM. The increase in beneficial bacteria abundance may be involved in the improvement of glucose metabolism indicators. In addition, this intervention is safe and feasible.

Clinical trial registration

https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=31281, identifier ChiCTR1800018566.
Association of arterial stiffness with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the diabetic population: A national cohort study
Authors: Liu Cun , Pan Huachun , Kong Fanliang , Yang Shumin , Shubhra Quazi T. H. , Li Dandan , Chen Siwei
Published: March 2023

Background

Estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) has been proposed as a potential alternative to carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity to assess the degree of aortic stiffness, and may predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and mortality in the general population. However, whether arterial stiffness estimated by ePWV predicts all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) has not been reported.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study with data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2014 and followed up until the end of December 2019. 5,235U.S. adults with DM (age≥20years) were included in the study. Arterial stiffness was estimated by ePWV. Survey-weighted Cox proportional hazards models were performed to assess the hazard ratios (HRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of ePWV with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Meanwhile, the generalized additive model was used to visually assess the dose-dependent relationship between ePWV and mortality. As a complementary analysis, the relationship between mean blood pressure (MBP) and risk of mortality was also examined. Multiple imputations accounted for missing data.

Results

For the 5,235 DM patients, the weighted mean age was 57.4 years, and 51.07% were male. During a median follow-up period of 115 months (interquartile range 81-155 months; 53,159 person-years), 1,604 all-cause deaths were recorded. In the fully adjusted Cox regression model, every 1 m/s increase in ePWV was associated with 56% (HR 1.56; 95% CI, 1.44 to 1.69) increase in the risk of all-cause. In addition, a nonlinear relationship between ePWV and all-cause mortality was observed (P for non-linear=0.033). Similar results were obtained after subgroup analysis and multiple imputations. Besides, the risk of most cause-specific mortality, except for accident and renal disease-specific mortality, increased from 53% to 102% for every 1 m/s increase in ePWV.

Conclusions

In the diabetic population, ePWV is independently associated with all-cause and most cause-specific mortality risks. ePWV may be a useful tool for assessing mortality risk.
How can the sustainable goal of cultivated land use in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau be realized?—based on a research framework of cultivated land use patterns
Authors: Wang Ximeng , Zhou Dingyang , Jiang Guanghui , Peng Chen
Published: March 2023

The study of cultivated land use models is an important means to improve the benefit of cultivated land use and promote the sustainable use of cultivated land. The rational optimization of regional cultivated land use models based on the consideration of regional background conditions and development goals can provide a scientific basis for ensuring the sustainable use of cultivated land. This study constructed a three-dimensional research framework of "natural quality-utilization intensity-spatial layout" of cultivated land utilization pattern. Taking the county as a unit, the natural quality, spatial distribution and utilization intensity of cultivated land in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were evaluated, and the types of cultivated land utilization models were determined. Based on the ecological protection and the regulation and control of agriculture and animal husbandry in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the optimization direction of cultivated land use patterns was discussed. The results show that the cultivated land use pattern divided by the “NUS” three-dimensional model can accurately reflect the characteristics of cultivated land use in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The existing cultivated land use pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is basically consistent with its ecological protection and development direction zoning, but the problems of unreasonable expansion and excessive use intensity of cultivated land exist in the ecotone between some development areas and restricted areas. Therefore, the utilization and optimization of cultivated land in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau should be based on the premise of protecting ecological security and striving to solve the contradiction between agricultural development and ecological protection to realize the sustainable utilization of cultivated land.
High-efficiency editing in hematopoietic stem cells and the HUDEP-2 cell line based on in vitro mRNA synthesis
Authors: Papaioannou Nikoletta Y. , Patsali Petros , Naiisseh Basma , Papasavva Panayiota L. , Koniali Lola , Kurita Ryo , Nakamura Yukio , Christou Soteroula , Sitarou Maria , Mussolino Claudio , Cathomen Toni , Kleanthous Marina , Lederer Carsten W.
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Genome editing tools, such as CRISPR/Cas, TALE nucleases and, more recently, double-strand-break-independent editors, have been successfully used for gene therapy and reverse genetics. Among various challenges in the field, tolerable and efficient delivery of editors to target cells and sites, as well as independence from commercially available tools for flexibility and fast adoption of new editing technology are the most pressing. For many hematopoietic research applications, primary CD34+ cells and the human umbilical cord-derived progenitor erythroid 2 (HUDEP-2) cell line are highly informative substrates and readily accessible for in vitro manipulation. Moreover, ex vivo editing of CD34+ cells has immediate therapeutic relevance. Both cell types are sensitive to standard transfection procedures and reagents, such as lipofection with plasmid DNA, calling for more suitable methodology in order to achieve high efficiency and tolerability of editing with editors of choice. These challenges can be addressed by RNA delivery, either as a mixture of guide RNA and mRNA for CRISRP/Cas-based systems or as a mixture of mRNAs for TALENs. Compared to ribonucleoproteins or proteins, RNA as vector creates flexibility by removing dependence on commercial availability or laborious in-house preparations of novel editor proteins. Compared to DNA, RNA is less toxic and by obviating nuclear transcription and export of mRNA offers faster kinetics and higher editing efficiencies.

Methods: Here, we detail an in vitro transcription protocol based on plasmid DNA templates with the addition of Anti-Reverse Cap Analog (ARCA) using T7 RNA polymerase, and poly (A) tailing using poly (A) polymerase, combined with nucleofection of HUDEP-2 and patient-derived CD34+ cells. Our protocol for RNA-based delivery employs widely available reagents and equipment and can easily be adopted for universal in vitro delivery of genome editing tools.

Results and Discussion: Drawing on a common use case, we employ the protocol to target a β-globin mutation and to reactivate γ-globin expression as two potential therapies for β-hemoglobinopathies, followed by erythroid differentiation and functional analyses. Our protocol allows high editing efficiencies and unimpaired cell viability and differentiation, with scalability, suitability for functional assessment of editing outcomes and high flexibility in the application to different editors.
Sustaining yield and nutritional quality of peanuts in harsh environments: Physiological and molecular basis of drought and heat stress tolerance
Authors: Puppala Naveen , Nayak Spurthi N. , Sanz-Saez Alvaro , Chen Charles , Devi Mura Jyostna , Nivedita Nivedita , Bao Yin , He Guohao , Traore Sy M. , Wright David A. , Pandey Manish K. , Sharma Vinay
Published: March 2023

Climate change is significantly impacting agricultural production worldwide. Peanuts provide food and nutritional security to millions of people across the globe because of its high nutritive values. Drought and heat stress alone or in combination cause substantial yield losses to peanut production. The stress, in addition, adversely impact nutritional quality. Peanuts exposed to drought stress at reproductive stage are prone to aflatoxin contamination, which imposes a restriction on use of peanuts as health food and also adversely impact peanut trade. A comprehensive understanding of the impact of drought and heat stress at physiological and molecular levels may accelerate the development of stress tolerant productive peanut cultivars adapted to a given production system. Significant progress has been achieved towards the characterization of germplasm for drought and heat stress tolerance, unlocking the physiological and molecular basis of stress tolerance, identifying significant marker-trait associations as well major QTLs and candidate genes associated with drought tolerance, which after validation may be deployed to initiate marker-assisted breeding for abiotic stress adaptation in peanut. The proof of concept about the use of transgenic technology to add value to peanuts has been demonstrated. Advances in phenomics and artificial intelligence to accelerate the timely and cost-effective collection of phenotyping data in large germplasm/breeding populations have also been discussed. Greater focus is needed to accelerate research on heat stress tolerance in peanut. A suits of technological innovations are now available in the breeders toolbox to enhance productivity and nutritional quality of peanuts in harsh environments. A holistic breeding approach that considers drought and heat-tolerant traits to simultaneously address both stresses could be a successful strategy to produce climate-resilient peanut genotypes with improved nutritional quality.
Isolation: The experience of adolescent motherhood in Laos
Authors: Thongmixay Souksamone , Essink Dirk , Kahrs Taewee , Vongxay Viengnakhone , Wright Pamela , Sychareun Vanphanom , Broerse Jacqueline E. W.
Published: March 2023

Background

Teenage pregnancy is a persistent public health problem with pervasive socio-economic consequences, particularly in in low- and middle-income countries, often related to low social participation and low economic security. The experiences of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood have seldom been described from a personal point of view. This study aimed to gain insights into how adolescent mothers in Laos experience their motherhood, how they perceive their situation and try to cope with it.

Methods

This qualitative study was undertaken with 20 pregnant adolescents and young mothers living in peri-urban areas in two of the 18 provinces in Laos. Data were collected during 20 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions (n = 10). Digital recordings were transcribed verbatim, summarised and thematically analysed using an inductive analysis and exploratory approach.

Results

The most common theme was that the young mothers experienced exclusion individually, socially and in relation to official systems. In only two cases was the pregnancy intended. All were determined to be good mothers, but were overwhelmed and unsure how to overcome structural barriers to educational, social and economic participation.

Conclusion

Participants revealed that their adolescent pregnancy was tied to losses of past and future aspirations, and believed that working to prevent unintended adolescent pregnancy is worthwhile, but also advised that community support structures would help young women in their position.
Study of the shared gene signatures of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis and autoimmune uveitis
Authors: Zheng Jie , Wang Yong , Hu Jun
Published: March 2023

Objective

To explore the shared gene signatures and potential molecular mechanisms of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) and autoimmune uveitis (AU).

Method

The microarray data of pJIA and AU from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were downloaded and analyzed. The GEO2R tool was used to identify the shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and genes of extracellular proteins were identified among them. Then, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify the shared immune-related genes (IRGs) related to pJIA and AU. Moreover, the shared transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) in pJIA and AU were acquired by comparing data from HumanTFDB, hTFtarget, GTRD, HMDD, and miRTarBase. Finally, Metascape and g: Profiler were used to carry out function enrichment analyses of previously identified gene sets.

Results

We found 40 up-regulated and 15 down-regulated shared DEGs via GEO2R. Then 24 shared IRGs in positivity-related modules, and 18 shared IRGs in negatively-related modules were found after WGCNA. After that, 3 shared TFs (ARID1A, SMARCC2, SON) were screened. And the constructed TFs-shared DEGs network indicates a central role of ARID1A. Furthermore, hsa-miR-146 was found important in both diseases. The gene sets enrichment analyses suggested up-regulated shared DEGs, TFs targeted shared DEGs, and IRGs positivity-correlated with both diseases mainly enriched in neutrophil degranulation process, IL-4, IL-13, and cytokine signaling pathways. The IRGs negatively correlated with pJIA and AU mainly influence functions of the natural killer cell, cytotoxicity, and glomerular mesangial cell proliferation. The down-regulated shared DEGs and TFs targeted shared DEGs did not show particular functional enrichment.

Conclusion

Our study fully demonstrated the flexibility and complexity of the immune system disorders involved in pJIA and AU. Neutrophil degranulation may be considered the shared pathogenic mechanism, and the roles of ARID1A and MiR-146a are worthy of further in-depth study. Other than that, the importance of periodic inspection of kidney function is also noteworthy.
Epistatic effects of Siglec-G and DNase1 or DNase1l3 deficiencies in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Korn Marina A. , Steffensen Marie , Brandl Carolin , Royzman Dmytro , Daniel Christoph , Winkler Thomas H. , Nitschke Lars
Published: March 2023

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a severe autoimmune disease that displays considerable heterogeneity not only in its symptoms, but also in its environmental and genetic causes. Studies in SLE patients have revealed that many genetic variants contribute to disease development. However, often its etiology remains unknown. Existing efforts to determine this etiology have focused on SLE in mouse models revealing not only that mutations in specific genes lead to SLE development, but also that epistatic effects of several gene mutations significantly amplify disease manifestation. Genome-wide association studies for SLE have identified loci involved in the two biological processes of immune complex clearance and lymphocyte signaling. Deficiency in an inhibitory receptor expressed on B lymphocytes, Siglec-G, has been shown to trigger SLE development in aging mice, as have mutations in DNA degrading DNase1 and DNase1l3, that are involved in clearance of DNA-containing immune complexes. Here, we analyze the development of SLE-like symptoms in mice deficient in either Siglecg and DNase1 or Siglecg and DNase1l3 to evaluate potential epistatic effects of these genes. We found that germinal center B cells and follicular helper T cells were increased in aging Siglecg-/- x Dnase1-/- mice. In contrast, anti-dsDNA antibodies and anti-nuclear antibodies were strongly increased in aging Siglecg-/- x Dnase1l3-/- mice, when compared to single-deficient mice. Histological analysis of the kidneys revealed glomerulonephritis in both Siglecg-/- x Dnase1-/- and Siglecg-/- x Dnase1l3-/- mice, but with a stronger glomerular damage in the latter. Collectively, these findings underscore the impact of the epistatic effects of Siglecg with DNase1 and Dnase1l3 on disease manifestation and highlight the potential combinatory effects of other gene mutations in SLE.
The effect of combining PD-1 agonist and low-dose Interleukin-2 on treating systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Wang Bing , Chen Can , Liu Xia , Zhou Shuang , Xu Ting , Wu Min
Published: March 2023

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease involving multiple organs. It is often called “immortal cancer” due to the difficulties in disease treatment. As the cornerstone of immune regulation, the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) has been extensively studied in the context of chronic inflammation due to its ability of regulating immune response and immunosuppression. Recently, more and more studies on rheumatic immune related complications have also focused on PD-1 and proposed that the use of PD-1 agonist could inhibit the activation of lymphocytes and alleviate SLE disease activity. In this review, we summarized the role of PD-1 in SLE, implicating its potential application as a biomarker to predict SLE disease activity; we also proposed that the combination of PD-1 agonist and low-dose IL-2 may have better therapeutic efficacy, shining light on a new direction for developing specific treatment approaches.
Efficacy and safety of TCMs with anti-inflammatory effect in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A network meta-analysis
Authors: Fang Jinying , Liu Mingxuan , Huang Zhenghui , Ma Yucao , Wang Yiwen , Zheng Xiaojia , Lv Liu , Liu Chunpin , Li Wei , Zhu Zhenghong , Zhu Huachao , Hu Jie , Wang Yonghong , Wang Hailong
Published: March 2023

Background

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), such as Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF), Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Caulis sinomenii and others have anti-inflammatory effects. They are widely used in China to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but proof of their use as an evidence-based medicine is little. The aim of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCMs.

Methods

By searching online databases and using a manual retrieval method, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met specific selection criteria were included in the meta-analysis. The search included papers that were published between the establishment of the databases and November 10, 2022. Analyses were performed using Stata software (version 14) and Review Manager (version 5.3).

Results

61 papers with 6316 subjects were included in the current NMA. For ACR20, MTX plus SIN therapy (94.30%) may be a significant choice. For ACR50 and ACR70, MTX plus IGU therapy (95.10%, 75.90% respectively) performed better than other therapies. IGU plus SIN therapy (94.80%) may be the most promising way to reduce DAS-28, followed by MTX plus IGU therapy (92.80%) and TwHF plus IGU therapy (83.80%). In the analysis of the incidence of adverse events, MTX plus XF therapy (92.50%) had the least potential, while LEF therapy (22.10%) may cause more adverse events. At the same time, TwHF therapy, KX therapy, XF therapy and ZQFTN therapy were not inferior to MTX therapy.

Conclusions

TCMs with anti-inflammatory effect were not inferior to MTX therapy in the treatment of RA patients. Combining with TCMs can improve the clinic efficacy and reduce the possibility of adverse events of DMARDs, which may be a promising regimen.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022313569.