bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparación del grado de microfiltración en 3 sistemas restauradores utilizando adhesivos universales: estudio in vitro
Authors:   , Cahuayme Chavez Antonio Rodrigo
Published: February 2023

Introducción: Las resinas compuestas son el material más utilizado para restauraciones en la última década. Para colocarlas es necesario el uso de un sistema adhesivo que sirva de agente de unión entre la estructura dentaria y la restauración. Es ahí donde se colocan los sistemas adhesivos universales. Sin embargo, uno de los principales problemas en las restauraciones es la microfiltración. Esta se define como el paso de bacterias o fluidos entre el material restaurador y la cavidad preparada. Objetivo: Comparar el grado de microfiltración entre 3 sistemas restauradores utilizando adhesivos universales antes y después del proceso de termociclado. Metodología: Estudio experimental in vitro cuya muestra fue de 120 piezas anteriores de bovinos. Se utilizaron 3 marcas de sistemas restauradores para realizar restauraciones clase V (3M, FGM e IVOCLAR). Cada marca contó con un grupo control y un grupo experimental. Los grupos experimentales fueron sometidos a un proceso de termociclado. Seguido de ello, la totalidad de las muestras fueron sumergidas en azul de metileno durante 24 horas para su posterior corte y observación en el microscopio. Resultados: El sistema restaurador de la marca Ivoclar, demostró un menor grado de microfiltración en comparación con el grado de microfiltración de los sistemas restauradores de la marca 3M y FGM. La prueba de chi cuadrado demostró una diferencia significativa entre los grupos control y experimental. Conclusiones: Existe diferencia significativa en el grado de microfiltración en las restauraciones clase V utilizando 3 sistemas restauradores con adhesivos universales antes y después del termociclado.
Uveal metastasis arising from thyroid neoplasms: a systemic review of case reports
Authors: Abdollahi Mirsaeed , Nateghian Hooman , Fazlinejad Navid , Jafarizadeh Ali
Published: February 2023

Purpose: We systematically reviewed the case report literature to identify cases of uveal metastases (UM) originating from Thyroid Cancers (TCs) and evaluate this condition's demographic, ophthalmologic, and oncologic characteristics.
Methods: Web of Science, Medline, and Scopus databases were searched for case reports or series reporting uveal metastasis originating from a thyroid neoplasm. Articles published in any language from inception through November 2022 were searched and screened independently by two reviewers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case Reports.
Results: A total of 1049 records were detected. After removing duplicates and screening articles based on title, abstract, and full text, 46 cases from 43 studies were identified. The mean (SD) age of patients at the time of UM diagnosis was 56.521 (±15.68) years (range, 20–83 years), and 16 cases (34.78%) were reported in the elderly (˃64 years). Male patients consisted 56.52% (n=26) of the cases. Sixteen cases happened in the right eye, 19 in the left eye, and 11 cases in both eyes. In total, 39 cases (84.78%) had choroidal involvement. Papillary carcinoma was the most reported type of thyroid cancer in the patients (16/46), followed by follicular (15/46) and medullary (10/46) carcinomas of the thyroid.
Conclusion: Uveal metastases may appear in metastatic thyroid neoplasms. Therefore, physicians should maintain suspicion when ocular symptoms accompany a neck mass or a history of previous thyroid malignancies.
Design and implementation of a web-based, respondent-driven sampling solution
Authors: McGowan Catherine , Ekoriko Promise , Alhaffar Mervat , Cassidy-Seyoum Sarah , Whitbread Steven , Rogers Phil , Bell Lucy , Checchi Francesco
Published: February 2023

Background: Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) refers both to a chain-referral sampling method and an analytical model for analysing sampled data. Web-based respondent-driven sampling (webRDS) uses internet-based recruitment coupled with an electronic survey to carry out RDS studies. There is currently no commercially available webRDS solution. We designed and developed a webRDS solution to support a research study aimed at estimating mortality in Yemen. We report here on the design of the webRDS solution and its implementation. We developed a webRDS solution comprised of an existing survey platform (i.e. ODK) and a bespoke RDS system. The RDS system was designed to administer and manage the survey cascade and included: 1) an application programming interface, 2) a study participant client, and 3) an administrator interface.
Results: We consulted members of the Yemeni diaspora throughout the development of the solution. Technical obstacles were largely the result of WhatsApp’s policies on bulk messaging and automated messaging behaviour, the inherent constraints of SMS messaging and SMS filtering behaviour. Language support was straight-forward yet time consuming. Survey uptake was lower than expected. Factors which may have impacted uptake include: our use of consumable survey links, low interest amongst the diaspora population, lack of material incentives, and the length and subject matter of the survey itself. The SMS/WhatsApp messaging integration was relatively complex and limited the information we could send potential participants.
Conclusion: Despite lower-than expected survey uptake we believe our webRDS solution provides efficient and flexible means to survey a globally diverse population.
Aqueous and Vitreous Levels of Scube-1 in Patients With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Gediz Berrak Sekeryapan , DOGUIZI SIBEL , Senes Mehmet , Serin Fatih , Camgoz Esra Bahadir , Soba Dilek Özcelik , Eroglu Fatma Corak , Erol Yasemin Ozdamar
Published: February 2023

Background
To determine the aqueous humor and vitreous levels of SCUBE-1 in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
Methods
A total of 21 patients with PDR and 11 patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (control) were included in this case-control study. The patients with PDR were divided into two groups: patients with vitreous hemorrhage (VH) and patients with tractional retinal detachment (TRD) due to an active fibrovascular membrane. Aqueous and vitreous samples obtained at the beginning of surgery were analyzed for SCUBE-1 levels.
Results
The mean aqueous humor SCUBE-1 value (ng/mL) was 0.82 ± 0.18 in the VH group, 0.87 ± 0.36 in the TRD group and 0.75 ± 0.29 in the control group. There was no significant differences between groups in terms of aqueous humor SCUBE-1 levels (p > 0.05, for all values). The mean vitreous SCUBE-1 value (ng/mL) was 1.95 ± 0.52 in the VH group, 1.17 ± 0.29 in the TRD group and 0.89 ± 0.21 in the control group. Vitreous SCUBE-1 values in the VH group were significantly higher than in the TRD and control groups (p = 0.034 and p = 0.027, respectively). The difference between the TRD group and control group was also significant in terms of vitreous SCUBE-1 values (p = 0.044).
Conclusion
Higher vitreous SCUBE-1 levels in patients with VH indicate that SCUBE-1 can be a valuable marker of retinal ischemia in diabetic patients. Further, the lower vitreous levels of SCUBE-1 in patients with TRD may suggest that SCUBE-1 is specifically involved in the angiogenesis phase. Further studies are needed to define the role of SCUBE-1 in the course of PDR.
Aging and putative frailty biomarkers are altered by spaceflight
Authors: Camera Andrea , Tabetah Marshall , Castañeda Verónica , Kim JangKeun , Singh Aman , Haro-Vinueza Alissen , Salinas Ivonne , Seylani Allen , Arif Shehbeel , Das Saswati , Mori Marcelo , Carano Anthony , De Oliveira Lorraine Christine , Muratani Masafumi , Barker Richard , Zaksas Victoria , Goel Chirag , Dimokidis Eleni , Taylor Deanne , Jeong Jisu , Overbey Eliah , Meydan Cem , Porterfield D. Marshall , Díaz Juan , Caicedo Andrés , Schisler Jonathan , Laiakis Evagelia , Mason Christopher , Kim Man , Karouia Fathi , Szewczyk Nathaniel , Beheshti Afshin
Published: February 2023

Human space exploration is hazardous, causing molecular changes that can alter astronauts' health. This can include genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, increased inflammation, homeostatic dysregulation, and epigenomic changes. These alterations are similar to changes during aging on Earth. However, little is known about the link between these changes and disease development in space. Frailty syndrome is a robust predictor associated with biological aging, however its existence during spaceflight has not been examined. We used murine data from NASA’s GeneLab and astronaut data from JAXA and Inspiration4 missions to evaluate the presence of biological markers and pathways related to frailty, aging and sarcopenia. We identified changes in gene expression that could be related to the development of a frailty-like condition. These results suggest that the parallels between spaceflight and aging may extend to frailty as well. Future studies examining the utility of a frailty index in monitoring astronaut health appear warranted.
Dilute Acceptor-bound Excitons in a Monolayer Semiconductor
Authors: Loh Leyi , Xuan Fengyuan , Aguila Andres Granados del , Chen Yuan , Ho Yi Wei , Wang Junyong , Wang Zhe , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Koperski Maciej , Bosman Michel , Quek Su Ying , Eda Goki
Published: February 2023

Atomic defects in two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are promising single exciton traps for achieving quantum emission. However, excessively high density of defects often makes it impractical to optically address the quantum nature of such quasi-particles, preventing strategic exciton engineering. Here, we report a versatile strategy for dilute acceptor impurity doping of monolayer WS2, which enables the study of isolated bound excitons. We observe two distinct types of acceptor-bound excitons: one of them is characterized by a large binding energy, allowing its observation at room temperature and the other by an extremely narrow linewidth (< 1 meV), showing strong resemblance to quantum emitters in WSe2. Polarization-resolved spectroscopy and magnetic field dependence reveal their strong contribution of free exciton character. In particular, the latter type exhibits characteristics of acceptor-bound dark excitons. Our work demonstrates dilute impurity doping as a promising strategy towards optically addressable quantum states in monolayer semiconductors.
In Utero Exposure to Hormonal Contraception and Long-term Child Mortality: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Mørch Lina , Gamborg Mads , Hemmingsen Caroline , Skovlund Charlotte , Kjaer Susanne , Hargreave Marie
Published: February 2023

Approximately 400 million women of the reproductive-age use hormonal contraceptives worldwide. Eventually pregnancy sometimes occur due to irregular use. Use in early pregnancy has been found associated with child morbidities, including cancer, the main reason for disease-related death in children. Here, we add the missing piece about in utero exposure to hormonal contraception and child mortality in offspring; including assessments of prognosis in children with cancer. In utero exposure to hormonal contraception was associated with increased child mortality (hazard ratio (HR) 1.22 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.48), compared to children of mothers with previous use. The HRs were 1.22 (95% CI 0.99–1.13) for oral combined products and 2.92, (95% CI 1.21–7.04) for non-oral progestin only products. Poorer prognosis was also found in exposed children with leukemia (3.62 [95% CI: 1.33–9.87]). If causal, hormonal contraception in pregnancy seem detrimental for offspring health; and a marker of poorer prognosis in children with leukemia.
Pendelluft in Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome during Spontaneous breathing
Authors: Lin Wei-Chieh , Su Pei-Fan , Chen Chang-Wen
Published: February 2023

Background
Pendelluft occurs in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during spontaneous breaths. Quantifying pendelluft in ARDS patients has not been performed before. We combined electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and respiratory mechanics monitoring to quantitatively examine pendelluft in trigger and reverse triggering breaths in mechanically ventilated patients with ARDS.
Methods
EIT and respiratory mechanics measurements were analyzed in 20 mechanically ventilated patients with ARDS during transitioning from controlled to spontaneous breaths following discontinuance of myorelaxant under volume-cycled ventilation. Breath selection was based on 4 levels of esophageal pressure swing (∆Pes). These were rest (0 cm H2O, breaths = 200), low (< 5cm H2O, breaths = 471), moderate (≥ 5, < 10cm H2O, breaths = 906), and high effort (≥ 10cm H2O, breaths = 565). A total of 2,142 breaths were analyzed.
Results
The pendelluft response to breathing efforts varied and was significantly greater in trigger versus reverse triggering breaths (3.9 ± 6.8 vs 1.9 ± 2.8 ml, respectively, p < 0.0001). There were two distinct patterns of effort-related pendelluft (high vs. low pendelluft group) in trigger and reverse triggering breaths based on pendeluft- ∆Pes slope (ml/cmH2O). For trigger breaths, high pendelluft group (n = 9, slope 0.7 to 2.4 ml/cmH2O) was significantly associated with lower peak airway/plateau pressure and lower respiratory system/lung elastance than low pendelluft group (n = 11, slope − 0.1 to 0.3 ml/cmH2O). For reverse triggering breaths, there was no difference in respiratory mechanics between high (n = 4, 0.49 to 2.53 ml/cmH2O) and low pendelluft (n = 12, -0.22 to 0.25 ml/cmH2O) groups. The prediction of pendelluft by ∆Pes was characterized by a low positive predictive value. ARDS cases with high effort-related pendelluft were uncommon. The prediction of pendelluft was not significant in reverse triggering breaths.
Conclusions
Effort-related pendelluft should be individualized. Pendelluft is higher in trigger breaths than reverse triggering breaths. For trigger breaths, high pendelluft is likely to occur in ARDS patients with lower lung elastance and lower peak airway/plateau pressure. However, ARDS cases with high effort-related pendelluft were uncommon in our study population.
Diversity of marine cyanobacteria in island mangroves of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, Southeast India
Authors: Silambarasan Ganesan , Kathiresan Kandasamy
Published: February 2023

The present work analysed diversity of cyanobacteria in rhizosphere soil samples, collected from four mangrove species from seven islands of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, southeast India. A total of 103 cyanobacterial species belonging to 17 families were identified with 35 unicellular, 21 heterocystous and 47 non-heterocystous forms. The cyanobacterial count was positively correlated with temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and total organic carbon, and negatively correlated with salinity and trace metals. The cyanobacterial counts varied with islands and mangrove species and also with environmental parameters, nutrients and heavy metals. Soil salinity was the maximum (48±4.5 ppt) in Shingle Island and the minimum (25±3.1ppt) in Manoli Island but the temperature exhibited a reverse trend. Soil temperature was the lowest (25.1±3.1OC) in Shingle Island and the highest (31.5±4.1OC) in Manoli Island. The Manoli Island exhibited the maximum soil pH (8.8±1.7) and Eh (-131.2±34 mV). The soil pH was minimum in Kurusadai Island (6.7±1.1) while Eh was the lowest in Pullivasal Island (-198.2±41 mV).
Identification of a chromatin regulator signature and potential candidate drugs for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Mao Jiazhen , Li Yifan , Tang Weidong
Published: February 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cancerous tumor that has an unfavorable prognosis. The involvement of chromatin regulators (CRs) in the development of cancer is now supported by a growing body of research. Therefore, we aimed at investigate the function and prognostic importance of CRs in HCC patients. From the prior outstanding research, chromatin regulators (CRs) were obtained. The mRNA expression and clinical data were acquired from the TCGA database. Utilizing Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis, a risk model for predicting the outcome of HCC was created using the prognostic gene. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted in order to compare the prognosis between high-risk and low-risk groups. We also looked into the differences in drug sensitivity between high-risk and low-risk groups. To estimate prospective small molecule drug therapy, the CMAP dataset was employed. A 13 CRs-based model for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients was effectively built and verified. Furthermore, we discovered that the 13 CRs-based model was a standalone prognostic factor. Functional analysis suggested that the majority of the signaling pathways involved in cancer were enriched in CRs. The immune checkpoint and immune cell infiltration were also associated with the CR-based model. Several medications, including Docetaxel, DMOG, Dasatinib, Axitinib, and Vorinostat, were more sensitive for patients in the high-risk category. Eight small molecule drugs could be beneficial in the treatment of people with HCC. As a result, our research offered novel perspectives into the function of CRs in HCC. We identified a trustworthy prognostic biomarker for the survival of HCC patients.
Real-time Jellyfish Classification and Detection Algorithm Based on Improved YOLOv4-Tiny and Improved Underwater Image Enhancement Algorithm
Authors: Gao Meijing , Li Shiyu , Wang Kunda , Bai Yang , Ding Yan , Zhang Bozhi , Guan Ning , Wang Ping
Published: February 2023

Large-scale jellyfish outbreaks have caused a severe threat to both human life and marine ecology. Therefore, jellyfish-detecting technology has garnered a lot of interest. The paper investigates jellyfish detection and classification algorithms based on optical imagery and deep learning theory. First, an underwater image enhancement algorithm is proposed. In addition, the article creates a dataset of 11926 photos that contains seven jellyfish species and fish. An improved YOLOv4-tiny algorithm is suggested based on the Convolutional Block Attention Module and a better training approach. According to the results, the accuracy of the improved algorithm reaches 95.01%, which is 1.55% higher than the YOLOv4 algorithm and 2.55% higher than the YOLOv4-tiny algorithm. Additionally, the detection speed is 223 FPS, substantially faster than the YOLOv4 algorithm's 43.9 FPS. In conclusion, our method can detect the jellyfish accurately and quickly. The paper establishes the groundwork for developing a real-time submarine jellyfish monitoring system.
Vis-NIR-SWIR spectroscopy in mapping of soil physical-chemical attributes in areas cultivated with irrigated mango in the Brazilian semi-arid region
Authors: Souza Patrícia Araujo , Rodrigues Marcos Sales , Costa Daniel dos Santos , Silva Kátia Araújo da , Lima Augusto Miguel Nascimento
Published: February 2023

The adoption of specific soil management in agricultural areas requires a series of soil analyses, which is time-consuming and costly. In this context, Vis-NIR-SWIR spectroscopy (visible - near infrared - short-wave infrared) emerges as an alternative to determine soil attributes quickly, with lower cost and few environmental impacts. Thus, the objective of this study was to map the physical-chemical attributes of the soil in areas cultivated with irrigated mango in different soil classes in the Brazilian semi-arid region using Vis-NIR-SWIR spectroscopy. In total 318 soil samples were used. For these samples, the reflectance spectra were obtained (350 to 2500 nm) and the values of pH, EC (electrical condutivicty), Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, Al3+, P, H + Al, TOC (total organic carbon), sand and clay were determined by standard analytical methods. For the development of predictive models, the techniques of Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) were used. For the predictive models that had R2 above 0.50, the semivariograms and maps of the soil attributes determined by the reference methods and by Vis-NIR-SWIR spectroscopy were constructed. The PLSR and MLR regression models provided strong predictions for sand, clay and TOC, moderate for Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+, weak for pH, CE, K+ and Al3+ and very weak for H + Al and P. The maps of soil attributes showed the existence of spatial correlation with each other. Therefore, the Vis-NIR-SWIR spectroscopy is a potential tool for evaluation of soil and mapping of fruit growing areas.
An Urban Air Quality Assessment Based on a Meteorological Perspective
Authors: Kaya İbrahim , Özdemir Hüseyin , Çapraz Özkan , Atmaca Eyüp , Türkel Veysel , Deniz Ali , Demir Göksel , Ünal Alper
Published: February 2023

An integrated approach to understanding all measured pollutants with multi-discipline in different time scales and understanding the mechanisms hidden under low Air Quality conditions are essential for tackling potential air pollution issues. Sivas is a province located in the Eastern region of Türkiye with a developing industry and a growing population, and its climate is known as arid and cold. Since the end of 2016, the province has started to replace the habit of using coal for domestic heating and industry with natural gas. Despite this development, especially in Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5), the province reaches very high pollution values every winter, threatening public health. In this study, the air pollution of Sivas province was analysed with meteorological and PM2.5 data over six years. It was found that the winter period (January-February-November-December) of every year except 2019 -which has missing data- is the period with the highest air pollution in the province. In addition, the fact that the days exceeding the daily PM2.5 limit values in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021 were also seen in the spring and summer months caused the study to focus on additional emission sources such as long-range dust transport and road vehicles. The year 2017, which has the highest values, was analysed in detail. Pollution periods with the highest episodes in 2018 were analysed with the HYSPLIT and DREAM models. As a result of the study, the average PM2.5 values in 2017 were found to be 31.66 ± 19.2 µg/m3 and a correlation of -0.49 between temperature and PM2.5. As a result of model outputs, it was observed that the inversion is intensely observed in the province, which is associated with an increase of PM2.5 during the episodes. Especially on days with daily average PM2.5 values above 100 µg/m3, dust transport from the Arabian Peninsula is observed. Additionally, analysis of Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) data and PM pollution revealed a significant negative correlation (r=-0.61). It was noted that pollution persisted over the province during low PBL hours, particularly during high PM2.5 concentration periods.
Global per-capita CO 2 emission trends and the driving forces for shifts in the center of gravity
Authors: Yang Shuai , Wang Xuemei , Ge Zhongxi , Ma Mingguo
Published: February 2023

Background: Carbon emissions have received increasing international attention in recent years and countries have undertaken different measures to control emissions. Research into carbon emissions has also increased year by year, but remains mainly focused on national total carbon emissions, and per-capita carbon emissions have received less attention. This paper investigates spatial and temporal changes in per-capita carbon emissions and uses the Mann-Kendall test to assess the directions and magnitudes of trends, and to investigate abrupt changes in per-capita carbon emissions.
Results: We found the highest positive growth rate in Oman, at 0.439 mts/yr, and the highest negative growth rate in United Arab Emirates, at -0.462 mts/yr. If no further mitigation measures are taken, we estimate that the current emissions trends will persist into the future for 86% of countries. The number of change-points was greatest in 1994 and smallest in 1999. The shift in the center of gravity for per-capita carbon emissions changed direction in 2004. From 1992 to 2004, the gravity center for per-capita carbon emissions gradually shifted to the southwest, and, after 2004, it gradually shifted to the southeast until 2018.
Conclusions: Europe has entered the carbon reduction phase, but it is not yet significant, and carbon emissions are still increasing in the rest of the continent. The main driver for the westward shift in the gravity center before 2004 was that carbon emissions grew more strongly in the West than in the East before 2004, while the driver for the eastward shift in the gravity center after 2004 was a combination of emission reductions in the West and emission increases in the East.
Predictors of Anxiety, Depression, and Somatization: A Prospective Study of 1807 Cancer Patients Short title
Authors: Velasco-Durantez Veronica , Cruz-Castellanos Patricia , Hernandez Raquel , Rodriguez-Gonzalez Adan , Montes Ana Fernandez , Gallego Alejandro , Manzano-Fernandez Aranzazu , Sorribes Elena , Zafra Marta , Carmona-Bayonas Alberto , Calderon Caterina , Jimenez-Fonseca Paula
Published: February 2023

Cancer causes distress, resulting in anxiety, depression or somatization. The aim was to investigate sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors associated with psychological distress in cancer patients. This prospective and multicenter study, conducted by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), included two cohorts of patients with cancer (localized resected or advanced unresectable). They completed surveys to evaluate psychological distress (BSI-18), coping (MINI-MAC), and spirituality (FACIT-sp). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted. Between 2019-2022, 1807 patients were evaluated, mostly women (54%), average age 64 years. The most frequent primary cancers were colorectal (30%), breast (25%) and lung (18%). Older individuals (OR0.98, CI95% 0.97-0.99), and males (OR0.66, CI95% 0.51-0.84 and OR0.75, CI95% 0.58-0.97) had less anxiety and depression. Colorectal cancer patients had less depression (OR0.67, CI95% 0.47-0.95) and somatization (OR0.71, CI95% 0.52-0.97). Patients with localized cancer and with spiritual beliefs had lower levels of psychological distress, while those with anxious preoccupation had higher levels. After treatment, patients with pre-existing distress and anxious preoccupation experienced an increase in psychological distress while those with localized cancer showed reduced levels of anxiety and somatization. This study suggests that age, sex, extension and location of cancer, coping and spirituality influence psychological distress in cancer patients.
Relationship between moderate-to-vigorous, light intensity physical activity and sedentary behavior in a prospective cohort of older French adults: a 18-year follow-up of mortality and cardiovascular events ─ The PROOF cohort study
Authors: Dupré Caroline , Brégère Marlène , Berger Mathieu , Pichot Vincent , Celle Sébastien , Garet Martin , Fundenberger Hervé , Barth Nathalie , Guyot Jessica , Bongue Bienvenu , Barthélémy Jean-Claude , Roche Frédéric , HUPIN David
Published: February 2023

Background:It is well documented that moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) is effective in the prevention of major chronic diseases. Even though the current international physical activity (PA) guidelines still mainly focus on MVPA, the topic of the most recent epidemiological studies has shifted from MVPA to light intensity physical activity (LPA), owing to the necessity of promoting all activities vs. sedentary behavior (SB). However, the evidence remains currently limited. Thus, the clarification of the effects of LPA and the close relationship with SB is crucial to promote public health.Method:PA and SB were assessed by a validated self-administered questionnaire (POPAQ) investigating 5 different types of PA during the 7 previous days. PA was measured in metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-h, which refers to the amount of energy (calories) expended per hour of PA. SB was measured in hour/day. Medical histories and examinations were taken during each clinical visit to determine clinical events. All-cause mortality was established using the same procedure and by checking local death registries. The relationships between the intensity of PA (light, moderate to vigorous) and mortality and between the periods of SB and mortality or CV events were analyzed by splines and COX models, adjusted for sex and year of birth.Results:From the 1011 65-year-old subjects initially included in 2001 (60% women), the last 18-year follow-up has been currently completed since 2019. A total of 197 deaths (19.2%, including 77 CV deaths) and 195 CV events (19.3%) were reported. Averages (standard deviation) of MVPA, LPA and SB were respectively 1.2 h/d (0.3), 5.8 h/d (1.1) and 6.6 h/d (2.3). For all-cause deaths, as well as CV deaths, the splines were significant for LPA (p=0.04 and p=0.01), and MVPA (p<0.001 and p<0.001), but not for SB (p=0.24 and p=0.90). There was a significant reduction in CV events when SB was decreasing from 10.9 to 3.3 h/d.Conclusion:The PROOF cohort study shows a clear dose-response between the dose of LPA, MVPA, SB and risk of mortality. These findings provide additional evidence to support the inclusion of LPA in future PA guidelines.
β-sitosterol improves the permeability of lung epithelial cells by inhibiting the NF-kB pathway
Authors: Chen Xingdong , Chen Juan , Ren Yi , Wang Mengmeng , Yang Zhizhou , Zhang Wei , Li Quan , Liu Chao , Sun Zhaorui , Nie Shinan
Published: February 2023

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of the protective effect of beta-sitosterol (BS) on sepsis-induced lung injury.
METHODS: A mouse model of sepsis-induced lung injury was established by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP). The murine lung epithelial (MLE-12) cells injury model was established by challenging LPS. Evans blue staining, lung wet/dry mass ratio (W/D), and the total protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were used to assess the changes in lung tissue permeability. HE staining was performed to observe the histopathological changes in lung tissues. ELISA was examined to determine IL-6 and TNF-α inflammatory factors in each group of lung tissues and cells. The protein levels of claudin-4, claudin-5, Bcl-2, Bax, p65 and p-p65 were detected by western blotting or immunofluorescence. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran extravasation as a measure of MLE-12 cells permeability.
RESULTS: BS attenuated lung tissue pathological changes caused by sepsis, reduced the level of inflammatory factors and decreased the permeability of lung tissue and MLE-12 cells. Moreover, BS inhibited NF-kB signaling pathway to upregulate tight junction proteins claudin-4 and claudin-5 thereby improving septic lung epithelial cell permeability.
CONCLUSION: BS reduces the level of inflammatory factors by inhibiting NF-kB signaling pathway and regulates the expression of tight junction proteins claudin-4 and claudin-5 to improve the barrier function of lung epithelial cells, thus improving lung injury caused by sepsis.
Incidence and Potential Risk Factors of Human Cytomegalovirus Infection in Patients with Severe and Critical COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Imoto Waki , Imai Takumi , Kawai Ryota , Ihara Yasutaka , Nonomiya Yuta , Namikawa Hiroki , Yamada Koichi , Yoshida Hisako , Kaneko Yukihiro , Shintani Ayumi , Kakeya Hiroshi
Published: February 2023

Background
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) reactivation occurs in immunosuppressed individuals and is known to increase mortality. Although patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are often associated with steroid use and intensive care unit (ICU) treatment and may be at risk for comorbid HCMV reactivation, there are still insufficient studies. This study aimed to examine the incidence and potential risk factors of HCMV infection in patients with severe COVID-19 and evaluate the relationship between HCMV infection and mortality.
Methods
We used administrative claims data from advanced treatment hospitals in Japan to identify and analyze patients with severe or critical COVID-19. We explored potential risk factors for HCMV infection using multivariable regression models and its contribution to mortality in patients with COVID-19.
Results
Overall, 33,151 patients who progressed to severe or critical COVID-19 illness were identified. The incidence of HCMV infection was 0.3–1.7%. Steroids, immunosuppressants, ICU admission, and blood transfusion were strongly associated with HCMV reactivation. Furthermore, HCMV reactivation was associated with patient mortality independent of the observed risk factors for death.
Conclusions
HCMV infection is a notable complication in patients with COVID-19 receiving steroids, immunosuppressants, ICU admission, and blood transfusion, and it can significantly increase mortality risk.
Cooking the books: Pervasive over-crediting from cookstoves offset methodologies
Authors: Gill-Wiehl Annelise , Kammen Daniel , Haya Barbara
Published: February 2023

Carbon offsets from improved cookstove projects could advance Sustainable Development Goals 13 (climate), 7 (energy), 5 (gender), and 3 (health). To legitimately "offset" emissions, methodologies must accurately or conservatively quantify climate impact. We conduct the first comprehensive, quantitative over/under crediting analysis of five cookstove methodologies, comparing them against published literature and our own analysis. We find misalignment, in order of importance, with: fraction of non-renewable biomass, fuel consumption, stove adoption, usage, and stacking, emission factors, rebound, and firewood-charcoal conversion factor. Additionality and leakage require more research. We estimate that our project sample, on average, is over-credited by 6.3 times. Gold Standard’s Metered and Measured methodology, which directly monitors fuel use, is most aligned with our estimates (only 1.3 times over-credited) and is best suited for fuel switching projects which provide the most abatement potential and health benefit. We provide specific recommendations for aligning all methodologies with current science.
Novel role of GPR109A in thymic regulatory T cell development
Authors: Macia Laurence , Ni Duan , Tan Jian , Robert Remy , Taitz Jemma , Ge Anjie , Potier-Villette Camille , Reyes Julen , Spiteri Alanna , Wishart Claire , Mackay Charles , Piccio Laura , King Nicholas
Published: February 2023

Regulatory T cells (Treg) maintain immune homeostasis due to their anti-inflammatory functions. They can be generated either centrally in the thymus or in peripheral organs. Metabolites such as short chain fatty acids produced by intestinal microbiota can induce peripheral Treg differentiation, by activating G-protein-coupled-receptors like GPR109A. In this study, we identified a novel role for GPR109A on thymic Treg development. We found that Gpr109a-/- mice had increased Treg under basal conditions in multiple organs compared to wild type mice (WT). GPR109A was not expressed on T cells but on medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), as revealed by single cell RNA sequencing in both mice and humans and confirmed by flow cytometry in mice. mTECs isolated from Gpr109a-/- mice had higher expression of autoimmune regulator (AIRE), the key regulator of Treg development, while the subset of mTECs that did not express Gpr109a displayed increased Aire expression and enhanced signalling related to mTEC functionality as well. Increased thymic Treg in Gpr109a-/- mice was associated with protection from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, with ameliorated clinical signs and reduced inflammation.
This work identifies a novel role for GPR109A and by extension, the gut microbiota, on thymic Treg development via its regulation of mTECs.
Anti-corruption and cigarette consumption: Evidence from China
Authors: Liu Wei , Xiao Junji , Zheng Bingyong
Published: February 2023

This study proposes a theory on the impact of corruption on luxury goods consumption. We test the theory and evaluate the effectiveness of China's anti-corruption campaign in 2012 by conducting a difference-in-differences analysis of product-city-level cigarette consumption from 2007 to 2014. We find that the campaign increased sales of middle-end cigarettes but decreased sales of luxury cigarettes, in contrast with the trend for low-end cigarettes. This substitution pattern may be attributable to a decrease in public spending on luxury goods. This substitution pattern is moderated by officials' wages and anti-corruption efforts, which supports the theoretical predictions.
JEL Classification: H23, Q52, R11
Lorentz estimates for entropy solutions of higher-order nonlinear elliptic equations with L1 data
Authors: Tian Hong , Wang Xue
Published: February 2023

The Lorentz regularity of entropy solutions to higher-order nonlinear elliptic equations, including the p-Laplace equation, is established under minimal integrability assumptions on the data. Here, the Lorentz estimates on |Dmu| with m ≥ 1 and |u| are obtained via rearrangement estimates on their upper-level set. This work is an extension of Alvion-Ferone-Trombetti’s work [2] for the second-order elliptic equations.
MR(2010) Subject Classification: Primary: 35B65, 35J30; Secondary: 46E30, 31B15.
Metabolic relationships and niche differentiation between ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and complete ammonia oxidizers in soil ecosystems
Authors: Gong Longda , Ma Tiantian , Yang Xiaoyu , Li Yong , Zhang Qichun
Published: February 2023

Background: Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox) play a crucial role in nitrification, which is an essential process in terrestrial nitrogen cycling. However, partitioning of their ecological niches has never previously been demonstrated. In this study, we conducted batch incubation and applied a combination of 13C-stable isotopes and multiple inhibitor methods for the first time to elucidate the metabolic pathways and interactions of AOA, AOB, and comammox in soil subjected to different durations of winter irrigation.
Results: The results showed that the proportion of organic 13C-labeled AOA and comammox increased by 14.4–75.5% after adding 13C-labeled organic matter. Meanwhile, the abundance of 13C-AOA and 13C-comammox increased by 80.3% and 64.2%, respectively, whereas AOA inhibition reduced 13C-labeled comammox abundance. The combined nitrification potential of AOA and AOB was lower than the sum of the independent nitrification potentials of AOA and AOB, and AOA and AOB co-occurrence increased the nitrification potential of comammox from 42–45% to 55–58%.
Conclusions: Our findings proved that AOA and comammox can directly or indirectly utilize organic substances and exert complex metabolic mechanisms, and indicated that AOA and comammox are synergistic and have common C metabolism pathways. These results provided the first evidence of niche partitioning among AOA, AOB, and comammox in soils. The study provides a reference for future studies attempting to elucidate the genetic and metabolic associations among these three microbial functional groups.
Dynamic changes in the respiratory tract and gut antibiotic resistome of patients with COVID-19 and its association with disease severity
Authors: Shen Yifei , Qu Wenxin , Yu Fei , Zhang Dan , Zou Qianda , Han Dongsheng , Xie Mengxiao , Chen Xiao , Yuan Lingjun , Lou Bin , Xie Guoliang , Wang Ruonan , Yang Xianzhi , Chen Weizhen , Wang Qi , Feng Baihuan , Teng Yun , Dong Yuejiao , Huang Li , Bao Jiaqi , Liu Chang , Wu Wei , Shen Enhui , Fan Longjiang , Timko Michael P. , Zheng Shufa , Chen Yu
Published: February 2023

Background
The antibiotic resistome is the collection of all the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) present in an individual. Whether an individual’s susceptibility to infection and the eventual severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is influenced by their respiratory tract antibiotic resistome is unknown. Additional, whether a relationship exists between the respiratory tract and gut antibiotic resistance genes composition has not been fully explored.
Method
We recruited 66 patients with COVID-19 at three disease stages (admission, progression and recovery) and conducted a metagenome sequencing analysis of 143 sputum and 97 fecal samples obtained from them. Respiratory tract, gut metagenomes, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptomes are analyzed to compare the gut and respiratory tract ARGs of intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU (nICU) patients and determine relationships between ARGs and immune response.
Results
Among the respiratory tract ARGs, we found that Aminoglycoside, Multidrugand Vancomycin are increased in ICU patients compared with nICU patients. In the gut, we found that Multidrug, Vancomycin and Fosmidomycinwere increased in ICU patients. Upon further investigation a significantly positive correlation was found between the relative abundance in ARGs (i.e., subtypes of the Aminoglycoside and Tetracyclinetypes) in the respiratory tract and gut. We discovered that the relative abundances of Multidrug were significantly correlated with clinical indices, and there was a significantly positive correlation between ARGs and microbiota in respiratory tract and gut. We found that immune related pathways in PBMC were enhanced, and they were significantly correlated with the relative abundance of Multidrug, Vancomycin and Tetracycline ARGs. Based on the relative abundance of ARG types, we built a respiratory tract-gut ARG combined random-forest classifier to distinguish ICU COVID-19 patients from nICU patients with an AUC of 0.969. The level of Aminoglycoside and Vancomycinin the gut was regarded as the most prominent biomarker.
Conclusions
Cumulatively, our findings provide some of the first insights into the dynamic alterations of respiratory tract and gut antibiotic resistome in the progression of COVID-19 and disease severity. They also provide a better understanding of how this disease affects different cohorts of patients. As such, these findings should contribute to better diagnosis and treatment scenarios.
Environmentally friendly protection of European beech wood (Fagus sylvatica) against fire and fungal decay using a combination of thermal modification and mineralisation
Authors: REPIČ Rožle , PONDELAK Andreja , KRŽIŠNIK Davor , HUMAR Miha , KNEZ Nataša , KNEZ Friderik , ŠKAPIN Andrijana SEVER
Published: February 2023

The demand for construction timber is continuously increasing, due to its excellent mechanical properties, renewable nature and easy accessibility. As it is flammable and susceptible to biodegradation, however, the adequate protection of wood is key to its successful use. Given that thermal modification enhances the durability of wood, and mineralisation with CaCO3 considerably improves its fire properties, it is worth considering the synergistic effects of the two methods combined.
European beech (Fagus sylvatica) was selected for this study to determine the effects of a) thermal modification at 220 °C, b) mineralisation through the in-situ formation of CaCO3 inside the wood’s structure, and c) a combination of the two procedures, on resistance to decay fungi, reaction to fire and the mechanical properties of the wood. Microscopic analysis and comparisons of the samples before and after exposure to fungi were also conducted.
Mineralised samples generally have a slightly alkaline pH value and a higher equilibrium moisture content, while thermal modification lowers the equilibrium moisture content. The mineralisation of beech wood significantly improved its reaction to fire and biological durability. We proved the synergistic effect of thermal modification and mineralisation: the best response to fire as well as resistance to fungi was achieved when the two treatments were combined. Results from the Brinell hardness and three-point bending tests indicate that both modification procedures can slightly impair the mechanical properties of the wood.
Due to their favourable characteristics, such wood-inorganic composites have great potential for use in construction industry.
A Direct Method of Moving Planes for Logarithmic Schrödinger Operator
Authors: Zhang Rong , Kumar Vishvesh , Ruzhansky Michael
Published: February 2023

Note: Please see pdf for full abstract with equations.
In this paper, we study the radial symmetry and monotonicity of nonnegative solutions to nonlinear equations involving the logarithmic Schr¨odinger operator (I − Δ)log corresponding to the logarithmic symbol log(1 + |ξ|2), which is a singular integral operator given by
(I − Δ)logu(x) = cNP.V.∫RN u(x) − u(y) / |x − y|N κ(|x − y|)dy,
where cN = π−N/2 , κ(r) = 21−N/2 r N/2 KN/2(r) and Kν is the modified Bessel function of the second kind with index ν. The proof hinges on a direct method of moving planes for the logarithmic Schrödinger operator.
Slim U-Net: Efficient Anatomical Feature Preserving U-net Architecture for Ultrasound Image Segmentation
Authors: Raina Deepak , Verma Kashish , Chandrashekhara Sheragaru Hanumanthappa , Saha Subir Kumar
Published: February 2023

We investigate the applicability of U-Net based models for segmenting Urinary Bladder (UB) in male pelvic view UltraSound (US) images. The segmentation of UB in the US image aids radiologists in diagnosing the UB. However, UB in US images has arbitrary shapes, indistinct boundaries and considerably large inter- and intra-subject variability, making segmentation a quite challenging task. Our study of the state-of-the-art (SOTA) segmentation network, U-Net, for the problem reveals that it often fails to capture the salient characteristics of UB due to the varying shape and scales of anatomy in the noisy US image. Also, U-net has an excessive number of trainable parameters, reporting poor computational efficiency during training. We propose a Slim U-Net to address the challenges of UB segmentation. Slim U-Net proposes to efficiently preserve the salient features of UB by reshaping the structure of U-Net using a less number of 2D convolution layers in the contracting path, in order to preserve and impose them on expanding path. To effectively distinguish the blurred boundaries, we propose a novel annotation methodology, which includes the background area of the image at the boundary of a marked region of interest (RoI), thereby steering the model's attention towards boundaries. In addition, we suggested a combination of loss functions for network training in the complex segmentation of UB. The experimental results demonstrate that Slim U-net is statistically superior to U-net for UB segmentation. The Slim U-net further decreases the number of trainable parameters and training time by 54% and 57.7%, respectively, compared to the standard U-Net, without compromising the segmentation accuracy.