bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antenatal findings and early postnatal outcomes in pregnancies with trisomy 21: a 10-year retrospective review at a tertiary centre
Authors: Stott Daniel , Santos Francois Dos , Rodgers Anna , Holgado Elaine , Pandya Pranav
Published: September 2021

Objective To examine the antenatal imaging features, intrapartum
findings and early postpartum course of pregnancies with trisomy 21
(T21). Design Ten-year retrospective review Setting A tertiary hospital
in the United Kingdom Population Women with a pregnancy affected by T21,
who did not have a termination. Methods Women with pregnancies diagnosed
with T21 on: antenatal karyotyping; karyotyping of post-mortem tissue
and postnatal karyotype samples, from February 2010-2020. Main Outcome
Measures Antenatal imaging findings, fetal growth restriction (FGR),
birthweight, mode of delivery, and early neonatal outcomes. Results
Seventy-six women with a fetus affected by T21 were identified. There
were 6 intrauterine deaths, and 70 livebirths. Thirty-eight (50%) had
an antenatal diagnosis and twenty-five (33%) had a suspected diagnosis
but declined further testing. The diagnosis was unanticipated in 13
(17%). Cardiac anomalies (n=27) were the most common antenatal anomaly.
Doppler abnormalities were apparent in 48/73 (68%). Eighteen (25.7%)
had ultrasound evidence of FGR. The majority delivered by Caesarean
section, and 21.4% of babies weighed below the 3rd percentile at
delivery. Fifty-eight (82%) were admitted to the neonatal unit.
Forty-three (61%) required respiratory support and fifty-five (78%)
either needed naso-gastric feeding or were nil by mouth. Mean PAPP-A
values were significantly lower in cases with abnormal Dopplers, FGR,
congenital anomalies and with a birthweight below the 10th percentile.
Conclusions Fetuses with T21 have high rates of placental insufficiency.
FGR and Doppler abnormalities are common. Postnatally, the majority will
require respiratory and feeding support. Antenatal counselling and
protocols should reflect these risks. Funding None
Pregnancy-related urinary and faecal incontinence: systematic and longitudinal collection of Patient-Reported Outcome measures in a large Italian population.
Authors: Ferrari Amerigo , Bonciani Manila , Russo Eleonora , Mannella Paolo , Simoncini Tommaso , Vainieri Milena
Published: September 2021

Objective To investigate urinary/faecal incontinence (UI/FI) prevalence
during pregnancy and postpartum, and the main risk and protective
factors, in a large Italian population. Design Prospective observational
analysis of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. Population and
setting All pregnant women agreed to participate to the systematic and
longitudinal survey on the maternity pathway in Tuscany, Italy. Methods
We employed data from four questionnaires completed by women from the
beginning of pregnancy until six-months postpartum. Each questionnaire
included two PRO measures – the Wexner scale for FI and the
International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire for UI –, and
several questions investigating the socio-demographic and clinical
features of respondents. Main outcomes The UI/FI prevalence at each
time-point and the related risk and protective factors. Results Among
our 6,023 respondents, UI prevalence in the third trimester was 24.3%
and almost halved six-months postpartum. Women reporting FI were 6.2%
in the third trimester and 4.2% six-months postpartum. Higher UI
occurrence and severity were found in highly-educated, aged
> 30, and overweight/obese women. Caesarean-section was
protective against postpartum UI, while spontaneous tear or episiotomy
were risk factors. Protective effects were provided by performing
pelvic-floor-muscle-training during pregnancy, mainly for specific risk
groups. Furthermore, higher FI prevalence and severity emerged in
overweight, aged > 40, highly-educated, non-Italian women
and in those undergoing tear. Conclusion PRO measures systematically and
longitudinally collected in a large Italian population highlighted the
prevalence of pregnancy-related UI/FI and the risk and protective
factors. Pelvic-floor-muscle-training may be recommended in women with
peculiar socio-demographic and clinical features.
Emergency surgical treatment of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection
Authors: Yongtao Wu , Fan Xiangming , Li Chen , Wang Dong , Su Junwu , Can Jin , Zhiyi Wang
Published: September 2021

Background: This study explores the strategy and effect of emergency
surgical treatment for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection
(TAPVC). Methods: From March 2009 to February 2020, 78 patients with
TAPVC underwent emergency surgical correction. There were 51 males and
27 females. The median age was 39.5 days, and the median weight was 4.0
kg. The preoperative percutaneous oxygen saturation was 80.8±4.5%.
Results: Of the cases investigated, seven died during the perioperative
period, 16 had delayed chest closure, 19 had early pulmonary vein
obstruction, two had secondary tracheal intubation, one had a brain
complication, and one had third-degree atrioventricular block. Low
weight, younger age, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and aortic cross-clamp
time were identified as risk factors for early mortality. During the
follow-up from four to 137 months, 12 cases did not respond to follow
up. Ten patients died within one to six months after discharge. One
patient underwent reoperation due to pulmonary vein obstruction. The
longer hospital stays after operation and intensive care unit time were
identified as risk factors for late mortality. Conclusions: Emergency
surgery for severe TAPVC patients after admission had achieved good
results in the near future. Prenatal diagnosis should be strengthened to
save more patients. The higher late mortality rate indicates that such
patients should strengthen post-discharge management to reduce the
occurrence of post-discharge deaths.
Smoothing Splines of Apex Predator Movement: Functional modeling strategies for exploring animal behavior and social interactions
Authors: Whetten Andrew
Published: September 2021

The collection of animal position data via GPS tracking devices has
increased in quality and usage in recent years. Animal position and
movement, although measured discretely, follows the same principles of
kinematic motion, and as such, the process is inherently continuous and
differentiable. I demonstrate the functionality and visual elegance of
smoothing spline models. I discuss the challenges and benefits of
implementing such an approach, and I provide an analysis of movement and
social interaction of seven jaguars inhabiting the Taiamã Ecological
Station, Pantanal, Brazil. In the analysis, I derive measures for
pairwise distance, cooccurence and spatiotemporal associaton between
jaguars, borrowing ideas from density estimation and information theory.
These measures are feasible as a result of spline model estimation, and
they provide a critical tool for a deeper investigation of cooccurence
duration, frequency, and localized spatio-temporal relationships between
animals.
A glimpse at an early stage of microbe domestication revealed in the variable genome of Torulaspora delbrueckii, an emergent industrial yeast
Authors: Silva Margarida , Pontes Ana , Franco-Duarte Ricardo , Soares Pedro , Sampaio Jose Paulo , Sousa Maria , Brito Patrícia
Published: September 2021

The yeast Torulaspora delbrueckii is gaining importance for
biotechnology due to its ability to increase wine sensorial complexity
and for enhancing pre-frozen bread dough leavening. However, little is
known about its population structure, variation in gene content, or
possible domestication routes. Here, we address these issues and update
the delimitation of T. delbrueckii along five major clades. Among the
three European clades, a basal lineage is associated with the wild
arboreal niche, while the two other lineages are linked with anthropic
environments, one to wine fermentations and the other to diverse sources
including dairy products and bread dough (Mix- Anthropic clade). Using
62 genomes we identified 5629 genes in the pangenome of T. delbrueckii
and 270 genes in the cloud genome. A pangenome tree analysis showed that
wine strains have a genome composition more similar to European wild
arboreal strains than to those of the Mix Anthropic clade, in
contradiction with the phylogenetic analysis. An association of gene
content and ecology gave further support to the hypothesis that the Mix
- Anthropic clade has the most specialized genome content and indicated
that some of the exclusive genes were implicated in galactose and
maltose utilization. More detailed analyses traced the acquisition of a
cluster of GAL genes in strains associated with dairy products and the
expansion and functional diversification of MAL genes in strains
isolated from bread dough. Contrary to S. cerevisiae, domestication in
T. delbrueckii is not primed by alcoholic fermentation and appears to be
a recent event.
Event-scale flow and sediment generation responses to agricultural land cover change in lowland UK catchments
Authors: Escobar-Ruiz Veronica , Smith Hugh , Macdonald Neil , Peñuela Andres
Published: September 2021

Agricultural land use can increase runoff and erosion leading to
detrimental downstream impacts. This paper examines the impact of
agricultural land cover change on runoff and sediment generation at
event scales using a model-based approach. SHETRAN, a physically based,
spatially distributed model, was applied in two southwest England
catchments to represent: (a) changes in the land cover (cropland extent
and spatial arrangement), (b) changes in crop type, and (c) use of
riparian buffer strips. A total of 84 simulated events within a 4-year
period were used to quantify flow and sediment generation impacts. We
found past changes in land cover resulted in significant differences in
sediment yield (p < 0.05). Linear regression showed an
increase in flow and sediment yield proportional to increases in arable
crop area (p < 0.001). The spatial arrangement of cropped
fields and riparian buffer strips produced no significant differences in
event flow or sediment yield (p > 0.05). However, buffer
strip scenarios compared with the base run showed sediment load
reductions in specific events, up to 20% and 15% for woodland and
grass riparian buffers, respectively. When comparing crop types with and
without the use of post-harvest cover crops, we observed non-significant
differences (both Qv and Sy). However, large reductions in modelled
sediment yields occurred for some events (e.g., up to 60% for winter
cereals, 50% for maize and 74% for spring cereals). For these
scenarios, examination of rainfall event magnitude emphasized the
importance of ground cover in mitigating soil erosion for maize and
spring cereals, but not for winter cereals. Our findings indicate that
significant changes in sediment delivery at the event scale are
associated with cropland extent and crop types, depending on rainfall
magnitude, but not on the spatial arrangement of cropped fields or the
use of riparian buffer strips.
CYP1A expression in freshwater fish of western New York as an indicator of pollution levels
Authors: Williams Rebecca , Koetsier Teri , Johnson Seema , Miller Kayla , Taggart Theresa , Dinchman Amber
Published: September 2021

Various species of freshwater fish regulate the expression of certain
proteins in response to environmental contamination. Previous research
has shown that CYP1A expression increases in response to contaminant
levels, and can result in increased tumor formation. Fish in
contaminated environments would thus benefit by downregulating the
expression of CYP1A to reduce tumor prevalence as an adaptive strategy.
Alternatively, regulation of the CYP1A protein in fish can serve as a
bioindicator of the pollution level of an environment. This study
evaluated CYP1A expression in twelve different species of freshwater
fish from seven bodies of water throughout western NY including Cuba
Lake, Genesee River, Hanging Bog, Love Canal, Moss Lake, Rushford Lake
and Tifft Nature Preserve. Western blot analysis was used to measure
CYP1A expression as a marker of site pollution and potential fish
population adaptation. It was hypothesized that low CYP1A expression at
a site with known contamination would suggest signs of adaptation to
pollution levels present. Furthermore, if at least one sample from a
species showed CYP1A expression, then the CYP1A antibody (Caymen
Chemical, USA; 173132) had compatibility with that species, eliminating
falsely suspected adaptation. The results from this study suggest
possible adaptation of fish may be occurring in the polluted Tifft
Nature Preserve and Genesee River. In contrast, CYP1A expression in fish
from Cuba Lake, Hanging Bog, Love Canal, Moss Lake, and Rushford Lake
appear to represent known pollution levels and adaptation is not likely
occurring. Results from this study are preliminary and next steps
include collection and analysis of sediment to provide a stronger
correlation between pollution at sites and CYP1A expression.
Large-Time Behavior of Magnetohydrodynamics with Temperature-Dependent Coefficients
Authors: Dandan Song
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we investigate the initial and boundary value problem of
a planar magnetohydrodynamic system with temperature-dependent
coefficients of transport, heat conductivity, and magnetic diffusivity
coefficients. When all of the relative coefficients are exponentially
related to the temperature, the existence and uniqueness of the
global-in-time non-vacuum strong solutions are proven under some special
assumptions. At the same time, the nonlinearly exponential stability of
the solutions is obtained. In fact, the initial data could be large if
the positive growth exponent of viscosity is small enough.
Combustion behaviors of hydrogenated and unhydrogenated colophony esters/petroleum resins using TG-FTIR and DFT analysis
Authors: Zhou Dan , Chen Xiaopeng , Liang Jiezhen , Wei Xiaojie , Wu Chenghong , He Yaoliang , Wang Linlin
Published: September 2021

The combustion behavior of tackifying resins (such as glycerol ester of
colophony/hydrogenated colophony and C9/hydrogenated C9 petroleum resin,
namely GEC, GEHC, C9PR and HC9PR, respectively) were investigated using
TG-FTIR and density functional theory (DFT) analyses. Results from
combustion characteristics indicate tackifying resins and their wastes
are a promising fuel for generating energy. The average activation
energies obtained by Friedman method for GEC, GEHC, C9PR and HC9PR were
223.51, 162.16, 166.52 and 116.20 kJ/mol, respectively, revealing that
(H)C9PR were more readily combustible than GE(H)C, and their
hydrogenated products burned more easily than their unhydrogenated ones,
which were strongly supported by the TG-FTIR results. DFT calculations
also show that the bond dissociation energy of C-C bond of GEC is higher
than those of C9PR and GEHC. The best appropriate reaction mechanism
evaluated by integral master plots is f(α)=3(1-α)2/3. Volatiles are
mainly composed of H2O, CH4, CO2, CO, alcohol, aromatic and carbonyl
compounds.
Is pulse oximeter a reliable tool for non-critically ill patients with COVID-19?
Authors: Kaya Aslıhan Gürün , Öz Miraç , KALKAN İREM AKDEMİR , Gülten Ezgi , AYDIN güle , Azap Alpay , Kaya Akin
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Guidelines recommend using a pulse oximeter rather than
arterial blood gas (ABG) for COVID-19 patients. However, significant
differences can be observed between oxygen saturation measured by pulse
oximetry (SpO2) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) in some clinical
conditions. We aimed to assess the reliability of pulse oximeter in
patients with COVID-19 Methods: We retrospectively reviewed ABG analyses
and SpO2 levels measured simultaneously with ABG in patients
hospitalized in COVID-19 wards. Results: We categorized total 117
patients into two groups; in whom the difference between SpO2 and SaO2
was 4% (acceptable difference) and >4% (large
difference). Large difference group exhibited higher neutrophil count,
C-reactive protein, ferritin, fibrinogen, D-dimer and lower lymphocyte
count. Multivariate analyses revealed that increased fibrinogen,
increased ferritin and decreased lymphocyte count were independent risk
factors for large difference between SpO2 and SaO2. The total study
group demonstrated the negative bias of 4.02% with the limits of
agreement of −9.22% to 1.17%. The bias became significantly higher in
patients with higher ferritin, fibrinogen levels and lower lymphocyte
count. Conclusion: Pulse oximeters may not be sufficient to assess
actual oxygen saturation especially in COVID-19 patients with high
ferritin and fibrinogen levels and low lymphocyte count low SpO2
measurements.
Transillumination: No one outwits me
Authors: Armenta-Moreno Javier , Espinola-Zavaleta Nilda , Berarducci Joaquin
Published: September 2021

A 67-year-old woman with a history of mechanical valve replacement;
after the dental procedure, she developed dyspnea, malleolar edema, and
fever. The 2D transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed no evidence of
valve obstruction, mild paravalvular leak, and no vegetations. In the 3D
TEE, the presence of masses suggestive of vegetations on the auricular
surface of the prosthesis was suspected which were more precisely
defined with transillumination rendering. This technique allowed us to
observe with precision the vegetations that were not visualized with
traditional methods. This highlights its usefulness in patients with
prosthetic valves where infective endocarditis is a serious
complication.
Spontaneous adverse event reporting by COVID-19 vaccinated healthcare professionals through an electronic form implemented by the hospital pharmacy
Authors: Cruz João , Carvalho Cristina , Silva Paula , Costa Leila , Simões Raquel , Marques Rui , Castro Ana , Leite Ema , Galaio Luis , Correia Ana , Gonçalves João Manuel Braz
Published: September 2021

Aim Implementation of a web-form based pharmacovigilance plan for the
spontaneous notification of adverse events to the Comirnaty® COVID-19
vaccine during its administration to hospital healthcare professionals.
Methods An electronic pharmacovigilance form was developed containing 8
pre-defined event options, an open answer option for the description of
other events and/or symptoms, and a question about the overall intensity
of symptoms. The adverse events reports were standardised according to
physiological and pathological condition. Results A total of 4119
adverse events notifications were obtained with a 45% rate of
electronic notification. The most clinically relevant events reported
were: tachycardia (n=19), dyspnoea (n=7), chest pain (n=6),
facial/labial oedema (n=6), lipothymia (n=5), bronchospasm (n=2),
herpetic infection (n=2), vasculitis (n=2), arrhythmia (n=1), difficult
to control arterial hypertension (n=1), gastritis (n=1) and spontaneous
abortion (n=1). Regarding the intensity of symptoms (n=2928), 70.0%
were reported as mild, 25.8% as moderate and 4.27% as severe, with
higher intensity in the 2nd dose compared to 1st dose. The highest
frequency of severe events were reported in the groups from 40 to 59
years in both vaccination periods. During the vaccination process, no
hospitalisations and no deaths were notified and/or recorded. Conclusion
In this real world study, comparing with Comirnaty clinical trials
program, it was observed a higher frequency of adenomegaly and
gastrointestinal disorders. Noteworthy, the notification of a case of
miscarriage. The use of hospital pharmacy pharmacovigilance electronic
forms, seemed to be relevant to notification adherence and to obtain a
greater and faster knowledge of COVID-19 vaccine safety profile.
Soil-water characteristic curves for collapsing walls of Benggang in a typical granite area of southeast China
Authors: Zhang Liting , Sun Shujun , Lin Mengqi , Feng Kaijun , Zhang Yue , Lin Jinshi , Ge Hongli , Huang Yanhe , Jiang Fangshi
Published: September 2021

The water content is a crucial factor in evaluating the causes of
Benggang collapse. The soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) is an
important parameter for the quantitative study of soil water content.
However, limited research has been carried out on the SWCCs of the
Benggang soil profile. We studied two typical collapsing gullies in
southeast China and conducted desorption experiments using a pressure
plate extractor to analyze the SWCCs of the undisturbed soils of
collapsing walls. The results show large variations in the SWCCs for
different soil horizons of a collapsing wall that can be accurately
fitted by the van Genuchten (VG) model (NSE≥0.90). With increasing soil
depth, the a and θs parameters of the VG model first decrease and then
increase, red soil layer had the highest a and θs (the average value of
0.046 and 0.369, respectively), whereas the n parameter of the VG model
exhibits the opposite trend, sand soil layer had the highest n (the
average value of 1.563). The θr parameter of the VG model decreases with
increasing soil depth, red soil layer had the highest θr (the average
value of 0.194). The red soil layer has the highest water-holding
capacity, whereas the sandy soil and detritus layers have lower
water-holding capacities. The SWCCs are related to the soil material
composition, particle composition and porosity. The gravel content and
the particle morphology (the aspect ratio, sphericity, and specific
surface area) are also the significant influence factors for the SWCC
that cannot be neglected. The difference among the SWCCs for the soil
profiles of collapsing walls can be used to explain the mechanism for
the collapse of collapsing wall. The results of this study provide a
theoretical basis for understanding the process of the collapse of
collapsing wall in Benggang in southeast China.
Influences of land reclamation on soil bacterial communities of abandoned salt pans in the Yellow River Delta
Authors: Zhu Yihao , Song Xiliang , Liu Xiaoli , Chen Weifeng , Niu Xuchang , Zhou Weizhi
Published: September 2021

Reclamation has been widely accepted to restore abandoned lands. Most
studies focused on the improvement of land reclamation in soil nutrients
and microbial activities. However, the effects of reclamation time on
bacterial communities of abandoned salt pans are still unclear. The
object of this study is to: i) assess the successional change of soil
physicochemical properties and bacterial communities in reclaimed
abandoned salt pans with different reclamation histories, and ii) figure
out the main limit factors on the improvement of soil quality in
reclaimed abandoned salt pans. The soils in a farmland (RTBL) and six
abandoned salt pans with 1 year (RT1), 2 years (RT2), 3 years (RT3), 4
years (RT4), 8 years (RT8), and 9 years (RT9) of reclamation were
sampled to investigate the temporal variation of soil properties, heavy
metal content, bacterial community composition, and diversity. Results
showed that the soil bulk density (BD), total dissolved salt (SS),
median particle size (MMAD) decreased with the increase of reclamation
time, while soil nutrient (soil organic matter, total nitrogen,
available phosphorus, available potassium) showed an opposite trend. The
bacterial α-diversity increased first, then decrease. Land reclamation
enhanced the relative abundances of Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and
Actinobacteria but reduced the relative abundances of Proteobacteria,
Gemmatimonadetes, and Bacteroidetes. Compared with RTBL, the soil
nutrients and bacterial community structure in RT1, RT2, RT3, and RT4
showed a significant difference.Therefore, reclamation time is a vital
driving force for restoring soil physicochemical properties and
bacterial communities in abandoned
A Novel Enema Method Can Prevent Infectious Complications of Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Gokalp Fatih , Koras Omer , GURSOY Didar , Sigva Hakan , PORGALI Sefa Burak , TAMKAC Nezih , Kulak Bilal , Uçurmak Ferhat , GORUR Sadik
Published: September 2021

Background: Transrectal ultrasound biopsy is the preferred method for
diagnosing prostate cancer, but it can cause infectious complications as
a result of fluoroquinolone resistance. We aimed to explore the
potential protective effect of a second rectal enema before biopsy.
Methods: Between January 2015 and December 2020, 419 patients were
assessed retrospectively. Patients with a history of anticoagulant use,
uncontrolled diabetes, urological surgery, prostate biopsy, or recent
hospitalization or overseas travel, as well as those with previous
prostatitis, were excluded from the study. The patients were
subsequently divided into two groups: Group 1 (n=223) had received one
enema, on the morning of the biopsy, and Group 2 (n=196) had received
two, with the additional enema administered half an hour before the
procedure. Results: There was no significant difference between the
groups in terms of age, BMI, diabetes, prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
level, and prostate size (p=0.076, p=0.489, p=0.265, p=0.193, and
p=0.661, respectively) or in relation to cancer detection (p=0.428). The
median hospitalization date was significantly higher in Group 1
(p=0.003) as was UTI development (p=0.004). However, there was no
significant difference in terms of fever and sepsis (p=0.524 and
p=0.548, respectively). Additionally, subgroup analysis demonstrated
that UTI was significantly lower in patients with diabetes mellitus who
had received a second enema (p=0.004), though there was no significant
difference in UTI between the groups in those without diabetes mellitus
(p=0.215). Multivariable analysis showed that age and diabetes were
significant risk factors for the development of UTI (p=0.002andp=0.003,
respectively). Furthermore, the second enema was a significant
protective factor for preventing UTI (p<0.001). Conclusion:
Older age and the presence of diabetes mellitus are independent risk
factors for UTI after prostate biopsy. A second enema procedure before
biopsy may protect patients from related infectious complications and
could therefore be used as an alternative preventative method.
Medium optimization and subsequent fermentative regulation for the scaled-up production of anti-tuberculosis drug leads ilamycin-E1/E2
Authors: Fan Zhiying , Tong Nian , Zhuang Zhoukang , Ma Cheng , Ma Junying , Ju Jianhua , Duan Yanwen , Zhu Xiangcheng
Published: September 2021

Tuberculosis (TB) and its emerged drug resistance exert huge threats on
the global health, therefore development of novel anti-TB antibiotics is
very essential. Ilamycin-E1/E2 is a pair of cycloheptapeptide
enantiomers obtained from a marine-derived Streptomyces atratus SCSIO
ZH16-ΔilaR mutant, and become promising anti-TB lead compounds due to
their significant anti-TB activities, but their low titer hampered the
further clinical development. In this work, the statistical
Plackett-Burman design (PBD) model was applied to screen out bacterial
peptone as the only significant but negative factor affecting the
ilamycin-E1/E2 production. Subsequent single factor optimization
revealed that replacement of bacterial peptone with malt extract
eliminated the accumulation of porphyrin-type competitive byproduct, and
the titer of ilamycin-E1/E2 in shaking flasks was improved from original
13.6±0.8 to 142.7±5.7 mg/L for about 10.5 folds. Furthermore, a pH
coordinated feeding strategy was first adopted in scaled-up production
of ilamycin-E1/E2. The obtained titer of ilamycin-E1/E2 in 30L was
169.8±2.5 mg/L, while in 300L fermentor was only 131.5±7.5 mg/L due to
the unsynchronization of feeding response and pH change. Therefore, the
continuous pulse feeding strategy was further applied in 300L fermentor
and finally achieved 415.7±29.2 mg/L ilamycin-E1/E2, which represented
about 30.5 folds improvement at last. Our work provided the solid basis
to achieve sufficient ilamycin-E1/E2 lead compounds and support their
potential anti-TB drug development.
Nostoc punctiforme uses the Common Symbiosis Pathway to colonize endophytically Oryza sativa
Authors: Álvarez Consolación , Brenes-Álvarez Manuel , Molina-Heredia Fernando Publio , Mariscal Vicente
Published: September 2021

Symbiosis between cyanobacteria and plants is considered pivotal for
biological nitrogen deposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Despite
extensive knowledge of the ecology of plant-cyanobacterium symbioses,
little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in recognition
between partners. Here, we conducted a quantitative sequential window
acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry
(SWATH-MS) pipeline to analyse protein changes in Oryza sativa and
Nostoc punctiforme during early events of symbiosis. In O. sativa,
differentially expressed proteins were linked to several biological
functions, including signal transduction, defence-related proteins,
flavonoid biosynthesis, and cell wall modification. N. punctiforme
displayed increases in expression of proteins involved in signal
transduction and cell wall remodelling, including 11 Nod-like proteins,
thus revealing a Nod-dependent signalling mechanism. We also found
impaired symbiosis in a N. punctiforme nodB mutant and in O. sativa sym
mutants in the common symbiosis signalling pathway by confocal
microscopy. Our findings reveal signalling pathways activated in the
early stages of the N. punctiforme-O. sativa symbiosis. They involve the
common symbiosis signalling pathway as occur as in other plant-microbe
symbioses. This information may have long-term implications for
sustainably improving agriculture through a greater understanding of the
symbiotic process.
Cognitive Predictors of Social Adjustment in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors Treated with Photon versus Proton Radiation Therapy
Authors: Warren Emily , Raghubar Kimberly , Cirino Paul , Child Amanda , Grosshans David , Paulino Arnold , Okcu M. , Minard Charles , Ris Doug , Mahajan Anita , Viana Andres , Chintagumpala Murali , Kahalley Lisa
Published: September 2021

Background: Pediatric brain tumor survivors are at risk for poor social
outcomes. It remains unknown whether cognitive sparing with proton
radiotherapy (PRT) supports better social outcomes relative to photon
radiotherapy (XRT). We hypothesized that survivors treated with PRT
would outperform those treated with XRT on measures of cognitive and
social outcomes. Further, we hypothesized that cognitive performance
would predict survivor social outcomes. Procedure: Survivors who
underwent PRT (n=38) or XRT (n=20) participated in a neurocognitive
evaluation >1 year post-radiotherapy. Group differences in
cognitive and social functioning were assessed using ANCOVA. Regression
analyses examined predictors of peer relations and social skills.
Results: Age at evaluation, radiation dose, tumor diameter, and sex did
not differ between groups (all p>0.05). However, XRT
participants were younger at diagnosis (XRT M=5.0 years, PRT M=7.6
years) and further out from radiotherapy (XRT M=8.7 years, PRT M=4.6
years). The XRT group performed worse than the PRT group on measures of
processing speed (p=0.01) and verbal memory (p<0.01); however,
social outcomes did not differ by radiation type. The proportion of
survivors with impairment in peer relations and social skills exceeded
expectation (2(1)=38.67, p<0.001; 2(1)=5.63,
p<0.05), and verbal memory approached significance as a unique
predictor of peer relations (t=-2.01, p=0.05). Total tumor RT dose
significantly predicted social skills (t=-2.23, p<0.05).
Conclusions: Regardless of radiation modality, survivors are at risk for
social challenges, with one-quarter being socially excluded or
undervalued. Deficits in verbal memory may place survivors at particular
risk. Results support monitoring of cognitive and social functioning
throughout survivorship.
Genomic analysis of Landes goose origin goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus, China
Authors: Luo Ling , Yu Xinglong , Qu Xiang , Zhao Fei , Ding Yan , Zhao Dun , Xiang Yan , Mao Zai , Li Nuo , Yang Lei
Published: September 2021

A goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus (GHPV) outbreak occurred in a Goose
Farm in Hunan, China, between January and July 2021. Approximately 1,500
breeding goose died, and hatching rates dropped from the previous 85%
to about 50% in this outbreak. GHPV HUN-01, isolated from the liver of
infected Landes geese, shared a close evolutionary relationship with the
Toulouse Goose 2000 and 14234 strain, isolated from geese in France and
Hungary. The isolation of GHPV from the livers of dead embryos also
demonstrates that the virus can be transmitted vertically. In
conclusion, clinical and laboratory diagnostics of the diseased geese in
this outbreak were consistent with GHPV being the causative agent. We
learned that this is the first time that GHPV has been isolated from
geese in mainland China.
Severity of the COVID-19 pandemic assessed with all-cause mortality in the United States during 2020.
Authors: Dahlgren Fredrick , Rossen Lauren , Fry Alicia , Reed Carrie
Published: September 2021

Background. In the United States, infection with SARS-CoV-2 caused
380,000 reported deaths from March to December 2020. Methods. We adapted
the Moving Epidemic Method to all-cause mortality data from the United
States to assess the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic across age groups
and all 50 states. By comparing all-cause mortality during the pandemic
with intensity thresholds derived from recent, historical all-cause
mortality, we categorized each week from March to December 2020 as
either low severity, moderate severity, high severity, or very high
severity. Results. Nationally for all ages combined, all-cause mortality
was in the very high severity category for 9 weeks. Among people 18 to
49 years of age, there were 29 weeks of consecutive very high severity
mortality. Forty-seven states, the District of Columbia, and New York
City each experienced at least one week of very high severity mortality
for all ages combined. Conclusions. These periods of very high severity
of mortality during March through December 2020 are likely directly or
indirectly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. This method for
standardized comparison of severity over time across different
geographies and demographic groups provides valuable information to
understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify specific
locations or subgroups for deeper investigations into differences in
severity.
Rethinking rehabilitation of salt-affected land: new perspectives from Australian experience
Authors: Leake John , Squires Victor , Shabala S
Published: September 2021

Soil salinity is emerging as a major threat to the sustainability of
modern agricultural production systems and, historically, land and water
degradation due to salinity has defeated civilisations whenever the cost
of remediation exceeded the benefits. This work discusses the complexity
inherent in working with salinity, and the opportunities where salt
damaged land and water is viewed as a resource. It takes a wider look at
land and waterscapes, seeing them as systems that link damage and repair
across time and space to bridge the divide between the main
beneficiaries of ecosystem services and the main actors, farmers, and
land managers. We first discuss the mechanistic basis of crop reduction
by salinity and evolution of ideas about how to shape the
plant-soil-water nexus. We then discuss the needs of farmers and other
land users required for adequate planning and land management within the
constraints of existing policy. Lastly, an approach that provides a new
technical and economic tool for the remediation of land in several land
use categories is presented. We conclude that a more concerted effort is
required to turn payments for ecosystem services into a true market,
accepted as such by the land managers, whose agency is essential so the
‘knowledge of what can be done can be transformed into benefits’.
Achieving this will require a transformation in the paradigm of how
natural resources are managed.
The nanocomposite fullerol reduces oxidative stress, pulmonary injury, and mortality in a rat model of acute lung injury
Authors: Aires Rosária , Vieira-Alves Ildernandes , Coimbra-Campos Leda Maria , Ladeira Marina , Socarras Teresa , Campos Paula , Guatimosim Silvia , Ladeira Luiz , Cortes Steyner , Lemos Virginia
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Acute lung injury (ALI) is a critical disorder
that has high mortality rates, and pharmacological therapies are so far
ineffective. The pathophysiology of ALI involves pulmonary oxidative
stress and inflammatory response. Fullerol is a carbon nanocomposite
that possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we
evaluated the therapeutic potential of fullerol and its mechanisms in a
model of paraquat-induced ALI. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Rats were divided
into ALI (paraquat alone), fullerol (paraquat plus fullerol), and
control groups. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier
method. The myeloperoxidase assay, ELISA, and hematoxylin and eosin
staining were used to determine neutrophils infiltration, cytokines
production, and histopathological parameters in lung samples,
respectively. The antioxidant effect of fullerol was evaluated in
vitro and ex vivo. KEY RESULTS Fullerol (0.01 to 0.3 mg/kg)
markedly reduced the severe lung injury and high mortality rates
observed in ALI rats. Moreover, fullerol (0.03 mg/kg) inhibited the
reactive oxygen species formation and lipid peroxidation seen in lungs
from ALI rats, and exhibited a potent concentration-dependent
(10 to 10 mg/ml) in vitro
antioxidant activity. Importantly, fullerol (0.03 mg/kg) inhibited
neutrophils accumulation in bronchoalveolar lavage and lungs, and the
increase in pulmonary levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and CINC-1 in ALI
rats. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Fullerol treatment was effective in
reducing pulmonary damage and ALI-induced mortality, highlighting its
therapeutic potential in an ALI condition. Searching for new
pharmacological therapies to treat ALI may be desirable especially in
view of the new coronavirus disease 2019 that currently plagues the
world.
Brain tumours, brain metastases, and neuroinflammation: Insights from neuroimaging studies.
Authors: Roesler Rafael , Dini Simone , Isolan Gustavo
Published: September 2021

Brain tumors and brain metastases induce changes in brain tissue
remodelling that lead to immunosuppression and trigger an inflammatory
response within the tumor microenvironment. These immune and
inflammatory changes can influence invasion and metastasis. Other
neuroinflammatory and necrotic lesions may occur in patients with brain
cancer or brain metastases as sequelae from treatment with radiotherapy.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary malignant brain cancer
in adults. Imaging methods such as positron-emission tomography (PET)
and different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques are highly
valuable for the diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation of GBM and other
malignant brain tumors. However, differentiating between tumor tissue
and inflamed brain tissue with imaging protocols remains a challenge.
Here, we review recent advances in imaging methods that have helped to
improve the specificity of primary tumor diagnosis versus evaluation of
inflamed and necrotic brain lesions. We also comment on advances in
differentiating metastasis from neuroinflammation processes. Recent
advances include the radiosynthesis of 18F-FIMP, an L-type amino acid
transporter 1 (LAT1)-specific PET probe that allows better
differentiation between tumor tissue and inflammation compared to
previous probes; and the combination different advanced imaging
protocols with the inclusion of radiomics and machine learning
algorithms.
Brain tissue-derived autoimmune encephalitis cytokine TSLP primes neuroinflammation by activating JAK2-NLRP3 axis
Authors: Yu Xueyuan , Lv Jiajia , Wu Jun , Chen Yong , Chen Fei , Wang Li
Published: September 2021

Hyperactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to the
neuroinflammation in autoimmune disorders, but the underlying regulating
mechanism remains to be elucidated. We here demonstrate that mice
lacking thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor gene (Tslpr-/-) exhibit
significant decreases in experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE)
score, reduced CD4+ T cells infiltration, and restored expression of
myelin basic protein (MBP) in the brain after induction of EAE by
injection of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein35-55 (MOG35-55) . TSLPR
signals through Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) to activate NLRP3. Tslpr-/- mice
of EAE show decreased phosphorylation of JAK2 and expression of NLRP3 in
the brain. In wild type (WT) mice after induction of EAE, inhibition of
JAK2 by ruxolitinib inflammatory and CD4+ cell infiltration, decreased
expression of NLRP3, and restored BMP expression in the brain.
Ruxolitinib also decreased levels of IL-1β and TSLP in brain of EAE
mouse when compared to that without ruxolitinib treatment. Further
results with NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 in EAE mouse of WT verified the
proinflammatory role of NLRP3 by showing decreased inflammatory cells
and CD4+ T cells, restored MBP expression, and declined levels of IL-1β
and TSLP in the brain. In patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate
receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis we found increased level of NLRP3 and
IL-1β in CSF when compared to that in control subjects. These findings
highlight TSLP as a prospective target for treating JAK2-NLRP3
axis-associated autoimmune inflammatory disorders.
Effect of Exotic Fast-Growing Forest Plantations on Water Yield in South-Central Chilean Watersheds: a Review
Authors: Castillo Yerko , Oyarzun Carlos
Published: September 2021

Water supply is one of the largest and most valued ecosystem services
from forests. This paper presents a systematization of scientific
studies about the effects generated by exotic fast-growing forest
plantations of Pinus radiata D. Don and of Eucalyptus spp. on water
yield in south-central Chilean watersheds (33 - 41ºS), at different
spatial and temporal scales. We compiled scientific studies that have at
least one year of observations on small and large catchments and
experimental plots. Studies in experimental plots of Pinus radiata
plantations show that annual evapotranspiration increase from south (40°
S) to north (33° S), while in this northernmost site almost the entire
incoming precipitation was evapotranspired, and the percolated water was
negligible. Studies of water balance in small catchments document a
negative linear relationship between total streamflow and forest
plantations coverage. Catchments with forest coverage of Pinus or
Eucalyptus spp. store less water than catchments with mixed species,
mainly due to high interception loss, more net evapotranspiration and
reduced percolation. Forest management can alter the accumulation of
water in the catchment (soil and groundwater) and forest cover is the
fundamental factor in the dynamics water accumulation. Long-term studies
focused on changes in forest coverage from native forest to forest
plantations in large catchments located in the Mediterranean area (33 -
38º S) of Chile show a sustained reduction in water yield, especially
during summertime.
Primary cutaneous precursor B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma with concomitant skin and nodal involvement in a child
Authors: Hammami Houda , Chamli Amal , Jouini Raja , Benmously Rym , Debbiche Ashraf , Zaouak Anissa , Fenniche Samy
Published: September 2021

Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (PB-LBL) is an
exceedingly rare malignant neoplasm in children. Skin lesions may
represent the initial sign. Herein, we report a case of a PB-LBL with
cutaneous lesions as a primary extranodal involvement, occurring in a
5-year-old infant.
Amino acid feeding reduces ammonia production through rearrangement of metabolic fluxes in central carbon metabolism of CHO cells
Authors: Savizi Iman Shahidi Pour , Maghsoudi Nader , Motamedian Ehsan , Lewis Nathan E. , Shojaosadati Seyed Abbas
Published: September 2021

Ammonia is a toxic byproduct of CHO cell metabolism, which inhibits cell
growth, reduces cell viability, alters glycosylation, and decreases
recombinant protein productivity. In an attempt to minimize the ammonium
accumulation in cell culture media, different amino acids were added
individually to the culture medium before the production phase to
alleviate the negative effects of ammonium on cell culture performance.
Among all the amino acids examined in this study, valine showed the most
positive impact on CHO cell culture performance. When the cultured CHO
cells were fed with 5 mM valine, EPO titer was increased by 25%
compared to the control medium, and ammonium and lactate production were
decreased by 23 and 26%, respectively, relative to the control culture.
Moreover, the sialic acid content of the EPO protein in valine-fed
culture was higher than in the control culture, most likely because of
the lower ammonium concentration. Flux balance analysis (FBA) results
demonstrated that the citric acid cycle was enriched by valine feeding.
The analysis revealed that there might be a link between promoting
tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolism in valine-fed culture and
reduction in lactate and ammonia accumulation. Furthermore, in
valine-fed culture, FBA outcomes showed that alanine was excreted into
the medium as the primary mechanism for reducing ammonium concentration.
It was predicted that the elevated TCA cycle metabolism was concurrent
with an increment in recombinant protein production. Taken together, our
data demonstrate that valine addition could be an effective strategy for
mitigating the negative impacts of ammonium and enhancing glycoprotein
production in both quality and quantity.
Long-term mild heat causes post-mitotic pollen abortion through a local effect on flowers
Authors: Xu Jiemeng , Jansma Stuart , Wolters-Arts Mieke , Groot Peter de , Rieu Ivo
Published: September 2021

Crop reproductive success is significantly challenged by heatwaves,
which are increasing in frequency and severity globally. A major reason
is reduced male fertility due to deviations in pollen development, but
the mechanism behind this is not well understood. Here, long-term mild
heat (LTMH) treatment, mimicking a heatwave, was applied locally to
flowers or to whole plants and followed up by cytological,
transcriptomic and biochemical analyses. LTMH was shown to act directly
on the flowers and not via a systemic effect on other plant tissue. The
meiosis to early microspore stage was the most sensitive to LTMH and
three days of exposure around this period was sufficient to
significantly reduce pollen viability. Extensive cytological analysis
showed that abnormalities in pollen development could first be observed
after pollen mitosis I, while tapetum development appeared unaffected.
Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses suggested that pollen
development suffered from tapetal ER stress and that there was a limited
role for oxidative stress. These characteristics differentiate the
response of developing anthers and pollen to LTMH from the response to
severe heat stress.