bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FEELING LIKE RESEARCH PARTNERS AS A YOUTH-ADULT TEAM
Authors: Gardner Morgan , Brown Linda , Young Elizabeth , Young Allie , McCann Ann , Myles Carol
Published: April 2022

Participatory action research (PAR) lacks concerted attention to what makes youth-adult teams feel like genuine partners. This paper explores our youth-adult PAR team’s experience of what made us feel like partners during our five-year study of youth voice in educational change. Our findings reveal that we felt like research partners when our partnership was rooted in 1) real relationship; 2) shared power, responsibility and passion; 3) a culture of flexibility, creativity and unfolding; and 4) transformation. By conceptualizing partnership in a manner that incorporates both youth and adult felt experiences and shared understandings, notions of youth-adult partnership become more inclusive. These findings (re)orient current emphases placed on the partnering benefits to youth, research and social change.
USING A CRITICAL REFLECTION FRAMEWORK AND COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY TO IMPROVE TEACHING PRACTICE: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT
Authors: Briscoe Patricia
Published: April 2022

This action research reports on a three-year collaborative learning process among three teachers. We used current literature and a critical reflection framework to understand why our teaching approaches were not resulting in increased student learning. This allowed us to examine our previously unrecognized and uninterrupted—and often, problematic—beliefs and values. Our findings revealed key barriers related to unexamined judgments, beliefs, assumptions, and expectations that affected our ability to facilitate effective learning. This encouraged conceptual change and led to a transformation in our teaching practice: We became more socioculturally responsive teachers. Our findings led us to conclude that professional learning needs to move beyond the acquisition of skills and strategies, and include the critical reflection necessary to deconstruct problematic beliefs and thought-patterns that can impede student learning.
Gagné’s Reflections on Her Journey through the Principles of Learning Course Wiki – a Commentary
Authors: Dougherty Kevin
Published: April 2022

In recounting of her experiences with the Principles of Learning (PoL) course wiki and the associated tools, Gagné is outlining her contributions to the (PoL) course wiki along with an assessment and presentation of her personal and professional development throughout her time in PoL. Through some trial and error, and varying levels of experimentation, Gagné was able to achieve an overall high level of contributions to the course wiki.
WIKI’D TRANSGRESSIONS: SCAFFOLDING STILL NECESSARY TO SUPPORT ONLINE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
Authors: DiPasquale Joshua
Published: April 2022

This paper is a reflection of my own individualistic participation in the EDUC 5001G: Principles of Learning (PoL) class wiki assignment. Specifically, I investigate the need for increased scaffolding strategies to facilitate direct collaboration among its participants. In order to do this, I first conducted a preliminary examination of the efficacy and suitability of wikis as tools for knowledge construction as well as some of the strategies that have been documented in their implementations. The examination revealed that although wikis have proven to be expedient tools to foster collaborative knowledge construction, the social aspects of the activity need to be reinforced in formal learning environments. Accordingly, an analysis of my own and other students’ behaviour, in different documented cases of wiki application, indicated that predispositions to work independently may be aggravating factors inhibiting the natural occurrence of collaborative events. Finally, my conclusions reiterated the critical role of the facilitator in scaffolding collaborative behaviour to overcome students’ inclinations to complete wiki assignments autonomously. Examples of scaffolding strategies discussed include: structuring wiki activities according to relevant theoretical frameworks, encouraging students to use existing avenues for communication and providing alternatives, and assigning students to specific and differentiated roles. This paper contributes to existing literature which has emphasized the need for an established framework to guide effective wiki implementation in formal education settings.
ROBOTICS AND MATH: USING ACTION RESEARCH TO STUDY GROWTH PROBLEMS
Authors: Casler-Failing Shelli L.
Published: April 2022

An action research case study was conducted to investigate the effects of incorporating LEGO robotics into a seventh-grade mathematics curriculum focused on the development of proportional reasoning through the lens of Social Constructivist Theory. This research, which was part of a larger study, reports the findings when LEGO EV3 robots were incorporated to help students gain an understanding of proportional reasoning in the domain of growth problems. The qualitative data analysis provides insight into how students develop proportional reasoning skills as they use LEGO robotics to navigate among a series of technological stages during collaborative work inclusive of prescribed tasks, discourse and problem-solving. Overall, the inclusion of robotics was productive for learning; however, future studies should be completed to improve the reliability of the findings and continue to improve the curriculum.
Physical Activity, Outdoor and Adventure Sports During the Covid-19 Pandemic Process
Authors: Gürer Burak , Biçer Mürsel
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented chaos worldwide in the current century. Thousands of people died, and millions of people caught the COVID-19 virus. In this tough time, people locked themselves down in their homes for a long time, either voluntarily or mandatorily as part of governmental precautions against the rapid spreading of the virus. This difficult time forced people to change their daily life routines to a sedentary life which affected them mentally and psychologically. Following the lifting of the restrictions, people have started to make an intense effort to do physical activity and spend more time in nature to relax. Consequently, physical activity in a safe environment has become a priority for most people. With this challenging period, open spaces have become more preferred areas for physical activity rather than closed areas. Outdoor and adventure sports have started to consider the safest way of physical activity. Intense physical activity can be done in outdoor and adventure sports, depending on the type of activities. With the necessary precautions taken during the activities, doing outdoor and adventure sports has become a critical step in reducing the effects of mental and psychological factors such as stress, pessimism, bad mood, and unhappiness. Moreover, these sports physically contribute positively to lung capacity. This study provides useful information about outdoor and adventure sports along with highlighting important points and possible risks when doing physical activity in open spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Keywords: adventure sports, COVID-19, physical activity, outdoor sports.
A Cell-free Expression Pipeline for the Generation and Functional Characterization of Nanobodies
Authors: Haueis Lisa , Stech Marlitt , Kubick Stefan
Published: April 2022

Cell-free systems are well-established platforms for the rapid synthesis, screening, engineering and modification of all kinds of recombinant proteins ranging from membrane proteins to soluble proteins, enzymes and even toxins. Also within the antibody field the cell-free technology has gained considerable attention with respect to the clinical research pipeline including antibody discovery and production. Besides the classical full-length monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), so-called “nanobodies” (Nbs) have come into focus. A Nb is the smallest naturally-derived functional antibody fragment known and represents the variable domain (VHH, ∼15 kDa) of a camelid heavy-chain-only antibody (HCAb). Based on their nanoscale and their special structure, Nbs display striking advantages concerning their production, but also their characteristics as binders, such as high stability, diversity, improved tissue penetration and reaching of cavity-like epitopes. The classical way to produce Nbs depends on the use of living cells as production host. Though cell-based production is well-established, it is still time-consuming, laborious and hardly amenable for high-throughput applications. Here, we present for the first time to our knowledge the synthesis of functional Nbs in a standardized mammalian cell-free system based on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lysates. Cell-free reactions were shown to be time-efficient and easy-to-handle allowing for the “on demand” synthesis of Nbs. Taken together, we complement available methods and demonstrate a promising new system for Nb selection and validation.
Overview of Physical and Pharmacological Therapy in Enhancing Bone Regeneration Formation During Distraction Osteogenesis
Authors: Liu Ze , Liu Qi , Guo Hongbin , Liang Jieyu , Zhang Yi
Published: April 2022

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a kind of bone regeneration technology. The principle is to incise the cortical bone and apply continuous and stable distraction force to the fractured end of the cortical bone, thereby promoting the proliferation of osteoblastic cells in the tension microenvironment and stimulating new bone formation. However, the long consolidation course of DO presumably lead to several complications such as infection, fracture, scar formation, delayed union and malunion. Therefore, it is of clinical significance to reduce the long treatment duration. The current treatment strategy to promote osteogenesis in DO includes gene, growth factor, stem-cell, physical and pharmacological therapies. Among these methods, pharmacological and physical therapies are considered as safe, economical, convenience and effective. Recently, several physical and pharmacological therapies have been demonstrated with a decent ability to enhance bone regeneration during DO. In this review, we have comprehensively summarized the latest evidence for physical (Photonic, Waves, Gas, Mechanical, Electrical and Electromagnetic stimulation) and pharmacological (Bisphosphonates, Hormone, Metal compounds, Biologics, Chinese medicine, etc) therapies in DO. These evidences will bring novel and significant information for the bone healing during DO in the future.
The Interplay Between Autophagy and RNA Homeostasis: Implications for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia
Authors: Houghton O. H. , Mizielinska S. , Gomez-Suaga P.
Published: April 2022

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia are neurodegenerative disorders that lie on a disease spectrum, sharing genetic causes and pathology, and both without effective therapeutics. Two pathways that have been shown to play major roles in disease pathogenesis are autophagy and RNA homeostasis. Intriguingly, there is an increasing body of evidence suggesting a critical interplay between these pathways. Autophagy is a multi-stage process for bulk and selective clearance of malfunctional cellular components, with many layers of regulation. Although the majority of autophagy research focuses on protein degradation, it can also mediate RNA catabolism. ALS/FTD-associated proteins are involved in many stages of autophagy and autophagy-mediated RNA degradation, particularly converging on the clearance of persistent pathological stress granules. In this review, we will summarise the progress in understanding the autophagy-RNA homeostasis interplay and how that knowledge contributes to our understanding of the pathobiology of ALS/FTD.
Collagen IV-β1-Integrin Influences INS-1 Cell Insulin Secretion via Enhanced SNARE Protein Expression
Authors: Barillaro Malina , Schuurman Meg , Wang Rennian
Published: April 2022

β1-integrin is a key receptor that regulates cell-ECM interactions and is important in maintaining mature beta-cell functions, including insulin secretion. However, there is little reported about the relationship between ECM-β1-integrin interactions and exocytotic proteins involved in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). This study examined the effect of collagen IV-β1-integrin on exocytotic proteins (Munc18-1, Snap25, and Vamp2) involved in insulin secretion using rat insulinoma (INS-1) cell line. Cells cultured on collagen IV (COL IV) had promoted INS-1 cell focal adhesions and GSIS. These cells also displayed changes in levels and localization of β1-integrin associated downstream signals and exocytotic proteins involved in insulin secretion. Antibody blocking of β1-integrin on INS-1 cells cultured on COL IV showed significantly reduced cell adhesion, spreading and insulin secretion along with reduced exocytotic protein levels. Blocking of β1-integrin additionally influenced the cellular localization of exocytotic proteins during the time of GSIS. These results indicate that specific collagen IV-β1-integrin interactions are critical for proper beta-cell insulin secretion.
Unconventional Pathways of Protein Secretion: Mammals vs. Plants
Authors: Maricchiolo Elisa , Panfili Eleonora , Pompa Andrea , De Marchis Francesca , Bellucci Michele , Pallotta Maria Teresa
Published: April 2022

In eukaryotes, many proteins contain an N-terminal signal peptide that allows their translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum followed by secretion outside the cell according to the classical secretory system. However, an increasing number of secreted proteins lacking the signal peptide sequence are emerging. These proteins, secreted in several alternative ways collectively known as unconventional protein secretion (UPS) pathways, exert extracellular functions including cell signaling, immune modulation, as well as moonlighting activities different from their well-described intracellular functions. Pathways for UPS include direct transfer across the plasma membrane, secretion from endosomal/multivesicular body-related components, release within plasma membrane-derived microvesicles, or use of elements of autophagy. In this review we describe the mammals and plants UPS pathways identified so far highlighting commonalities and differences.
Role of Virulence Factors of Trypanosomatids in the Insect Vector and Putative Genetic Events Involved in Surface Protein Diversity
Authors: de Castro Neto Artur Leonel , da Silveira José Franco , Mortara Renato Arruda
Published: April 2022

Trypanosomatids are flagellate protozoans that can infect several invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, including insects and humans. The three most studied species are the human pathogens Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. which are the causative agents of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease and different clinical forms of leishmaniasis, respectively. These parasites possess complex dixenous life cycles, with zoonotic and anthroponotic stages, and are transmitted by hematophagous insects. To colonize this myriad of hosts, they developed mechanisms, mediated by virulence factors, to infect, propagate and survive in different environments. In insects, surface proteins play roles in parasite attachment and survival in the insect gut, whilst in the mammalian host, the parasites have a whole group of proteins and mechanisms that aid them invading the host cells and evading its immune system components. Many studies have been done on the impact of these molecules in the vertebrate host, however it is also essential to notice the importance of these virulence factors in the insect vector during the parasite life cycle. When inside the insect, the parasites, like in humans, also need to survive defense mechanisms components that can inhibit parasite colonization or survival, e.g., midgut peritrophic membrane barrier, digestive enzymes, evasion of excretion alongside the digested blood meal, anatomic structures and physiological mechanisms of the anterior gut. This protection inside the insect is often implemented by the same group of virulence factors that perform roles of immune evasion in the mammalian host with just a few exceptions, in which a specific protein is expressed specifically for the insect vector form of the parasite. This review aims to discuss the roles of the virulence molecules in the insect vectors, showing the differences and similarities of modes of action of the same group of molecules in insect and humans, exclusive insect molecules and discuss possible genetic events that may have generated this protein diversity.
Detection of Chimeric Cellular: HIV mRNAs Generated Through Aberrant Splicing in HIV-1 Latently Infected Resting CD4+ T Cells
Authors: Lee Michelle Y-H , Khoury Georges , Olshansky Moshe , Sonza Secondo , Carter Glen P. , McMahon James , Stinear Timothy P. , Turner Stephen J. , Lewin Sharon R. , Purcell Damian F. J.
Published: April 2022

Latent HIV-1 provirus in infected individuals on suppressive therapy does not always remain transcriptionally silent. Both HIV-1 LTR and human gene promoter derived transcriptional events can contribute HIV-1 sequences to the mRNA produced in the cell. In addition, chimeric cellular:HIV mRNA can arise through readthrough transcription and aberrant splicing. Using target enrichment coupled to the Illumina Mi-Seq and PacBio RS II platforms, we show that 3’ LTR activation is frequent in latently infected cells from both the CCL19-induced primary cell model of HIV-1 latency as well as ex vivo samples. In both systems of latent HIV-1 infection, we detected several chimeric species that were generated via activation of a cryptic splice donor site in the 5’ LTR of HIV-1. Aberrant splicing involving the major HIV-1 splice donor sites, SD1 and SD4 disrupts post-transcriptional processing of the gene in which HIV-1 is integrated. In the primary cell model of HIV-1 latency, Tat-encoding sequences are incorporated into the chimeric mRNA transcripts through the use of SD4. Our study unravels clues to the characteristics of HIV-1 integrants that promote formation of chimeric cellular:HIV mRNA and improves the understanding of the HIV-1 RNA footprint in latently infected cells.
The Plaque Microbiota Community of Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) Cubs With Dental Caries
Authors: Ma Rui , Hou Rong , Guo Jun-Liang , Zhang Xiu-Yue , Cao San-Jie , Huang Xiao-Bo , Wu Rui , Wen Yi-Ping , Zhao Qin , Du Sen-Yan , Lin Ju-Chun , Bai Yu , Yan Qi-Gui , Qi Dun-Wu
Published: April 2022

Dental caries severely hinders efficient access to adequate energy in wildlife. Different food supplies will develop characteristic plaque, and the microorganisms of these plaque are closely related to dental health. Here, plaque samples from panda cubs with caries and caries-free were collected for 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. All sequences clustered into 337 operational taxonomic units (OTUs; 97% identity), representing 268 independent species belonging to 189 genera, 98 families, 51 orders, 24 classes, and 13 phyla. Two groups shared 218 OTUs, indicating the presence of a core plaque microbiome. α diversity analysis showed that the microbial diversity in plaques with caries exceeded that of caries-free. The dominant phyla of plaque microbiota included Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Actinobacteria. The dominant genera included unclassified Neisseriaceae, Actinobacillus, Lautropia, Neisseria, Porhyromonas, unclassified Pasteurellaceae, Moraxella, Streptococcus, Bergeywlla and Capnocytophaga. β diversity analysis showed that the plaque microbial community structure was different between two groups. Using LEfSe analysis, 19 differentially abundant taxa were identified as potential biomarkers. Finally, function predictions analysis showed All the energy related metabolic pathways on KEGG level 2 were enriched in caries-active group. Consistent with the mainstream caries-causing narrative, our results illuminate the lack of information regarding the oral microflora composition and function within giant panda cubs.
Diagnostic Value of Delayed Contrast-Enhanced Cardiac Computed Tomography for Detecting Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Li Xiang-Nan , Wang Jing-Xi , Wei Qing , Yu Xian-Bo , Zhou Yu-Tao , Ma Xiao-Yan , Zhao Na , Lu Bin
Published: April 2022

Objective

Delayed enhancement cardiac CT is a reliable tool for the diagnosis of left atrial appendage thrombus but limited for scanning heterogeneity. We aimed to explore the improvement of the 1 and 3-min delay phase at the diagnostic level to detect left atrial appendage thrombus, in order to set up a reasonable CT scanning scheme.

Materials and Methods

A total of 6,524 patients were continuously retrieved from January 2015 to September 2020 retrospectively. The patients had undergone Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and cardiac CT with complete period include the arterial enhancement phase, 1 and 3-min delay phase, TEE were used as the reference standard. The final study included 329 patients. Three experienced radiologists independently assessed each phase of the cardiac CT images for thrombus diagnosis. We explored the improvement of the diagnostic ability of different delayed contrast-enhanced phases for left atrial appendage thrombus detection. Multiple logistic regression analysis were used for further high-risk stratification to avoid an additional 1-min delayed scan.

Results

In total, 29 thrombosis were detected at TEE. For all cardiac CT phases, sensitivity and negative predictive were 100%. The specificity were 0.54, 0.93, and 1.00, respectively; The positive predictive values (PPV) were 0.17, 0.57, and 1.00, respectively; Area under curve (AUC) were 0.75, 0.95, and 0.98, respectively. High risk factors that cannot be clearly diagnosed with 1-min delay phase included reduced cardiac function, increased CHA2DS2-VAScscore and left atrial enlargement. Compared with the arterial enhanced phase, increased radiation doses in the 1 and 3-min delay phases were 1.7 ± 1.3 msv and 1.5 ± 0.8 msv (mean ± standard deviation).

Conclusion

Using TEE as the reference standard, early contrast-enhanced CT scanning with 1 and 3-min delay is necessary for the diagnosis of left appendage thrombus, which could significantly improve the diagnostic efficiency. Patients with high-risk stratification are suitable for direct 3-min delayed scanning.
Knowledge Mapping of the Links Between the Gut Microbiota and Heart Failure: A Scientometric Investigation (2006–2021)
Authors: Mu Fei , Tang Meng , Guan Yue , Lin Rui , Zhao Meina , Zhao Jiaxin , Huang Shaojie , Zhang Haiyue , Wang Jingwen , Tang Haifeng
Published: April 2022

Background

There is considerable research value and extensive application perspectives to explore the link between gut microbiota and heart failure. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of overall characteristics, evolutionary pathways, frontier research hotspots, and future trends in this field.

Methods

Research datasets were acquired from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2021. Three different analysis tools including one online platform, VOS viewer V1.6.17.0, and CiteSpace V5.8.R2 software were used in order to conduct collaboration network analysis, co-cited analysis, co-occurring analysis, and citation burst detection.

Results

A total of 873 publications in the WoSCC database met the requirement. The overall characteristics analysis showed that a steady growth trend in the number of publications and citations, with the predominant literature type being articles and the most frequent subject category being cardiac cardiovascular systems. The United States was the most prolific country and the center of national collaboration. Cleveland Clinic and Nathalie M. Delzenne provided the leading influence with publications, the cooperation between the institutes and authors were relatively weak. Moreover, gut microbiota, heart failure, risk factor, obesity, and inflammation were the keywords that appeared more frequently in the clustering analysis of reference co-citation and keyword co-occurrence. Burst detection analysis of top keywords showed that trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), bile acid, blood pressure, hypertension, and fermentation were the new research foci on the association between gut microbiota and heart failure. Strategies to improve gut microbiota hold promise as a new approach to treat heart failure.

Conclusion

The comprehensive bibliometric study indicates that the structured information may be helpful in understanding research trends in the link between gut microbiota and heart failure, and locating research hotspots and gaps in this domain, especially further advances in this field will lead to significant breakthroughs in the development of novel therapeutic tools for metabolic modulation of heart failure.
Is Education 4.0 a Sufficient Innovative, and Disruptive Educational Trend to Promote Sustainable Open Education for Higher Education Institutions? A Review of Literature Trends
Authors: Chaka Chaka
Published: April 2022

The paper explored whether Education 4.0 is a sufficient innovative, and disruptive educational trend to promote sustainable open education for higher education institutions (HEIs). To investigate whether this is the case, the paper reviewed published journal articles that provide real-world, empirical applications of Education 4.0 in the higher education (HE) sector that are intended to promote and realize the United Nations’ (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs). In particular, the paper focused on aspects of SDGs related to education (or to sustainable open education), and which had relevance to the HE sector. Three of the findings of this review study are worth mentioning. First, real-world Education 4.0 is confined to certain countries, and is more concentrated to a few countries and to a few HEIs. Second, ten sets of Education 4.0 technologies were classified as disruptive, scalable, and sustainable, and as holding the prospect to promote sustainable open higher education in accord with the UN’s SDGs. Thirdly, most of the soft-skill affordances cited (especially the twenty-first century skills cited), lend themselves well as stylized facts as they predate Education 4.0 and are, thus, not exclusive to it.
Taxonomic and Functional Fecal Microbiota Signatures Associated With Insulin Resistance in Non-Diabetic Subjects With Overweight/Obesity Within the Frame of the PREDIMED-Plus Study
Authors: Atzeni Alessandro , Bastiaanssen Thomaz F. S. , Cryan John F. , Tinahones Francisco J. , Vioque Jesús , Corella Dolores , Fitó Montserrat , Vidal Josep , Moreno-Indias Isabel , Gómez-Pérez Ana M. , Torres-Collado Laura , Coltell Oscar , Castañer Olga , Bulló Monica , Salas-Salvadó Jordi
Published: April 2022

Objective

An altered gut microbiota has been associated with insulin resistance, a metabolic dysfunction consisting of cellular insulin signaling impairment. The aim of the present study is to determine the taxonomic and functional fecal microbiota signatures associated with HOMA-IR index in a population with high cardiovascular risk.

Methods

A total of 279 non-diabetic individuals (55–75 years aged) with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome were stratified according to tertiles of HOMA-IR index. Blood biochemical parameters, anthropometric measurements and fecal samples were collected at baseline. Fecal microbial DNA extraction, 16S amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed.

Results

Desulfovibrio, Odoribacter and Oscillospiraceae UCG-002 were negatively associated with HOMA-IR index, whereas predicted total functional abundances revealed gut metabolic modules mainly linked to amino acid degradation. Butyricicoccus, Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-003, Faecalibacterium were positively associated with HOMA-IR index, whereas predicted total functional abundances revealed gut metabolic modules mainly linked to saccharide degradation. These bacteria contribute differentially to the gut metabolic modules, being the degree of contribution dependent on insulin resistance. Both taxa and gut metabolic modules negatively associated to HOMA-IR index were linked to mechanisms involving sulfate reducing bacteria, improvement of intestinal gluconeogenesis and production of acetate. Furthermore, both taxa and gut metabolic modules positively associated to HOMA-IR index were linked to production and mechanisms of action of butyrate.

Conclusions

Specific taxonomic and functional fecal microbiota signatures associated with insulin resistance were identified in a non-diabetic population with overweight/obesity at high cardiovascular risk. These findings suggest that tailoring therapies based on specific fecal microbiota profiles could be a potential strategy to improve insulin sensitivity.
The Evaluation of Ovarian Function Recovery Following Treatment of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kuang Xiaojun , Tang Yongzhe , Xu Hong , Ji Min , Lai Dongmei
Published: April 2022

Background

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is gaining awareness as its prevalence increases and its effect on patients is extremely negative. To date, several therapies have been designed to treat POI, but the conclusions are conflicting, in part, due to inconsistent evaluation methods. Thus, we explore a multi-index of ovarian function assessment methods to evaluate the recovery of ovarian function after various therapies in order to evaluate effectiveness in a more comprehensive manner.

Aim

The purpose of this review is to assess the effectiveness of various therapies to recover ovarian function in patients with POI. The primary outcome measures were anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, and antral follicle count (AFC). The secondary outcomes included the change of mean ovarian volume, menstruation recovery, and pregnancy rate.

Methods

Our systematic searching including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase databases was conducted to find all human clinical trial articles published from January 2000 to April 2021 and related to POI treatment, including the keywords: POI, AFC, and hormones. All prospective and retrospective studies exploring ovarian function recovery that include AFC, AMH levels, and FSH levels evolution throughout treatment were included. All patients included in the studies met the POI criteria described by the European Society for Human Reproductive Embryology (ESHRE) guideline.

Results

Six studies were selected based on the criteria: one randomized controlled trial and five observational studies. Among them, two studies focused on the intraovarian platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infusion treatment, two studies focused on dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplements, one study focused on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and one study focused on autologous adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) treatment. There was insufficient scientific evidence that any approach could help ovarian function recovery in patients with POI because the ovarian function markers in each study had inconsistent changes with 26 patients (6.2%) reporting spontaneous pregnancy.

Conclusion

Serum AMH levels, FSH levels, and AFC are sensitive indicators and reflect the evolution of ovarian function. Large randomized controlled trials are necessary, and the data on ovarian function should be collected comprehensively to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of treatments.
Congenital Hyperinsulinism International: A Community Focused on Improving the Lives of People Living With Congenital Hyperinsulinism
Authors: Raskin Julie , Pasquini Tai L. S. , Bose Sheila , Tallis Dina , Schmitt Jennifer
Published: April 2022

Congenital hyperinsulinism (HI) is a rare disease affecting newborns. HI causes severe hypoglycemia due to the overproduction of insulin. The signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia in HI babies is often not discovered until brain damage has already occurred. Prolonged hypoglycemia from HI can even lead to death. Disease management is often complex with a high burden on caregivers. Treatment options are extremely limited and often require long hospital stays to devise. Cascading from suboptimal treatments and diagnostic practices are a host of other problems and challenges that many with HI and their families experience including continued fear of hypoglycemia and feeding problems. The aim of this paper is (1) to describe the current challenges of living with HI including diagnosis and disease management told from the perspective of people who live with the condition (2), to provide family stories of life with HI, and (3) to share how a rare disease patient organization, Congenital Hyperinsulinism International (CHI) is working to improve the lives of HI patients and their families. CHI is a United States based nonprofit organization with a global focus. The paper communicates the programs the patient advocacy organization has put into place to support HI families through its virtual and in-person gatherings. The organization also helps individuals access diagnostics, medical experts, and treatments. CHI also raises awareness of HI to improve patient outcomes with information about HI and prolonged hypoglycemia in twenty-three languages. CHI drives innovation for new and better treatments by funding research pilot grants, conducting research through the HI Global Registry, and providing patient experience expertise to researchers developing new treatments. The organization is also the sponsor of the CHI Collaborative Research Network which brings medical and scientific experts together for the development of a patient-focused prioritized research agenda.
Measurement of Transport Properties of Woody Biomass Feedstock Particles Before and After Pyrolysis by Numerical Analysis of X-Ray Tomographic Reconstructions
Authors: Crowley Meagan F. , Sitaraman Hariswaran , Klinger Jordan , Usseglio-Viretta Francois , Thornburg Nicholas E. , Brunhart-Lupo Nicholas , Pecha M. Brennan , Dooley James H. , Xia Yidong , Ciesielski Peter N.
Published: April 2022

Lignocellulosic biomass has a complex, species-specific microstructure that governs heat and mass transport during conversion processes. A quantitative understanding of the evolution of pore size and structure is critical to optimize conversion processes for biofuel and bio-based chemical production. Further, improving our understanding of the microstructure of biochar coproduct will accelerate development of its myriad applications. This work quantitatively compares the microstructural features and the anisotropic permeabilities of two woody feedstocks, red oak and Douglas fir, using X-ray computed tomography (XCT) before and after the feedstocks are subjected to pyrolysis. Quantitative analysis of the three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions allows for direct calculations of void fractions, pore size distributions and tortuosity factors. Next, 3D images are imported into an immersed boundary based finite volume solver to simulate gas flow through the porous structure and to directly calculate the principal permeabilities along longitudinal, radial, and tangential directions. The permeabilities of native biomass are seen to differ by three to four orders of magnitude in the different principal directions, but we find that this anisotropy is substantially reduced in the biochar formed during pyrolysis. The quantitative transport properties reported here enhance the ability of pyrolysis simulations to account for feedstock-specific effects and thereby provide a useful touchstone for the biorefining community.
How Does Green Credit Promote Carbon Reduction? A Mediated Model
Authors: Lyu Bai , Da JingYi , Ostic Dragana , Yu HuaChen
Published: April 2022

Using China’s provincial panel data from 2006 to 2016, this paper develops a dynamic panel data model to investigate the impact and mechanism of green credit on carbon emissions at the national and regional levels. According to the findings, green credit significantly reduces carbon emissions, with the eastern region having the greatest reduction effect. Green credit, with the exception of the western region, has a strong positive impact on disruptive low-carbon innovation. When green credit is combined with disruptive low-carbon innovation, both can significantly reduce carbon emissions; however, the green credit impact diminishes. It can be concluded that disruptive low-carbon innovation has a mediation effect on green credit’s contribution to carbon emission reduction. As a result, China should broaden the scope of green credit, concentrate on providing high-quality low-carbon patented technology to science and technology enterprises, and alleviate their financing constraints. Furthermore, these enterprises should increase their output of disruptive low-carbon innovation while lowering carbon emissions through technological innovation.
Automatic Identification of Slope Active Deformation Areas in the Zhouqu Region of China With DS-InSAR Results
Authors: Wang Yuanjian , Cui Ximin , Che Yuhang , Li Peixian , Jiang Yue , Peng Xiaozhan
Published: April 2022

Zhouqu has narrow terrain and steep mountains on both sides of the Bailong River. It is one of the most serious landslide disaster areas in China due to the fracture development of rock and complex geological conditions. To identify the slope active deformation areas (SADAs) in the region accurately, the Distributed Scatter Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DS-InSAR) technique was used based on the process of the sentinel ascending and descending orbit data. Deformation results of the region from January 2019 to February 2021 were obtained. A new method for automatically identifying SADA while accounting for radar geometric distortion was established to quickly and efficiently identify SADA from the large-scale deformation results in the region. The SADA identified by this method can eliminate the region affected by geometric distortion. Based on the method, 62 SADAs including 12 in the upstream and 50 in the downstream of Zhouqu County were identified. Compared with 12 typical landslide areas in the study area, 9 typical landslides match with the detected SADA. The SADA is mainly concentrated in the section from the downstream of Zhouqu County to Lianghekou, and statistical analysis showed that the vegetation coverage and topographic slope angle are two main reasons for this difference. At the same time, the analysis of the typical landslide time-series deformation reveals that the slope deformation activity mainly takes place during the rainy season. It has high correlation with precipitation. These results of the study provided an important reference for geological disaster prevention in the Zhouqu region.
The Bank Vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) as a Model System for Adaptive Phylogeography in the European Theater
Authors: Kotlík Petr , Marková Silvia , Horníková Michaela , Escalante Marco A. , Searle Jeremy B.
Published: April 2022

The legacy of climatic changes during the Pleistocene glaciations allows inferences to be made about the patterns and processes associated with range expansion/colonization, including evolutionary adaptation. With the increasing availability of population genomic data, we have the opportunity to examine these questions in detail and in a variety of non-traditional model species. As an exemplar, here we review more than two decades of work by our group and others that illustrate the potential of a single “non-model model” mammal species - the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), which is particularly well suited to illustrate the complexities that may be associated with range expansion and the power of genomics (and other datasets) to uncover them. We first summarize early phylogeographic work using mitochondrial DNA and then describe new phylogeographic insights gained from population genomic analysis of genome-wide SNP data to highlight the bank vole as one of the most compelling examples of a forest mammal, that survived in cryptic extra-Mediterranean (“northern”) glacial refugia in Europe, and as one of the species in which substantial replacement and mixing of lineages originating from different refugia occurred during end-glacial colonization. Our studies of bank vole hemoglobin structure and function, as well as our recent ecological niche modeling study examining differences among bank vole lineages, led us to develop the idea of “adaptive phylogeography.” This is what we call the study of the role of adaptive differences among populations in shaping phylogeographic patterns. Adaptive phylogeography provides a link between past population history and adaptation that can ultimately help predict the potential of future species responses to climate change. Because the bank vole is part of a community of organisms whose range has repeatedly contracted and then expanded in the past, what we learn from the bank vole will be useful for our understanding of a broad range of species.
Increased Precision in County-Level Volume Estimates in the United States National Forest Inventory With Area-Level Small Area Estimation
Authors: Cao Qianqian , Dettmann Garret T. , Radtke Philip J. , Coulston John W. , Derwin Jill , Thomas Valerie A. , Burkhart Harold E. , Wynne Randolph H.
Published: April 2022

Many National Forest Inventory (NFI) stakeholders would benefit from accurate estimates at finer geographic scales than most currently implemented in operational estimates using NFI sample data. In the past decade small area estimation techniques have been shown to increase precision in forest inventory estimates by combining field observations and remote-sensing. We sought to demonstrate the potential for improving the precision of forest inventory growing stock volume estimates for counties in United States of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, by pairing canopy height models from digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP) and field plot data from the United States NFI. Area-level Fay-Herriot estimators were used to avoid the need for precise (GPS) coordinates of field plots. Reductions in standard errors averaging 30% for North Carolina county estimates were observed, with 19% average reductions in standard errors in both Tennessee and Virginia. Accounting for spatial autocorrelation among adjacent counties provided further gains in precision when the three states were treated as a single forest land population; however, analyses conducted one state at a time showed that good results could be achieved without accounting for spatial autocorrelation. Apparent gains in sample sizes ranged from about 65% in Virginia to 128% in North Carolina, compared to the current number of inventory plots. Results should allow for determining whether acquisition of statewide DAP would be cost-effective as a means for increasing the accuracy of county-level forest volume estimates in the United States NFI.
BioTAGME: A Comprehensive Platform for Biological Knowledge Network Analysis
Authors: Di Maria Antonio , Alaimo Salvatore , Bellomo Lorenzo , Billeci Fabrizio , Ferragina Paolo , Ferro Alfredo , Pulvirenti Alfredo
Published: April 2022

The inference of novel knowledge and new hypotheses from the current literature analysis is crucial in making new scientific discoveries. In bio-medicine, given the enormous amount of literature and knowledge bases available, the automatic gain of knowledge concerning relationships among biological elements, in the form of semantically related terms (or entities), is rising novel research challenges and corresponding applications. In this regard, we propose BioTAGME, a system that combines an entity-annotation framework based on Wikipedia corpus (i.e., TAGME tool) with a network-based inference methodology (i.e., DT-Hybrid). This integration aims to create an extensive Knowledge Graph modeling relations among biological terms and phrases extracted from titles and abstracts of papers available in PubMed. The framework consists of a back-end and a front-end. The back-end is entirely implemented in Scala and runs on top of a Spark cluster that distributes the computing effort among several machines. The front-end is released through the Laravel framework, connected with the Neo4j graph database to store the knowledge graph.
Case Report: Biallelic Variant in the tRNA Methyltransferase Domain of the AlkB Homolog 8 Causes Syndromic Intellectual Disability
Authors: Waqas Ahmed , Nayab Anam , Shaheen Shabnam , Abbas Safdar , Latif Muhammad , Rafeeq Misbahuddin M. , Al-Dhuayan Ibtesam S. , Alqosaibi Amany I. , Alnamshan Mashael M. , Sain Ziaullah M. , Habib Alaa Hamed , Alam Qamre , Umair Muhammad , Saqib Muhammad Arif Nadeem
Published: April 2022

Intellectual disability (ID) has become very common and is an extremely heterogeneous disorder, where the patients face many challenges with deficits in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviors. A single affected family revealed severe disease phenotypes such as ID, developmental delay, dysmorphic facial features, postaxial polydactyly type B, and speech impairment. DNA of a single affected individual was directly subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES), followed by Sanger sequencing. Data analysis revealed a novel biallelic missense variant (c.1511G>C; p.(Trp504Ser)) in the ALKBH8 gene, which plays a significant role in tRNA modifications. Our finding adds another variant to the growing list of ALKBH8-associated tRNA modifications causing ID and additional phenotypic manifestations. The present study depicts the key role of the genes associated with tRNA modifications, such as ALKBH8, in the development and pathophysiology of the human brain.
Markers of Memory CD8 T Cells Depicting the Effect of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in Japan
Authors: Kondo Hiroyuki , Kageyama Takahiro , Tanaka Shigeru , Otsuka Kunihiro , Tsukumo Shin-ichi , Mashimo Yoichi , Onouchi Yoshihiro , Nakajima Hiroshi , Yasutomo Koji
Published: April 2022

BNT162b2, a nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (S), provides approximately 95% efficacy for preventing COVID-19. However, it remains unclear how effectively memory CD8+ T cells are generated and which genetic and environmental factors affect the generation and function of memory CD8+ T cells elicited by this vaccine. Here, we investigated the frequency and functions of memory CD8+ T cells 3 weeks after the second vaccination in the Japanese population. Using a peptide-MHC pentamer, we detected an increased number of memory CD8+ T cells together with increased serum anti-S protein antibody in females compared with that in males, but the frequency of pentamer-positive cells was not positively correlated with antibody titers. Memory precursor effector cells (KLRG1-CD127+) among both CD8+ cells and pentamer+ cells and effector cells (CD38-HLA-DR+) among pentamer+ cells were more abundant in females than in males. Upon S protein-mediated stimulation of T cells, the intensity of CD107a and granzyme B expression was increased in females compared with that in males, indicating stronger memory CD8+ T cell responses in females than in males. Our studies showed that the BNT162b2 vaccine elicits increased memory CD8+ T cell proliferation and secondary CTL responses in females compared with those in males in the Japanese population. These findings provide an important basis for the distinct sex difference in cellular immune responses to mRNA vaccination and suggest that memory precursor effector cells can be one of markers to evaluate and boost cellular immunity induced by BNT162b2.