bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systemic thrombolysis in the management of pump thrombosis in patients with left ventricular assist devices
Authors: Kortekaas Kirsten A. , den Exter Paul L. , Beeres Saskia L. M. A. , Palmen Meindert , Jukema J. Wouter , Huisman Menno V. , Tops Laurens F.
Published: October 2022

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation as destination therapy (DT) is a valuable treatment option in patients with end-stage heart failure ineligible for heart transplant. However, this therapy can be complicated by life-threatening pump thrombosis (PT). This case series reports our single-center experience with a structured systemic thrombolysis protocol in case of PT. Consecutive patients undergoing DT LVAD (HVAD, Medtronic, Framingham, MA) implantation between 2010 and April 2021 at our institution were reviewed and those with PT identified. Clinical, laboratory and LVAD specific data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. All patients with PT were treated with systemic thrombolysis according to a structured bedside protocol. Treatment was defined successful if a patient was alive at 30 days follow-up and free of recurrent PT, stroke or device exchange. Fourteen out of 94 patients experienced a PT after LVAD implantation (11%). Systemic thrombolysis was successful in 10 of 14 patients (71%) at 30 days. Two patients died within 30 days due to a hemothorax and multi-organ failure. In three patients treatment was complicated by a major bleeding; twice a hemothorax (one fatal) and one right calf bleeding. No intracerebral hemorrhage was observed. Three patients experienced a thrombotic complication within 30 days; all recurrent PT. Eleven of the 14 DT patients were discharged home after a limited hospital stay after thrombolysis (average of 11 days). In conclusion, systemic thrombolysis may be a reasonable option for life-threatening PT in this vulnerable DT group in whom device exchange is often impossible due to comorbidity.
Curricular integration of digital technologies in teaching processes
Authors: Fernández-Sánchez María Rosa , Garrido-Arroyo María del Carmen , Porras-Masero Isabel
Published: October 2022

The integration of digital technologies in the classroom is a complex and multidimensional process with different dynamics including, among others, those related to: the digital culture of the center, the competency of teachers and students, the support of families and innovation within educational programs. This paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) to analyze how the curricular integration of educational technology in classroom practice has been developed at non-university levels in recent years. The PRISMA 2020 standards have been applied. For the selection of articles, the ERIC database was used, taking as a reference, key concepts from its Thesaurus, related to the objective of the research, performing a temporal search of scientific articles from 2018 up to the present day. After screening according to the inclusion criteria established by consensus among researchers, a total of 88 articles were obtained (n = 88). The main results point to several variables that should be strengthened to promote the integration of digital technologies in the classroom, among which teacher training stands out as a determining factor, with special emphasis on initial training. This opens a debate about the training that future teachers receive in relation to the integration of digital technologies in the teaching process.

Systematic review registration

[https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6909261].
Thermal effects on flow and salinity distributions in heterogeneous coastal aquifers with fixed-flux inland boundaries
Authors: Yu Xiayang , Xin Pei , Pu Li
Published: October 2022

Freshwater-seawater (FW-SW) temperature contrasts widely exist in natural coastal aquifers. The significant effects of thermal forcing on water flow and salinity distributions for homogeneous aquifers have been demonstrated recently, however, the impact on heterogeneous aquifers remains unclear. This study conducted simulations of variable-density flow, and heat and salt transport with Monte-Carlo realizations of log-normally distributed permeability fields to examine such impacts. The averaged results showed that warmer freshwater could lead to a significant landward intrusion of freshwater-seawater interface in the heterogeneous aquifer. The random permeability fields increased the thermal effects of warmer freshwater and thus facilitated landward seawater intrusion. Furthermore, under warmer seawater conditions, salt dispersion was enhanced and density effects were reduced in heterogeneous coastal aquifers, thus altering the two opposing seawater circulation cells induced by double diffusion of salt and heat. The clockwise seawater circulation was strengthened whereas the anticlockwise one was weakened. Sensitivity analyses showed that an increased variance of permeability field further inhibited the anticlockwise seawater circulation cell caused mainly by heat diffusion. A larger correlation length of permeability field facilitated the thermal effect on the salinity distribution, increasing the associated uncertainty range caused by FW-SW temperature contrasts.
Landscape patterns and their spatial associations with ecosystem service balance: Insights from a rapidly urbanizing coastal region of southeastern China
Authors: Chen Weilian , Jiang Chong , Wang Yixin , Liu Xiaoding , Dong Binbin , Yang Ji , Huang Wumeng
Published: October 2022

Abstract: Assessing ecosystem service (ES) balance and exploring critical drivers are crucial for landscape management. However, a lack of understanding of the determinants of the ecosystem service supply–demand budget, their spillover effects, and spatial variabilities offsets the efficacy of landscape planning and ecosystem conservation. This novel study attempted to close this gap by quantifying ecosystem service budget using an expert knowledge-based supply–demand matrix and explored its dependencies through spatial econometrics and geographically weighted regression approaches instead of using ordinary model simulation and conventional statistical analysis. The overall patterns of ecosystem service balance in the southeastern coast were found to have remained stable in 1980, 2000, and 2017, although remarkable ecosystem service deficits were identified in hotspots of rapid urbanization. The ecosystem service balance was negatively associated with the proportions of built-up land and cropland (p < 0.0001) and exhibited positive associations with the proportions of woodland and grassland (p < 0.0001). Landscape structure and population density were identified as the primary determinants of ecosystem service balance and exhibited spatial variability and spillover effects (i.e., determining ecosystem service balance in both individual and adjacent units). These findings demonstrate the significance of spatial disparities and external effects of determinants of the supply–demand budget in integrative landscape governance. Consequently, localized and targeted strategies for landscape planning are increasingly needed to optimize landscape configuration and alleviate ecosystem service imbalance according to individual socioeconomic conditions and landscape structures. In addition, the spillover effects demonstrate that the maintenance of regional ecosystem service balance and ecosystem sustainability depends not only on individual areas but also on cross-regional collaborations with neighboring regions. These findings have critical implications on strategy formulation for coastal landscape management and ecosystem sustainability.
Improvement of a land fragmentation measurement model based on natural surface elements and road network
Authors: Su Lanlan , Zhao Yuluan , Long Mingshun , Li Xiubin
Published: October 2022

Land fragmentation is one of the most important factors hindering the mechanization and scale of agriculture. To further alleviate the negative impact of arable land fragmentation, a more accurate model for measuring arable land fragmentation is needed. Using 0.1 resolution UAV images and farm survey data, we obtained spatial and tenure data of farming land in Baidu Village through ArcGis and other software, and analyzed the results and correlations of farming plot area, plot shape and plot dispersion indicators in the study area. A road accessibility index that integrates terrain slope and road network is proposed to characterize the dispersion of land parcels for the first time, and is compared with two road accessibility models that do not take into account terrain slope and road network. The results show that the dispersion index of farm plots is the most influential indicator on the fragmentation of farm plots, followed by the area index of farm plots, and finally the shape index of farm plots; the new model of measuring the fragmentation of farm plots based on natural surface elements and road networks is closer to the real situation and more accurate in portraying the degree of fragmentation of farm plots.
Has the Yangtze river economic belt strategy promoted the construction of ecological civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze river?
Authors: Zhang Zhiyong , Zhang Lianjun , Liang Tian , Cheng Ling , Fang Liuhua , Zhao Bin , Zhang Jianyu , Wen Chuanhao
Published: October 2022

As a regional development strategy based on the world’s third largest river basin unit, the Yangtze river economic belt strategy plays a vital role in building ecological civilization with the core concept of “ecological priority and green development”. To study the impact of the Yangtze River Economic Belt strategy on the construction of ecological civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. This paper uses the entropy power method to measure the level of ecological civilization construction in 37 prefecture-level cities in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It examines the impact of the Yangtze River Economic Belt Strategy on the construction of ecological civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River based on the DID method. The study results show that 1) the level of ecological civilization construction in the Yangtze River’s upper reaches has continuously improved from 2003 to 2020. 2) The implementation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt Strategy has a significant positive impact on the construction of ecological civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. 3) The Yangtze River Economic Belt Strategy can promote the construction of ecological civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River by improving the level of science and technology innovation. 4) The implementation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt Strategy does not significantly impact the level of ecological civilization construction in the regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, so it is necessary to pay attention to the synergy between different policies. This study will help to raise the awareness of developing countries on economic development and ecological protection in the river basin, and provide a reference for policymakers.
The hydrothermal process of aeolian sand and its thermal effect on permafrost in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau considering rainfall and evaporation under climate warming
Authors: Lan Tianli , Ma Qinguo , Xia Huxi , Luo Xiaoxiao
Published: October 2022

As the heat exchange interface between atmosphere and permafrost, land cover regulates the influence of climate warming on permafrost. With the development of desertification on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), aeolian sand has emerged as a significant environmental factor influencing the hydrothermal process of permafrost. To reveal the hydro-thermal process within aeolian sand layer and the thermal effect of sand layer on permafrost in the QTP, a coupled hydro-thermo-vapor model considering rainfall and evaporation was established, and the long-term hydrothermal variation of stratum covered by aeolian sand were analyzed. The results show that: 1) Aeolian sand layer is conducive to alleviating permafrost degradation. The alleviation effect is related to the thickness of sand layer. 2) Water redistribution in sand layer and water accumulation in stratum are connected to thickness of sand layer. For the thin sand layer, the water content is low and remains unchanged in different years. The thick sand layer, acting as a permeability diode, makes the degree of water accumulation in sand layer considerable and the water storage of the stratum increase continuously. 3) When the sand layer becomes thicker, the increment of the equivalent thermal conductivity in cold season is larger than that in warm season, which will lead to the decrease of annual conductive heat. 4) In thin sand layer, heat convection and heat conduction are relatively small in the early stage, and heat conduction is the primary mode in the long term. In thick sand layer, heat transfer is dominated by heat convection and heat conduction in the early stage, but it is primarily reliant on heat convection in the long term.
A systems approach to modelling phosphorus pollution risk in Scottish rivers using a spatial Bayesian Belief Network helps targeting effective mitigation measures
Authors: Glendell Miriam , Gagkas Zisis , Stutter Marc , Richards Samia , Lilly Allan , Vinten Andy , Coull Malcolm
Published: October 2022

Water quality remains a main reason for the failure of waterbodies to reach Good Ecological Status (GES) under the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD), with phosphorus (P) pollution being a major cause of water quality failures. Reducing P pollution risk in agricultural catchments is challenging due to the complexity of biophysical drivers along the source-mobilisation-delivery-impact continuum. While there is a need for place-specific interventions, the evidence supporting the likely effectiveness of mitigation measures and their spatial targeting is uncertain. We developed a decision-support tool using a Bayesian Belief Network that facilitates system-level thinking about P pollution and brings together academic and stakeholder communities to co-construct a model appropriate to the region of interest. The expert-based causal model simulates the probability of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentration falling into the WFD high/good or moderate/poor status classifications along with the effectiveness of three mitigation measures including buffer strips, fertiliser input reduction and septic tank management. In addition, critical source areas of pollution are simulated on 100 × 100 m raster grids for seven catchments (12–134 km2) representative of the hydroclimatic and land use intensity gradients in Scotland. Sensitivity analysis revealed the importance of fertiliser inputs, soil Morgan P, eroded SRP delivery rate, presence/absence of artificial drainage and soil erosion for SRP losses from diffuse sources, while the presence/absence of septic tanks, farmyards and the design size of sewage treatment works were influential variables related to point sources. Model validation confirmed plausible model performance as a “fit for purpose” decision support tool. When compared to observed water quality data, the expert-based causal model simulated a plausible probability of GES, with some differences between study catchments. Reducing fertiliser inputs below optimal agronomic levels increased the probability of GES by 5%, while management of septic tanks increased the probability of GES by 8%. Conversely, implementation of riparian buffers did not have an observable effect on the probability of GES at the catchment outlet. The main benefit of the approach was the ability to integrate diverse, and often sparse, information; account for uncertainty and easily integrate new data and knowledge.
Agricultural soil physico-chemical parameters and microbial abundance and diversity under long-run farming practices: A greenhouse study
Authors: Kaur Mandeep , Li Ji , Zhang Ping , Yang He-fa , Wang Lin , Xu Ming
Published: October 2022

The growth of agriculture led to indiscriminate use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers and unsustainable crop management farming practices which can aggravate harmful impacts on the microbial population and physical and chemical characteristics of soil ecosystem. Based on this fact, the present study was planned to evaluate the effect of long run farming practices on different soil physico-chemical parameters and soil microbial abundance and diversity within different soil depth (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm) at Quzhou Experimental Station of China Agricultural University, Hebei, China during October and December, 2016. The effect of farming practices on soil microbial abundance and diversity was studied by phospho-lipid fatty acid (PLFA) and DNA high-throughput sequencing methods. The findings revealed that soil is neutral to slightly alkaline in nature with highest water content under organic farming (ORF) at 0–20 cm and least under conventional farming at 20–40 cm depth. It was found that the ORF significantly increased the contents of total organic carbon (TOC), total carbon (TC), ammonium nitrogen, available nitrogen (AN), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and available phosphorus (AP) followed by low input and conventional farming modes in both October and December soil samples. The correlation analysis showed significantly (atp≤ 0.05 and 0.01) strong positive relationship within different physical and chemical properties of the soil under study. ANOVA and MANOVA analysis indicated significant effect of interaction between soil depth and farming modes on soil parameters. PCA analysis showed the most significant correlation between most of the bacterial types (G + bacteria, G− bacteria, actinomycetes) and soil AP, total available nitrogen, TOC and soil WC. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between microbial phylum groups (Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, andLatescibacteria) and microbial class group (Alphaproteobacteria, Sphingobacteriia, Flavobacteriia) with most of the soil physicochemical properties.
Assessing the effectiveness of management measures in the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon, Portugal
Authors: Newton Alice , Cañedo-Argüelles Miguel , March David , Goela Priscila , Cristina Sónia , Zacarias Marta , Icely John
Published: October 2022

The Ria Formosa is an important transitional and coastal lagoon on the south coast of Portugal that provides valuable ecosystem services. The lagoon is a protected area under national and international conventions. There is a great potential for Blue Growth sectors, such as aquaculture and coastal tourism, but these rely on good water quality. European environmental legislation, such as the Water Framework Directive, requires member states, such as Portugal to implement management measures if a surface water body is not of good ecological status. This work addresses the effectiveness of management measures, such as wastewater treatment plant implementation and dredging, on the water quality of the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon system. This is an important social-ecological issue, since management measures can be very expensive. The ecological status of Ria Formosa was evaluated, according to the physico-chemical and biological quality elements of the Water Framework Directive. The main indicators were the physico-chemical quality elements of nutrient and oxygen condition, and the biological quality element chlorophyll a, as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, under the Water Framework Directive. The data for these quality elements from the Ria Formosa were analyzed for consistency with the classification for the Water Framework Directive water bodies. The data after the implementation of management measures was compared with historical data to evaluate if these measures had been effective. The relation between nutrient pressures, meteorological and hydrological conditions was addressed, especially rainfall and runoff. Results showed a decrease in nutrient concentration after the management interventions, despite the increase of population and intensifying agriculture in the catchment. The Ecological Status is spatially variable with an overall moderate status, indicating the need for further management measures. There is a significant reduction in nutrient pressure on the lagoon during drought years. This indicates that climate change may alter the structure and function of the lagoon in the future.
Insight into selective breeding for robustness based on field survival records: New genetic evaluation of survival traits in pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) breeding line
Authors: Ren Shengjie , Mather Peter B. , Tang Binguo , Hurwood David A.
Published: October 2022

Survival can be considered a relatively ‘old’ trait in animal breeding, yet commonly neglected in aquaculture breeding because of the simple binary records and generally low heritability estimates. Developing routine genetic evaluation systems for survival traits however, will be important for breeding robust strains based on valuable field survival data. In the current study, linear multivariate animal model (LMA) was used for the genetic analysis of survival records from 2-year classes (BL2019 and BL2020) of pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) breeding lines with data collection of 52, 248 individuals from 481 fullsib families. During grow-out test period, 10 days intervals of survival data were considered as separate traits. Two survival definitions, binary survivability (S) and continuous survival in days (SL), were used for the genetic analysis of survival records to investigate; 1) whether adding more survival time information could improve estimation of genetic parameters; 2) the trajectory of survival heritability across time, and 3) patterns of genetic correlations of survival traits across time. Levels of heritability estimates for both S and SL were low (0.005–0.076), while heritability for survival day number was found to be similar with that of binary records at each observation time and were highly genetically correlated (rg > 0.8). Heritability estimates of body weight (BW) for BL2019 and BL2020 were 0.486 and 0.373, respectively. Trajectories of survival heritability showed a gradual increase across the grow-out test period but slowed or reached a plateau during the later grow-out test period. Genetic correlations among survival traits in the grow-out tests were moderate to high, and the closer the times were between estimates, the higher were their genetic correlations. In contrast, genetic correlations between both survival traits and body weight were low but positive. Here we provide the first report on the trajectory of heritability estimates for survival traits across grow-out stage in aquaculture. Results will be useful for developing robust improved pacific white shrimp culture strains in selective breeding programs based on field survival data.
Functional evaluation of LTR-derived lncRNAs in porcine oocytes and zygotes with RNA-seq and small RNA-seq
Authors: Yang Xu , Ji Jingzhang , Cui Hongdi , Zhao Qi , Ding Chunming , Xu Chang
Published: October 2022

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly being recognized as modulators of early embryonic development in mammals. However, they are seldom investigated in pigs. Here, to annotate full-length RNA transcripts, we performed annotation using a newly developed computational pipeline—an RNA-seq and small RNA-seq combined strategy—using our previously obtained RNA-seq and small RNA-seq data from porcine oocytes and zygotes. As evidenced by the length comparison, the frequency of the core promoter, and the polyadenylation signal motifs, the transcripts appear to be full-length. Furthermore, our strategy allowed the identification of a large number of endogenous retrovirus-associated lncRNAs (ERV-lncRNAs) and found that some of them were highly expressed in porcine zygotes, as compared to oocytes. Through the knockdown strategy, two ERV-lncRNAs (TCONS_00035465 and TCONS_00031520) were identified as playing potential roles in the early embryo development of pigs, laying a foundation for future research.
Genetic variation in 9p21, dietary patterns, and insulin sensitivity
Authors: Mahdavi Sara , Jenkins David J.A. , El-Sohemy Ahmed
Published: October 2022

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the 9p21 region have been associated with cardiovascular disease and to a lesser extent insulin sensitivity. Previous studies have focused on older populations, and few have examined the impact of gene-diet interactions. The objective of this study was to determine the interaction between dietary patterns and 9p21 genotypes on insulin sensitivity in young adults from different ethnic groups.

Methods: Subjects were 1,333 participants aged 20–29 years from the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health Study (405 men and 928 women; 776 Caucasians and 557 East Asians). Fasting blood was collected to measure glucose, insulin, c-reactive protein and serum lipids, as well as to isolate DNA for genotyping subjects for five SNPs in 9p21 (rs10757274, rs10757278, rs1333049, rs2383206, and rs4977574). Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and beta-cell dysfunction (HOMA-Beta) were calculated from fasting insulin and glucose concentrations. The Toronto-modified Harvard 196-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to measure dietary intake over 1 month and principal components analysis was used to identify three dietary patterns (Prudent, Western and Eastern). ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to examine gene-diet interactions on markers of insulin sensitivity.

Results: Significant gene-diet interactions on insulin sensitivity using HOMA-IR were observed with all five SNPs, which remained significant after adjusting for covariates (p < 0.05). Among those who were homozygous for the 9p21 risk allele (rs1333049), fasting insulin was 40% higher in those who were consuming a low-prudent diet compared to those consuming a high-prudent diet (p < 0.05). No differences were observed between those following a low versus high-prudent diet among those who did not carry a 9p21 risk allele. Similar findings were observed with HOMA-Beta, however, the association was only significant for rs10757274 (p = 0.04).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a prudent dietary pattern may protect against the effects of 9p21 risk genotypes on insulin sensitivity.
Pan-cancer analysis reveals the relationship between RCSD1 immune infiltration and clinical prognosis in human tumors
Authors: Qiao Han , Yin Hong , Feng Yan , Tang Huaping
Published: October 2022

Background

RCSD1 is a cytoskeletal regulator that has been confirmed to undergo genetic mutations in hematological tumors, but the mechanisms of RCSD1 in pan-cancer and its impact on patient prognosis have not been studied.

Methods

Using TCGA, GEPIA, UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotters, Linkedomics, String, cBioPortal, TISIDB, TCIA and TIMER database methods, we investigated the expression of RCSD1 in human tumors and its relationship to clinical prognosis, functional analysis of co-expression networks, mutation status, and immune infiltration in cancers, especially lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).

Results

The expression of RCSD1 is low in most tumors compared with normal tissues, and its high expression is associated with good patient survival. The RCSD1 co-expression network is mainly involved in the regulation of immune response. In human cancer, RCSD1 plays an important role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and is significantly associated with the expression of immune infiltrating cells (TIL) in lung cancer.

Conclusions

As a prognostic biomarker of generalized cancer, RCSD1 is associated with immune infiltration.
Oral vaccination of fish against vibriosis using spore-display technology
Authors: Gonçalves Gabriela , Santos Rafaela A. , Coutinho Filipe , Pedrosa Neide , Curado Maria , Machado Marina , Costas Benjamin , Bonneville Lourenço , Serrano Mónica , Carvalho António Paulo , Díaz-Rosales Patricia , Oliva-Teles Aires , Couto Ana , Serra Cláudia R.
Published: October 2022

Oral vaccines are highly demanded by the aquaculture sector, to allow mass delivery of antigens without using the expensive and labor-intensive injectable vaccines. These later require individual handling of fish, provoking stress-related mortalities.

One possible strategy to create injection-free vaccine delivery vehicles is the use of bacterial spores, extremely resistant structures with wide biotechnological applications, including as probiotics, display systems, or adjuvants. Bacterial spores, in particular those of Bacillus subtilis, have been shown to behave as mucosal vaccine adjuvants in mice models. However, such technology has not been extensively explored against fish bacterial disease.

In this study, we used a laboratory strain of B. subtilis, for which a variety of genetic manipulation tools are available, to display at its spores surface either a Vibrio antigenic protein, OmpK, or the green fluorescence protein, GFP. When previously vaccinated by immersion with the OmpK- carrying spores, zebrafish survival upon a bacterial challenge with V. anguillarum and V. parahaemolyticus, increased up to 50 - 90% depending on the pathogen targeted. Further, we were able to detect anti-GFP-antibodies in the serum of European seabass juveniles fed diets containing the GFP-carrying spores and anti-V. anguillarum antibodies in the serum of European seabass juveniles fed the OmpK-carrying spores containing diet. More important, seabass survival was increased from 60 to 86% when previously orally vaccinated with in-feed OmpK- carrying spores. Our results indicate that B. subtilis spores can effectively be used as antigen-carriers for oral vaccine delivery in fish.
Donor selection for KIR alloreactivity is associated with superior survival in haploidentical transplant with PTCy
Authors: Zou Jun , Kongtim Piyanuch , Srour Samer A. , Greenbaum Uri , Schetelig Johannes , Heidenreich Falk , Baldauf Henning , Moore Brandt , Saengboon Supawee , Carmazzi Yudith , Rondon Gabriela , Ma Qing , Rezvani Katayoun , Shpall Elizabeth J. , Champlin Richard E. , Ciurea Stefan O. , Cao Kai
Published: October 2022

With the continuous increase in the use of haploidentical donors for transplantation, the selection of donors becomes increasingly important. Haploidentical donors have been selected primarily based on clinical characteristics, while the effects of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) on outcomes of haploidentical-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) remain inconclusive. The present study aimed to thoroughly evaluate the effect of KIRs and binding ligands assessed by various models, in addition to other patient/donor variables, on clinical outcomes in haplo-HSCT. In a cohort of 354 patients undergoing their first haplo-HSCT, we found that a higher Count Functional inhibitory KIR score (CF-iKIR) was associated with improved progression-free survival (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.71; P = .029) and overall survival (OS) (HR, 0.66; P = .016), while none of the other models predicted for survival in these patients. Moreover, using exploratory classification and regression tree analysis, we found that donor age <58 years combined with cytomegalovirus-nonreactive recipient was associated with the best OS, whereas donor age >58 years was associated with the worst OS. In the rest of our cohort (80%), cytomegalovirus-reactive recipients with a donor <58 years old, a higher CF-iKIR was associated with superior OS. The 3-year OS rates were 73.9%, 54.1% (HR, 1.84; P = .044), 44.5% (HR, 2.01; P = .003), and 18.5% (HR, 5.44; P <.001) in the best, better, poor, and worse donor groups, respectively. Our results suggest that KIR alloreactivity assessed by CF-iKIR score can help optimize donor selection in haplo-HSCT.
Does time to esophagectomy following neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma affect outcomes?
Authors: Hong Zhi-Nuan , Huang Zhixin , Weng Kai , Lin Jihong , Kang Mingqiang
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (nICT) is a novel pattern for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and the time to surgery (TTS) is recommended as 4-6 weeks. However, there were some patients with prolonged TTS(> 6 weeks). This study aimed to explore whether prolonged TTS (> 6 weeks) would affect the outcomes.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with locally advanced ESCC between January 2020 and March 2022 and undergoing esophagectomy following nICT were identified based on a prospectively collected database. Primary outcome measures were pathological complete response (pCR) and disease-free survival (DFS), and the secondary outcomes were 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity, surgical time, postoperative hospital stay, and hospital expense.

Results

Total of 95 patients were included for analysis, with 52 patients in the standard TTS group and 43 patients in the prolonged TTS group. The clinical and demographic characteristics of the two groups were comparable. The prolonged group had a median 18 days longer TTS(P<0.001). The pCR rate was 23.08% (12/52) in the standard group and 16.28% (7/43) in the prolonged group (P=0.41). Multivariate regression analysis further indicated that TTS wasn’t an independent factor in predicting pCR (P=0.41). The median follow-up time was 10.5 months in the standard TTS group and 11.2 months in the prolonged TTS group. A total of five recurrences occurred with two events in the standard TTS group and three events in the prolonged TTS group, and no significant difference was observed in DFS(P=0.60). Both groups were comparable in postoperative hospital stays, total hospital stay, hospital expenses, and comprehensive complications index (CCI). The complications and major complications were also similar in both groups. Spearman test further indicated that there was no linear correlation among TTS with hospital expenses, postoperative hospital stays, hospital stay, CCI index, lymph nodes moved number, or surgical time, with a p-value of 0.48, 0.63, 0.80, 0.92, 0.09, 0.38 respectively.

Conclusions

Based on present evidence, TTS after completion of nICT is not of major importance concerning pathological response, disease-free survival, and short-term postoperative outcomes.
Brief Research Report: Serum clara cell 16 kDa protein levels are increased in patients hospitalized for severe SARS-CoV-2 or sepsis infection
Authors: Rohmann Nathalie , Stürmer Paula , Geisler Corinna , Schlicht Kristina , Hartmann Katharina , Türk Kathrin , Hollstein Tim , Tran Florian , Rosenstiel Philip , Franke Andre , Heyckendorf Jan , Schreiber Stefan , Schulte Dominik M. , Laudes Matthias
Published: October 2022

Background

Clara cell 16 kDa protein (CC16) is a secretory protein primarily expressed in epithelial cells in the lungs. Previous studies show that CC16 exerts anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties in both acute and chronic pulmonary diseases. However, despite the evidence of CC16’s high biomarker potential, evaluation of its role in infectious diseases is yet very limited.

Methods

Serum CC16 concentrations were measured by ELISA and assessed in two different types of severe infections. Using a case-control study design, patients treated for either severe SARS-CoV-2 or severe non-pulmonary sepsis infection were compared to age- and sex-matched healthy human subjects.

Results

Serum CC16 was significantly increased in both types of infection (SARS-CoV-2: 96.22 ± 129.01 ng/ml vs. healthy controls: 14.05 ± 7.48 ng/ml, p = 0.022; sepsis: 35.37 ± 28.10 ng/ml vs. healthy controls: 15.25 ± 7.51 ng/ml, p = 0.032) but there were no distinct differences between infections with and without pulmonary focus (p = 0.089). Furthermore, CC16 serum levels were positively correlated to disease duration and inversely to the platelet count in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Conclusions

Increased CC16 serum levels in both SARS-CoV-2 and sepsis reinforce the high potential as a biomarker for epithelial cell damage and bronchoalveolar−blood barrier leakage in pulmonary as well as non-pulmonary infectious diseases.
Biting the hand that feeds: Metabolic determinants of cell fate during infection
Authors: Fraschilla Isabella , Evavold Charles L.
Published: October 2022

Metabolic shifts can occur in cells of the innate immune system in response to microbial infection. Whether these metabolic shifts benefit host defense and propagation of an immune response appears to be context dependent. In an arms race, host-adapted microbes and mammalian cells vie for control of biosynthetic machinery, organelles, and metabolites. Herein, we discuss the intersection of host metabolism and cell-intrinsic immunity with implications for cell fate during infection. Sensation of microbial ligands in isolation results in host metabolic shifts that imbues normal innate immune function, such as cytokine secretion. However, living microbes have an arsenal of effectors and strategies to subvert cell-intrinsic immune responses by manipulating host metabolism. Consequently, host metabolism is monitored as an indicator of invasion or manipulation by a pathogen, primarily through the actions of guard proteins and inflammasome pathways. In this review, we frame initiation of cell-intrinsic immunity in the context of host metabolism to include a physiologic “Goldilocks zone” of allowable shifts with guard circuits monitoring wide perturbations away from this zone for the initiation of innate immune responses. Through comparison of studies with purified microbial ligands, dead microbes, and live pathogens we may begin to understand how shifts in metabolism determine the outcome of host-pathogen interactions.
High throughput SNP chip as cost effective new monitoring tool for assessing invasion dynamics in the comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi
Authors: Pujolar José Martin , Limborg Morten T. , Ehrlich Moritz , Jaspers Cornelia
Published: October 2022

High throughput low-density SNP arrays provide a cost-effective solution for population genetic studies and monitoring of genetic diversity as well as population structure commonly implemented in real time stock assessment of commercially important fish species. However, the application of high throughput SNP arrays for monitoring of invasive species has so far not been implemented. We developed a species-specific SNP array for the invasive comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi based on whole genome re-sequencing data. Initially, a total of 1,395 high quality SNPs were identified using stringent filtering criteria. From those, 192 assays were designed and validated, resulting in the final panel of 116 SNPs. Markers were diagnostic between the northern and southern M. leidyi lineages and highly polymorphic to distinguish populations. Despite using a reduced representation of the genome, our SNP panel yielded comparable results to using a whole genome re-sequencing approach (832,323 SNPs), recovering similar values of genetic differentiation between samples and detecting the same clustering groups when performing Structure analyses. The resource presented here provides a cost-effective, high throughput solution for population genetic studies, allowing to routinely genotype large number of individuals. Monitoring of genetic diversity and effective population size estimations in this highly invasive species will allow for the early detection of new introductions from distant source regions or hybridization events. Thereby, this SNP chip represents an important management tool in order to understand invasion dynamics and opens the door for implementing such methods for a wider range of non-indigenous invasive species.
The denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation process and microorganisms in the environments: A review
Authors: Wei Hengchen , Wang Mengxin , Ya Miaolei , Xu Chaobin
Published: October 2022

Methane (CH4) is an important greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 28 – 34 times that of CO2 over the 100-year horizon. Denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) is a recently discovered process that potentially represents an important CH4 sink globally. This process involves two possible pathways: the nitrite-dependent DAMO mediated by NC10 bacteria and the nitrate-dependent DAMO by ANME-2d archaea. Both are widely detected in freshwater and coastal habitats using molecular tools. However, the distributions of these two processes and the functional microorganisms and their interactions with other N cycling pathways are far from clear. In this review, we conducted a scientometric analysis on a co-citation network consisting of 835 references derived from 354 citing articles closely related to the distribution of DAMO in the environment. Through this analysis, we found that current studies focus more on freshwater systems than coastal systems, and ANME-2d archaea are generally under-studied compared to NC10 bacteria. The emerging research topics in this area include AMO processes coupled to alternative electron acceptors and their role as CH4 sinks. We further reviewed papers focusing on DAMO distribution in freshwater and coastal environments guided by the result of the scientometric analysis. Finally, we identified several areas that require further research and proposed future research including comparisons of DAMO with other N cycling pathways and environmental conditions in the context of the river-estuary-sea continuum.
A laboratory study of the effect of varying beach slopes on bore-driven swash hydrodynamics
Authors: Deng Bin , Zhang Wen , Yao Yu , Jiang Changbo
Published: October 2022

Swash zone hydrodynamics has significant coastal geomorphological and engineering implications. However, there is still a research gap in fully understanding the response of bore-driven swash hydrodynamics to varying beach slopes. Therefore, in this study, laboratory experiments were performed in a flume to investigate the hydrodynamics of bore-driven swash flows over impermeable smooth beaches with a mild slope (1:35), a steep slope (1:10), and a composite slope (1:35–1:10), respectively. The designed swash events are produced by a collapse of dam-break-generated bores. Wave gauges, ultrasonic displacement sensors, acoustic Doppler velocimeter, and particle image velocimetry are used simultaneously to capture different phases (bore collapse, uprush, and backwash) of bore evolution in the entire swash zone. The impacts of beach slope on the swash hydrodynamics in view of the shoreline movement, swash depth, and swash velocity are first analyzed. The formation and evolution of the vortex structure on the three beaches are also reported in this study.
Diversity and distribution of Perkinsus spp. along the coast of China: Implications for widespread transmission of Perkinsus spp. in mollusks
Authors: Ye Lingtong , Wu Lin , Lu Jie , Yao Tuo , Wang Jiangyong , Shi Shaokun , Yu Gang , Zhao Wang
Published: October 2022

Perkinsusspecies, which are parasitic pathogens of mollusks, have been transmitted and dispersed to various molluscan species along the coastal waters of many countries. However, few studies have addressed the diversity and distribution ofPerkinsusspp. along the coast of China. Here we used conventional PCR amplification and sequencing techniques, combined with a qPCR assay as a confirmatory test, to evaluate the prevalence ofPerkinsusspecies in molluscan species among different sea regions of China. ThreePerkinsusspecies—P. olseni,P. beihaiensis, andP. chesapeaki—were detected, withP. chesapeakireported for the first time along the Chinese coast. Seven of eight molluscan species carriedPerkinsusspecies, includingCrassostrea gigas,C. hongkongensis,Sinonovacula constricta,Ruditapes philippinarum,Scapharca subcrenata,Meretrix lyrate, andHaliotis diversicolor.Perkinsus olseniwas prominent in the Yellow and Bohai Sea and East China Sea, whileP. beihaiensiswas prominent in the South China Sea. Most of the molluscan species carriedPerkinsusspp. with the medium or low levels of PCR-prevalence (<30%). The threePerkinsusspecies possess high levels of internal transcriber spacer haplotypes, some of which are shared among many countries. The much higher PCR-prevalence ofPerkinsusspp. in the clamRuditapes philippinarumand the oysterCrassostrea hongkongensissuggests thatPerkinsusspecies may be transmitted and dispersed to other mollusks through the transportation ofPerkinsus-carriedR. philippinarumandC. hongkongensis.Perkinsuscarrying tended to be generally linked with a broader geographic range, lower prevalence, more diversified molluscan hosts, and more diversifiedPerkinsushaplotypes.
Tuning the ionic character of sodium dodecyl sulphate via counter-ion binding: An experimental and computational study
Authors: Pérez-Sánchez Germán , Schaeffer Nicolas , Greaves Tamar L. , Pereira Jorge F. B. , Coutinho João A. P.
Published: October 2022

Solutions of surfactants exhibit remarkable features, such as a tunable amphiphilic character, which can further be varied for ionic surfactants through variations in their Coulombic interactions. These properties are very useful in many industrial applications such as in extraction, purification, and formulation processes, as detergents, wetting agents, or emulsifiers. Rather unexpectedly, the addition of tetrabutylammonium chloride ([N4,4,4,4]Cl) to solutions of the ionic surfactant of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) results in the appearance of a phase transition above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), a property usually associated with non-ionic surfactants. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed nanoscopic scenario on the interaction between SDS micelles and [N4,4,4,4]Cl moieties to better understand the nature of the LCST cloud point and how to confer it to a given ionic surfactant system. A coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) computational framework, under the latest MARTINI 3.0 force field, was developed and validated using available literature data. The impact of [N4,4,4,4]Cl concentration in the phase of SDS micellar aqueous solutions was then characterized and compared using experimental results. Specifically, dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) profiles were obtained at different [N4,4,4,4]+/[DS]- molar ratios (from 0.0 to 1.0) and compared with the CG-MD results. A good agreement between computer simulations and experimental findings was obtained, reinforcing the suitability of GC-MD to simulate complex phase behaviors. When the [N4,4,4,4]+/[DS]- molar ratio is < 0.5, a weak impact of the cation in the micellar distribution was found whereas for ratios > 0.5, the system yielded clusters of enclosed small [DS]- aggregates. Thus, the CG-MD simulations showed the formation of mixed [DS]- and [N4,4,4,4]+ aggregates with [N4,4,4,4]+ cations acting as a bridge between small [DS]- micelles. The CG-MD simulation framework developed in this work captured the role of [N4,4,4,4]+ in the micellar phase transition whilst improving the results obtained with preceding computer models for which the limitations on capturing SDS and [N4,4,4,4]Cl mixtures in aqueous solutions are also shown in detail.