bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ìrègún Music and Sounding Spaces among Yagba-Yoruba People of Nigeria
Authors: Titus Olusegun Stephen
Published: January 2021

Scholarship on Ìrègún music, as an indigenous musical tradition, has attested to the performance practices of the genre yet very little is known on the connections of the music to environmental sustainability and nature spaces. Representations of nature space generally serve as an anchor for societal norms, values, and virtues. This article examines the nature and cultural spaces in Ìrègún music. I employed ethnographic method with musical and textual analysis to examine the concept of nature, animals, and their cultural signifier in Ìrègún music. Through ecomusicology theory, I argue that Ìrègún songs serve as a tool for didactic, corrective, social, and environmental sustainability awareness spaces.
Socio-economic disparities in the dispensation of antibiotics in Sweden 2016–2017: An intersectional analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy
Authors: Wemrell Maria , Lenander Cecilia , Hansson Kristofer , Perez Raquel Vicente , Hedin Katarina , Merlo Juan
Published: January 2021

Aims: Antimicrobial resistance presents an increasingly serious threat to global public health, which is directly related to how antibiotic medication is used in society. Actions aimed towards the optimised use of antibiotics should be implemented on equal terms and according to the needs of the population. Previous research results on differences in antibiotic use between socio-economic and demographic groups in Sweden are not entirely coherent, and have typically focused on the effects of singular socio-economic variables. Using an intersectional approach, this study provides a more precise analysis of how the dispensation of antibiotic medication was distributed across socio-economic and demographic groups in Sweden in 2016–2017. Methods: Using register data from a nationwide cohort and adopting an intersectional analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy, we map the dispensation of antibiotics according to age, sex, country of birth and income. Results: While women and high-income earners had the highest antibiotic dispensation prevalence, no large differences in the dispensation of antibiotics were identified between socio-economic groups. Conclusions: Public-health interventions aiming to support the reduced and optimised use of antibiotics should be directed towards the whole Swedish population rather than towards specific groups. Correspondingly, an increased focus on socio-economic or demographic factors is not warranted in interventions aimed at improving antibiotic prescription patterns among medical practitioners.
Hunting ghosts: on spectacles of spectrality and the trophy animal
Authors: Searle Adam
Published: January 2021

In lieu of material encounters, nonhuman spectres are made sense of through spectacles, imageries speculated upon with their own geographies and affects. This paper explores histories of trophy hunting in the Spanish Pyrenees, illustrating the emergence of the spectacular in relation to contemporary ideals of nature for hunters, in particular questioning the material implications of hunting for the extinction of the bucardo (or Pyrenean ibex). Theoretically, this paper converses Jacques Derrida’s metaphor of spectrality and Guy Debord’s conceptualisation of the spectacle to understand how hunting ghost animals removes them from particular ecological contexts. Trophy hunting and taxidermic practice serves to produce spectacles of animals at the interface of life and death, detaching them from temporal linearities, and allowing trophy animals to speak to broader sentiments of mastery over landscape. The bucardo was a ghostly figure prior to its extinction, famously difficult to encounter and kill by the 19th century, and as such its absence was marked through trophies to infer its broader presence in the landscape. I trace the changing significances of spectres and spectacles through the development of photographic technologies; prior to the camera’s spread and widespread use, spectral spectacles were produced through hunting practice. A typology is offered for the sensing of ghosts in their cultural contexts: mourning, or the attempt to ontologise remains; marking, or the conditional attribution of language to the spectral; and working, the means through which the ghost transforms itself or is transformed.
Disturbing geographies and in/stability in and around a supermarket with a middle-aged man with learning impairments
Authors: Cockain Alex
Published: January 2021

This article explores events in and around a supermarket with a middle-aged man with learning impairments. While documenting their particularities, this article also deploys these events as prisms through which to reflect upon how place is implicated in disabling practice and how the disabling geographies that such practice shapes and is shaped by may be un/re/made. These events are made subject to two readings. In the first, although the supermarket seems merely a backdrop against which events take place, it combines with forms of governmentality in and with regard to place to form a product, or text, through which the normative order speaks. In the second, place is regarded as a dynamic process constituted by innumerable elements in constant motion. Because both these readings register the product and process of disabling geographies, this article attempts, albeit while being thwarted, to realise less disabling geographies through rehabilitating process and attending to the ‘thingness’ of place; actual and imaginative subversions, or reversals and deconstructions. These seek to disturb and trouble disabling geographies and the practice made possible therein.
Feasibility and acute alerting effects of a daylight-supplementing in-vehicle lighting system – Results from two randomised controlled field studies during dawn and dusk
Authors: Canazei M , Staggl S , Pohl W , Schüler S , Betz D , Ottersbach J , Popp R
Published: January 2021

The present studies examined the feasibility and acute alerting effects of additional in-vehicle lighting within a passenger car. These factors were examined during morning driving (Study 1) and evening driving (Study 2). In a balanced within-subjects design, 37 participants drove a test car two times in the morning or in the evening. The test vehicle was equipped with either a daylight-supplementing interior lighting system or a placebo system, which participants were told would refresh the air. Both studies used identical protocols, and participants participated either in Study 1 ( n = 18) or Study 2 ( n = 19). In both studies, corneal illuminance levels were recorded while driving. Feasibility of the systems was assessed using subjective ratings. Efficacy outcomes were spindle rates in the alpha bandwidth of electroencephalogram recordings, performance on a psychomotor vigilance task and subjective sleepiness ratings. In both studies, daylight-supplementing significantly increased corneal illuminances while driving and did not cause any negative visual side-effects. Study 1 revealed lower spindle rates while driving under daylight-supplementing lighting, indicating that drivers had higher physiological alertness when exposed to additional light in the morning. This alerting effect of daylight-supplementing lighting, however, was not observed in Study 2. In both studies, performance on the psychomotor vigilance task as well as subjective sleepiness ratings did not significantly differ between the experimental conditions. The present studies provide novel evidence for the feasibility and positive impact of daylight-supplementing in-vehicle lighting systems on the physiological alertness of drivers under naturalistic driving conditions. Further studies are warranted to evaluate carry-over effects of increased alertness on road safety measures.
Performing the Lived Experiences of LGBTQIA+ Individuals From Religious Backgrounds
Authors: Hogan Jake , Omasta Matt
Published: January 2021

This article shares the playscript of an ethnodrama by and about people from religious backgrounds who identify as LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual/Aromantic; “+” refers to the multitude of other identities included within Queerness and/or Transness) that was devised and performed at Utah State University. The applied theater project sought to understand, value, and share these peoples’ experiences, including the myriad roles religion played in their lives. Applied theater works to inspire social change through the performance of live productions. This project strove to help amplify the participants’ voices as they explored topics and issues that they uniquely face. The central research question for this project was “How do people from religious backgrounds who identify as LGBTQIA+ understand, process, and interact with individuals and institutions they encounter on a regular basis?” Specific themes and topics included familial responses to participants’ queer and religious identities, how participants sought to find and create community, how they experienced acceptance and rejection, and ways religious belief intersected with their queer identities.
Colluding With and Resisting the State: Organizing Against Gender Violence in the U.S.
Authors: Richie Beth E. , Kanuha Valli Kalei , Martensen Kayla Marie
Published: January 2021

The movements for racial justice, health equity, and economic relief have been activated in the contentious and challenging climate of 2020, with COVID-19 and social protest. In this context, feminist scholars, anti-violence advocates, and transformative justice practitioners have renewed their call for substantive changes to all forms of gender-based violence. This article offers a genealogy of the battered women’s movement in the U.S. from the lived experiences of two longtime activists. These reflections offer an analysis of the political praxis which evolved over the past half century of the anti-violence movement, and which has foregrounded the current social, political, and ideological framing of gender-based violence today. We conclude with a view to the future, focusing on the possibilities for transformative justice and abolition feminism as a return to our radical roots and ancestral histories.
Microbiology, Histopathology, and Radiographic Findings in Silent Sinus Syndrome
Authors: Zheng Henry D. , Mecham Jeffrey C. , Abdel-Aty Yassmeen , Lal Devyani , Marino Michael J.
Published: January 2021

Background

The histopathology and microbiology associated with silent sinus syndrome (SSS) have not been well described.

Objective

This study details the histopathological and microbiological characteristics in addition to radiographic findings of SSS in comparison to those of chronic maxillary sinusitis (CRS).

Methods

42 patients diagnosed with SSS at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona were identified. Paranasal computed tomography scans of the 42 SSS patients as well as 42 matched CRS patients were analyzed in order to assess differences in the prevalence of septal spurs/deviation. 20 of the SSS patients and 19 of the matched CRS patients also had histopathology and microbiology reports, which were compiled and summarized. Additionally, 19 SSS and 19 matched CRS patients were contacted via phone survey for a more complete patient history regarding maxillary dental disease/surgery.

Results

SSS patients have a significantly higher prevalence of septal spurs/deviation than CRS patients. The microbiomes of SSS patients more closely resemble those of healthy controls than those of CRS patients. Analysis of the histopathology of SSS reveals chronic, non-specific inflammation similar to that seen in non-eosinophilic CRS without polyps. SSS patients were significantly more likely to have a history of maxillary dental disease requiring surgery.

Conclusion

These data support the hypothesis that the pathogenesis of SSS is more likely due to anatomical/mechanical factors than inflammatory/microbiological factors.
Revision Anterior Cervical Disc Arthroplasty: A National Analysis of the Associated Indications, Procedures, and Postoperative Outcomes
Authors: Lee Nathan J. , Joaquim Andrei F. , Boddapati Venkat , Mathew Justin , Park Paul , Kim Jun S. , Sardar Zeeshan M. , Lehman Ronald A. , Riew K. Daniel
Published: January 2021

Study Design:

Retrospective study.

Objective:

To examine the associated indications, procedures, and postoperative outcomes after revision ACDA.

Methods:

We utilized a national database to identify adult(≥18 years) patients who underwent either a primary ACDA or removal of ACDA over a 10-year period(2008-2017). An in-depth assessment of the reasons for revision surgery and the subsequent procedures performed after the removal of ACDA was done by using both Current Procedural Terminology(CPT) and International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-9,10) coding.

Results:

From 2008 to 2017, a total of 3,350 elective, primary ACDA cases were performed. During this time, 69 patients had a revision surgery requiring the removal of ACDA. The most common reasons for revision surgery included cervical spondylosis(59.4%) and mechanical complications(27.5%). After removal of ACDA, common procedures performed included anterior cervical fusion with or without decompression(69.6%), combined anterior/posterior fusion/decompression (11.6%), and replacement of ACDA (7.2%). The indications for surgery did not vary significantly among the different procedures performed (p = 0.318). Patients requiring revision surgery for mechanical complications or those who underwent a combined surgical approach were at significantly higher risk for subsequent short-term complications (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

Over a 10-year period, the rate of revision surgery for ACDA was low (2.1%). Nearly 90% of revision cases were due to either cervical spondylosis or mechanical complications. These indications for surgery did not vary significantly among the different procedures performed. These findings will be important during the shared-decision making process for patients undergoing primary or revision ACDA.
A Literature Review on Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Teaching and Learning
Authors: Pokhrel Sumitra , Chhetri Roshan
Published: January 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in human history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 200 countries. Closures of schools, institutions and other learning spaces have impacted more than 94% of the world’s student population. This has brought far-reaching changes in all aspects of our lives. Social distancing and restrictive movement policies have significantly disturbed traditional educational practices. Reopening of schools after relaxation of restriction is another challenge with many new standard operating procedures put in place.

Within a short span of the COVID-19 pandemic, many researchers have shared their works on teaching and learning in different ways. Several schools, colleges and universities have discontinued face-to-face teachings. There is a fear of losing 2020 academic year or even more in the coming future. The need of the hour is to innovate and implement alternative educational system and assessment strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to pave the way for introducing digital learning. This article aims to provide a comprehensive report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online teaching and learning of various papers and indicate the way forward.
Assessing socio-technical resistance to public policy instruments: Insights from water performance indicators in the Grenoble area (France)
Authors: Bolognesi Thomas , Brochet Antoine , Renou Yvan
Published: January 2021

This article puts forward the notion of socio-technical resistance with an application to the regulation through performance indicators in the water sector. Governance failures are mainly explained by concentrating on governance design, considering regulation as a set of control mechanisms. We propose an alternative perspective by putting the emphasis on socio-technical resistance to take into account both human and non-human actors in the governance process. We observe the misuse of performance indicators by local actors in urban water systems in Europe to highlight the empirical significance of socio-technical resistance. Results support that socio-technical resistance is frequent and reduces significantly the reliability of the information gathered through performance indicators. Drawing on a new typology of resistance, we show socio-technical resistance is a dynamic combination of cognitive, interpretative, territorial, strategic, technical and structural factors. These results and the proposed notion underline a crucial limitation of public policies and regulation in the process of policy-instruments implementation and compliance. Empirically, it reveals particularly relevant to provide new insights on New public management and performance-based regulation, where measurement are crucial.
Syndecan-1 and stromal heparan sulfate proteoglycans: key moderators of plasma cell biology and myeloma pathogenesis
Authors: Ren Zemin , Spaargaren Marcel , Pals Steven T.
Published: January 2021

Plasma cells no longer express a B-cell antigen receptor and are hence deprived of signals crucial for survival throughout B-cell development. Instead, normal plasma cells, as well as their malignant myeloma counterparts, heavily rely on communication with the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment for survival. The plasma cell heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) syndecan-1 (CD138) and HSPGs in the BM microenvironment act as master regulators of this communication by co-opting specific growth and survival factors from the BM niche. This designates syndecan-1/HSPGs and their synthesis machinery as potential treatment targets in multiple myeloma.
Modeling and targeting of erythroleukemia by hematopoietic genome editing
Authors: Iacobucci Ilaria , Qu Chunxu , Varotto Elena , Janke Laura J. , Yang Xu , Seth Aman , Shelat Anang , Friske Jake D. , Fukano Reiji , Yu Jiyang , Freeman Burgess B. , Kennedy James A. , Sperling Adam S. , Zheng Rena , Wang Yingzhe , Jogiraju Harini , Dickerson Kirsten M. , Payne-Turner Debbie , Morris Sarah M. , Hollis Emily S. , Ghosn Nina , Haggard Georgia E. , Lindsley R. Coleman , Ebert Benjamin L. , Mullighan Charles G.
Published: January 2021

Acute erythroid leukemia (AEL) is characterized by a distinct morphology, mutational spectrum, lack of preclinical models, and poor prognosis. Here, using multiplexed genome editing of mouse hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and transplant assays, we developed preclinical models of AEL and non-erythroid acute leukemia and describe the central role of mutational cooperativity in determining leukemia lineage. Different combination of mutations in Trp53, Bcor, Dnmt3a, Rb1, and Nfix resulted in the development of leukemia with an erythroid phenotype, accompanied by the acquisition of alterations in signaling and transcription factor genes that recapitulate human AEL by cross-species genomic analysis. Clonal expansion during tumor evolution was driven by mutational cooccurrence, with clones harboring a higher number of founder and secondary lesions (eg, mutations in signaling genes) showing greater evolutionary fitness. Mouse and human AEL exhibited deregulation of genes regulating erythroid development, notably Gata1, Klf1, and Nfe2, driven by the interaction of mutations of the epigenetic modifiers Dnmt3a and Tet2 that perturbed methylation and thus expression of lineage-specific transcription factors. The established mouse leukemias were used as a platform for drug screening. Drug sensitivity was associated with the leukemia genotype, with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor talazoparib and the demethylating agent decitabine efficacious in Trp53/Bcor–mutant AEL, CDK7/9 inhibitors in Trp53/Bcor/Dnmt3a–mutant AEL, and gemcitabine and bromodomain inhibitors in NUP98-KDM5A leukemia. In conclusion, combinatorial genome editing has shown the interplay of founding and secondary genetic alterations in phenotype and clonal evolution, epigenetic regulation of lineage-specific transcription factors, and therapeutic tractability in erythroid leukemogenesis.
Variable blood processing procedures contribute to plasma proteomic variability
Authors: Halvey Patrick , Farutin Victor , Koppes Laura , Gunay Nur Sibel , Pappas Dimitrios A. , Manning Anthony M. , Capila Ishan
Published: January 2021

Background

Plasma is a potentially rich source of protein biomarkers for disease progression and drug response. Large multi-center studies are often carried out to increase the number of samples analyzed in a given study. This may increase the chances of variation in blood processing and handling, leading to altered proteomic results. This study evaluates the impact of blood processing variation on LC–MS/MS proteomic analysis of plasma.

Methods

Initially two batches of patient plasma samples (120 and 204 samples, respectively) were analyzed using LC–MS/MS shotgun proteomics. Follow-up experiments were designed and carried out on healthy donor blood in order to examine the effects of different centrifugation conditions, length of delay until first centrifugation, storage temperature and anticoagulant type on results from shotgun proteomics.

Results

Variable levels of intracellular proteins were observed in subsets of patient plasma samples from the initial batches analyzed. This observation correlated strongly with the site of collection, implicating variability in blood processing procedures. Results from the healthy donor blood analysis did not demonstrate a significant impact of centrifugation conditions to plasma proteome variation. The time delay until first centrifugation had a major impact on variability, while storage temperature and anticoagulant showed less pronounced but still significant effects. The intracellular proteins associated with study site effect in patient plasma samples were significantly altered by delayed processing also.

Conclusions

Variable blood processing procedures contribute significantly to plasma proteomic variation and may give rise to increased intracellular proteins in plasma. Accounting for these effects can be important both at study design and data analysis stages. This understanding will be valuable to incorporate in the planning of protein-based biomarker discovery efforts in the future.
Prediction and analysis of metagenomic operons via MetaRon: a pipeline for prediction of Metagenome and whole-genome opeRons
Authors: Zaidi Syed Shujaat Ali , Kayani Masood Ur Rehman , Zhang Xuegong , Ouyang Younan , Shamsi Imran Haider
Published: January 2021

Background

Efficient regulation of bacterial genes in response to the environmental stimulus results in unique gene clusters known as operons. Lack of complete operonic reference and functional information makes the prediction of metagenomic operons a challenging task; thus, opening new perspectives on the interpretation of the host-microbe interactions.

Results

In this work, we identified whole-genome and metagenomic operons via MetaRon (Metagenome and whole-genome opeRon prediction pipeline). MetaRon identifies operons without any experimental or functional information. MetaRon was implemented on datasets with different levels of complexity and information. Starting from its application on whole-genome to simulated mixture of three whole-genomes (E. coli MG1655, Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and Bacillus subtilis str. 16), E. coli c20 draft genome extracted from chicken gut and finally on 145 whole-metagenome data samples from human gut. MetaRon consistently achieved high operon prediction sensitivity, specificity and accuracy across E. coli whole-genome (97.8, 94.1 and 92.4%), simulated genome (93.7, 75.5 and 88.1%) and E. coli c20 (87, 91 and 88%,), respectively. Finally, we identified 1,232,407 unique operons from 145 paired-end human gut metagenome samples. We also report strong association of type 2 diabetes with Maltose phosphorylase (K00691), 3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nononate 9-phosphate synthase (K21279) and an uncharacterized protein (K07101).

Conclusion

With MetaRon, we were able to remove two notable limitations of existing whole-genome operon prediction methods: (1) generalizability (ability to predict operons in unrelated bacterial genomes), and (2) whole-genome and metagenomic data management. We also demonstrate the use of operons as a subset to represent the trends of secondary metabolites in whole-metagenome data and the role of secondary metabolites in the occurrence of disease condition. Using operonic data from metagenome to study secondary metabolic trends will significantly reduce the data volume to more precise data. Furthermore, the identification of metabolic pathways associated with the occurrence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) also presents another dimension of analyzing the human gut metagenome. Presumably, this study is the first organized effort to predict metagenomic operons and perform a detailed analysis in association with a disease, in this case type 2 diabetes. The application of MetaRon to metagenomic data at diverse scale will be beneficial to understand the gene regulation and therapeutic metagenomics.
Reliability of genomic variants across different next-generation sequencing platforms and bioinformatic processing pipelines
Authors: Weißbach Stephan , Sys Stanislav , Hewel Charlotte , Todorov Hristo , Schweiger Susann , Winter Jennifer , Pfenninger Markus , Torkamani Ali , Evans Doug , Burger Joachim , Everschor-Sitte Karin , May-Simera Helen Louise , Gerber Susanne
Published: January 2021

Background

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) is the fundament of various studies, providing insights into questions from biology and medicine. Nevertheless, integrating data from different experimental backgrounds can introduce strong biases. In order to methodically investigate the magnitude of systematic errors in single nucleotide variant calls, we performed a cross-sectional observational study on a genomic cohort of 99 subjects each sequenced via (i) Illumina HiSeq X, (ii) Illumina HiSeq, and (iii) Complete Genomics and processed with the respective bioinformatic pipeline. We also repeated variant calling for the Illumina cohorts with GATK, which allowed us to investigate the effect of the bioinformatics analysis strategy separately from the sequencing platform’s impact.

Results

The number of detected variants/variant classes per individual was highly dependent on the experimental setup. We observed a statistically significant overrepresentation of variants uniquely called by a single setup, indicating potential systematic biases. Insertion/deletion polymorphisms (indels) were associated with decreased concordance compared to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The discrepancies in indel absolute numbers were particularly prominent in introns, Alu elements, simple repeats, and regions with medium GC content. Notably, reprocessing sequencing data following the best practice recommendations of GATK considerably improved concordance between the respective setups.

Conclusion

We provide empirical evidence of systematic heterogeneity in variant calls between alternative experimental and data analysis setups. Furthermore, our results demonstrate the benefit of reprocessing genomic data with harmonized pipelines when integrating data from different studies.
The semi-dwarfing gene Rht-dp from dwarf polish wheat (Triticum polonicum L.) is the "Green Revolution” gene Rht-B1b
Authors: Chai Songyue , Yao Qin , Zhang Xu , Xiao Xue , Fan Xing , Zeng Jian , Sha Lina , Kang Houyang , Zhang Haiqin , Li Jun , Zhou Yonghong , Wang Yi
Published: January 2021

Background

The wheat dwarfing gene increases lodging resistance, the grain number per spike and harvest index. Dwarf Polish wheat (Triticum polonicum L., 2n = 4x = 28, AABB, DPW), initially collected from Tulufan, Xinjiang, China, carries a semi-dwarfing gene Rht-dp on chromosome 4BS. However, Rht-dp and its dwarfing mechanism are unknown.

Results

Homologous cloning and mapping revealed that Rht-dp is the ‘Green Revolution’ gene Rht-B1b. A haplotype analysis in 59 tetraploid wheat accessions showed that Rht-B1b was only present in T. polonicum. Transcriptomic analysis of two pairs of near-isogenic lines (NILs) of DPW × Tall Polish wheat (Triticum polonicum L., 2n = 4x = 28, AABB, TPW) revealed 41 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as potential dwarfism-related genes. Among them, 28 functionally annotated DEGs were classed into five sub-groups: hormone-related signalling transduction genes, transcription factor genes, cell wall structure-related genes, reactive oxygen-related genes, and nitrogen regulation-related genes.

Conclusions

These results indicated that Rht-dp is Rht-B1b, which regulates pathways related to hormones, reactive oxygen species, and nitrogen assimilation to modify the cell wall structure, and then limits cell wall loosening and inhibits cell elongation, thereby causing dwarfism in DPW.
Deciphering the miRNA transcriptome of breast muscle from the embryonic to post-hatching periods in chickens
Authors: Liu Jie , Li Fuwei , Hu Xin , Cao Dingguo , Liu Wei , Han Haixia , Zhou Yan , Lei Qiuxia
Published: January 2021

Background

miRNAs play critical roles in growth and development. Various studies of chicken muscle development have focused on identifying miRNAs that are important for embryo or adult muscle development. However, little is known about the role of miRNAs in the whole muscle development process from embryonic to post-hatching periods. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of miRNA transcriptomes at 12-day embryo (E12), E17, and day 1 (D1), D14, D56 and D98 post-hatching stages.

Results

We identified 337 differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) during muscle development. A Short Time-Series Expression Miner analysis identified two significantly different expression profiles. Profile 4 with downregulated pattern contained 106 DE-miRNAs, while profile 21 with upregulated pattern contained 44 DE-miRNAs. The DE-miRNAs with the upregulated pattern mainly played regulatory roles in cellular turnover, such as pyrimidine metabolism, DNA replication, and cell cycle, whereas DE-miRNAs with the downregulated pattern directly or indirectly contributed to protein turnover metabolism such as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism and biosynthesis of amino acids.

Conclusions

The main functional miRNAs during chicken muscle development differ between embryonic and post-hatching stages. miRNAs with an upregulated pattern were mainly involved in cellular turnover, while miRNAs with a downregulated pattern mainly played a regulatory role in protein turnover metabolism. These findings enrich information about the regulatory mechanisms involved in muscle development at the miRNA expression level, and provide several candidates for future studies concerning miRNA-target function in regulation of chicken muscle development.
Lipases of germinating jojoba seeds efficiently hydrolyze triacylglycerols and wax esters and display wax ester-synthesizing activity
Authors: Kawiński Adam , Miklaszewska Magdalena , Stelter Szymon , Głąb Bartosz , Banaś Antoni
Published: January 2021

Background

Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) is the only plant known to store wax esters instead of triacylglycerols in its seeds. Wax esters are composed of very-long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids and fatty alcohols and constitute up to 60% of the jojoba seed weight. During jojoba germination, the first step of wax ester mobilization is catalyzed by lipases. To date, none of the jojoba lipase-encoding genes have been cloned and characterized. In this study, we monitored mobilization of storage reserves during germination of jojoba seeds and performed detailed characterization of the jojoba lipases using microsomal fractions isolated from germinating seeds.

Results

During 26 days of germination, we observed a 60–70% decrease in wax ester content in the seeds, which was accompanied by the reduction of oleosin amounts and increase in glucose content. The activity of jojoba lipases in the seed microsomal fractions increased in the first 50 days of germination. The enzymes showed higher activity towards triacylglycerols than towards wax esters. The maximum lipase activity was observed at 60 °C and pH around 7 for triacylglycerols and 6.5–8 for wax esters. The enzyme efficiently hydrolyzed various wax esters containing saturated and unsaturated acyl and alcohol moieties. We also demonstrated that jojoba lipases possess wax ester-synthesizing activity when free fatty alcohols and different acyl donors, including triacylglycerols and free fatty acids, are used as substrates. For esterification reactions, the enzyme utilized both saturated and unsaturated fatty alcohols, with the preference towards long chain and very long chain compounds.

Conclusions

In in vitro assays, jojoba lipases catalyzed hydrolysis of triacylglycerols and different wax esters in a broad range of temperatures. In addition, the enzymes had the ability to synthesize wax esters in the backward reaction. Our data suggest that jojoba lipases may be more similar to other plant lipases than previously assumed.
Exogenous application of xanthine and uric acid and nucleobase-ascorbate transporter MdNAT7 expression regulate salinity tolerance in apple
Authors: Sun Tingting , Pei Tingting , Yang Lulu , Zhang Zhijun , Li Mingjun , Liu Yuerong , Ma Fengwang , Liu Changhai
Published: January 2021

Background

Soil salinity is a critical threat to global agriculture. In plants, the accumulation of xanthine activates xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH), which catalyses the oxidation/conversion of xanthine to uric acid to remove excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). The nucleobase-ascorbate transporter (NAT) family is also known as the nucleobase-cation symporter (NCS) or AzgA-like family. NAT is known to transport xanthine and uric acid in plants. The expression of MdNAT is influenced by salinity stress in apple.

Results

In this study, we discovered that exogenous application of xanthine and uric acid enhanced the resistance of apple plants to salinity stress. In addition, MdNAT7 overexpression transgenic apple plants showed enhanced xanthine and uric acid concentrations and improved tolerance to salinity stress compared with nontransgenic plants, while opposite phenotypes were observed for MdNAT7 RNAi plants. These differences were probably due to the enhancement or impairment of ROS scavenging and ion homeostasis abilities.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that xanthine and uric acid have potential uses in salt stress alleviation, and MdNAT7 can be utilized as a candidate gene to engineer resistance to salt stress in plants.
Evaluation of a novel Cardiac Peri-Operative Transfusion Trigger Scoring system in patients with coronary artery disease
Authors: Ma Hai-Ping , Zhang Lei , Chen Chun-ling , Li Jin , Ma Zhi Tong , Jiang Qiao Qiao , Liang Yuan Yuan , Li Shan Shan , Long Fei , Zheng Hong
Published: January 2021

Background

A simple and accurate scoring system to guide perioperative blood transfusion in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing cardiac surgery is lacking. The trigger point for blood transfusions for these patients may be different from existing transfusion guidelines. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new scoring strategy for use in guiding transfusion decisions in patients with CAD.

Methods

A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted at three third-level grade-A hospitals from January 2015 to May 2018. Data of 254 patients in a Cardiac Peri-Operative Transfusion Trigger Score (cPOTTS) group and 246 patients in a group receiving conventional evaluation of the need for transfusion (conventional group) were analysed. The requirements for transfusion and the per capita consumption of red blood cells (RBCs) were compared between groups.

Results

Baseline characteristics of the two groups were comparable. Logistic regression analyses revealed no significant differences between the two groups in primary outcomes (1-year mortality and perioperative ischemic cardiac events), secondary outcomes (shock, infections, and renal impairment), ICU admission, and ICU stay duration. However, patients in the cPOTTS group had significantly shorter hospital stays, lower hospital costs, lower utilization rate and lower per capita consumption of transfused RBCs than controls. Stratified analyses revealed no significant differences between groups in associations between baseline characteristics and perioperative ischemic cardiac events, except for hemofiltration or dialysis and NYHA class in I.

Conclusions

This novel scoring system offered a practical and straightforward guideline of perioperative blood transfusion in patients with CAD.

Trial registration chiCTR1800016561(2017/7/19).
Utilization of serum D-dimer assays prior to computed tomography pulmonary angiography scans in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism among emergency department physicians: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Salehi Leila , Phalpher Prashant , Yu Hubert , Jaskolka Jeffrey , Ossip Marc , Meaney Christopher , Valani Rahim , Mercuri Mathew
Published: January 2021

Background

A variety of evidence-based algorithms and decision rules using D-Dimer testing have been proposed as instruments to allow physicians to safely rule out a pulmonary embolism (PE) in low-risk patients.

Objective

To describe the prevalence of D-Dimer utilization among emergency department (ED) physicians and its impact on positive yields and utilization rates of Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography (CTPA).

Methods

Data was collected on all CTPA studies ordered by ED physicians at three sites during a 2-year period. Using a chi-square test, we compared the diagnostic yield for those patients who had a D-Dimer prior to their CTPA and those who did not. Secondary analysis was done to examine the impact of D-Dimer testing prior to CTPA on individual physician diagnostic yield or utilization rate.

Results

A total of 2811 CTPAs were included in the analysis. Of these, 964 CTPAs (34.3%) were ordered without a D-Dimer, and 343 (18.7%) underwent a CTPA despite a negative D-Dimer. Those CTPAs preceded by a D-Dimer showed no significant difference in positive yields when compared to those ordered without a D-Dimer (9.9% versus 11.3%, p = 0.26). At the individual physician level, no statistically significant relationship was found between D-Dimer utilization and CTPA utilization rate or diagnostic yield.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence of suboptimal adherence to guidelines in terms of D-Dimer screening prior to CTPA, and forgoing CTPAs in patients with negative D-Dimers. However, the lack of a positive impact of D-Dimer testing on either CTPA diagnostic yield or utilization rate is indicative of issues relating to the high false-positive rates associated with D-Dimer screening.
Geriatrician perspectives on perioperative care: a qualitative study
Authors: Thillainadesan Janani , Jansen Jesse , Close Jacqui , Hilmer Sarah , Naganathan Vasi
Published: January 2021

Background

Perioperative medicine services for older surgical patients are being developed across several countries. This qualitative study aims to explore geriatricians’ perspectives on challenges and opportunities for developing and delivering integrated geriatrics perioperative medicine services.

Methods

A qualitative phenomenological semi-structured interview design. All geriatric medicine departments in acute public hospitals across Australia and New Zealand (n = 81) were approached. Interviews were conducted with 38 geriatricians. Data were analysed thematically using a framework approach.

Results

Geriatricians identified several system level barriers to developing geriatrics perioperative medicine services. These included lack of funding for staffing, encroaching on existing consultative services, and competing clinical priorities. The key barrier at the healthcare professional level was the current lack of clarity of roles within the perioperative care team. Key facilitators were perceived unmet patient needs, existing support for geriatrician involvement from surgical and anaesthetic colleagues, and the unique skills geriatricians can bring to perioperative care. Despite reporting barriers, geriatricians are contemplating and implementing integrated proactive perioperative medicine services. Geriatricians identified a need to support other specialties gain clinical experience in geriatric medicine and called for pragmatic research to inform service development.

Conclusions

Geriatricians perceive several challenges at the system and healthcare professional levels that are impacting current development of geriatrics perioperative medicine services. Yet their strong belief that patient needs can be met with their specialty skills and their high regard for team-based care, has created opportunities to implement innovative multidisciplinary models of care for older surgical patients. The barriers and evidence gaps highlighted in this study may be addressed by qualitative and implementation science research. Future work in this area may include application of patient-reported measures and qualitative research with patients to inform patient-centred perioperative care.
The risk factors associated with COVID-19-Related death among patients with end‐stage renal disease
Authors: Rastad Hadith , Ejtahed Hanieh-Sadat , Shafiee Gita , Safari Anis , Shahrestanaki Ehsan , Khodaparast Zeinab , Hassani Neda Shafiabadi , Rezaei Mohammad , Nazari Morteza , Zakani Akram , Niksima Mohammad Mahdi , Azimzadeh Mehdi , Karimi Fatemeh , Tajbakhsh Ramin , Qorbani Mostafa
Published: January 2021

Background

The extent to which patients with End-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at a higher risk of COVID-19-related death is still unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the ESRD patients at increased risk of COVID-19 -related death and its associated factors.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 74 patients with ESRD and 446 patients without ESRD hospitalized for COVID-19 in Alborz province, Iran, from Feb 20 2020 to Apr 26 2020. Data on demographic factors, medical history, Covid-19- related symptoms, and blood tests were obtained from the medical records of patients with confirmed COVID-19. We fitted univariable and multivariable Cox regression models to assess the association of underlying condition ESRD with the COVID-19 in-hospital mortality. Results were presented as crude and adjusted Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In the ESRD subgroup, demographic factors, medical history, symptoms, and blood parameters on the admission of survivors were compared with non-survivors to identify factors that might predict a high risk of mortality.

Results

COVID-19 patients with ESRD had in-hospital mortality of 37.8% compared to 11.9% for those without ESRD (Pvalue < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, age, sex, and comorbidities, ESRD patients were more likely to experience in-hospital mortality compared to non-ESRD patients (Adjusted HR (95% CI): 2.59 (1.55–4.32)). The Log-rank test revealed that there was a significant difference between the ESRD and non-ESRD groups in terms of the survival distribution (χ2 (1) = 21.18,P-value < 0.001). In the ESRD subgroup, compared to survivors, non-survivors were older, and more likely to present with lack of consciousness or O2 saturation less than 93%; they also had lower lymphocyte but higher neutrophil counts and AST concentration at the presentation (allp–values < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings suggested that the presence of ESRD would be regarded as an important risk factor for mortality in COVID-19 patients, especially in those who are older than age 65 years and presented with a lack of consciousness or O2 saturation less than 93%.
Hypothyroidism and risks of cerebrovascular complications among patients with head and neck cancer after radiotherapy
Authors: Liu Chi-Hung , Chang Joseph Tung-Chieh , Lee Tsong-Hai , Chang Pi-Yueh , Chang Chien-Hung , Wu Hsiu-Chuan , Chang Ting-Yu , Huang Kuo-Lun , Lin Chien-Yu , Fan Kang-Hsing , Chang Yeu-Jhy
Published: January 2021

Background

Hypothyroidism (HT) and carotid artery stenosis (CAS) are complications of radiotherapy (RT) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The impact of post-RT HT on CAS progression remains unclear.

Methods

Between 2013 and 2014, HNC patients who had ever received RT and were under regular follow-up in our hospital were initially screened. Patients were categorized into euthyroid (EU) and HT groups. Details of RT and HNC were recorded. Total plaque scores and degrees of CAS were measured during annual extracranial duplex follow-up. Patients were monitored for CAS progression to > 50 % stenosis or ischemic stroke (IS). Cumulative time to CAS progression and IS between the 2 groups were compared. Data were further analyzed based on the use or nonuse of thyroxine of the HT group.

Results

333 HNC patients with RT history were screened. Finally, 216 patients were recruited (94 and 122 patients in the EU and HT groups). Patients of the HT group received higher mean RT doses (HT vs. EU; 7021.55 ± 401.67 vs. 6869.69 ± 425.32 centi-grays, p = 0.02). Multivariate Cox models showed comparable CAS progression (p = 0.24) and IS occurrence (p = 0.51) between the 2 groups. Moreover, no significant difference was observed in time to CAS progression (p = 0.49) or IS (p = 0.31) among patients with EU and HT using and not using thyroxine supplement.

Conclusions

Our results did not demonstrate significant effects of HT and thyroxine supplementation on CAS progression and IS incidence in patients with HNC after RT.
The mutation of BCOR is highly recurrent and oncogenic in mature T-cell lymphoma
Authors: Kang Jin Hyun , Lee Seung Ho , Lee Jawon , Choi Murim , Cho Junhun , Kim Seok Jin , Kim Won Seog , Ko Young Hyeh , Yoo Hae Yong
Published: January 2021

Background

BCOR acts as a corepressor of BCL6, a potent oncogenic protein in cancers of the lymphoid lineage. We have found the recurrent somatic mutation of BCOR occurred in mature T-cell lymphoma (TCL). The role of BCOR mutation in lymphoid malignancies is unknown.

Methods

Lymphoma patient samples were analyzed to identify missense mutations in BCOR using Sanger sequencing. Transfection, RNA interference, immunoprecipitation, western blotting, cell proliferation, cytokine assays and quantitative real-time PCR were employed to determine the functional relevance of the novel K607E mutation in BCOR. The significant transcriptional changes were analyzed by performing DNA microarray profiling in cells expressing BCOR K607E mutant.

Results

One hundred thirty-seven lymphoma patient samples were analyzed to identify K607E mutation of the BCOR gene. The BCOR K607E mutation was identified in 15 of 47 NK/T cell lymphoma cases (31.9%), 2 of 18 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma cases (11.1%), 10 of 30 peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified cases (33.3%), and 13 of 42 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cases (30.9%). Molecular analysis of BCOR K607E mutation revealed that compared to the wild-type BCOR, the mutant BCOR bound to the BCL6, PCGF1, and RING1B proteins with lesser affinity. Ectopic expression of BCOR K607E mutant significantly enhanced cell proliferation, AKT phosphorylation and the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2) with up-regulated expression ofHOXand S100 protein genes in T cells. BCOR silencing also significantly enhanced cell proliferation, AKT phosphorylation, and IL-2 production.

Conclusions

Functional analyses indicated that K607E mutation of BCOR is oncogenic in nature and can serve as a genetic marker of T-cell lymphoma.