bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-cell analysis of mast cell populations across organs reveals insights into cell origins, anatomical niches and neuron-associated functions.
Authors: Gaudenzio Nicolas , Tauber Marie , Basso Lilian , Wemelle Eve , Martin Jeremy , Bostan Luciana , Pinto Marlene Magalhaes , Thierry Guilhem , Houmadi Raissa , Serhan Nadine , Loste Alexia , Bleriot Camille , Samrout Celine El , Lasrado Reena , Kamphuis Jasper , Pachnis Vassilis , Grujic Mirjana , Kjellén Lena , Pejler Gunnar , Paul Carle , Dong Xinzhong , Galli Stephen , Reber Laurent , Ginhoux Florent , Bajenoff Marc , Gentek Rebecca , Knauff Claude
Published: September 2022

Mast cells (MCs) are heterogenous tissue-resident immune cells associated with blood vessels and neurons. However, the extent to which specialized MCs can exhibit micro-environment-specific functions is unclear. Using single cell RNA sequencing, we characterize connective tissue-type and mucosal MCs across organs and found that they can be discriminated based on MrgprB2 expression. While MrgprB2+ connective MCs are enriched in neuroreceptors, develop during the embryogenesis and renew independently of the bone marrow (BM); MrgprB2neg mucosal MCs arise postnatally, are sensitive to signals from the microbiome and renewed by BM progenitors. Importantly, MrgprB2+, but not MrgprB2neg MCs are required for food-induced anaphylactic shock. In the gut, MrgprB2+ MCs occur in contact with substance P-secreting enteric neurons and the specific depletion of either MrgprB2+ MCs or substance P results in dysregulation of gut contractions. Thus, we demonstrate that two independent MC populations exist in multiple organs, with different developmental dynamics and biological programming.
The genetic interplay between psychiatric disorders and breast cancer risk: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Zhihao , Fang Tian , Ji Fuqing , Lv Yonggang , Yin Yulong , Gao Shenghan , Zhang Mingkun
Published: September 2022

Background Evidence of the association between psychiatric disorders, and breast cancer have been inconsistent, and their interpretation often encounters confounding factors. In this study, we used bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the genetic relationships between them. Methods We performed an MR analysis using publicly available genome-wide association studies of European ancestry to simultaneously examine the relationship between psychiatric disorders, and breast cancer risk. The inverse-variance weighted method for the assessment of the risk psychiatric disorders bring to breast cancer. Weighted media, and MR-Egger regression were used as sensitivity analyses. Results The MR analysis revealed that major depressive disorder (MDD) may increase the risk of overall breast cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 1.095, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.019-1.277, P = 0.014), but not the subtype of breast cancer. Schizophrenia (SCZ) was a risk factor for overall breast cancer (OR = 1.031, 95%CI = 1.012-1.050, P = 0.002), ER+ breast cancer (OR = 1.034, 95%CI = 1.012-1.057, P = 0.002) and ER- breast cancer (OR = 1.050, 95%CI = 1.017-1.084, P = 0.003). However, patients with breast cancer are less likely to have the risk of MDD and SCZ. Conclusion: Our results found that MDD may be a risk factor for overall breast cancer but is not related to its subtypes. SCZ may increase the risk of breast cancer and its subtypes.
Lectin-carbohydrate interactions by protein bioinformatics: Parkia lectins case study
Authors: Cavada Benildo Sousa , Osterne Vinicius Jose Silva , Domingos Jorge Luiz Coelho , Oliveira Messias Vital , Martins Francisco William Viana , Cruz Francisco Vinicius Rodrigues , Lima Francisco Edilcarlos Oliveira , Oliveira Henrique Sousa , Sousa Jeanlex Soares , Ferreira Wandemberg Paiva , Nascimento Kyria Santiago , Pinto-Junior Vanir Reis
Published: September 2022

Lectins are proteins that reversibly bind to carbohydrates without altering their structures. These proteins are present in practically all living beings and exert different functions. Understanding the molecular basis underlying the interaction between lectins and carbohydrates can help elucidate many biological activities of lectins. Parkia lectins have unique structural features within the legume family. They have protomers that associate as dimers, each with 3 β-prism domains, very similar to Moraceae lectins. This pattern is not conserved in any other Leguminoseae lectins. Each domain is unique in composition, but all have specificity for D-mannose and derivatives. This work aims to use docking and molecular dynamics approaches to characterize the interaction between Parkia platycephala (PPL) and Parkia biglobosa (PBL) lectins and D-mannose, building, as a result, a model to study lectin-carbohydrate interactions in general. MD trajectories demonstrate the stability of the lectins, whether in their native state or interacting with D-mannose. In addition, both molecular mechanics with generalized Born solvation and surface area (MM/GBSA) and molecular mechanics/Poisson–Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) were used. When combined with the Interaction Entropy (IE) method, the binding energy of each domain with D-mannose was calculated to determine the participation of each amino acid in each domain during carbohydrate interaction. Trajectory analysis, as performed herein, has allowed for the expansion of knowledge about lectin-carbohydrate interactions based on our model, as well as the residues responsible for the binding with monosaccharides, thus contributing to future studies of Parkia lectins.
The Moderating Effect of Digital Empowerment on the Relationships between Old Age and Online Services Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Korean
Authors: Nam Su-Jung
Published: September 2022

Background: Older adults experiencing difficulty using digital technology have to find Online Services Related to Coronavirus Disease. This study examined the relationship between age and the use of various online services related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the moderating effect of consumers’ digital empowerment in this relationship. Methods: A regression analysis was performed to examine how respondents’ characteristics affect consumer empowerment. Further, a general linear model was used to investigate the main and interaction effects of age and empowerment on the recognition and experience of services related to COVID-19 using the 2021 Information Divide Index in Korea. Results: The results confirm that the recognition and experience of online services related to COVID-19 differ according to age. Additionally, the difference according to age was moderated by consumer empowerment. Conclusion: When empowerment was high, the difference in recognition and experiences of online services related to COVID-19 decreased with age.
Electronic properties of f electrons near Fermi level via a comparative optical study of CeCoIn5 and LaCoIn5
Authors: Lee Myounghoon , Seo Yu-Seong , Roh Seulki , Lee Seokbae , Kim Jihyun , Park Tuson , Hwang Jungseek
Published: September 2022

We investigated CeCoIn5 and LaCoIn5 single crystals, which have the same HoCoGa5-type tetragonal crystal structure, using infrared spectroscopy. However, while CeCoIn5 has 4f electrons, LaCoIn5 does not. By comparing these two material systems, we can extract the electronic properties of these f electrons. We observed that the differences caused by the f electrons are more obvious in low-energy optical spectra at low temperatures. We introduced a complex optical resistivity and found that the difference in optical resistivity between the two material systems is a clear indicator of the f electron response, which is intimately associated with the Kondo (f-electron) phenomena. From the temperature-related difference in optical resistivity, we also found that the onset temperature of the Kondo effect is much higher than what was previously reported. A large effective mass of 4f electrons for CeCoIn5 is obtained by applying the extended Drude model formalism. The effective masses of the two material systems are sharply contrasted. From this approach using optical resistivity, we demonstrate that the temperature-dependent optical properties of f electron can be extracted via a comparative study between CeCoIn5 and LaCoIn5.
Applicability of Lanatana camara weed in abatement of hexavalent chromium metal ion from textile industrial effluents
Authors: Yadav Anuj K. , Malik Davendra Singh , Jain C. K.
Published: September 2022

The adsorption of hexavalent chromium ion onto weed (Lanatana camara shoots, LS) was studied in this work. The effect of pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, initial metal concentration and particle size were optimised in batch mode experiments. The surface morphology and surface functional groups were identified by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity was observed to be 0.58 mg/g at pH 2. The Cr(VI) removal efficiency from textile industrial effluents by LS adsorbent was observed as 76.13%. The Langmuir isotherm model suited well than Freundlich isotherm model. The experimental data were analyzed by using two kinetic models: pseudo first order and pseudo second order model. Pseudo second order model followed better than pseudo first order kinetic model. This study showed that LS can be robustly applied for the abatement of hexavalent chromium ion from industrial effluents.
Debranching enzymes decomposed corn arabinoxylan into xylooligosaccharides and achieved a prebiotic regulation of gut microbiota in broilers
Authors: Wu Wei , Zhou Huajin , Chen Yanhong , Guo Yuming , Yuan Jianmin
Published: September 2022

BACKGROUND
Corn arabinoxylan (AX) is a complicated and multi-branched antinutritional factor, thereby proving the use of endo-xylanase (EX) to be marginally valid. This study focused on specific types of AX-degrading enzymes (ADE) to exert the synergy of debranching enzymes and track prebiotic potential of enzymatic hydrolysates. It aimed to investigate the effects of ADE on growth performance, intestinal histomorphology, absorption functions, changes of polysaccharide components, fermentation, and gut microbiota of broilers. To this purpose, 576 five-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allocated into eight treatments with six replicates each. Corn basal diets supplemented with or without enzymes were fed for a 21-day period, specifically including EX, its compatible use with arabinofuranosidase (EXA) or ferulic acid esterase (EXF), and compound groups with the above three enzymes (XAF).
RESULTS
Specific ADE stimulated the jejunal villus height and goblet cell number, and evidently decreased the crypt depth (P < 0.05), while the ratio of ileal villus height to crypt depth was significantly increased in EXF (P < 0.05). Maltase activities of ileal mucosa in XAF groups were extremely enhanced (P < 0.01), and EX boosted the activity of Na+-K+ ATPase in the small intestine (P < 0.01). The insoluble AX concentrations comparatively lessened, thereby notably raising the sundry xylooligosaccharide (XOS) yield in the ileal chyme (P < 0.05), which was dominant in xylobiose and xylotriose. Improvements in the abundance and diversity of ileal microbial communities within EXA, EXF, XAF treatments were observed (P < 0.05). Positive correlations between microbiota and XOS were revealed, with xylobiose and xylotriose being critical for ten beneficial bacteria (P < 0.05). EXF escalated the BWG and FCR of broilers in this phase (P < 0.05), attributing to the thriving networks modified by Lactobacillus. The intracecal contents of acetic acid, butyric acid, and propionic acid were greatly enhanced in most ADE groups such as EXF (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Debranching enzymes appreciably targeted corn AX to release prebiotic XOS in the posterior ileum and facilitated intracaecal fermentation. It was beneficial for improving gut development, digestion and absorption, and modulating the microflora to promote early performance of broilers.
Liquid assisted Grindstone Chemistry: An eco-friendly scalable approach for diverse Brønsted acid-catalyzed mechanochemical domino multicomponent reactions by employing the reactivity of cyclic 1,3-diketones at ambient conditions
Authors: Borah Biplob , Swain Sidhartha , Patat Mihir , Kumar Bhupender , Prajapat Ketan Kumar , Biswas Rathindranath , Chowhan L. Raju
Published: September 2022

Here, we have demonstrated a metal-free energy-efficient mechanochemical approach for expedient access to a diverse set of 2-amino-3-cyano-aryl/heteroaryl-4H-chromenes, tetrahydrospiro[chromene-3,4´-indoline], 2,2'-aryl/heteroarylmethylene-bis(3-hydroxy-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-enone) as well as tetrahydro-1H-xanthen-1-one by employing the reactivity of 5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione/cyclohexane-1,3-dione with TsOH.H2O as Brønsted acid catalyst under water-assisted grinding conditions at ambient temperature. The ability to accomplish multiple C-C, C = C, C-O, and C-N bonds from readily available starting materials via a domino multicomponent strategy in the absence of metal-catalyst as well as volatile organic solvents with an immediate reduction in the cost of the transformation without necessitates complex operational procedures, features the significant highlights of this approach. The excellent yield of the products, broad functional group tolerances, easy set-up, column-free, scalable synthesis with ultralow catalyst loading, short reaction time, waste-free, ligand-free, and toxic-free, are other notable advantages of this approach. The greenness and sustainability of the protocol were also established by demonstrating several green metrics parameters.
Bone union and strength effect of Romosozumab: An imaging and mechanical study using a rat posterolateral lumbar fusion model
Authors: Mukaihata Tomohito , Inage Kazuhide , Shiga Yasuhiro , Kim Geundong , Tajiri Ikuko , Eguchi Yawara , Suzuki-Narita Miyako , Tsuchiya Ryuto , Otagiri Takuma , Hishiya Takahisa , Arai Takahito , Toshi Noriyasu , Okuyama Kohei , Tokeshi Soichiro , Furuya Takeo , Maki Satoshi , Matsuura Yusuke , Suzuki Takane , Hagiwara Shigeo , Kawarai Yuya , Ohtori Seiji , Orita Sumihisa
Published: September 2022

In this study, we investigated the effect of romosozumab on bone strength at the fusion site in rats that underwent posterolateral lumbar fusion. For bone grafting, autogenous bone was harvested from the spinous process and grafted between the intervertebral joint and transverse processes of the 4th, 5th, and 6th lumbar vertebra bilaterally along with 40 mg of demineralized bone matrix. Rats were matched by body weight and divided equally into R (romosozumab, 25 mg/kg) and C (control, saline) groups. Subcutaneous injections were administered twice a week until 10 weeks post-operation. Computed tomography was performed 10 weeks post-operation to measure bone fusion rate, fused bone volume, and bone density. The fused area bone strength was also measured using 3-point bending. Results showed that group R rats had significantly higher bone fusion zone volume, bone mineral density, and bone strength than group C rats. Thus, the results demonstrated that romosozumab administration not only promoted osteogenesis at the bone graft site but also affected bone strength. Conclusion We demonstrated that romosozumab administration not only promoted osteogenesis at the bone graft site but also affected bone strength.
Analysis of gas-solid two-phase flow and structure optimization of mobile shot blasting machine recovery device
Authors: Zhang Yinhang , Men Xiuhua , Pan Yongzhi , Zhang Tianyi , Jiang Zhenfeng , Fu Xiuli
Published: September 2022

Purpose: To address the problem of low efficiency of recycling process waste by gas-solid two-phase flow of the shot blasting machine recycling device, a method and structure by increasing the negative pressure value and optimizing the outlet pipe position are proposed. Methods: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), discrete element method (DEM) and discrete phase model (DPM) were used to study the waste recovery efficiency at different pressure outlet conditions and outlet pipe locations. The validity of the model was verified by velocity tests at the outlet and inlet compared with simulations. The effect of particle size and particle generation rate on solid particle recovery efficiency was further investigated by analyzing the flow field distribution of the recovery unit. The results show that: the maximum velocity of the gas phase in the recovery device increases with the increase of the absolute value of the outlet pressure, when the outlet pressure is -6500 Pa, the maximum velocity is 67.59 m/s. When the absolute value of the outlet pressure is greater than 6000 Pa, a small amount of steel shot particles is discharged from the recovery bin under the action of the outlet pressure, resulting in the loss of steel shot particles. After the outlet pipe position optimization, the steel shot particle recovery efficiency increased by 10% and the waste particle recovery efficiency increased by 18.9%.
Substantially elevated serum glutamate and CSF GOT-1 levels associated with cerebral ischemia and poor neurological outcomes, in SAH patients
Authors: Snider Silvia , Albano Luigi , Gagliardi Filippo , Comai Stefano , Roncelli Francesca , De Domenico Pier Francesco , Pompeo Edoardo , Panni Pietro , Bens Nicole , Calvi Maria Rosa , Mortini Pietro , Ruban Angela
Published: September 2022

Early brain injury and cerebral vasospasm during the 14 days after the subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are considered the main causes of poor outcome. The primary injury induces a cascade of events, including increased intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral vasospasm and ischemia, glutamate excitotoxicity, and neuronal cell death. The objective of this study was to monitor the time course of glutamate, aspartate, and glutamate-associated enzymes such as glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT1), glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum, during the first weeks after SAH, and to assess their prognostic value. A total of 74 participants participated in this study: 45 participants with SAH and 29 controls. Serum and CSF were sampled up to 14 days after SAH. The clinical and neurological status of SAH participants were assessed at hospitalization, at discharge from the hospital, and 3 months after SAH.Our results demonstrated that serum and CSF glutamate levels were consistently elevated after SAH. Furthermore, high serum glutamate levels displayed a positive correlation with the worst neurological status at admission, and with the cerebral ischemia and poor neurological outcome. CSF GOT1 was elevated in SAH participants and positively correlated with intracranial hypertension, with cerebral ischemia and poor neurological outcome post-SAH.
Assessment of the hematological profile of children with chronic kidney disease on follow-up at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College and Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Shenkut Melaku , Urgessa Fekadu , Alemu Rahel , Abebe Bezaye
Published: September 2022

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue with an increasing incidence and prevalence worldwide. In CKD, hematological parameters are influenced, and the effect increases with CKD stage. It is becoming more common in Ethiopia, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, but there have been very few studies on the hematological profile of children with chronic kidney disease, on follow-up in general, and particularly among chronic kidney disease patients.Methods: At Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, a cross-sectional study was carried out from March to June 2021. EDTA tubes were used to collect a total of 238 blood samples, which were then examined on a Beckman Coulter automated hematology analyzer. SPSS Version 20 was used for statistical analysis, and a logistic regression model was applied.Results: The total number of patients in the study was 238, with 42 (59.7%) of them being men. With a p-value of 0.05, there was a significant correlation and association with having co-morbidities such as hypertension and anemia, as well as a low range of Hgb in bivariate correlational analysis. In a multivariate regression analysis, eGFR-based CKD stages were strongly associated with a low range of hemoglobin concentration, with a p-value of 0.001. (0.000). Overall, 39 (or 16.4%) of CKD patients were anemic. In terms of age, 176 (73.9 %) of the children were over the age of five. The majority of the patients (81%) had CKD stage 1(34%). The study also found that having CKD for a longer period of time (> 5 years) and being hypertensive have an effect on the growth indicator MUAC, with a p-value of 0.0001 and 0.0001.Conclusion: The study found that the majority of study participants were in stages 1 to 3 based on their eGFR, which is significantly related to RBC, HGB, and HCT count. There is a need to improve multiple aspects of CKD management, including routine hematological tests for children with chronic kidney disease, specifically RBCs, Hgb, PLT, WBCs, and differential count.
A new post-operative prognostic System Combining CEA and CA199 for locally advanced rectal cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision
Authors: Sun Runzhuo , Zeng Yimiao , Fan Yuanyuan , Lin Dan , Du Siyu , Wang Xiaoyu
Published: September 2022

Background
We aimed to assess the prognostic value of the combination of post-operative CEA and CA199 in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by TME.
Methods
Combined serum tumor biomarkers (CSTB) score were defined: Score 0: post-operative CEA < 2.550 and post-operative CA199 < 16.36; Score 2: post-operative CEA > 2.550 and post-operative CA199 > 16.36. Score 1: Other situations. The clinical outcome were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).
Results
According to multivariate analysis, for OS, only post-operative CA199 score were prognostic predictors, while post-operative CEA was not. For DFS, only CSTB score and perineural invasion were prognosis predictors.
Conclusion
This research revealed the novel scoring system combining postoperative CEA and CA199 had better prognostic value than those two index alone.
Using Ethnographic Approaches to Document, Evaluate, and Facilitate Virtual Community-Engaged Implementation Research
Authors: Rabin Borsika A. , Cain Kelli L. , Salgin Linda , Watson Paul , Oswald William , Kaiser Bonnie , Ayers Lawrence , Yi Crystal , Alegre Alexander , Ni Jessica , Reyes Allyn , Yu Kasey E. , Broyles Shelia L. , Tukey Robert , Laurent Louise C. , Stadnick Nicole A.
Published: September 2022

Background
Community Advisory Boards (CABs) have been frequently used to engage diverse partners to inform research projects. Yet, evaluating the quality of engagement has not been routine. We describe a multi-method ethnographic approach documenting and assessing partner engagement in two “virtual” CABs, for which we conducted all meetings remotely.
Methods
Two research projects for increasing equitable COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and clinical trial participation for underserved communities involved remote CAB meetings. Thirty-three partners representing 17 community groups participated in 15 sessions across the two CABs facilitated by a social change organization. We developed ethnographic documentation forms to assess multiple aspects of CAB member engagement (e.g., time spent speaking, modality used, types of interactions). Documenters were trained to observe CAB sub-groups via virtual sessions. Debriefing with the documentation team after CAB meetings supported quality assurance and process refinement. CAB members completed a brief validated survey after each meeting to assess the quality and frequency of engagement. Content and rapid thematic analysis were used to analyze documentation data. Quantitative data were summarized as frequencies and means. Qualitative and quantitative findings were triangulated.
Results
A total of 4,540 interactions were identified across 15 meetings. The most frequent interaction was providing information (44%), followed by responding (37–38%). The quality and frequency of stakeholder engagement were rated favorably (average 4.7 of 5). Most CAB members (96%) reported good/excellent engagement. Specific comments included appreciation for the diversity of perspectives represented by the CAB members and suggestions for improved live interpretation. Debriefing sessions led to several methodological refinements for the documentation process and forms.
Conclusions
We highlight key strategies for documenting and assessing community engagement. Our methods allowed for rich ethnographic data collection that refined our work with community partners. We recommend ongoing trainings, including debriefing sessions and routinely reviewed assessment of data to strengthen meaningful community engagement.
Identification of MRP1 and its role in complete remission (CR) after induction therapy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia patients.
Authors: KAMIL SABA , KOUSER SHAHEEN , NAEEM NADIA , FARROQUI WAQAS , HAIDER GHULAM , KHAN Farrukh Ali , SHARAFAT SHAHEEN , KAMIL NOOR
Published: September 2022

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding transporters are one of the chief reason behind drug resistance. There are forty nine adenosine triphosphate binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Some of them are Multidrug resistance associated protein-1 (MRP 1), Breast resistance cancer protein (BCRP), and P glycoprotein (P-gp). Their expression in the cell causes expel out of drugs from the cell. Therefore, the patient is incapable of achieving remission or may relapse.Methodology: Peripheral blood samples of 40 patients with denovo AML were taken in this study. QRT PCR and ELISA was performed to evaluate the MRP 1 gene and MRP 1 protein expression respectively. A relationship was analyzed between MRP 1 expression and complete remission.Results: Out of 40 patients, males were predominant i.e., 55 percent in the current research. The frequency of acute myeloid leukemia was the highest in the age group of 25–39 years both in males and females. Between MPR 1 gene expression and complete remission, clinical relevance was observed in this study, 69.2 percent of patients with high gene expression failed to attain complete remission (P value > 0.05) whereas results of MRP 1 protein analysis was statistically nonsignificant. Moreover, other parameters such as FLT3, NPM1, and cytogenetics indicated no relationship with MRP 1.Conclusion: This study provides a basis to further evaluate the role of ABC transporters for future researches. However, larger sample would be required to validate the results.
HO-1 alleviates neuroinflammation and cystitis-related symptoms in cyclophosphamide-induced cystitis via the SIRT1 pathway
Authors: Gao Zhentao , Gao Qiongqiong , Huang Yong , Lu Miaolong , Zhang Chi , Su Minzhi , Chen Jialiang , Zhan Hailun , Liu Bolong , Zhou Xiangfu
Published: September 2022

Background
Our previous study suggested that astrocytes and microglia are activated in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) rats and induce neuroinflammation by secreting proinflammatory cytokines. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) plays a key role in inhibiting neuroinflammatory processes in the central nervous system and can activate silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), which has an inhibitory effect on neuroinflammation; however, whether HO-1 alleviates neuroinflammation in IC remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the role of HO-1 in rat IC models and confirm whether SIRT1 mediates HO-1 function.
Methods
Rats were administered with cyclophosphamide (CYP) by systemic intraperitoneal injection to develop IC models. Hemin (inducer of HO-1) and Znpp (HO-1 inhibitor) were performed intraperitoneally 1-day prior to each CYP injection. EX-527 was injected intrathecally for 3 consecutive days to selectively inhibit SIRT1. We used the von Frey filament test to measure mechanical withdrawal threshold, and urinary frequency was assessed using urodynamic tests. HO-1, SIRT1, glial fibrillary acidic protein (an astrocyte marker), ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule (a microglia marker), phosphorylated (p)-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p-p38, and proinflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] levels were assessed by western blot, and immunofluorescence was used to identify HO-1 and SIRT1 cellular localization.
Results
We observed downregulated HO-1 expression in the SDH of rats with CYP-induced cystitis, which was accompanied by neuroinflammation, mechanical allodynia, and urinary frequency. Additionally, HO-1 induction after hemin treatment suppressed glial cell activation and attenuated IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α expression by inhibiting activation of the JNK/p38 pathway, ultimately improving IC-related symptoms. Moreover, Znpp administration exacerbated inflammatory responses and pain sensitivity by inhibiting HO-1 activity. Furthermore, HO-1 positively regulated SIRT1 activation and alleviated IC-related symptoms, whereas the therapeutic effect of HO-1 upregulation was significantly impaired by SIRT1 inhibition.
Conclusion
HO-1 attenuated neuroinflammation, mechanical allodynia, and urinary frequency caused by glial activation in rats with CYP-induced cystitis by activating SIRT1 to inhibit JNK/p38 signaling.
Critical scaling of whole-brain resting-state dynamics
Authors: Ponce-Alvarez Adrián , Kringelbach Morten , Deco Gustavo
Published: September 2022

Scale invariance is a characteristic of neural activity and how it emerges from neural interactions remains a fundamental question. Here, we studied the relation between scale-invariant brain dynamics and structural connectivity by analyzing human resting-state (rs-) fMRI signals, together with diffusion MRI (dMRI) connectivity and its approximation as an exponentially decaying function of the distance between brain regions. We analyzed the rs-fMRI dynamics using functional connectivity and a recently proposed phenomenological renormalization group (PRG) method that tracks the change of collective activity after successive coarse-graining at different scales. We found that brain dynamics display power-law correlations and power-law scaling as a function of PRG coarse-graining. Finally, by studying a whole-brain computational models, we showed that the observed scaling features emerge from critical dynamics and connections exponentially decaying with distance. In conclusion, our study validates the PRG method using large-scale brain activity and theoretical models and suggests that scaling of rs-fMRI activity relates to criticality and the geometry of the brain.
Effects of Increasing Student Enrolment on Teaching and Learning in Senior High Schools in Ghana: The Free Senior High School Policy in Retrospection
Authors: Duah Richard Kwame , Gyabaah Kojo Oppong Yeboah , Mensah Bismark , Poku Adjoa Afriyie
Published: September 2022

Senior high school education in Ghana has experienced tremendous growth following the introduction of Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy. The corresponding increase student enrolment presents challenges to teaching and learning and academic performance, in general. In this study, 181 teachers were selected from six senior high schools (SHSs) within Ejisu Municipality using cluster sampling technique in order to examine how changes in student enrolment, following the implementation of the FSHS policy, has affected teaching and learning. The study adopted trend analysis with data analysed using SPSS. The findings showed an impressive steady increase in student enrolment. It was also found that academic performance of students generally dipped in the introductory years of the FSHS policy whiles some improvements were observed from 2019 forward. However, the study revealed that schools experienced challenges of classroom and dining hall congestions; inadequate teaching and learning materials; inadequate hostel infrastructure; and high student-teacher ratio among others. The study, among others, recommends a multi-stakeholder collaboration to salvage the infrastructure deficits and its associated challenges that characterise SHSs in Ghana.
Antidepressant Like Effect of Endogenous SO 2 on Depression Caused by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress
Authors: Salari Mahdieh , Mehrjerdi Fatemeh Zare , Yadegari Maryam , Rezvani Mohammad Ebrahim , Raeini Azadeh Shahrokhi
Published: September 2022

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) is a toxic gas with harmful effects on various organs but recent studies, have confirmed the protective effect of SO2 on ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, and lung infections. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of endogenous SO2 on depression. Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) model was performed to cause depression. Depression-Like Behaviors in animals were determined using open-field test, forced swimming test and sucrose consumption. Animal spatial learning and memory was assessed using the Morris water maze. The oxidative status of the hippocampus and serum corticosterone level assessed. A reduction in the tendency to consume sucrose, mobility, and curiosity, as well as learning and memory disorders were observed in CUMS animals. Depressed animals treated with SO2 showed a significant improvement in behavioral and cognitive functions. SO2 also reduced neuronal damage and lipid peroxidation of the hippocampus and serum corticosterone level in the CUMS group. Various evidences supports a mutual relationship between inflammation and depression, also growing studies shows the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of mood-related disorders such as depression. In this study, increased hippocampal malondialdehyde (MDA) and serum corticosterone levels can be reasons for the existence of oxidative stress and possible activation of inflammatory processes. SO2 donors reduced MDA and corticosterone levels in depressed animals. According to these results, SO2 may have been able to reduce tissue damage and eventually behavioral disorders caused by depression by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Sex differences in posture and vertical perception of gait function in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Mikami Kyohei , Kamo Tsutomu , Ichinoseki-Sekine Noriko
Published: September 2022

Sex differences in the effect of posture and subjective vertical position (SPV) on gait function have not been clarified in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the involvement of posture and vertical perception in the gait function of PD patients according to sex. The study included 59 adult patients with PD (31 men and 28 women) who visited the Rehabilitation Department of Neurology Clinic as outpatients. Relationships between four postural evaluations [forward trunk flexion (FTF), lateral trunk flexion (LTF), SPV], and eight gait assessments [walking time, step length, gait speed, number of steps, step time, coefficient of variation of step time (step CV), cadence, and mean gait acceleration (acceleration)] were analyzed according to sex. None of the postural evaluations showed an association with gait parameters in men. By contrast, in women, relationships were seen between walking time and SPV in the sagittal plane, stride length and FTF angle, the number of steps and FTF and LTF, and step CV and SPV in the coronal plane, indicating that posture was related to gait function. Our results could aid rehabilitative therapies to improve PD patients' gait function.
Factors Associated with Need for Intravenous Glucose Infusion for the Treatment of Early Neonatal Hypoglycemia in Late Preterm and Term infants
Authors: Brion Luc , Scheid Lisa , Brown Larry , Burchfield Patti , Rosenfeld Charles
Published: September 2022

Objective
To determine which late-preterm (35-36wk gestational age [GA]) and term neonates with early-onset hypoglycemia in the first 72h postnatal required a continuous glucose infusion in order to achieve and successfully maintain euglycemia.
Study Design:
Retrospective cohort study of late preterm and term neonates born in 2010–2014 and admitted to the Mother-Baby Unit at Parkland Hospital who had laboratory-proven blood glucose concentration < 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) during the first 72h of life. The cohort was randomly divided into a derivation cohort (n = 1288) and a validation cohort (n = 1298).
Result
In multivariate analysis, need for intravenous glucose infusion was associated with small size for GA, low initial glucose concentration, early-onset infection and other perinatal variables (e.g., fetal acidosis, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy) in both cohorts.
Conclusion
Need for intravenous glucose infusion was associated with small size for GA, low initial glucose concentration, early-onset infection and variables associated with prenatal hypoxia-asphyxia.
Fluid Overload is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19 and Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: González-Sánchez Héctor Raúl , Martínez-Sánchez Froylan David , Torres-Cuevas José Luis , Ibarra-Santoyo Luis , Diaz-Jarquin Alejandra , Vargas-Abonce Valerie Paola , Saenz-Ancira Santiago , Reyna-Juarez Yatzil , Balderas-Juarez Joana , Salinas-Ramírez Mauricio Adrián , Tenorio-Aguirre Erika Karina
Published: September 2022

Introduction:
Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been associated with adverse outcomes among hospitalized patients with Covid-19. Although pre-pandemic data of patients with AKI has shown that volume overload is significantly associated with mortality and need for Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT), the association with worst outcomes among patients with AKI and Covid-19 has not been studied. Thus, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of fluid overload in AKI with progression of the disease and mortality among patients hospitalized with Covid-19.
Methods
Observational retrospective cohort study that included volume balances, clinical and biochemical data of 412 hospitalized patients with Covid-19 and AKI. Univariate and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of fluid overload with 28-day mortality, AKI stage 3 and RRT.
Results
The mean age of the subjects was 55 ± 15 years, 64.1% were women, 69.7% developed AKI at any stage, 47.2% had diabetes, 31.4% had hypertension, and only 4.5% had chronic kidney disease. Likewise, the 28-day mortality was 20.4%, 43.3% patients required mechanical ventilation, 22.3% developed AKI stage 3, and 9.5% needed RRT. The median of global fluid overload was 1441cc (-489 to 3736), and 59.7% had a global fluid overload of > 1000 cc at discharge. After Cox regression analysis the risk for 28-day mortality, AKI stage 3 and RRT was HR = 3.014 (1.573–5.777), 3.159 (1.708–5.840), and 3.607 (1.128–11.539), respectively (p < 0.05 for all).
Conclusion
In the setting of AKI, fluid volume overload was associated with worst outcomes among hospitalized patients with Covid-19.
Genetic diversity of Pinus kesiya in the Central Highlands of Vietnam
Authors: Thao Duong , Le Son , Atsushi Watanabe
Published: September 2022

Four Pinus kesiya natural populations in the Central Highland region of Vietnam, separated from one another by distances of 75 to 380km, were examined using tetranucleotide microsatellite markers to evaluate their genetic diversity and population structure. The surveyed populations displayed relatively high level of genetic variation (HE = 0.671). Only between the Kon Tum and Dak Nong populations was the pairwise value FST significant. These two populations, separated by 300 km, also showed the greatest separation in the UPGMA cluster analysis using Nei’s pairwise genetic distance. The UPGMA analysis clustered the four populations into two geographic groups (1) the Kon Tum population, which is located in the North of the Central Highlands and (2) the remaining three populations (Gia Lai, Dak Nong and Dak Lak). Within group 2, Gia Lai and Dak Lak located in the center area of the Central Highland, clustered into the same subgroup with the southern Dak Nong population a single subgroup. This topology was essentially in agreement with the geographic distribution of the studied populations. The implications for conservation and development programs for this species are also reported and discussed.
Immune and genomic characterization of Ibizan hound and its relationship with Leishmania infantum infection
Authors: Álvarez Luis , Marín-García Pablo-Jesús , Llobat Lola
Published: September 2022

Ibizan hound is a canine breed native to the Mediterranean region, where leishmaniosis is an endemic zoonosis. Several studies indicate low prevalence of this disease in these dogs. In this study, descriptive immunological and genomic profiles of this breed have been elaborated. Results show relevant differences between the cytokine serum profile and the data published for other canine breeds, and several genetic fixed variants in genes related to immune response, regulation of immune system, and genes encode cytokines and its receptors in dog population studied. The most relevant genes that present such fixed polymorphisms were IFNG and IL6R. Other variants with frequencies equal or above 0.7 were found in the genes ARHGAP18, DAPK1, GNAI2, MITF, IL12RB1, LTBP1, SCL28A3, SCL35D2, PTPN22, CIITA, THEMIS, CD180. Epigenetic regulatory genes as HEY2, L3MBTL3 show also intronic polymorphisms. Results pointed out that the regulation of immune response is different in the Ibizan hound dogs compared to other breeds. Future studies are needed to elucidate detected differences and their relationship to low prevalence of L. infantum infection in the breed.
eBF: An Enhanced Bloom Filter for Intrusion Detection in IoT
Authors: Gebretsadik Fitsum Gebreegziabher , Nayak Sabuzima , Patgiri Ripon
Published: September 2022

Intrusion detection is an essential process to identify malicious incidents and continuously alert the many users of the Internet of Things (IoT). The constant monitoring of events generated from more than millions of devices connected to the IoT and the extensive analysis of every event based on predefined security policies consumes enormous resources. Accordingly, performance enhancement is a crucial concern of intrusion detection in IoT and other massive Big Data Systems to ensure a secure environment efficiently. Like many Big Data systems, intrusion detection system of the IoT need to employ the fast membership filter, Bloom Filter, to quickly identify possible attacks. Bloom Filter is an admiringly fast and space-efficient data structure that quickly handle elements of extensive datasets in a small memory space. However, the trade-off between the query performance and the number of hash functions, and memory space and false positive probability remain issues of Bloom Filter. Thus, this article presents an enhanced Bloom Filter (eBF) that remarkably improves memory efficiency and introduces new techniques to accelerate the speed of search processing demand of intrusion detection system in IoT. We experimentally show the efficacy of eBF using real dataset of intrusion detection. The experimental result shows that the proposed filter is remarkably memory efficient, faster, and more accurate than the state-of-the-art filters. eBF requires 15x, 13x, and 8x less memory compared with Standard Bloom Filter, Cuckoo filter, and robustBF, respectively. Therefore, this new system will significantly impact the enhancement of the performance of intrusion detection of IoT that concurrently monitors several billion events crosschecking with the defined security policies.
Derivation of coagulation phenotypes and the association with in-hospital mortality in traumatic brain injury
Authors: Fujiwara Gaku , Okada Yohei , Shiomi Naoto , Sakakibara Takehiko , Yamaki Tarumi , Hashimoto Naoya
Published: September 2022

Background: The pathogenesis and pathophysiology of traumatic coagulopathy during traumatic brain injury is not well understood, and the appropriate treatment strategy for this condition has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate the coagulation phenotypes and their effect on prognosis in patients with isolated traumatic brain injury.Methods: In this multicenter cohort study, we retrospectively analyzed data from the Japan Neurotrauma Data Bank (JNTDB). Adults with isolated traumatic brain injury (head abbreviated injury scale [AIS] >2, any other AIS <3) who were registered in the JNTDB were included in this study. The primary outcome was the association of coagulation phenotypes with in-hospital mortality. Coagulation phenotypes were derived using the k-means with coagulation markers, prothrombin time international normalized ratio (PT-INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FBG), and D-dimer (DD) on arrival at the hospital. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of coagulation phenotypes with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for in-hospital mortality.Results: In total, 556 patients were enrolled, and five coagulation phenotypes were identified. Cluster A (n=129) had the closest to normal coagulation values; cluster B (n=323) had a mild high DD phenotype; cluster C (n=30) had a prolonged PT-INR phenotype with a higher frequency of antithrombotic medication in elderly patients than in younger patients; cluster D (n=45) had a low FBG, high DD, and prolonged APTT phenotype with a high incidence of skull fracture; and cluster E (n=29) had a low FBG and extremely high DD phenotype with high-energy trauma and high incidence of skull fracture. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the association of clusters B, C, D, and E with in-hospital mortality yielded the corresponding adjusted ORs of 2.17 (95% CI: 1.22–3.86), 2.61 (95% CI: 1.01–6.72), 10.0 (95% CI: 4.00–25.2), and 24.1 (95% CI: 7.12–81.3), respectively, relative to cluster A.Conclusions: This multicenter observational study identified five different coagulation phenotypes of traumatic brain injury and showed associations of these phenotypes with in-hospital mortality.