bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perinatal factors and early neonatal outcomes of abnormal birthweight infants in Hangzhou, China, 2015–2021: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Chen Yiming , Zhang Huimin , Jiang Yan , Ning Wenwen , Huang Lingling , Wang Yanan , Chu Xuelian
Published: May 2024

Background

This study aimed to investigate the perinatal factors and early neonatal outcomes of abnormal birth weight (ABW) in Hangzhou, China from 2015 to 2021.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was designed to analyse the data of 76 847 newborns, in which the case groups included 3042 cases of low birth weight (LBW) and 2941 cases of fetal macrosomia (MAC), and 70 864 cases of normal weight were as the reference group.

Results

The incidence of LBW and MAC was 3.96% and 3.83% in Hangzhou, China from 2015 to 2021. Prematurity (<37 weeks), multiple births, hospitalisation >7 days, fetal anomalies, caesarean section, pregnancy complications, maternal coinfection with pathogens and summer births would be correlated with the incidence of LBW (ORs=43.50, 7.60, 2.09, 1.89, 1.57, 1.28, 1.19 and 1.18, all p<0.05). Factors such as post-term pregnancy (>41 weeks), scarred uterus, anterior vaginal incision and gravidity ≥2 were correlated with decreased incidence of LBW, with ORs of 0.05, 0.54, 0.65 and 0.80. Moreover, caesarean delivery, post-term pregnancy (> 41 weeks), parity ≥1, lateral vaginal incision, gravidity ≥2, hospitalisation >7 days, winter births and pregnancy complications also have association with the incidence of MAC (ORs=3.92, 2.73, 2.19, 1.87, 1.22, 1.20, 1.17 and 1.13, all p<0.05) while prematurity (<37 weeks), scarred uterus and anterior vaginal incision have close association with decreased incidence of MAC, with ORs of 0.07, 0.21 and 0.74 (all p<0.05).

Conclusion

There was a trend of yearly increase in ABW in Hangzhou, China from 2015 to 2021. Several neonatal and maternal-related variables such as caesarean section, pregnancy complications and hospitalisation >7 days are associated with the odds of LBW and MAC, however, factors such as pregnancy with scarred uterus relate to the decrease of ABW. Close monitoring and intervention during pregnancy are essential to reduce the occurrence of ABW.
Comparative efficacy of volume expansion, inotropes and vasopressors in preterm neonates with probable transitional circulatory instability in the first week of life: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Ramaswamy Viraraghavan V , Kumar Gunjana , Abdul kareem Pullattayil , Somasekhara Aradhya Abhishek , Suryawanshi Pradeep , Sahni Mohit , Khurana Supreet , Sharma Deepak , More Kiran
Published: May 2024

Background

There exists limited agreement on the recommendations for the treatment of transitional circulatory instability (TCI) in preterm neonates

Objective

To compare the efficacy of various interventions used to treat TCI

Methods

Medline and Embase were searched from inception to 21stJuly 2023. Two authors extracted the data independently. A Bayesian random effects network meta-analysis was used. Recommendations were formulated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) framework.

Interventions

Dopamine, dobutamine, epinephrine, hydrocortisone, vasopressin, milrinone, volume and placebo.

Main outcome measures

Mortality, major brain injury (MBI) (intraventricular haemorrhage > grade 2 or cystic periventricular leukomalacia), necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) ≥stage 2 and treatment response (as defined by the author).

Results

15 Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were included from the 1365 titles and abstracts screened. Clinical benefit or harm could not be ruled out for the critical outcome of mortality. For the outcome of MBI, epinephrine possibly decreased the risk when compared to dobutamine and milrinone (very low certainty). Epinephrine was possibly associated with a lesser risk of NEC when compared with dopamine, dobutamine, hydrocortisone and milrinone (very low certainty). Dopamine was possibly associated with a lesser risk of NEC when compared with dobutamine (very low certainty). Vasopressin possibly decreased the risk of NEC compared with dopamine, dobutamine, hydrocortisone and milrinone (very low certainty). Clinical benefit or harm could not be ruled out for the outcome response to treatment.

Conclusions

Epinephrine may be used as the first-line drug in preterm neonates with TCI, the evidence certainty being very low. We suggest future trials evaluating the management of TCI with an emphasis on objective criteria to define it.
Recurrent unilateral facial nerve palsy in acute lymphocytic leukaemia
Authors: Kassinger Robert , Adeli Amir
Published: May 2024

A man in his mid-20s developed three episodes of right facial weakness over 5 months. He had a history of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in remission following allogenic stem cell transplantation. MR scan of brain during the second presentation showed facial nerve enhancement; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology and flow cytometry were negative. Re-assessment at the third presentation identified CSF B-lymphoblasts, and he was subsequently treated for central nervous system relapse of leukaemia. This case highlights an infrequent presenting symptom of ALL relapse and a rare cause of recurrent facial nerve palsy.
Evaluating the effectiveness of joint species distribution modeling for freshwater fish communities within large watersheds
Authors: McLaughlin Paul , Krause Kevin , Maloney Kelly , Woods Taylor , Wagner Tyler
Published: May 2024

Accurately predicting species’ distributions is critical for the management and conservation of fish and wildlife populations. Joint species distribution models (JSDMs) account for dependencies between species often ignored by traditional species distribution models. We evaluated how a JSDM approach could improve predictive strength for stream fish communities within large watersheds (the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA), using a cross-validation study of JSDMs fit to data from over 50 species. Our results suggest that conditional predictions from JSDMs have the potential to make large improvements in predictive accuracy for many species, particularly for more generalist species where single species models may not perform well. For some species there was no added explanatory effect from conditional information, most of which already exhibited strong marginal predictive ability. For several rare species there were significant improvements in occurrence predictions, while the results for two invasive species considered did not show the same improvements. Overall, the optimal number of species to condition upon, as well as the effects of conditioning upon an increasing number of species, varied widely among species.
What is happening where? An evaluation of social sciences research trends in Nunavut (2004–2019)
Authors: Polidoro Alexis , Carter Natalie , Ljubicic Gita , Perrin Alison , Shirley Jamal
Published: May 2024

Research licensing administered by the Nunavut Research Institute (NRI) affords Nunavummiut (people of Nunavut) an opportunity to engage in research. The NRI partnered with researchers at McMaster and Carleton Universities to investigate social sciences research licensed between 2004 and 2019. This partnership aimed to understand the scope of research trends in Nunavut. Thematic content analysis was used to (i) identify research topics in social sciences and Inuit knowledge projects; (ii) determine frequency and diversity of topics according to leadership, location, and timeframe; (iii) develop metrics to improve tracking of research; and (iv) contribute to the development of a Nunavut research portal making NRI research applications and reports public. Social sciences research increased during the 16-year study period. Projects were predominantly led by Canadian academics. The highest intensity of research occurred in Iqaluit, and the lowest intensity in Grise Fiord. Social sciences research was mainly focused on topics related to Inuit culture and knowledge. Social scientists most often conducted research using interviews and shared their work via peer-reviewed journal articles. This project is a starting point in raising awareness about research trends for Nunavummiut. This work aims to contribute to broader efforts in developing Nunavut-specific approaches to achieving Inuit self-determination in research.
P-type Gallium nitride creation through O+ implantation
Authors: Wei Sufen , Xu Hao , Yang Cheng-Fu
Published: May 2024

P-type GaN was successfully achieved by vertically implanting positive monovalent cations of oxygen (O[Formula: see text]) into undoped (native n-type with an electron concentration of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text]) (0001) monocrystalline GaN. This implantation was carried out with an energy of 200[Formula: see text]keV and a dose of [Formula: see text] ions/cm2. In the absence of subsequent rapid thermal annealing (RTA) or when exposed to RTA at 950°C for 10[Formula: see text]s in a nitrogen ambient environment, temperature-dependent Hall measurements in a vacuum consistently indicated stable p-type conductivity. For the sample that underwent subsequent RTA, the room-temperature Hall hole concentration measured [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text], the Hall resistivity was 0.44[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]⋅[Formula: see text]cm, the Hall hole mobility reached 17.81[Formula: see text]cm2[Formula: see text]⋅[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]⋅[Formula: see text]s[Formula: see text], and the acceptor ionization energy was determined to be 0.08[Formula: see text]eV. The doping efficiency was calculated at 5.5%. O[Formula: see text] ions effectively serve as acceptors, whether annealed or not. The p-type conductivity induced by O[Formula: see text] implantation in GaN is notably advantageous and holds practical significance for the ongoing development of future device technology.
Fabrication, surface characterization and effect of oxygen irradiation on polymeric nanocomposite films
Authors: Al-Yousef Haifa A. , Alotaibi B. M. , Atta A. , Abdeltwab E. , Abdelhamied M. M.
Published: May 2024

This study addressed the preparation of nanocomposites consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and titanium oxide (TiO2) for utilization in optoelectronics technologies. PVA/10%TiO2 nanocomposite samples with a mean thickness of 0.1[Formula: see text]mm were created using the solution casting method. The PVA/TiO2 films are irradiated with oxygen fluences of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] ions/cm2. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR methodologies were employed to investigate the impact of ion bombardment on the structural characteristics and functional groups of PVA/TiO2 substrates. Diffraction peaks are 20.1° for PVA and 25.4° for TiO2, indicating the successful PVA/TiO2 nanocomposite construction. The absorbance (A) of unirradiated and irradiated samples was measured using UV–Vis spectroscopy within a wavelength range of 200–1100[Formula: see text]nm. Band gaps ([Formula: see text]) were calculated using Tauc’s formula for PVA/TiO2 films, exhibiting a decrease from 4.56[Formula: see text]eV for unirradiated PVA/TiO2 film to 4.16, 3.95 and 3.88[Formula: see text]eV at ion fluences of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] ions/cm2, respectively. Furthermore, the Ubrach tail has a rise of 1.23[Formula: see text]eV for unirradiated PVA/TiO2 to 1.28[Formula: see text]eV, 1.4[Formula: see text]eV and 1.77[Formula: see text]eV for irradiated films with ion fluences of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] ions/cm2, respectively. Additionally, following ion irradiation, the PVA/TiO2 absorption edge [Formula: see text], which was 3.56[Formula: see text]eV, decreased to 3.48, 3.37 and 3.23[Formula: see text]eV, with increasing ion beam fluences. This study demonstrated that the optical behaviors of the PVA/TiO2 films were altered under bombardment, suggesting their potential applicability in optical devices.
Zinc oxide doped with graphene quantum dots as improved electron transport layers for planner perovskite solar cells
Authors: Chauhan Ankita , Kumar Anjan , Deolia Vinay Kumar
Published: May 2024

Zinc oxide (ZnO), a material with excellent electron mobility and a low-temperature requirement for production, is a promising option for use as an electron transport layer in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, it does have the drawback of having a low open-circuit voltage ([Formula: see text]). Herein, to increase the [Formula: see text] parameter of ZnO-based PSCs, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are incorporated into the ZnO precursor and used as desirable ETL for PSCs. The presence of GQDs in ZnO ETL facilitated photo-electrons at the ETL/perovskite interface by reducing charge transfer resistance in this interface. Compared to the net ZnO-based PSCs, solar cells using GQD-doped ZnO as ETL have better stability, comparable [Formula: see text], higher [Formula: see text], and FF. The best GQD-doped-ZnO ETL-based PSCs recorded the highest power conversion efficiency of 20.23% with [Formula: see text] of 1.130[Formula: see text]V. Meanwhile, the boosted PCE of FAPbI3-based PSCs is achieved due to the improved perovskite crystal quality, the effective defect passivation effect of GQDs at ZnO/FAPbI3 interface, and the increased electrical conductivity of ZnO ETL. In addition, the GQD-doped ETL devices showed higher ambient air stability than the devices with net ZnO ETLs.
Synthesis and characterization of ZnO tetrapod-like nanorods without catalyst by wet thermal evaporation and applied on dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Abdulgafour Hind I. , Abdalhadi Saifaldeen M. , Mahmood Madeeha H.
Published: May 2024

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) continue to attract as one of the most important renewable energy technologies due to their simple production, environmentally friendly, and lower-cost fabrication process compared to the most common types of solar cells. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have motivated researchers to fabricate DSSCs as photo-anodes due to their unique properties, such as different types of structures, appropriate optical properties, proper energy bandgap, and high electron transfer characteristics. This article reports the simple preparation of ZnO tetrapod-like nanorods using the wet thermal evaporation method on porous silicon substrate PS/Si and applied as a photoanode on DSSCs. ZnO nanostructures were characterized by using grazing-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. A significant difference in the performance of DSSCs has been investigated by using a standard dye di-tetrabutylammonium cis–bis(isothiocyanate)bis(2,2[Formula: see text]-bipyridyl-4,4[Formula: see text]-dicarboxylato) ruthenium (II) (N719) reloaded on ZnO tetrapod-like nanorods ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]%, and [Formula: see text]%) being more efficient than the ZnO spherical nanoparticles as a reference solar cell ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]%, and [Formula: see text]%).
Joule heating effects on triple diffusive free convective MHD flow over a convective surface: A Lie-group transformation analysis
Authors: Islam Ammara , Mahmood Zafar , Khan Umar , Ali Bilal , Siddiqui Md Irfanul Haque
Published: May 2024

This work integrates the Boussinesq approximation and magnetohydrodynamic effects to investigate the dynamics of incompressible triple diffusive fluid flow along a linearly stretched surface. Novel insights are revealed by contrasting instances with opposing and helpful flows. The partial differential equations are symmetrically reduced using Lie-group transformations, which make the Runge–Kutta shooting technique easier to solve. The effects of concentration buoyancy ratio, magnetic parameter, concentration parameter, and Lewis number on temperature, velocity, and concentration profiles are explained through graphical displays. Our results show that in both flow situations, the velocity distribution is decelerated by the magnetic parameter, and the salt concentration distributions are similarly affected by buoyancy ratio factors. Additionally, a higher Lewis number is associated with lower mass and heat transfer rates in the opposing and assisting fluid.
INTEGRATION INTO GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM RUSSIAN ENTERPRISES ON BARRIERS TO THE INNOVATION-EXPORT NEXUS
Authors: ROUD VITALIY , VLASOVA VALERIYA , THURNER THOMAS WOLFGANG
Published: May 2024

Little is known about the different barriers that firms face as they advance with their technology uptake and tap into new markets. We show on a sample of 36,900 industrial enterprises that inwards-oriented firms had access to financial means but shied away from the economic risks associated with innovation activities. Exporters see opportunities for their innovation projects, but shy away from the investments needed. The failure to provide a supportive eco-system for innovation is one of the reasons why Russian manufacturers have not succeeded to integrate into global supply chains beyond the territories of the former Soviet Union.
Record of a pioneering geothermal borehole in London
Authors: Gutmanis J. C. , Beswick A. J.
Published: May 2024

This paper records the results of a pioneering exploration borehole drilled in 1984 to a depth of 403.84 m in the London Basin and underlying London–Brabant basement high. The key objectives of the project were to measure the equilibrium temperature in the Paleozoic basement, estimate the temperature gradient after climate impact corrections and assess the heat flow in the area. From this, estimates of temperature at depths of 2000 m could be made with a view to evaluating potential geothermal resources. From the downhole measurements, a temperature gradient of 16°C km
−1
was estimated with a temperature range between 46°C and 51°C at a depth of 2000 m, considered to be consistent with other UK sites where there is no contribution from high heat production granites. The results of the Thamesmead exploration borehole suggested that the geothermal potential of the Devonian and the Paleozoic basement below London is poor, and no further work was carried out.

The work has remained unpublished until now but in view of the current renewed interest in geothermal resources it is appropriate to make the work public. Although the results were not encouraging, they do remain as a contribution to the revitalized assessment of geothermal resources in the London area and the UK in general.
Fairness and Diversity in Recommender Systems: A Survey
Authors: Zhao Yuying , Wang Yu , Liu Yunchao , Cheng Xueqi , Aggarwal Charu C. , Derr Tyler
Published: May 2024

Recommender systems (RS) are effective tools for mitigating information overload and have seen extensive applications across various domains. However, the single focus on utility goals proves to be inadequate in addressing real-world concerns, leading to increasing attention to fairness-aware and diversity-aware RS. While most existing studies explore fairness and diversity independently, we identify strong connections between these two domains. In this survey, we first discuss each of them individually and then dive into their connections. Additionally, motivated by the concepts of user-level and item-level fairness, we broaden the understanding of diversity to encompass not only the item level but also the user level. With this expanded perspective on user and item-level diversity, we re-interpret fairness studies from the viewpoint of diversity. This fresh perspective enhances our understanding of fairness-related work and paves the way for potential future research directions. Articles discussed in this survey along with public code links are available at:
https://github.com/YuyingZhao/Awesome-Fairness-and-Diversity-Papers-in-Recommender-Systems
Relationships between Body Composition Measurements and Insulin-Stimulated Plasma Lipoprotein Lipase Activity in Individuals with Varying Degrees of Body Adiposity
Authors: Johnsson Kailin , Freitas Eduardo , DeFilippis Eleanna , Roust Lori , Katsanos Christos
Published: May 2024

Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) hydrolyzes plasma triglycerides into free fatty acids in the circulation for use and/or storage in tissues (i.e., adipose tissue, skeletal muscle). Impaired LPL activity (LPLa) is associated with unfavorable health outcomes, such as elevated plasma triglyceride concentrations. We sought to determine how plasma LPLa relates to body composition measurements in individuals with varying degrees of adiposity. Eighteen subjects (ages 19 to 45 years) with body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 45 kg/m2 had their body composition measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and insulin sensitivity estimated from an oral glucose tolerance test by using the Matsuda Index (MI). Subjects ingested a bolus of 5g fat (i.e., whipping cream, 0.2 g fat/kg fat free mass), followed by small boluses of fat over the course of a 3-hour experimental period. This experimental protocol allows for the induction of a postprandial state without perturbation of the plasma triglyceride or insulin concentrations. LPLa was measured in the presence of increased plasma insulin induced by intravenous insulin infusion during the last 30 mins of the 3-hour experimental protocol. Insulin was infused at a rate of 0.5 mU/kg/min for subjects with MI-determined insulin sensitivity < 4 and 1 mU/kg/min for those with MI-determined insulin sensitivity > 4, in order to produce comparable levels of plasma insulin concentrations across subjects. To release endothelial-bound LPL, subjects received an injection of intravenous heparin (75 UI/kg) at the end of the plasma insulin infusion. Plasma samples were collected 10 minutes after the heparin infusion and analyzed for LPL concentration (LPLc) and LPLa using commercially available ELISA kits. Person’s correlation was used to evaluate relationships between several body composition parameters and LPLc as well as LPLa. LPLc was not correlated (P >0.05) with BMI (r = 0.03), total lean body mass (r = -0.20), total body fat (r = -0.02), or android fat (r = - 0.08). However, LPLa was positively correlated (P <0.05) with BMI (r = 0.49) and total lean body mass (r = 0.58), as well as total body fat (r = 0.54, P = 0.02) and android fat (r = 0.58, P = 0.01). In conclusion, increased body fat, including android fat, are associated with increased intravascular LPLa in the presence of insulin. Greater insulin-stimulated intravascular LPLa can enhance the release of triglyceride-associated free fatty acids and their uptake by tissues, resulting in insulin resistance as documented in individuals with increased android fat distribution.

American Diabetes Association Grant #7-12-CT-40.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
ACE2 and a Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula NRICM101 Could Alleviate the Inflammation and Pathogenic Process of Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Lin Cheng-Han
Published: May 2024

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly transmittable respiratory illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and acute lung injury (ALI) is the major complication of COVID-19. The challenge in studying SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity is the limited availability of animal model. Therefore, it is necessary to establish animal models that can reproduce multiple characteristics of ALI to study therapeutic application. The present study established a mouse model that has features of ALI that are similar to COVID-19 syndrome to investigate the role of human angiotensin-converting enzyme type II (ACE2) and the administration of the Chinese herbal prescription Chingguan Yihau (NRICM101) in ALI. The mice with ACE2 genetic modifications, including the overexpression of human ACE2 (K18-hACE2 TG) and the absence of ACE2 (mACE2 KO), were intratracheally instillated with hydrochloric acid to induce ALI. The acid intratracheal instillation induced the imbalance between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 (i.e., ACE/ACE2), severe immune cell infiltration, cytokine storms, inflammatory effect, and pulmonary disease in the mice. Compared with K18-hACE2 TG mice, mACE2 KO mice exhibited dramatically increased levels of multiple inflammatory cytokines Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, histological evidence of lung injury, the production of the ACE expression, and the activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression. The results indicate that overproduction of ACE2 and induction of the ACE2-Ang-(1-7)/Mas axis could counteract the proinflammatory effect of acid-induced ALI and effectively alleviate the pathogenic process of acid-induced ALI by regulating MAPK, p-ERK1/2, and p-STAT3 pathways and dysregulation of MMP-2/MMP-9 activation. In addition, NRICM101, which is an effective TCM that has both antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects against COVID-19, shows potential for treating acid-induced ALI. NRICM101 could alleviate the disease progression of acid-induced ALI by suppressing IL-6 and TNF-α production in alveoli. In conclusion, the established mouse model provided an effective platform for researchers to investigate the role of ACE2 on pathological mechanisms and develop therapeutic strategies for ALI, including COVID-19-related pulmonary diseases. The effects of NRICM101 administration is a potential strategy for curing acid-induced ALI evaluated in the mouse model in this study.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
Multidimensional analysis of twin sets during an intensive week-long meditation retreat
Authors: Chitteti Ramamurthy , Hertz Juan P. Zuniga , Simpson Sierra , Hsu Chang Francis , Huang Han-Ping , Diamant Alex Jinich- , Chernov Andrei V.
Published: May 2024

Meditation and other alternative practices have long been known to promote various health benefits, presumably by fostering a blood and tissue environment that enhances resilience to stress. Here, we used an integrated, multidisciplinary approach that couples quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG), biometrics, molecular, and biochemical data at multiple time points to investigate the impact of mind-based interventions on the body in a cohort of twins during an intensive week-long meditation retreat. We aim to show the feasibility of a novel design aimed to address individual changes controlling for intersubject trait variation (via twin control) and explore the role of genetic background on multi-omic factors during meditation. Interestingly, similar patterns of change in brain activity, network properties, and complexity were observed in the twin sets. These similarities were not observed in mismatched twin pairs. Heart rate dynamics studies showed alignment among twin pairs that was not present between unmatched pairs. In addition, changes in gene expression, metabolites, and cytokines present in blood plasma and associated with specific meditative states showed patterns of change associated by timepoint. Twin sets were similar in multiple domains before the start of the retreat, showed larger divergence at the mid-point, and looked more similar by the end of the retreat. To our knowledge, this study is novel within the twin research paradigm and is a first step towards exploring the effects of meditation in twins.

InnerScience Research Fund.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
Blood pressure-associated non-coding single nucleotide polymorphism rs217727 modulates gene expression in human endothelial cells
Authors: Pandey Rajan , Liu Yong , Liu Pengyuan , Therani Bhavika , Liang Mingyu
Published: May 2024

Majority of Blood Pressure (BP)-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are in intronic or intergenic regions. Allele G of the noncoding SNP rs217727 is associated with decreased systolic, diastolic and pulse pressure. MRPL23 is the closest protein-coding gene to rs217727, and the transcriptional start site of MRPL23 is 48.3kb away from rs217727. rs217727 is an expression quantitative trait locus for MRPL23 and TNNT3 (76.1kb away). We performed a series of studies to experimentally identify genes modulated by rs217727 and to begin to understand the mechanism. We differentiated a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line to endothelial cells (iECs). The iECs were purified using VE-cadherin sorting. Chromatin conformation analysis using Micro-C identified several genes including MRPL23, IGF2 (141.6kb away) and TNNT3 as sharing a chromatin loop with rs217727. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to generate isogenic iPSC lines with either homozygous low BP (G) or high BP allele (A) of rs217727. The screening of several hundred clones led to the establishment of three and four clones with low BP and high BP genotypes. The edited iPSC lines were subjected to six rounds of differentiation to iECs for targeted real-time PCR analysis of genes near rs217727, including the genes mentioned above. We found significantly (p<0.05) decreased expression of TNNT3 (0.44±0.04 fold), LSP1 (142.6kb away; 0.12±0.02 fold) and IGF2 (0.78±0.06 fold) and slightly increased expression of CD81 (380.5kb away; 1.09±0.03 fold) in iECs with the high BP allele (n≥43) compared to the low BP allele (n≥34) of rs217727 (p<0.05). TNNT3 encodes troponin T3 fast skeletal type, LSP1 encodes lymphocyte specific protein 1 and IGF2 encodes insulin-like growth factor 2. The closest gene MRPL23, CTSD (231.8kb away), and MRPS6, a gene on a different chromosome, were not significantly differentially expressed. In summary, the results indicate that rs217727 influences the expression of several local genes in an allele-specific manner. The results provide new insights into the function of a BP-associated noncoding SNP.

The work is supported by NHLBI P01 HL149620.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
High content omega-3 fish oil co-treatment maintains proper bone physiology in glucocorticoid treated autoimmune mice
Authors: Rahman Md , Ali Zayana , Tahsin Maisha , Kizhakayil Dhanya , Ibrahim Khadega , Cugno Chiara
Published: May 2024

Despite the known side effects of glucocorticoid therapy, such as a higher risk of osteoporosis, fractures, and reduced bone density, it remains a frequently prescribed treatment for autoimmune disorders due to its strong anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. If strategies could be identified to reduce the side effects commonly associated with glucocorticoid use, it could lead to more frequent and safer use of this treatment option for autoimmune diseases. In this work, the combined effects of high content omega-3 fish oil (HCW3FO) and a synthetic glucocorticoid, methylprednisolone (MP) medication are investigated in relation to bone mineral density (BMD) reduction in arthritis prone female MRL-lpr/lpr mice. Two treatment groups were introduced to the mice when they were 4 months old: one group was given weekly injections of PBS, while the other group was given either 5 mg/kg MP or 20 mg/kg MP. Additionally, both groups were provided with the AIN93M diet, supplemented with either 4% corn oil or 4% HCW3FO daily, for a duration of 8 weeks. Prior to initiating the drug injections and dietary modifications, the mice underwent dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to establish their baseline BMD values. To find out their ultimate BMD values, the mice underwent another DXA scan eight weeks later, right before being sacrificed. Over the course of eight weeks, the MP treatment did not lead to a significant reduction in BMD across various bone regions, except for the lumbar regions. Similarly, the HCW3FO treatment alone did not offer protection against BMD loss in MRL-lpr/lpr mice. However, when MP and HCW3FO were combined, it resulted in a remarkable preservation of BMD in different bone regions. This enhanced protection against BMD loss was associated with a reduced number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive areas and an increased number of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) positive areas in tibial sections as revealed by immunohistochemistry. Our findings provide compelling evidence that the combination of MP and HCW3FO maintains bone health in arthritis-prone MRL-lpr/lpr mice by promoting a balance between bone resorption and bone formation. Co-treatment with HCW3FO may hold promise as a potential strategy for preventing bone deterioration induced by long-term glucocorticoid therapy. Before moving on to clinical trials, more in vitro research into the mechanisms should be carried out alongside preclinical studies in mice with inflammatory diseases.

QUCG-CAS-2122-2.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
Decoding Stress: The Universal Language of Entropy Production
Authors: Bienerova-Vasku Julie , Zlamal Filip
Published: May 2024

The accurate quantification of stress remains a formidable challenge in the realm of physiological research, largely owing to the intricate nature of the stress response and its potential overlap with other physiological processes. In this vein, our research introduces a novel metric: the stress entropic load (SEL), grounded in thermodynamic principles. SEL is mathematically construed as a time-dependent function, articulated through various heat and temperature alterations, as well as changes in respiratory gas exchanges. This measure is posited as a predictive tool for stress and metabolic alterations in homeothermic organisms, including humans. Our empirical exploration involved 12 healthy male volunteers, structured in a dual-phase experimental design. The initial phase focused on achieving a resting metabolic rate (RMR), guided by specific criteria encompassing oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide release, and respiratory quotient. In instances where RMR benchmarks were not met within a 40-minute window, the study progressed, presuming RMR attainment. The collected data from this segment were pivotal in calculating the body's entropy production at rest. The subsequent phase entailed participants engaging in tasks via the WinSCAT software, signifying the onset of the stress phase. Here, entropy production was scrutinized to gauge stress levels. Crucially, SEL was ascertained by contrasting entropy production during the RMR phase (serving as a baseline) against that recorded throughout the experiment's entirety. Our findings indicate that SEL, as an indicator of specific entropy production, emerges as a viable marker of stress induced by prolonged mental effort. Notably, extended interaction with WinSCAT software markedly augmented SEL rates. The progression of SEL over time offered insights into when participants commenced stress-inducing tasks, underscoring its viability as a biological marker for mental exertion. Intriguingly, such stress did not manifest in conventional stress indicators like blood pressure or heart rate, though it did affect oxygen and carbon dioxide production. While these results lend credence to the utility of SEL as a stress marker, they are preliminary in nature, illuminating the prospective significance of SEL in the realms of stress measurement and physiological research.

The project was funded by MUNI/G/1249/2021 grant by the Masaryk University.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
Hyaluronan Fragments Induce Lung Alveolar Edema by Activating Calcium-Sensing Receptor
Authors: Song Weifeng , Yu Zhihong , Matalon Sadis , Lazrak Ahmed
Published: May 2024

One of the hallmarks of lung injury is the breakdown of the cell matrix hygroscopic high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMW-HA >106 kD) into smaller fragments of low molecular weight (LMW-HA < 500 kD) which mediate the onset and progression of acute lung injury. We have found that instillation of very low dose (1μg) of LMW-HA to wt. C57/bl6 mice was suffcient to inhibit lung epithelial ions and water transport and cause lung edema assessed by measuring lungs wet/dry ratio. LMW-HA IC50 for the induction of lung edema, the inhibition of alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) and epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) in alveolar epithelial cells, AEC1 and AEC2, in-situ, in freshly cut lung slices, was 120 nM. We found the expression of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), a C class G-protein coupled receptor, was activated by LMW-HA. CD44 is known to be the main membrane receptor of hyaluronan expressed by most cells including lung alveolar epithelial cells, however, because it lacks the intrinsic kinase activity necessary for the transduction of extracellular signal carried by LMW-HA, we hypothesized that it cooperated with CaSR to transduce LMW-HA injurious signal and activated intracellular signaling cascades that induced lung edema by inhibiting ENaC and AFC at 24 h. These effects were prevented by NPS2143 (1 μM), a CaSR inhibitor or calcilytic, instilled 6 h post LMW-HA, and were absent in CD44 knockout mouse. The lack of an effect on W/D ratio, AFC, or ENaC in CD44−/− mouse is evidence that LMW-HA does not directly interact with CaSR, but rather activates CD44 which cooperate with CaSR to trigger intracellular signaling cascades that cause the observed effects. Four hours post mouse airway epithelial cells confluent monolayers were incubated with 1 μg LMW-HA, CaSR expression was increased 4-fold, while amiloride sensitive short-circuit current and αβγ-ENaC subunits expression, at the apical membranes, were significantly reduced. These effects were prevented when CaSR, PLC, or PKC were inhibited with 1 μM NPS2143, 10 μM U73122, or 100 μM Rottlerin, applied 4 h prior to cells incubation with 1 μg LMW-HA, respectively. Our data show that the deleterious effect of LMW-HA on ENaC are mediated by intricate interactions between CD44-LMW-HA complex with CaSR in lung alveolar epithelial cells. The use of calcilytics to decouple the molecular complex formed by CD44-LMW-HA and CaSR may prove to be effective in restoring alveolar sodium ion reabsorption required for lung edema clearance.

Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
A prospective observational study on hemodynamic risk in cerebral aneurysm growth
Authors: Fukuda Shunichi , Shimogonya Yuji
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Hemodynamic factors are thought to play a major role in the development, growth, and rupture of cerebral aneurysms, but the hemodynamics related to enlargement remain unclear. We prospectively enrolled patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms and performed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis using 3D CT images to investigate differences in hemodynamic environments between aneurysms that grew and those that did not grow over a 3-year period. Methods: This prospective observational study was approved by the National Hospital Organization Central Ethics Review Board. Hemodynamic distributions were examined using ANSYS-CFX software. Patient-specific arterial geometries and inflow velocities were obtained from 3D-CTA and carotid ultrasound Doppler examinations. The distributions of hemodynamic metrics of 17 enlarged and 70 unenlarged aneurysms was compared. In addition, the distributions of hemodynamic metrics of the neck, body, and dome of the aneurysm was also examined in 9 enlarged and 41 non-enlarged cases. A multivariate logistic analysis was performed to investigate the influence of the six hemodynamic metrics, i.e., the time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), time-averaged WSS gradient (TAWSSG), oscillatory shear index (OSI), gradient oscillatory number (GON), transverse WSS (transWSS), and normalized transWSS (NtransWSS) after adjustment forknown risk factors for aneurysm growth, i.e., age, sex, hypertension, smoking history, and aneurysm location, size, and history of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Results: Regarding the distributions of hemodynamic metrics throughout the aneurysm, NtransWSS was significantly higher in the cases with growth than in the cases without growth (odds ratio 2.09, 95% CI 1.02-4.29). the distributions of hemodynamic metrics at each cerebral aneurysm growth site showed that NtransWSS at the dome was significantly higher in the growth cases than in the non-enlargement cases (odds ratio 4.14, 95% CI 1.02-16.80). Conclusion: The data suggest that multidirectional disturbance of wall shear stress is involved in cerebral aneurysm growth, and the disturbance at the dome of the aneurysm may be particularly strongly related.

This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid from the Japanese National Hospital Organization Multi-Center Clinical Research, AMED under grant no. JP15gm0810006h0301 and a JSPS KAKENHI Grant, no. 15K10323.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
The Association Between Cardiovagal Baroreceptor Sensitivity and Hippocampal Tissue Integrity in Young and Middle-aged Adults
Authors: Horvat Fiona , Kramer Mary , Decker Kevin , Johnson Curtis , Wenner Megan , Martens Christopher
Published: May 2024

Prior research has investigated the association of cardiovagal baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) with white matter neuronal integrity and cerebral perfusion using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and arterial spin labeling (ASL); however, less is known about the association with specific regions of gray matter (i.e, hippocampus) involved in memory formation and recall. MR elastography (MRE) has emerged as a constructive tool for assessing the viscoelastic mechanical properties of the brain which are believed to reflect the microstructural integrity of neuronal tissue. PURPOSE: To investigate the association between cardiovagal BRS and the viscoelastic properties of the brain, with a sub goal of examining how advanced age affects this association. We hypothesized that there would be a positive relation between cardiovagal BRS and hippocampal (HC) viscoelastic properties that strengthens with age, indicating a greater influence of blood pressure control on HC microstructural integrity. Methods: Ten young (Yng, 25 ± 2 years) and ten middle-aged adults (MA, 55 ± 3 years) laid in supine position for 10 minutes while arterial blood pressure (ABP) and heart rate (HR) were measured. R-R intervals and systolic blood pressures were plotted within a linear regression to calculate the spontaneous baroreflex slope. Subjects went in an MRI scanner to measure hippocampal viscoelastic properties using MRE. Results: As expected, we observed a lower cBRS in the middle-aged group compared with young (MA: 12.51±4.41 vs. Yng: 25.21±8.77 ms/mmHg, p≤0.05). There were no significant differences in HC stiffness or damping ratio when comparing between age groups (MA: 3.06±0.32 kPa vs. Yng: 3.02±0.09 kPa, p=0.69; MA: 0.2±0.02 vs. Yng: 0.2±0.03, p=0.56). However, a multiple linear regression with age included as a categorical covariate revealed a trend towards a stronger association between HC stiffness and cBRS in the middle-aged compared to the young group (p=0.07). CONCLUSION: In contrast to our hypothesis, preserved BRS was associated with lower HC stiffness in the middle-aged group; however, the physiological importance of this finding needs to be more completely explored. Our findings indicate that the association between short-term blood pressure regulation via cardiovagal BRS may be more closely linked to HC tissue integrity with advancing age. These mechanisms should be explored in a larger cohort including older individuals.

Supported by UD Research Foundation 2020 Pilot Grant and P20GM113125.

This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.
Use of Social Learning Tools Improves Engagement and Performance in Undergraduate Medical Physiology Education
Authors: Jim Catarina , Campusano Jessica , Tadal Stephanie , Niño Diego
Published: May 2024

Objective: We sought to increase engagement, reduce cognitive load, and foster self-directed learning while potentially improving exam performance by incorporating a social annotation tool (SAT) into a flipped classroom setting in an undergraduate medical education curriculum. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that using the SAT (Perusall) as preparatory material for a flipped classroom would increase engagement and academic performance compared to using a pre-recorded lecture video when teaching cardiovascular physiology. Methods: Within a first-year undergraduate medical physiology course, students (n=125) used the SAT to annotate assigned cardiovascular physiology readings before a flipped classroom session. This strategy was compared to the common practice of providing students with a pre-recorded lecture. Students took an assessment before and after to assess knowledge acquisition and engagement with both formats. Results: The SAT intervention identified an average time spent engaged with the material of 142.1 minutes ( n=125), with a pre- and post-assessment score improvement of approximately 20.25% (61.5% vs 82%; n=81). The pre-recorded one-hour lecture found that students engaged with the material, on average, for 51.45 minutes, corresponding to an average of 91% video completion. Findings from this lecture intervention showed the pre- and post-assessment scores improved by an average of 5% (71% vs. 76%; n=80). A paired sample t-test identified a significant difference between the percent improvement between quizzes for SAT (M=19.71, SD=26.374) and percent improvement for recorded lecture (M=6.57, SD=26.369); [t(69)=3.450, p=0.001]. The use of SAT enhanced academic performance in midterm and final exams. The average performance in questions that mapped back to the flipped classroom utilizing SAT text was 91% (n=6) , as compared to an average performance of 73% to those questions that mapped back to the online pre-recorded lecture (n=11 ). Conclusions: Incorporating SATs into a flipped classroom model increased engagement and academic performance versus passive lectures when teaching medical physiology. Our study provides support to the use of social learning tools to enhance active learning in undergraduate medical education.

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This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.