bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential clinical impact of T-cell lymphocyte kinetics monitoring in patients with B cell precursors acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with blinatumomab: a single-center experience
Authors: Duminuco Andrea , Markovic Uros , Parrinello Nunziatina Laura , Lo Nigro Luca , Mauro Elisa , Vetro Calogero , Parisi Marina , Maugeri Cinzia , Fiumara Paolo Fabio , Milone Giuseppe , Romano Alessandra , Di Raimondo Francesco , Leotta Salvatore
Published: September 2023

Blinatumomab is a bispecific anti-CD3 and anti-CD19 antibody that acts as a T-cell engager: by binding CD19+ lymphoblasts, blinatumomab recruits cytotoxic CD3+ T-lymphocytes to target the cancer cells. Here we describe seven different patients affected by B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Bcp-ALL) and treated with blinatumomab, on which we evaluated the potential association between the amount of different T-cells subsets and deep molecular response after the first cycle, identified as a complete remission in the absence of minimal residual disease (CR/MRD). The immune-system effector cells studied were CD3+, CD4+ effector memory (T4-EM), CD8+ effector memory (T8-EM), and T-regulatory (T-reg) lymphocytes, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Measurements were performed in the peripheral blood using flow cytometry of the peripheral blood at baseline and after the first cycle of blinatumomab. The first results show that patients with a higher proportion of baseline T-lymphocytes achieved MRD negativity more frequently with no statistically significant difference (p=0.06) and without differences in the subpopulation count following the first treatment. These extremely preliminary data could potentially pave the way for future studies, including larger and less heterogeneous cohorts, in order to assess the T-cell kinetics in a specific set of patients with potential synergy effects in targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), commonly known to have an immune evasion mechanism in Bcp-ALL.
Impact of BRAFV600E mutation on aggressiveness and outcomes in adult clonal histiocytosis
Authors: Razanamahery Jerome , Godot Amelie , Leguy-Seguin Vanessa , Samson M. , Audia Sylvain , Bonnotte Bernard
Published: September 2023

Histiocytoses encompass a wide spectrum of diseases, all characterized by tissue infiltration by CD68+ histiocytes. Most adult histiocytoses are considered clonal diseases because they highlight recurrent somatic mutations in the MAP-kinase pathway gene, primarily BRAF. The presence of BRAF mutation is associated with widespread disease in children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) or cardiovascular/neurological involvement in Erdheim–Chester disease (ECD). Nevertheless, few data are available on adult clonal histiocytosis. This is why we have conducted a retrospective study of all patients with clonal histiocytosis in our institution and present the data according to the presence of BRAF mutation. Among 27 adult patients (10 ECD, 10 LCH, 5 Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD), and 3 mixed ECD/LCH), 11 (39%) have BRAF mutation with gain of function (n = 9) and deletion (n = 2). Those patients had frequent multicentric disease with risk organ involvement, especially the brain and cardiovascular system. They had frequent associated myeloid neoplasms (mostly chronic myelomonocytic leukemia) and received more frequently targeted therapy as the front-line therapy. Nevertheless, its presence did not affect the overall survival or relapse-free survival probably due to the emergence of efficient therapies. To conclude, rapid and accurate molecular establishment in adult clonal histiocytoses is crucial because BRAFV600E mutation correlates with multicentric disease with organ involvement and incomplete metabolic response.
The effect of ions doping on the rheological properties of ferrite ferrofluids
Authors: Chen Fang , Zhang Jie , Liu Xiaobing , Yan Shengnan , Li Wangxu , Yan Zhaoqiang , Li Zhenggui
Published: September 2023

A series of ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized via ion doping and then were coated by surfactant and dispersed in perfluorinated polyether oil (PFPE-oil), and the various ferrite ferrofluids were obtained. The scanning electron microscope was used to characterize the morphology of particles and the dispersed state of ferrofluid, energy-dispersive spectroscopy was used to study the chemical composition of particles, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis were used to study the coated effect of PFPE-acids on particles, vibrating sample magnetometer was used to research the magnetization curves of ferrite particles, and the rheological property of the ferrite ferrofluids was studied by a rheometer. The results show that Zn2+, Mn2+/Zn2+, and Dy3+ ions were doped in the ferrite nanoparticles with a size less than 50 nm. The four kinds of ferrite nanoparticles have the characteristics of super-paramagnetic materials, and the M-T curves decrease with increasing temperature, while their decline rates are notably different. The ferrite particles are coated with PFPE acids chemically, and the ferrofluids have well dispersion stability. The rheological properties of the ferrite ferrofluids change with the variation of ion doping, magnetic field strength, temperature, etc. The magnetism and viscosity of ferrite ferrofluids are regularly affected by ion doping, and the results will have a great significance on basic research and related applications.
Occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 viremia is associated with genetic variants of genes related to COVID-19 pathogenesis
Authors: Roy-Vallejo Emilia , Fernández De Córdoba-Oñate Sara , Delgado-Wicke Pablo , Triguero-Martínez Ana , Montes Nuria , Carracedo-Rodríguez Rosa , Zurita-Cruz Nelly , Marcos-Jiménez Ana , Lamana Amalia , Galván-Román José María , Villapalos García Gonzalo , Zubiaur Pablo , Ciudad Marianela , Rabes Laura , Sanz Marta , Rodríguez Carlos , Villa Almudena , Rodríguez Jesús Álvarez , Marcos Celeste , Hernando Julia , Díaz-Fernández Paula , Abad Francisco , de los Santos Ignacio , Rodríguez Serrano Diego A. , García-Vicuña Rosario , Suárez Fernández Carmen , P. Gomariz Rosa , Muñoz-Calleja Cecilia , Fernández-Ruiz Elena , González-Álvaro Isidoro , Cardeñoso Laura ,   the PREDINMUN-COVID Group
Published: September 2023

Introduction

SARS-CoV-2 viral load has been related to COVID-19 severity. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 viremia and SNPs in genes previously studied by our group as predictors of COVID-19 severity.

Materials and methods

Retrospective observational study including 340 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the University Hospital La Princesa between March 2020 and December 2021, with at least one viremia determination. Positive viremia was considered when viral load was above the quantifiable threshold (20 copies/ml). A total of 38 SNPs were genotyped. To study their association with viremia a multivariate logistic regression was performed.

Results

The mean age of the studied population was 64.5 years (SD 16.6), 60.9% patients were male and 79.4% white non-Hispanic. Only 126 patients (37.1%) had at least one positive viremia. After adjustment by confounders, the presence of the minor alleles of rs2071746 (HMOX1; T/T genotype OR 9.9 p < 0.0001), rs78958998 (probably associated with SERPING1 expression; A/T genotype OR 2.3, p = 0.04 and T/T genotype OR 12.9, p < 0.0001), and rs713400 (eQTL for TMPRSS2; C/T + T/T genotype OR 1.86, p = 0.10) were associated with higher risk of viremia, whereas the minor alleles of rs11052877 (CD69; A/G genotype OR 0.5, p = 0.04 and G/G genotype OR 0.3, p = 0.01), rs2660 (OAS1; A/G genotype OR 0.6, p = 0.08), rs896 (VIPR1; T/T genotype OR 0.4, p = 0.02) and rs33980500 (TRAF3IP2; C/T + T/T genotype OR 0.3, p = 0.01) were associated with lower risk of viremia.

Conclusion

Genetic variants in HMOX1 (rs2071746), SERPING1 (rs78958998), TMPRSS2 (rs713400), CD69 (rs11052877), TRAF3IP2 (rs33980500), OAS1 (rs2660) and VIPR1 (rs896) could explain heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 viremia in our population.
Rebalancing commercial and public interests in prioritizing biomedical, social and environmental aspects of health through defining and managing conflicts of interest
Authors: Redman Barbara K.
Published: September 2023

Abstract Biomedical research is intended to benefit human beings and their health. Toward that end, scientific norms involve examining and criticizing the work of others and prioritizing questions that should be studied. Yet, in areas of health research where industry is active, it has often utilized well-honed strategies aimed at evading scientific standards and at dominating the research agenda, largely through its financial support and lack of transparency of its research practices. These tactics have now been documented to uniformly support industry products. Commercial entities are aided in this pursuit by public policy that has significantly embedded commercial interests and agendas into federal research funding and infrastructure. Therefore, to understand the resulting landscape and its effect on priority in health research agendas, traditional definitions of individual conflicts of interest (COI) and the less well developed institutional COI must be supplemented by a new construct of structural COI, largely operating as intellectual monopolies, in support of industry. These arrangements often result in financial and reputational resources that assure dominance of commercial priorities in research agendas, crowding out any other interests and ignoring justified returns to the public from investment of its tax dollars. There is no sustained attention to mechanisms by which public interests can be heard, normative issues raised, and then balanced with commercial interests which are transparently reported. Focus on research supporting approval of commercial products ignores social and environmental determinants of health. Commercial bias can invalidate regulatory research protections through obscuring valid risk–benefit ratios considered by IRBs.
Case report: Azithromycin-meropenem combination therapy as a low-cost approach to combat PDR gram-negative infections of war wounds in Ukraine
Authors: Kryzhevskyi Vadym , Strokous Viktor , Lifshyts Yurii , Rybianets Yurii , Oberniak Artem , Krikunov Alexey , Iungin Olga , Potochilova Viktoria , Rudnieva Kateryna , Petakh Pavlo , Kamyshnyi Aleksandr , Moshynets Olena
Published: September 2023

Antimicrobial resistance recognised as a major global health problem and it poses a significant challenge in conflict zones, such as the Russia-Ukraine war. This case study focuses on a 32-year-old soldier who sustained combat-related injuries, including extensive wound infections caused by multidrug-resistant and pan-resistant bacteria and was successfully treated with azithromycin-meropenem combination therapy. The emergence of pan-resistant bacteria, particularly a pandrug-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, highlights the severity of the problem and the limited treatment options available. Additionally, the financial burden posed by reserve antibiotics further complicates the management of these infections. The case study demonstrates the effectiveness of including azithromycin-meropenem combination therapy in the treatment regimen, which resulted in improvements in the patient’s condition and the eradication of the resistant strains. The findings underscore the need for effective antimicrobial stewardship, infection control measures, and alternative treatment strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance in conflict zones.
Seroimmunotyping of African swine fever virus
Authors: Sereda Alexey D. , Namsrayn Sanzhi , Balyshev Vladimir M. , Vlasov Mikhail E. , Sindryakova Irina P. , Koltsova Galina , Kolbasov Denis V.
Published: September 2023

The extreme genetic and immunobiological heterogeneity exhibited by the African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been a significant impediment in the development of an efficacious vaccine against this disease. Consequently, the lack of internationally accepted protocols for the laboratory evaluation of candidate vaccines has become a major concern within the scientific community. The formulation of such protocols necessitates the establishment of a consensus at the international level on methods for the determination of homologous and heterologous isolates/strains of ASFV. The present article provides a comprehensive description of biological techniques employed in the classification of ASFV by seroimmunotypes. These techniques involve a holistic evaluation of ASFV isolates/strains based on their antigenic properties as determined by the hemadsorption inhibiting test (HAdI) using type-specific sera and an immunological test (IT) conducted on pigs inoculated with attenuated strains. The article outlines the methods for setting up the HAdI test, an IT on pigs, and the processes involved in the acquisition of type-specific serums for the HAdI test. It is pertinent to note that the definitive classification of seroimmunotype can only be ascertained after conducting an IT on pigs. The findings from the HAdI test or the phylogenetic analysis of the EP402R gene should be considered preliminary in nature.
Iron corrosion concomitant with nitrate reduction by Iodidimonas nitroreducens sp. nov. isolated from iodide-rich brine associated with natural gas
Authors: Iino Takao , Oshima Kenshiro , Hattori Masahira , Ohkuma Moriya , Amachi Seigo
Published: September 2023

Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) may contribute significantly to corrosion-related failures in injection wells and iron pipes of iodine production facilities. In this study, the iron (Fe0) corroding activity of strain Q-1 isolated from iodide-rich brine in Japan and two Iodidimonas strains phylogenetically related to strain Q-1 were investigated under various culture conditions. Under aerobic conditions, the Fe0 foil in the culture of strain Q-1 was oxidized in the presence of nitrate and yeast extract, while those of two Iodidimonas strains were not. The amount of oxidized iron in this culture was six times higher than in the aseptic control. Oxidation of Fe0 in aerobic cultures of nitrate-reducing bacterium Q-1 was dependent on the formation of nitrite from nitrate. This Fe0 corrosion by nitrate-reducing bacterium Q-1 started after initial nitrite accumulation by day 4. Nitrate reduction in strain Q-1 is a unique feature that distinguishes it from two known species of Iodidimonas. Nitrite accumulation was supported by the encoding of genes for nitrate reductase and the missing of genes for nitrite reduction to ammonia or nitrogen gas in its genome sequence. Phylogenetic position of strain Q-1 based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence was with less than 96.1% sequence similarity to two known Iodidimonas species, and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of 17.2-19.3%, and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of 73.4-73.7% distinguished strain Q-1 from two known species. In addition of nitrate reduction, the ability to hydrolyze aesculin and gelatin hydrolysis and cellular fatty acid profiles also distinguished strain Q-1 from two known species. Consequently, a new species, named Iodidimonas nitroreducens sp. nov., is proposed for the nitrate-reducing bacterium strain Q-1T.
Fork PCR: a universal and efficient genome-walking tool
Authors: Pan Hao , Guo Xinyue , Pan Zhenkang , Wang Rongrong , Tian Bingkun , Li Haixing
Published: September 2023

The reported genome-walking methods still suffer from some deficiencies, such as cumbersome experimental steps, short target amplicon, or deep background. Here, a simple and practical fork PCR was proposed for genome-walking. The fork PCR employs a fork primer set of three random oligomers to implement walking task. In primary fork PCR, the low-stringency amplification cycle mediates the random binding of primary fork primer to some places on genome, producing a batch of single-stranded DNAs. In the subsequent high-stringency amplification, the target single-strand is processed into double-strand by the site-specific primer, but a non-target single-stranded DNA cannot be processed by any primer. As a result, only the target DNA can be exponentially amplified in the remaining high-stringency cycles. Secondary/tertiary nested fork PCR(s) further magnifies the amplification difference between the both DNAs by selectively enriching target DNA. The applicability of fork PCR was validated by walking several gene loci. The fork PCR could be a perspective substitution for the existing genome-walking schemes.
Prenatal stress unmasks behavioral phenotypes in genetic mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Harper Kathryn M. , Harp Samuel J. , Moy Sheryl S.
Published: September 2023

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are complex conditions characterized by heterogeneous clinical profiles and symptoms that arise in infancy and childhood. NDDs are often attributed to a complicated interaction between genetic risk and environmental factors, suggesting a need for preclinical models reflecting the combined impact of heritable susceptibility and environmental effects. A notable advantage of “two-hit” models is the power to reveal underlying vulnerability that may not be detected in studies employing only genetic or environmental alterations. In this review, we summarize existing literature that investigates detrimental interactions between prenatal stress (PNS) and genes associated with NDDs, with a focus on behavioral phenotyping approaches in mouse models. A challenge in determining the overall role of PNS exposure in genetic models is the diversity of approaches for inducing stress, variability in developmental timepoints for exposure, and differences in phenotyping regimens across laboratories. Identification of optimal stress protocols and critical windows for developmental effects would greatly improve the use of PNS in gene × environment mouse models of NDDs.
Physical activity monitoring in Alzheimer’s disease during sport interventions: a multi-methodological perspective
Authors: David Shari , Hohenfeld Christian , Haberl Luisa , Pahl Jennifer , Costa Ana S. , Kilders Axel , Hildebrand Frank , Schulz Jörg B. , Reetz Kathrin , Haeger Alexa
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Assessment methods for physical activity and fitness are of upmost importance due to the possible beneficial effect of physical conditioning on neurodegenerative diseases. The implementation of these methods can be challenging when examining elderly or cognitively impaired participants. In the presented study, we compared three different assessment methods for physical activity from the Dementia-MOVE trial, a 6-months intervention study on physical activity in Alzheimer’s disease. The aim was to determine the comparability of physical activity assessments in elderly participants with cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease.

Material or methods

38 participants (mean age 70 ± 7 years) with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (mean MoCA 18.84 ± 4.87) were assessed with (1) fitness trackers for an average of 12 (± 6) days, (2) a written diary on daily activities and (3) a questionnaire on physical activity at three intervention timepoints. For comparison purposes, we present a transformation and harmonization method of the physical assessment output parameters: Metabolic equivalent of task (MET) scores, activity intensity minutes, calorie expenditure and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) scores were derived from all three modalities. The resulting parameters were compared for absolute differences, correlation, and their influence by possible mediating factors such as cognitive state and markers from cerebrospinal fluid.

Results

Participants showed high acceptance and compliance to all three assessment methods. MET scores and MVPA from fitness trackers and diaries showed high overlap, whilst results from the questionnaire suggest that participants tended to overestimate their physical activity in the long-term retrospective assessment. All activity parameters were independent of the tested Alzheimer’s disease parameters, showing that not only fitness trackers, but also diaries can be successfully applied for physical activity assessment in a sample affected by early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Discussion

Our results show that fitness trackers and physical activity diaries have the highest robustness, leading to a highly comparable estimation of physical activity in people with Alzheimer’s disease. As assessed parameters, it is recommendable to focus on MET, MVPA and on accelerometric sensor data such as step count, and less on activity calories and different activity intensities which are dependent on different variables and point to a lower reliability.
Bioactive profiles of edible vegetable oils determined using 10D hyphenated comprehensive high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC×HPTLC) with on-surface metabolism (nanoGIT) and planar bioassays
Authors: Müller Isabel , Gulde Alexander , Morlock Gertrud E.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids are assumed to be safe and even healthy for consumers though lipid compositions of foods vary naturally and are complex considering the wealth of minor compounds down to the trace level.

Methods

The developed comprehensive high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC×HPTLC) method including the on-surface metabolization (nanoGIT) and bioassay detection combined all steps on the same planar surface. The pancreatic lipolysis (intestinal phase) experiment and the subsequent analysis of the fatty acid composition including its effect-directed detection using a planar bioassay was performed without elaborate sample preparation or fractionation to ensure sample integrity. Thus, no sample part was lost, and the whole sample was studied on a single surface regarding all aspects. This made the methodology as well as technology miniaturized, lean, all-in-one, and very sustainable.

Results and discussion

To prioritize important active compounds including their metabolism products in the complex oil samples, the nanoGIT method was used to examine the pancreatic lipolysis of nine different vegetable oils commonly used in the kitchen and food industry, e.g., canola oil, flaxseed oil, hemp oil, walnut oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, coconut oil, and palm oil. The digested oils revealed antibacterial and genotoxic effects, which were assigned to fatty acids and oxidized species via high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRMS/MS). This finding reinforces the importance of adding powerful techniques to current analytical tools. The 10D hyphenated nanoGIT-HPTLC×HPTLC-Vis/FLD-bioassay-heart cut-RP-HPLC-DAD-HESI-HRMS/MS has the potential to detect any potential hazard due to digestion/metabolism, improving food safety and understanding on the impact of complex samples.
Morel (Morchella spp.) intake alters gut microbial community and short-chain fatty acid profiles in mice
Authors: Pei Longying , Liu Wei , Liu Luping , Wang Xiaoyu , Jiang Luxi , Chen Zhaohui , Wang Qiquan , Wang Peng , Xu Heng
Published: September 2023

Morels (Morchella spp.) are highly nutritious and consumed as both edible mushrooms and traditional Chinese medicine. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with morel mushrooms on the gut bacterial microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) profiles in healthy mice. Healthy mice were randomly assigned to five groups: a control group (0% morel) and four intervention groups supplemented with different levels of morel mushrooms (5% for M5, 10% for M10, 15% for M15, and 20% for M20) over a period of 4 weeks. Fecal samples were collected at the end of the experiment to characterize the microbiota and assess the SCFAs levels. The morel intervention significantly altered the bacterial community composition, increasing Bacteroides, Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group and Parabacteroides, while decreasing Staphylococcus and the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio). Moreover, increased morel intake was associated with weight loss. All SCFAs content was upregulated in the morel-intervention groups. Potential SCFAs-producing taxa identified by regression analysis were distributed in the families Muribaculaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and in the genera Jeotgalicoccus, Gemella, Odoribacter, Tyzzerella 3 and Ruminococcaceae UCG-014. The functional categories involved with SCFAs-production or weight loss may contain enzymes such as beta-glucosidase (K05349), beta-galactosidase (K01190), and hexosaminidase (K12373) after morel intervention. The exploration of the impact of morel mushrooms on gut microbiota and metabolites contributes to the development of prebiotics for improving health and reducing obesity.
Validation of an automated contouring and treatment planning tool for pediatric craniospinal radiation therapy
Authors: Hernandez Soleil , Burger Hester , Nguyen Callistus , Paulino Arnold C. , Lucas John T. , Faught Austin M. , Duryea Jack , Netherton Tucker , Rhee Dong Joo , Cardenas Carlos , Howell Rebecca , Fuentes David , Pollard-Larkin Julianne , Court Laurence , Parkes Jeannette
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Treatment planning for craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is complex and time-consuming, especially for resource-constrained centers. To alleviate demanding workflows, we successfully automated the pediatric CSI planning pipeline in previous work. In this work, we validated our CSI autosegmentation and autoplanning tool on a large dataset from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Methods

Sixty-three CSI patient CT scans were involved in the study. Pre-planning scripts were used to automatically verify anatomical compatibility with the autoplanning tool. The autoplanning pipeline generated 15 contours and a composite CSI treatment plan for each of the compatible test patients (n=51). Plan quality was evaluated quantitatively with target coverage and dose to normal tissue metrics and qualitatively with physician review, using a 5-point Likert scale. Three pediatric radiation oncologists from 3 institutions reviewed and scored 15 contours and a corresponding composite CSI plan for the final 51 test patients. One patient was scored by 3 physicians, resulting in 53 plans scored total.

Results

The algorithm automatically detected 12 incompatible patients due to insufficient junction spacing or head tilt and removed them from the study. Of the 795 autosegmented contours reviewed, 97% were scored as clinically acceptable, with 92% requiring no edits. Of the 53 plans scored, all 51 brain dose distributions were scored as clinically acceptable. For the spine dose distributions, 92%, 100%, and 68% of single, extended, and multiple-field cases, respectively, were scored as clinically acceptable. In all cases (major or minor edits), the physicians noted that they would rather edit the autoplan than create a new plan.

Conclusions

We successfully validated an autoplanning pipeline on 51 patients from another institution, indicating that our algorithm is robust in its adjustment to differing patient populations. We automatically generated 15 contours and a comprehensive CSI treatment plan for each patient without physician intervention, indicating the potential for increased treatment planning efficiency and global access to high-quality radiation therapy.
Non-chemical signalling between mitochondria
Authors: Mould Rhys R. , Kalampouka Ifigeneia , Thomas E. Louise , Guy Geoffrey W. , Nunn Alistair V. W. , Bell Jimmy D.
Published: September 2023

A wide variety of studies have reported some form of non-chemical or non-aqueous communication between physically isolated organisms, eliciting changes in cellular proliferation, morphology, and/or metabolism. The sources and mechanisms of such signalling pathways are still unknown, but have been postulated to involve vibration, volatile transmission, or light through the phenomenon of ultraweak photon emission. Here, we report non-chemical communication between isolated mitochondria from MCF7 (cancer) and MCF10A (non-cancer) cell lines. We found that mitochondria in one cuvette stressed by an electron transport chain inhibitor, antimycin, alters the respiration of mitochondria in an adjacent, but chemically and physically separate cuvette, significantly decreasing the rate of oxygen consumption compared to a control (p = <0.0001 in MCF7 and MCF10A mitochondria). Moreover, the changes in O2-consumption were dependent on the origin of mitochondria (cancer vs. non-cancer) as well as the presence of “ambient” light. Our results support the existence of non-chemical signalling between isolated mitochondria. The experimental design suggests that the non-chemical communication is light-based, although further work is needed to fully elucidate its nature.
Acoustic perception and emotion evocation by rock art soundscapes of Altai (Russia)
Authors: López-Mochales Samantha , Aparicio-Terrés Raquel , Díaz-Andreu Margarita , Escera Carles
Published: September 2023

The major goal of psychoarchaeoacoustics is to understand the psychology behind motivations and emotions of past communities when selecting certain acoustic environments to set activities involving the production of paintings and carvings. Within this framework, the present study seeks to explore whether a group of archaeological rock art sites in Altai (Siberia, Russia) are distinguished by particular acoustic imprints that elicit distinct reactions on listeners, in perceptual and emotional terms. Sixty participants were presented with a series of natural sounds convolved with six impulse responses from Altai, three of them recorded in locations in front of rock art panels and three of them in front of similar locations but without any trace of rock art. Participants were interrogated about their subjective perception of the sounds presented, using 10 psychoacoustic and emotional scales. The mixed ANOVA analyses carried out revealed that feelings of “presence,” “closeness,” and “tension” evoked by all sounds were significantly influenced by the location. These effects were attributed to the differences in reverberation between the locations with and without rock art. Despite results are not consistent across all the studied rock art sites, and acknowledging the presence of several limitations, this study highlights the significance of its methodology. It stresses the crucial aspect of incorporating the limitations encountered in shaping future research endeavors.
Early childhood education language environments: considerations for research and practice
Authors: Finders Jennifer , Wilson Ella , Duncan Robert
Published: September 2023

The importance of developing early language and literacy skills is acknowledged by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a global human rights issue. Indeed, research suggests that language abilities are foundational for a host of cognitive, behavioral, and social–emotional outcomes. Therefore, it is critical to provide experiences that foster language acquisition across early learning settings. Central to these efforts is incorporating assessments of language environments into research and practice to drive quality improvement. Yet, several barriers may be preventing language environment assessments from becoming widely integrated into early education. In this brief, we review evidence on the types of experiences that promote language development, describe characteristics of language environment assessments, and outline practical and philosophical considerations to assist with decision-making. Further, we offer recommendations for future research that may contribute knowledge regarding strategies to assess and support language development. In addressing both areas, we highlight the potential for early childhood language environments to advance equity.
Maternal positive coparenting and adolescent ego-identity: the chain mediating role of fathers’ marital satisfaction and adolescent peer relationships
Authors: Ji Wanghua , Lan Rui Ming , Ma Peng , Zhang Hongpo , Fan Lijun
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Based on the ecological systems theory and the family systems theory, this study explores the mechanisms underlying the effects of maternal positive coparenting on adolescent ego-identity.

Methods

This study employed the Maternal Positive Coparenting Scale to assess mothers, the Father Marital Satisfaction Scale to examine fathers, and the Adolescent Peer Relationship Scale, along with the Ego-Identity Scale, to evaluate adolescents. This comprehensive approach involved investigating 522 families, encompassing both parents and adolescents.

Results

The results obtained indicate a significant positive correlation between maternal positive coparenting and adolescent ego-identity. Peer relationships mediated the relationship between maternal positive coparenting and adolescent ego-identity. Father marital satisfaction mediated the relationship between maternal positive coparenting and adolescent ego-identity insignificantly. Paternal marital satisfaction and adolescent peer relationship have a chain mediating role between maternal positive coparenting and adolescent ego-identity. The study contributes by offering insights from the perspectives of family and peer relationships for further enhancing the development of adolescent ego-identity.
Self-efficacy for writing and written text quality of upper secondary students with and without reading difficulties
Authors: Sehlström Pär , Waldmann Christian , Levlin Maria
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Self-efficacy for writing (SEW) and reading ability are some of several factors that may be related to the quality of written text that students produce. The aim of the current study was (1) to explore the variation in SEW and written text quality in L1-Swedish and L2-English among upper secondary students with different reading profiles in L1 (typical reading vs. reading difficulties) and with different study backgrounds (SB1year or SB2years = one or two years of studies of Swedish and English, respectively), and in the next step (2) to explore if individual variations in L1-reading and SEW may explain variation in written text quality.

Methods

Participants were 100 upper secondary students (aged 17–18) with different reading profiles operationalized as typical reading and reading difficulties. Data consisted of screening for word recognition and reading comprehension, text quality results from argumentative L1- and L2-writing tasks, school information on study background in Swedish/English, and students’ responses from an online survey about SEW.

Results

As to SEW results, an ANOVA revealed significant main effects for reading profile and study background in L1, but in L2 there was only a significant main effect for reading profile. Written text quality results indicated that there was a significant interaction effect between reading profile and study background in L1, indicating that the significant main effect for reading profile on written text quality was influenced by the group of students with reading difficulties and SB1year. There was a significant main effect for reading profile and study background on written text quality in L2. Students with reading difficulties and SB1year were the most vulnerable group, and they had the lowest scores in L1/L2 SEW and written text quality in L1 and L2. Multiple regression results indicated that word recognition and SEW contributed significantly to L1-text quality, and word recognition, reading comprehension, and SEW contributed significantly to L2-text quality. Thus, this study sheds light on the under-researched area of L1/L2 SEW and text quality of students with reading difficulties at the level of upper secondary school.

Discussion

Pedagogical implications are discussed and highlight the need for writing instruction across subjects in upper secondary school and for extra writing support/scaffolding for students with reading difficulties and shorter study background in the language subjects L1 (Swedish) and L2 (English).
Cognitive reappraisal and empathy chain-mediate the association between relative deprivation and prosocial behavior in adolescents
Authors: Xu Yanfeng , Chen Sishi , Su Xiaojie , Yu Delin
Published: September 2023

Background

Relative deprivation is one of the factors that influences the development of personality and behavior. However, it is still unclear whether and how relative deprivation decreases the prosocial behavior in adolescents. This study aimed to examine the association between relative deprivation and adolescent prosocial behavior and the role of emotion regulation strategies and empathy in modifying this association.

Methods

The present study included 609 secondary school students (M = 15.42 years, SD = 0.653) in Fujian Province, China. All participants completed the Relative Deprivation Questionnaire, Emotion Regulation Scale, the Basic Empathy Scale, and Prosocial Behavior Scale. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and Mplus 7.4.

Results

Relative deprivation was negatively correlated with cognitive reappraisal, but positively correlated with expressive suppression. Cognitive reappraisal was positively correlated with empathy and prosocial behavior, but expressive suppression was not. Empathy was positively correlated with prosocial behavior. Relative deprivation decreased prosocial behavior through (a) cognitive reappraisal, (b) empathy, and (c) chain mediation of cognitive reappraisal and empathy. No significant mediating effect of expressive suppression was found.

Conclusion

The results indicate that relative deprivation decreases adolescent prosocial behavior, and that cognitive reappraisal and empathy are the potential psychological mechanisms that affect the association between relative deprivation and adolescent prosocial behavior.
Active Home Literacy Environment: parents’ and teachers’ expectations of its influence on affective relationships at home, reading performance, and reading motivation in children aged 6 to 8 years
Authors: Romero-González Marta , Lavigne-Cerván Rocío , Gamboa-Ternero Sara , Rodríguez-Infante Gemma , Juárez-Ruiz de Mier Rocío , Romero-Pérez Juan Francisco
Published: September 2023

Studies highlight the benefits of active Home Literacy Environment on learning and reading habits. This model is based on harnessing family involvement, resources and capabilities to create learning opportunities around reading, engaging in practices related to written language at home. However, it is less common to find applied research with children from the age of six, with older ages and already initiated in reading decoding. The aims are confirming and improving the expectations of families and teachers of a group of children (6–8 years old) regarding the effect of an active Home Literacy Environment program on the improvement of affective relationships between parents and children, reading performance, and children’s reading motivation. The method and procedure followed included carrying out an active Home Literacy Environment program for 18 months with a group of children (aged 6 to 8 years), their families and their teachers, and measures of all variables were collected at four times, using an Ad Hoc instrument designed for families and teachers. The results show that participants had high expectations about the influence of the Home Literacy Environment on the improvement of all variables even before the implementation of the program, improving their expectations about its effects on positive affective relationships at home and on reading achievement after the intervention. In conclusion, we suggest the need to continue investigating the effects of the active Home Literacy Environment program applied to children aged 6 to 8 years, older than those traditionally investigated. As well as their effects on family relationships, reading ability, and reading motivation.
Mobile phone addiction and mental health: the roles of sleep quality and perceived social support
Authors: Yang Lin-Lin , Guo Chen , Li Geng-Yin , Gan Kai-Peng , Luo Jin-Huan
Published: September 2023

As a global phenomenon, mobile phone addiction has become an increasingly common issue among Chinese university students. Although previous research explored the link between mobile phone addiction and mental health, the possible mechanism underlying the above association is unclear. We administered a cross-sectional survey to 585 participants from two universities in Kunming, southwest China, from October 2021 to January 2022. Our results suggested that mobile phone addiction was negatively associated with mental health, and sleep quality partially mediated the relationship between mobile phone addiction and mental health. Furthermore, perceived social support positively moderated the direct effect of sleep quality on mental health, as well as the indirect effect of mobile phone addiction on mental health. These findings provide a new insight into the underlying mechanism by which mobile phone addiction affects university students’ mental health. The results emphasize a necessary task for administrators, health workers, and family members to attach importance to the overuse of mobile phones among university students.
Manic episode following psilocybin use in a man with bipolar II disorder: a case report
Authors: Halim Haniya J. , Burk Bradley G. , Fargason Rachel E. , Birur Badari
Published: September 2023

There has been an increase in research on the topic of psychedelic substances and their effects as treatment options in neuropsychiatric conditions. Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug that has recently garnered increased interest as an effective treatment modality for treatment-resistant depression, depression associated with terminal conditions, certain substance use disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, sparse data exist as to the effects that psilocybin might have on patients at risk for mania, in large part secondary to the exclusion of this patient population from studies due to the concern for inducing mania or worsening illness course. We describe a case of a 21-year-old male with a recent diagnosis of bipolar II disorder who developed a manic episode following the ingestion of psilocybin in the form of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Given the incidence of depression in those with bipolar disorder, impulsivity, and a tendency to abuse substances associated with the illness, further research is needed into the risks of psilocybin and other psychedelic use in those with bipolar disorder.
Timely referral to health centers for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases: IraPEN national program
Authors: Hadavandsiri Fatemeh , Khalili Davood , Mahdavi Alireza , Afkar Mehdi , Ostovar Afshin , Hashemi-Nazari Seyed-Saeed , Derakhshan Somayeh
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The IraPEN program is an adapted version of the WHO-PEN program designed to prevent four major non-communicable diseases in Iran. This study aimed to determine the rate of compliance and related factors among individuals participating in the IraPEN program for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Method

In this study, compliance was defined as timely referral to the health center as scheduled, and the researchers approached four pilot sites of IraPEN from March 2016 to March 2018. Sex-stratified logistic regressions were applied to investigate factors related to compliance. However, it is important to note that in this study, compliance was defined as compliance to revisit, not compliance to taking prescribed medications or behavioral lifestyle changes.

Results

The total compliance rate, including timely compliance and early and late compliance, was 16.5% in men and 23.3% in women. The study found that cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and being underweight were associated with lower compliance. The higher calculated risk of CVD was associated with higher compliance, but after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, high-risk individuals showed lower compliance. There was negligible interaction between sex and other factors for compliance.

Conclusion

The compliance rate with scheduled programs for cardiovascular preventive strategies was very low, and high-risk individuals were less compliant, regardless of their high level of risk factors. The study recommends further training to increase awareness and knowledge regarding the IraPEN program and the prevention of non-communicable diseases among high-risk populations.
Impact of soda tax on beverage price, sale, purchase, and consumption in the US: a systematic review and meta-analysis of natural experiments
Authors: Shen Jing , Wang Junjie , Yang Fan , An Ruopeng
Published: September 2023

Background

As a primary source of added sugars in the US diet, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is presumed to contribute to obesity prevalence and poor oral health. We systematically synthesized and quantified evidence from US-based natural experiments concerning the impact of SSB taxes on beverage prices, sales, purchases, and consumption.

Methods

A keyword and reference search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and EconLit from the inception of an electronic bibliographic database to Oct 31, 2022. Meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled effect of soda taxes on SSB consumption, prices, passthrough rate, and purchases.

Results

Twenty-six natural experiments, all adopting a difference-in-differences approach, were included. Studies assessed soda taxes in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco in California, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, Boulder in Colorado, Seattle in Washington, and Cook County in Illinois. Tax rates ranged from 1 to 2 ¢/oz. The imposition of the soda tax was associated with a 1.06 ¢/oz. (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90, 1.22) increase in SSB prices and a 27.3% (95% CI = 19.3, 35.4%) decrease in SSB purchases. The soda tax passthrough rate was 79.7% (95% CI = 65.8, 93.6%). A 1 ¢/oz. increase in soda tax rate was associated with increased prices of SSBs by 0.84 ¢/oz (95% CI = 0.33, 1.35).

Conclusion

Soda taxes could be effective policy leverage to nudge people toward purchasing and consuming fewer SSBs. Future research should examine evidence-based classifications of SSBs, targeted use of revenues generated by taxes to reduce health and income disparities, and the feasibility of redesigning the soda tax to improve efficiency.