bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feto acárdico y acéfalo: secuencia perfusión arterial reversa. Reporte de caso
Authors: Gavidia Núñez Reynaldo , Fernández Álvarez Miguel Martin , Burga Ugarte Indira Geovana , Bravo García Néstor Rufino , Bernal Gamio Carlos Enrique
Published: April 2022

La secuencia de perfusión arterial reversa es una complicación del embarazo gemelar monocoriónico, presentándose en 1 de cada 35.000. En esta anomalía ocurren anastomosis vasculares arteria-arteria en el lecho placentario, formando un gemelo bomba con presión de perfusión arterial alta y un gemelo receptor completamente acárdico. La mortalidad es probablemente por falla cardiaca y anemia que ocurre tempranamente durante el embarazo. Presentamos un caso de feto acárdico y acéfalo en un embarazo gemelar en una paciente de 22 años producto de una gestación gemelar monocorial biamniótica de 36 semanas un día, acudió a emergencia por perdida de líquido amniótico y ausencia de actividad cardiaca en un gemelo. El diagnóstico prenatal de la secuencia perfusión arterial reversa en gemelos es fundamental para mejorar el pronóstico.
Evaluation Of Concrete Pavement Joint Performance At The FAA National Airport Pavement Test Facility
Authors: Ahmed Mesbah , Cary Carlos , Yin Hao , Brill David
Published: April 2022

On November 08, 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Airport Pavement Testing Facility (NAPTF) completed a full-scale test on concrete airport pavements comparing joint types, as part of NAPTF Construction Cycle 8 (CC8). The objective of this experiment was twofold: (a) compare the performance of a new type of sinusoidal keyway joint with standard doweled longitudinal construction joints; and (b) compare the performance of doweled versus undoweled transverse contraction joints. The indoor test pavement consisted of twelve slabs divided into four groups according to the joint types. All four groups received traffic from a full-scale dual-wheel landing gear configuration using the FAA National Airport Pavement Test Vehicle (NAPTV). All test items were trafficked to failure. Performance of the joints was analyzed using data from heavy-weight deflectometer (HWD) tests and from embedded strain gages to determine load transfer values. For equal traffic, the sinusoidal design of keyway joints demonstrated performance at least equivalent to standard doweled joints. As expected, doweled transverse contraction joints maintained high load transfer throughout the traffic test and were much less sensitive to temperature variations than the undoweled joints. For both types of longitudinal construction joints and for doweled contraction joints, stress-based load transfer values across the joint exceeding 30% were observed. This is significant because the FAA's FAARFIELD design procedure assumes 25% load stress transfer for rigid pavement design.
Comparison of Pavement Layer Responses Between HMA/PCC Pavement Designs with Heavy Vehicle Loads Using RPAS
Authors: Beltran Nancy , TaghaviGhalesar Abbasali , Rogers Richard , Carrasco Cesar
Published: April 2022

The rapid energy sector development and the strong increase in vehicle axle loads has resulted in premature failure of asphalt pavements and, as a consequence, concrete pavements are being considered. However, current design methods assume the significantly heavier vehicle loads will have an elastic impact on the pavement layers and has led pavement engineers to thicken the concrete layer to withstand the heavy loads resulting in a more costly option compared to an asphalt pavement design. Moreover, the current design procedure of concrete pavements discretize the supporting layers using the Winkler foundation model, which makes it incapable of properly considering the impact that heavier truck loads have on the foundation layers. For this reason, researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) developed the Rigid Pavement Analysis System (RPAS), a finite element analysis program that has the capabilities of modeling the foundation layers using a 3-D foundation model, which considers the additive impact of adjacent wheel loads in the subgrade. RPAS has linear elastic theory capabilities and can also be used for the analysis of asphalt pavements when considering the appropriate material properties. This paper presents a comparison study conducted for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Odessa District, between a hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement design and a Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement design to evaluate the effects that heavy loads have on each pavement layer responses (stresses and strains). The results determined that the PCC pavement provided adequate concrete stresses and significantly reduced the subgrade strains.
Tweeted Attitudes towards Women Parliamentary Candidates in Kuwait: A Social Dominance Perspective
Authors: Mesbah Hesham
Published: April 2022

This study explores how Kuwaitis use Twitter to communicate their attitudes towards women Parliamentary candidates (WCs) in a traditionally male-dominated society, and how these tweeted attitudes are thematically constructed, either negatively or positively. The study also explores how these attitudes differ according to gender and evolve quantitatively and qualitatively over subsequent elections. A total of 1744 tweets about all eight women candidates in 2013 posted for 40 days prior to the Kuwait Parliamentary Election were retrieved and analyzed. The tweets posted about the two women candidates of those eight who continued to run in 2016 and 2020 were also analyzed in terms of length, content, and themes. Gender significantly correlated with attitudes in the first election, but not in the subsequent two elections. Tweeted attitudes turned to be more elaborate, information-based, and longer over consecutive elections. The dominant positive theme was generic, whereas the dominant negative theme was specific, and candidate based. Women candidates were praised for acting like men, whereas they are mocked for looking like men.
BÖLGE ADLİYE MAHKEMESİ CUMHURİYET BAŞSAVCILIĞININ OLAĞANÜSTÜ İTİRAZ YETKİSİ
Authors: ÜNSAL Cengiz
Published: April 2022

Yargılama hukukunun gayesi, maddi gerçeğe ulaşarak adaletin tesis edilmesini sağlamaktır. Bu nedenle, maddi konunun en iyi biçimde kontrol edilebilmesi ve denetlenebilmesi önemli bir gerekliliktir. İstinaf kanun yolunun amacı, ilk derece mahkemelerince verilen kararların, maddi ve hukuki mesele yönünden incelenerek hataların giderilmesini sağlamak, bireylerin adalete olan güvenini tesis etmek ve böylelikle yargılama hukukunun yukarıda yer verilen amacını gerçekleştirmektir. Bu, aynı zamanda hukuk devleti olmanın da bir gereğidir.
Bölge adliye mahkemesi Cumhuriyet başsavcılığının itiraz yetkisi istinaf kanun yoluna başvurulması üzerine ilgili ceza dairesince kesin nitelikte bir karar verilmesi ile ortaya çıkan hükümde mevcut bulunan yahut bulunduğu iddia edilen adli hatanın giderilmesi amacıyla kesin hükme karşı getirilmiş bulunan bir denetim muhakemesi imkânıdır.
Bu çalışmada bölge adliye mahkemesi Cumhuriyet başsavcılığının söz konusu itiraz yetkisinin tanımı, hukuksal niteliği, koşulları, etkileri, başvurunun incelenme usulü ve özellikleri ile neticeleri değerlendirilmeye çalışılacaktır. Aynı zamanda, uygulamada karşılaşılan sorunların tespit edilebilmesi ve çözümlenebilmesi amacıyla yargı kararlarına da ilgili oldukları konularda yer verilecektir.
TÜRK HUKUK TARİHİNDE KANUN-I MUVAKKAT KAVRAMI VE UYGULAMASI
Authors: ÖRSTEN ESİRGEN Seda
Published: April 2022

Türk hukuk tarihinin ilk anayasası olan 1876 Anayasası, padişahın yasama ve yürütme yetkilerine kapsamlı bir sınırlama getirmemiş; gerek yasama, gerek yürütme faaliyetleri üzerinde padişahın geniş yetkilerini tanımıştır. Yürütme açısından hükümete tanınan bir yetki özellikle dikkat çekmektedir. 1876 Anayasası’nın 36. maddesi, belirli şartlar altında parlamentonun tatil veya fesih gibi nedenlerle kapalı olduğu zamanlarda Hükümete, Meclis-i Mebusan’ın alacağı karara kadar geçici olarak kanun hükmünde kararlar alma olanağı tanımıştır. Kanun-ı muvakkat olarak adlandırılan bu uygulamaya, Meşrutiyet dönemleri boyunca Hükümetler tarafından sıklıkla başvurulmuş; yargı örgütünden eğitime, temel hak ve özgürlüklerden yerel yönetimlere kadar atılan birçok adımın hukuki dayanağını kanun-ı muvakkatler oluşturmuştur. Söz konusu düzenlemelerden bazılarının “hukukun devamlılığı ilkesi” uyarınca Cumhuriyet döneminde uzun yıllar boyunca uygulanmış olması da, kanun-ı muvakkat kavramının incelenmesini önemli kılmaktadır. Diğer taraftan, kanun-ı muvakkatlerle ilgili benzer bir maddeye 1921, 1924 ve 1961 Anayasalarında yer verilmemiştir. Ancak 1971 yılında gerçekleştirilen anayasa değişikliğiyle kanun hükmünde kararname kurumu kabul edildiğinde, öğretide kanun-ı muvakkatle ilişkilendirilerek Türk hukuk tarihinin bu kuruma yabancı olmadığı dile getirilmiştir. Bununla birlikte, kanun-ı muvakkat kavramı, doğrudan doğruya bir incelemeye konu edilmemiştir. Bu çalışmada kanun-ı muvakkat kavramının hukuki niteliği ile uygulanma sürecinde, özellikle Osmanlı parlamentosunda yarattığı tartışma konuları üzerinde durulması amaçlanmıştır.
1921 TEŞKİLAT-I ESASİYE KANUNU LAYİHASI
Authors: KONAN Belkıs
Published: April 2022

Teşkilat-ı Esasiye Kanunu, bir milletin kurtuluş ve dönüşümünün simgesi olarak Osmanlı-Türk Anayasaları içinde çok özel bir yere sahiptir. Bu makale Teşkilat-ı Esasiye Kanunu Layihası müzakerelerini meclis tutanaklarında yer alan bilgiler çerçevesinde yorumlayarak hukuk tarihi açısından önemini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. İlk olarak bu Kanun’un çıkarılmasına neden ihtiyaç duyulduğu sorusunun yanıtlanması gerekir. Bu sebeple makalede öncelikle ilk anayasamızı hazırlayan Büyük Millet Meclisi’nin oluşumu incelenecektir. Daha sonra “salahiyeti fevkaladeyi haiz olarak” toplanmış olan Meclisin “kurucu bir meclis” olup olmadığı tartışması yapılarak milli egemenlik kavramının farklı gruplarca nasıl yorumlandığı açıklanacaktır. Makalenin özünü 1921 Teşkilat-ı Esasiye Kanunu Layihası’nın mecliste görüşülmesi esnasında yapılan tartışmalar ve Anayasa’nın kabul edilmesi süreci oluşturmaktadır. Layihanın müzakereleri, 18 Eylül 1920 tarihinde Heyet-i Vekile tarafından verilen programın Meclis Genel Kurulu’na sunulması ile başlamıştır. Eski düzeni sürdürmek isteyen, yani hilafet ve saltanatı kurtarmak isteyen muhafazakâr kesimlerle, bağımsız bir devlet kurma idealine sahip inkılapçılar arasındaki tartışmalar yaklaşık iki ay sürmüştür. Kanun Layihası’nın görüşülmesinde tartışmalar daha çok “saltanat ve hilafetin kurtarılması”, “mesleki temsil ilkesi”, “Meclis ve İcra Vekilleri Heyeti’nin yetkileri” ve “yerinden yönetimler” üzerine yoğunlaşmıştır. Makale kapsamında da en çok tartışılan bu konulara değinilmiştir
ETNİSİTE, ULUSÇULUK – SINIF DİYALEKTİĞİNDE MARX’I YENİDEN OKUMAK
Authors: YÜCEL Seda
Published: April 2022

1848 kitle hareketlerinin yarattığı devrimci dalganın Kıta Avrupası’nda etkisini yitirmeye başlamasıyla birlikte İngiltere’ye sığınan Marx için ‘parlak, kutsal, lanetlenmiş, fakat yine de hayatı boyunca hiç şaşmamacısına, kaçak bir göçmen’ olarak geçireceği sürgün yılları da başlamış oldu. Marx’ın siyasi bir göçmen olarak geçirdiği hayatının bu evresi, ekonomi politiğin eleştirisine ilişkin parlak ve bir o kadar da kutsal olan düşünce tasarılarını kurguladığı bir döneme tekabül ettiği gibi, Batı dışı toplumlara dair artan ilgisiyle birlikte etnisite, ırk ve ulus olgularıyla bezenmiş yeni düşünce keşiflerine çıktığı bir süreci de içermiştir. Bu çalışma, Marx’ın yaşamının bu evresinde çıktığı düşünce yolculuklarına ait olan Elyazmaları, gazetecilik çalışmaları, mektupları, Enternasyonal için yazdığı örgüt manifestoları ve defterlerinin gizil sayfalarında kalmış notlarını ön plana çıkararak, ünlü düşünürün ihmal edilmiş ya da görmezden gelinmiş derinlikli kuramsal dünyasını keşfetmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Gayemiz, katı olan her şeyin buharlaşıp yok olduğu Marx’ın modern dünyasında, etnisite - ulus - sınıf diyalektiğini yeniden okumaya çalışmaktır.
Optimisation of Fluid Mixing in a Hydrosac Growing Module
Authors: Champneys Alan , Benham Graham , Cowley Stephen , Dennison Zoe , Griffith Matthew , Kamilova Alissa , Kovacs Attila , Lacey Andrew , Marquis Scott , Morawiecki Piotr , Ockendon John , Please Colin , Sachak-Patwa Rahil , Wragg Hayley
Published: April 2022

A mathematical model is proposed for the flow of nutrients in an inflatable hydroponics module being developed by Phytoponics. Simple experiments were performed via the injection of dye into the system enabling a basic understanding of the time and length scales of nutrient flow and mixing. Four different flow regimes are identified. At the scale of a single root, a Stokes-flow approximation may be used. Brinkman flow operates at the individual plant scale which homogenises into a 1D model for macro-scale flow of nutrients. A shear flow model is used to predict the flow in regions dominated by plant roots. Finally, simplified two-phase flow equations are derived for the more turbulent bubble flow during aeration. These are solved within the software COMSOL. The overall conclusion is that both the periodic flow of nutrients and the aeration are required to enable even nutrient spread.
Limits on simultaneous transmit and receive
Authors: Allwright David , Antonucci Giancarlo A. , Babb Thomas , Evans Alex , Bowley Emma , Dakin Richard , Please Colin , Swinerd Chris , Ughi Giuseppe , Wagstaff Kevin , Wilson Eddie
Published: April 2022

This report is a summary of the work performed during 145th European Industrial Study Group on the topic of Simultaneous Transmission and Reception of electromagnetic signals presented by Dstl. We establish that the solution to this problem lies in estimating the reflected signals caused by the outgoing signal. We define the problem mathematically using an integral equation to represent the received signal. From this we derive Cramer-Rao bounds which give lower bounds for the error when estimating the signal based upon error in the calculation of the reflected signal. We perform numerical simulations for a simple example to demonstrate some techniques that can be used in the solving of this problem.
Acetabular Revision Arthroplasty Based on 3-Dimensional Reconstruction Technology Using Jumbo Cups
Authors: Shen Xianyue , Tian Hao , Li Yang , Zuo Jianlin , Gao Zhongli , Xiao Jianlin
Published: April 2022

Background: This study was aimed at evaluating the changes in cup coverage (CC) and hip center of rotation (HCOR) in acetabular defects of various severities treated with acetabular revision using jumbo cups.

Methods: A total of 86 hips were included. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) classification of these patients was as follows: 16 patients, AAOS I; 16 patients, AAOS II; and 16 patients, AAOS III. A three-dimensional (3D) implant simulation technique was used to visualize the placement of jumbo cups during revision arthroplasty. The acetabular anteversion, inclination, CC, and the HCOR were measured.

Results: The inclination and anteversion of simulated acetabular cups in AAOS I–III groups were consistent with the normal acetabular anatomy. Compared with the controls, in AAOS I–III groups, the HCOR was significantly increased and CC was significantly decreased. The HCOR elevation was significantly higher in AAOS III patients than in AAOS I (p = 0.001) and AAOS II patients (p < 0.001). The use of the jumbo cup technology for acetabular revision would decrease the CC in AAOS I–III patients to 86.47, 84.78, and 74.51%, respectively.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that in patients with acetabular defects, acetabular revision arthroplasty using jumbo cups will lead to decreased CC and HCOR upshift. Upon classifying these patients according to the AAOS classification, CC decreased with the severity of acetabular defects, and the elevation of the HCOR in AAOS III patients exceeded 10 mm and was significantly higher than in other patients.
Improving Thermostability of Chimeric Enzymes Generated by Domain Shuffling Between Two Different Original Glucoamylases
Authors: Chen Zhongxiu , Wang Longbin , Shen Yuyu , Hu Dunji , Zhou Liying , Lu Fuping , Li Ming
Published: April 2022

In order to improve enzymatic properties of glucoamylases, six recombinant genes GA1–GA6 were created by domain shuffling of glucoamylase genes GAA1 from Aspergillus niger Ld418AI and GATE from Talaromyces emersonii Ld418 TE using overlap extension PCR and were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae W303-1B; only activities of GA1 and GA2 in the fermentation broth were higher than those of GAA1 but less than those of GATE. Further research results of GA1 and GA2 indicated that chimeric glucoamylases GA1 and GA2 revealed increased thermostability compared with GAA1 and GATE, although with a slight change in the activity and optimal temperature. However, GA1 had almost the same catalytic efficiency as GATE, whereas the catalytic efficiency of GA2 was slightly less than that of GATE, but still higher than that of GAA1. The structural analysis showed that the change of enzymatic properties could be caused by the increased and extended α-helix and β-sheet, which change the secondary and tertiary structures of chimeric glucoamylases. These results demonstrated that domain shuffling was feasible to generate a chimeric enzyme with novel properties.
Integrative Single-Cell RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq Analysis of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells Derived from Human Placenta
Authors: Li Jinlu , Wang Quanlei , An Yanru , Chen Xiaoyan , Xing Yanan , Deng Qiuting , Li Zelong , Wang Shengpeng , Dai Xi , Liang Ning , Hou Yong , Yang Huanming , Shang Zhouchun
Published: April 2022

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells derived from placenta (PMSCs) are an attractive source for regenerative medicine because of their multidifferentiation potential and immunomodulatory capabilities. However, the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of PMSCs has not been fully characterized. Here, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (scATAC-seq) techniques to cultured PMSCs from human full-term placenta. Based on the inferred characteristics of cell clusters, we identify several distinct subsets of PMSCs with specific characteristics, including immunomodulatory-potential and highly proliferative cell states. Furthermore, integrative analysis of gene expression and chromatin accessibility showed a clearer chromatin accessibility signature than those at the transcriptional level on immunomodulatory-related genes. Cell cycle gene-related heterogeneity can be more easily distinguished at the transcriptional than the chromatin accessibility level in PMSCs. We further reveal putative subset-specific cis-regulatory elements regulating the expression of immunomodulatory- and proliferation-related genes in the immunomodulatory-potential and proliferative subpopulations, respectively. Moreover, we infer a novel transcription factor PRDM1, which might play a crucial role in maintaining immunomodulatory capability by activating PRDM1-regulon loop. Collectively, our study first provides a comprehensive and integrative view of the transcriptomic and epigenomic features of PMSCs, which paves the way for a deeper understanding of cellular heterogeneity and offers fundamental biological insight of PMSC subset-based cell therapy.
Assessing the Role of Ependymal and Vascular Cells as Sources of Extracellular Cues Regulating the Mouse Ventricular-Subventricular Zone Neurogenic Niche
Authors: Quaresima Sabrina , Istiaq Arif , Jono Hirofumi , Cacci Emanuele , Ohta Kunimasa , Lupo Giuseppe
Published: April 2022

Neurogenesis persists in selected regions of the adult mouse brain; among them, the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of the lateral ventricles represents a major experimental paradigm due to its conspicuous neurogenic output. Postnatal V-SVZ neurogenesis is maintained by a resident population of neural stem cells (NSCs). Although V-SVZ NSCs are largely quiescent, they can be activated to enter the cell cycle, self-renew and generate progeny that gives rise to olfactory bulb interneurons. These adult-born neurons integrate into existing circuits to modify cognitive functions in response to external stimuli, but cells shed by V-SVZ NSCs can also reach injured brain regions, suggesting a latent regenerative potential. The V-SVZ is endowed with a specialized microenvironment, which is essential to maintain the proliferative and neurogenic potential of NSCs, and to preserve the NSC pool from exhaustion by finely tuning their quiescent and active states. Intercellular communication is paramount to the stem cell niche properties of the V-SVZ, and several extracellular signals acting in the niche milieu have been identified. An important part of these signals comes from non-neural cell types, such as local vascular cells, ependymal and glial cells. Understanding the crosstalk between NSCs and other niche components may aid therapeutic approaches for neuropathological conditions, since neurodevelopmental disorders, age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases have been associated with dysfunctional neurogenic niches. Here, we review recent advances in the study of the complex interactions between V-SVZ NSCs and their cellular niche. We focus on the extracellular cues produced by ependymal and vascular cells that regulate NSC behavior in the mouse postnatal V-SVZ, and discuss the potential implication of these molecular signals in pathological conditions.
Framing of Political Leaders During the #BringBackOurGirls Campaign by the Nigerian Press: A Comparative Study of Guardian and Vanguard Newspapers
Authors: Akpojivi Ufuoma , Aiseng Kealeboga
Published: April 2022

This study examines Nigeria's political leaders' framing during the #BringBackOurGirls movement campaign using two selected national newspapers in Nigeria, i.e.,the Guardianand theVanguard newspapers. Using 46 news stories culled during the periods of April 14, 2014, to June 14, 2014, and May 29, 2015, to July 29, 2015, which represent two significant eras, i.e., when the schoolgirls were abducted, and when there was a change in government, the study argued that four frames of government failure, the desperation of citizens, politicization of government actions and heroism were dominant in both presses reportage. During the first period of study, both presses were critical of President Goodluck Jonathan and his inability to secure the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirl as they used frames of “liar”, “clueless”, and “failure” amongst others to characterize his government actions and inactions. However, during the second study period, both presses were less critical of President Buhari as they ascribed the “hero” frame to him due to his vast military experience. Nevertheless, the ideological position of both newspapers influenced their reportage as Guardian news stories provided depth analysis, while Vanguard newspaper stories lacked depth.
An EGFP Knock-in Zebrafish Experimental Model Used in Evaluation of the Amantadine Drug Safety During Early Cardiogenesis
Authors: Ouyang Shi , Qin Wu-Ming , Niu Yu-Juan , Ding Yong-He , Deng Yun
Published: April 2022

Background

Drug exposure during gestation or in prematurely born children represents a significant risk to congenital heart disease (CHD). Amantadine is an antiviral agent also effective in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. However, while its potential side effects associated with tetralogy of fallot (ToF) and birth defects were implicated, its underlying etiologic mechanisms of action remain unknown. Here, we report teratogenic effects of amantadine drug during early cardiogenesis through developing a novel zebrafish (Danio rerio) knock-in (KI) animal model and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Homologous recombination (HR) pathway triggered by CRISPR/Cas9 system was utilized to generate an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) KI zebrafish animal model. Dynamic fluorescence imaging coupled with a whole-mount in-situ hybridization (WISH) assay was employed to compare the spatial and temporal expression patterns of the EGFP reporter in the KI animal model with the KI-targeted endogenous gene. Heart morphology and EGFP expression dynamics in the KI animal models were monitored to assess cardiac side effects of different doses of amantadine hydrochloride. Expression of key genes required for myocardium differentiation and left–right (LR) asymmetry was analyzed using WISH and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR).

Results

A novel EGFP KI line targeted at the ventricular myosin heavy chain (vmhc) gene locus was successfully generated, in which EGFP reporter could faithfully recapitulate the endogenous expression dynamics of the ventricle chamber-specific expression of the vmhc gene. Amantadine drug treatment-induced ectopic expression of vmhc gene in the atrium and caused cardiac-looping or LR asymmetry defects to dose-dependently during early cardiogenesis, concomitant with dramatically reduced expression levels of key genes required for myocardium differentiation and LR asymmetry.

Conclusion

We generated a novel zebrafish KI animal model in which EGFP reports the ventricle chamber-specific expression of vmhc gene dynamics that is useful to effectively assess drug safety on the cardiac morphology in vivo. Specifically, this study identified teratogenic effects of amantadine drug during early cardiogenesis dose dependent, which could be likely conveyed by inhibiting expression of key genes required for cardiac myocardium differentiation and LR asymmetry.
Case Report: Double-Decker Repair of Partial Pulmonary Venous Return Into the Coronary Sinus
Authors: Jiang Xuan , Liu Jinduo , Liu Yueheng , Gu Tianxiang
Published: April 2022

We present a case of persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) draining into the right atrium (RA) via the coronary sinus (CS), while the left superior pulmonary vein returns abnormally to the CS. The LSVC may have few clinical consequences but complicates surgical repair of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR). Transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) showed that a persistent LSVC and PAPVR converged behind the left atrium. During the operation, the left atrium was adjacent to the confluence part. We resected a portion of the adjacent left atrium to create an inlet of the pulmonary veins and used two autologous pericardial patches to reconstruct a tunnel directing flow from the left pulmonary veins to the surgically created inlet in the adjacent left atrium, and another upper tunnel directing flow from the LSVC to the dilated CS. Pulmonary CTA confirmed that both PAPVR flow to LA and LSVC flow to RA were unobstructed. At a 12-month follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic. No supraventricular arrhythmia was detected. We would like to present this additional technique to our armamentarium to treat PAPVR in combination with LSVC.
Deformation Feature Extraction for GNSS Landslide Monitoring Series Based on Robust Adaptive Sliding-Window Algorithm
Authors: Huang Guanwen , Wang Duo , Du Yuan , Zhang Qin , Bai Zhengwei , Wang Chun
Published: April 2022

Global navigation satellite system technology has been widely used for high-precision, real-time monitoring of landslides. To improve forecasts and early warnings, the true deformation features must be extracted from the global navigation satellite system monitoring series. However, as the deformation rate changes at different creep stages, the relationship between noise and true deformation may also change, making it difficult to accurately describe the deformation. In this study, an adaptive sliding window algorithm is proposed to account for this relationship change. First, the window was defined with an equal window width and step length, which improved the efficiency of feature extraction. Second, the median and normalized interquartile ranges were used to estimate the window samples and obtain a continuous and reliable series. Finally, the window sample breakdown point was defined to adjust the window parameter. These steps were repeated for the adjusted window to achieve adaptive processing of the monitoring series. The results based on both simulated and real landslide monitoring series demonstrated that the proposed method can provide adaptive, robust, and reliable deformation information for landslide warnings. The adaptive sliding window method also successfully assisted in the early warning of a loess landslide in Heifangtai, Gansu province, northwest of the Chinese Loess Plateau, indicating its practical application potential.
Sustainability of Overlapped Emission Trading and Command-And-Control CO2 Regulation for Korean Coal Power Production: A DEA-Based Cost-Benefit Analysis
Authors: Yang Fan , Choi Yongrok , Lee Hyoungsuk , Debbarma Jahira
Published: April 2022

Regulatory policies are indispensable to efficiently curbing anthropogenic CO2 emissions and sustainably producing emission-intensive goods. Though previous modelling practice has studied the cost and benefit of different regulatory policies, such as command-and-control (CAC) and emission trading scheme (ETS), little is known about that for overlapped emission regulation policies. Here, we built up a Data Envelopment Analysis model to study the losses and gains from the overlapped implementation of CAC and ETS for Korean coal-fired power plants during 2011–2015. We showed that the initial phase of CAC in 2012 caused a sudden loss in power plants’ output, but that the loss was gradually eliminated in 2013 and 2014. Upon promulgation in 2015, ETS is expected to increase only 0.990% of output compared to CAC, yet it largely failed to deliver the potential benefit in its first year. The overlapped implementation of CAC and ETS contributes to a small share (5.567%) of the unrealized benefit. Nonetheless, we showed that implementing CAC and ETS in parallel tends to disproportionately affect less efficient power plants by restricting their strategies to meet regulatory measures. Therefore, we suggest that the integration of CAC and ETS can be a transitory measure as ETS provides only marginal welfare benefits, but ETS must be fully adopted and strengthened in the near future to economically and equitably mitigate CO2 emissions.
The Causal Relationship Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Mechanical Complications of Prosthesis After Arthroplasty: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Cai Yuanqing , Zhang Guangyang , Liang Jialin , Jing Zhaopu , Zhang Rupeng , Lv Leifeng , Dang Xiaoqian
Published: April 2022

The causal effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on complications of arthroplasty are yet to be established. This study was the first to explore the causal effect of RA on mechanical complications of prosthesis through two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). In the MR analysis, RA was selected as the exposure in this study while single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) were selected as the instrumental variables (IVs). Summary statistics data on mechanical complications of prosthesis was extracted from publicly available GWAS data, including 463,010 European descent individuals. MR analysis was performed using the standard inverse variance weighted method (IVW). Furthermore, other methods (MR Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode) were also done to verify the results. Finally, the sensitivity analysis was executed. Results of the standard IVW showed that RA possibly increases the risk of mechanical complications of prosthesis [OR = 1.000255; 95% CI = (1.0001035, 1.000406); p = 9.69 × 10−4]. This outcome was also verified by other methods including weighted median [OR = 1.000285; 95% CI = (1.0001032, 1.000466); p = 1.41 × 10−3], simple mode [OR = 1.000446; 95% CI = (1.0001116, 1.000781); p = 1.04 × 10−2], and weighted mode [OR = 1.000285; 95% CI = (1.0001032, 1.000466); p = 2.29 × 10−3]. No heterogeneity and directional pleiotropy was observed upon sensitivity analysis, indicating the stability and reliability of the result. In summary, the present study showed that RA potentially increases the risks of complications of prosthesis, which might provide guidance in arthroplasty on RA patients.
A Novel Mutation c.3392G>T of COL2A1 Causes Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenital by Affecting Pre-mRNA Splicing
Authors: Fan Lihong , Ji Longfei , Xu Yuqing , Shen Guosong , Tang Kefeng , Li Zhi , Ye Sisi , Shen Xueping
Published: April 2022

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital (SEDC) is a rare chondrodysplasia caused by dominant pathogenic variants in COL2A1. Here, we detected a novel variant c.3392G > T (NM_001844.4) of COL2A1 in a Chinese family with SEDC by targeted next-generation sequencing. To confirm the pathogenicity of the variant, we generated an appropriate minigene construct based on HeLa and HEK293T cell lines. Splicing assay indicated that the mutated minigene led to aberrant splicing of COL2A1 pre-mRNA and produced an alternatively spliced transcript with a skipping of partial exon 48, which generated a predicted in-frame deletion of 15 amino acids (p. Gly1131_Pro1145del) in the COL2A1 protein. Due to the pathogenicity of the variation, we performed prenatal diagnosis on the proband’s wife, which indicated that the fetus carried the same mutation.
Organoid Models for Precision Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Sun Cai-Ping , Lan Huan-Rong , Fang Xing-Liang , Yang Xiao-Yun , Jin Ke-Tao
Published: April 2022

Cancer immunotherapy is exploited for the treatment of disease by modulating the immune system. Since the conventional in vivo animal and 2D in vitro models insufficiently recapitulate the complex tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of the original tumor. In addition, due to the involvement of the immune system in cancer immunotherapy, more physiomimetic cancer models, such as patient-derived organoids (PDOs), are required to evaluate the efficacy of immunotherapy agents. On the other hand, the dynamic interactions between the neoplastic cells and non-neoplastic host components in the TIME can promote carcinogenesis, tumor metastasis, cancer progression, and drug resistance of cancer cells. Indeed, tumor organoid models can properly recapitulate the TIME by preserving endogenous stromal components including various immune cells, or by adding exogenous immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), vasculature, and other components. Therefore, organoid culture platforms could model immunotherapy responses and facilitate the immunotherapy preclinical testing. Here, we discuss the various organoid culture approaches for the modeling of TIME and the applications of complex tumor organoids in testing cancer immunotherapeutics and personalized cancer immunotherapy.
Comparison of the Immunogenicity of HIV-1 CRF07_BC Gag Antigen With or Without a Seven Amino Acid Deletion in p6 Region
Authors: Li Minchao , Yuan Yue , Li Pingchao , Deng Zhaomin , Wen Ziyu , Wang Haiying , Feng Fengling , Zou Huachun , Chen Ling , Tang Shixing , Sun Caijun
Published: April 2022

HIV-1 CRF07_BC-p6Δ7, a strain with a seven amino acid deletion in the p6 region of the Gag protein, is becoming the dominant strain of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. Previous studies demonstrated that HIV-1 patients infected by CRF07_BC-p6Δ7 strain had lower viral load and slower disease progression than those patients infected with CRF07_BC wild-type strain. However, the underlying mechanism for this observation is not fully clarified yet. In this study, we constructed the recombinant DNA plasmid and adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) vector-based constructs to express the HIV-1 CRF07_BC Gag antigen with or without p6Δ7 mutation and then investigated their immunogenicity in mice. Our results showed that HIV-1 CRF07_BC Gag antigen with p6Δ7 mutation induced a comparable level of Gag-specific antibodies but stronger CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell immune responses than that of CRF07_BC Gag (07_BC-wt). Furthermore, we identified a series of T-cell epitopes, which induced strong T-cell immune response and cross-immunity with CRF01_AE Gag. These findings implied that the p6Gag protein with a seven amino acid deletion might enhance the Gag immunogenicity in particular cellular immunity, which provides valuable information to clarify the pathogenic mechanism of HIV-1 CRF07_BC-p6Δ7 and to develop precise vaccine strategies against HIV-1 infection.
The Role of Diet and Gut Microbiota in Regulating Gastrointestinal and Inflammatory Disease
Authors: Gill Paul A. , Inniss Saskia , Kumagai Tomoko , Rahman Farooq Z. , Smith Andrew M.
Published: April 2022

Diet is an important lifestyle factor that is known to contribute in the development of human disease. It is well established that poor diet plays an active role in exacerbating metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Our understanding of how the immune system drives chronic inflammation and disease pathogenesis has evolved in recent years. However, the contribution of dietary factors to inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and arthritis remain poorly defined. A western diet has been associated as pro-inflammatory, in contrast to traditional dietary patterns that are associated as being anti-inflammatory. This may be due to direct effects of nutrients on immune cell function. Diet may also affect the composition and function of gut microbiota, which consequently affects immunity. In animal models of inflammatory disease, diet may modulate inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and in other peripheral sites. Despite limitations of animal models, there is now emerging evidence to show that anti-inflammatory effects of diet may translate to human gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases. However, appropriately designed, larger clinical studies must be conducted to confirm the therapeutic benefit of dietary therapy.
A Scoping Review of Assessment Methods Following Undergraduate Clinical Placements in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine
Authors: O'Connor Enda , Doyle Evin
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Anesthesia and intensive care medicine are relatively new undergraduate medical placements. Both present unique learning opportunities and educational challenges to trainers and medical students. In the context of ongoing advances in medical education assessment and the importance of robust assessment methods, our scoping review sought to describe current research around medical student assessment after anesthesia and intensive care placements.

Methods

Following Levac's 6 step scoping review guide, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science from 1980 to August 2021, including English-language original articles describing assessment after undergraduate medical placements in anesthesia and intensive care medicine. Results were reported in accordance with PRISMA scoping review guidelines.

Results

Nineteen articles published between 1983 and 2021 were selected for detailed review, with a mean of 119 participants and a median placement duration of 4 weeks. The most common assessment tools used were multiple-choice questions (7 studies), written assessment (6 studies) and simulation (6 studies). Seven studies used more than one assessment tool. All pre-/post-test studies showed an improvement in learning outcomes following clinical placements. No studies used workplace-based assessments or entrustable professional activities. One study included an account of theoretical considerations in study design.

Discussion

A diverse range of evidence-based assessment tools have been used in undergraduate medical assessment after anesthesia and intensive care placements. There is little evidence that recent developments in workplace assessment, entrustable activities and programmatic assessment have translated to undergraduate anesthesia or intensive care practice. This represents an area for further research as well as for curricular and assessment developments.
High Mg/Ca Molar Ratios Promote Protodolomite Precipitation Induced by the Extreme Halophilic Bacterium Vibrio harveyi QPL2
Authors: Han Zuozhen , Qi Peilin , Zhao Yanyang , Guo Na , Yan Huaxiao , Tucker Maurice E. , Li Dan , Wang Jiajia , Zhao Hui
Published: April 2022

Bacterial activities have been demonstrated as critical for protodolomite precipitation in specific aqueous conditions, whereas the relationship between the various hydrochemical factors and bacterial activity has not been fully explored. In this study, biomineralization experiments were conducted using a newly isolated extreme halophilic bacterium from salina mud, Vibrio harveyi QPL2, under various Mg/Ca molar ratios (0, 3, 6, 10, and 12) and a salinity of 200‰. The mineral phases, elemental composition, morphology, and crystal lattice structure of the precipitates were analyzed by XRD, SEM, and HRTEM, respectively. The organic weight and functional groups in the biominerals were identified by TG-DSC, FTIR, and XPS analysis. The amounts of amino acids and polysaccharides in the EPS of QPL2 cultured at various Mg/Ca molar ratios were quantified by an amino acid analyzer and high-performance liquid chromatography. The results confirm that disordered stoichiometric protodolomite was successfully precipitated through the activities of bacteria in a medium with relatively high Mg/Ca molar ratios (10 and 12) but it was not identified in cultures with lower Mg/Ca molar ratios (0, 3, and 6). That bacterial activity is critical for protodolomite formation as shown by the significant bacterial relicts identified in the precipitated spherulite crystals, including pinhole structures, a mineral coating around cells, and high organic matter content within the crystals. It was also confirmed that the high Mg/Ca molar ratio affects the composition of the organic components in the bacterial EPS, leading to the precipitation of the protodolomite. Specifically, not only the total EPS amount, but also other facilitators including the acidic amino acids (Glu and Asp) and polysaccharides in the EPS, increased significantly under the high Mg/Ca molar ratios. Combined with previous studies, the present findings suggest a clear link between high Mg/Ca molar ratios and the formation of protodolomite through halophilic bacterial activity.
Microbial Electrochemically Assisted Treatment Wetlands: Current Flow Density as a Performance Indicator in Real-Scale Systems in Mediterranean and Northern European Locations
Authors: Peñacoba-Antona Lorena , Ramirez-Vargas Carlos Andres , Wardman Colin , Carmona-Martinez Alessandro A. , Esteve-Núñez Abraham , Paredes Diego , Brix Hans , Arias Carlos Alberto
Published: April 2022

A METland is an innovative treatment wetland (TW) that relies on the stimulation of electroactive bacteria (EAB) to enhance the degradation of pollutants. The METland is designed in a short-circuit mode (in the absence of an external circuit) using an electroconductive bed capable of accepting electrons from the microbial metabolism of pollutants. Although METlands are proven to be highly efficient in removing organic pollutants, the study of in situ EAB activity in full-scale systems is a challenge due to the absence of a two-electrode configuration. For the first time, four independent full-scale METland systems were tested for the removal of organic pollutants and nutrients, establishing a correlation with the electroactive response generated by the presence of EAB. The removal efficiency of the systems was enhanced by plants and mixed oxic–anoxic conditions, with an average removal of 56 g of chemical oxygen demand (COD) mbed material–3 day–1 and 2 g of total nitrogen (TN) mbed material–3 day–1 for Ørby 2 (partially saturated system). The estimated electron current density (J) provides evidence of the presence of EAB and its relationship with the removal of organic matter. The tested METland systems reached the max. values of 188.14 mA m–2 (planted system; IMDEA 1), 223.84 mA m–2 (non-planted system; IMDEA 2), 125.96 mA m–2 (full saturated system; Ørby 1), and 123.01 mA m–2 (partially saturated system; Ørby 2). These electron flow values were remarkable for systems that were not designed for energy harvesting and unequivocally show how electrons circulate even in the absence of a two-electrode system. The relation between organic load rate (OLR) at the inlet and coulombic efficiency (CE; %) showed a decreasing trend, with values ranging from 8.8 to 53% (OLR from 2.0 to 16.4 g COD m–2 day–1) for IMDEA systems and from 0.8 to 2.5% (OLR from 41.9 to 45.6 g COD m–2 day–1) for Ørby systems. This pattern denotes that the treatment of complex mixtures such as real wastewater with high and variable OLR should not necessarily result in high CE values. METland technology was validated as an innovative and efficient solution for treating wastewater for decentralized locations.
Differences in Evolution of Epileptic Seizures and Topographical Distribution of Tissue Damage in Selected Limbic Structures Between Male and Female Rats Submitted to the Pilocarpine Model
Authors: Matovu Daniel , Cavalheiro Esper A.
Published: April 2022

Epidemiological evidence shows that clinical features and comorbidities in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) may have different manifestations depending on the sex of patients. However, little is known about how sex-related mechanisms can interfere with the processes underlying the epileptic phenomenon. The findings of this study show that male rats with epilepsy in the pilocarpine model have longer-lasting and more severe epileptic seizures, while female rats have a higher frequency of epileptic seizures and a greater number of seizure clusters. Significant sex-linked pathological changes were also observed: epileptic brains of male and female rats showed differences in mass reduction of 41.8% in the amygdala and 18.2% in the olfactory bulb, while loss of neuronal cells was present in the hippocampus (12.3%), amygdala (18.1%), and olfactory bulb (7.5%). Another important sex-related finding was the changes in non-neuronal cells with increments for the hippocampus (36.1%), amygdala (14.7%), and olfactory bulb (37%). Taken together, our study suggests that these neuropathological changes may underlie the differences in the clinical features of epileptic seizures observed in male and female rats.
Hyperdense Artery Sign in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke–Automated Detection With Artificial Intelligence-Driven Software
Authors: Weyland Charlotte Sabine , Papanagiotou Panagiotis , Schmitt Niclas , Joly Olivier , Bellot Pau , Mokli Yahia , Ringleb Peter Arthur , Kastrup A. , Möhlenbruch Markus A. , Bendszus Martin , Nagel Simon , Herweh Christian
Published: April 2022

Background

Hyperdense artery sign (HAS) on non-contrast CT (NCCT) can indicate a large vessel occlusion (LVO) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. HAS detection belongs to routine reporting in patients with acute stroke and can help to identify patients in whom LVO is not initially suspected. We sought to evaluate automated HAS detection by commercial software and compared its performance to that of trained physicians against a reference standard.

Methods

Non-contrast CT scans from 154 patients with and without LVO proven by CT angiography (CTA) were independently rated for HAS by two blinded neuroradiologists and an AI-driven algorithm (Brainomix®). Sensitivity and specificity were analyzed for the clinicians and the software. As a secondary analysis, the clot length was automatically calculated by the software and compared with the length manually outlined on CTA images as the reference standard.

Results

Among 154 patients, 84 (54.5%) had CTA-proven LVO. HAS on the correct side was detected with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.77 (CI:0.66–0.85) and 0.87 (0.77–0.94), 0.8 (0.69–0.88) and 0.97 (0.89–0.99), and 0.93 (0.84–0.97) and 0.71 (0.59–0.81) by the software and readers 1 and 2, respectively. The automated estimation of the thrombus length was in moderate agreement with the CTA-based reference standard [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.73].

Conclusion

Automated detection of HAS and estimation of thrombus length on NCCT by the tested software is feasible with a sensitivity and specificity comparable to that of trained neuroradiologists.