bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence and Risk Factors for Hypoxia in Deep Sedation of Propofol for Artificial Abortion Patients
Authors: Fang Yiling , Xu Yaru , Cao Silu , Sun Xiaoru , Zhang Hui , Jing Qi , Tian Li , Li Cheng
Published: April 2022

Background

Respiratory depression is a life-threatening adverse effect of deep sedation. This study aimed to investigate the factors related to hypoxia caused by propofol during intravenous anesthesia.

Methods

Three hundred and eight patients who underwent painless artificial abortion in the outpatient department of Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital between November 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020 were divided into two groups according to whether the patients experienced hypoxia (SpO2 < 95%). Preoperative anxiety assessments, anesthesia process, and operation-related information of the two groups were analyzed. The univariate analysis results were further incorporated into logistic regression analysis for multivariate analysis to determine the independent risk factors affecting hypoxia.

Results

Univariate analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) (21.80 ± 2.94 vs. 21.01 ± 2.39; P = 0.038, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [−1.54, −0.04]), propofol dose (15.83 ± 3.21 vs. 14.39 ± 3.01; P = 0.002, CI = [−2.34, −0.53]), menopausal days (49.64 ± 6.03 vs. 52.14 ± 5.73; P = 0.004, CI = [0.79, 4.21]), State Anxiety Inventory score (51.19 ± 7.55 vs. 44.49 ± 8.96; P < 0.001, CI = [−9.26, −4.15]), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale score (45.86 ± 9.48 vs. 42.45 ± 9.88; P = 0.021, CI = [−6.30, −0.53]) were statistically significant risk factors for hypoxia during the operation. Logistic regression analysis showed that propofol dosage, menopausal days, and State Anxiety Inventory score were independent risk factors for hypoxia.

Conclusion

Patient anxiety affects the incidence of hypoxia when undergoing deep intravenous anesthesia with propofol. We can further speculate that alleviating patient anxiety can reduce the incidence of hypoxia.

Clinical Trial Registration

[http://www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR2000032167].
Exploring the Relationship Between Deficits in Social Cognition and Neurodegenerative Dementia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Setién-Suero Esther , Murillo-García Nancy , Sevilla-Ramos Manuel , Abreu-Fernández Georgelina , Pozueta Ana , Ayesa-Arriola Rosa
Published: April 2022

Background

Neurodegenerative diseases might affect social cognition in various ways depending on their components (theory of mind, emotional processing, attribution bias, and social perception) and the subtype of dementia they cause. This review aims to explore this difference in cognitive function among individuals with different aetiologies of dementia.

Methods

The following databases were explored: MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library, Lilacs, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. We selected studies examining social cognition in individuals with neurodegenerative diseases in which dementia was the primary symptom that was studied. The neurodegenerative diseases included Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The search yielded 2,803 articles.

Results

One hundred twenty-two articles were included in the present review. The summarised results indicate that people with neurodegenerative diseases indeed have deficits in social cognitive performance. Both in populations with Alzheimer's disease and in populations with frontotemporal dementia, we found that emotional processing was strongly affected. However, although theory of mind impairment could also be observed in the initial stages of frontotemporal dementia, in Alzheimer's disease it was only appreciated when performing highly complex task or in advanced stages of the disease.

Conclusions

Each type of dementia has a differential profile of social cognition deterioration. This review could provide a useful reference for clinicians to improve detection and diagnosis, which would undoubtedly guarantee better interventions.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020152562, PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42020152562.
DNMBP-AS1 Regulates NHLRC3 Expression by Sponging miR-93-5p/17-5p to Inhibit Colon Cancer Progression
Authors: Yang Lijie , Yang Tiecheng , Wang Huaqiao , Dou Tingting , Fang Xiaochang , Shi Liwen , Li Xuanfei , Feng Maohui
Published: April 2022

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) act as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) in colon cancer (CC) progression, via binding microRNAs (miRNAs) to regulate the expression of corresponding messenger RNAs (mRNAs). This article aims to explore the detailed molecular mechanism of ceRNA in CC. Top mad 5000 lncRNAs and top mad 5000 mRNAs were used to perform weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and key modules were selected. We used 405 lncRNAs in the red module and 145 mRNAs in the purple module to build the original ceRNA network by online databases. The original ceRNA network included 50 target lncRNAs, 41 target miRNAs, and 34 target mRNAs. Fifty target lncRNAs were used to establish a prognostic risk model by univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analyses. LncRNAs in the risk model were used to build the secondary ceRNA network, which contained 9 lncRNAs in the risk model, 35 miRNAs, and 29 mRNAs. Survival analyses of 29 mRNAs in the secondary ceRNA network have shown HOXA10 and NHLRC3 were identified as crucial prognostic factors. Finally, we constructed the last ceRNA network including 5 lncRNAs in the risk model, 8 miRNAs, and 2 mRNAs related to prognosis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) results revealed that DNMBP-AS1 and FAM87A were down-regulated in CC cells and tissues. Function assays showed that over-expression of DNMBP-AS1 and FAM87A inhibited CC cells proliferation and migration. Mechanism study showed that DNMBP-AS1 served as miR-93-5p/17-5p sponges and relieved the suppression effect of miR-93-5p/17-5p on their target NHLRC3. Our study suggested that DNMBP-AS1 inhibited the progression of colon cancer through the miR-93-5p/17-5p/NHLRC3 axis, which could be potential therapeutic targets for CC.
Molecular Detection Methods in HPV-Related Cancers
Authors: Williams Jordana , Kostiuk Morris , Biron Vincent L.
Published: April 2022

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for most cervical cancers and some head and neck cancers, including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and sinonasal carcinoma. Cervical cancer is commonly diagnosed by liquid-based cytology, followed by HPV testing using commercially available DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC), or DNA/RNA in situ hybridization. HPV in head and neck cancers is commonly diagnosed by p16 IHC or by RT-qPCR of HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins. Droplet digital PCR has been reported as an ultrasensitive and highly precise method of nucleic acid quantification for biomarker analysis and has been used to detect oncogenic HPV in oropharyngeal and cervical cancers.
Dexmedetomidine Improves Non-rapid Eye Movement Stage 2 Sleep in Children in the Intensive Care Unit on the First Night After Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Zhang Xian , Chang Li , Pan Shou-Dong , Yan Fu-Xia
Published: April 2022

Background

Previous studies have reported that children who were admitted to the ICU experienced a significant decrease in sleep quality compared to home. We investigated the effects of dexmedetomidine as an adjunct to sufentanil on the sleep in children admitted to the ICU on the first night after major surgery.

Methods

This is a prospective study From January to February 2022. Clinical trial number: ChiCTR2200055768, http://www.chictr.org.cn. Fifty-four children aged 1–10 years old children undergoing major laparoscopic surgery were recruited and randomly assigned to either the DEX group, in which intravenous dexmedetomidine (0.3 ug/kg/h) and sufentanil (0.04 ug/kg/h) were continuously infused intravenously for post-operative analgesia; or the SUF group, in which only sufentanil (0.04 ug/kg/h) was continuously infused. Patients were monitored with polysomnography (PSG) on the first night after surgery for 12 h. PSG, sleep architecture, physiologic variables and any types of side effects related to anesthesia and analgesia were recorded. The differences between the two groups were assessed using the chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

Results

Fifty-four children completed data collection, of which thirty-four were 1–6 years old and twenty were aged >6 years. Compared to the SUF group, subjects in the DEX group aged 1–6 years displayed increased stage 2 sleep duration (P = 0.02) and light sleep duration (P = 0.02). Subjects aged >6 years in the DEX group also displayed increased stage 2 sleep duration (P = 0.035) and light sleep duration (P = 0.018), but decreased REM sleep percentage (P = 0). Additionally, the heart rate and blood pressure results differed between age groups, with the heart rates of subjects aged >6 years in DEX group decreasing at most time points compared to SUF group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Dexmedetomidine prolonged N2 sleep and light sleep duration in the pediatric ICU after surgery but had different effects on the heart rate and blood pressure of subjects in different age groups.
Traumatic Stress-Induced Vulnerability to Addiction: Critical Role of the Dynorphin/Kappa Opioid Receptor System
Authors: Leconte Claire , Mongeau Raymond , Noble Florence
Published: April 2022

Substance use disorders (SUD) may emerge from an individual’s attempt to limit negative affective states and symptoms linked to stress. Indeed, SUD is highly comorbid with chronic stress, traumatic stress, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and treatments approved for each pathology individually often failed to have a therapeutic efficiency in such comorbid patients. The kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) and its endogenous ligand dynorphin (DYN), seem to play a key role in the occurrence of this comorbidity. The DYN/KOR function is increased either in traumatic stress or during drug use, dependence acquisition and DYN is released during stress. The behavioural effects of stress related to the DYN/KOR system include anxiety, dissociative and depressive symptoms, as well as increased conditioned fear response. Furthermore, the DYN/KOR system is implicated in negative reinforcement after the euphoric effects of a drug of abuse ends. During chronic drug consumption DYN/KOR functions increase and facilitate tolerance and dependence. The drug-seeking behaviour induced by KOR activation can be retrieved either during the development of an addictive behaviour, or during relapse after withdrawal. DYN is known to be one of the most powerful negative modulators of dopamine signalling, notably in brain structures implicated in both reward and fear circuitries. KOR are also acting as inhibitory heteroreceptors on serotonin neurons. Moreover, the DYN/KOR system cross-regulate with corticotropin-releasing factor in the brain. The sexual dimorphism of the DYN/KOR system could be the cause of the gender differences observed in patients with SUD or/and traumatic stress-related pathologies. This review underlies experimental and clinical results emphasizing the DYN/KOR system as common mechanisms shared by SUD or/and traumatic stress-related pathologies, and suggests KOR antagonist as a new pharmacological strategy to treat this comorbidity.
Curcumin Restrains Oxidative Stress of After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Rat by Activating the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway
Authors: Duan Chenyang , Wang Hanbin , Jiao Dian , Geng Yanqin , Wu Qiaoli , Yan Hua , Li Chunhui
Published: April 2022

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a severe hemorrhagic stroke, induces cerebral oxidative stress and severe secondary neurological injury. Curcumin was demonstrated to inhibit oxidative stress in the brain after ICH. However, the pharmacological mechanism needs further research. We used an intrastriatal injection of autologous blood to make the rat ICH model, and then the rat was treated with curcumin (100 mg/kg/day). Modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS) and corner test results showed that curcumin could significantly promote the neurological recovery of ICH rats. Meanwhile, curcumin could substantially reduce ROS and MDA in the tissues around intracranial hematoma and prevent GSH depletion. To explore the pharmacological molecular mechanism of curcumin, we used HAPI cells and primary rat cortical microglia for in vitro experiments. In vitro, heme-treated cells were used as the cell model of ICH to explore the molecular mechanism of inhibiting oxidative stress by curcumin treatment. The results showed that curcumin significantly inhibited heme-induced oxidative stress, decreased intracellular ROS and MDA, and promoted Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant gene (HO-1, NQO1, and Gpx4) expression. These results suggest that curcumin inhibits oxidative stress by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Here, our results indicate that curcumin can promote the inhibition of oxidative stress in microglia by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and promoting neurological recovery after ICH, providing a new therapeutic target for clinical treatment of ICH.
Endoscopy-Based Deep Convolutional Neural Network Predicts Response to Neoadjuvant Treatment for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
Authors: Chen Xijie , Chen Junguo , He Xiaosheng , Xu Liang , Liu Wei , Lin Dezheng , Luo Yuxuan , Feng Yue , Lian Lei , Hu Jiancong , Lan Ping
Published: April 2022

Background and Aims: Although the wait and watch (W&W) strategy is a treatment choice for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients who achieve clinical complete response (cCR) after neoadjuvant therapy (NT), the issue on consistency between cCR and pathological CR (pCR) remains unsettled. Herein, we aimed to develop a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) model using endoscopic images of LARC patients after NT to distinguish tumor regression grade (TRG) 0 from non-TRG0, thus providing strength in identifying surgery candidates.

Methods: A total of 1000 LARC patients (6,939 endoscopic images) who underwent radical surgery after NT from April 2013 to April 2021 at the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively included in our study. Patients were divided into three cohorts in chronological order: the training set for constructing the model, the validation set, and the independent test set for validating its predictive capability. Besides, we compared the model’s performance with that of three endoscopists on a class-balanced, randomly selected subset of 20 patients’ LARC images (10 TRG0 patients with 70 images and 10 non-TRG0 patients with 72 images). The measures used to evaluate the efficacy for identifying TRG0 included overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC).

Results: There were 219 (21.9%) cases of TRG0 in the included patients. The constructed DCNN model in the training set obtained an excellent performance with good accuracy of 94.21%, specificity of 94.39%, NPV of 98.11%, and AUROC of 0.94. The validation set showed accuracy, specificity, NPV, and AUROC of 92.13%, 93.04%, 96.69%, and 0.95, respectively; the corresponding values in the independent set were 87.14%, 92.98%, 91.37%, and 0.77, respectively. In the reader study, the model outperformed the three experienced endoscopists with an AUROC of 0.85.

Conclusions: The proposed DCNN model achieved high specificity and NPV in detecting TRG0 LARC tumors after NT, with a better performance than experienced endoscopists. As a supplement to radiological images, this model may serve as a useful tool for identifying surgery candidates in LARC patients after NT.
Exploring the Applicability of Calorespirometry to Assess Seed Metabolic Stability Upon Temperature Stress Conditions—Pisum sativum L. Used as a Case Study
Authors: Rodrigues Lénia , Nogales Amaia , Hansen Lee D. , Santos Fátima , Rato Ana Elisa , Cardoso Hélia
Published: April 2022

The availability of phenotyping tools to assist breeding programs in the selection of high-quality crop seeds is of obvious interest with consequences for both seed producers and consumers. Seed germination involves the activation of several metabolic pathways, such as cellular respiration to provide the required ATP and reducing power. This work tested the applicability of calorespirometry, the simultaneous measurement of heat and CO2 rates, as a phenotyping tool to assess seed respiratory properties as a function of temperature. The effect of temperature on seed germination was evaluated after 16 h of seed imbibition by calorespirometric experiments performed in isothermal mode at 15, 20, 25, and 28°C on the seeds of three cultivars of peas (Pisum sativum L.) commonly used in conventional agriculture (cvs. ‘Rondo’, ‘Torta de Quebrar’, and ‘Maravilha d’América’). Significant differences in metabolic heat rate and CO2 production rate (RCO2) as well as in the temperature responses of these parameters were found among the three cultivars. A seed germination trial was conducted during the 6 days of imbibition to evaluate the predictive power of the parameters derived from the calorespirometric measurements. The germination trial showed that the optimal germination temperature was 20°C and low germination rates were observed at extreme temperatures (15 or 28°C). The cv. ‘Torta de Quebrar’ showed significantly higher germination in comparison with the other two cultivars at all three temperatures. In comparison with the other two cultivars, ‘Torta de Quebrar’ has the lowest metabolic heat and CO2 rates and the smallest temperature dependence of these measured parameters. Additionally, ‘Torta de Quebrar’ has the lowest values of growth rate and carbon use efficiency calculated from the measured variables. These data suggest that calorespirometry is a useful tool for phenotyping physiologic efficiency at different temperatures during early germination stages, and can determine the seeds with the highest resilience to temperature variation, in this case ‘Torta de Quebrar’.
Brains in Sync: Practical Guideline for Parent–Infant EEG During Natural Interaction
Authors: Turk Elise , Endevelt-Shapira Yaara , Feldman Ruth , van den Heuvel Marion I. , Levy Jonathan
Published: April 2022

Parent–infant EEG is a novel hyperscanning paradigm to measure social interaction simultaneously in the brains of parents and infants. The number of studies using parent–infant dual-EEG as a theoretical framework to measure brain-to-brain synchrony during interaction is rapidly growing, while the methodology for measuring synchrony is not yet uniform. While adult dual-EEG methodology is quickly improving, open databases, tutorials, and methodological validations for dual-EEG with infants are largely missing. In this practical guide, we provide a step-by-step manual on how to implement and run parent–infant EEG paradigms in a neurodevelopmental laboratory in naturalistic settings (e.g., free interactions). Next, we highlight insights on the variety of choices that can be made during (pre)processing dual-EEG data, including recommendations on interpersonal neural coupling metrics and interpretations of the results. Moreover, we provide an exemplar dataset of two mother–infant dyads during free interactions (“free play”) that may serve as practice material. Instead of providing a critical note, we would like to move the field of parent–infant EEG forward and be transparent about the challenges that come along with the exciting opportunity to study the development of our social brain within the naturalistic context of dual-EEG.
Assessing the Empirical Linkage Among Access to Finance, Firm Quality, and Firm Performance: New Insight From Bangladeshi SMEs’
Authors: Chowdhury Mohammad Abir Shahid , Chuanmin Shuai , Sokolová Marcela , Akbar Ahsan , Ali Zahid , Ali Hussain , Alam Md. Zahid
Published: April 2022

Access to finance plays a central pillar on the sustainable firm growth of developing and developed nations. This study depicts the linkage between access to external finance, firm quality, and firms’ performance as measured by labor productivity for sustainable small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs’) development by employing the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and propensity score matching (PSM) techniques to alleviate the selection bias and endogeneity issue on Word bank enterprise survey (WBES) cross-sectional firm-level data of 3,196 Bangladeshi SMEs for 2007–2013 period. Empirical evidence linking access to external finance and labor productivity has been positive and significant. However, our finding explores a negative but significant relationship between exports and SME labor productivity. A further look into the results also exhibits no statistical significance in the interaction effect between firm quality and access to finance on labor productivity. Moreover, the study anticipates novel empirical support that, the disintegration effect of export sales between direct and indirect exports with labor productivity for credit-accessed firms, is also found statistically insignificant. Then, several policies are drawn from the results to gain international competitiveness, and to ensure more external finance channels for enhancing SMEs’ performance and sustainable firm growth.
Assessing Satisfaction With Online Courses: Spanish Version of the Learner Satisfaction Survey
Authors: Torrado Macarena , Blanca María J.
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study was to develop a Spanish version of the Learner Satisfaction Survey (LSS-S) and to analyze its psychometric properties. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 1,194 university students. Validity evidence based on the instrument’s internal structure and on relationships with other variables (personality and motivation) were analyzed. In addition, reliability of test scores and differences by gender and area of knowledge were examined. The results revealed a factor structure with adequate fit indices based on five first-order factors (learner–content, learner–instructor, learner–learner, and learner–technology interactions, and general satisfaction) and one second-order factor (total score for academic satisfaction). Scores on the LSS-S were positively correlated with scores on conscientiousness, intrinsic motivation, and identified regulation, and negatively correlated with scores on neuroticism and amotivation. Although the magnitude of correlations with personality traits was small, those with motivational factors were moderate or strong. Reliability of LSS-S factor scores may be considered satisfactory, with McDonald’s omega ranging from 0.80 to 0.86. These results indicate that the LSS-S has satisfactory psychometric properties and that it is an adequate tool for measuring satisfaction with online courses among Spanish learners in higher education.
Impact of Interpersonal Competition on Knowledge Hiding Behavior Among the Employees: Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement and Work Overload
Authors: Wang YiFan
Published: April 2022

The knowledge hiding behavior (KHB) can obstruct the stream of information to decrease the creativity in the organization. This study examines the effect of interpersonal competition on KHB, moral disengagement (MD), and work overload (WO). Moreover, this study also examines the impact of MD and WO on KHB. Also, the study examines the mediating role of MD and WO between interpersonal competition and KHB. The study was carried out by quantitative methodology, and 361 employees were engaged to fill the questionnaires employed in manufacturing companies from China. A convenient sampling technique had used for data collection. The findings of this study indicate that interpersonal competition positively and significantly affects KHB, MD, and WO. Moreover, this study established that MD and WO positively and significantly impact KHB. According to the results, MD WO significantly mediates interpersonal competition and KHB. This research is valuable for government, policymakers, and executives of manufacturing companies to establish the appropriate strategies for employees and provide a sustainable environment. This research also offers new visions to managers to know the current events and predict the possible causes that lead to the KHB and what is the possible strategies to eliminate this kind of behavior.
Correlations Between Social Support and Loneliness, Self-Esteem, and Resilience Among Left-Behind Children in Mainland China: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Huang Haitao , Wan Xiao , Liang Yipei , Zhang Yiming , Peng Qianwen , Ding Yueming , Lu Guangli , Chen Chaoran
Published: April 2022

Background

Social support is frequently reported to be correlated with loneliness, self-esteem, and resilience among left-behind children in mainland China. However, to date, there is no consensus on the extent to which those factors are correlated with social support among left-behind children. We thus performed a meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize the previous findings.

Methods

Two investigators systematically and independently searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Wan Fang, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and China Science Technology Journal Database (VIP) on January 9, 2022. Pooled Pearson's correlation coefficients between social support and loneliness, self-esteem, and resilience were calculated by Stata 16.0 software using random effects model.

Results

Forty-seven studies involving a total of 30 212 left-behind children were identified. A large degree of negative correlation was found between social support and loneliness [summary r: −0.36 (95% CI: −0.42– −0.30), p < 0.001]. Large positive correlations were found between social support and self-esteem, and resilience [self-esteem: summary r: 0.33 (95% CI: 0.24–0.41), p < 0.001; resilience: summary r: 0.45 (95% CI: 0.38–0.50), p < 0.001]. The pooled correlations revealed some discrepancies when stratified by some moderators. Sensitivity analysis also revealed the robustness of the findings. The Egger regression and Duvall and Tweedle trim-and-fill procedure suggest the absence of publication bias.

Conclusion

The current meta-analysis provided solid evidence that social support has a high degree of negative correlation with loneliness and a high degree of positive correlation with self-esteem and resilience among left-behind children in mainland China. This indicated that left-behind children with high levels of social support tend to have lower levels of loneliness and higher levels of self-esteem and resilience. More studies, especially large prospective studies, are warranted to verify our findings.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Myopia in Young Adults: Review of Findings From the Raine Study
Authors: Lee Samantha Sze-Yee , Mackey David A.
Published: April 2022

Myopia tends to develop and progress fastest during childhood, and the age of stabilization has been reported to be 15–16 years old. Thus, most studies on myopia have centered on children. Data on the refractive error profile in young adulthood — a time in life when myopia is thought to have stabilized and refractive error is unaffected by age-related pathology such as cataract — are limited. The Raine Study has been following a community-based cohort of young adults representative of the general Western Australia population since their prenatal periods in 1989–1991, with eye examinations performed when participants were 20 and 28 years old. At 20 years old, prevalence of myopia in the cohort was 25.8%. Using long-term trajectory of serum vitamin D levels and conjunctival ultraviolet autofluorescence (CUVAF) area to objectively quantify sun exposure, the Raine Study confirmed a negative relationship between time spent outdoors and myopia prevalence. However, prospective studies are required to determine the amount of CUVAF area or serum vitamin D levels associated with time duration. Combining data from the Raine Study and several other cohorts, Mendelian randomization studies have confirmed a link between myopia and a genetic predisposition toward higher education. Several novel potential associations of myopia or ocular biometry were investigated, including fetal growth trajectory, which was found to be significantly associated with corneal curvature at 20 years. By age 28, myopia prevalence had increased to 33.2%. Between 20 and 28 years old, myopia progressed and axial length elongated, on average, by −0.041D/year and 0.02 mm/year, respectively. Smaller CUVAF area at follow-up, female sex, and parental myopia were significant risk factors for myopia incidence and progression between 20 and 28 years. Given the limited research in young adults, further investigations are warranted to confirm the Raine Study findings, as well as identify novel genetic or environmental factors of myopia incidence and progression in this age group.
Serving on a Graduate Medical Education Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee: Lessons Learned From a Journey of Growth and Healing
Authors: Kara Areeba , Wright Curtis , Funches Levi , Williamson Francesca , Hicks Ralph A. , Sutton Timothy A. , Nabhan Zeina
Published: April 2022

Efforts toward achieving diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) within graduate medical education (GME) often begin with the formation of a DEIJ committee that steers the work. Little is known about the experiences and the challenges faced by those serving on such committees. We sought to describe the experiences of members of our institutional GME DEIJ committee to gain knowledge that would propel this work forward. An open-ended survey was electronically administered to members of our institutional GME DEIJ committee. Responses were analyzed using a rapid qualitative analytical approach. Eighteen members (58%) responded. Of these, (67%) were women and five (28%) were Black. Six domains emerged: “motivation,” “challenges,” “emotional response,” “highs,” “facilitators,” and “advice.” Black respondents more often cited the need to increase diversity as a motivator to join this work. Women and Black respondents more often identified time constraints as a challenge to participation. Some members found the work emotionally draining; others described it as uplifting. Two themes emerged as high points of participation-pride and achievement around the work completed and the personal benefits of building a community with a shared purpose. Three themes emerged as facilitators: effective leadership, support, and establishing psychological safety during the meetings. Many arrived at the realization that change would take time and advocated for patience and perseverance. Protected time and DEIJ expertise were identified as integral to successful committee work. Our findings provide novel insights into the experience of serving on a GME DEIJ committee and highlights infrastructural and institutional prerequisites for success.
Addressing Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment in Public Advocacy and Policy Making on CRISPR/Cas-Based Human Genome Editing
Authors: Christian Alexander
Published: April 2022

Leading experts on CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing—such as 2020 Nobel laureates Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier—are not only renowned specialists in their fields, but also public advocates for upcoming regulatory frameworks on CRISPR/Cas. These frameworks will affect large portions of biomedical research on human genome editing. In advocating for particular ways of handling the risks and prospects of this technology, high-profile scientists not only serve as scientific experts, but also as moral advisers. The majority of them currently intend to bring about a “responsible pathway” toward human genome interventions in clinical therapy. Engaging in advocacy for such a pathway, they issue moral judgments on the risks and benefits of this new technology. They declare that there actually is a responsible pathway, they draft resolutions on temporary moratoria, they make judgments on which groups and individuals are credible and should participate in public and semi-public debates, so they also set the standards for deciding who counts as well-informed, as well as the standards of evidence for adopting or rejecting research policies. This degree of influence on public debates and policy making is, at the very least, noteworthy. This contribution sounds a note of caution with regard to the endeavor of a responsible pathway to human genome editing and in particular scrutinizes the legitimacy of expert-driven research policies given commercial conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment among first-rank scholars.
Top 100 Cited Publications in the Field of Temporomandibular Disorders: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Al-Sharaee Yaser , Al-Moraissi Essam Ahmed , Christidis Nikolaos , Galvão Endi Lanza , Falci Saulo Gabriel Moreira
Published: April 2022

Background

The aim of this bibliometric research was to identify and analyze the top 100 cited publications in the field of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in order to guide any professional level with interest in this topic by mapping the current trends in the field of TMD.

Materials and Methods

The Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science database was used to find the top 100 most cited papers in the field of TMD, published from the year 2000 to November 18, 2021, with MeSH terms in the search strategy. Data extracted were ranking, title, main author, institution, publication year, a total of citations, citation average per year, the journal the study was published, journal impact factor, and the number of studies that each journal published. Further, also the percentage of the different study designs, the number of studies regarding a specific area within the field of TMD, and the number of studies per country were also calculated. A ranking of authors was also performed.

Results

The top cited paper was a study on diagnostic criteria for TMD, with 1,287 citations published in 2014 in the Journal of Oral and Facial Pain and Headache which also had most of the top 100 cited publications. Eighty-one percent of the most cited studies were from the USA and Europe and 33% of the included studies were review articles.

Conclusion

Taken together, since all papers were considered classic, one can draw the conclusion that researchers in 2000 onward in the field of TMD are interested in (a) diagnostic criteria, (b) TMD symptoms and mainly pain-related symptoms, (c) etiology and risk factors of TMD and mainly bruxism, and (d) treatment of TMD. However, topics such as imaging, occlusion, tissue engineering, and disk displacements are presently not as popular.
Resolvin E1's Antimicrobial Potential Against Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans
Authors: Abdullatif Fahad A. , Almaarik Basmah , Al-Askar Mansour
Published: April 2022

Background

Microorganisms along with host response play a key role in the development of periodontal and peri-implant infections. Advanced periodontal and peri-implant diseases are most likely associated with bacterial plaques that trigger host immune response and eventually lead to the destruction of the attachment apparatus and bone loss around a tooth or a dental implant. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans had the highest association with peri-implantitis. Resolvin E1 (RvE1) is part of the specialized pro-resolving lipid mediator family biosynthesized from omega-3, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Although RvE1 is an established anti-inflammatory agent, it was found that its application as a treatment or as a preventive drug had an indirect effect on the subgingival microbiota of both rats and rabbits with experimental periodontitis.

Aim

The aim of this study is to evaluate the direct antimicrobial effect of RvE1 on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans bacteria.

Materials and Methods

The study comprised three groups that underwent minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The first group was tested with the RvE1 working concentration of 5 ug/ml, the second group was tested with ethanol (EtOH), 10% as the working concentration, and the final group was diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as the positive control. Optical density (OD600) was used for the comparison of bacterial growth among the tested groups. The experiment was conducted in three biological replicates. Data were analyzed using SPSS, and results were analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post-hoc Bonferroni using a minimum level of significance (P-value) of 0.05.

Results

Minimum inhibitory concentration was 1.25 μg/ml and 5% for RvE1 and EtOH, respectively. RvE1's mean optical density (OD600) was 0.156 ± 0.021 and was significantly lower compared with all the other groups (P-value < 0.01). The EtOH group (mean OD600 0.178 ± 0.013) and the PBS group (mean OD600 0.1855 ± 0.022) did not reveal a significant difference (P-value = 0.185).

Conclusion

RvE1 demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against A. actinomycetemcomitans with an MIC of 1.25 μg/ml. The RvE1 group showed significantly lower bacterial growth compared to the EtOH and PBS groups.
What Is It Like to Be a Bass? Red Herrings, Fish Pain and the Study of Animal Sentience
Authors: Mason G. J. , Lavery J. M.
Published: April 2022

Debates around fishes' ability to feel pain concernsentience: do reactions to tissue damage indicate evaluative consciousness (conscious affect), or mere nociception? Thanks to Braithwaite's research leadership, and concerns that current practices could compromise welfare in countless fish, this issue's importance is beyond dispute. However, nociceptors are merely necessary, not sufficient, for true pain, and many measures held to indicate sentience have the same problem. The question of whether fish feel pain – or indeed anything at all – therefore stimulates sometimes polarized debate. Here, we try to bridge the divide. After reviewing key consciousness concepts, we identify “red herring” measures that should not be used to infer sentience because also present in non-sentient organisms, notably those lacking nervous systems, like plants and protozoa (P); spines disconnected from brains (S); decerebrate mammals and birds (D); and humans in unaware states (U). These “S.P.U.D. subjects” can show approach/withdrawal; react with apparent emotion; change their reactivity with food deprivation or analgesia; discriminate between stimuli; display Pavlovian learning, including some forms of trace conditioning; and even learn simple instrumental responses. Consequently, none of these responses are good indicators of sentience. Potentially more valid are aspects of working memory, operant conditioning, the self-report of state, and forms of higher order cognition. We suggest new experiments on humans to test these hypotheses, as well as modifications to tests for “mental time travel” and self-awareness (e.g., mirror self-recognition) that could allow these to now probe sentience (since currently they reflect perceptual rather than evaluative, affective aspects of consciousness). Because “bullet-proof” neurological and behavioral indicators of sentience are thus still lacking, agnosticism about fish sentience remains widespread. To end, we address how to balance such doubts with welfare protection, discussing concerns raised by key skeptics in this debate. Overall, we celebrate the rigorous evidential standards required by those unconvinced that fish are sentient; laud the compassion and ethical rigor shown by those advocating for welfare protections; and seek to show how precautionary principles still support protecting fish from physical harm.
A Simplified Approach to the Evaluation of the Influences of Key Factors on Agricultural Tractor Fuel Consumption during Heavy Drawbar Tasks under Field Conditions
Authors: Cutini Maurizio , Brambilla Massimo , Pochi Daniele , Fanigliulo Roberto , Bisaglia Carlo
Published: April 2022

The optimization of energy input on agricultural farms, such as through improved fuel consumption, is currently under investigation in agricultural mechanization research with the aim of achieving economic and environmental goals. In previous research, we developed a simplified algorithm focused on defining the most efficient tractor–implement combination considering the factors that most influence this aspect. The ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) equation for calculating the drawbar pull force was adopted to fit the results to the soil conditions. Agricultural tires of different sizes were tested at different pressure settings under field conditions to assess differences in drawbar force. The resulting algorithm underwent a linear regression analysis to achieve a simplified equation for assessing the optimal wheel-slip, mass, engine power, and tire pull force properties during drawbar works that result in optimal fuel consumption with a minimal tractor efficiency impairment. Using a specific probability density function, the Monte Carlo Simulation method introduced randomness into the input and runs a sufficiently large number of trials to identify the most probable output. The result is a simplified algorithm that can be used to investigate the effects of certain parameters on fuel consumption; however, it can be adapted to evaluate the effects of different implements, tires, engine settings, or fleet management methods on fuel consumption.
Mining the Proteome of Toxoplasma Parasites Seeking Vaccine and Diagnostic Candidates
Authors: Rashidi Sajad , Sánchez-Montejo Javier , Mansouri Reza , Ali-Hassanzadeh Mohammad , Savardashtaki Amir , Bahreini Mohammad Saleh , Karimazar Mohammadreza , Manzano-Román Raúl , Nguewa Paul
Published: April 2022

Toxoplasma gondii is a pathogenic protozoan parasite that infects the nucleated cells of warm-blooded hosts leading to an infectious zoonotic disease known as toxoplasmosis. The infection outcomes might be severe and fatal in patients with immunodeficiency, diabetes, and pregnant women and infants. The One Health approach to toxoplasmosis highlights that the health of humans is closely related to the health of animals and our common environment. The presence of drug resistance and side effects, the further improvement of sensitivity and specificity of serodiagnostic tools and the potentiality of vaccine candidates to induce the host immune response are considered as justifiable reasons for the identification of novel targets for the better management of toxoplasmosis. Thus, the identification of new critical proteins in the proteome of Toxoplasma parasites can also be helpful in designing and test more effective drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tools. Accordingly, in this study we present important proteins found in the proteome of the life cycle-specific stages of Toxoplasma parasites that are potential diagnostic or vaccine candidates. The current study might help to understand the complexity of these parasites and provide a possible source of strategies and biomolecules that can be further evaluated in the pathobiology of Toxoplasma parasites and for diagnostics and vaccine trials against this disease.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Regulatory Mechanism of Long Non-Coding RNAs during Abdominal Preadipocyte Adipogenic Differentiation in Chickens
Authors: Tian Weihua , Hao Xin , Nie Ruixue , Ling Yao , Zhang Bo , Zhang Hao , Wu Changxin
Published: April 2022

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in mammalian adipogenesis and obesity. However, their genome-wide distribution, expression profiles, and regulatory mechanisms during chicken adipogenesis remain rarely understood. In the present study, lncRNAs associated with adipogenesis were identified from chicken abdominal adipocytes at multiple differentiation stages using Ribo-Zero RNA-seq. A total of 15,179 lncRNAs were identified and characterized by stage-specific expression patterns. Of these, 840 differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected, and their cis- and trans-target genes were significantly enriched in multiple lipid-related pathways. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and time-series expression profile clustering analysis, 14 key lncRNAs were identified as candidate regulatory lncRNAs in chicken adipogenic differentiation. The cis- and trans-regulatory interactions of key lncRNAs were constructed based on their differentially expressed cis- and trans-target genes, respectively. We also constructed a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network based on the key lncRNAs, differentially expressed miRNAs, and differentially expressed mRNAs. MSTRG.25116.1 was identified as a potential regulator of chicken abdominal preadipocyte adipogenic differentiation by acting as a transcriptional trans-regulator of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) gene expression and/or a ceRNA that post-transcriptionally mediates FAAH gene expression by sponging gga-miR-1635.
Structure (Epicardial Stenosis) and Function (Microvascular Dysfunction) That Influence Coronary Fractional Flow Reserve Estimation
Authors: Joseph Jermiah J. , Sun Clara , Lee Ting-Yim , Goldman Daniel , Kharche Sanjay R. , McIntyre Christopher W.
Published: April 2022

Background. The treatment of coronary stenosis is decided by performing high risk invasive surgery to generate the fractional flow reserve diagnostics index, a ratio of distal to proximal pressures in respect of coronary atherosclerotic plaques. Non-invasive methods are a need of the times that necessitate the use of mathematical models of coronary hemodynamic physiology. This study proposes an extensible mathematical description of the coronary vasculature that provides an estimate of coronary fractional flow reserve. Methods. By adapting an existing computational model of human coronary blood flow, the effects of large vessel stenosis and microvascular disease on fractional flow reserve were quantified. Several simulations generated flow and pressure information, which was used to compute fractional flow reserve under several conditions including focal stenosis, diffuse stenosis, and microvascular disease. Sensitivity analysis was used to uncover the influence of model parameters on fractional flow reserve. The model was simulated as coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations and numerically solved using our implicit higher order method. Results. Large vessel stenosis affected fractional flow reserve. The model predicts that the presence, rather than severity, of microvascular disease affects coronary flow deleteriously. Conclusions. The model provides a computationally inexpensive instrument for future in silico coronary blood flow investigations as well as clinical-imaging decision making. A combination of focal and diffuse stenosis appears to be essential to limit coronary flow. In addition to pressure measurements in the large epicardial vessels, diagnosis of microvascular disease is essential. The independence of the index with respect to heart rate suggests that computationally inexpensive steady state simulations may provide sufficient information to reliably compute the index.
Predictive Model of Lyme Disease Epidemic Process Using Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Chumachenko Dmytro , Piletskiy Pavlo , Sukhorukova Marya , Chumachenko Tetyana
Published: April 2022

Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Eastern Europe. This study focuses on the development of a machine learning model based on a neural network for predicting the dynamics of the Lyme disease epidemic process. A retrospective analysis of the Lyme disease cases reported in the Kharkiv region, East Ukraine, between 2010 and 2017 was performed. To develop the neural network model of the Lyme disease epidemic process, a multilayered neural network was used, and the backpropagation algorithm or the generalized delta rule was used for its learning. The adequacy of the constructed forecast was tested on real statistical data on the incidence of Lyme disease. The learning of the model took 22.14 s, and the mean absolute percentage error is 3.79%. A software package for prediction of the Lyme disease incidence on the basis of machine learning has been developed. Results of the simulation have shown an unstable epidemiological situation of Lyme disease, which requires preventive measures at both the population level and individual protection. Forecasting is of particular importance in the conditions of hostilities that are currently taking place in Ukraine, including endemic territories.