Renal function at hospital admission and mortality due to acute kidney injury after myocardial infarction

Daily associations between affect and cognitive performance in older adults with depression and cognitive impairment: a series of seven single-subject studies in the Netherlands

Background

Comorbidity between depression and cognitive impairment is common in older adults, increases the disease burden disproportionally, and leads to diagnostic uncertainty. Insight into individual daily associations between affect and cognitive performance may help in personalizing diagnosis and treatment decisions. Our objective was to get insight into the daily associations between affect and cognitive performance within individual older adults.

Methods

In this single-subject study seven older adults with both depression and cognitive impairment filled in electronic diaries daily for 62-93 consecutive days evaluating positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), working memory (WM) and visual learning (VL). Time-series analyses using vector autoregressive modelling, Granger causality tests and cumulative orthogonalized impulse response function analyses were performed for each individual separately.

Results

In one patient higher NA was associated with better WM the next day. For another patient days with higher NA and lower PA were days with worse WM. For a third patient better VL was associated with lower NA and higher PA the next day. No associations were found for four patients.

Conclusions

These results highlight heterogeneity in the daily associations between affect and cognitive performance and stress the relevance of single-subject studies. These studies may be an important step towards personalized diagnosis and treatment in old age psychiatry.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-02797-y.

Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue and Hardiness Among Nurses: A Comparison Before and During the COVID-19 Outbreak

BACKGROUND

Nurses provide the majority of health-care services and face numerous health challenges during an epidemic. During the COVID-19 epidemic, nurses are subjected to physical, mental, and social disorders that impair their quality of life and hardiness. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the situation of nurses. The current study aimed to compare the compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and hardiness among nurses before and during the COVID-19 outbreak.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 508 clinical nurses from one public hospital in southern Iran. The subjects were recruited using census sampling methods in 2019-2020. Sampling was performed before (n = 266) and during the COVID-19 (n = 242) with a 1-year interval. Although, the study setting was the same before and during the COVID-19, questionnaires were completed by different nurses before and during the COVID-19. Demographic questionnaire, professional quality of life (ProQOL) questionnaire and Occupational Hardiness Questionnaire were used to collect data.

RESULTS

The scores of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and hardiness did not differ significantly during the COVID-19 compared with before the COVID-19 (p > 0.05). Before COVID-19, hardiness and work experience predicted 11% of the variance of compassion satisfaction, whereas during COVID-19, hardiness and gender predicted 26% of the variance of compassion satisfaction. Before COVID-19, hardiness and work experience predicted 3% of the variance of compassion fatigue, whereas during COVID-19, hardiness, type of employment and gender predicted 6% of the variance of compassion fatigue.

CONCLUSION

The current study found that compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and hardiness did not change during the COVID-19 outbreak compared with before the COVID-19 outbreak. However, during the COVID-19, the hardiness was a significant predictor of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. The study results showed that it was possible to increase the compassion satisfaction and reduce the compassion fatigue by strengthening the hardiness of nurses. However, these results need to be considered in future studies, especially in crises such as COVID-19 disease.

The important role of non-covalent drug-protein interactions in drug hypersensitivity reactions

Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHR) are heterogeneous and unusual immune reactions with rather unique clinical presentations. Accumulating evidence indicates that certain non-covalent drug-protein interactions are able to elicit exclusively effector functions of antibody reactions or complete T-cell reactions which contribute substantially to DHR. Here, we discuss three key interactions; (a) mimicry: whereby soluble, non-covalent drug-protein complexes ("fake antigens") mimic covalent drug-protein adducts; (b) increased antibody affinity: for example, in quinine-type immune thrombocytopenia where the drug gets trapped between antibody and membrane-bound glycoprotein; and (c) p-i-stimulation: where naïve and memory T cells are activated by direct binding of drugs to the human leukocyte antigen and/or T-cell receptors. This transient drug-immune receptor interaction initiates a polyclonal T-cell response with mild-to-severe DHR symptoms. Notable complications arising from p-i DHR can include viral reactivations, autoimmunity, and multiple drug hypersensitivity. In conclusion, DHR is characterized by abnormal immune stimulation driven by non-covalent drug-protein interactions. This contrasts DHR from "normal" immunity, which relies on antigen-formation by covalent hapten-protein adducts and predominantly results in asymptomatic immunity.

Prediction of Prognostic Factors and Genotypes in Patients With Breast Cancer Using Multiple Mathematical Models of MR Diffusion Imaging

Purpose

To explore the clinical value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) based on diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) for predicting genotypes and prognostic factors of breast cancer.

Materials and Methods

A total of 227 patients with breast cancer confirmed by pathology were reviewed retrospectively. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), IVIM, and DKI were performed in all patients. The corresponding ADC, true diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion-related diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), mean diffusion rate (MD), and mean kurtosis value (MK) were measured. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy in predicting the Nottingham prognostic index (NPI), the expression of antigen Ki-67, and the molecular subtypes of breast cancer. The nomogram of the combined genotype-prediction model was established based on the multivariate logistic regression model results.

Results

D* and MK values were significantly higher in the high-grade Nottingham group (NPI ≥ 3.4) than the low-grade Nottingham group (NPI < 3.4) (p < 0.01). When D* ≥ 30.95 × 10⁻³ mm²/s and MK ≥ 0.69, the NPI tended to be high grade (with areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.712 and 0.647, respectively). The combination of D* and MK demonstrated the highest AUC of 0.734 in grading NPI with sensitivity and accuracy of 71.7% and 77.1%, respectively. Additionally, higher D*, f, and MK and lower ADC and D values were observed in the high Ki-67 than low Ki-67 expression groups (p < 0.05). The AUC of the combined model (D + D* + f + MK) was 0.755, being significantly higher than that of single parameters (Z = 2.770~3.244, p = 0.001~0.006) in distinguishing high from low Ki-67 expression. D* and f values in the Luminal A subtype were significantly lower than in other subtypes (p < 0.05). Luminal B showed decreased D value compared with other subtypes (p < 0.05). The HER-2-positive subtype demonstrated increased ADC values compared with the Luminal B subtype (p < 0.05). Luminal A/B showed significantly lower D, D*, MD, and MK than the non-Luminal subtypes (p < 0.05). The combined model (D + D* + MD + MK) showed an AUC of 0.830 in diagnosing the Luminal and non-Luminal subtypes, which is significantly higher than that of a single parameter (Z = 3.273~4.440, p < 0.01). f ≥ 54.30% [odds ratio (OR) = 1.038, p < 0.001] and MK ≥ 0.68 (OR = 24.745, p = 0.012) were found to be significant predictors of triple-negative subtypes. The combination of f and MK values demonstrated superior diagnostic performance with AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.756, 67.5%, 77.5%, and 82.4%, respectively. Moreover, as shown in the calibration curve, strong agreements were observed between nomogram prediction probability and actual findings in the prediction of genotypes (p = 0.22, 0.74).

Conclusion

DWI, IVIM, and DKI, as MR diffusion imaging techniques with different mathematical models showed potential to identify the prognosis and genotype of breast cancer. In addition, the combination of these three models can improve the diagnostic efficiency and thus may contribute to opting for an appropriate therapeutic approach in clinic treatment.

Relationship Among Blastocystis, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes Ratio and Chronic Stress in Mexican University Students

The role played by Blastocystis in humans has been a subject of discussion due to its intestinal effects and modifications in the intestinal microbiota. We aimed to analyze the relationship between Blastocystis subtypes ST1-4 and 7, the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) of fecal microbiota, and chronic stress in university students. This study had a cross-sectional design with a sample of 202 students. We analyzed fecal and hair samples, and stress inventories were applied to the students. The results showed a frequency of Blastocystis-colonized students of 52.97%. Regarding fecal microbiota, a median RAU of 0.801 for Firmicutes and 0.82 of Bacteroidetes were obtained, with an F/B ratio of 0.83. A low F/B ratio (66.04%) was more frequent in Blastocystis-colonized students, whereas a high F/B ratio (68.09%) (p =  < 0.0001) was found in the Blastocystis-non-colonized. Only Blastocystis ST3 did not significantly correlate with a low F/B ratio (p = 0.290). The ST4 was associated with lower values of cortisol (p = 0.030), psychological stress (p = 0.040), and lower frequency of constipation (p = 0.010). Only two students with the ST1 had abdominal pain (p = 0.007). Our results suggest that colonization by Blastocystis subtypes can modify the intestinal microbiota due to a decreased ratio between the two most representative phyla (F/B). Also, the results of this study show that ST4 colonization is related to a lower level of chronic stress.

Efficacy of Risankizumab versus Secukinumab in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis: Subgroup Analysis from the IMMerge Study

INTRODUCTION

Patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who experience poor clinical outcomes, including patients with obesity or prior treatment, need improved treatment options. Risankizumab specifically inhibits interleukin 23 and has demonstrated superior efficacy in active-comparator studies in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. We compared the efficacy of risankizumab with that of secukinumab across patient subgroups.

METHODS

Subgroup analyses using data from the phase 3 IMMerge study (NCT03478787) were performed. Efficacy in adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with risankizumab 150 mg and secukinumab 300 mg was assessed as the proportion of patients who achieved ≥ 90% improvement in Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI 90) at week 52 across demographics and disease characteristics. Post hoc analyses evaluated the proportion of patients who achieved PASI 90 and the least-squares mean percent PASI improvement from baseline at week 52 by body weight and body mass index (BMI), PASI 90 by prior treatment, and clinical response [PASI 90, PASI 100, and/or static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) score of clear (0) or almost clear (1)] at week 16 and maintained particular response at week 52. Logistic regression analyses examined the effect of covariates (age, sex, BMI, baseline PASI, treatment) and potential interactions on PASI 90 at week 52.

RESULTS

More patients who received risankizumab (n = 164) compared with secukinumab (n = 163) achieved PASI 90 at week 52, regardless of demographics and disease characteristics (BMI, prior treatment, disease duration, and maintenance of clinical response at week 52). Improvements in PASI were greater in patients taking risankizumab than those taking secukinumab, regardless of weight or BMI. Results from logistic regression analysis showed treatment type had a significant impact on PASI 90 (risankizumab versus secukinumab, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Risankizumab showed consistently greater efficacy compared with secukinumab across different patient subgroups, and this was maintained through 52 weeks.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier; NCT03478787.

Deleterious Effect of High-Fat Diet on Skeletal Muscle Performance Is Prevented by High-Protein Intake in Adult Rats but Not in Old Rats

The phenotype of sarcopenic obesity is frequently associated with impaired muscle strength and performance. Ectopic lipid deposition may interfere with muscle anabolic response especially during aging. Evidence is scarce concerning the potential interplay among aging and nutrient imbalance on skeletal muscle functionality. The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of protein intake in the context of an obesogenic diet on skeletal muscle functional properties and intramuscular lipid infiltration. Two groups of forty-two adult and thirty-seven old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: isocaloric standard diet (12% protein, 14% lipid, as ST12); isocaloric standard (high-protein) diet (25% protein, 14% lipid, ST25); hypercaloric high-fat (normal-protein) diet (12% protein, 45% lipid, HF12); and hypercaloric high-fat (high-protein) diet (25% protein, 45% lipid, HF25). The nutritional intervention lasted 10 weeks. Total body composition was measured through Echo-MRI. Lipids were extracted from tibialis anterior muscle and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. The functional properties of the plantarflexor muscles were evaluated in vivo on an isokinetic dynamometer. Maximal torque was assessed from the torque-frequency relationship in isometric condition and maximal power was evaluated from the torque-velocity relationship in concentric condition. In adult rats high-protein intake combined with high-fat diet determined a lower decrease in relative isometric torque, normalized to either FFM or body weight, compared with adult rats fed a high-fat normal-protein diet. High-fat diet was also detrimental to relative muscle power, as normalized to body weight, that decreased to a larger extent in adult rats fed a high-fat normal-protein diet than their counterparts fed a normal-fat, high-protein diet. The effect of high-fat diet observed in adults, with the enhanced protein intake (25%) conferring some kind of protection against the negative effects of HFD, may be linked to the reduced intramuscular fat in this group, which may have contributed to preserve, at least partly, the contractile properties. A potential role for high-protein diet in preventing ectopic lipid deposition needs to be explored in future research. Detrimental effects of high- fat diet on skeletal muscle performance are mitigated by high- protein intake in adult rats but not in old rats.

Response of Multiple Tissues to Drought Revealed by a Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis in Foxtail Millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.]

Characterization of drought-tolerance mechanisms during the jointing stage in foxtail millet under water-limited conditions is essential for improving the grain yield of this C₄ crop species. In this trial, two drought-tolerant and two drought-sensitive cultivars were examined using transcriptomic dissections of three tissues (root, stem, and leaf) under naturally occurring water-limited conditions. We detected a total of 32,170 expressed genes and characterized 13,552 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) correlated with drought treatment. The majority of DEGs were identified in the root tissue, followed by leaf and stem tissues, and the number of DEGs identified in the stems of drought-sensitive cultivars was about two times higher than the drought-tolerant ones. A total of 127 differentially expressed transcription factors (DETFs) with different drought-responsive patterns were identified between drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive genotypes (including MYB, b-ZIP, ERF, and WRKY). Furthermore, a total of 34 modules were constructed for all expressed genes using a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and seven modules were closely related to the drought treatment. A total of 1,343 hub genes (including RAB18, LEA14, and RD22) were detected in the drought-related module, and cell cycle and DNA replication-related transcriptional pathways were identified as vital regulators of drought tolerance in foxtail millet. The results of this study provide a comprehensive overview of how Setaria italica copes with drought-inflicted environments during the jointing stage through transcriptional regulating strategies in different organs and lays a foundation for the improvement of drought-tolerant cereal cultivars through genomic editing approaches in the future.

Facial and body sexual dimorphism are not interconnected in the Maasai

BACKGROUND

In this paper, we investigate facial sexual dimorphism and its' association with body dimorphism in Maasai, the traditional seminomadic population of Tanzania. We discuss findings on other human populations and possible factors affecting the developmental processes in Maasai.

METHODS

Full-face anthropological photographs were obtained from 305 Maasai (185 men, 120 women) aged 17-90 years. Facial shape was assessed combining geometric morphometrics and classical facial indices. Body parameters were measured directly using precise anthropological instruments.

RESULTS

Sexual dimorphism in Maasai faces was low, sex explained 1.8% of the total shape variance. However, male faces were relatively narrower and vertically prolonged, with slightly wider noses, narrower-set and lower eyebrows, wider mouths, and higher forehead hairline. The most sexually dimorphic regions of the face were the lower jaw and the nose. Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), measured in six known variants, revealed no significant sexual dimorphism. The allometric effects on facial traits were mostly related to the face growth, rather than the growth of the whole body (body height). Significant body dimorphism was demonstrated, men being significantly higher, with larger wrist diameter and hand grip strength, and women having higher BMI, hips circumferences, upper arm circumferences, triceps skinfolds. Facial and body sexual dimorphisms were not associated.

CONCLUSIONS

Facial sex differences in Maasai are very low, while on the contrary, the body sexual dimorphism is high. There were practically no associations between facial and body measures. These findings are interpreted in the light of trade-offs between environmental, cultural, and sexual selection pressures.

Sleep Disturbances Before Pregnancy and Subsequent Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

PURPOSE

To investigate the relationship between sleep disturbances before pregnancy and the subsequent risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Pregnant women who attended antenatal clinic before the 12th gestational week between September 2019 and June 2020 were enrolled. The sleep status at the month before the last menstrual period was collected by filling the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) to evaluate the sleep duration, quality and the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). With monthly antenatal care, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed during 24-28 gestational weeks. According to the results, GDM and non-GDM group were classified. The sleep status and baseline characters were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 355 pregnant women were enrolled in this study, and 63 of them (17.7%) were diagnosed with GDM. Univariate analysis showed that maternal age, body mass index (BMI), family history of diabetes, PSQI score and positive BQ were associated with GDM (p < 0.05). Maternal age (aOR 1.10, 95% CI, 1.01-1.17), BMI before pregnancy (aOR 1.12, 95% CI, 1.02-1.23), family history of diabetes (aOR 2.35, 95% CI, 1.33-4.17), positive BQ (aOR 4.03, 95% CI, 1.04-15.63) were independent risk factors for GDM in multivariate analysis. The decision tree indicated that among the pregnant women with BMI >20.6 kg/m² and age >28.5, the risk for GDM with positive BQ increased from 27.5% to 66.7%.

CONCLUSION

The high risk of OSA before pregnancy may increase the risk for GDM during pregnancy.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution transfer and human exposure risks from the consumption of chicken grown in mining-surrounding areas

The purpose of this study was to assess heavy metal contamination in soil, plants, earthworms, and chicken in farmlands adjacent to an old mining site and to evaluate the potential exposure risks to humans through the consumption of chicken. For this purpose, soil, earthworms, plant, chickens, and eggs were sampled from 5 sites following a gradient of contamination. All samples were analyzed for heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn). A food chain model was used in order to characterize heavy metal transfer between soil-plant-earthworm and chicken organs. Furthermore, target hazard quotient (THQ), estimated daily intake (EDI), and hazard index (HI) were employed to assess human health risks posed by heavy metal contamination. Despite the higher level of Pb, our data related to the calculation of EDI and THQ suggested that local consumers are more at risk of Cd contamination. The calculated HI showed values ranging from 2.58 to 4.74 for adults, and up to 12.34 for children, indicating a considerable risk to the health of local inhabitants, especially children. This study highlighted the crucial role of diets based on chickens grown in contaminated areas, on health risks especially for children.

Enzymatic Substrates and Fluorescence Imaging of Influenza Virus Sialidase

Immunostaining with an antiviral antibody is usually performed to visualize virus-infected cells. In contrast, this study established an easy method for fluorescence (FL) imaging of cells infected with influenza A and B viruses and some paramyxoviruses without the need for cell fixation and an antiviral antibody. These viruses and the cells they have infected express the viral surface enzymes "neuraminidase" or "hemagglutinin-neuraminidase," which show sialidase activity. Sialidase activity is fluorescently visualized by using a sialidase fluorogenic probe developed in our previous study. The probe enables histochemical FL imaging of the virus-infected cells and applies to virus isolation and detection of an influenza virus resistant to sialidase inhibitors anti-influenza drugs.

Birds of a feather eat plastic together: high levels of plastic ingestion in Great Shearwater adults and juveniles across their annual migratory cycle

Limited work to date has examined plastic ingestion in highly migratory seabirds like Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis) across the their entire migratory range, although this species is prone to ingest plastic as a wide-ranging procellariiform. We examined 217 Great Shearwaters obtained from 2008-2019 at multiple locations spanning their yearly migration cycle across the Northwest and South Atlantic to assess accumulation of ingested plastic as well as trends over time and between locations. A total of 2,328 plastic fragments were documented in the ventriculus portion of the gastrointestinal tract, with an average of 9 plastic fragments per bird. The mass, count, and frequency of plastic occurrence (FO) varied by location, with higher plastic burdens but lower FO in South Atlantic individuals from the breeding colonies. No fragments of the same size or morphology were found in the primary forage fish prey, the sand lance, (Ammodytes spp., n = 202) that supports Great Shearwaters in Massachusetts Bay, USA, suggesting the birds directly ingest the bulk of their plastic loads rather than accumulating via trophic transfer. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that low- and high-density polyethylene were the most common polymers ingested, within all years and locations. Individuals from the South Atlantic contained a higher proportion of larger plastic items and fragments compared to juveniles and non-breeding adults from the NW Atlantic, possibly due to increased use of remote, pelagic areas subject to reduced inputs of smaller, more diverse, and potentially less buoyant plastics found adjacent to coastal margins. Different signatures of polymer type, size, and category between similar life stages at different locations suggests rapid turnover of ingested plastics commensurate with migratory stage and location, though more empirical evidence is needed to ground-truth this hypothesis. This work is the first to comprehensively measure the accumulation of ingested plastics by Great Shearwaters over the last decade and across multiple locations spanning their yearly trans-equatorial migration cycle, and underscores their utility as sentinels of plastic pollution in Atlantic ecosystems.

Plasma Fatty Acids, Not Dietary Fatty Acids, Associated with Obesity in Four Ethnic Minority Groups Unique to Southwest China: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Dietary fatty acids (DFAs) and plasma fatty acids (PFAs) are linked to obesity. However, whether this association exists among ethnic minorities remains lacking. The present cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the correlation between DFAs, PFAs and obesity in four ethnic minority groups to Southwest China.

METHODS

A total of 166 obese people, and 166 normal-BMI subjects matched based on their age-, sex-, and ethnicity- were recruited from four different ethnic minority groups. DFAs were obtained through food frequency questionnaires. PFAs were assayed by GC/MS method. Binary and multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation among DFAs, PFAs and obesity. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was conducted to assess the relationship between DFAs and PFAs.

RESULTS

FAs were found to be highest in the Naxi people and lowest in the Hani people. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that plasma C16:0 (OR = 1.310; 95% CI, 1.028-1.669) in the Hani people; plasma C20:3 n-6 (OR = 6.250; 95% CI, 1.224-31.927) and dietary C20:1 (OR = 9.231; 95% CI, 1.253-68.016) in the Wa people; plasma C18:0 (OR = 0.788; 95% CI, 0.681-0.912) in the Naxi people were seen to be independent predictive factors for obesity. CCA showed that DFAs were positively correlated with PFAs in the Naxi (r: 0.676; P < 0.05) and Bulang people (r: 0.897; P < 0.05), but there was no correlation in the Hani and Wa people.

CONCLUSION

In this study, PFAs but not DFAs were independently associated with obesity, and different among the four ethnic minorities.

Activation of cannabinoid-2 receptor protects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa induced acute lung injury and inflammation

BACKGROUND

Bacterial pneumonia is a major risk factor for acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), an opportunistic pathogen with an increasing resistance acquired against multiple drugs, is one of the main causative agents of ALI and ARDS in diverse clinical settings. Given the anti-inflammatory role of the cannabinoid-2 receptor (CB2R), the effect of CB2R activation in the regulation of PA-induced ALI and inflammation was tested in a mouse model as an alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy.

METHODS

In order to activate CB2R, a selective synthetic agonist, JWH133, was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) to C57BL/6J mice. Furthermore, SR144528 (a selective CB2R antagonist) was administered in combination with JWH133 to test the specificity of the CB2R-mediated effect. PA was administered intratracheally (i.t.) for induction of pneumonia in mice. At 24 h after PA exposure, lung mechanics were measured using the FlexiVent system. The total cell number, protein content, and neutrophil population in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined. The bacterial load in the whole lung was also measured. Lung injury was evaluated by histological examination and PA-induced inflammation was assessed by measuring the levels of BALF cytokines and chemokines. Neutrophil activation (examined by immunofluorescence and immunoblot) and PA-induced inflammatory signaling (analyzed by immunoblot) were also studied.

RESULTS

CB2R activation by JWH133 was found to significantly reduce PA-induced ALI and the bacterial burden. CB2R activation also suppressed the PA-induced increase in immune cell infiltration, neutrophil population, and inflammatory cytokines. These effects were abrogated by a CB2R antagonist, SR144528, further confirming the specificity of the CB2R-mediated effects. CB2R-knock out (CB2RKO) mice had a significantly higher level of PA-induced inflammation as compared to that in WT mice. CB2R activation diminished the excess activation of neutrophils, whereas mice lacking CB2R had elevated neutrophil activation. Pharmacological activation of CB2R significantly reduced the PA-induced NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, whereas CB2KO mice had elevated NLRP3 inflammasome.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that CB2R activation ameliorates PA-induced lung injury and inflammation, thus paving the path for new therapeutic avenues against PA pneumonia.

Association of ACE2 gene functional variants with gestational diabetes mellitus risk in a southern Chinese population

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) genetic variants and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a southern Chinese population.

METHODS

Potential functional variants (rs2106809, rs6632677, and rs2074192) of ACE2 were selected and genotyped in 566 GDM patients and 710 normal pregnaõncies in Guilin, China. The odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the association between genetic variant and GDM risk, and then the false positive report probability, multifactor dimensional reduction (MDR), and bioinformatics tools were used to confirm the significant association in the study.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age and prepregnancy body mass index, logistic regression analysis showed that ACE2 rs6632677 was significantly associated with a decreased risk of GDM (CC vs. GG: adjusted OR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01 - 0.71, P = .023; GC/CC vs. GG: adjusted OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.46 - 0.99, P = .048; and CC vs. GG/GC: adjusted OR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.01 - 0.72, P = .024), whereas rs2074192 was associated with increased GDM risk (TT vs. CC/CT: adjusted OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.08 - 1.75, P = .009). Furthermore, we found that rs6632677 interacted with SBP (P _interaction = .043) and FPG (P _interaction = .021) and rs2074192 interacted with HDL-c (P _interaction = .029) and LDL-c (P _interaction = .035) to influence the GDM risk of the individual. In the MDR analysis, the rs6632677 was the best one-locus model, and the three-loci model was the best interaction model to predict GDM risk. In addition, functional analysis confirmed that rs2074192 may regulate the splicing process of ACE2 gene.

CONCLUSION

ACE2 gene variants are significantly associated with the risk of GDM via gene-gene and gene-environment combinations. The rs2074192 C > T affects the splicing of the ACE2 gene, which may be a potential mechanism leading to the changed susceptibility of an individual female during pregnancy to GDM.

Relationship Between Negative Emotions and Job Burnout in Medical Staff During the Prevention and Control of the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience

We herein investigated the relationship between psychological status and the various emotions of medical staff during the prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. In this study, the convenience sampling method was used to select medical staff members as participants, and a cross-sectional study design was implemented. The instruments included the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-36), the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the self-rated 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR16), and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). In total, 876 medical staff members were selected in this study. The CD-RISC-10 was negatively correlated with all other scales (P < 0.01). The hierarchical regression coefficients of the SAS and QIDS-SR16 against the BCSQ-36 mediated by the CD-RISC-10 were P < 0.01, and the significance of the F values in all hierarchical regression equations was P < 0.01 (Sobel test, P < 0.01). Medical staff burnout during the COVID-19 epidemic was affected by anxiety and depression, and psychological resilience had a mediating role. Attending to changes in the negative emotions of medical staff and improving their psychological resilience are beneficial to alleviate job burnout.

Casting the Net Widely for Change in Animal Welfare: The Plight of Birds in Zoos, Ex Situ Conservation, and Conservation Fieldwork

Simple Summary

Animal welfare measures have been designed to improve the health and environmental conditions of animals living under human control, for whatever reason. Welfare regulations have evolved also in line with new research insights into the cognitive, affective, and physiological domain of birds, as this paper discusses. This paper casts a critical eye on areas that Animal Welfare regulations have not reached at all, have not gone far enough, or are not regulated or supervised. It identifies the plight of birds living in captivity or being studied in the field, which either by neglect, ignorance, or design are subject to practices and procedures that may not meet basic welfare standards. The paper discusses some profound contradictions in the way we think about birds and their plight in today’s world: marked for extinction on one hand and highly admired as pets on the other; damaging fieldwork on one hand and the aims of conservation on the other. It highlights some common and distressing examples of poor welfare in birds. It also offers some solutions involving simple legislative changes and ways to eliminate some unacceptably low ethical standards in the handling and management of birds.

Abstract

This paper discusses paradoxes in our relationship to and treatment of birds in captive and conservation contexts. The paper identifies modern and new challenges that arise from declining bird numbers worldwide. Such challenges have partly changed zoos into providers of insurance populations specifically for species at risk of extinction. They have also accelerated fieldwork projects, but by using advanced technological tools and in increasing numbers, contradictorily, they may cause serious harm to the very birds studied for conservation purposes. In practice, very few avian species have any notable protection or guarantee of good treatment. The paper first deals with shortcomings of identifying problematic avian behavior in captive birds. It then brings together specific cases of field studies and captive breeding for conservation in which major welfare deficits are identified. Indeed, the paper argues that avian welfare is now an urgent task. This is not just because of declining bird numbers but because of investment in new technologies in field studies that may have introduced additional stressors and put at risk bird survival. While the paper documents a substantial number of peer-reviewed papers criticizing practices counter to modern welfare standards, they have by and large not led to changes in some practices. Some solutions are suggested that could be readily implemented and, to my knowledge, have never been considered under a welfare model before.

Antiviral Immunity in SARS-CoV-2 Infection: From Protective to Deleterious Responses

After two previous episodes, in 2002 and 2012, when two highly pathogenic coronaviruses (SARS, MERS) with a zoonotic origin emerged in humans and caused fatal respiratory illness, we are today experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic produced by SARS-CoV-2. The main question of the year 2021 is if naturally- or artificially-acquired active immunity will be effective against the evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants. This review starts with the presentation of the two compartments of antiviral immunity-humoral and cellular, innate and adaptive-underlining how the involved cellular and molecular actors are intrinsically connected in the development of the immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Then, the SARS-CoV-2 immunopathology, as well as the derived diagnosis and therapeutic approaches, will be discussed.

Identifying youth at high risk for sexually transmitted infections in community-based settings using a risk prediction tool: a validation study

BACKGROUND : Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) are the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. In the absence of affordable point-of-care STI tests, WHO recommends STI testing based on risk factors. This study aimed to develop a prediction tool with a sensitivity of > 90% and efficiency (defined as the percentage of individuals that are eligible for diagnostic testing) of < 60%.

METHODS

This study offered CT/NG testing as part of a cluster-randomised trial of community-based delivery of sexual and reproductive health services to youth aged 16-24 years in Zimbabwe. All individuals accepting STI testing completed an STI risk factor questionnaire. The outcome was positivity for either CT or NG. Backwards-stepwise logistic regression was performed with p ≥ 0.05 as criteria for exclusion. Coefficients of variables included in the final multivariable model were multiplied by 10 to generate weights for a STI risk prediction tool. A maximum likelihood Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) model was fitted, with the continuous variable score divided into 15 categories of equal size. Sensitivity, efficiency and number needed to screen were calculated for different cut-points.

RESULTS

From 3 December 2019 to 5 February 2020, 1007 individuals opted for STI testing, of whom 1003 (99.6%) completed the questionnaire. CT/NG prevalence was 17.5% (95% CI 15.1, 19.8) (n = 175). CT/NG positivity was independently associated with being female, number of lifetime sexual partners, relationship status, HIV status, self-assessed STI risk and past or current pregnancy. The STI risk prediction score including those variables ranged from 2 to 46 with an area under the ROC curve of 0.72 (95% CI 0.68, 0.76). Two cut-points were chosen: (i) 23 for optimised sensitivity (75.9%) and specificity (59.3%) and (ii) 19 to maximise sensitivity (82.4%) while keeping efficiency at < 60% (59.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

The high prevalence of STIs among youth, even in those with no or one reported risk factor, may preclude the use of risk prediction tools for selective STI testing. At a cut-point of 19 one in six young people with STIs would be missed.

New Genotypes and Genomic Regions for Resistance to Wheat Blast in South Asian Germplasm

Wheat blast (WB) disease, since its first identification in Bangladesh in 2016, is now an established serious threat to wheat production in South Asia. There is a need for sound knowledge about resistance sources and associated genomic regions to assist breeding programs. Hence, a panel of genotypes from India and Bangladesh was evaluated for wheat blast resistance and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed. Disease evaluation was done during five crop seasons-at precision phenotyping platform (PPPs) for wheat blast disease at Jashore (2018-19), Quirusillas (2018-19 and 2019-20) and Okinawa (2019 and 2020). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) across the genome were obtained using DArTseq genotyping-by-sequencing platform, and in total 5713 filtered markers were used. GWAS revealed 40 significant markers associated with WB resistance, of which 33 (82.5%) were in the 2NS/2AS chromosome segment and one each on seven chromosomes (3B, 3D, 4A, 5A, 5D, 6A and 6B). The 2NS markers contributed significantly in most of the environments, explaining an average of 33.4% of the phenotypic variation. Overall, 22.4% of the germplasm carried 2NS/2AS segment. So far, 2NS translocation is the only effective WB resistance source being used in the breeding programs of South Asia. Nevertheless, the identification of non-2NS/2AS genomic regions for WB resistance provides a hope to broaden and diversify resistance for this disease in years to come.

Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction-Does Sex Matter?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is an increasing recognition of the importance of sex in susceptibility, clinical presentation, and outcomes for heart failure. This review focusses on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), unravelling differences in biology, clinical and demographic features and evidence for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This is intended to inform clinicians and researchers regarding state-of-the-art evidence relevant to women, as well as areas of unmet need.

RECENT FINDINGS

Females are well recognised to be under-represented in clinical trials, but there have been some improvements in recent years. Data from the last 5 years reaffirms that women presenting with HFrEF women are older and have more comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes and obesity compared with men and are less likely to have ischaemic heart disease. Non-ischaemic aetiologies are more likely to be the cause of HFrEF in women, and women are more often symptomatic. Whilst mortality is less than in their male counterparts, HFrEF is associated with a bigger impact on quality of life in females. The implications of this for improved prevention, treatment and outcomes are discussed. This review reveals distinct sex differences in HFrEF pathophysiology, types of presentation, morbidity and mortality. In light of this, in order for future research and clinical medicine to be able to manage HFrEF adequately, there must be more representation of women in clinical trials as well as collaboration for the development of sex-specific management guidelines. Future research might also elucidate the biochemical foundation of the sex discrepancy in HFrEF.

Structural and functional insights into the spike protein mutations of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants

Since the emergence of the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the viral genome has constantly undergone rapid mutations for better adaptation in the host system. These newer mutations have given rise to several lineages/ variants of the virus that have resulted in high transmission and virulence rates compared to the previously circulating variants. Owing to this, the overall caseload and related mortality have tremendously increased globally to > 233 million infections and > 4.7 million deaths as of Sept. 28th, 2021. SARS-CoV-2, Spike (S) protein binds to host cells by recognizing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor. The viral S protein contains S1 and S2 domains that constitute the binding and fusion machinery, respectively. Structural analysis of viral S protein reveals that the virus undergoes conformational flexibility and dynamicity to interact with the hACE2 receptor. The SARS-CoV-2 variants and mutations might be associated with affecting the conformational plasticity of S protein, potentially linked to its altered affinity, infectivity, and immunogenicity. This review focuses on the current circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 and the structure-function analysis of key S protein mutations linked with increased affinity, higher infectivity, enhanced transmission rates, and immune escape against this infection.

Gelidiella acerosa Compounds Target NFκB Cascade in Lung Adenocarcinoma

In carcinogenesis, increased metabolism, abnormal functioning of mitochondria, peroxisomes, aberrant cell signaling, and prolonged inflammation can result in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In turn, excess ROS can upregulate the expression of various signaling pathways including the MAP kinase, PI3K/Akt, and NFκB cascades in cancer. The constitutive expression of NFκB causes drug resistance in lung cancer. Hence, drugs that can enhance the antioxidant activity of enzymes and regulate the NFκB activity are of prime target to manage the drug resistance and inflammation in cancer. This study evaluated the effect of compounds present in ethyl acetate extract of Gelidiella acerosa on inflammation and on antioxidant enzymes in lung cancer. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined under in silico and in vitro conditions. The in silico analysis showed that the phyto-constituents of G. acerosa inhibit the IKBα-NFκB-p65-p50 complex in a similar way as that of doxorubicin and dexamethasone. Similarly, G. acerosa treatment enhanced the efficiency of antioxidant enzymes peroxidases and superoxide dismutase in A549 lung cancer cells. Furthermore, the results of in vitro analysis showed that G. acerosa can decrease the activation of NFκB and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and upregulate the expression of IL 10. As inflammation causes cancer progression, the inhibition of inflammation inhibits tumorigenesis. Hence, based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that G. acerosa exerts anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing the expression of NFκB cascade and moreover, the phyto-constituents of G. acerosa may have the potential to regulate the inflammatory response.

Expression of Chimeric HPV-HIV Protein L1P18 in Pichia pastoris; Purification and Characterization of the Virus-like Particles

Currently, three human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are already licensed and all of them are based on virus-like particles (VLPs) of HPV L1 capsid protein but not worldwide accessible. While about 38.0 million people were living with HIV in 2019, only 68% of HIV-infected individuals were accessing antiretroviral therapy as of the end of June 2020 and there is no HIV vaccine yet. Therefore, safe, effective, and affordable vaccines against those two viruses are immediately needed. Both HPV and HIV are sexually transmitted infections and one of the main access routes is the mucosal genital tract. Thus, the development of a combined vaccine that would protect against HPV and HIV infections is a logical effort in the fight against these two major global pathogens. In this study, a recombinant Pichia pastoris producing chimeric HPV-HIV L1P18 protein intracellularly was constructed. After cell disruption, the supernatant was collected, and the VLPs were purified by a combination of ammonium sulfate precipitation, size exclusion chromatography, ultracentrifugation, and ultrafiltration. At the end of purification process, the chimeric VLPs were recovered with 96% purity and 9.23% overall yield, and the morphology of VLPs were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. This work contributes towards the development of an alternative platform for production of a bivalent vaccine against HPV and HIV in P. pastoris.

Novel application of biofortified crops: consumer acceptance of pasta from yellow cassava and leafy vegetables

BACKGROUND

Newly developed yellow biofortified cassava has been adjudged as a cost-effective solution to vitamin A deficiency in low- and middle-income countries with high cassava intake such as Nigeria. In this study, yellow cassava was developed into a novel pasta enriched with amaranth vegetable and tested among consumers. Attitudes, perception, motives for consumption and perceived barriers were ascertained using focus group discussions and randomised face-to-face interviews, while liking, preference and ranking of the novel food were established through consumer sensory perception.

RESULTS

Willingness to consume the new food, low food neophobia (32%), a health-driven consumption pattern, as well as an appreciable acceptance for the developed pasta, was established among the consumers. Ugwu (Telfairia occidentalis) was found to be the most preferred leafy vegetable. The yellow cassava pasta was ranked better than the conventional white cassava.

CONCLUSION

This study shows new avenues to valorise yellow cassava by which nutrition security can be improved in low- and middle-income countries of Africa. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Neuromuscular ultrasound training courses in the post COVID-19 era: Is virtual training here to stay, and should the pre-pandemic training design be revised?

See article on pages 29–33 in this issue.

A Semi-Automated SNP-Based Approach for Contaminant Identification in Biparental Polyploid Populations of Tropical Forage Grasses

Artificial hybridization plays a fundamental role in plant breeding programs since it generates new genotypic combinations that can result in desirable phenotypes. Depending on the species and mode of reproduction, controlled crosses may be challenging, and contaminating individuals can be introduced accidentally. In this context, the identification of such contaminants is important to avoid compromising further selection cycles, as well as genetic and genomic studies. The main objective of this work was to propose an automated multivariate methodology for the detection and classification of putative contaminants, including apomictic clones (ACs), self-fertilized individuals, half-siblings (HSs), and full contaminants (FCs), in biparental polyploid progenies of tropical forage grasses. We established a pipeline to identify contaminants in genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data encoded as allele dosages of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers by integrating principal component analysis (PCA), genotypic analysis (GA) measures based on Mendelian segregation, and clustering analysis (CA). The combination of these methods allowed for the correct identification of all contaminants in all simulated progenies and the detection of putative contaminants in three real progenies of tropical forage grasses, providing an easy and promising methodology for the identification of contaminants in biparental progenies of tetraploid and hexaploid species. The proposed pipeline was made available through the polyCID Shiny app and can be easily coupled with traditional genetic approaches, such as linkage map construction, thereby increasing the efficiency of breeding programs.

B Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis：Pathogenic Mechanisms and Treatment Prospects

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common, chronic, systemic autoimmune disease, and its clinical features are the proliferation of joint synovial tissue, the formation of pannus and the destruction of cartilage. The global incidence of RA is about 1%, and it is more common in women. The basic feature of RA is the body’s immune system disorders, in which autoreactive CD4⁺T cells, pathogenic B cells, M1 macrophages, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and autoantibodies abnormally increase in the body of RA patients B cell depletion therapy has well proved the important role of B cells in the pathogenesis of RA, and the treatment of RA with B cells as a target has also been paid more and more attention. Although the inflammatory indicators in RA patients receiving B-cell depletion therapy have been significantly improved, the risk of infection and cancer has also increased, which suggests that we need to deplete pathogenic B cells instead of all B cells. However, at present we cannot distinguish between pathogenic B cells and protective B cells in RA patients. In this review, we explore fresh perspectives upon the roles of B cells in the occurrence, development and treatment of RA.

Implications of COVID-19 lockdowns on surface passenger mobility and related CO2 emission changes in Europe

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected our daily lives, with direct consequences on passenger transport. This in turn has strongly impacted the energy demand of the transport sector and associated CO2 emissions. We analyse near real-time passenger mobility and related emission trends in Europe between 21 January and 21 September 2020. We compiled a dataset of country-, sector- and lockdown- specific values, representing daily activity changes in private, public, and active passenger transport. In the aggregate, surface passenger transport emissions fell by 11.2% corresponding to 40.3 MtCO2 in Europe. This decline was predominantly due to the reduction of private passenger transport in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK). During the first lockdown in April 2020, CO2 emissions from surface passenger transport declined by 50% in Europe, resulting in a 7.1% reduction in total CO2 emissions. After April 2020, private passenger travel recovered rapidly, while public passenger flows remained low. Solely prompted by the private sector, a rebound in total emissions and surface passenger transport emissions of 1.5% and 10.7%, respectively, was estimated at the end of the study period. The resulting situation of increased private and decreased public passenger transport is in contradiction to major climate goals, and without reversing these trends, emission reductions, as stated in the European Green Deal are unlikely to be achieved. Our study provides an analysis based on a detailed and timely set of data of surface passenger transport and points to options to grasp the momentum for innovative changes in passenger mobility.

Human allergy to cats: A review of the impact on cat ownership and relinquishment

Practical relevance:

Cats have become increasingly common as companion animals, and in many countries their popularity now exceeds that of dogs. At the same time, human allergies (including allergy to cats) have been increasing and it has been estimated that globally up to 10-20% of human adults are sensitised to cats.

Aim:

This review summarises the available published data on how human allergy to cats affects cat ownership and considers the implications of the findings on the wider human-cat bond and how adverse effects can be minimised.

Evidence base:

Online databases were searched for all original studies up to December 2020 that had quantified the impact of human allergy to cats on ownership or relinquishment. Objective quantifiable data appeared to fall into three broad outcomes - (1) choosing to avoid cat ownership; (2) relinquishment of owned cats; and (3) return of cats after acquisition from a rehoming centre. The data retrieved on these topics are the focus of this review. In some studies, data from cats and dogs were combined and these have also been included in the review.

The effect of RAAS inhibitors on acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and in-hospital mortality in the hypertensive Covid-19 patients

INTRODUCTION

We have aimed to investigate the relationship between use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin-receptor-blocker (ARB) drugs and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) and in-hospital mortality in hypertensive Covid-19 patients.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Consecutive 1345 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 between April and October 2020 who met inclusion criteria were divided into two groups based on presence and absence of AHRF and mortality. The groups were compared regarding epidemiological, clinical, radiological, laboratory findings and treatments methods. The patient groups ACEI, ARB and other antihypertensive drugs (non-ACEI/ARB) were compared regarding same parameters.

RESULTS

Median age was 68 (60-76) years in the patient group including 805 (59.9.1%) females. Of the patients, 475 (35.3%), 644 (47.9%) and 226 (16.8%) were using ACEIs, ARBs and non-ACEI/ARB, respectively. AHRF and in-hospital mortality developed in 1053 (78.3%) and 290 (21.6%) patients, respectively. Age, gender, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus (DM), neutrophil, lymphocyte, creatinine, D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), ACEI, beta blocker and aspartate transaminase (AST) found statistically significant in the univariable logistic regression performed to identify independent predictors of mortality were included multivariable logistic regression model. Age (OR: 1.066, 95%CI: 1.049-1.083; p < .001), DM (OR: 1.682, 95%CI: 1.238-2.286; p = .001), neutrophil (OR: 1.041, 95%CI: 1.007-1.077; p = .019), creatinine (OR: 1.178, 95%CI: 1.048-1.325; p = .006), CRP (OR: 1.008, 95%CI: 1.006-1.010; p < .001), ACEI (OR: 0.718, 95%CI: 0.521-0.988; p = .042), AST (OR: 1.005, 95%CI: 1.001-1.010; p = .010) were found associated with in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

In our study, it was not detected clinically significant difference between three groups with regard to their relation with in-hospital mortality.

Global socioeconomic inequality in the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases and injuries: an analysis on global burden of disease study 2019

BACKGROUND

Examining the distribution of the burden of different communicable and non-communicable diseases and injuries worldwide can present proper evidence to global policymakers to deal with health inequality. The present study aimed to determine socioeconomic inequality in the burden of 25 groups of diseases between countries around the world in 2019.

METHODS

In the current study data according to 204 countries in the world was gathered from the Human Development Report and the Global Burden of Diseases study. Variables referring to incidence, prevalence, years of life lost (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD) and disability adjusted life years (DALY) resulting by 25 groups of diseases and injuries also human development index was applied for the analysis. For measurement of socioeconomic inequality, concentration index (CI) and curve was applied. CI is considered as one of the popular measures for inequality measurement. It ranges from - 1 to + 1. A positive value implies that a variable is concentrated among the higher socioeconomic status population and vice versa.

RESULTS

The findings showed that CI of the incidence, prevalence, YLL, YLD and DALY for all causes were - 0.0255, - 0.0035, - 0.1773, 0.0718 and - 0.0973, respectively. CI for total Communicable, Maternal, Neonatal, and Nutritional Diseases (CMNNDs) incidence, prevalence, YLL, YLD and DALY were estimated as - 0.0495, - 0.1355, - 0.5585, - 0.2801 and - 0.5203, respectively. Moreover, estimates indicated that CIs of incidence, prevalence, YLL, YLD and DALY for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) were 0.1488, 0.1218, 0.1552, 0.1847 and 0.1669, respectively. Regarding injuries, the CIs of incidence, prevalence, YLL, YLD and DALY were determined as 0.0212, 0.1364, - 0.1605, 0.1146 and 0.3316, respectively. In the CMNNDs group, highest and lowest CI of DALY were related to the respiratory infections and tuberculosis (- 0.4291) and neglected tropical diseases and malaria (- 0.6872). Regarding NCDs, the highest and lowest CI for DALY is determined for neoplasms (0.3192) and other NCDs (- 0.0784). Moreover, the maximum and minimum of CI of DALY for injuries group were related to the transport injuries (0.0421) and unintentional injuries (- 0.0297).

CONCLUSIONS

The distribution of all-causes and CMNNDs burden were more concentrated in low-HDI countries and there are pro-poor inequality. However, there is a pro-rich inequality for NCDs' burden i.e. it was concentrated in high-HDI countries. On the other hand, the concentration of DALY, YLD, prevalence, and incidence in injuries was observed in the countries with higher HDI, while YLL was concentrated in low-HDI countries.

Metabolomics Analysis of Splenic CD19+ B Cells in Mice Chronically Infected With Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato Protoscoleces

Background: The larval stages of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (E. granulosus s.l) infection can alter B cell function and affect host anti-infective immunity, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The newly emerging immunometabolism highlights that several metabolites are key factors in determining the fate of immune cells, which provides a new insight for exploring how larval E. granulosus s.l. infection remodels B cell function. This study investigated the metabolomic profiles of B cells in mice infected with E. granulosus s.l. protoscoleces (PSC).

Results:Total CD19⁺ B cells, purified from the spleen of infected mice, showed significantly increased production of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 after exposure to LPS in vitro. Moreover, the mRNA expression of metabolism related enzymes in B cells was remarkably disordered post infection. In addition, differential metabolites were identified in B cells after infection. There were 340 differential metabolites (83 upregulated and 257 downregulated metabolites) identified in the positive ion model, and 216 differential metabolites (97 upregulated and 119 downregulated metabolites) identified in the negative ion mode. Among these, 64 differential metabolites were annotated and involved in 68 metabolic pathways, including thyroid hormone synthesis, the metabolic processes of glutathione, fructose, mannose, and glycerophospholipid. Furthermore, several differential metabolites such as glutathione, taurine, and inosine were validated to regulate the cytokine production in LPS stimulated B cells.

Conclusion:Infection with the larval E. granulosus s.l. causes metabolic reprogramming in the intrinsic B cells of mice, which provides the first evidence for understanding the role and mechanism of B cells in parasite anti-infective immunity from the viewpoint of immunometabolism.

Examining the multilevel associations between psychological wellbeing and social trust: A primary analysis of survey data

The present study examines the associations between multiple measures of social trust and two outcomes of psychological wellbeing (happiness and depression) among South Korean adults (n = 1549) living in residential communities, that is, administrative districts (n = 77) in and around the capital city of Seoul. Based on multilevel modeling, we find that familial trust positively predicts happiness at both individual and contextual levels; and it negatively predicts depression at the individual level only. In comparison, peer trust is negatively related only to depression at the individual level, albeit marginally. Lastly, general trust significantly predicts both outcomes at the community, but not individual, level. These mixed findings suggest that the trust-wellbeing relationship depends critically on issues of definition (how the variables are conceptualized) and measurement (how they are operationalized according to different units of analysis). Our study offers implications for the literature on social determinants of mental health broadly and, more specifically, on the role of social trust.

Automated detection of COVID-19 from X-ray images using CNN and Android mobile

Purpose

The prevalence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has made a huge impact on global health and the world economy. Easy detection of COVID-19 through any technological tool like a mobile phone can help a lot. In this research, we focus on detecting COVID-19 from X-ray images on Android mobile with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Methods

A convolutional neural network (CNN) model is developed in MATLAB and then converted to the CNN model to TensorFlow Lite (TFLite) model to deploy on Android mobile. An Android application is developed which uses the TFLite model to detect COVID-19 using X-ray images.

Results

By employing a 5-fold cross-validation, an average accuracy of 98.65%, sensitivity of 98.49%, specificity of 98.82%, precision of 98.81%, and F1-score of 98.65% are achieved in COVID-19 detection.

Conclusion

With our developed Android application, users can detect COVID-19 from X-ray images on Android mobile, and it will be helpful for the diagnosis of COVID-19.

DIlp7-Producing Neurons Regulate Insulin-Producing Cells in Drosophila

Cellular Insulin signaling shows a remarkable high molecular and functional conservation. Insulin-producing cells respond directly to nutritional cues in circulation and receive modulatory input from connected neuronal networks. Neuronal control integrates a wide range of variables including dietary change or environmental temperature. Although it is shown that neuronal input is sufficient to regulate Insulin-producing cells, the physiological relevance of this network remains elusive. In Drosophila melanogaster, Insulin-like peptide7-producing neurons are wired with Insulin-producing cells. We found that the former cells regulate the latter to facilitate larval development at high temperatures, and to regulate systemic Insulin signaling in adults feeding on calorie-rich food lacking dietary yeast. Our results demonstrate a role for neuronal innervation of Insulin-producing cells important for fruit flies to survive unfavorable environmental conditions.

Case Report: Visual Rehabilitation in Hemianopia Patients. Home-Based Visual Rehabilitation in Patients With Hemianopia Consecutive to Brain Tumor Treatment: Feasibility and Potential Effectiveness

Background/Objectives: Visual field loss is frequent in patients with brain tumors, worsening their daily life and exacerbating the burden of disease, and no supportive care strategies exist. In this case series, we sought to characterize the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a home-based visual rehabilitation program in hemianopia patients using immersive virtual-reality stimulation. Subjects/Methods: Two patients, one with homonymous hemianopia and the other with bitemporal hemianopia, consecutive to pediatric brain tumors, with no prior visual rehabilitation performed 15 min of home-based audiovisual stimulation every 2 days for 6 weeks (case 2) and 7 weeks (case 1) between February and August 2020. Patients used a virtual-reality, stand-alone, and remotely controlled device loaded with a non-commercial audiovisual stimulation program managed in real time from the laboratory. Standard visual outcomes assessed in usual care in visual rehabilitation were measured at the clinic. Following a mixed method approach in this pragmatic study of two cases, we collected quantitative and qualitative data on feasibility and potential effectiveness and compared the results pre- and post-treatment. Results: Implementation and wireless delivery of the audiovisual stimulation, remote data collection, and analysis for cases 1 and 2 who completed 19/20 and 20/20 audiovisual stimulation sessions at home, respectively, altogether indicated feasibility. Contrast sensitivity increased in both eyes for cases 1 and 2. Visual fields, measured by binocular Esterman and monocular Humphrey full-field analyses, improved in case 1. A minor increase was observed in case 2. Cases 1 and 2 enhanced reading speed. Case 2 strongly improved quality of life scores. Conclusion: This is the first report of a home-based virtual-reality visual rehabilitation program for adult patients with hemianopia consecutive to a pediatric brain tumor. We show the feasibility in real-world conditions and potential effectiveness of such technology on visual perception and quality of life.

Metacognition, social cognition, and mentalizing in psychosis: are these distinct constructs when it comes to subjective experience or are we just splitting hairs?

Research using the integrated model of metacognition has suggested that the construct of metacognition could quantify the spectrum of activities that, if impaired, might cause many of the subjective disturbances found in psychosis. Research on social cognition and mentalizing in psychosis, however, has also pointed to underlying deficits in how persons make sense of their experience of themselves and others. To explore the question of whether metacognitive research in psychosis offers unique insight in the midst of these other two emerging fields, we have offered a review of the constructs and research from each field. Following that summary, we discuss ways in which research on metacognition may be distinguished from research on social cognition and mentalizing in three broad categories: (1) experimental procedures, (2) theoretical advances, and (3) clinical applications or indicated interventions. In terms of its research methods, we will describe how metacognition makes a unique contribution to understanding disturbances in how persons make sense of and interpret their own experiences within the flow of life. We will next discuss how metacognitive research in psychosis uniquely describes an architecture which when compromised - as often occurs in psychosis - results in the loss of persons' sense of purpose, possibilities, place in the world and cohesiveness of self. Turning to clinical issues, we explore how metacognitive research offers an operational model of the architecture which if repaired or restored should promote the recovery of a coherent sense of self and others in psychosis. Finally, we discuss the concrete implications of this for recovery-oriented treatment for psychosis as well as the need for further research on the commonalities of these approaches.

Risky Decision-Making and Hazard Prediction are Negatively Related and Could Be Assessed Independently Using Driving Footage

Introduction

Traffic collisions are a principal cause of death in Europe, disproportionately affecting young drivers. Driving safety depends not only on our ability to anticipate and respond to dangers on the road but also on the level of risk we are willing to engage within our own driving behaviour.

Methods

Hazard prediction (HPr) and risky decision-making (RDM) tests were given to three groups of young Spaniards (169 participants): 54 non-drivers (M=20), 65 novice (M=21) and, 50 experienced drivers (M=26 years old). Both tests presented participants with video clips of driving recorded from the driver’s perspective. The HPr test contained hazardous situations caused by the actions of another road user (eg, a pedestrian crossing the road). Each HPr clip was occluded as a hazard began to unfold and participants were asked to predict “what happens next?” They selected their answer from four on-screen options. The RDM test used clips where any imminent danger would be provoked by the film-car driver’s risky behaviour (eg, overtaking illegally). Participants were asked to report the probability of following certain types of risky behaviour (eg, “Would you go forward with the lights on amber?” or “Would you overtake the cyclist/lorry/bus at this point?”). In addition, the effect of the locality of the driving scenarios was manipulated: they could take place in the participant’s native country (Spain) or in a different country (UK).

Results

Non-drivers and novice drivers were less able to predict upcoming hazards and more likely to make risky decisions. Driving scenarios from another country (UK) provoked riskier decisions than those from the participants’ home country (Spain).

Conclusion

Improvement in HPr skills among novice or new drivers poses a huge challenge as far as driver training is concerned, though it is only part of the solution. Young inexperienced drivers’ willingness to engage in risky behaviour also needs to be tackled. Our results suggest that such RDM can be assessed in a similar way to HPr skill, using a naturalistic approach, which raises the possibility of assessing and training drivers on a wider range of safety-related behaviours.

Bmal1 Regulates the Redox Rhythm of HSPB1, and Homooxidized HSPB1 Attenuates the Oxidative Stress Injury of Cardiomyocytes

Oxidative stress is the main cause of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which is related to the disorder of the regulation of Bmal1 on the redox state. HSPB1 form homologous-oxidized HSPB1 (homooxidized HSPB1) to resist oxidative damage via S-thiolated modification. However, it is still unclarified whether there is an interaction between the circadian clock and HSPB1 in myocardial injury. A total of 118 AMI patients admitted and treated in our hospital from Sep. 2019 to Sep. 2020 were selected to detect the plasma HSPB1 expression and the redox state. We divided the AMI patients into three subgroups: morning-onset AMI (5 : 00 am to 8 : 00 am; Am-subgroup, n = 38), noon-onset AMI (12 : 00 pm to 15 : 00; Pm-subgroup, n = 45), and night-onset AMI (20 : 00 pm to 23 : 00 pm; Eve-subgroup, n = 35) according to the circadian rhythm of onset. The Am-subgroup had remarkably higher cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) but lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) than the Pm-subgroup and Eve-subgroup. Patients complicated with cardiogenic shock were significantly higher in the Am-subgroup than in the other two groups. The homooxidized HSPB1 in plasma markedly decreased in the Am-subgroup. The HSPB1C141S mutant accelerated H9c2 cell apoptosis, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decreased reduced-glutathione (GSH) and the ratio of reduced-GSH and GSSG during oxidative stress. Importantly, we found that the redox state of HSPB1 was consistent with the oscillatory rhythm of Bmal1 expression in normal C57B/L mice. The circadian rhythm disorder contributed to decrease Bmal1 and homooxidized HSPB1 in cardiomyocytes of C57BL/6 mice. In addition, Bmal1 and homooxidized HSPB1 decreased in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes exposed to H2O2. Knockdown of Bmal1 led to significant attenuation in homooxidized HSPB1 expression, whereas overexpression of Bmal1 increased homooxidized HSPB1 expression in response to H2O2. Our findings indicated that the homooxidized HSPB1 reduced probably the AMI patients' risk of shock and target organ damage, which was associated with Bmal1 regulating the redox state of HSPB1.

Transcriptome Dynamics Underlying Chlamydospore Formation in Trichoderma virens GV29-8

Trichoderma spp. are widely used biocontrol agents which are antagonistic to a variety of plant pathogens. Chlamydospores are a type of propagules produced by many fungi that have thick walls and are highly resistant to adverse environmental conditions. Chlamydospore preparations of Trichoderma spp. can withstand various storage conditions, have a longer shelf life than conidial preparations and have better application potential. However, large-scale production of chlamydospores has proven difficult. To understand the molecular mechanisms governing chlamydospore formation (CF) in Trichoderma fungi, we performed a comprehensive analysis of transcriptome dynamics during CF across 8 different developmental time points, which were divided into 4 stages according to PCA analysis: the mycelium growth stage (S1), early and middle stage of CF (S2), flourishing stage of CF (S3), and late stage of CF and mycelia initial autolysis (S4). 2864, 3206, and 3630 DEGs were screened from S2 vs S1, S3 vs S2, and S4 vs S3, respectively. We then identified the pathways and genes that play important roles in each stage of CF by GO, KEGG, STC and WGCNA analysis. The results showed that DEGs in the S2 vs S1 were mainly enriched in organonitrogen compound metabolism, those in S3 vs S2 were mainly involved in secondary metabolite, cell cycle, and N-glycan biosynthesis, and DEGs in S4 vs S3 were mainly involved in lipid, glycogen, and chitin metabolic processes. We speculated that mycelial assimilation and absorption of exogenous nitrogen in the early growth stage (S1), resulted in subsequent nitrogen deficiency (S2). At the same time, secondary metabolites and active oxygen free radicals released during mycelial growth produced an adverse growth environment. The resulting nitrogen-deficient and toxin enriched medium may stimulate cell differentiation by initiating cell cycle regulation to induce morphological transformation of mycelia into chlamydospores. High expression of genes relating to glycogen, lipid, mannan, and chitin synthetic metabolic pathways during the flourishing (S3) and late stages (S4) of CF may be conducive to energy storage and cell wall construction in chlamydospores. For further verifying the functions of the amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism (tre00520) pathway in the CF of T. virens GV29-8 strain, the chitin synthase gene (TRIVIDRAFT_90152), one key gene of the pathway, was deleted and resulted in the dysplasia of mycelia and an incapability to form normal chlamydospores, which illustrated the pathway affecting the CF of T. virens GV29-8 strain. Our results provide a new perspective for understanding the genetics of biochemical pathways involved in CF of Trichoderma spp.

Increased peripheral inflammation in schizophrenia is associated with worse cognitive performance and related cortical thickness reductions

While the biological substrates of brain and behavioural changes in persons with schizophrenia remain unclear, increasing evidence implicates that inflammation is involved. In schizophrenia, including first-episode psychosis and anti-psychotic naïve patients, there are numerous reports of increased peripheral inflammation, cognitive deficits and neuropathologies such as cortical thinning. Research defining the relationship between inflammation and schizophrenia symptomatology and neuropathology is needed. Therefore, we analysed the level of C-reactive protein (CRP), a peripheral inflammation marker, and its relationship with cognitive functioning in a cohort of 644 controls and 499 schizophrenia patients. In a subset of individuals who underwent MRI scanning (99 controls and 194 schizophrenia cases), we tested if serum CRP was associated with cortical thickness. CRP was significantly increased in schizophrenia patients compared to controls, co-varying for age, sex, overweight/obesity and diabetes (p < 0.006E-10). In schizophrenia, increased CRP was mildly associated with worse performance in attention, controlling for age, sex and education (R =- 0.15, p = 0.001). Further, increased CRP was associated with reduced cortical thickness in three regions related to attention: the caudal middle frontal, the pars opercularis and the posterior cingulate cortices, which remained significant after controlling for multiple comparisons (all p < 0.05). Together, these findings indicate that increased peripheral inflammation is associated with deficits in cognitive function and brain structure in schizophrenia, especially reduced attention and reduced cortical thickness in associated brain regions. Using CRP as a biomarker of peripheral inflammation in persons with schizophrenia may help to identify vulnerable patients and those that may benefit from adjunctive anti-inflammatory treatments.

Allobaculum Involves in the Modulation of Intestinal ANGPTLT4 Expression in Mice Treated by High-Fat Diet

Increasing studies have shown that obesity is the primary cause of cardiovascular diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, type 2 diabetes, and a variety of cancers. The dysfunction of gut microbiota was proved to result in obesity. Recent research indicated ANGPTL4 was a key regulator in lipid metabolism and a circulating medium for gut microbiota and fat deposition. The present study was conducted to investigate the alteration of gut microbiota and ANGPTL4 expression in the gastrointestinal tract of mice treated by the high-fat diet. Ten C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated to two groups and fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) containing 60% fat or a normal-fat diet (Control) containing 10% fat. The segments of ileum and colon were collected for the determination of ANGPTL4 expression by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical analysis while the ileal and colonic contents were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed HFD significantly increased mice body weight, epididymal fat weight, perirenal fat weight, liver weight, and the lipid content in the liver (P < 0.05). The relative expression of ANGPTL4 and the ANGPTL4-positive cells in the ileum and colon of mice was significantly increased by HFD treatment. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the ileal and colonic microbiota suggested that HFD treatment changed the composition of the gut microbiota. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and the abundance of Allobaculum was significantly higher in the HFD group than in the Control group while the abundance of Adlercreutzia, Bifidobacterium, Prevotellaceae UCG-001, and Ruminococcus was significantly decreased. Interestingly, the abundance of Allobaculum was positively correlated with the expression of ANGPTL4. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the development of strategies to control the obesity and related diseases by the regulation of ANGPTL4 and gut microbiota.

Microbial driven genetic variation in holobionts

Genetic variation in holobionts, (host and microbiome), occurring by changes in both host and microbiome genomes, can be observed from two perspectives: observable variations and the processes that bring about the variation. The observable includes the enormous genetic diversity of prokaryotes, which gave rise to eukaryotic organisms. Holobionts then evolved a rich microbiome with a stable core containing essential genes, less so common taxa, and a more diverse non-core enabling considerable genetic variation. The result being that, the human gut microbiome, for example, contains 1,000 times more unique genes than are present in the human genome. Microbial driven genetic variation processes in holobionts include: (1) Acquisition of novel microbes from the environment, which bring in multiple genes in one step, (2) amplification/reduction of certain microbes in the microbiome, that contribute to holobiont` s adaptation to changing conditions, (3) horizontal gene transfer between microbes and between microbes and host, (4) mutation, which plays an important role in optimizing interactions between different microbiota and between microbiota and host. We suggest that invertebrates and plants, where microbes can live intracellularly, have a greater chance of genetic exchange between microbiota and host, thus a greater chance of vertical transmission and a greater effect of microbiome on evolution of host than vertebrates. However, even in vertebrates the microbiome can aid in environmental fluctuations by amplification/reduction and by acquisition of novel microorganisms.

Research and Clinical Significance of the Differentially Expressed Genes TP63 and LMO4 in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Related Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma

To study the differential gene expression and clinical significance in human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals (HIVIIs) with penile squamous cell carcinoma. At our hospital from 2019 to 2020, we selected six samples of HIV-related penile squamous cell carcinoma for the experimental group and six samples of non-HIV-related penile squamous cell carcinoma for the control group. Transcriptome sequencing of sample mRNAs was performed by high-throughput sequencing. Differential gene expression analysis, differential Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and differential Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were carried out, and the reads per kilobase per million reads (RPKM) value was used as a measure of gene expression. A total of 2418 differentially expressed genes were obtained, of which 663 were upregulated and 1755 were downregulated (absolute value of logFC >1 and p value <.05). On the basis of the significance of the GO enrichment analysis, we found that the tumor protein p63 (TP63) gene was significantly upregulated and that the LIM domain only 4 (LMO4) gene was significantly downregulated in the experimental group compared with the control group. KEGG pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes revealed that DNA replication was the most significant pathway associated with the upregulated genes and cell adhesion molecule (CAM) metabolism was the most significant pathway associated with the downregulated genes. The gene expression profiles of HIV-related penile squamous cell carcinoma and non-HIV-related penile squamous cell carcinoma are significantly different and involve significant GO enrichment and KEGG metabolic pathways, and this is very meaningful for the study of non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs). Differential expression of genes may be an important target for the prevention of penile squamous cell carcinoma in HIVIIs.

Modulatory Effects of Probiotics During Pathogenic Infections With Emphasis on Immune Regulation

In order to inhibit pathogenic complications and to enhance animal and poultry growth, antibiotics have been extensively used for many years. Antibiotics applications not only affect target pathogens but also intestinal beneficially microbes, inducing long-lasting changes in intestinal microbiota associated with diseases. The application of antibiotics also has many other side effects like, intestinal barrier dysfunction, antibiotics residues in foodstuffs, nephropathy, allergy, bone marrow toxicity, mutagenicity, reproductive disorders, hepatotoxicity carcinogenicity, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which greatly compromise the efficacy of antibiotics. Thus, the development of new antibiotics is necessary, while the search for antibiotic alternatives continues. Probiotics are considered the ideal antibiotic substitute; in recent years, probiotic research concerning their application during pathogenic infections in humans, aquaculture, poultry, and livestock industry, with emphasis on modulating the immune system of the host, has been attracting considerable interest. Hence, the adverse effects of antibiotics and remedial effects of probiotics during infectious diseases have become central points of focus among researchers. Probiotics are live microorganisms, and when given in adequate quantities, confer good health effects to the host through different mechanisms. Among them, the regulation of host immune response during pathogenic infections is one of the most important mechanisms. A number of studies have investigated different aspects of probiotics. In this review, we mainly summarize recent discoveries and discuss two important aspects: (1) the application of probiotics during pathogenic infections; and (2) their modulatory effects on the immune response of the host during infectious and non-infectious diseases.