High Alpha Research Articles

A Study of Male Infertility Using Some Hormonal and Immunological Indicators in Thi Qar City

Background: The current study aims to identify some of the causes that may cause male infertility especially the secondary type, which has recently increased in urban life more than rural life, using some hormonal factors such as FSH, LH, testosterone, and biochemical parameters such as lipoprotein alpha and some immune indicators such as anti-insulin antibody. Study Design: This case control study was carried out on infertile males at Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, Thi Qar city, over a six-month period from September 2017 to March 2018. Methods: Hormonal evaluations were performed on those with abnormalities in their sperm count. Results: The total number of patients evaluated for infertility was 97. The mean age of the patients was 33.5 years. 81 patients (83.5 %) had primary infertility and 16 patients (16.5 %) had secondary infertility, and according to the study, there was a significant association with the problem. Hormones change according to the age of the patients as there is a significant difference in FSH and testosterone with no significant difference in LH. While hormonal changes between the age groups of the study were normal with FSH and no change in the values ​​of both LH and testosterone these results apply with regard to the duration of infertility for the time group 2-5 years. The opposite is true regarding the presence or absence of varicocele. Regarding alpha-lipoprotein the most affected age groups are G2 and G3 with a 2-5year infertility period and secondary infertility with varicocele. What this study has addressed about anti-insulin antibody affects the age group G2 by increasing the periods of secondary infertility by 2-3 years and is not related to the presence or absence of varicocele. Conclusion: Varicocele plays a major and important role in male infertility especially if it is associated in any way with insulin resistance or high alpha lipoprotein.

Dietary Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds oil supplementation augments growth performance and gut microbial composition in Labeo rohita fingerlings

The present study investigates the supplemental effects of chia seed oil (CSO) on the growth performance and modulation of intestinal microbiota in Labeo rohita fingerlings. Four diets were formulated with graded levels of CSO: 1.0%, 2.0%, and 3.0% represented as CSO (1), CSO (2), and, CSO (3) groups alongside a control group without CSO. L. rohita fingerlings (n = 180) (mean weight = 19.74 ± 0.33 g) were randomly distributed in triplicates for 60 days to these treatment groups. The results depicted significant improvements (p < 0.05) in weight gain (WG) %, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) in the group supplemented with the lowest level of CSO. Gut microbial analysis evidenced the ability of CSO at 1.0% to augment the relative abundance of bacterial phyla such as Verrucomicrobiota, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidota, Fusobacteria and Firmicutes, as well as genera Luteolibacter and Cetobacterium, indicating higher alpha diversity compared to the control. Principle coordinate analysis (PCoA) demonstrated a distinct composition of microbial communities in CSO-supplemented groups relative to the control (p < 0.001). Correlation analysis further revealed a significant (p < 0.05) association of specific microbial taxa with growth performance parameters. The predictions of metabolic pathways suggested the involvement of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways in the CSO (1) group, indicating improved nutrient transport and metabolism. Overall, the findings highlight the beneficial effects of 1.0% CSO supplementation on growth performance and modulation of gut microbiota in L. rohita fingerlings.

Resting-State EEG Alpha Rhythms Are Related to CSF Tau Biomarkers in Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease.

Patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (ADMCI) typically show abnormally high delta (<4 Hz) and low alpha (8-12 Hz) rhythms measured from resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) activity. Here, we hypothesized that the abnormalities in rsEEG activity may be greater in ADMCI patients than in those with MCI not due to AD (noADMCI). Furthermore, they may be associated with the diagnostic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid-tau biomarkers in ADMCI patients. An international database provided clinical-demographic-rsEEG datasets for cognitively unimpaired older (Healthy; N = 45), ADMCI (N = 70), and noADMCI (N = 45) participants. The rsEEG rhythms spanned individual delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands. The eLORETA freeware estimated cortical rsEEG sources. Posterior rsEEG alpha source activities were reduced in the ADMCI group compared not only to the Healthy group but also to the noADMCI group (p < 0.001). Negative associations between the CSF phospho-tau and total tau levels and posterior rsEEG alpha source activities were observed in the ADMCI group (p < 0.001), whereas those with CSF amyloid beta 42 levels were marginal. These results suggest that neurophysiological brain neural oscillatory synchronization mechanisms regulating cortical arousal and vigilance through rsEEG alpha rhythms are mainly affected by brain tauopathy in ADMCI patients.

Individualized Spectral Features in First-episode and Drug-naïve Major Depressive Disorder: Insights from Periodic and Aperiodic EEG Analysis.

The detection of abnormal brain activity plays an important role in the early diagnosis and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Recent studies have shown that the decomposition of the electroencephalography (EEG) spectrum into periodic and aperiodic components is useful for identifying the drivers of electrophysiologic abnormalities and avoiding individual differences. This study aimed to elucidate the pathologic changes in individualized periodic and aperiodic activities and their relationships with the symptoms of MDD. EEG data in the eyes-closed resting state were continuously recorded from 97 first-episode and drug-naïve patients with MDD and 90 healthy control (HC) participants. Both periodic oscillations and aperiodic components were obtained via the "fitting oscillations and one-over f" (FOOOF) algorithm and then used to compute individualized spectral features. MDD patients presented higher canonical alpha and beta band power but lower aperiodic-adjusted alpha and beta power. Furthermore, we found that alpha power was strongly correlated with the age of patients but not with disease symptoms. The aperiodic intercept was lower in the parietal‒occipital region and was positively correlated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score after accounting for age and sex. In the asymmetry analysis, alpha activity appeared asymmetrical only in the HC group, whereas aperiodic activity was symmetrical in both groups. The findings of this study provide insights into the role of abnormal neural spiking activity and impaired neuroplasticity in MDD progression and suggest that the aperiodic intercept in resting-state EEG may be a potential biomarker of MDD.

Legacy Effects of Cropping System and Precipitation Influence the Core Camelina sativa Microbiome

Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) is a potential biofuel crop and beneficial rotation crop in dryland cropping systems. Little is known about camelina microbiota or the legacy effect of soil origin/cropping system zones on camelina-associated microbiome assembly. To explore camelina-microbe associations, we grew camelina in the greenhouse using soil transplanted from 33 locations in the dryland wheat production area of eastern Washington. Bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities from bulk soil, rhizosphere and endosphere were characterized with 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing and were analyzed alongside site-specific climatic and edaphic data. We found soil from the highest precipitation zone had higher alpha diversity than soil from the driest zone, but this effect was not seen in the greenhouse rhizosphere or endosphere. Plant compartment, cropping system zone, and soil origin all significantly influenced microbial composition with soil pH and organic matter as well as precipitation at origin as major predictors. Analysis of abundance-occupancy distributions suggests that camelina selects for several different Actinobacteria (though distinct genera in the rhizosphere and endosphere). Rhizobium, and Clostridium. Sphingomonas ASVs were also consistently enriched in the rhizosphere, suggesting that they are present in soils collected throughout eastern Washington and may represent good candidate biostimulants. Several lignin decomposing fungi had site-specific rhizospheric distributions suggesting that they may be dispersal-limited or result from the legacy effect of long-term wheat cropping. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of microbiome assembly in and on camelina roots while also highlighting the potential impact of cropping history on soil and plant-associated microbiomes.

Impact of daily avocado consumption on gut microbiota in adults with abdominal obesity: an ancillary study of HAT, a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate short-term and long-term impact of avocado consumption without caloric restriction on the gut microbiota of free-living adults with abdominal obesity. Methods: The Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial (HAT) was a 26-week, multi-center, randomized, controlled trial involving 1008 individuals with abdominal obesity. Participants were randomly assigned to the Avocado Supplemented Diet Group (AVO), receiving one avocado per day, or the Habitual Diet group (HAB), maintaining their usual dietary habits. Fecal samples were collected at baseline, week 4 and week 26 from a subset of participants recruited at a University of California Los Angeles site (n = 230). Fecal microbiota was assessed with shotgun metagenomics sequencing. Alpha diversity was assessed using the Chao1 and Shannon indices; beta diversity was assessed using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity with significance determined by repeated measures permutational multivariat analysis of variance. Potential association of intervention at week 4 and 26 with alpha diversity, species and metabolic pathways was examined using linear mixed effect models. Results: Compared to the HAB group, the AVO group had higher alpha diversity by 4 weeks, which persisted through the 26-week study period. Exploratory analysis based on healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015) indicated that participants with a low HEI score at baseline (≤52.7), had an increase in alpha diversity in the AVO group vs. HAB group. The AVO group had a significant change in beta diversity at week 26 compared to the HAB group. At the species level, the AVO group had significantly increased Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bacterium AF16_15 at week 26 compared to the HAB group. Functional analysis showed no significant difference in metabolic pathways between the HAB and AVO groups. Conclusions: Our findings document a potentially favorable effect of avocados on gut microbiota diversity. The prebiotic potential of avocados is more pronounced in individuals with a low diet quality score. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03528031 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03528031).

Litter quality modulates changes in bacterial and fungal communities during the gut transit of earthworm species of different ecological groups

Abstract Earthworms are keystone animals stimulating litter decomposition and nutrient cycling. However, earthworms comprise diverse species which live in different soil layers and consume different types of food. Microorganisms in the gut of earthworms are likely to contribute significantly to their ability to digest organic matter, but this may vary among earthworm species. Here we analyse the effect of food (litter) quality on gut microbiota and their changes during the gut passage (from foregut to hindgut) of earthworms of different ecological groups. The endogeic (soil living) species Aporrectodea caliginosa and the anecic (litter feeding) species Lumbricus terrestris were fed with high- (rape leaves) and low-quality litter (wheat straw) in a microcosm experiment for 18 weeks. Irrespective of earthworm species, alpha diversity of bacterial and fungal communities changed little during the gut passage, with the composition and diversity of microbial communities in the gut generally resembling those in soil more than in litter. In addition, the low-quality litter supported higher alpha diversity and more complex communities than high-quality litter. Further, gut microbial communities of the anecic L. terrestris changed less during gut passage than those of the endogeic A. caliginosa, especially when fed low quality litter. Our findings indicate that earthworm gut microbial communities are predominantly shaped by the soil they ingest, but are modulated by the quality litter they feed on and earthworm ecological group. Overall, the results suggest that earthworms primarily influence soil microbiota by mixing and spreading microorganisms from different microhabitats through bioturbation rather than by digesting microorganisms.

Investigating the correlation between EEG brainwave patterns and English reading proficiency using biosensors

Reading ability is a complex cognitive activity affected by various neural mechanisms. This research aims to examine the relationship between brain activity, as measured by non-invasive biosensors, specifically an electroencephalogram (EEG), and English reading ability. Specifically, the research investigates how different brainwave patterns (alpha, beta, and theta waves) relate to reading speed, comprehension, and accuracy across different levels of reading proficiency. Biosensors, in EEG devices, suggest a non-invasive means of monitoring brain functions in real-time, giving extensive vision into cognitive functions correlated with reading performance. Seventy native Chinese-speaking university students in China were selected as participants for this research. Based on their performance in word recognition, sentence comprehension and abstract reading, the participants are divided into high, intermediate, and low proficiency groups. While participants are performing the reading tasks, their brain activity was recorded using a 32-channel EEG system. The three main frequency bands for EEG set up are, theta waves, 4–7 Hz; alpha waves, 8–12 Hz; and beta waves, 13–30 Hz. The EEG-based biosensor system offers high resolution data, allowing very precise measurements of brainwave activity, which are directly correlated with cognitive states during reading tasks. Correlation analyses, one-way ANOVA, and multivariate regression models were applied to check the associations between brainwave power and reading performance in the context of proficiency groups. The outcome suggests that higher alpha and beta wave activity was related to greater reading proficiency, with higher beta waves being related to higher speeds as well as better comprehension, while theta waves were again more pronounced in low-proficiency readers on complex tasks. These results suggest that EEG-based biosensors assessments should be used to measure cognitive states related to reading proficiency and may offer a new avenue for personalized educational intervention.

Effect of Am-241 Irradiation on ZnO Crystallinity with Different Annealing Temperature

Am-241 is an alpha emitting isotope which can be used to fuel a nuclear battery via alphavoltaic effect by using a semiconductor to convert alpha radiation to electricity. The main issue of alphavoltaic battery is the radiation damage due to high energy alpha particle, resulted in a rapid decline in performance. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is known as a semiconductor with high radiation tolerance. In this study, the effect of annealing temperature to ZnO crystal was studied along with its alteration due to Am-241 irradiation overtime. The annealing temperatures were set at 450°C and 650°C. The irradiation process was carried out using Am-241 isotope for 12 days with an activity of 44.85 mCi and approximately 0.0866 MGy of absorbed dose. The crystal structure of fabricated and irradiated ZnO were investigated through X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The XRD diffraction pattern indicates that the crystal structure of ZnO is hexagonal wurtzite and still maintained after irradiation process. Raising the annealing temperature from 450°C to 650°C leads to a reduction in peak intensity. This change correlates with an increase in grain size post-irradiation. After exposure to alpha particle radiation, changes occurred in the diffraction peaks of ZnO. At 450°C annealing temperature, the intensity decreased by 94.822%, while at 650°C annealing temperature, the intensity decrease was 85.489%. This shows that increasing the annealing temperature can reduce the decrease in intensity after irradiation with alpha particles. The (002) plane shifted by 0.057˚ at 450°C annealing temperature and by 0.042˚ at 650°C after irradiation. In addition, the crystal lattice parameters increased after irradiation, which led to a change in the FWHM value and an increase in the crystal grain size.

Temporal Alpha and Beta Diversity of Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) Reveals Biotic Heterogenisation in Urban Ponds

ABSTRACT Urbanisation has led to decreasing quantity and quality of both terrestrial and aquatic habitats, resulting in biodiversity loss in urban ecosystems. Current research has focused on spatial patterns of biodiversity along urban gradients, while temporal patterns have received little attention. Here, we investigated how alpha and beta diversity of beetles changed through time, and if pond structural connectivity (i.e., clustering of the ponds) and the presence or absence of fish affected the temporal change. We trapped diving beetles (Dytiscidae) in 20 ponds in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland, for six years and analysed the data using generalised linear mixed models and temporal beta diversity index. We found that (a) dytiscid alpha diversity, i.e., species richness and total abundances, decreased through time, while dytiscid temporal beta diversity increased. (b) Clustered ponds had higher alpha diversity than isolated ponds, but temporal beta diversity did not differ between clustered and isolated ponds; clustered ponds had lower species losses and higher species gains than isolated ponds. (c) Ponds with fish had little change in alpha diversity during the study period, but ponds without fish experienced declining alpha diversity over time; ponds with fish experienced lower species losses and higher species gains than ponds without fish. Our results indicate that dytiscid assemblages experienced biotic heterogenisation during the six years, but the heterogenisation processes are different in the presence and absence of fish. Dytiscids in clustered ponds are more likely to maintain stable populations due to immigration via the rescue effects than in isolated ponds. Urbanisation has long‐lasting negative effects on biodiversity and may replace urban‐sensitive species with urban‐adapted species. The temporal dynamics of aquatic invertebrates suggest that improving landscape connectivity and local habitat conditions can mitigate species losses and support biotic communities in urban ponds.

Uterine pathology and microbiome among patients with endometrial polyps and fibroids.

To evaluate the uterine microbiome among women with endometrial polyps and submucosal fibroids and to compare results between endometrial sampling techniques. Patients with polyps or fibroids were prospectively recruited prior to hysteroscopy, while patients undergoing retrieval for planned oocyte cryopreservation were recruited prospectively as controls. Three specimen types obtained for each patient were the distal 5 mm of an embryo catheter passed to the uterine fundus (C), endometrial tissue from an endometrial biopsy (T), and formalin fixed paraffin embedded endometrial tissue from the same endometrial biopsy (FFPE). 16S rRNAgene amplicon sequencing was performed to analyze the structure of the endometrial microbiome. Thirty-seven participants including 28 women with polyps and/or fibroids and 9 controls. None MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Microbial taxonomic alpha and beta diversity; differential abundance of taxa RESULTS: Across all sample types, participants with polyps had higher microbial alpha diversity compared to controls (4.3 vs 5.1, q = 0.049), and microbial communities were significantly different (pairwise PERMANOVA pseudo-F = 2.1, q = 0.003). These differences were observed when examining C specimens alone (5.4 vs 6.4, q = 0.001; pairwise PERMANOVA pseudo-F = 2.5, q = 0.003), though did not reach significance when examining either T or FFPE specimens alone. Participants with fibroids had similar alpha diversity yet significant differences in beta diversity compared to controls in analyses combining all specimens (Pairwise PERMANOVA pseudo-F = 1.475, q = 0.030); however, these differences did not achieve significance when analyzing C, T, or FFPE specimens alone. When comparing C and T specimens vs. FFPE specimens overall, alpha diversity was significantly higher (q<0.001 and <0.001, respectively) and there were significant differences in beta diversity (q<0.003 and q<0.003, respectively). Analyses of C specimens generated a larger number of significantly differentially abundant taxa compared to other sampling methods. Although not statistically significant, relative abundance of putative pathogens was higher in participants with polyps compared to controls regardless of sampling technique. Results of this exploratory study suggest significant microbial differences exist among patients with endometrial polyps vs. healthy controls. However, results varied by sampling technique, highlighting a need to identify optimal sampling methods prior to validating findings in larger prospective cohort studies.

Regulatory Roles of Quercetin in Alleviating Fructose-Induced Hepatic Steatosis: Targeting Gut Microbiota and Inflammatory Metabolites.

While fructose is a key dietary component, concerns have been raised about its potential risks to the liver. This study aimed to assess quercetin's protective effects against fructose-induced mouse hepatic steatosis. Thirty-two male C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated into four groups: control, high fructose diet (HFrD), HFrD supplemented with low-dose quercetin (HFrD+LQ), and HFrD supplemented with high-dose quercetin (HFrD+HQ). Biochemical, pathological, immune, and metabolic parameters were assessed. Quercetin treatment significantly reduced liver fat percentages in mice on a high fructose diet, with the most notable reduction observed in the HFrD+HQ group. Histological examination confirmed this reduction, revealing diminished lipid droplets and decreased inflammation and steatosis in hepatocytes. Compared to the high fructose group, interleukin-1 β and tumor necrosis factor alpha were significantly decreased, serum aspartate aminotransferase concentrations were markedly reduced, and blood high-density lipoprotein concentrations were substantially elevated after quercetin intervention (p < 0.05). Total bilirubin and triglyceride levels, which were significantly altered following high fructose intervention and reversed after quercetin intervention. Following the administration of 100 mg/kg quercetin, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was significantly reduced compared to the high fructose group. At the genus level, Erysipelotrichaceae_uncultured, Faecalibaculum, Odoribacter, and Allobaculum were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), Lacnospiraceae NK4A136 group, Parabacteroides, and Alloprevotella significantly increased (p < 0.05). However, the 50 mg/kg quercetin treatment only decreased the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae_uncultured (p < 0.05). In addition, quercetin significantly enhanced the content of propionic acid and total acid (p < 0.05). Moreover, the intestinal flora showed a significant correlation with the hepatic health-related phenotype in mice. Both 50 and 100 mg/kg quercetin treatments significantly mitigated liver fat deposition in mice with fructose-induced hepatic steatosis. However, the higher dose of quercetin (100 mg/kg) demonstrated a more pronounced effect in reducing liver inflammation, likely due to its impact on gut microbiota regulation. This suggests quercetin's potential as a therapeutic agent for fructose-related hepatic steatosis, emphasizing the importance of dose considerations.

Crop-specific response of soil prokaryotic community to long-term intensification management: the importance of crop phase at sampling

IntroductionThe ecosystem services provided by soil microbial communities are critical for the resilience of agroecosystems, ensuring environmental conservation and food security. Long-term experiments comparing contrasting crop rotations are valuable tools for monitoring microbial responses, but they rarely include all crop phases within a single year. Therefore, the long-term agronomic impact may be masked by the immediate effect of the crop evaluated. In this study, we compared different crop rotations based on the Intensification Sequence Index (ISI), which considers the soil occupation time, and analyzed the impact of cover crops and two nitrogen fertilization strategies.Material and methodsWe used an experiment initiated in 2006 with the following crop rotations: Soybean-Soybean, Maize-Wheat/Soybean, and Maize-Soybean-Wheat/Soybean. Soil samples were taken after the harvest of each summer crop phase (i.e., Soybean, Maize, Wheat/Soybean), and the soil prokaryotic community was monitored using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Results and discussionWe observed that ISI and crop phase were the main predictors of microbial community composition, explaining 14.7% and 13.0% of the variation, respectively. Nitrogen fertilization had a minor effect (3.12%) and was detected only after maize sampling; cover crops had no significant effect. However, the presence of cover crops showed higher alpha diversity and an increased abundance of Proteobacteria. Maize enriched the abundance of certain taxa of Planctomycetes and Verrucomicrobia, while Soybean increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. Comparatively, Soybean enriched Mucilaginibacter and Geobacter, while Wheat/Soybean enriched Brevundimonas and Roseimicrobium.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that crop phase is as important as the long-term legacy of crop rotations in shaping the microbial community and that specific taxa responses are highly dependent on the crop phase surveyed.

Seasonal Influence of Sakura Trees on Human Health: Evidence From Physiological and Psychological Responses

Despite extensive research on the impact of landscape perception on well-being, the influence of urban trees across different seasons remains largely unexplored. This study employed a between-subjects design to assess psychophysiological responses through electrophysiological measurements and surveys. A total of 75 participants observed Sakura trees in three distinct seasonal stages—bare, foliage, and floral—for 3 min. The results showed that viewing Sakura trees with flowers or foliage elicited significantly higher alpha wave activity and parasympathetic nervous system responses compared to bare trees. Additionally, participants in the floral and foliage conditions reported higher levels of well-being compared to those exposed to bare trees. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating flowering trees into urban planning initiatives to enhance public well-being and highlight the critical role that tree species play in promoting mental and emotional health in urban landscapes.

Microbial diversity and environmental determinants at Shanghai Hongqiao railway station: A comprehensive microbial assessment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of indoor environmental management in transportation hubs, which are critical for pathogen transmission due to high foot traffic. However, research has primarily focused on subways, with limited studies on train stations. In this study, samples were collected at the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station in winter, spring, and summer. Microbial DNA was extracted from collected indoor surfaces and ambient air samples and then analyzed through high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Alongside sample collection, environmental data were recorded. Alpha diversity was greatest in winter, followed by summer, and least in spring within the train station environment. Surface samples exhibited higher alpha diversity compared to air samples, with no notable difference between indoor and outdoor air. Beta diversity showed significant variation across seasons and locations, with seasonal changes more pronounced than spatial ones, primarily due to differences between air and surface samples rather than indoor and outdoor environments. Key determinants of microbial community structure included CO2, temperature, illuminance, and passenger volume. The microbial community in train stations originates from various sources, with contributions from both natural elements (like wastewater/sludge, soil, and plants) and human sources (such as gastrointestinal, oral, and dermal flora). This study highlights the microbial ecology of train stations, emphasizing the need for microbial surveillance and management in transportation settings.

Short-term prediction of clinical and radiographic contralateral hip osteoarthritis after index total hip arthroplasty

IntroductionPatients with primary hip osteoarthritis undergoing unilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) often face uncertainty about the future need for arthroplasty in the contralateral hip. We aimed to identify parameters that have predictive value with regard to the necessity for contralateral THA or the development of contralateral radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) phenotypes following index surgery.Materials and methodsIn this retrospective study, we analyzed 220 patients undergoing THA. Of these, 24.1% required contralateral THA at a mean follow-up of 18.3months. Our assessments included preoperative and follow-up pelvis radiographs as well as bone mineral density (BMD) measurement by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry prior to index THA. Comprehensive radiological measurements such as the Kellgren-Lawrence OA grade, osteophyte evaluation as well as joint shape and alignment (including alpha and CE angles) were performed.ResultsWe identified three indicators at the initial assessment for predicting the need for contralateral THA: higher BMI (odds ratio (OR) 1.1 [95%-CI 1.0-1.2], p = 0.033), higher alpha angles (> 61.5°) (OR 2.5 [95%-CI 1.0-6.3], p = 0.045) and the presence of multiple osteophytes (OR 2.6 [95%-CI 1.4–4.9], p = 0.004). Moreover, higher alpha angles were linked to more severe radiographic OA, especially osteophytosis. Higher BMD T-scores were also associated with progressive formation of multiple and large osteophytes but not joint space narrowing.ConclusionThree factors - BMI, alpha angle, and osteophyte number - are key short-term predictors for contralateral THA after index THA. We also identified BMD as a surrogate for osteophyte formation. These findings provide novel and valuable insights for patients and surgeons regarding risks and counseling for contralateral OA and THA.

Characteristics of airway microbiome co-occurrence network in patients with type 2 and non-type 2 asthma

Objective: To study the characteristics of the airway microbiome co-occurrence network in patients with type 2 and non-type 2 asthma. Methods: In a prospective study based on a cohort of asthma patients, respiratory induced sputum samples were collected from 55 asthma patients [25 males and 30 females, with a median age of 47.7 years (age range 34.3-63.0 years)] admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University and 12 healthy controls from the Physical Examination Centre of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, from May 2021 to May 2022. According to the level of exhaled breath nitric oxide (FeNO), the asthma patients were divided into 22 cases in the high FeNO group (FeNO≥40 ppb, i.e., type 2 asthma group) and 33 cases in the low FeNO group (FeNO<40 ppb, i.e., non-type 2 asthma group). All induced sputum samples were subjected to second-generation macrogenomic sequencing and bioinformatic analyses of microbial community diversity, compositional characteristics, symbiotic network characteristics and metabolic function prediction. The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was used for between-group comparisons, and the linear discriminant analysis (LEfSe) method was used to compare the differences in flora composition between groups. The R language was used for microbial network analysis. In addition, PICRUSt was used to predict the metabolic-functional characteristics of the microbial communities. Results: The microbial communities in the healthy control group had a lower proportion of p_Firmicutes and p_Proteobacteria than asthma patients, 29% and 21%, respectively; 37% and 33% in the low FeNO group and 42% and 26% in the high FeNO group. The microbial network in the low FeNO group had 64 pairs of edges forming 16 communities, and about 75% of the nodes had eigenvector centrality values between 0 and 0.05, and 25% of the nodes had eigenvector centrality values between 0.10 and 0.45. There were four layers of κ-nucleosynthesis, and about 42% of the vertices were in the centre of the two layers. The microbial network of the high-FeNO group had 80 pairs of edges forming 18 clusters, and 81% of the nodes had eigenvector centrality values between 0 and 0.05, and 19% of the nodes had eigenvector centrality values between 0.10 and 0.35. The κ-nucleus decomposition had eight layers, and 21% of the vertices were located in the centre's two layers. The main functional differences between the low and high FeNO groups were shown in metabolic pathways (including sugar, lipid, amino acid, and energy metabolism), drug resistance, biofilm transport, signalling, intercellular communication, and cellular repair. Conclusions: Compared with non-type 2 asthmatics, type 2 asthmatics had a higher alpha diversity of respiratory microbiota, lower levels of microorganisms in the p_Proteobacteria, and a more aggregated microbial network. There was a significant difference in the predicted metabolic function of the two endotypes of asthmatics.

Assessing the impact of alpha particles on thermal confinement in JET D-T plasmas through global GENE-Tango simulations

Abstract The capability of the global, electromagnetic gyrokinetic GENE code interfaced with the transport Tango solver is exploited to address the impact of fusion alpha particles (in their dual role of fast particles and heating source) on plasma profiles and performance at JET in the discharges with the highest quasi-stationary peak fusion power during the DTE2 experimental campaigns. Employing radially global nonlinear electromagnetic GENE-Tango simulations, we compare results with/without alpha particles and alpha heating. Our findings reveal that alpha particles have a negligible impact on turbulent transport, with GENE-Tango converging to similar plasma profiles regardless of their inclusion as a kinetic species in GENE. On the other hand, alpha heating is found to contribute to the peaking of the electron temperature profiles, leading to a 1 keV drop on the on-axis electron temperature when alpha heating is neglected in Tango. The minimal impact of alpha particles on turbulent transport in this JET discharge–despite this being the shot with the highest fusion output–is attributed to the low content of fusion alpha in this discharge. To assess the potential impact of alpha particles on turbulent transport in regimes with higher alpha particle density, as expected in ITER and fusion reactors, we artificially increased the alpha particle concentration to levels expected for ITER. By performing global nonlinear GENE standalone simulations, we found that increasing the alpha particle density beyond five times the nominal value lead to significant overall turbulence destabilization. These results demonstrate that an increased alpha particle concentration can significantly impact transport properties under simulated JET experimental conditions. However, these findings cannot be directly extrapolated to ITER due to the substantial differences in parameters such as plasma size, magnetic field, plasma current, and thermal pressure.

Comparative Study of Gut Microbiome in Urban and Rural Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

Gut microbiota play a significant role in various physiological functions, including digestion, nutritional metabolism, and host immune function. The composition of these gut microbes is largely influenced by habitats. This study examines the gut microbiota of the Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) inhabiting rural and urban environments to understand the effects of habitat variation on microbial composition. We captured 36 rural and 29 urban adult tree sparrows and observed minor differences in body mass but substantial differences in foraging microhabitats between the two groups. Fecal samples from adult males with similar body mass were selected for a gut microbiome analysis to mitigate potential confounding effects, resulting in 20 successfully sequenced samples. The analysis disclosed disparities in gut microbiota diversity and composition between rural and urban sparrows. The urban group demonstrated slightly higher alpha diversity and distinct dominant phyla and genera compared to the rural group. Additionally, differences in the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria were observed between the groups. Several potentially pathogenic bacteria (e.g., TM7, Staphylococcus, Helicobacter, and Shigella) were more abundant in the urban group, suggesting that tree sparrows may act as transmission vectors and develop stronger immune systems. This could potentially facilitate pathogen dissemination while also contributing to the natural cycling of nutrients and maintaining ecosystem health in urban environments. The beta diversity analysis confirmed structural differences in microbial communities, implicating habitat variation as a contributing factor. Furthermore, the LEfSe analysis emphasized significant differences in gut bacteria abundance (across two phyla, three classes, six orders, seven families, and eight genera) between urban and rural sparrows, with predicted functional differences in metabolic pathways. Notably, lipid metabolism was enriched in urban sparrows, indicating enhanced lipid synthesis and metabolism in urban habitats. In conclusion, this study underscores the profound influence of habitat on the gut microbiota composition and functional potential in tree sparrows. Our findings highlight that urbanization alters the gut microbes and, consequently, the physiological functions of bird species.

Root, Nodule and Soil Bacterial Communities Associated With the Invasive Nitrogen-Fixing Lupinus polyphyllus.

Plants host microorganisms that can facilitate their success in becoming invasive. Established plant invasions might thus provide useful insights into potential changes in plant-associated microbiomes over the course of the invasion process. Here, we investigated the endophytic bacterial communities of the invasive herbaceous legume Lupinus polyphyllus, which is able to form mutualistic associations with N-fixing bacteria. More specifically, we examined the alpha diversity (observed bacterial taxa richness and Shannon diversity) and composition of bacterial communities in roots and nodules sampled from core and edge locations within 10 established invasion sites (> 10 years old) in southwestern Finland. Moreover, we compared the alpha diversity and structure of bacterial communities in the rhizosphere and bulk soil between core and edge locations within these invasion sites. We found that roots and nodules had distinctive endophytic bacterial communities, with roots having 24% higher bacterial alpha diversity (Shannon diversity) than nodules. In nodules, the dominant bacteria were assigned to the family Bradyrhizobiaceae, which includes N-fixing bacteria. Soil bacterial communities, instead, were shaped by soil type, with bulk soil hosting up to 27% higher alpha diversity (richness and Shannon diversity) than rhizosphere soil; however, there was no apparent difference in their community composition. Soil bacterial communities were only weakly associated with soil chemistry. Endophytic and soil bacterial communities did not differ between core and edge locations within the established invasions. Our findings suggest that L. polyphyllus may not induce dramatic changes in the bacterial communities with which it associates over the course of the local invasion process.