bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Todaro (fiddlehead fern): an updated review
Authors: Singla Shivali , Rana Rupali , Kumar Surendar , Thakur Reena , Goyal Sachin
Published: May 2022

Background

Matteuccia struthiopteris(L.) Todaro is a popular edible wild fern found in the subtropical Himalayas. It is widely used in folk medicine to treat several ailments and known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antidiabetic activities. Due to its multidimensional nutritional, pharmacological and therapeutic effects, it is well recognized in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia.

Main body of abstract

The present review aims to provide updated information onMatteuccia struthiopterisbotany, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects and toxicity methods, in addition to highlight potential for future exploration. Particular emphasis is also given to its antioxidant potential in health promotion. In-depth literature was probed by examining numerous sources via online databases (research and reviews), texts, Web sites and thesis. Plant biotechnology approaches such as tissue culture and micropropagation are also discussed.

Short conclusion

Matteuccia struthiopterisis found useful in the treatment of different diseases such as microbial infection, viral infection and diabetes and in weight reduction and also effective as antioxidant and free radical scavenger. Nevertheless, advance studies are required to offer the mechanistic role of crude extracts and its bio-actives and even to discover the structure–function relationship of active principles.
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics: in vitro antibacterial and time-kill bactericidal evaluation against etiology of bacteremia in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients
Authors: Akinjogunla Olajide Joseph , Odeyemi Adebowale Toba , Alozie Mfonobong Favour , Ehinmore Igbagbo , Ukpong Unyime Effiong , Ediomo Jumbo , Akpanson Etieno Kingsley
Published: May 2022

Background

Bacteremia constitutes a significant public health challenge and represents a vital cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients, and fluoroquinolones are commonly prescribed antibiotics due to their range of activities and pharmacokinetic profiles. This study the evaluated antibacterial activities and time-kill kinetics of fluoroquinolone antibiotics: Ofloxacin (OFL), Ciprofloxacin (CIP) and Levofloxacin (LEV) against the etiology of bacteremia of genera Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Haemophilus, Enterobacter, and Salmonella using disc diffusion, micro-broth dilution and plate count techniques.

Results

The lowest mean growth inhibition zones (mm ± SD) of OFL, LEV, and CIP against the isolates were 10.5 ± 0.0, 10.1 ± 0.1 and 9.6 ± 0.3, respectively. The MIC values of OFL, LEV and CIP on isolates ranged from 6.25 to > 50 µg/mL, MBC ranged from 12.5 to > 50 µg/mL, while MBC/MIC ratios were ≤ 2. The time-kill assay revealed that logarithmic reductions in viable cell counts (Log10 CFU/mL) of bacteria exposed to OFL, LEV and CIP ranged from 0.17 to 2.14 for P. aeruginosa; 0.13 to 1.31 for H. influenzae; 0.04 to 2.23 for Acinetobacter spp; and 0.08 to 2.08 for K. pneumoniae. LEV and OFL (1 × MIC concentration) achieved bactericidal effects on S. typhi ST07 and E. aerogenes EA01 at 30 h post-inoculation, respectively, while ≥ 99.9% reduction in the number of viable K. pneumoniae cells exposed to CIP was achieved at 24 h post-inoculation.

Conclusion

The fluoroquinolones demonstrated higher inhibitory activities at higher concentrations against the etiology of bacteremia in HIV-infected patients, signifying a concentration-dependent inhibition of bacterial growth. The MIC-based time-kill curve analyses showed that LEV achieved 3 Log10-fold reduction (≥ 99.9% reduction) in CFU/mL of most etiology of bacteremia faster compared with the other two fluoroquinolones.
Malaria rapid diagnostic tests for the case management of febrile children in Nigerian primary healthcare settings: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ali Phebe O. , Okebe Joseph , Oduwole Olabisi A.
Published: May 2022

Background

Malaria has been identified as a significant public health burden, exhibiting a high risk of death and morbidity. In sub-Saharan Africa, most young children attending primary healthcare facilities are commonly diagnosed with malaria. Thus, introduction of malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) kits and effective antimalarials has substantially improved the management of malaria cases. However, healthcare worker confidence and adherence to procedures dependent on malaria test results remain variable in high-burden settings due to lacking alternative point-of-care tests to diagnose other causes of fever. In this study, we compared the results of malaria screenings using mRDT and microscopy in febrile children presenting at a primary health facility.

Methods

This study was conducted at a primary health center in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. Children with fever were assessed for malaria by health staff and, where indicated, screened using Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein-2 mRDT kits. Blood samples were collected on slides for microscopy and in hematocrit tubes for hematocrit determination simultaneously, whereas the mRDT test was done by routine health staff. Children found positive for malaria via mRDT were diagnosed as uncomplicated malaria cases and treated as outpatients using artemether-lumefantrine. Blood slides were read independently by two trained microscopists blinded to the mRDT results. The parasite densities were defined as average counts by both microscopists. We then assessed the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of mRDT for the diagnosis of malaria.

Results

We compared the test results of 250 febrile children who are under 15 years old. The test positivity rates were 93.6% (234/250) and 97.2% (243/250) using microscopy and rapid RDTs, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of mRDT compared to microscopy were 100.0% and 43.8%, respectively, with a positive predictive value of 96.3% (95% CI 93.1–98.3). The hematocrit value was <30% in 64% of the children.

Conclusion

As per our findings, mRDTs have correctly detected infections in febrile children. Healthcare workers and caregivers should be encouraged to act in accordance with the test results by means of regular feedback on the quality of mRDTs in use in malaria case management.
The influence of maternal unhealthy diet on maturation of offspring gut microbiota in rat
Authors: Hasebe Kyoko , Kendig Michael D. , Kaakoush Nadeem O. , Tajaddini Aynaz , Westbrook R. Frederick , Morris Margaret J.
Published: May 2022

Background

Despite well-known effects of diet on gut microbiota diversity, relatively little is known about how maternal diet quality shapes the longitudinal maturation of gut microbiota in offspring. To investigate, we fed female rats standard chow (Chow) or a western-style, high-choice cafeteria diet (Caf) prior to and during mating, gestation and lactation. At weaning (3 weeks), male and female offspring were either maintained on their mother’s diet (ChowChow, CafCaf groups) or switched to the other diet (ChowCaf, CafChow). Fecal microbial composition was assessed in dams and longitudinally in offspring at 3, 7 and 14 weeks of age.

Results

The effect of maternal diet on maturation of offspring gut microbiota was assessed by α- and β-diversities, Deseq2/LEfSe, and SourceTracker analyses. Weanling gut microbiota composition was characterised by reduced α- and β-diversity profiles that clustered away from dams and older siblings. After weaning, offspring gut microbiota came to resemble an adult-like gut microbiota, with increased α-diversity and reduced dissimilarity of β-diversity. Similarly, Deseq2/LEfSe analyses found fewer numbers of altered operational taxonomic units (OTUs) between groups from weaning to adulthood. SourceTracker analyses indicated a greater overall contribution of Caf mothers’ microbial community (up to 20%) to that of their offspring than the contribution of Chow mothers (up to 8%). Groups maintained on the maternal diet (ChowChow, CafCaf), versus those switched to the other diet (ChowCaf, CafChow) post-weaning significantly differed from each other at 14 weeks (Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance), indicating interactive effects of maternal and post-weaning diet on offspring gut microbiota maturation. Nevertheless, this developmental trajectory was unaffected by sex and appeared consistent between ChowChow, CafCaf, ChowCaf and CafChow groups.

Conclusions

Introducing solid food at weaning triggered the maturation of offspring gut microbiota to an adult-like profile in rats, in line with previous human studies. Postweaning Caf diet exposure had the largest impact on offspring gut microbiota, but this was modulated by maternal diet history. An unhealthy maternal Caf diet did not alter the developmental trajectory of offspring gut microbiota towards an adult-like profile, insofar as it did not prevent the age-associated increase in α-diversity and reduction in β-diversity dissimilarity.
CMR parameters and CMR-FT in repaired tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Attalla Rana A. , Helmy Ibrahim Mostafa , Nassar Ibrahim Abbas , Elbarbary Aly Aly , Elshafey Khaled Esmail
Published: May 2022

Background

Repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients develops postoperative complications that are in need for follow-up and re-intervention in some circumstances. CMR myocardial feature tracking is a novel method that allows quantification of bi-atrial and bi-ventricular mechanics of deformation. So our aim is to assess the added value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and its advanced feature tracking analysis in evaluation of repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients.

Results

CMR was done with feature tracking post-processing analysis for 56 patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and 56 healthy volunteers. The commonest postoperative complications in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot are in the following order: pulmonary regurgitation with subsequent right ventricular dilatation and tricuspid regurgitation followed by pulmonary stenosis, right ventricular dysfunction, right ventricular outflow tract dilatation, left ventricular dysfunction, aortic and mitral regurgitation and residual ventricular septal defect. All right ventricular volumes were found to be significantly increased compared to those of the healthy volunteers (p value < 0.001) also left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes indexed were found to be increased in those patients compared to healthy volunteers (p value < 0.001). Right and left ventricular function were significantly lower in those patients compared to controls. Bi-ventricular CMR-FT indices and right atrial global longitudinal strain were found to be significantly lower in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot compared to controls. Right atrium global longitudinal strain was found to be significantly correlated with right ventricular global longitudinal strain and did not correlate with right ventricular ejection fraction and end-diastolic volume indexed; p value < 0.001, 0.109 and 0.565, respectively. Right ventricular global circumferential strain was found to be significantly increased in patients with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction compared to those without obstruction (− 16.26 ± 4.27% vs. − 12.2 ± 3.78%, respectively). Pulmonary regurgitant volume indexed was found to be significantly related to right ventricle longitudinal strain (p value 0.027).

Conclusion

Biventricular volumetric measures are increased in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot compared to controls; however, feature tracking parameters for both ventricles and right atrium are lower in those patients compared to controls.
Joint Exposure to Positive Affect, Life Satisfaction, Depressive Symptoms, and Neuroticism and Incident Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Sun Ying , Yu Yuefeng , Zhang Haojie , Wang Bin , Chen Chi , Wang Yuying , Tan Xiao , Zhang Jihui , Chen Yi , Xia Fangzhen , Lu Yingli , Wang Ningjian
Published: May 2022

Context

Whether the psychological wellbeing status could be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes is unclear.

Objective

We aimed to measure the association between combined psychological wellbeing factors and type 2 diabetes and investigate whether this association was modified by genetic predisposition.

Methods

Prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank. In total, 127 496 participants who completed a psychological wellbeing questionnaire and did not have type 2 diabetes at baseline (2006-2010) were included; among them, 88 584 (69.5%) were analyzed to determine their genetic predisposition. The main outcome measure was incident type 2 diabetes.

Results

During the median follow-up of 10.0 years, 2547 incident type 2 diabetes cases were documented. Moderate to extreme unhappiness, satisfaction score ≤3, presence of broad depression, and a neuroticism score ≥3 were all significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of diabetes. When considered as a combination indicator, compared with individuals in the highest quartile of the psychological wellbeing score, the fully adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) of type 2 diabetes were 1.41 (1.21-1.65) in the third quartile, 1.45 (1.24-1.69) in the second quartile, and 1.73 (1.48-2.01) in the lowest quartile. In the stratified analysis, we observed significant interactions between age and physical activity, and type 2 diabetes (Pinteraction < .001 and 0.049, respectively). However, there was no significant interaction between the psychological wellbeing score and genetic susceptibility to diabetes (Pinteraction = .980).

Conclusion

Worse overall psychological wellbeing was associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes in a dose–response fashion regardless of genetic predisposition.
Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency: Diagnostic and Treatment Journeys From the Patients’ Perspective
Authors: Hoffman Andrew R , Mathison Tracy , Andrews Deno , Murray Kristine , Kelepouris Nicky , Fleseriu Maria
Published: May 2022

Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is a rare and serious condition associated with significant morbidity, including reduced quality of life, and is underdiagnosed and often missed in patients. Although the onset of AGHD can occur in either childhood or adulthood, adult-onset AGHD is more difficult to identify as it lacks the auxologic signs caused by GHD during childhood, includes symptoms that tend to be nonspecific, and lacks reliable, simple biomarker testing options. A panel of 9 patients with AGHD (3 with childhood onset; 6 with adult onset) was assembled to share their first-hand experiences, to help reveal important areas of need, increase health literacy, and to raise awareness about GHD among patients, caregivers, and healthcare practitioners. Interviews with patients yielded valuable insights from the patient perspective to supplement prior knowledge about AGHD symptomatology, biomarker testing, and treatment outcomes. Some patients described a burdensome and ineffective screening process that sometimes included many visits to different specialists, repeated rounds of biomarker testing, and, in some cases, excessive delays in AGHD diagnosis. All patients expressed frustration with insurance companies that often resist and/or delay treatment authorization and reimbursement and frequently require additional testing to verify the diagnosis, often leading to treatment gaps. These findings emphasize the necessity of more efficient identification and screening of patients with possible AGHD, better recognition by clinicians and insurance providers of the importance of sustained GH replacement therapy during adulthood, and better patient support for accessing and maintaining uninterrupted GH replacement therapy for patients with documented AGHD.
Gender Gap: A Qualitative Study of Women and Leadership Acquisition in Anesthesiology
Authors: Basile Ellen R. , Byrd Heather , Powell-Williams Melissa , Polania Gutierrez Javier J. , Riveros-Perez Efrain
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUND:

The representation of women among leaders in the field of anesthesia continues to trail that of their male counterparts. This qualitative study was conducted to understand the pathway of leadership acquisition among women in the field of anesthesiology.

METHODS:

Using constructivist grounded theory, we sought to determine whether there were specific internal or external factors that were common to women in leadership in the specialty field of anesthesiology, and specifically, how they obtained leadership positions. Semistructured interviews were conducted for data collection. A total of 26 women in leadership positions in anesthesiology participated in this study.

RESULTS:

The analysis of these interviews resulted in the development of 4 common themes related to career pathways for these women in leadership. Each theme was examined in depth to determine the qualities necessary for individuals to advance in the field and the pathway to obtaining leadership positions. The findings of this study showed that early-career, high-value mentorship and sponsorship were important factors in leadership acquisition. Most participants (n = 20; 76%) had early mentors. Of those with early mentorship, 13 (65%) had high-value mentors, who we define as someone with power or authority. Sponsorship was the leading factor contributing to leadership acquisition.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results of this qualitative study may serve as a guide for encouraging female anesthesiologists with leadership aspirations. We suggest that the specialty field of anesthesiology institute targeted measures to help increase the percentage of women leadership with formal sponsorship programs at the local and national levels.
Defining Childlessness Among Middle-Aged and Older Americans: A Research Note
Authors: Xu Xiao , Liang Jersey , Raymo James M. , Kim BoRin , Ofstedal Mary Beth
Published: May 2022

Measuring childlessness is complicated by the increasing complexity of family structure. Using data from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study, in this research note we compared three definitions of childlessness: (1) respondent never fathered/gave birth to a child, (2) respondent had no children who were living and in contact, and (3) respondent and spouse/partner had no children or stepchildren who were living and in contact. Results showed that the prevalence of childlessness among Americans aged 55 or older ranged from 9.2% to 13.6% depending on which definition was used. The association between select individual characteristics (gender and marital status) and the likelihood of childlessness, as well as the association between childlessness and loneliness and living arrangements, also varied depending on how childlessness was defined. Therefore, how we define childlessness can affect our understanding of its prevalence, correlates, and relationships with well-being. Future research on childlessness should carefully consider the choice of definition and its implications for research and policy discussions.
Is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category Risk Adjustment Model Satisfactory for Quantifying Risk After Spine Surgery?
Authors: Chan Andrew K. , Shahrestani Shane , Ballatori Alexander M. , Orrico Katie O. , Manley Geoffrey T. , Tarapore Phiroz E. , Huang Michael , Dhall Sanjay S. , Chou Dean , Mummaneni Praveen V. , DiGiorgio Anthony M.
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUND:

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hierarchical condition category (HCC) coding is a risk adjustment model that allows for the estimation of risk—and cost—associated with health care provision. Current models may not include key factors that fully delineate the risk associated with spine surgery.

OBJECTIVE:

To augment CMS HCC risk adjustment methodology with socioeconomic data to improve its predictive capabilities for spine surgery.

METHODS:

The National Inpatient Sample was queried for spinal fusion, and the data was merged with county-level coverage and socioeconomic status variables obtained from the Brookings Institute. We predicted outcomes (death, nonroutine discharge, length of stay [LOS], total charges, and perioperative complication) with pairs of hierarchical, mixed effects logistic regression models—one using CMS HCC score alone and another augmenting CMS HCC scores with demographic and socioeconomic status variables. Models were compared using receiver operating characteristic curves. Variable importance was assessed in conjunction with Wald testing for model optimization.

RESULTS:

We analyzed 653 815 patients. Expanded models outperformed models using CMS HCC score alone for mortality, nonroutine discharge, LOS, total charges, and complications. For expanded models, variable importance analyses demonstrated that CMS HCC score was of chief importance for models of mortality, LOS, total charges, and complications. For the model of nonroutine discharge, age was the most important variable. For the model of total charges, unemployment rate was nearly as important as CMS HCC score.

CONCLUSION:

The addition of key demographic and socioeconomic characteristics substantially improves the CMS HCC risk-adjustment models when modeling spinal fusion outcomes. This finding may have important implications for payers, hospitals, and policymakers.
Standing horse posture: a longer stance is more stable
Authors: Gellman Karen , Ruina Andy
Published: May 2022

Horses stand for most of each day. Although they can use various leg configurations (postures), they usually stand with vertical legs. Why? We addressed this question with a 2D quasi-static model having three rigid parts: a trunk, massless fore-limbs and massless rear limbs, with hinges at the shoulders, hips, and hooves. The postural parameter we varied was ℓg, the distance between the hooves. For a given ℓg, statics finds an equilibrium configuration which, with no muscle stabilization (i.e. using minimal effort) is unstable. We assume a horse uses that configuration. To measure the neuromuscular effort needed to stabilize this equilibrium, we added springs at the shoulder and hip; the larger the springs needed to stabilize the model (kmin), the more neuromuscular effort needed to stabilize the posture. A canted-in posture (small ℓg), observed habitually in some domestic horses, needs about twice the spring stiffness (representing twice the effort) as is needed with vertical or slightly splayed-out (large ℓg) legs. This relationship of posture and stability might explain the prevalence of vertical or slightly splayed-out legs in wild and healthy domestic horses and leaves as a puzzle why some horses stand canted-in.
PPP4C facilitates homologous recombination DNA repair by dephosphorylating PLK1 during early embryo development
Authors: Dong Ming-Zhe , Ouyang Ying-Chun , Gao Shi-Cai , Ma Xue-Shan , Hou Yi , Schatten Heide , Wang Zhen-Bo , Sun Qing-Yuan
Published: May 2022

Mammalian early embryo cells have complex DNA repair mechanisms to maintain genomic integrity, and homologous recombination (HR) plays the main role in response to double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) in these cells. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) participates in the HR process and its overexpression has been shown to occur in a variety of human cancers. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism of PLK1 remains poorly understood, especially during the S and G2 phase. Here, we show that protein phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit (PPP4C) deletion causes severe female subfertility due to accumulation of DNA damage in oocytes and early embryos. PPP4C dephosphorylated PLK1 at the S137 site, negatively regulating its activity in the DSB response in early embryonic cells. Depletion of PPP4C induced sustained activity of PLK1 when cells exhibited DNA lesions that inhibited CHK2 and upregulated the activation of CDK1, resulting in inefficient loading of the essential HR factor RAD51. On the other hand, when inhibiting PLK1 in the S phase, DNA end resection was restricted. These results demonstrate that PPP4C orchestrates the switch between high-PLK1 and low-PLK1 periods, which couple the checkpoint to HR.
Studies for Absolute Configuration of Chiral 2,6-Cuneanedicarboxylic Acid Esters
Authors: Takebe Hiyori , Muranaka Atsuya , Uchiyama Masanobu , Matsubara Seijiro
Published: May 2022

The unique polyfused cyclic hydrocarbon, cuneane, was obtained by structural isomerization of cubane. Eaton has reported that 1,4-cubanedicarboxylic acid ester is selectively isomerized to 2,6-cubanedicarboxylic acid ester catalyzed by silver (I). The cuneane has C2 symmetry. Chiral resolution of bis(2-phenylethyl) 2,6-cuneanedicarboxylate by chiral HPLC was performed; determination of the absolute configuration of each enantiomer was performed based on ECD (Electronic Circular Dichroism) spectra and DFT calculation.
Muscle Forces during Weight-Bearing Exercises in Medial Knee Osteoarthritis and Varus Malalignment: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: STARKEY SCOTT C. , DIAMOND LAURA E. , HINMAN RANA S. , SAXBY DAVID J. , KNOX GABRIELLE , HALL MICHELLE
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that common weight-bearing exercises generate higher lower-limb muscle forces but do not increase medial tibiofemoral contact force (MTCF) when compared with walking in people with medial knee osteoarthritis and varus malalignment.

Methods

Twenty-eight participants 50 yr or older with medial knee osteoarthritis and varus malalignment were recruited from the community. Three-dimensional lower-body motion, ground reaction forces, and surface EMG from 12 lower-limb muscles were acquired during five squat, lunge, single-leg heel raise, and walking trials, performed at self-selected speeds. An EMG-informed neuromusculoskeletal model with subject-specific bone geometry was used to estimate muscle forces (N) and body weight (BW)–normalized MTCF. The peak forces for muscle groups (knee extensors, knee flexors, ankle plantar flexors, and hip abductors) and peak MTCF were compared with walking using a multivariate analysis of variance model.

Results

There was a significant main effect (P < 0.001). Post hoc tests (mean difference (95% confidence intervals)) showed that, compared with walking, participants generated higher peak knee extensor and flexor forces during squatting (extensor: 902 N (576 to 1227 N), flexor: 192 N (9.39 to 375 N)) and lunging (extensor: 917 N (604 to 1231 N), flexor: 496 N (198 to 794 N)), and lower peak hip abductor force during squatting (−1975 N (−2841 to −1108 N)) and heel raises (−1217 N (−2131 to −303 N)). Compared with walking, MTCF was lower during squatting (−0.79 BW (−1.04 to −0.53 BW)) and heel raises (−0.27 BW (−0.50 to −0.04 BW)). No other significant differences were observed.

Conclusions

Participants generated higher peak knee flexor and extensor forces during squatting and lunging but did not increase peak MTCF compared with walking. Clinicians can use these findings to reassure themselves and patients that weight-bearing exercises in these positions do not adversely increase forces within the osteoarthritic joint compartment.
Effectiveness of forest honey (Apis dorsata) as therapy for ovarian failure causing malnutrition
Authors: Safitri Erma , Purnobasuki Hery , Purnama Muhammad Thohawi Elziyad , Chhetri Shekhar
Published: May 2022

Background:Malnutrition is a crucial issue that contributes to approximately 45% of deaths among children under 5 years old and even >50% of deaths when accompanied by diarrhea. Several studies have stated that the use of honey can overcome cases of infertility due to malnutrition.

Methods:An infertile female rat model with a degenerative ovary was induced with malnutrition through a 5-day food fasting but still had drinking water. The administration of (T1) 30% (v/v) and (T2) 50% (v/v) forest honey (Apis dorsata) were performed for ten consecutive days, whereas the (T+) group was fasted and not administered forest honey and the (T−) group has not fasted and not administered forest honey. Superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, IL-13 and TNF-α cytokine expressions, and ovarian tissue regeneration were analyzed.

Results:Antioxidant activity (SOD) was significantly different (p<0.05) in T1 (65.24±7.53), T2 (74.16±12.3), and T− (65.09±6.56) compared with T+ (41.76±8.51). Oxidative stress (MDA) was significantly different (p<0.05) in T1 (9.71±1.53), T2 (9.23±0.96), and T− (9.83±1.46) compared with T+ (15.28±1.61). Anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-13) expression was significantly different (p<0.05) in T1 (5.30±2.31), T2 (9.80±2.53), and T− (0.30±0.48) compared with T+ (2.70±1.57). Pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) expression was significantly different (p<0.05) in T1 (4.40±3.02), T2 (2.50±1.65), and T− (0.30±0.48) compared with T+ (9.50±1.78). Ovarian tissue regeneration was significantly different (p<0.05) in T− (8.6±0.69) and T2 (5.10±0.99) compared with T1 (0.7±0.95) and T+ (0.3±0.67).

Conclusion:The 10-day administration of 50% (v/v) forest honey can be an effective therapy for ovarian failure that caused malnutrition in the female rat model.
Better survival of patients with oligo- compared with polymetastatic cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 173 studies
Authors: Petrelli Fausto , Ghidini Antonio , Ghidini Michele , Bukovec Roberta , Trevisan Francesca , Turati Luca , Indini Alice , Seghezzi Silvia , Lonati Veronica , Moleri Giovanna , Tomasello Gianluca , Zaniboni Alberto
Published: May 2022

Background: The modern concept of oligometastatic (OM) state has been initially developed to describe patients with a low burden of disease and with a potential for cure with local ablative treatments. We systematically assessed the risk of death and relapse of oligometastatic (OM) cancers compared to cancers with more diffuse metastatic spread, through a meta-analysis of published data. 

Methods: PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were searched for studies reporting prognosis of patients with OM solid tumors. Risk of death and relapse were extracted and pooled to provide an adjusted hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval (HR 95%CI).  The primary outcome of the study refers to overall mortality in OM vs. polymetastatic (PM) patients. 

Results. Mortality and relapse associated with OM state in patients with cancer were evaluated among 104,234 participants (n=173 studies). Progression-free survival was better in patients with OM disease (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.62, 95% CI 0.57–0.68; P <.001; n=69 studies). Also, OM cancers were associated with a better overall survival (OS) (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.62-0.68; P<.01; n=161 studies). In colorectal (CRC), breast, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) the reduction in the risk of death for OM patients were 35, 38, 30 and 42%, respectively. Biliary tract and cervical cancer do not significantly better in OM stage likely for paucity of data.

Conclusions. Patients with OM cancers have a significantly better prognosis than those with more widespread stage IV tumors. In OM cancer patients a personalized approach should be pursued.
Early Marriage among young girls in Eastern Ethiopia: trend during 2008-2018
Authors: Abdurahman Dureti , Assefa Nega , Berhane Yemane
Published: May 2022

Early marriage practices undermine girls’ autonomy and seriously affect their physical and mental wellbeing. Monitoring the trends and understanding the drivers is essential in intervening against early marriage. However, many studies on early marriage in Ethiopia are cross-sectional, focusing only on the magnitude at a single point in time. Hence, we extracted data of girls of 10-17 years from Kersa Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Kersa HDSS) database for the period of 2008–2018 in order to examine the trends of early marriage. In this data note we provide the details of a research database of 24,452 girls in the age group of 10-17 years. The extracted data include date of marriage and the girls’ socio-demographic variables. Other variables considered to be potentially associated with timing of marriage were also extracted. The purpose of this publication is to describe the dataset for external researchers who may be interested in making use of it as a secondary use of their routinely collected data. This dataset is available at   https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.15034812.
Single-cell multi-omics analysis reveals IFN-driven alterations in T lymphocytes and natural killer cells in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Trzupek Dominik , Lee Mercede , Hamey Fiona , Wicker Linda S. , Todd John A. , Ferreira Ricardo C.
Published: May 2022

Background: The characterisation of the peripheral immune system in the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the single-cell level has been limited by the reduced sensitivity of current whole-transcriptomic technologies. Here we employ a targeted single-cell multi-omics approach, combining protein and mRNA quantification, to generate a high-resolution map of the T lymphocyte and natural killer (NK) cell populations in blood from SLE patients.

Methods: We designed a custom panel to quantify the transcription of 534 genes in parallel with the expression of 51 surface protein targets using the BD Rhapsody AbSeq single-cell system. We applied this technology to profile 20,656 T and NK cells isolated from peripheral blood from an SLE patient with a type I interferon (IFN)-induced gene expression signature (IFNhi), and an age- and sex- matched IFNlow SLE patient and healthy donor.

Results: We confirmed the presence of a rare cytotoxic CD4+ T cell (CTL) subset, which was exclusively present in the IFNhi patient. Furthermore, we identified additional alterations consistent with increased immune activation in this patient, most notably a shift towards terminally differentiated CD57+ CD8+ T cell and CD16+ NKdim phenotypes, and the presence of a subset of recently-activated naïve CD4+ T cells.

Conclusions: Our results identify IFN-driven changes in the composition and phenotype of T and NK cells that are consistent with a systemic immune activation within the IFNhi patient, and underscore the added resolving power of this multi-omics approach to identify rare immune subsets. Consequently, we were able to find evidence for novel cellular peripheral biomarkers of SLE disease activity, including a subpopulation of CD57+ CD4+ CTLs.
A Rational Approach to Drug Repositioning in β-thalassemia: Induction of Fetal Hemoglobin by Established Drugs
Authors: Prosdocimi Marco , Zuccato Cristina , Cosenza Lucia Carmela , Borgatti Monica , Lampronti Ilaria , Finotti Alessia , Gambari Roberto
Published: May 2022

Drug repositioning and the relevance of orphan drug designation for β-thalassemia is reviewed. Drug repositioning and similar terms ('drug repurposing', 'drug reprofiling', 'drug redirecting', ‘drug rescue’, ‘drug re-tasking’ and/or 'drug rediscovery') have gained great attention, especially in the field or rare diseases (RDs), and represent relevant novel drug development strategies to be considered together with the “off-label” use of pharmaceutical products under clinical trial regimen. The most significant advantage of drug repositioning over traditional drug development is that the repositioned drug has already passed a significant number of short- and long-term toxicity tests, as well as it has already undergone pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies. The established safety of repositioned drugs is known to significantly reduce the probability of project failure. Furthermore, development of repurposed drugs can shorten much of the time needed to bring a drug to market. Finally, patent filing of repurposed drugs is expected to catch the attention of pharmaceutical industries interested in the development of therapeutic protocols for RDs. Repurposed molecules that could be proposed as potential drugs for β-thalassemia, will be reported, with some of the most solid examples, including sirolimus (rapamycin) that recently has been tested in a pilot clinical trial.
Augmenting Social Bot Detection with Crowd-Generated Labels
Authors: Benjamin Victor , Raghu T. S.
Published: May 2022

Social media platforms are facing increasing numbers of cyber-adversaries seeking to manipulate online discourse by using social bots to help automate and scale their attacks. Likewise, some social media users have developed capabilities to identify social bot activity at varying degrees of confidence. We exploit this user intelligence to augment traditional bot detection systems. Furthermore, not all crowd-generated labels are of equal value or credibility. Some individuals are quite adept at identifying social bot activity, whereas others may become merely suspicious but remain uncertain. We design a system inspired by speech act theory to evaluate which crowd-generated labels are most credible for augmenting bot detection system efficacy.
The Relationship between Social Competence and Emotional Intelligence among Teachers of Resource Rooms for Learning Disabilities in Amman Governorate
Authors: Al-Jundi Khalid , Al-Taher Mohammad Anwar
Published: May 2022

The present study aims at identifying the relationship between social competence and the level of emotional intelligence among teachers of resource rooms for learning disabilities in Amman. The study population consisted of various educational directorates within the capital Amman governorate. They were 212 teachers – 31 males and 181 females. The sample of the study consisted of randomly chosen 60 teachers – 15 males and 45 females. They were tested first with Bar-On Model of Social and Emotional Intelligence, which is a sixty-paragraph self-assessment scale consisting of six aspects: social competence, personal competence, adaptability, stress management, general mood and positive impression. A researcher-designed social competence scale was also employed for teachers of resource rooms with learning disabilities in regular schools, which consisted of six aspects of social skills: expression of emotions, non-verbal communication, conversation, friendship, listening and participation. It has been found that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between the level of emotional intelligence and social competence in the sample of the study. In addition, there is a statistically significant relationship between the level of emotional intelligence and social competence among members of the sample due to the sex variable in favour of females.
INTEGRAL SWOT-AHP-TOWS MODEL FOR STRATEGIC AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF DROUGHT: A CASE STUDY IN NINH THUAN, VIETNAM
Authors: Nguyen Tuan , Truong Canh
Published: May 2022

The study combined a qualitative analysis model and quantitative analysis to rank strategies in agricultural production in Ninh Thuan province, Vietnam. A strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) analysis is used to evaluate the characteristics of internal and external factors through the TOWS matrix. The research used the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to compare and rank the influence of the criteria on agricultural production. The AHP method quantified the weights of the factors in the TOWS matrix based on a pairwise comparison of the elements. The research results show that the AHP technique can help make the decisions of policymakers easier rather than making decisions based on qualitative uncertainty. The SWOT-AHP-TOWS model provides a new approach to drought in Vietnam using a quantitative tool based on multi-criteria analysis.
Electrochemical Dechlorination of Trichloroethylene by Manganese Phthalocyanine: Performance and Mechanisms
Authors: Deng Jia , Fang Zheng , Dai Yitao , Huang Lizhi
Published: May 2022

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is one of the most abundant persistent organic pollutant in subsurface environment. TCE can be reduced electrochemically, but the extremely negative applied potential limits the application of this technology. Manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) catalyst was used for the electrochemical reductive dechlorination of TCE. The results show that MnPc can be reduced by electrons attachment at −-0.21 V, −-1.22 V and −-1.77 V, respectively. With the decrease of applied potential from −-0.3 V to −-1.8 V, the transformation from TCE to dichloroethylene (DCE) efficiency increased from 19.9% to 41.8% after 5 hours of reaction. Although the electron transfer ability was enhanced with applied potential decreasing, the intensive HER caused the electron selectivity decreased when MnPc attached more electrons. MnPc catalyze the electrochemical reduction of TCE, which has potential application on the remediation of TCE-contaminated groundwater.
Research on Water Resources Saving Based on Chaotic Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Jiang Yongcong
Published: May 2022

To improve the saving level of water resources, and the optimal allocation model of water resources is constructed, and the chaotic particle swarm optimization is established to solve the optimal allocation model. Firstly, the relevant researches are summarized, and the main contributions of this research are given. Secondly, optimal allocation conception of water resources is discussed, and then the corresponding optimal allocation model is established. Thirdly, the chaotic particle swarm optimization model is established, and the analysis procedure of the proposed algorithm is designed. Finally, optimal allocation analysis of water resources is carried out, and optimal allocation plans of water resources are confirmed, results show that the proposed optimal model and its solving algorithm can effectively obtain the best effect.
Short Term Solar Irradiation Prediction Framework Based on EEMD-GA-LSTM Method
Authors: Gupta Anuj , Gupta Kapil
Published: May 2022

Accurate short term solar irradiation forecasting is necessary for smart grid stability and to manage bilateral contract negotiations between suppliers and customers. Traditional machine learning methods are unable to acquire and rectify nonlinear characteristics from solar dataset, which not only complicates model construction but also affect prediction accuracy. To address these issues, a deep learning based architecture with predictive analysis strategy is developed in this manuscript. In the first stage, the original solar irradiation sequences are divided into many intrinsic mode functions to generate a prospective feature set using a sophisticated signal decomposition technique. After that, an iteration method is used to generate a prospective range of frequency related to deep learning model. This method is created by linked algorithm using the GA and deep learning network. The findings by the proposed model employing sequences obtained by the preprocessing methodology considerable improve prediction accuracy as comparison to conventional models. In contrast, when confronted with a high resolution dataset derived from big data set, the chosen dataset may not only conduct a huge data reduction, but also enhances forecasting accuracy up to 22.74 percent over a variety of evaluation metrics. As a result, the proposed method might be used to predict short-term solar irradiation with greater accuracy using a solar dataset.
Brillouin frequency shift error estimation formula for distributed optical fiber sensing technology based on Brillouin scattering
Authors: Zhao Lijuan , Chen Yonghui , Xu Zhiniu , Zhang Xuzhe , Mou Quanyu
Published: May 2022

In this work, the problems in the existing Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) error estimation formulas for distributed optical fiber sensing technology based on Brillouin scattering are discussed. Based on the analysis, a new, to the best of our knowledge, BFS error estimation formula is proposed. To validate the proposed formula, a large number of Brillouin spectra with different frequency sweep spans, signal-to-noise ratios, linewidths, and frequency steps are numerically generated, and at the same time, Brillouin spectra with different values of incident light pulse widths and frequency sweep spans are measured with a Brillouin optical time domain reflectometer. Based on those Brillouin spectra, the errors of the proposed formula and existing formulas are systematically compared. The results reveal that the proposed formula generally has a higher accuracy than the existing typical formulas, especially when the frequency sweep span or incident light pulse width is large. Therefore, it has a much wider application range.
Methodology of designing compact schlieren systems using off-axis parabolic mirrors
Authors: Zheng Lingzhi , Susa Adam J. , Hanson Ronald K.
Published: May 2022

Schlieren imaging is widely adopted in applications where fluid
dynamics features are of interest. However, traditional Z-type
schlieren systems utilizing on-axis mirrors generally require large
system footprints due to the need to use high f-number mirrors. In
this context, off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirrors provide an attractive
alternative for permitting the use of smaller f-number optics, but
well-documented methodologies for designing schlieren systems with OAP
mirrors are lacking. The present work outlines a ray-tracing-based
workflow applied to the design of a modified Z-type schlieren system
utilizing OAP mirrors. The ray-tracing analysis evaluates the defocus
and distortion introduced by schlieren optics. The results are used
along with system size and illumination efficiency considerations to
inform the selection of optimal optical components capable of
producing high-quality schlieren images while minimizing the system
footprint. As a step-by-step demonstration of the design methodology,
an example schlieren system design is presented. The example schlieren
design achieved an image resolution of 1.1 lp/mm at 50% contrast, with
a 60% reduction in system length compared to traditional Z-type
systems with f/8 mirrors; distortion characterizations of the designed
schlieren system showed good agreement with ray-tracing predictions,
and the distortion can be corrected through image post-processing. The
current work provides a systematic approach for the design of compact
schlieren systems with OAP mirrors and demonstrates the utility of
this underutilized option.
Metamaterial engineering for optimized photon absorption in unipolar quantum devices
Authors: Rodriguez Etienne , Bonazzi Thomas , Dely Hamza , Mastrangelo Marta , Pantzas Konstantinos , Beaudoin Grégoire , Sagnes Isabelle , Vasanelli Angela , Todorov Yanko , Sirtori Carlo
Published: May 2022

Metamaterials have played a major role in the development of optoelectronic devices due to their capability of coupling free-space radiation with active materials at the nanometer scale. In particular, unipolar photodetectors display highly improved performances when implemented into patch-antenna arrays. We study light-coupling and absorption in patch-antenna metamaterials by combining an experimental investigation, an analytical approach based on coupled mode theory and numerical simulations in order to understand how the geometrical parameters influence the electromagnetic energy transfer from the free-space to the active material. Our findings are applied to the design of optimized unipolar photodetectors with improved quantum efficiency.
Accurate single image depth detection using multiple rotating point spread functions
Authors: Hartlieb Simon , Schober Christian , Haist Tobias , Reichelt Stephan
Published: May 2022

In this article we present the simulation and experimental implementation of a camera-based sensor with low object-space numerical aperture that is capable of measuring the distance of multiple object points with an accuracy of 8.51 µm over a range of 20 mm. The overall measurement volume is 70 mm × 50 mm × 20 mm. The lens of the camera is upgraded with a diffractive optical element (DOE) which fulfills two tasks: replication of the single object point to a predefined pattern of K spots in the image plane and adding a vortex point spread function (PSF), whose shape and rotation is sensitive to defocus. We analyze the parameters of the spiral phase mask and discuss the depth reconstruction approach. By applying the depth reconstruction to each of the K replications and averaging the results, we experimentally show that the accuracy of the reconstructed depth signal can be improved by a factor of up to 3 by the replication approach. This replication method (also called multipoint method) not only improves accuracy of depth reconstruction but also of lateral position measurement. Therefore, the presented concept can be used as a single camera 3D position sensor for multiple points with high lateral as well as depth resolution.