bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strengthen the sacral ligament and paravagina by equilibrium control severe pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Zhao Xin , Niu Jumin , Liu Yansong
Published: January 2023

Objective

To evaluate and analyze the clinical effect of the combination of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), sacral ligament fusion and vaginal suspension in the treatment of severe pelvic organ prolapse

Methods

A total of 76 cases of patients with pelvic organ prolapse in our hospital between January 2010 to December 2020 were enrolled for research. They had been evaluated pre- and post-operative through pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Questionnaire Short Form (PFDI-20), Pelvic Floor Function Impact Questionnaire Short form (PFIQ-7), and the Sexual Function Questionnaire Score (PIQS-31).

Results

All 76 patients went through the procedure successfully without any complications. None of the 76 cases had relapsed. Post-operational results of PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 were evidently lower than pre-operational results, post-operational results of PIQS-31 were higher than before operation.

Conclusions

For patients with severe pelvic organ prolapse,a balanced control of the pelvic floor centred on the preservation of the stereoscopic ring around the cervix through revascularization is significantly effective, and has no recurrence after surgery, high patient satisfaction, fewer postoperative complications. It is safe and reliable and worthy of clinical application and promotion.
Vertebral refracture after percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with and without brace wearing: A retrospective study of 300 patients
Authors: Xinyu Guo , Na Zhu , Haihong Zhang , Dingjun Hao
Published: January 2023

Background

The aim of the study was to examine the clinical incidence rate of vertebral body fractures after percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) with and without brace wearing and provide a new guiding ideology for preventing vertebral fractures after clinical surgeries.

Methods

The retrospective analysis included 100 outpatients who underwent PVP between January 2017 and December 2018 without bracing after PVP surgeries (non-brace-wearing group). In total, 100 patients were paired into the rigid brace group and 100 patients were paired into the soft braces group according to propensity score matching. Seven independent variables were used in the soft and rigid brace group: age, sex, body mass index (BMI), visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Cobb angle. The VAS, ODI, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores were recorded preoperatively on the second day, after 1 month, after 3 months, and during the last follow-up postoperatively. We recorded the incidence of vertebral refracture in each of the three groups of patients and evaluated the effect of braces on postoperative fractures based on the ODI, VAS, and JOA scores.

Results

All patients were followed up for 8–24 months (mean 22.4 months). Compared with the preoperative values, the age, sex, BMI, bone density, ODI, VAS, and Cobb angle between refracture and non-refracture were not statistically significant. The VAS, ODI, and JOA scores significantly increased in the brace-wearing group compared with those of the non-brace-wearing group (p < 0.05). The incidence of vertebral refracture in the brace-wearing group was lower than that in the non-brace-wearing group, between which there was a significant difference (p < 0.05). Three months postoperatively, the JOA score of the soft brace group was significantly higher than that of the rigid brace group (p < 0.05). During the last follow-up, it was found that there was no difference in the VAS score, the incidence of refracture, or ODI between the soft brace group and the rigid brace group (p > 0.05). The improvement in the JOA score of the soft brace group was better than that of the rigid brace group, between which there was a significant difference (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Braces can improve the prognosis of quality of life and postoperative subjective perception, whose presence can relieve postoperative residual pains. In contrast, patients can have a better medical experience wearing a soft brace.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, open-door laminoplasty, or laminectomy with fusion: Which is the better treatment for four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy?
Authors: Zhong Huajian , Xu Chen , Wang Ruizhe , Wu Xiaodong , Wu Huiqiao , Sun Baifeng , Wang Xinwei , Chen Huajiang , Shen Xiaolong , Yuan Wen
Published: January 2023

Four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common disease affecting a large number of people, with the optimal surgical strategy remaining controversial. This study compared the clinical outcomes, radiological parameters, and postoperative complications of primarily performed surgical procedures such as anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), open-door laminoplasty (LAMP), and laminectomy with fusion (LF) in treating four-level CSM. A total of 116 patients who received ACDF (38 cases), LAMP (45 cases), and LF (33 cases) were followed up for a minimum of 24 months were enrolled in this study and retrospectively analyzed. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scoring system, the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Changes in the curvature of the cervical spine were determined using the cervical curvature index (CCI) and the C2–C7 Cobb angle. Cervical mobility was evaluated using the C2–C7 range of motion (ROM) and active cervical ROM (aROM). Complications were recorded and compared among the three groups. All patients achieved significant improvement in JOA, NDI, and VAS scores at the final follow-up (P < 0.05), whereas no remarkable difference was found among the groups (P > 0.05). In addition, both C2–7 ROM and aROM were significantly reduced in the three groups and LAMP showed the least reduction relatively. As for complications, LAMP showed the lowest overall incidence of postoperative complications, and patients in the ACDF group were more susceptible to dysphagia, pseudoarthrosis than LAMP and LF. Considering improvements in clinical symptoms and neurological function, no remarkable difference was found among the groups. Nevertheless, LAMP had advantages over the other two surgical procedures in terms of preserving cervical mobility and reducing postoperative complications.
Impact-Type Sunflower Yield Sensor Signal Denoising Method Based on CEEMD-WTD
Authors: Wang Shuai , Zhao Xiaodong , Liu Wenhang , Du Jianqiang , Zhao Dongxu , Yu Zhihong
Published: January 2023

During the crop harvesting process, it is important to obtain the crop yield quickly, accurately and in real time to accelerate the development of smart agriculture. This paper investigated a denoising method applicable to the impact-type sunflower yield sensor signal under the influence of complex noise background in the pneumatic seed delivery structure for a sunflower combine harvester. A signal processing method combining complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) and wavelet threshold denoising (WTD) based on an adaptive decomposition capability was proposed by analyzing the non-smoothness of the signal with the impact-type sunflower yield sensor signal in sunflower fields. CEEMD was used to decompose the sunflower seed impact analog signal and field impact-type sunflower yield sensor signal adaptively, and the high frequency components were processed by WTD. Finally the de-noised signal was obtained by reconstruction. An evaluation objective function of the denoising ability of the algorithm based on signal-noise ratio, root mean square error, smoothness and waveform similarity indexes with different weights was also constructed. The results showed that the evaluation objective functions of the simulated and measured signals after denoising by the CEEMD-WTD method are 1.9719 and 4.5318, respectively, which are better than the single denoising methods of EMD (1.5096 and 4.0012), EEMD (1.8248 and 4.0724), CEEMD (1.9516 and 4.3384), and WTD (1.8737 and 4.5294). This method provides a new idea for signal denoising of the impact-type sunflower yield sensor installed in the pneumatic seed delivery structure, and further provides theoretical support and technical references for the development of sunflower high-precision yield measurements in smart agriculture.
Effects of Barley- and Oat-Based Diets on Some Gut Parameters and Microbiota Composition of the Small Intestine and Ceca of Broiler Chicken
Authors: Rawash Mohamed Ali , Farkas Valéria , Such Nikoletta , Mezőlaki Ákos , Menyhárt László , Pál László , Csitári Gábor , Dublecz Károly
Published: January 2023

Barley and oats can be alternatives of corn and wheat in poultry nutrition and used at higher inclusion rates. Both cereals contain hulls, a structural fiber source, that can be beneficial for the gizzard function of birds. They also contain high amounts of β-glucans, of which about 60–70% is water soluble. Soluble β-glucans increase gut viscosity, impair digestion, and modify gut microbiota. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effects of feeding oats and barley at high inclusion rates and with exogenous glucanase on some relevant gut parameters and the microbiota composition of jejunum content (JC), jejunum mucosa (JM), and cecal content (CC). A total of 360 male, Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated randomly into three treatment groups of 5 replicate pens with 24 chickens. Beside a corn and soybean meal-based control diet (C), a barley (B)- and oat (O)-based treatment was used. In all feeding phases, barley was fed at 40, while oats at 20% inclusion rate. At day 40, 10 birds per treatment were slaughtered and gut viscosity, the cecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration, and the microbiota composition of the different gut parts determined. In spite of the glucanase enzyme addition, the barley-based diet significantly increased the viscosity of the ileal content and this was also the diversity of the bacteriota in the small intestine. On the other hand, this treatment decreased the microbial diversity in the ceca and resulted in lower SCFA contents. Barley increased the abundance of the phyla Bacteroidetes and decreased that of Firmicutes and some of them genera in the JC and CC. Oats had only a slight effect on the measured parameters. The results highlight the importance of also taking into account the soluble fiber fractions of the feedstuffs in diet formulation and to adapt the exogenous enzyme supplementation of to the actual soluble fiber contents.
Rice Plaque Detection and Identification Based on an Improved Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Cui Jiapeng , Tan Feng
Published: January 2023

Rice diseases are extremely harmful to rice growth, and achieving the identification and rapid classification of rice disease spots is an essential means to promote intelligent rice production. However, due to the large variety of rice diseases and the similar appearance of some rice diseases, the existing deep learning methods are less effective at classification and detection. Aiming at such problems, this paper took the spot images of five common rice diseases as the research object and constructed a rice disease data set containing 2500 images of rice bacterial blight, sheath blight, flax leaf spot, leaf streak and rice blast, including 500 images of each disease. An improved lightweight deep learning network model was proposed to realize the accurate identification of disease types and disease spots. A rice disease image classification network was designed based on the RlpNet (rice leaf plaque net) network model, Which is the underlying network, in addition to the YOLOv3 target detection network model in order to achieve the optimization of the feature extraction link, i.e., upsampling by transposed convolution and downsampling by dilated convolution. The improved YOLOv3 model was compared with traditional convolutional neural network models, including the AlexNet, GoogLeNet, VGG-16 and ResNet-34 models, for disease recognition, and the results showed that the average recall, average precision, average F1-score and overall accuracy of the network model for rice disease classification were 91.84%, 92.14%, 91.87% and 91.84%, respectively, which were all improved compared with the traditional algorithms. The improved YOLOv3 network model was compared with FSSD, Faster-RCNN, YOLOv3 and YOLOv4 for spot detection studies, and the results showed that it could achieve a mean average precision (mAP) of 86.72%, a detection rate (DR) of 93.92%, a frames per second (FPS) rate of 63.4 and a false alarm rate (FAR) of only 5.12%. In summary, the comprehensive performance of the proposed model was better than that of the traditional YOLOv3 algorithm, so this study provides a new method for rice disease identification and disease spot detection. It also had good performance in terms of the common detection and classification of multiple rice diseases, which provides some support for the common differentiation of multiple rice diseases and has some practical application value.
Antioxidative and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Bark Extracts from Common European Trees in Light of Dermal Applications
Authors: Häsler Gunnarsdottir Sissy , Sommerauer Lukas , Schnabel Thomas , Oostingh Gertie Janneke , Schuster Anja
Published: January 2023

Plant species have developed effective defense strategies for colonizing diverse habitats and protecting themselves from numerous attacks from a wide range of organisms, including insects, vertebrates, fungi, and bacteria. The bark of trees in particular constitutes a number of components that protect against unwanted intruders. This review focuses on the antioxidative, dermal immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial properties of bark extracts from European common temperate trees in light of various skin pathogens, wound healing, and the maintenance of skin health. The sustainability aspect, achieved by utilizing the bark, which is considered a byproduct in the forest industry, is addressed, as are various extraction methods applied to retrieve extracts from bark.
Understanding of Final Year Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing Students in Pakistan towards Antibiotic Use, Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship: Findings and Implications
Authors: Raees Iqra , Atif Hafiz Muhammad , Aslam Sabahat , Mustafa Zia Ul , Meyer Johanna Catharina , Hayat Khezar , Salman Muhammad , Godman Brian
Published: January 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a leading public health threat, which is exacerbated by the high and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate knowledge regarding antibiotic use, AMR and the readiness to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) among final year medical, pharmacy and nursing students in Pakistan. This reflects the high and increasing rates of AMR in the country, and students as future healthcare professionals (HCPs). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1251 final year students from 23 public and private educational institutions in Punjab. The majority of the surveyed participants possessed good knowledge of antibiotic use, AMR and the potential causes of AMR. The most common sources of the information on antibiotics were smartphones (69.9%), peers (35.9%) and medical textbooks (30.6%). However, most surveyed participants were not fully prepared to participate in ASPs. They knew, though, how to reduce AMR by educating HCPs about appropriate prescribing, implementing ASPs and improving laboratory facilities. There was a significant association between antibiotic knowledge and causes of AMR with sex, family income and student type (p < 0.05). Being a student at a public sector university (OR = 4.809; CI = 3.261–7.094; p < 0.001) and age (OR = 0.524, CI = 0.327–0.842; p < 0.008) were among the key factors impacting students’ training on ASPs. Educational curricula must be improved to include more information about appropriate antibiotic use and ASPs, along with sufficient training, workshops and clinical rotations in the final year, to fully equip students by graduation.
Vaccination against Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Spanish Adults: Practical Recommendations by the NeumoExperts Prevention Group
Authors: Redondo Esther , Rivero-Calle Irene , Mascarós Enrique , Ocaña Daniel , Jimeno Isabel , Gil Ángel , Díaz-Maroto José Luis , Linares Manuel , Onieva-García María Ángeles , González-Romo Fernando , Yuste José , Martinón-Torres Federico
Published: January 2023

In the adult population, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a serious disease that is responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates, being frequently associated with multidrug resistant pathogens. The aim of this review is to update a practical immunization prevention guideline for CAP in Spain caused by prevalent respiratory pathogens, based on the available scientific evidence through extensive bibliographic review and expert opinion. The emergence of COVID-19 as an additional etiological cause of CAP, together with the rapid changes in the availability of vaccines and recommendations against SARS-CoV-2, justifies the need for an update. In addition, new conjugate vaccines of broader spectrum against pneumococcus, existing vaccines targeting influenza and pertussis or upcoming vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) will be very useful prophylactic tools to diminish the burden of CAP and all of its derived complications. In this manuscript, we provide practical recommendations for adult vaccination against the pathogens mentioned above, including their contribution against antibiotic resistance. This guide is intended for the individual perspective of protection and not for vaccination policies, as we do not pretend to interfere with the official recommendations of any country. The use of vaccines is a realistic approach to fight these infections and ameliorate the impact of antimicrobial resistance. All of the recently available scientific evidence included in this review gives support to the indications established in this practical guide to reinforce the dissemination and implementation of these recommendations in routine clinical practice.
Detecting and Controlling Slip through Estimation and Control of the Sliding Velocity
Authors: Costanzo Marco , De Maria Giuseppe , Natale Ciro
Published: January 2023

Slipping detection and avoidance are key issues in dexterous robotic manipulation. The capability of robots to grasp and manipulate objects of common use can be greatly enhanced by endowing these robots with force/tactile sensors on their fingertips. Object slipping can be caused by both tangential and torsional loads when the grip force is too low. Contact force and moment measurements are required to counteract such loads and avoid slippage by controlling the grip force. In this paper, we use the SUNTouch force/tactile sensor, which provides the robotic control system with reliable measurements of both normal and tangential contact force components together with the torsional moment. By exploiting the limit surface concept and the LuGre friction model, we build a model of the object/fingertip planar sliding. This model is the basis of a nonlinear observer that estimates the sliding velocity and the friction state variable from the measured contact force and torsional moment. The slipping control system uses the estimated friction state to detect the slipping event and the estimated sliding velocity to control the grasp force. The control modality is twofold: the first one is aimed at avoiding object slip, while the second one allows the object to perform a controlled pivoting about the grasping axis. Experiments show that the robot is able to safely manipulate objects that require grasping forces in a large range, from 0.2 N to 10 N. This level of manipulation autonomy is attained by a suitably identified dynamic model that overcomes the limited generalization capability of existing learning-based approaches in the general roto-translational slip control.
Optimizing Airfoil Aerodynamic Characteristics by Using Proposed CSA-KJ Method
Authors: Zhang Jianping , Guo Wenbo , Zhang Pengju , Ji Haipeng
Published: January 2023

Combined with the cuckoo search algorithm (CSA) and the Kutta–Joukowski (KJ) theorem, a CSA-KJ optimization method was proposed to improve the airfoil aerodynamic characteristics in this work. The fourth-order constant-free polynomial function was employed to describe the airfoil profile. The KJ loop lift of the airfoil was taken as the objective function, and the CSA was applied to iteratively update this method, which was used to optimize the NACA4412 airfoil. The results demonstrate that the optimized effect of the CSA-KJ method on the lift-drag ratio becomes increasingly more significant with the increase of incoming wind speed, and it has the best performance at an angle of attack of 0°. Compared with the NACA4412 airfoil, the average and the maximum lift-drag ratio coefficients of the CSA-KJ4412 airfoil have increased. Meanwhile, the pressure difference distribution is improved, and the aerodynamic characteristic is better. From this, it can be seen that the CSA-KJ method can provide an effective way to optimize the aerodynamic performance of other airfoils.
An Investigation of the Impact of Water on Certain of the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) as Used in Construction
Authors: Jucienė Milda , Dobilaitė Vaida , Albrektas Darius
Published: January 2023

Timber and timber products are renewable materials that, due to their durability and strength properties, meet the requirements of the construction industry, are widely used in buildings. An analysis of the scientific literature has shown that there is a lack of detailed research that fully investigates the influence of the rate of increase of the moisture content of the timber on the mechanical and, especially, the strength properties of the LVL panels. Upon immersion into water of the bottom of the specimen, the water starts rising quite quickly at the edge of the specimen, and the first six hours are the most critical. The levels of water rise inside the LVL specimen were less significant than at the edges. It was found that water significantly affects the bending strength of the panels, which, when the strength of the wet panel compared to the strength of the dry panel, decreases to 45% after one soak cycle and almost to 52% after two soak cycles. The tensile strength of the wet specimens is ~40% less than that of the dry specimens. The strength of the panels that were dried back to their initial state was found to be sufficient again, different from the initial strength only within the error limits; the strength properties of the building structure will not be affected.
An Improved Multiple-Target Tracking Scheme Based on IGGM–PMBM for Mobile Aquaculture Sensor Networks
Authors: Lv Chunfeng , Zhu Jianping , Xiong Naixue , Tao Zhengsu
Published: January 2023

The Poisson multi-Bernoulli Mixture (PMBM) filter, as well as its variants, is a popular and practical multitarget tracking algorithm. There are some pending problems for the standard PMBM filter, such as unknown detection probability, random target newborn distribution, and high energy consumption for limited computational and processing capacity in sensor networks. For the sake of accommodating these existing problems, an improved multitarget tracking method based on a PMBM filter with adaptive detection probability and adaptive newborn distribution is proposed, accompanied by an associated distributed fusion strategy to reduce the computational complexities. Firstly, gamma (GAM) distribution is introduced to present the augmented state of unknown and changing target detection probability. Secondly, the intensity of newborn targets is adaptively derived from the inverse gamma (IG) distribution based on this augmented state. Then, the measurement likelihood is presented as a gamma distribution for the augmented state. On these bases, the detailed recursion and closed-form solutions to the proposed filter are derived by means of approximating the intensity of target birth and potential targets to an inverse gamma Gaussian mixture (IGGM) form and the density of existing Bernoulli components to a single IGGM form. Moreover, the associated distributed fusion strategy generalized covariance intersection (GCI), whose target states are measured by multiple sensors according to their respective fusion weights, is applied to a large-scale aquaculture tracking network. Comprehensive experiments are presented to verify the effectiveness of this IGGM–PMBM method, and comparisons with other multitarget tracking filters also demonstrate that tracking behaviors are largely improved; in particular, tracking energy consumption is reduced sharply, and tracking accuracy is relatively enhanced.
Multi-Objective Golden Flower Optimization Algorithm for Sustainable Reconfiguration of Power Distribution Network with Decentralized Generation
Authors: Swaminathan Dhivya , Rajagopalan Arul
Published: January 2023

This paper provides a meta-heuristic hybridized version called multi-objective golden flower pollination algorithm (MOGFPA) as the best method for choosing the optimal reconfiguration for distribution networks (DNs) in order to reduce power losses (PLs). Aside from PLs, another parameter is considered: the load balance index (LBI). The expression for the LBI is stated using real and reactive indices. It makes the optimal distributed generation (DG) placement and DN routing of the multi-objective (MO) problem have PLs and the LBI as the main parameters that need to be optimized. For that purpose, the MOGFPA is proposed in this paper. The MOGFPA consists of a golden search (GS) and tangent flight with Pareto distribution that only needs a few tuning parameters. Therefore, it is simple to alter these parameters to reach the best values compared to other existing methodologies. Its performance is predicted using different case studies on multiple test bus systems, namely the IEEE systems such as 33, 69, 119, and Indian 52 bus. Through simulation outcomes, the MOGFPA computes the optimum distribution of DG units and reconfigures the DNs with the aim of minimal PLs and LBI. Furthermore, another state-of-the-art technology and comparing convergence charts provide optimal outputs in less time, with minimum iterations.
Anti-Inflammatory Actions of G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor 1 (GPER) and Brain-Derived Estrogen Following Cerebral Ischemia in Ovariectomized Rats
Authors: Xu Jing , Bai Jing , Gao Fujia , Xu Chao , Huang Yuanyuan , Li Danyang , Wang Lu , Wang Ruimin
Published: January 2023

Global cerebral ischemia can elicit rapid innate neuroprotective mechanisms that protect against delayed neuronal death. Brain-derived 17β-estradiol (BDE2), an endogenous neuroprotectant, is synthesized from testosterone by the enzyme aromatase (Aro) and is upregulated by brain ischemia and inflammation. Our recent study revealed that G1, a specific G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) agonist, exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic roles after global cerebral ischemia (GCI). Herein, we aimed to elucidate whether G1 modulates the early inflammatory process and the potential underlying mechanisms in the ovariectomized rat hippocampal CA1 region. G1 was found to markedly reduce pro-inflammatory (iNOS, MHCII, and CD68) and to enhance anti-inflammatory (CD206, Arginase 1, IL1RA, PPARγ, and BDNF) markers after 1 and 3 days of reperfusion after GCI. Intriguingly, the neuroprotection of G1 was blocked by the Aro inhibitor, letrozole. Conversely, the GPER antagonist, G36, inhibited Aro-BDE2 signaling and exacerbated neuronal damage. As a whole, this work demonstrates a novel anti-inflammatory role of GPER, involving a synergistic mediation with BDE2 during the early stage of GCI.
Group I Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Modulate Motility and Enteric Neural Activity in the Mouse Colon
Authors: Leembruggen Anita J. L. , Lu Yuqing , Wang Haozhe , Uzungil Volkan , Renoir Thibault , Hannan Anthony J. , Stamp Lincon A. , Hao Marlene M. , Bornstein Joel C.
Published: January 2023

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and there is evidence that Group-I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu1 and mGlu5) have established roles in excitatory neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. While glutamate is abundantly present in the gut, it plays a smaller role in neurotransmission in the enteric nervous system. In this study, we examined the roles of Group-I mGlu receptors in gastrointestinal function. We investigated the expression of Grm1 (mGlu1) and Grm5 (mGlu5) in the mouse myenteric plexus using RNAscope in situ hybridization. Live calcium imaging and motility analysis were performed on ex vivo preparations of the mouse colon. mGlu5 was found to play a role in excitatory enteric neurotransmission, as electrically-evoked calcium transients were sensitive to the mGlu5 antagonist MPEP. However, inhibition of mGlu5 activity did not affect colonic motor complexes (CMCs). Instead, inhibition of mGlu1 using BAY 36-7620 reduced CMC frequency but did not affect enteric neurotransmission. These data highlight complex roles for Group-I mGlu receptors in myenteric neuron activity and colonic function.
Pro-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human and Murine Intestinal Cell Lines
Authors: Mattioda Virginia , Benedetti Valerio , Tessarolo Carlotta , Oberto Francesca , Favole Alessandra , Gallo Marina , Martelli Walter , Crescio Maria Ines , Berio Enrica , Masoero Loretta , Benedetto Alessandro , Pezzolato Marzia , Bozzetta Elena , Grattarola Carla , Casalone Cristina , Corona Cristiano , Giorda Federica
Published: January 2023

Plastic is a polymer extremely resistant to degradation that can remain for up to hundreds or thousands of years, leading to the accumulation of massive amounts of plastic waste throughout the planet’s ecosystems. Due to exposure to various environmental factors, plastic breaks down into smaller particles named microplastics (1–5000 μm) and nanoplastics (<1 μm). Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous pollutants but, still, little is known about their effects on human and animal health. Herein, our aim is to investigate cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation and correlated gene modulation following exposure to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in HRT-18 and CMT-93 epithelial cell lines. After 6, 24 and 48 h PS-MPs treatment, cell viability (MTT) and oxidative stress (SOD) assays were performed; subsequently, expression changes and cytokines release were investigated by Real-Time PCR and Magnetic-beads panel Multiplex Assay, respectively. For each exposure time, a significantly increased cytotoxicity was observed in both cell lines, whereas SOD activity increased only in CMT-93 cells. Furthermore, Magnetic-beads Multiplex Assay revealed an increased release of IL-8 in HRT-18 cells’ medium, also confirmed by gene expression analysis. Results obtained suggest the presence of a pro-inflammatory pattern induced by PS-MPs treatment that could be related to the observed increase in cytotoxicity.
Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis
Authors: Grigorev Georgii , Lebedev Alexander , Wang Xiaohao , Qian Xiang , Maksimov George , Lin Liwei
Published: January 2023

The utilizations of microfluidic chips for single RBC (red blood cell) studies have attracted great interests in recent years to filter, trap, analyze, and release single erythrocytes for various applications. Researchers in this field have highlighted the vast potential in developing micro devices for industrial and academia usages, including lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip systems. This article critically reviews the current state-of-the-art and recent advances of microfluidics for single RBC analyses, including integrated sensors and microfluidic platforms for microscopic/tomographic/spectroscopic single RBC analyses, trapping arrays (including bifurcating channels), dielectrophoretic and agglutination/aggregation studies, as well as clinical implications covering cancer, sepsis, prenatal, and Sickle Cell diseases. Microfluidics based RBC microarrays, sorting/counting and trapping techniques (including acoustic, dielectrophoretic, hydrodynamic, magnetic, and optical techniques) are also reviewed. Lastly, organs on chips, multi-organ chips, and drug discovery involving single RBC are described. The limitations and drawbacks of each technology are addressed and future prospects are discussed.
Properties Evaluation of Composite Materials Based on Gypsum Plaster and Posidonia Oceanica Fibers
Authors: Guedri Abdessalam , Yahya Kawthar , Hamdi Noureddine , Baeza-Urrea Oscar , Wagner Jean-Frank , Zagrarni Mohamed Faouzi
Published: January 2023

Estimating the amount of material without significant losses at the end of hybrid casting is a problem addressed in this study. To minimize manufacturing costs and improve the accuracy of results, a correction factor (CF) was used in the formula to estimate the volume percent of the material in order to reduce material losses during the sample manufacturing stage, allowing for greater confidence between the approved blending plan and the results obtained. In this context, three material mixing schemes of different sizes and shapes (gypsum plaster, sand (0/2), gravel (2/4), and Posidonia oceanica fibers (PO)) were created to verify the efficiency of CF and more precisely study the physico-mechanical effects on the samples. The results show that the use of a CF can reduce mixing loss to almost 0%. The optimal compressive strength of the sample (S1B) with the lowest mixing loss was 7.50 MPa. Under optimal conditions, the addition of PO improves mix volume percent correction (negligible), flexural strength (5.45%), density (18%), and porosity (3.70%) compared with S1B. On the other hand, the addition of PO thermo-chemical treatment by NaOH increases the compressive strength (3.97%) compared with PO due to the removal of impurities on the fiber surface, as shown by scanning electron microscopy. We then determined the optimal mixture ratio (PO divided by a mixture of plaster, sand, and gravel), which equals 0.0321 because Tunisian gypsum contains small amounts of bassanite and calcite, as shown by the X-ray diffraction results.
Developing a Holistic Resilience Framework for Critical Infrastructure Networks of Buildings and Communities in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alyami Saleh , Abd El Aal Ahmed , Alqahtany Ali , Aldossary Naief , Jamil Rehan , Almohassen Abdulaziz , Alzenifeer Badran , Kamh Hussien , Fenais Amr , Alsalem Ali
Published: January 2023

Cities around the world increasingly recognize the need to build on their resilience to deal with converging forces such as disasters, environmental degradation, urban sprawl, and climate change. Given the significance of critical infrastructure networks (CINs) for maintaining the quality of life in buildings and communities, improving their resilience is of high importance to governors, planners, and policymakers. Therefore, this study is proposed to spatially analyze the resilience of CINs in Saudi Arabia and to develop a holistic resilience framework for buildings and communities. The research method of this study involves a case study of Najran, including a collection of CIN data, history of natural disasters, and future potential hazards. The data were compiled to list the basic parameters required for the development of resilience criteria. Overall results show that CINs in the city of Najran were performing below average compared with the measurement criteria. The study highlights the need to make improvements in terms of the robustness, redundancy, and flexibility of the CINs in the city. Moreover, this paper proposes a holistic framework of key aspects of resilient criteria that need to be taken into account by the city governor, policymakers, and developer bodies for better management of available infrastructure and its development in future years.
Circular-Economy-Based Approach to Utilizing Cardboard in Sustainable Building Construction
Authors: Venkatesan Srikanth , Afroz Mahzabin , Navaratnam Satheeskumar , Gravina Rebecca
Published: January 2023

Circular-economy-based sustainability approaches in construction are gaining wide acceptance due to the volume of waste generation and increasing demand for natural materials. Propelled by the recent timber shortage in Australia and the issues of waste management of cardboard, this study aims to analyse the possibilities of using cardboard as a construction material, based on its initial strength and multiple recycling options. A systematic review of research papers published in the last 40 years has been undertaken using a single keyword search to select the database. The review is presented in terms of the characteristics of the cardboard, dimensional stability, durability, structural strength, design, and analysis of cardboard. Recurring themes are evaluated using a latent Dirichlet allocation approach to identify the factors that ascertain the suitability of cardboard. Analysis reveals that despite certain constraints, such as water absorption and fire resistance, cardboard can be used as a replacement for timber by overcoming such limitations. This observation has benefits for the construction industry and the recycling industry. This study found that cardboard adheres to the circular economy principles, which should inspire policymakers. The paper concludes by highlighting the current circumstances and scientific challenges that impede the usage of cardboard in construction and recommends potential works needed to address these challenges for the benefit of practitioners and researchers.
Who Knew? Dopamine Transporter Activity Is Critical in Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses
Authors: Gopinath Adithya , Mackie Phillip M. , Phan Leah T. , Mirabel Rosa , Smith Aidan R. , Miller Emily , Franks Stephen , Syed Ohee , Riaz Tabish , Law Brian K. , Urs Nikhil , Khoshbouei Habibeh
Published: January 2023

The dopamine transporter (DAT) regulates the dimension and duration of dopamine transmission. DAT expression, its trafficking, protein–protein interactions, and its activity are conventionally studied in the CNS and within the context of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s Diseases and neuropsychiatric diseases such as drug addiction, attention deficit hyperactivity and autism. However, DAT is also expressed at the plasma membrane of peripheral immune cells such as monocytes, macrophages, T-cells, and B-cells. DAT activity via an autocrine/paracrine signaling loop regulates macrophage responses to immune stimulation. In a recent study, we identified an immunosuppressive function for DAT, where blockade of DAT activity enhanced LPS-mediated production of IL-6, TNF-α, and mitochondrial superoxide levels, demonstrating that DAT activity regulates macrophage immune responses. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that in the DAT knockout mice, innate and adaptive immunity are perturbed. We found that genetic deletion of DAT (DAT−/−) results in an exaggerated baseline inflammatory phenotype in peripheral circulating myeloid cells. In peritoneal macrophages obtained from DAT−/− mice, we identified increased MHC-II expression and exaggerated phagocytic response to LPS-induced immune stimulation, suppressed T-cell populations at baseline and following systemic endotoxemia and exaggerated memory B cell expansion. In DAT−/− mice, norepinephrine and dopamine levels are increased in spleen and thymus, but not in circulating serum. These findings in conjunction with spleen hypoplasia, increased splenic myeloid cells, and elevated MHC-II expression, in DAT−/− mice further support a critical role for DAT activity in peripheral immunity. While the current study is only focused on identifying the role of DAT in peripheral immunity, our data point to a much broader implication of DAT activity than previously thought. This study is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Marc Caron who has left an indelible mark in the dopamine transporter field.
An Estimation of Local Residual Stresses in Amorphous and Crystallized Trivalent Chromium Coatings
Authors: Guillon Robin , Stéphan Cédric , Balcaen Yannick , Josse Claudie , Fori Benoit , Dalverny Olivier , Alexis Joel
Published: January 2023

Hard chromium coatings have demonstrated their performance for several decades, particularly for their wear and corrosion resistance properties. However, the traditional process using chromium trioxide (CrO3) is very toxic and is intended to disappear in the European Union by 2024, thanks to the REACH regulation. This study aimed to determine the residual stress of amorphous chromium deposits elaborated from baths containing trivalent chromium ions. However, the amorphous structure of these deposits does not allow the determination of residual stresses by conventional means. In this study, we propose adapting a recent method called “FIB-DIC”, which is not limited by the material’s crystalline structure compared to the classical X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The method is based on the measurement of relaxation-induced displacement fields following the ablation of material on a very local scale. The results obtained by the classical (XRD) and the FIB-DIC method on crystallized heat-treated Cr(III) deposits are 296 ± 45 and 377 ± 275 MPa. Then, the FIB-DIC technique allowed us to evaluate a residual stress level of 479 ± 359 MPa for amorphous trivalent chromium coating, which has never been performed before.
Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and First Principles Calculations of Mo/VC Multilayers
Authors: Wang Chen , Xu Wenya , Li Hongfu , Liu Yanming , Lv Xianghong , Liu Wenting , Jin Na , Tong Lijia
Published: January 2023

In the present work, Mo/VC multilayers with constant period (10 nm) and different modulation ratios (from 6:4 to 9:1) were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering. We investigated the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mo/VC multilayers. XRD and TEM results indicated that Mo was a bcc structure and VC was a NaCl B1 (fcc) structure. An HRTEM image revealed the coherent interfaces between the Mo and VC layers. Hardness and toughness were studied using the Nanoindent and Microindent methods, respectively. It was found that the multilayers hardness remained as high as ~22 GPa, while the toughness increased from 2.91 to 4.70 MPa·m1/2 and the modulation ratio varied from 6:4 to 9:1. The enhancement of both hardness and toughness is attributed to the interfaces and the lamellated structure. The first-principles method was also used to determine the most stable interface model and the formation mechanism of the interface between the Mo and VC layers.
Secular Trends of Liver Cancer Mortality and Years of Life Lost in Wuhan, China 2010–2019
Authors: Zhao Yuanyuan , Yang Donghui , Yan Yaqiong , Zhang Xiaoxia , Yang Niannian , Guo Yan , Yu Chuanhua
Published: January 2023

Background: Liver cancer has caused a heavy burden worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the trends in the mortality and years of life lost (YLL) due to liver cancer and decompose the total deaths into three contributors: population growth, population aging, and mortality change. Methods: Our study used data from the cause-of-death surveillance system in Wuhan. The mortality and YLL rates were standardized according to the sixth national population census in China. This study calculated the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) to estimate the trends in the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized YLL rate (ASYR). Meanwhile, a decomposition analysis was used to explore the effect of population growth, population aging, and age-specific mortality change on the change in liver cancer deaths. Results: The ASMR of liver cancer declined at an annual rate of 4.6% from 30.87 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 20.29 per 100,000 people in 2019, while the ASYR was at an annual rate of 5.6% from 969.35 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 581.82 per 100,000 people in 2019. Similar downward trends were seen in men and women. The decomposition analysis found that total deaths number changed by −12.42% from 2010 to 2019, of which population growth and population aging caused the total death numbers to increase by 9.75% and 21.15%, while the age-specific mortality change caused the total death numbers to decrease by 43.32%. Conclusion: Although the ASMR of liver cancer has declined in recent years in Wuhan, it still causes a heavy burden with the increasing population and rapid population aging and remains an essential public health issue. The government should take measures to reduce the burden of liver cancer, especially among men.
Effect of Different Durations of Adjuvant Capecitabine Monotherapy on the Outcome of High-Risk Stage II and Stage III Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Study Based on a CRC Database
Authors: Yu Qiao , Li Zhigui , Liu Yuqing , Luo Yichen , Fan Jingya , Xie Peijun , Cao Xiaoman , Chen Xingyu , Wang Xiaodong
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: The duration of adjuvant chemotherapy recommended by the NCCN guidelines is 6 months. However, patients are not compliant with intravenous chemotherapy for many reasons; therefore, one approach is to obtain a survival benefit by prolonging the duration of capecitabine monotherapy. (2) Methods: A total of 355 qualified colorectal cancer (CRC) patients from January 2010 to December 2020 at West China Hospital of Sichuan University were selected to receive capecitabine monotherapy for 6–9 months and >12 months. The main endpoints were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). (3) Results: Among stage III patients, in the >12 months (12M) and 6–9 months (6M) groups, the 5-year DFS rates were 80.7%% and 66.8%, respectively, and the 5-year OS rates were 94.7%% and 88.8%, respectively. Among high-risk stage II patients, in the >12 months (12M) and 6–9 months (6M) groups, the 5-year DFS rates were 81.5% and 78.6%, respectively, and the 5-year OS rates were 93.1% and 84.2%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: Twelve months of chemotherapy demonstrated superior OS and DFS to that of six months in the stage III group but showed no difference in the high-risk stage II group. The better OS and DFS observed in the 12-month treatment period could be of value in selected cases.
Differential Diagnosis of Visual Phenomena Associated with Migraine: Spotlight on Aura and Visual Snow Syndrome
Authors: Barral Eliseo , Martins Silva Elisa , García-Azorín David , Viana Michele , Puledda Francesca
Published: January 2023

Migraine is a severe and common primary headache disorder, characterized by pain as well as a plethora of non-painful symptoms. Among these, visual phenomena have long been known to be associated with migraine, to the point where they can constitute a hallmark of the disease itself. In this review we focus on two key visual disorders that are directly or indirectly connected to migraine: visual aura and visual snow syndrome (VSS). Visual aura is characterized by the transient presence of positive and negative visual symptoms, before, during or outside of a migraine attack. VSS is a novel stand-alone phenomenon which has been shown to be comorbid with migraine. We discuss key clinical features of the two disorders, including pathophysiological mechanisms, their differential diagnoses and best treatment practices. Our aim is to provide an aid for clinicians and researchers in recognizing these common visual phenomena, which can even appear simultaneously in patients with an underlying migraine biology.