bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Svijet Biblije – neophodan kontekst kod proučavanja Starog zavjeta
Authors: Bajić Monika
Published: December 2021

The Bible was not originally written for the modern reader, but the testimony of the Church is that it continues to speak God’s word to readers/hearers today. However, many modern Bible readers come across texts that need further explanation because the biblical authors did not offer clarification of their writings. They assumed the readers of their time were familiar with the background and could understand the reported events without further explanation. To achieve a “legit” interpretation of Old Testament texts, we first need to understand Scripture correctly, meaning that the biblical text must be read in its narrower and broader context. Only within a context does it become clear what the author meant to say. The main argument of this article is to exhibit that the Bible can only be fully understood against the backdrop of the Ant Near East (ANE). The broader context consists of the knowledge of surrounding nations during Bible times (i.e., Hebrew Bible). By examining ANE texts and archeological findings we achieve a more complete and enriched comprehension of a given scriptural text or passage. This article exhibits through some concrete examples how archeological findings, inscriptions, and Ancient Near East texts can aid in understanding the broader context of the Old Testament world. In return, the wider context of the Bible world can enlighten or clarify a difficult, incomprehensible, or ambiguous biblical text and henceforth scriptural interpretation become more accurate and closer to the original message and meaning.
Njemački evangelici u područjima Moslavine i Bilogore, II. dio
Authors: Župančić Vatroslav
Published: December 2021

The article researches the migrations of German Protestants in the area of
Moslavina and Bilogora after the issuing of the Protestant Patent and religious
liberalization in the second half of the 19th century. First, we research the regional
background of the settlers (colonists), and we go on to follow the development
of their church communities and parishes. After this, we describe the specific
settlements with an absolute or relative German Protestant majority, as well as
the historical circumstances of their church organization. Finally, we use sources, literature, and oral history (i.e., interviews) as we research the processes of migration and evacuation of German settlers and Protestants from those parts, as well
as the destinies of their pastors and preachers during and after WWII.
Due to the scope of the research, the article was divided into two parts. In part 1,
the emphasis was on migrations, the settlers’ confessional background, and the
founding of the first two large parishes in the region. In part 2, we will describe
other parishes and their branches, their development, and stages of abandonment, as well as the description of their final spiritual workers’ activities.
Crkva kao sud
Authors: Budiselić Ervin
Published: December 2021

The Church in the New Testament is described with various images, and this article argues that one image that is implicitly present in the New Testament is the Church as a “court” or a “community of trial.” First, this can be argued because the God of the Bible – YHWH - is Creator, King, and Judge. That means that YHWH’s community is responsible, per YHWH’s revelation, to maintain the purity of its members in all aspects of life. Second, in the New Testament, we find examples where the Church functions as a court. However, the question is, does the biblical requirement for “two or three witnesses” also support the claim that the Church should function as a court?
The purpose of this article is to identify places where the biblical command about “two or three witnesses appear,” to trace its development and to see what role and place it plays in the Church. By doing so, we would demonstrate that the presence of this stipulation in the New Testament is additional proof that we should sometimes view the Church as a “court.” The first part of the article explains that the context for the concept of witness is the Mosaic covenant and underlying assumption that governs the command about “two and three witnesses.” The second part analyzes the appearance of “two or three witnesses” in the Old Testament. In the third part, we will argue that the Church is truly a community of trial. We will so argue by observing selected examples from the New Testament where the Church functions as a court, and by tracking the development of the requirement about “two or three witnesses” in the New Testament. Based on this research, we will end by offering a reflection and a conclusion.
A-teistički Krist: kenoza kao način identifikacije s ateistima u teologiji Anthonyja Blooma
Authors: Stanciu Teofil
Published: December 2021

For Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, the kenosis of Christ climaxes with his God-forsakenness on the cross. It is this aspect of kenosis that the present article tries to explore and build upon. One key element will be the meaning of the concept of “a-theist” Christ – coined by Bloom – and how this status of the incarnated Son can function as a basis for our identification and solidarity with today’s atheists. By the way of kenosis, the incarnation brings together in one hypostasis the divine and human nature. This reality endowed both our nature and created order with significant dignity. This paper explores the possibilities from this dignity and how it can serve as a bridge for dialogue with humanists and materialists. As Bloom suggests, this can open the discussion towards the secular world and Christians could take some responsibility for the process of secularization. The objective of this article is to demonstrate that Anthony Bloom’s controversial idea of “a-theist” Christ can become a connection point with the other and a mirror in which western Christians might look at some of their anthropological shortcomings that hamper their solidarity and dialogue with those who do not share the faith in God.
Análisis de la prosodia semántica y su aplicación en la enseñanza del español a sinohablantes
Authors:   Shanghai International Studies University, Cao Yufei , Peng Shuqin ,   Shanghai International Studies University
Published: December 2021

En el marco de la lingüística de corpus y con base en el Corpus del Español del Siglo XXI y el Corpus Nacional de Chino Contemporáneo, con el método propuesto por Zhao y Li (2010) y analizado mediante el programa AntConc, este trabajo realiza un análisis de la prosodia semántica con el caso ejemplificado del adverbio de grado español demasiado y su equivalente en chino ?(tài), asimismo, indaga en su aplicación didáctica. Las conclusiones del estudio son las siguientes: 1. Tanto demasiado como ?(tài) cuentan con una prosodia semántica mixta y sus usos frecuentemente expresan una actitud negativa o neutral; 2. Al igual que?(tài), demasiado es usado como un tipo de eufemismo en oraciones negativas; 3. Demasiado en comparación con ?(tài) expresa en menos ocasiones una actitud positiva; 4. Al impartir el español a sinohablantes, el estudio de la prosodia semántica puede contribuir a la profundización del análisis semántico de las palabras, visualizar sus combinaciones más frecuentes y evitar la transferencia negativa del chino.
Autoficción y decadencia: un diálogo con la escuela buraiha japonesa, en “Manos de diamante” de Andrés Felipe Solano
Authors:   Seoul National University, Macías María Claudia , Gómez Michel Gerardo ,   Busan University of Foreign Studies
Published: December 2021

En este artículo se examina el cuento “Manos de diamante” de Andrés Felipe Solano, analizando la configuración del diálogo entre el narrador autobiográfico y el concepto de decadencia de la escuela japonesa buraiha, mediante el cual se estructura una narrativa del yo en confrontación con los signos de los tiempos de la modernidad actual. Se revisa, primeramente, la trayectoria y el contexto histórico de los escritores buraiha para comprender, en un segundo momento, cómo el autor colombiano construye en el relato un pacto ambiguo de lectura que transita entre una ficción al estilo buraiha y una crónica de la deriva existencial del narrador-autor. Finalmente, se expone de qué manera los elementos propios de la autoficción permiten revelar en el cuento la desintegración del yo y la deriva identitaria en nuestra época.
MISUSE OF ISLAMIC ATTRIBUTES IN FOOD PRODUCTS LABELLING AND MARKETING IN MALAYSIA
Authors: Osman Suraiya , Jalil Abdullaah , Ab Rahman Suhaimi
Published: December 2021

Various marketing techniques have been used to capture consumers' attention. Among them is using Islamic attributes. This practice has led to various negative impacts on the consumers and the Islamic dignity itself. The aim of this study is to identify the misuse of Islamic attributes in food products’ labelling and to investigate the extent to which the use of Islamic attributes impacts the consumer and the Islamic dignity. In order to achieve the objectives, library research was carried out to collect relevant information. The materials also include online materials gathered from Google search engine. The materials are not only limited to the English language but also cover Malay language materials. The qualitative data from the library study was analyzed using the content analysis method. There are various types of misuse; first, is Quran-related such as Ruqyah, secondly Sunnah-related such as using the term Prophetic foods or the word Sunnah itself, thirdly by using Islamic icons. Fourthly, by using Islamic act of worships such as prostration in prayers and the fifth category is using an Islamic or Muslim’s name. The last category is by using Jawi writings or Arabic terms in the label or trademark. These marketing techniques may lead to numerous effects, among others degrading the authority of Sunnah, health concern and exploiting Islam for commercial gain. The findings may act as a starting point to the policymakers in proposing some guidelines on the use of Islamic attributes in food product labeling and marketing in Malaysia.
Investigating Ivy
Authors: Scott Sharron , Johnson Jennifer , Hardaway Ayana , Galloway Tiffany
Published: December 2021

This qualitative study examined how race and class shaped the college choice process and collegiate experiences of Black undergraduates attending Ivy League Institutions. Findings revealed that although social class did not play a significant role in participants’ college choice process, robust financial aid packaging significantly impacted their decision to attend a highly selective university. Racial identity was largely viewed by participants as a vehicle to admit more Black Immigrant students than Black Native students in order to achieve institutional diversity/affirmative action goals. Prevalent racialized incidents and institutional racism shaped participants’ collegiate experiences. The findings of this study are expected to have implications for minority recruitment, college choice, access and equity, as well as higher education diversity initiatives.
Is Choosing a Major Choosing a Career or Interesting Courses? An Investigation into College Students’ Orientations for College Majors and Their Stability
Authors: Gillis Alanna , Ryberg Renee
Published: December 2021

Students’ orientations towards choosing their college majors lead them to make different major choices with long-term stratification implications. In this paper, we investigate what orientations students use to choose their majors, how these orientations vary by student characteristics, how stable orientations are across the first year of college, and what mechanisms might explain how orientations change. We use mixed-methods data from an original longitudinal survey (N=1,117) and longitudinal in-depth interviews with 50 first-year students at UNC-Chapel Hill (N=146 interviews). We find that students rely on many different orientations, including learning interesting things and helping others, and that their most important orientations frequently change during the first year of college. These findings challenge the existing assumption that major orientations are stable and suggest the need to incorporate changing orientations into models of the major decision process if we hope to successfully intervene to disrupt inequality reproduction.
Derivative Lawsuit in Ukraine: The Issue of Improving Legal Regulation
Authors: Smirnov Heorhii
Published: December 2021

Background: Some jurisdictions provide for the right of members of a corporation to sue on its behalf and in its interests. This remedy is called ‘a derivative action’ (derivative lawsuit), and the right to file such a lawsuit is granted to a company’s members in case the wrongdoers are in its control, preventing the company from taking actions to protect its rights and interests – which is detrimental to the interests and rights of minority shareholders. However, derivative lawsuit’s regulation differs in each jurisdiction despite sharing common features, raising a variety of issues to be resolved.

Methods: In this article, the author points out several issues and their possible solutions, which could be implemented in Ukrainian legislation: property qualification by itself cannot prevent abuse in filing a derivative lawsuit – extended ‘locus standi’ has to be implemented; holders of preferred shares have to be granted the right to file a derivative lawsuit; property qualification has to be substituted with a representation quota for members of non-entrepreneurial corporations; the circle of defendants should include major members (majority of members) and third parties, etc.

Results and Conclusions: The concepts of a preventive derivative lawsuit and a derivative lawsuit for the invalidation of a company’s transaction and possible issues regarding them are analysed. Additionally, the necessity for implementing a ‘business judgement rule’ is emphasised.
Greater accountability in nursing handover
Authors: Zolkefli Yusrita
Published: December 2021

Nursing handover exemplifies both the nurse’s professional ethics and the profession’s integrity. The article by Yetti et al. acknowledges the critical role of structure and process in handover implementation. At the same time, they emphasised the fundamental necessity to establish and update handover guidelines. I assert that effective patient handover practices do not simply happen; instead, nurses require pertinent educational support. It is also pivotal to develop greater professional accountability throughout the handover process. The responsibility for ensuring consistent handover quality should be shared between nurse managers and those who do the actual handover practices.
Assessment and Management of Strategic Priorities of Innovative and Scientific and Technological Development of the Textile Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Authors: Nazarmatov O.
Published: December 2021

For the breakthrough development of textile manufacturers, the necessity of using endogenous models of the industry's economic growth has been substantiated. A methodological approach to managing the potential of the textile industry has been developed, which makes it possible to timely determine the directions of development. The most appropriate approach to digital transformation of the textile and clothing industry is the process model.
Features and Priority Directions of Innovative Processes Development in the Republic of Uzbekistan
Authors: Ashurov M.
Published: December 2021

The article is devoted to the formation and development of the innovation system of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The article examines, analyzes and describes the human factor, demography and changes in the labor market, the reasons and factors affecting the formation and development of the innovation system, problems and solutions that are the main drivers of innovation in the country. According to the results of the analysis carried out by the author, it has been established that statistics show that the existing trends in the system of innovative activity persist, there is an increase, but in practice there is a very weak growth of this activity. Based on these results, the necessary priorities are proposed for the rapid growth and development of innovative activities in the country.
Some Aspects of Improvement of Management Mechanisms of Housing and Communal Services in Uzbekistan
Authors: Zhuraeva N.
Published: December 2021

The methodological aspects of the system of indicators for assessing the effectiveness of activities in the field of housing and communal services and its effectiveness have been investigated. The scorecard is classified into groups. The method for determining the integral indicator for these groups has been improved. Based on the values of the integral indicator, the assessment of the state of the housing and communal services in the territory is substantiated.
Role of serum calprotectin in diagnosis of inﬂammatory bowel diseases in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (preliminary results)
Authors: Lukina G. V. , Kulakova P. I. , Novikov A. A. , Alexandrova E. N. , Savenkova N. A. , Volnukhin E. V. , Kovshik A. N. , Klimets A. G.
Published: December 2021

Background. Patients with inﬂammatory bowel diseases (IBD) often have lesions of the musculoskeletal system, which is an extra-intestinal manifestation and mainly belongs to the group of seronegative spondyloarthritis (SPA). Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is one of the main forms of diseases from the group of spondyloarthritis, associated with IBD. The frequency of AS in patients with IBD is of interest for elucidating the general pathophysiology of diseases. Colonoscopy is required to diagnose intestinal pathology. Colonoscopy in patients with AS to detect IBD, especially in the absence of intestinal symptoms, is very diffcult. Mainly for the diagnosis of IBD, the defnition of fecal calprotectin is used. Recently, there has been an interest in serum calprotectin, an increase in which is associated with a higher activity of the disease and is a marker of the intensity of inﬂammation in the intestine. However, there is currently no consensus on the clinical signifcance for serum calprotectin.

The aim. To evaluate the role of serum calprotectin in diagnosis of inﬂammatory bowel disease in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Materials and methods. In the analysis were included 50 patients with AS, fulflling the modifed New York criteria, among them were 36 (72%) men and 14 (28%) women, the mean age of patients was 42.5 ± 9.9, mean disease duration was 13.4 ± 8.7 years. All patients were examined with ESR, CRP, FC (range: 100–1800 µg/g), esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy and quantitative analysis of the SC level using ELISA (Buhlmann MRP8/14 ELISA, range: 0.4–3.9 µg/ml).

Results. All patients had a high disease activity, mean BASDAI was 5.3 ± 1.8, mean ASDAS CRP was 3.7 ± 1.01, mean ASDAS ESR was 3.6 ± 1.01. 78% patients had high FC level (more than 100 µg/g), while only 18% patients had an increase of SC level. IBD were diagnosed in 11 cases: 6 (12%) patients with CD and 5 (10%) patients with UC, in the remaining cases (78%) was no intestinal pathology. Only two patients with IBD had a high SC level. SC level was more correlated with ESR (r = 0.5) and CRP (r = 0.5) (p < 0.05) levels, than with FC level (r = 0.4) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion. The results have shown that there was currently insuffcient data to assess the possibility of using SC in the diagnosis of IBD in patients with AS. There was a signifcant association between the SC, CRP and ESR, but not fecal calprotectin. Potentially SC may be more representative for systemic inﬂammation than intestinal inﬂammation.
Complications and causes of mortality in patients with primary necrotizing systemic vasculitis
Authors: Mazurov V. I. , Belyaeva I. B. , Chudinov A. L. , Inamova O. V.
Published: December 2021

The article reviews the clinical symptoms, main complications in patients with ANCA-associated systemic vasculitis (granulomatous with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, eosinophilic granulomatous with polyangiitis) and polyarteritis nodosa during the first three years of the disease. We evaluated the relationship between complications and long-term glucocorticosteroid therapy. Patients with granulomatosis had the most unfavourable course of the disease with a high risk of complications. A high incidence of ischemic strokes and chronic kidney disease in patients with microscopic polyangiitis has been identified. We also analyzed cases of lethal outcomes in patients with primary systemic vasculitis.
Diagnostic value of monospecifc DFS70 antibodies in systemic utoimmune rheumatic diseases
Authors: Aleksandrova E. N. , Novikov A. A. , Klyukvina N. G. , Vasiliev V. I. , Lukina G. V.
Published: December 2021

The detection in serum of monospecifc antibodies that induce a dense fne-speckled ﬂuorescence when interacting with the DFS70 / LEDGF / p75 nuclear antigen is negatively associated with the development of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) and increases the diagnostic specifcity of the screening study of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) using indirect immunoﬂuorescence on HEp-2 cells (IIF-HEp-2). The results of assessing the clinical signifcance of anti-DFS70 antibodies vary depending on the test systems and the selection of patient groups. The aim of this work is to study the frequency of detection of monospecifc anti-DFS70 antibodies in blood serum in healthy individuals and patients with SARD. Sera of 74 healthy donors and 59 patients with SARD were studied (27 – systemic lupus erythematosus – SLE, 15 – Sjogren's syndrome – SjS, 17 – rheumatoid arthritis – RA). Classical antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-DFS70 antibodies were determined by IIF using a mixture of standard and genetically engineered DFS70-KO HEp-2 cells that do not express DFS70 / LEDGF / p75 as a substrate. 14.9% of healthy donors and 83.1% of SARD patients (96.3% – SLE, 100.0% – SS, 47.1% – RA) were seropositive for antinuclear factor (ANF). Classical ANA with homogeneous, speckled, nucleolar, cytoplasmic, mixed types of ﬂuorescence and the absence of anti-DFS70 antibodies were found in all ANF-positive patients with SARD and in 8.1% of healthy donors. Monospecifc anti-DFS70 antibodies without classical ANA were detected in 6.8% of healthy individuals and were absent in SARS. Among ANF-positive healthy donors, the frequency of isolated detection of anti-DFS70 antibodies was 45.5%. The detection of monospecifc anti-DFS70 antibodies can be considered as a potential predictive marker for excluding the diagnosis of SARD in ANF-positive patients with no or unclear clinical signs of these diseases.
Osteoporosis in rheumatic diseases
Authors: Evstigneeva L. P.
Published: December 2021

The article presents a review of studies that have examined osteoporosis in rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, spondylarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic connective tissue diseases, and systemic vasculitis. The review discusses the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in these diseases, presents the results of epidemiological studies assessing the risk factors and the prevalence of osteoporosis in rheumatic diseases. There was a high prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures in rheumatic diseases, exceeding the population, associated primarily with systemic and local inﬂammation, as well as with the intake of glucocorticoids. It is indicated that the existing strategies for the treatment of rheumatic diseases may partially reduce bone loss, but long-term administration of glucocorticoids, on the contrary, increase bone resorption. The review presents data on the medications for the treatment of osteoporosis and approaches to the treatment of glucocorticoid osteoporosis.
Sewage sludge management at the central wastewater treatment plant Ljubljana
Authors: Mislej Vesna , Grilc Viktor , Novosel Barbara , Mladenovič Ana , Zalar Serjun Vesna
Published: December 2021

The treated sewage sludge under consideration is a hygienized biodegradable waste in the form of pellets. It can be used as a fertilizer, but only for spreading on non-agricultural land. Regarding “waste to energy” philosophy, the specification of pellets as an alternative solid fuel according to EN 15359 resulted in “NCV4; Cl1; Hg3-4” class. The major problem regarding the final pellets utilization is the lack of facilities for energy and material recovery from this type of waste in Slovenia. According to the newest legislation regarding the waste management, a product status for residues generated in combustion and pyrolysis of pellets on a laboratory and semi-pilot scale was not achieved. The holistic approach to final pellets utilization was studied and regarding the full-scale level of self-sufficient sewage sludge management in Slovenia, some legislative provisions become significant obstacles.
An introduction to heavy metal pollution and different technologies
available for remediation
Authors: Ramanlal Dharitri , Kumar Rita , Kumar Nirmal , Thakkar Rashmi
Published: December 2021

This paper revises the fundamental facts about potentially toxic elements belonging to the group of heavy metals. The study highlights the ongoing soil pollution status affected by these non-biodegradable elements, the basic characteristics of these metals that make them toxic, their mode of accumulation in different trophic levels, their toxic effect on human beings and the probable remediation technologies being used to remediate soils contaminated with heavy metal when the pollution problem has evolved. The technologies focused on solidification, soil washing, soil flushing, electro-kinetic remediation and phytoremediation are presented. The choice of the technology to be used for remediation depends on the condition of the soil and the extent of contamination. Conventional electro-kinetics is the most effective and rapid technology, but on the scale of ecosystem restoration, phytoremediation is an eco-friendly, green and cost-effective solution.
ATXN10 Is Required for Embryonic Heart Development and Maintenance of Epithelial Cell Phenotypes in the Adult Kidney and Pancreas
Authors: Bentley-Ford Melissa R. , Andersen Reagan S. , Croyle Mandy J. , Haycraft Courtney J. , Clearman Kelsey R. , Foote Jeremy B. , Reiter Jeremy F. , Yoder Bradley K.
Published: December 2021

Atxn10 is a gene known for its role in cytokinesis and is associated with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA10), a slowly progressing cerebellar syndrome caused by an intragenic pentanucleotide repeat expansion. Atxn10 is also implicated in the ciliopathy syndromes nephronophthisis (NPHP) and Joubert syndrome (JBTS), which are caused by the disruption of cilia function leading to nephron loss, impaired renal function, and cerebellar hypoplasia. How Atxn10 disruption contributes to these disorders remains unknown. Here, we generated Atxn10 congenital and conditional mutant mouse models. Our data indicate that while ATXN10 protein can be detected around the base of the cilium as well as in the cytosol, its loss does not cause overt changes in cilia formation or morphology. Congenital loss of Atxn10 results in embryonic lethality around E10.5 associated with pericardial effusion and loss of trabeculation. Similarly, tissue-specific loss of ATXN10 in the developing endothelium (Tie2-Cre) and myocardium (cTnT-Cre) also results in embryonic lethality with severe cardiac malformations occurring in the latter. Using an inducible Cagg-CreER to disrupt ATXN10 systemically at postnatal stages, we show that ATXN10 is also required for survival in adult mice. Loss of ATXN10 results in severe pancreatic and renal abnormalities leading to lethality within a few weeks post ATXN10 deletion in adult mice. Evaluation of these phenotypes further identified rapid epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in these tissues. In the pancreas, the phenotype includes signs of both acinar to ductal metaplasia and EMT with aberrant cilia formation and severe defects in glucose homeostasis related to pancreatic insufficiency or defects in feeding or nutrient intake. Collectively, this study identifies ATXN10 as an essential protein for survival.
Clathrin Light Chains: Not to Be Taken so Lightly
Authors: Das Jyoti , Tiwari Mahak , Subramanyam Deepa
Published: December 2021

Clathrin is a cytosolic protein involved in the intracellular trafficking of a wide range of cargo. It is composed of three heavy chains and three light chains that together form a triskelion, the subunit that polymerizes to form a clathrin coated vesicle. In addition to its role in membrane trafficking, clathrin is also involved in various cellular and biological processes such as chromosomal segregation during mitosis and organelle biogenesis. Although the role of the heavy chains in regulating important physiological processes has been well documented, we still lack a complete understanding of how clathrin light chains regulate membrane traffic and cell signaling. This review highlights the importance and contributions of clathrin light chains in regulating clathrin assembly, vesicle formation, endocytosis of selective receptors and physiological and developmental processes.
Sprifermin: Effects on Cartilage Homeostasis and Therapeutic Prospects in Cartilage-Related Diseases
Authors: Song Zongmian , Li Yusheng , Shang Chunfeng , Shang Guowei , Kou Hongwei , Li Jinfeng , Chen Songfeng , Liu Hongjian
Published: December 2021

When suffering from osteoarthritis (OA), articular cartilage homeostasis is out of balance and the living quality declines. The treatment of knee OA has always been an unsolved problem in the world. At present, symptomatic treatment is mainly adopted for OA. Drug therapy is mainly used to relieve pain symptoms, but often accompanied with adverse reactions; surgical treatment involves the problem of poor integration between the repaired or transplanted tissues and the natural cartilage, leading to the failure of repair. Biotherapy which aims to promote cartilage in situ regeneration and to restore endochondral homeostasis is expected to be an effective method for the prevention and treatment of OA. Disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) are intended for targeted treatment of OA. The DMOADs prevent excessive destruction of articular cartilage through anti-catabolism and stimulate tissue regeneration via excitoanabolic effects. Sprifermin (recombinant human FGF18, rhFGF18) is an effective DMOAD, which can not only promote the proliferation of articular chondrocyte and the synthesis of extracellular matrix, increase the thickness of cartilage in a dose-dependent manner, but also inhibit the activity of proteolytic enzymes and remarkedly slow down the degeneration of cartilage. This paper reviews the unique advantages of Sprifermin in repairing cartilage injury and improving cartilage homeostasis, aiming to provide an important strategy for the effective prevention and treatment of cartilage injury-related diseases.
Surface Activity and Efficiency of Cat-Anionic Surfactant Mixtures
Authors: La Mesa Camillo , Risuleo Gianfranco
Published: December 2021

The surface activity of surfactant mixtures is critically analyzed. Cat-anionic systems, in which two ionic species are mixed in non-stoichiometric ratios, are considered. With respect to the solution behavior, where a substantial decrease of cmc is met compared to the pure components, a moderate effect on surface tension, γ, occurs. Compared to the pure species, the decrease of surface tension for such mixtures is not significant, and no clear dependence on the mole fraction anionic/cationic is met. The surface tension is grossly constant in the whole concentration range. Conversely, the interaction parameter for surfaces, βsurf (calculated by the regular solution theory), is more negative than that for micelle formation, βmic. This fact suggests that the desolvation of polar heads of the two species at interfaces is largely different. Very presumably, the underlying rationale finds origin in the sizes and solvation of both polar head groups.
Impact of Two Antibiotic Therapies on Clinical Outcome and Gut Microbiota Profile in Liver Transplant Paediatric Candidates Colonized by Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae CR-KP
Authors: Cardile Sabrina , Del Chierico Federica , Candusso Manila , Reddel Sofia , Bernaschi Paola , Pietrobattista Andrea , Spada Marco , Torre Giuliano , Putignani Lorenza
Published: December 2021

Colonization by multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms in liver transplant (LT) candidates significantly affects the LT outcome. To date, consensus about patient management is lacking, including microbiological screening indications. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) colonization in LT paediatric candidates to enable optimal prevention and therapeutic strategies that exploit both clinical and microbiological approaches. Seven paediatric patients colonized by CR-KP were evaluated before and until one-year post LT. At the time of the transplant, patients were stratified based on antibiotic (ATB) prophylaxis into two groups: ‘standard ATB’ (standard ATB prophylaxis), and ‘targeted ATB’ (MDR antibiogram-based ATB prophylaxis). Twenty-eight faecal samples were collected during follow-up and used for MDR screening and gut microbiota 16S rRNA-based profiling. Post-transplant hospitalization duration was comparable for both groups. With the exception of one patient, no serious infections and/or complications, nor deaths were recorded. A progressive MDR decontamination was registered. In the ‘standard ATB’ group, overall bacterial richness increased. Moreover, 6 months after LT, Lactobacillus and Bulleidia were increased and Enterobacteriaceae and Klebsiella spp. were reduced. In the ‘targeted ATB’ group Klebsiella spp., Ruminococcus gnavus, Erysipelotrichaceae, and Bifidobacterium spp. were increased 12 months after LT. In conclusion, both antibiotics prophylaxis do not affect nor LT outcomes or the risk of intestinal bacterial translocation. However, in the ‘standard ATB’ group, gut microbiota richness after LT was increased, with an increase of beneficial lactic acid- and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)-producing bacteria and the reduction of harmful Enterobacteriaceae and Klebsiella spp. It could therefore be appropriate to administer standard prophylaxis, reserving the use of ATB-based molecules only in case of complications.
Salivary Microbiome in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Detected by 16S rRNA Sequencing and Shotgun Metagenomics
Authors: Jiang Qian , Liu Xing , Yang Qifen , Chen Liang , Yang Deqin
Published: December 2021

Microorganisms are confirmed to be closely related to the occurrence and development of cancers in human beings. However, there has been no published report detailing relationships between the oral microbiota and salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC). In this study, unstimulated saliva was collected from 13 SACC patients and 10 healthy controls. The microbial diversities, compositions and functions were comprehensively analyzed after 16S rRNA sequencing and whole-genome shotgun metagenomic sequencing. The alpha diversity showed no significant difference between SACC patients and healthy controls, while beta diversity showed a separation trend. The SACC patients showed higher abundances of Streptococcus and Rothia, while Prevotella and Alloprevotella were more abundant in healthy controls. The prevalent KEGG pathways, carbohydrate-active enzymes, antibiotic resistances and virulence factors as well as the biomarkers in SACC were determined by functional gene analysis. Our study preliminarily investigated the salivary microbiome of SACC patients compared with healthy controls and might be the basis for further studies on novel diagnostic and treatment strategies.
Histopathology-Based Deep-Learning Predicts Atherosclerotic Lesions in Intravascular Imaging
Authors: Holmberg Olle , Lenz Tobias , Koch Valentin , Alyagoob Aseel , Utsch Léa , Rank Andreas , Sabic Emina , Seguchi Masaru , Xhepa Erion , Kufner Sebastian , Cassese Salvatore , Kastrati Adnan , Marr Carsten , Joner Michael , Nicol Philipp
Published: December 2021

Background: Optical coherence tomography is a powerful modality to assess atherosclerotic lesions, but detecting lesions in high-resolution OCT is challenging and requires expert knowledge. Deep-learning algorithms can be used to automatically identify atherosclerotic lesions, facilitating identification of patients at risk. We trained a deep-learning algorithm (DeepAD) with co-registered, annotated histopathology to predict atherosclerotic lesions in optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: Two datasets were used for training DeepAD: (i) a histopathology data set from 7 autopsy cases with 62 OCT frames and co-registered histopathology for high quality manual annotation and (ii) a clinical data set from 51 patients with 222 OCT frames in which manual annotations were based on clinical expertise only. A U-net based deep convolutional neural network (CNN) ensemble was employed as an atherosclerotic lesion prediction algorithm. Results were analyzed using intersection over union (IOU) for segmentation.

Results: DeepAD showed good performance regarding the prediction of atherosclerotic lesions, with a median IOU of 0.68 ± 0.18 for segmentation of atherosclerotic lesions. Detection of calcified lesions yielded an IOU = 0.34. When training the algorithm without histopathology-based annotations, a performance drop of >0.25 IOU was observed. The practical application of DeepAD was evaluated retrospectively in a clinical cohort (n = 11 cases), showing high sensitivity as well as specificity and similar performance when compared to manual expert analysis.

Conclusion: Automated detection of atherosclerotic lesions in OCT is improved using a histopathology-based deep-learning algorithm, allowing accurate detection in the clinical setting. An automated decision-support tool based on DeepAD could help in risk prediction and guide interventional treatment decisions.
Not Baseline Atrial Fibrillation but New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation and the Loss of Left Atrial Function Are Essential for Predicting Poor Outcomes in Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Okune Mana , Yasuda Masakazu , Soejima Naoko , Kakehi Kazuyoshi , Kawamura Takayuki , Kurita Takashi , Nakazawa Gaku , Iwanaga Yoshitaka
Published: December 2021

Aims: The clinical impact of the type of atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been completely elucidated in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). Although the structure and function of the left atrium (LA) provide prognostic information in patients with heart failure, the relationship of the AF type with LA structure and function in NICM is unclear.

Methods: Consecutive patients with NICM who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance were evaluated and followed. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) related to the AF type, such as paroxysmal AF, chronic AF, and new-onset AF (NOAF).

Results: Among 625 patients with NICM (mean age, 64.4 ± 14.2 years; women, 39.7%), 133 had a history of AF at baseline; of these, 60 had paroxysmal AF. Each baseline AF type was associated with higher LA volume and lower LA emptying fraction but not with an increased incidence of MACE (p = 0.245). New-onset AF developed in 5.9% of patients with sinus rhythm over a median follow-up period of 609 days, and maximum LA volume was a strong and independent predictor [p < 0.001, area under the ROC curve (AUC): 0.795]. Maximum LA volume was superior to LA emptying fraction and B-type natriuretic peptide (AUC: 0.683 and 0.680, respectively). The use of β-blocker and the age of the patient were associated with the incidence of NOAF (HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.84 and HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09, respectively). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that patients with NOAF had a higher incidence of MACE than those with sinus rhythm or baseline AF (p = 0.002). NOAF and LA emptying fraction were independent predictors of MACE (HR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.20–3.97 and HR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96–0.99, respectively) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and diagnosis.

Conclusions: Paroxysmal and chronic AF in patients with NICM were not associated with an increased incidence of MACE despite their association with LA volume and function. NOAF was independently associated with poor prognosis. Higher maximum LA volume predicted the onset and lower LA emptying fraction was independently associated with poor prognosis.
Social Security Number Holders in the United States, 1909-2019
Authors: Ogihara Yuji
Published: December 2021

Currently, a social security number (SSN) is held by almost every legal resident of the United States and works as an important numbering system. However, this was not the case in the early years of the Social Security program and historical changes in SSN holder rates had not been examined sufficiently. It is important to understand the changes in health policies and situations. Thus, the present article examined historical changes in the rates of SSN holders in the United States between 1909 and 2019. Analyses demonstrated that the rates clearly increased. Specifically, in Phase 1 (1909-1919), the rates were low in the early period, but they increased markedly. In Phase 2 (1919-1952), the rates continued to increase gradually. In Phase 3 (1952-2019), the rates were almost 100% and reached saturation. This basic information leads to a better understanding of the health policies and situations, contributing to medical and social science research.
Mesozoic–Cenozoic Uplift/Exhumation History of the Qilian Shan, NE Tibetan Plateau: Constraints From Low-Temperature Thermochronology
Authors: Chen Lihao , Song Chunhui , Wang Yadong , Fang Xiaomin , Zhang Yihu , Zhang Jing , Chen Yongfa , He Pengju
Published: December 2021

The Qilian Shan, which is located along the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, plays a key role in understanding the dynamics of the outward and upward growth of the plateau. However, when and how tectonic deformation evolved into the geographic pattern which is currently observed in the Qilian Shan are still ambiguous. Here, apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology and sedimentology were conducted to interpret the low-temperature tectonic deformation/exhumation events in well-dated Late Miocene synorogenic sediment sequences in the Xining Basin, which is adjacent to the southern flank of the Qilian Shan. These new low-temperature thermochronological results suggest that the Qilian Shan experienced four stages of tectonic exhumation during the late Mesozoic–Cenozoic. The Late Cretaceous exhumation events in the Qilian Shan were caused by the diachronous Mesozoic convergence of the Asian Plate and Lhasa Block. In the early Cenozoic (ca. 68–48 Ma), the Qilian Shan quasi-synchronously responded to the Indian–Asian plate collision. Subsequently, the mountain range experienced a two-phase deformation during the Eocene–Early Miocene due to the distal effects of ongoing India–Asia plate convergence. At ca. 8 ± 1 Ma, the Qilian Shan underwent dramatic geomorphological deformation, which marked a change in subsidence along the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau at that time. Our findings suggest that the paleogeographic pattern in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau was affected by the pervasive suture zones in the entire Qilian Shan, in which the pre-Cenozoic and Indian–Asian plate motions reactivated the transpressional faults which strongly modulated the multiperiodic tectonic deformation in northern Tibet during the Cenozoic. These observations provide new evidence for understanding the dynamic mechanisms of the uplift and expansion of the Tibetan Plateau.
Spatiotemporal Variations in Meteorological Disasters and Vulnerability in China During 2001–2020
Authors: Li Ying , Zhao Shanshan , Wang Guofu
Published: December 2021

Based on the Yearbook of Meteorological Disasters in China, we analyzed the spatiotemporal variations in major meteorological disaster (MD) losses at the provincial scale during 2001–2020 to determine the spatiotemporal variations in MDs and vulnerability in China. Our results suggest that the impacts of MDs, including floods, droughts, hail and strong winds (HSs), low temperature and frosts (LTFs), and typhoons, have been substantial in China. MDs in China affect an average of 316.3 million people and 34.3 million hectares of crops each year, causing 1,739 deaths and costing 372.3 billion yuan in direct economic losses (DELs). Floods and droughts affected more of the population in China than the other MDs. Fatalities and DELs were mainly caused by floods, and the affected crop area was mainly impacted by drought. The national average MD losses decreased significantly, except for DELs. The trends in the affected population and crop area were mainly caused by droughts, and the trends in fatalities and DELs were dominated by floods. Floods and typhoons showed increasing influence in the last two decades relative to other disasters. The annual mean and long-term trends in MD losses exhibited regional heterogeneity and were subject to different dominant hazards in different regions. The disaster losses and their trends in southeastern China were mainly attributed to typhoons. The affected population, crop area, and DELs were all significantly and positively correlated with exposure. The vulnerability of the population, crops, and economy tended to decrease. Economic development reduced the vulnerability of the population and economy but showed no significant influence on the vulnerability of crops. Our findings suggest that more focus should be placed on the impacts of floods and typhoons and that socioeconomic development has an important influence on the vulnerability of the population and economy. These results provide a foundation for designing effective disaster prevention and mitigation measures.
Aerobic Physical Exercise Improves Exercise Tolerance and Fasting Glycemia Independent of Body Weight Change in Obese Females
Authors: Boschetti Daniela , Muller Cynthia R. , Américo Anna Laura V. , Vecchiatto Bruno , Martucci Luiz Felipe , Pereira Renata O. , Oliveira Cláudia P. , Fiorino Patricia , Evangelista Fabiana S. , Azevedo-Martins Anna Karenina
Published: December 2021

Obesity is associated with increased risk of several chronic diseases and the loss of disease-free years, which has increased the focus of much research for the discovery of therapy to combat it. Under healthy conditions, women tend to store more fat in subcutaneous deposits. However, this sexual dimorphism tends to be lost in the presence of comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Aerobic physical exercise (APE) has been applied in the management of obesity, however, is still necessary to better understand the effects of APE in obese female. Thus, we investigated the effect of APE on body weight, adiposity, exercise tolerance and glucose metabolism in female ob/ob mice. Eight-weeks-old female wild-type C57BL/6J and leptin-deficient ob/ob mice (Lepob) were distributed into three groups: wild-type sedentary group (Wt; n = 6), leptin-deficient sedentary group (LepobS; n = 5) and leptin-deficient trained group (LepobT; n = 8). The LepobT mice were subjected to 8 weeks of aerobic physical exercise (APE) at 60% of the maximum velocity achieved in the running capacity test. The APE had no effect in attenuating body weight gain, and did not reduce subcutaneous and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (SC-WAT and RP-WAT, respectively) and interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) weights. The APE neither improved glucose intolerance nor insulin resistance in the LepobT group. Also, the APE did not reduce the diameter or the area of RP-WAT adipocytes, but the APE reduced the diameter and the area of SC-WAT adipocytes, which was associated with lower fasting glycemia and islet/pancreas area ratio in the LepobT group. In addition, the APE increased exercise tolerance and this response was also associated with lower fasting glycemia in the LepobT group. In conclusion, starting APE at a later age with a more severe degree of obesity did not attenuate the excessive body weight gain, however the APE promoted benefits that can improve the female health, and for this reason it should be recommended as a non-pharmacological therapy for obesity.