bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory Blood Biomarker Kynurenine Is Linked With Elevated Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration in Older Adults: Evidence From Two 1H-MRS Post-Processing Analysis Methods
Authors: Vints Wouter A. J. , Kušleikiene Simona , Sheoran Samrat , Šarkinaite Milda , Valatkevičiene Kristina , Gleizniene Rymante , Kvedaras Mindaugas , Pukenas Kazimieras , Himmelreich Uwe , Cesnaitiene Vida J. , Levin Oron , Verbunt Jeanine , Masiulis Nerijus
Published: April 2022

Rationale and Objectives

Pro-inflammatory processes have been argued to play a role in conditions associated with cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, like aging and obesity. Only a limited number of studies have tried to measure both peripheral and central biomarkers of inflammation and examined their interrelationship. The primary aim of this study was to examine the hypothesis that chronic peripheral inflammation would be associated with neurometabolic changes that indicate neuroinflammation (the combined elevation of myoinositol and choline), brain gray matter volume decrease, and lower cognitive functioning in older adults.

Materials and Methods

Seventy-four older adults underwent bio-impedance body composition analysis, cognitive testing with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), blood serum analysis of inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and kynurenine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the brain. Neurometabolic findings from both Tarquin and LCModel 1H-MRS post-processing software packages were compared. The regions of interest for MRI and 1H-MRS measurements were dorsal posterior cingulate cortex (DPCC), left hippocampal cortex (HPC), left medial temporal cortex (MTC), left primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1), and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).

Results

Elevated serum kynurenine levels were associated with signs of neuroinflammation, specifically in the DPCC, left SM1 and right DLPFC, and signs of neurodegeneration, specifically in the left HPC, left MTC and left SM1, after adjusting for age, sex and fat percentage (fat%). Elevated serum IL-6 levels were associated with increased Glx levels in left HPC, left MTC, and right DLPFC, after processing the 1H-MRS data with Tarquin. Overall, the agreement between Tarquin and LCModel results was moderate-to-strong for tNAA, tCho, mIns, and tCr, but weak to very weak for Glx. Peripheral inflammatory markers (IL-6 and kynurenine) were not associated with older age, higher fat%, decreased brain gray matter volume loss or decreased cognitive functioning within a cohort of older adults.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that serum kynurenine may be used as a peripheral inflammatory marker that is associated with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, although not linked to cognition. Future studies should consider longitudinal analysis to assess the causal inferences between chronic peripheral and neuroinflammation, brain structural and neurometabolic changes, and cognitive decline in aging.
Comparative Analysis of Lateral Preferences in Patients With Resistant Schizophrenia
Authors: Panov Georgi
Published: April 2022

Background

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder of diverse etiology and clinical presentation. Despite the expansion of treatment methods, between 30 and 50% of cases remain resistant to treatment. In patients with schizophrenia, specifics in the dominant lateralization in the brain function have been discovered. This gave a reason to seek the relation between functional lateralization and the effect of treatment.

Methods

Of the 105 people observed with schizophrenia, 45 (42.9%) were treatment resistant, and 60 (57.1%) were considered responders. We compared functional lateralization (hand, foot, and eye) between the two groups. Handedness was ascertained by using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The assessment was made at 12 weeks of treatment.

Results

Of all patients with schizophrenia, 41.89% have mixed lateralization, 53.34% are right winged, and 4.76% of the patients are left winged. Resistance of the symptoms shows that 26 (57.78%) are cross-dominated, 18 (40%) are right winged, and 1 (2.22%) is left winged. In patients with clinical remission, 18 (30%) are of mixed dominance, 38 (63.33%) are right winged, and 4 (6.66%) are left winged. From the results for the separate lateralization of the hand, foot, and eye, we found a significant difference only in terms of the dominance of the eye. In 44 (41.9%) of the patients, we found dominance of the left eye. In patients with resistance, the percentage established by us is higher—at 26 (57.8%). These results indicate that the increased percentage of mixed dominance in patients with schizophrenia is mainly due to left-sided lateralization of the eye, especially in those with resistance to treatment.

Conclusion

We find an increased number of patients with cross-dominance left eye dominance in patients with schizophrenia. Cross-dominance and left eye dominance are associated with a higher probability of symptom resistance than other forms of lateralization (left-handed or right-handed). The high percentage of cross-dominance is due to the high percentage of left-sided dominance of the eye.
Association of Adverse Childhood Experiences Including Low Household Income and Peer Isolation With Obesity Among Japanese Adolescents: Results From A-CHILD Study
Authors: Doi Satomi , Isumi Aya , Fujiwara Takeo
Published: April 2022

Background

Adverse childhood experience (ACE) is a major risk factor for obesity in both adults and adolescents. Although, arguably, peer isolation and low household income could be conceived as of ACEs, few studies have included these experiences as ACEs.

Objectives

This study aims to examine whether ACEs, including peer isolation and low household income, are associated with obesity in adolescents.

Methods

We used pooled data from the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study in 2016 and 2018, which is a school-based cross-sectional study in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan, N = 6,946, 4th (9–10 years old), 6th (11–12 years old), and 8th (13–14 years old) grades. Among the eight items of ACEs, adolescents assessed one item, including peer isolation, and their caregivers assessed seven other items using questionnaires. The adolescents' body mass index (BMI) was measured in school health checkups and calculated to fit the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to investigate the association of the cumulative ACEs and each type of ACE with BMI, in which the study was conducted in 2020.

Results

The number of ACEs was not associated with overweight or obesity among adolescents after adjusting for covariates. As for each type of ACE, single parenthood and low household income showed a significant independent association with obesity.

Conclusions

The number of ACEs was not associated with overweight or obesity in Japanese adolescents, while single parenthood and low household income showed a significant positive association with obesity. Further longitudinal studies are needed to replicate this association among adolescents.
Spatio-Temporal Heterogeneity of the Relationships Between PM2.5 and Its Determinants: A Case Study of Chinese Cities in Winter of 2020
Authors: Yang Lu , Hong Song , He Chao , Huang Jiayi , Ye Zhixiang , Cai Bofeng , Yu Shuxia , Wang Yanwen , Wang Zhen
Published: April 2022

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses threat to human health in China, particularly in winter. The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to a series of strict control measures in Chinese cities, resulting in a short-term significant improvement in air quality. This is a perfect case to explore driving factors affecting the PM2.5 distributions in Chinese cities, thus helping form better policies for future PM2.5 mitigation. Based on panel data of 332 cities, we analyzed the function of natural and anthropogenic factors to PM2.5 pollution by applying the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model. We found that the PM2.5 concentration of 84.3% of cities decreased after lockdown. Spatially, in the winter of 2020, cities with high PM2.5 concentrations were mainly distributed in Northeast China, the North China Plain and the Tarim Basin. Higher temperature, wind speed and relative humidity were easier to promote haze pollution in northwest of the country, where enhanced surface pressure decreased PM2.5 concentrations. Furthermore, the intensity of trip activities (ITAs) had a significant positive effect on PM2.5 pollution in Northwest and Central China. The number of daily pollutant operating vents of key polluting enterprises in the industrial sector (VOI) in northern cities was positively correlated with the PM2.5 concentration; inversely, the number of daily pollutant operating vents of key polluting enterprises in the power sector (VOP) imposed a negative effect on the PM2.5 concentration in these regions. This work provides some implications for regional air quality improvement policies of Chinese cities in wintertime.
Prognostic Value of Syndecan-1 in the Prediction of Sepsis-Related Complications and Mortality: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sun Ting , Wang Yuqiong , Wu Xiaojing , Cai Ying , Zhai Tianshu , Zhan Qingyuan
Published: April 2022

Aim

Syndecan-1 (SDC-1) has been shown to have a high predictive value for sepsis development, though uncertainty around these results exists. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the prognostic ability of SDC-1 in predicting sepsis-related complications and mortality.

Methods

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases from January 01, 1990, to March 17, 2021, to identify eligible studies. The search terms used were “SDC-1,” “sepsis,” “severe sepsis,” and “septic shock,” and a meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.4 software.

Results

Eleven studies with a total of 2,318 enrolled patients were included. SDC-1 concentrations were significantly higher in the composite poor outcome group [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.38–0.72; P < 0.001] as well as in deceased patients (SMD = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.40–0.67; P < 0.001), patients with septic shock (SMD = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.36–1.25; P < 0.001), and patients with acute kidney injury (SMD = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.33–0.62; P < 0.001). Statistical significance was also found in the subgroup analysis when stratified by different sepsis diagnostic criteria.

Conclusion

Baseline SDC-1 levels may be a useful predictor of sepsis-related complications and mortality.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021246344, PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42021246344.
“Not by Our Feeling, But by Other's Seeing”: Sentiment Analysis Technique in Cardiology—An Exploratory Review
Authors: Brezulianu Adrian , Burlacu Alexandru , Popa Iolanda Valentina , Arif Muhammad , Geman Oana
Published: April 2022

Sentiment Analysis (SA) is a novel branch of Natural Language Processing (NLP) that measures emotions or attitudes behind a written text. First applications of SA in healthcare were the detection of disease-related emotional polarities in social media. Now it is possible to extract more complex attitudes (rank attitudes from 1 to 5, assign appraisal values, apply multiple text classifiers) or feelings through NLP techniques, with clear benefits in cardiology; as emotions were proved to be veritable risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Our narrative review aimed to summarize the current directions of SA in cardiology and raise the awareness of cardiologists about the potentiality of this novel domain. This paper introduces the readers to basic concepts surrounding medical SA and the need for SA in cardiovascular healthcare. Our synthesis of the current literature proved SA's clinical potential in CVD. However, many other clinical utilities, such as the assessment of emotional consequences of illness, patient-physician relationship, physician intuitions in CVD are not yet explored. These issues constitute future research directions, along with proposing detailed regulations, popularizing health social media among elders, developing insightful definitions of emotional polarity, and investing research into the development of powerful SA algorithms.
Domain Adaptation Using Convolutional Autoencoder and Gradient Boosting for Adverse Events Prediction in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Zhu Yuanda , Venugopalan Janani , Zhang Zhenyu , Chanani Nikhil K. , Maher Kevin O. , Wang May D.
Published: April 2022

More than 5 million patients have admitted annually to intensive care units (ICUs) in the United States. The leading causes of mortality are cardiovascular failures, multi-organ failures, and sepsis. Data-driven techniques have been used in the analysis of patient data to predict adverse events, such as ICU mortality and ICU readmission. These models often make use of temporal or static features from a single ICU database to make predictions on subsequent adverse events. To explore the potential of domain adaptation, we propose a method of data analysis using gradient boosting and convolutional autoencoder (CAE) to predict significant adverse events in the ICU, such as ICU mortality and ICU readmission. We demonstrate our results from a retrospective data analysis using patient records from a publicly available database called Multi-parameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care-II (MIMIC-II) and a local database from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). We demonstrate that after adopting novel data imputation on patient ICU data, gradient boosting is effective in both the mortality prediction task and the ICU readmission prediction task. In addition, we use gradient boosting to identify top-ranking temporal and non-temporal features in both prediction tasks. We discuss the relationship between these features and the specific prediction task. Lastly, we indicate that CAE might not be effective in feature extraction on one dataset, but domain adaptation with CAE feature extraction across two datasets shows promising results.
A Community-Based Model of Care During the Fourth Wave of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Vuong Lan N. , Huynh Nghia , Ngo Dat Q. , Nguyen Vinh N. , Duong Khoa D. , Tran Nguyen N. , Le Truyen P. , Nguyen Nghia A. , Doan Thao T. P. , Pham Duy L. , Trinh Tu H. K. , Vu Quan T. T. , Nguyen Phong H. , Tran Tuan D.
Published: April 2022

In response to a call for help during a surge in coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) cases in Ho Chi Minh City in July 2021, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City developed and implemented a community care model for the management of patients with COVID-19. This was based on three main principles: home care; providing monitoring and care at a distance; and providing timely emergency care if needed. One team supported patients at home with frequent contacts and remote monitoring, while a second team transferred and cared for patients requiring treatment at field emergency care facilities. COVID-19-related mortality rates at the two districts where this approach was implemented (0.43% and 0.57%) were substantially lower than the overall rate in Ho Chi Minh City over the same period (4.95%). Thus, utilization of a community care model can increase the number of patients with COVID-19 who can be effectively managed from home, and use of field emergency care facilities limited the number of patients that had to be referred for tertiary care. Importantly, the community care model also markedly reduced the mortality rate compared with traditional methods of COVID-19 patient management.
Functional Mobility Training With a Powered Knee and Ankle Prosthesis
Authors: Finucane Suzanne B. , Hargrove Levi J. , Simon Ann M.
Published: April 2022

Limb loss at the transfemoral or knee disarticulation level results in a significant decrease in mobility. Powered lower limb prostheses have the potential to provide increased functional mobility and return individuals to activities of daily living that are limited due to their amputation. Providing power at the knee and/or ankle, new and innovative training is required for the amputee and the clinician to understand the capabilities of these advanced devices. This protocol for functional mobility training with a powered knee and ankle prosthesis was developed while training 30 participants with a unilateral transfemoral or knee disarticulation amputation at a nationally ranked physical medicine and rehabilitation research hospital. Participants received instruction for level-ground walking, stair climbing, incline walking, and sit-to-stand transitions. A therapist provided specific training for each mode including verbal, visual, and tactile cueing along with patient education on the functionality of the device. The primary outcome measure was the ability of each participant to demonstrate independence with walking and sit-to-stand transitions along with modified independence for stair climbing and incline walking due to the use of a handrail. Every individual was successful in comfortable ambulation of level-ground walking and 27 out of 30 were successful in all other functional modes after participating in 1–3 sessions of 1–2 h in length (3 terminated their participation before attempting all activities). As these prosthetic devices continue to advance, therapy techniques must advance as well, and this paper serves as education on new training techniques that can provide amputees with the best possible tools to take advantage of these powered devices to achieve their desired clinical outcomes.
Sustainable Solutions for Sea Monitoring With Robotic Sailboats: N-Boat and F-Boat Twins
Authors: Negreiros Alvaro P. F. , Correa Wanderson S. , de Araujo André P. D. , Santos Davi H. , Vilas-Boas João M. , Dias Daniel H. N. , Clua Esteban W. G. , Gonçalves Luiz M. G.
Published: April 2022

Strategic management and production of internal energy in autonomous robots is becoming a research topic with growing importance, especially for platforms that target long-endurance missions, with long-range and duration. It is fundamental for autonomous vehicles to have energy self-generation capability to improve energy autonomy, especially in situations where refueling is not viable, such as an autonomous sailboat in ocean traversing. Hence, the development of energy estimation and management solutions is an important research topic to better optimize the use of available energy supply and generation potential. In this work, we revisit the challenges behind the project design and construction for two fully autonomous sailboats and propose a methodology based on the Restricted Boltzmann Machine (RBM) in order to find the best way to manage the supplementary energy generated by solar panels. To verify the approach, we introduce a case study with our two developed sailboats that have planned payload with electric and electronics, and one of them is equipped with an electrical engine that may eventually help with the sailboat propulsion. Our current results show that it is possible to augment the system confidence level for the potential energy that can be harvested from the environment and the remaining energy stored, optimizing the energy usage of autonomous vehicles and improving their energy robustness.
Robotic Endoscope Control Via Autonomous Instrument Tracking
Authors: Gruijthuijsen Caspar , Garcia-Peraza-Herrera Luis C. , Borghesan Gianni , Reynaerts Dominiek , Deprest Jan , Ourselin Sebastien , Vercauteren Tom , Vander Poorten Emmanuel
Published: April 2022

Many keyhole interventions rely on bi-manual handling of surgical instruments, forcing the main surgeon to rely on a second surgeon to act as a camera assistant. In addition to the burden of excessively involving surgical staff, this may lead to reduced image stability, increased task completion time and sometimes errors due to the monotony of the task. Robotic endoscope holders, controlled by a set of basic instructions, have been proposed as an alternative, but their unnatural handling may increase the cognitive load of the (solo) surgeon, which hinders their clinical acceptance. More seamless integration in the surgical workflow would be achieved if robotic endoscope holders collaborated with the operating surgeon via semantically rich instructions that closely resemble instructions that would otherwise be issued to a human camera assistant, such as “focus on my right-hand instrument.” As a proof of concept, this paper presents a novel system that paves the way towards a synergistic interaction between surgeons and robotic endoscope holders. The proposed platform allows the surgeon to perform a bimanual coordination and navigation task, while a robotic arm autonomously performs the endoscope positioning tasks. Within our system, we propose a novel tooltip localization method based on surgical tool segmentation and a novel visual servoing approach that ensures smooth and appropriate motion of the endoscope camera. We validate our vision pipeline and run a user study of this system. The clinical relevance of the study is ensured through the use of a laparoscopic exercise validated by the European Academy of Gynaecological Surgery which involves bi-manual coordination and navigation. Successful application of our proposed system provides a promising starting point towards broader clinical adoption of robotic endoscope holders.
Pathogenic Mechanisms of Fusobacterium nucleatum on Oral Epithelial Cells
Authors: Groeger Sabine , Zhou Yuxi , Ruf Sabine , Meyle Joerg
Published: April 2022

Periodontitis is an oral chronic inflammatory disease and may cause tooth loss in adults. Oral epithelial cells provide a barrier for bacteria and participate in the immune response. Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is one of the common inhabitants of the oral cavity and has been identified as a potential etiologic bacterial agent of oral diseases, such as periodontitis and oral carcinomas. F. nucleatum has been shown to be of importance in the development of diverse human cancers. In the dental biofilm, it exhibits a structural role as a bridging organism, connecting primary colonizers to the largely anaerobic secondary colonizers. It expresses adhesins and is able to induce host cell responses, including the upregulation of defensins and the release of chemokines and interleukins. Like other microorganisms, its detection is achieved through germline-encoded pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). By identification of the pathogenic mechanisms of F. nucleatum it will be possible to develop effective methods for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases in which a F. nucleatum infection is involved. This review summarizes the recent progress in research targeting F. nucleatum and its impact on oral epithelial cells.
The Effect of Benzyl Isothiocyanate on the Expression of Genes Encoding NADH Oxidase and Fibronectin-Binding Protein in Oral Streptococcal Biofilms
Authors: Alhandal Hawraa , Almesaileikh Esraa , Bhardwaj Radhika G. , Al Khabbaz Areej , Karched Maribasappa
Published: April 2022

Recent studies have shown that antimicrobial treatment results in up- or down regulation of several virulence-associated genes in bacterial biofilms. The genes encoding NADH oxidase (nox) and fibronectin-binding protein (fbp) are known to play important roles in biofilm growth of some oral bacterial species. The objective was to study the effect of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), an antimicrobial agent from Miswak plant, on the expression of nox and fbp genes in some oral streptococci. The biofilms were treated with BITC and mRNA expression of nox and fbp genes was measured by comparative ΔΔCt method. The highest amount of biofilm mass was produced by A. defectiva, followed by S. gordonii, S. mutans, G. elegans and G. adiacens. Upon treatment with BITC, S. gordonii biofilms showed highest folds change in mRNA expression for both fbp and nox genes followed by S. mutans, A. defectiva, and G. adiacens. G. elegans mRNA levels for nox were extremely low. In conclusion, BITC treatment of the biofilms caused an upregulation of biofilm-associated genes fbp and nox genes in most of the tested species suggesting the significance of these genes in biofilm lifestyle of these oral bacteria and needs further investigation to understand if it contributes to antimicrobial resistance.
CEL-Unet: Distance Weighted Maps and Multi-Scale Pyramidal Edge Extraction for Accurate Osteoarthritic Bone Segmentation in CT Scans
Authors: Rossi Matteo , Marsilio Luca , Mainardi Luca , Manzotti Alfonso , Cerveri Pietro
Published: April 2022

Unet architectures are being investigated for automatic image segmentation of bones in CT scans because of their ability to address size-varying anatomies and pathological deformations. Nonetheless, changes in mineral density, narrowing of joint spaces and formation of largely irregular osteophytes may easily disrupt automatism requiring extensive manual refinement. A novel Unet variant, called CEL-Unet, is presented to boost the segmentation quality of the femur and tibia in the osteoarthritic knee joint. The neural network embeds region-aware and two contour-aware branches in the decoding path. The paper features three main technical novelties: 1) directed connections between contour and region branches progressively at different decoding scales; 2) pyramidal edge extraction in the contour branch to perform multi-resolution edge processing; 3) distance-weighted cross-entropy loss function to increase delineation quality at the sharp edges of the shapes. A set of 700 knee CT scans was used to train the model and test segmentation performance. Qualitatively CEL-Unet correctly segmented cases where the state-of-the-art architectures failed. Quantitatively, the Jaccard indexes of femur and tibia segmentation were 0.98 and 0.97, with median 3D reconstruction errors less than 0.80 and 0.60 mm, overcoming competitive Unet models. The results were evaluated against knee arthroplasty planning based on personalized surgical instruments (PSI). Excellent agreement with reference data was found for femoral (0.11°) and tibial (0.05°) alignments of the distal and proximal cuts computed on the reconstructed surfaces. The bone segmentation was effective for large pathological deformations and osteophytes, making the techniques potentially usable in PSI-based surgical planning, where the reconstruction accuracy of the bony shapes is one of the main critical factors for the success of the operation.
Estimation of Orbital Parameters of Broken-Up Objects From In-Situ Debris Measurements
Authors: Hanada Toshiya , Fujita Koki , Yoshimura Yasuhiro
Published: April 2022

This paper briefly introduces a new approach to estimate some orbital parameters of on-orbit satellite fragmentations (specifically, the direction of angular momentum at a specific time and the time change in direction of angular momentum) from in-situ debris measurements. This approach, as in previous studies, adopts a constraint equation derived from the fact that a piece of debris detected shares the geocentric position vector with an in-situ debris measurement satellite. However, unlike previous studies, this approach does not adopt a constraint equation that can be applied to the rate of change in right ascension of the ascending node of a broken-up object. Instead, this approach determines the inclination of a broken-up object from the maximum or minimum geocentric declination at the time of detection. Then, this approach finds out a candidate for the rate of change in right ascension of the ascending node of a broken-up object by assuming a circular orbit with a radius of the geocentric distance at the time of detection. Finally, using the constraint equation adopted, this approach estimates the right ascension of the ascending node at the time of breakup and calculates a correction for the rate of change in right ascension of the ascending node. This paper also verifies that this new approach works effectively under ideal conditions where all detections are assumed to be at the line of intersection of the two orbital planes of a broken-up object and an in-situ debris measurement satellite.
The Recovery of the American Peregrine Falcon in Alaska
Authors: Payer David C. , Flamme Melanie J.
Published: April 2022

American Peregrine Falcons nesting along Alaska’s upper Yukon River have been studied for nearly 50 years. Peregrine populations decreased in the 1960’s because widespread use of the insecticide DDT caused their eggshells to thin. Thin eggshells meant that eggs crushed easily in the nest, which reduced the number of baby birds produced. Eventually, Peregrine Falcons were listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the United States (U.S.). After the U.S. banned the use of DDT, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and others helped Peregrine Falcons recover. Today, upper Yukon River Peregrine Falcons have rebounded and are thriving. The Peregrine Falcon’s recovery in the U.S. is a shining success story of the Endangered Species Act, although climate change and other pollutants create continuing challenges for the species.
Dual-Parameter Sensing With a Single Supermode Interferometer
Authors: Flores-Bravo Jose A. , Villatoro Joel
Published: April 2022

Optical fiber interferometers have intrinsic sensitivity to temperature, thus, in sensing applications; they need a reference temperature sensor or a mechanism to control the temperature. Here, we demonstrate that a single multicore fiber interferometer can monitor two parameters simultaneously; more particularly, refractive index, and temperature. The interferometer is easy to manufacture; a short segment of an optical fiber with seven coupled cores is fusion spliced at the distal end of a conventional single mode optical fiber. In the coupled-core fiber, two supermodes beat; this makes the reflection spectrum of the device to exhibit a well-defined series of maxima and minima. The refractive index of a sample in contact with multicore fiber alters the amplitude of the interference pattern and temperature induces a shift to such a pattern. The changes of the interference pattern are easy to monitor and decode with a low-resolution spectrometer. As an application of our dual-parameter sensor, the thermo-optic coefficient of a sample was measured.
Analysis of the Complexities in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Ghana's Bui Dam Experience
Authors: Siakwah Pius , Torto Obodai
Published: April 2022

The quest to improve the mired development challenges of developing economies at a global scale have in recent years constituted policy imprimatur of development discourse, including the role of national and local resources. “Nexus” is an ultra-prioritized integrative global development approach. It denotes connection(s) linking two or more phenomena or variables. It is therefore not surprising to witness of-the-moment approaches such as the development-security nexus, migration-development-security nexus, and water-energy nexus, among others. Particularly relevant to this article is the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus as an integrative strategy to tackle prosaic issues of industrialization, poverty reduction, food security, and ecological sustainability. Adopting a qualitative methodological approach, the article studies the Bui dam to elucidate how the nexus operates in a complex and tense environment. The central argument is that most analyses of WEF interventions, particularly from the mainstream development literature rarely interrogate complex politics of interest amongst the trident sectors (water, energy, and food). The dominant studies tend to dwell on the technical or instrumental aspects. But an understanding of the complex relationships at play needs a critical approach. Our key argument is that the WEF nexus is prominently embedded in complex historical systems that tend to counter-balance the hyper-deductive projected costs and benefits. It is critical to view the relations amongst the WEF from a non-linear and realistic perspective. WEF as an embodiment of a complex system helps us to understand the multi-level, contradictory, and diverse interests at play within, between, and across the systems. Even though the nexus operations on an assumption of seamless collaborative relations among and between institutions, agencies, and actors in the policy and program implementation space, an analysis of the Bui project in Ghana shows tensions, side-lining, and inter-role conflicts among the actors, where the energy sector actors weigh power and resources over other institutions and actors in the space to drive the nexus.
A Combined Theory of Change-Group Model Building Approach to Evaluating “Farm to Fork” Models for School Feeding in the Caribbean
Authors: Saint Ville Arlette , Hickey Gordon M. , Rouwette Etiënne , Samuels Alafia , Guariguata Leonor , Unwin Nigel , Phillip Leroy E.
Published: April 2022

There is a scarcity of research on building nutrition-sensitive value chains (NSVCs) to improve diets and nutrition outcomes of populations in the Caribbean. This study contributes to filling this research gap by outlining a participatory approach to evaluating a NSVC model for “farm to fork” (F2F) school feeding in the Eastern Caribbean Island of St. Kitts. Using a combined group model building (GMB) and theory of change (ToC) approach, policy actors and other stakeholders (n= 37) across the school feeding value chain were guided through a facilitated process to evaluate the ToC underlying a series of F2F interventions designed to enhance childhood nutrition. Stakeholders at the workshop engaged collaboratively to create a causal map of interconnected “system factors” that help explain behaviors contributing to unhealthy eating among children that extended well-beyond the original F2F project ToC that had been used to inform interventions. Through this facilitated GMB process, stakeholders proposed additional food system interventions, and identified multiple “impact pathways” and “mediating influences” underlying local availability and consumption of nutritious foods in local school environments. Workshop participants were also able to identify leverage points where community-level efforts, alongside research interventions, may ensure that initiatives for building local NSVCs are ultimately institutionalized. Results of this study suggest that developing NSVCs for school feeding and food systems in the Caribbean requires both locally driven innovation and the leveraging of system-wide resources, with lessons for project intervention strategies.
Laser Needle Knife's Effects on Rabbits Cervical Spondylopathy of Vertebral Artery, Fibrinogen, and Blood Viscosity
Authors: Huang Zhenyu , Xie Siwei , Liu Fang , Zhang Ting , Gu Yiwen
Published: April 2022

Objective

To determine the effect of laser needle-knife on vertebroarterial morphology, fibrinogen and blood viscosity in a rabbit model of cervical spondylotic arteriopathy (CSA) and the mechanism of action involved.

Methods

A number of 40 healthy common grade rabbits were divided into four groups: normal control, model, acupuncture, and laser needle knife group. The normal control group does not establish a CSA rabbit model, and the other groups all establish a CSA rabbit model, but they are treated in different ways. CSA model rabbits were treated with acupuncture and moxibustion at “fengchi” and “cervical Jiaji” points, rabbits in the laser needle knife group were treated with “Jiaji” points, and the acupuncture points were punctured with the laser needle knife. The location of the acupuncture points is determined according to the acupoint map of the experimental map. The right vertebroarterial morphology before and after the treatment was analyzed by scanning electron microscope, and FIB concentration and blood viscosity were determined using the coagulation method.

Results

After the treatment, the capillary and micropore hyperplasia in the laser needle knife group were more evident than that in the model group. Acupuncture and laser needle knife therapy can reduce whole blood viscosity (1/s, 5/s), and that the distinction between the two treatments is not statistically evident.

Conclusion

Acupuncture and laser needle knife can regulate the coagulation and fibrinolysis system in CSA, stimulate capillary and micropore hyperplasia, reduce blood viscosity, and improve blood circulation, which may be one of the therapeutic mechanisms behind the laser needle knife treatment of CSA.
Application of Bevacizumab Combined With Chemotherapy in Patients With Colorectal Cancer and Its Effects on Brain-Gut Peptides, Intestinal Flora, and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Chen Chao , Hou Songtao , Zhao Fei , Wu Bin , Liu Tingting , Zhang Zhao , Li Yuwei , Li Hongchao
Published: April 2022

Objective

To investigate the efficacy of bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) and to analyze the effects on brain peptides, intestinal flora, and oxidative stress in CRC patients.

Methods

Eighty two patients with CRC who were admitted to our hospital from March 2018 to June 2021 were selected as the research subjects and divided into the control group (n = 41) and the observation group (n = 41). The control group was treated with XELOX chemotherapy, and the observation group was additionally treated with bevacizumab, which was repeated every 3 weeks for a total of two treatments. The therapeutic effects of the two groups were evaluated after treatment. The brain-gut peptide index, intestinal flora index and oxidative stress index were detected, and the adverse reactions of the two groups were recorded.

Results

In the control group, ER was 36.59% (15/41) and DCR was 73.17% (30/41). In the observation group, ER was 63.41% (26/41) and DCR was 90.24% (37/41). ER and DCR in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of motilin and gastrin in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and ghrelin was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacilli and Enterococcus in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, and the level of Escherichia coli was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the SOD level of the observation group was lower than that of the control group, and the MDA level was higher than that of the control group.

Conclusion

Bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy has good efficacy in the treatment of colorectal cancer patients, which can effectively improve the gastrointestinal motility of patients, regulate the intestinal flora of the body, rebuild the microecological balance, effectively reduce the oxidative stress response of patients, and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.
Effect of Marital Status on Upper Digestive Tract Tumor Survival: Married Male Patients Exhibited a Better Prognosis
Authors: Qing Maofeng , Peng Jiakuan , Shang Qianhui , Xu Hao , Chen Qianming
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Marital status has been associated with the outcomes in several types of cancer, but less is known about upper digestive tract tumors (UDTTs). The study aims to explore the effect of marital status on the survival outcomes of UDTT.

Methods

We collected patient cases of UDTT using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 1975 and 2016. The univariate analyses of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were performed using the Kaplan–Meier method. The multivariate survival analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazard model.

Results

A total of 282,189 patients were included, with 56.42, 16.30, 13.33, and 13.95% of patients married, never married, divorced or separated, and widowed, respectively. The significant differences were observed among married, never-married, divorced or separated, and widowed patients with regard to the year of diagnosis, sex, age, race, pathological type, anatomical site, the number of primary tumor, grade, rate of surgery performed, radiotherapy, chemotherapy (p < 0.001). The proportions of patients with 3-year and 5-year OS were 54.22 and 48.02% in the married group, 46.96 and 41.12% in the never-married group, 44.24 and 38.06% in the divorced or separated group, 34.59 and 27.57% in the widowed group, respectively (p < 0.001); the proportions of patients with 3-year and 5-year CSS were 70.76 and 68.13% in the married group, 62.44 and 59,93% in the never-married group, 63.13 and 60.53% in the divorced or separated group, 62.11 and 58.89% in the widowed group, respectively (p < 0.001); all these data indicated married patients exhibited favorable OS and CSS than never-married, divorced or separated, and widowed patients. Men in the married group showed better OS (HR, 1.16; 95%CI: 1.11–1.22) and CSS (HR, 0.96; 95%CI: 0.92–1.23) than those in the never-married group.

Conclusion

This study reveals that marital status is an independent prognostic factor for OS and CSS of patients with UDTT. Married male patients with UDTT trend to have a better prognosis.
Transcriptional Feedback Loops in the Caprine Circadian Clock System
Authors: Gao Dengke , Zhao Hongcong , Dong Hao , Li Yating , Zhang Jing , Zhang Haisen , Zhang Yu , Jiang Haizhen , Wang Xiaoyu , Wang Aihua , Jin Yaping , Chen Huatao
Published: April 2022

The circadian clock system is based on interlocked positive and negative transcriptional and translational feedback loops of core clock genes and their encoded proteins. The mammalian circadian clock system has been extensively investigated using mouse models, but has been poorly investigated in diurnal ruminants. In this study, goat embryonic fibroblasts (GEFs) were isolated and used as a cell model to elucidate the caprine circadian clock system. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that several clock genes and clock-controlled genes were rhythmically expressed in GEFs over a 24 h period after dexamethasone stimulation. Immunofluorescence revealed that gBMAL1 and gNR1D1 proteins were expressed in GEFs, and western blotting analysis further verified that the proteins were expressed with circadian rhythmic changes. Diurnal changes in clock and clock-controlled gene expression at the mRNA and protein levels were also observed in goat liver and kidney tissues at two representative time points in vivo. Amino acid sequences and tertiary structures of goat BMAL1 and CLOCK proteins were found to be highly homologous to those in mice and humans. In addition, a set of goat representative clock gene orthologs and the promoter regions of two clock genes of goats and mice were cloned. Dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that gRORα could activate the promoter activity of the goat BMAL1, while gNR1D1 repressed it. The elevated pGL4.10-gNR1D1-Promoter-driven luciferase activity induced by mBMAL1/mCLOCK was much higher than that induced by gBMAL1/gCLOCK, and the addition of gCRY2 or mPER2 repressed it. Real-time bioluminescence assays revealed that the transcriptional activity of BMAL1 and NR1D1 in goats and mice exhibited rhythmic changes over a period of approximately 24 h in NIH3T3 cells or GEFs. Notably, the amplitudes of gBMAL1 and gNR1D1 promoter-driven luciferase oscillations in NIH3T3 cells were higher than those in GEFs, while mBMAL1 and mNR1D1 promoter-driven luciferase oscillations in NIH3T3 cells had the highest amplitude. In sum, transcriptional and translational loops of the mammalian circadian clock system were found to be broadly conserved in goats and not as robust as those found in mice, at least in the current experimental models. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the specific molecular mechanisms involved.
Midazolam Attenuates Esketamine-Induced Overactive Behaviors in Mice Before the Sedation, but Not During the Recovery
Authors: Chu Qinjun , Mao Meng , Bai Yafan , Sun Liwei , Zhang Dongqing , Zheng Ping , Jin Xiaogao
Published: April 2022

Esketamine showed more potency, more rapid recovery from anesthesia, and less psychotomimetic side effects when compared with ketamine. However, the patients still experience psychotomimetic side effects of esketamine. In order to investigate whether midazolam can attenuate the esketamine-induced overactive behaviors and neuronal hyperactivities, midazolam 0, 40, 80, and 120 mg/kg combined with esketamine 50 mg/kg were administrated on Kunming mice to assess the behaviors changes during anesthesia. The indicators, including action time, duration of agitation before the sedation, duration of sedation, duration of loss of pedal withdrawal reaction (PWR), duration of loss of righting reaction (RR), duration of agitation during the recovery, and recovery time, were monitored for up to 3–4 h after intraperitoneal administration. The results demonstrated that midazolam 40, 80, and 120 mg/kg efficiently decreased the esketamine-induced overactive behaviors including ataxia, excitation, and catalepsy before sedation. Midazolam and esketamine synergically improved the anesthesia quality assessed by PWR and RR. However, even high doses of midazolam were not able to suppress the esketamine-induced psychotomimetic effects during the recovery.
Effects of a Multi-Suckling System Combined With Enriched Housing Post-Weaning on Response and Cognitive Resilience to Isolation
Authors: Parois Severine P. , Van Der Zande Lisette E. , Knol Egbert F. , Kemp Bas , Rodenburg T. Bas , Bolhuis J. Elizabeth
Published: April 2022

Improving welfare is still a critical issue in pig husbandry. Upgrades of the housing environment seem to be a promising solution to optimise resilience as a whole, and therefore improve animal welfare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an alternative housing system to enhance cognitive resilience and also to promote the pigs' welfare. A total of 96 piglets from two contrasted housing systems [alternative housing system (AHS) vs. conventional system (CONV)] was used. The major upgrades of the alternative system were multi-litter housing during lactation, delayed weaning, extra space allowance, and environmental enrichment from birth onwards. To estimate welfare, weight, and feed intake (as a general indicator of performances), the tear staining area (as a chronic stress indicator), behavioural postures, heart rate traits, and saliva cortisol concentration were measured over a 21 h-isolation. To assess cognitive resilience, the pigs were subjected to a maze with a social reward both before and after the isolation challenge and indicators of cognitive abilities were followed. The AHS pigs showed lower cortisol levels and tear staining area before the challenge, demonstrating overall better welfare due to the alternative housing conditions. During the challenge, AHS pigs had a lower heart rate, higher heart rate variability, and higher vagal activity than the CONV pigs, which might indicate a reduced sensitivity to the stressor. AHS pigs appeared to have a better long-term memory tested in a maze. Providing social and environmental enrichments, that fit the satisfaction of the essential needs of the pigs better, appears to be beneficial for pig welfare as a whole. Its effects on cognitive resilience still need to be proven.