bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-objective selective-volume illumination microscopy enables high-contrast light-field imaging
Authors: Madaan Sara , Keomanee-Dizon Kevin , Jones Matt , Zhong Chenyang , Nadtochiy Anna , Luu Peter , Fraser Scott E. , Truong Thai V.
Published: May 2021

The performance of light-field microscopy is improved by selectively
illuminating the relevant subvolume of the specimen with a second
objective lens. Here we advance this approach to a single-objective
geometry, using an oblique one-photon illumination path or two-photon
illumination to accomplish selective-volume excitation. The
elimination of the second orthogonally oriented objective to
selectively excite the volume of interest simplifies specimen
mounting; yet, this single-objective approach still reduces the
out-of-volume background, resulting in improvements in image contrast,
effective resolution, and volume reconstruction quality. We validate
our new, to the best of our knowledge, approach through imaging live
developing zebrafish, demonstrating the technology’s ability to
capture imaging data from large volumes synchronously with high
contrast while remaining compatible with standard microscope sample
mounting.
Stable propagation of cylindrical-vector vortex solitons in strongly nonlocal media
Authors: Shou Qian , Weng Zhiwei , Guan Siyin , Han Hui , Huang Hui , Guo Qi , Hu Wei
Published: May 2021

We report the experimental observation of cylindrical-vector vortex solitons (CVVSs) in lead glass with strongly thermal nonlocal nonlinearity. The formations of radially and angularly polarized solitons with topological charge of

l
=
1

were observed. We show that the ring profiles and the polarization distributions of the two first-order CVVSs can be preserved. We numerically prove that the first-order CVVS is stable, and the higher-order CVVSs with

l
≥
2

are unstable based on the linear stability analysis method.
REPAID: resolution-enhanced plenoptic all-in-focus imaging using deep neural networks
Authors: Yu Miao , Gu Yuanjie , Jiang Zhilong , He Xiaoliang , Kong Yan , Liu Cheng , Ai Lingyu , Wang Shouyu
Published: May 2021

Due to limited depth-of-focus, classical 2D images inevitably lose details of targets out of depth-of-focus, while all-in-focus images break through the limit by fusing multi-focus images, thus being able to focus on targets in extended depth-of-view. However, conventional methods can hardly obtain dynamic all-in-focus imaging in both high spatial and temporal resolutions. To solve this problem, we design REPAID, meaning resolution-enhanced plenoptic all-in-focus imaging using deep neural networks. In REPAID, multi-focus images are first reconstructed from a single-shot plenoptic image, then upsampled using specially designed deep neural networks suitable for real scenes without ground truth to finally generate all-in-focus image in both high temporal and spatial resolutions. Experiments on both static and dynamic scenes have proved that REPAID can obtain high-quality all-in-focus imaging when using simple setups only; therefore, it is a promising tool in applications especially intended for imaging dynamic targets in large depth-of-view.
Polarization imaging feature characterization of different endometrium phases by machine learning
Authors: Yao Yue , Zuo Min , Dong Yang , Shi Liyun , Zhu Yuanhuan , Si Lu , Ye Xiyang , Ma Hui
Published: May 2021

The advance in microscopy and artificial intelligence enables the application of digital pathology in various classification situations to help pathologists reduce the challenge of performing diagnosis purely based on their visualization experience. Human endometrium is receptive to the embryo only during a defined period in a menstrual cycle. The endometrial phase characterization is crucial for the formation of a healthy pregnancy. Polarization imaging is an emerging label-free and non-invasive technique that is good at characterizing the microstructures of biological tissues. In this study, polarization imaging was combined with digital pathology to characterize the microstructures of endometrium samples at the typical proliferative phase and typical secretory phase. The involved polarization parameters include Muller matrix polar decomposition (MMPD) derived parameters δ, θ and a set of rotation invariant parameters PL, DL, qL, rL and their corresponding angular parameters αP, αD, αq and αr. The approaches for the digitalization of the polarization parameter images include the statistical mean analysis that does not involve image texture information, the Local Binary Pattern (LBP) analysis that involves partial image texture information, and the machine learning classifications that make full use of the polarization parameter image information. A class distance Score was defined to evaluate the performance of polarization parameters in the statistical mean and the image texture analysis. The statistical mean analysis indicates parameter DL that relate to the dichroism of the endometrial tissues shows the best class separation ability with the highest class distance Score. Image texture analysis indicates parameter DL still has the highest class distance Score. And compared with the statistical mean method, the class distance Score for DL increased after LBP process. The results of machine learning classification show parameter αD classified by Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture 1 and parameter αP classified by CNN architecture 2 have the same highest accuracy of 87%. This study shows the potential of applying the digital pathology techniques on polarization parameter images to achieve endometrial phase characterization.
MiMeNet: Exploring microbiome-metabolome relationships using neural networks
Authors: Reiman Derek , Layden Brian T. , Dai Yang
Published: May 2021

The advance in microbiome and metabolome studies has generated rich omics data revealing the involvement of the microbial community in host disease pathogenesis through interactions with their host at a metabolic level. However, the computational tools to uncover these relationships are just emerging. Here, we present MiMeNet, a neural network framework for modeling microbe-metabolite relationships. Using ten iterations of 10-fold cross-validation on three paired microbiome-metabolome datasets, we show that MiMeNet more accurately predicts metabolite abundances (mean Spearman correlation coefficients increase from 0.108 to 0.309, 0.276 to 0.457, and -0.272 to 0.264) and identifies more well-predicted metabolites (increase in the number of well-predicted metabolites from 198 to 366, 104 to 143, and 4 to 29) compared to state-of-art linear models for individual metabolite predictions. Additionally, we demonstrate that MiMeNet can group microbes and metabolites with similar interaction patterns and functions to illuminate the underlying structure of the microbe-metabolite interaction network, which could potentially shed light on uncharacterized metabolites through “Guilt by Association”. Our results demonstrated that MiMeNet is a powerful tool to provide insights into the causes of metabolic dysregulation in disease, facilitating future hypothesis generation at the interface of the microbiome and metabolomics.
Light-dependent N-end rule-mediated disruption of protein function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Stevens Leslie M. , Kim Goheun , Koromila Theodora , Steele John W. , McGehee James , Stathopoulos Angelike , Stein David S.
Published: May 2021

Here we describe the development and characterization of the photo-N-degron, a peptide tag that can be used in optogenetic studies of protein function in vivo. The photo-N-degron can be expressed as a genetic fusion to the amino termini of other proteins, where it undergoes a blue light-dependent conformational change that exposes a signal for the class of ubiquitin ligases, the N-recognins, which mediate the N-end rule mechanism of proteasomal degradation. We demonstrate that the photo-N-degron can be used to direct light-mediated degradation of proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Drosophila melanogaster with fine temporal control. In addition, we compare the effectiveness of the photo-N-degron with that of two other light-dependent degrons that have been developed in their abilities to mediate the loss of function of Cactus, a component of the dorsal-ventral patterning system in the Drosophila embryo. We find that like the photo-N-degron, the blue light-inducible degradation (B-LID) domain, a light-activated degron that must be placed at the carboxy terminus of targeted proteins, is also effective in eliciting light-dependent loss of Cactus function, as determined by embryonic dorsal-ventral patterning phenotypes. In contrast, another previously described photosensitive degron (psd), which also must be located at the carboxy terminus of associated proteins, has little effect on Cactus-dependent phenotypes in response to illumination of developing embryos. These and other observations indicate that care must be taken in the selection and application of light-dependent and other inducible degrons for use in studies of protein function in vivo, but importantly demonstrate that N- and C-terminal fusions to the photo-N-degron and the B-LID domain, respectively, support light-dependent degradation in vivo.
Genetic diversity of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica in Kazakhstan
Authors: Shevtsov Vladislav , Kairzhanova Alma , Shevtsov Alexandr , Shustov Alexandr , Kalendar Ruslan , Abdrakhmanov Sarsenbay , Lukhnova Larissa , Izbanova Uinkul , Ramankulov Yerlan , Vergnaud Gilles
Published: May 2021

Tularemia is a highly dangerous zoonotic infection due to the bacteria Francisella tularensis. Low genetic diversity promoted the use of polymorphic tandem repeats (MLVA) as first-line assay for genetic description. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is becoming increasingly accessible, opening the perspective of a time when WGS might become the universal genotyping assay. The main goal of this study was to describe F. tularensis strains circulating in Kazakhstan based on WGS data and develop a MLVA assay compatible with in vitro and in silico analysis. In vitro MLVA genotyping and WGS were performed for the vaccine strain and for 38 strains isolated in Kazakhstan from natural water bodies, ticks, rodents, carnivores, and from one migratory bird, an Isabellina wheatear captured in a rodent burrow. The two genotyping approaches were congruent and allowed to attribute all strains to two F. tularensis holarctica lineages, B.4 and B.12. The seven tandem repeats polymorphic in the investigated strain collection could be typed in a single multiplex PCR assay. Identical MLVA genotypes were produced by in vitro and in silico analysis, demonstrating full compatibility between the two approaches. The strains from Kazakhstan were compared to all publicly available WGS data of worldwide origin by whole genome SNP (wgSNP) analysis. Genotypes differing at a single SNP position were collected within a time interval of more than fifty years, from locations separated from each other by more than one thousand kilometers, supporting a role for migratory birds in the worldwide spread of the bacteria.
Effect of luminal surface structure of decellularized aorta on thrombus formation and cell behavior
Authors: Kobayashi Mako , Ohara Masako , Hashimoto Yoshihide , Nakamura Naoko , Fujisato Toshiya , Kimura Tsuyoshi , Kishida Akio
Published: May 2021

Due to an increasing number of cardiovascular diseases, artificial heart valves and blood vessels have been developed. Although cardiovascular applications using decellularized tissue have been studied, the mechanisms of their functionality remain unknown. To determine the important factors for preparing decellularized cardiovascular prostheses that show good in vivo performance, the effects of the luminal surface structure of the decellularized aorta on thrombus formation and cell behavior were investigated. Various luminal surface structures of a decellularized aorta were prepared by heating, drying, and peeling. The luminal surface structure and collagen denaturation were evaluated by immunohistological staining, collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP) staining, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. To evaluate the effects of luminal surface structure of decellularized aorta on thrombus formation and cell behavior, blood clotting tests and recellularization of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were performed. The results of the blood clotting test showed that the closer the luminal surface structure is to the native aorta, the higher the anti-coagulant property. The results of the cell seeding test suggest that vascular cells recognize the luminal surface structure and regulate adhesion, proliferation, and functional expression accordingly. These results provide important factors for preparing decellularized cardiovascular prostheses and will lead to future developments in decellularized cardiovascular applications.
Dimensions of HIV-related stigma in rural communities in Kenya and Uganda at the start of a large HIV ‘test and treat’ trial
Authors: Akatukwasa Cecilia , Getahun Monica , El Ayadi Alison M. , Namanya Judith , Maeri Irene , Itiakorit Harriet , Owino Lawrence , Sanyu Naomi , Kabami Jane , Ssemmondo Emmanuel , Sang Norton , Kwarisiima Dalsone , Petersen Maya L. , Charlebois Edwin D. , Chamie Gabriel , Clark Tamara D. , Cohen Craig R. , Kamya Moses R. , Bukusi Elizabeth A. , Havlir Diane V. , Camlin Carol S.
Published: May 2021

HIV-related stigma is a frequently cited barrier to HIV testing and care engagement. A nuanced understanding of HIV-related stigma is critical for developing stigma-reduction interventions to optimize HIV-related outcomes. This qualitative study documented HIV-related stigma across eight communities in east Africa during the baseline year of a large HIV test-and-treat trial (SEARCH, NCT: 01864603), prior to implementation of widespread community HIV testing campaigns and efforts to link individuals with HIV to care and treatment. Findings revealed experiences of enacted, internalized and anticipated stigma that were highly gendered, and more pronounced in communities with lower HIV prevalence; women, overwhelmingly, both held and were targets of stigmatizing attitudes about HIV. Past experiences with enacted stigma included acts of segregation, verbal discrimination, physical violence, humiliation and rejection. Narratives among women, in particular, revealed acute internalized stigma including feelings of worthlessness, shame, embarrassment, and these resulted in anxiety and depression, including suicidality among a small number of women. Anticipated stigma included fears of marital dissolution, verbal and physical abuse, gossip and public ridicule. Anticipated stigma was especially salient for women who held internalized stigma and who had experienced enacted stigma from their partners. Anticipated stigma led to care avoidance, care-seeking at remote facilities, and hiding of HIV medications. Interventions aimed at reducing individual and community-level forms of stigma may be needed to improve the lives of PLHIV and fully realize the promise of test-and-treat strategies.
Characterization of time-variant and time-invariant assessment of suicidality on Reddit using C-SSRS
Authors: Gaur Manas , Aribandi Vamsi , Alambo Amanuel , Kursuncu Ugur , Thirunarayan Krishnaprasad , Beich Jonathan , Pathak Jyotishman , Sheth Amit
Published: May 2021

Suicide is the 10thleading cause of death in the U.S (1999-2019). However, predicting when someone will attempt suicide has been nearly impossible. In the modern world, many individuals suffering from mental illness seek emotional support and advice on well-known and easily-accessible social media platforms such as Reddit. While prior artificial intelligence research has demonstrated the ability to extract valuable information from social media on suicidal thoughts and behaviors, these efforts have not considered both severity and temporality of risk. The insights made possible by access to such data have enormous clinical potential—most dramatically envisioned as a trigger to employ timely and targeted interventions (i.e., voluntary and involuntary psychiatric hospitalization) to save lives. In this work, we address this knowledge gap by developing deep learning algorithms to assess suicide risk in terms of severity and temporality from Reddit data based on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). In particular, we employ two deep learning approaches: time-variant and time-invariant modeling, for user-level suicide risk assessment, and evaluate their performance against a clinician-adjudicated gold standard Reddit corpus annotated based on the C-SSRS. Our results suggest that the time-variant approach outperforms the time-invariant method in the assessment of suicide-related ideations and supportive behaviors (AUC:0.78), while the time-invariant model performed better in predicting suicide-related behaviors and suicide attempt (AUC:0.64). The proposed approach can be integrated with clinical diagnostic interviews for improving suicide risk assessments.
Beneficial impact of cathelicidin on hypersensitivity pneumonitis treatment—In vivo studies
Authors: Lemieszek Marta Kinga , Sawa-Wejksza Katarzyna , Golec Marcin , Dutkiewicz Jacek , Zwoliński Jacek , Milanowski Janusz
Published: May 2021

Cathelicidin (CRAMP) is a defence peptide with a wide range of biological responses including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and wound healing. Due to its original properties the usefulness of CRAMP in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis was assessed in a murine model of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). The studies were conducted on mouse strain C57BL/6J exposed to a saline extract of Pantoea agglomerans cells (HP inducer). Cathelicidin was administered in the form of an aerosol during and after HP development. Changes in the composition of immune cell populations (NK cells, macrophages, lymphocytes: Tc, Th, Treg, B), were monitored in lung tissue by flow cytometry. Extracellular matrix deposition (collagens, hydroxyproline), the concentration of cytokines involved in inflammatory and the fibrosis process (IFNγ, TNFα, TGFβ1, IL1β, IL4, IL5, IL10, IL12α, IL13) were examined in lung homogenates by the ELISA method. Alterations in lung tissue morphology were examined in mouse lung sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin as well as Masson trichrome dyes. The performed studies revealed that cathelicidin did not cause any negative changes in lung morphology/structure, immune cell composition or cytokines production. At the same time, CRAMP attenuated the immune reaction induced by mice chronic exposure to P. agglomerans and inhibited hydroxyproline and collagen deposition in the lung tissue of mice treated with bacteria extract. The beneficial effect of CRAMP on HP treatment was associated with restoring the balance in quantity of immune cells, cytokines production and synthesis of extracellular matrix components. The presented study suggests the usefulness of cathelicidin in preventing lung fibrosis; however, cathelicidin was not able to reverse pathological changes completely.
Forecasting for the need of dentists and specialists in South Africa until 2030
Authors: Tiwari Ritika , Bhayat Ahmed , Chikte Usuf
Published: May 2021

To manage the increasing burden of dental diseases, a robust health system is essential. In order to ensure the oral health system operates at an optimal level going into the future, a forecast of the national shortfall of dentists and dental specialists in South Africa (SA) was undertaken. There is currently a shortage of dentists and specialists in SA and given the huge burden of dental diseases, there is a dire need to increase the number of these health care workers. The aim was to determine the projected shortfall of dentists and specialists in each of the nine provinces in SA. The projected shortfall was calculated based on the SA Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) for each province. The estimate for the evaluation of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) for SA was obtained from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease website. For each province, age standardized DALYs were calculated with mid-year population estimates obtained from Statistics SA 2018. In order to reduce the existing human resources for health (HRH) inequity among the provinces of SA, three scenarios were created focussing on attaining horizontal equity. The best-case scenario estimates a shortfall of 430, 1252 and 1885 dentists and specialists in 2018, 2024 and 2030 respectively. In an optimistic scenario, the national shortfall was calculated at 733, 1540 and 2158 dentists and specialists for the years 2018, 2024 and 2030 respectively. In an aspirational scenario, shortfalls of 853 (2018), 1655 (2024) and 2267 (2030) dentists and specialists were forecasted. Access to oral health services should be ensured through the optimum supply of trained dentists and specialists and the delivery of appropriate oral health services. Thus, the roadmap provided for upscaling the oral health services recognizes the influence of both demand and supply factors on the pursuit of equity.
Magnetic resonance imaging reconstruction algorithm under complex convolutional neural network in diagnosis and prognosis of cerebral infarction
Authors: Dong Jie , Zhao Shujun , Meng Yun , Zhang Yong , Li Suxiao
Published: May 2021

This study was to explore the application value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image reconstruction model based on complex convolutional neural network (CCNN) in the diagnosis and prognosis of cerebral infarction. Two image reconstruction methods, frequency domain reconstruction network (FDRN) and image domain reconstruction network (IDRN), were introduced based on the CCNN algorithm. In addition, they were integrated to form two new MRI image reconstruction models, namely D-FDRN and D-IDRN. The peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) value and structural similarity index measure (SSIM) value of the image were compared and analyzed before and after the integration. The MRI images of patients with cerebral infarction in the dataset were undertaken as the data source, the average diffusion coefficient (DCavg) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of different parts of the MRI image were measured, respectively. The correlation of the vein abnormality grading (VABG) to the infarct size and the degree of stenosis of the responsible vessel was analyzed in this study. The results showed that the PSNR and SSIM values of the MRI reconstructed image of the D-IDRN algorithm based on the CCNN algorithm in this study were higher than those of other algorithms. There was a positive correlation between the VABG and the infarct size (r = 0.48 andP= 0.002), and there was a positive correlation between the VABG the degree of stenosis of the responsible vessel (r = 0.58 andP< 0.0001). The ADC value of the central area of the infarct on the affected side was significantly greatly lower than that of the normal side (P< 0.01), and the DCavg value of the central area of the infarct was much lower in contrast to the normal side (P< 0.05). It indicated that an image reconstruction algorithm constructed in this study could improve the quality of MRI images. The ADC value and DCavg value changed in the infarct central area could be used as the basis for the diagnosis of cerebral infarction. If the vein was abnormal, the patient suffered from severe vascular stenosis, large infarction area, and poorer prognosis.
Novel perspective on a conventional technique: Impact of ultra-low temperature on bacterial viability and protein extraction
Authors: Sarnaik Aditya , Mhatre Apurv , Faisal Muhammad , Smith Dylan , Davis Ryan , Varman Arul M.
Published: May 2021

Ultra-low temperature (ULT) storage of microbial biomass is routinely practiced in biological laboratories. However, there is very little insight regarding the effects of biomass storage at ULT and the structure of the cell envelope, on cell viability. Eventually, these aspects influence bacterial cell lysis which is one of the critical steps for biomolecular extraction, especially protein extraction. Therefore, we studied the effects of ULT-storage (-80°C) on three different bacterial platforms: Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. By using a propidium iodide assay and a modified MTT assay we determined the impact of ULT storage on cellular viability. Subsequently, the protein extraction efficiency was determined by analyzing the amount of protein released following the storage. The results successfully established that longer the ULT-storage time lower is the cell viability and larger is the protein extraction efficiency. Interestingly, E. coli and B. subtilis exhibited significant reduction in cell viability over Synechocystis 6803. This indicates that the cell membrane structure and composition may play a major role on cell viability in ULT storage. Interestingly, E. coli exhibited concomitant increase in cell lysis efficiency resulting in a 4.5-fold increase (from 109 μg/ml of protein on day 0 to 464 μg/ml of protein on day 2) in the extracted protein titer following ULT storage. Furthermore, our investigations confirmed that the protein function, tested through the extraction of fluorescent proteins from cells stored at ULT, remained unaltered. These results established the plausibility of using ULT storage to improve protein extraction efficiency. Towards this, the impact of shorter ULT storage time was investigated to make the strategy more time efficient to be adopted into protocols. Interestingly, E. coli transformants expressing mCherry yielded 2.7-fold increase (93 μg/mL to 254 μg/mL) after 10 mins, while 4-fold increase (380 μg/mL) after 120 mins of ULT storage in the extracted soluble protein. We thereby substantiate that: (1) the storage time of bacterial cells in -80°C affect cell viability and can alter protein extraction efficiency; and (2) exercising a simple ULT-storage prior to bacterial cell lysis can improve the desired protein yield without impacting its function.
The effects of the form of sugar (solid vs. beverage) on body weight and fMRI activation: A randomized controlled pilot study
Authors: Apolzan John W. , Carmichael Owen T. , Kirby Krystal M. , Ramakrishnapillai Sreekrishna R. , Beyl Robbie A. , Martin Corby K.
Published: May 2021

Objective

To test if sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) and sugar sweetened solids (SSSs) have differential effects on body weight and reward processing in the brain.

Methods

In a single blind randomized controlled pilot trial (RCT), twenty participants with BMI between 20 and 40 kg/m2 were randomized to consume a 20 fluid ounce soda (SSB, 248 kcal) or the equivalent in solid form (SSS; similar to thick gelatin or gummy candy) daily. At baseline and day 28, fasting body weight and fed-state BOLD fMRI of the brain were assessed. Differences in fMRI signals between views of low-fat (LF (<30%)) high sugar (HS (>30%)) food, and non-food images were calculated in brain regions implicated in energy homeostasis, taste, and reward.

Results

All participants in the SSB (6F 4M; 8 Caucasian; 36±14 y, 28.2±5.5 kg/m2; Mean±SD) and SSS (3F 7M; 6 Caucasian; 39±12; 26.3±4.4) groups completed the study. Weight change was 0.27±0.78 kg between SSB and SSS participants. Changes in the fMRI response to LF/HS foods in reward, homeostatic and taste regions tended to not be different between the groups over the four weeks. However, activation of the right substantia nigra increased following the SSB but decreased activation following the SSS in response to LF/HS foods over 28 days (-0.32±0.12). Ratings of wanting for LF/HS foods were correlated with activation in several brain regions, including the OFC.

Conclusions

Change in weight was modest between the groups in this study. Daily consumption of a SSB over 28 days led to mixed responses to LF/HS foods in areas of the brain associated with reward. Ratings of wanting are correlated with fMRI activation inside an MRI scanner.
Motor skills in relation to body-mass index, physical activity, TV-watching, and socioeconomic status in German four-to-17-year-old children
Authors: Möller Siegfried , Poulain Tanja , Körner Antje , Meigen Christof , Jurkutat Anne , Vogel Mandy , Wessela Sven , Hiemisch Andreas , Grafe Nico , Kiess Wieland
Published: May 2021

Background

The present study describes motor skills in a large sample of German children and adolescents and investigates associations with age, gender, body-mass index, physical activity, television time, and socioeconomic status.

Methods

2,106 children (1076 boys, 1030 girls) aged 4 to 17 years performed five different motor tests for strength (pushups, standing long jump), coordination (backward balancing, jumping side-to-side) and flexibility (forward bend) within the framework of the LIFE Child study (Leipzig, Germany). Anthropometric parameters were assessed through standardized measurement. Data on physical activity, television time, and socioeconomic status were collected via questionnaires. Linear regression analyses were applied to assess relations.

Results

Strength and coordination performance were higher in older than in younger children. While boys showed a higher performance in strengths tests than girls, girls performed better in flexibility and coordination during precision tasks (backward balancing). In terms of coordination under time constraint (jumping side-to-side), both genders produced similar results. Lower body-mass index, higher physical activity, and higher socioeconomic status were significantly related to better motor skills. Longer television times were significantly associated with lower performance in long jump.

Conclusions

The present findings are similar to data collected at the beginning of the century, indicating that motor skills have hardly changed in recent years. The findings furthermore suggest that children from lower social strata, children with higher body weight, and children who move little have a higher risk of developing insufficient motor skills and should therefore be given special support.
Comparison of machine-learning methodologies for accurate diagnosis of sepsis using microarray gene expression data
Authors: Schaack Dominik , Weigand Markus A. , Uhle Florian
Published: May 2021

We investigate the feasibility of molecular-level sample classification of sepsis using microarray gene expression data merged by in silico meta-analysis. Publicly available data series were extracted from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus and EMBL-EBI ArrayExpress to create a comprehensive meta-analysis microarray expression set (meta-expression set). Measurements had to be obtained via microarray-technique from whole blood samples of adult or pediatric patients with sepsis diagnosed based on international consensus definition immediately after admission to the intensive care unit. We aggregate trauma patients, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) patients, and healthy controls in a non-septic entity. Differential expression (DE) analysis is compared with machine-learning-based solutions like decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and deep-learning neural networks (DNNs). We evaluated classifier training and discrimination performance in 100 independent iterations. To test diagnostic resilience, we gradually degraded expression data in multiple levels. Clustering of expression values based on DE genes results in partial identification of sepsis samples. In contrast, RF, SVM, and DNN provide excellent diagnostic performance measured in terms of accuracy and area under the curve (>0.96 and >0.99, respectively). We prove DNNs as the most resilient methodology, virtually unaffected by targeted removal of DE genes. By surpassing most other published solutions, the presented approach substantially augments current diagnostic capability in intensive care medicine.
Does varying the ingestion period of sodium citrate influence blood alkalosis and gastrointestinal symptoms?
Authors: Urwin Charles S. , Snow Rodney J. , Orellana Liliana , Condo Dominique , Wadley Glenn D. , Carr Amelia J.
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To compare blood alkalosis, gastrointestinal symptoms and indicators of strong ion difference after ingestion of 500 mg.kg-1 BM sodium citrate over four different periods.

Methods

Sixteen healthy and active participants ingested 500 mg.kg-1 BM sodium citrate in gelatine capsules over a 15, 30, 45 or 60 min period using a randomized cross-over experimental design. Gastrointestinal symptoms questionnaires and venous blood samples were collected before ingestion, immediately post-ingestion, and every 30 min for 480 min post-ingestion. Blood samples were analysed for blood pH, [HCO3-], [Na+], [Cl-] and plasma [citrate]. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the effect of the ingestion protocols.

Results

For all treatments, blood [HCO3-] was significantly elevated above baseline for the entire 480 min post-ingestion period, and peak occurred 180 min post-ingestion. Blood [HCO3-] and pH were significantly elevated above baseline and not significantly below the peak between 150–270 min post-ingestion. Furthermore, blood pH and [HCO3-] were significantly lower for the 60 min ingestion period when compared to the other treatments. Gastrointestinal symptoms were minor for all treatments; the mean total session symptoms ratings (all times summed together) were between 9.8 and 11.6 from a maximum possible rating of 720.

Conclusion

Based on the findings of this investigation, sodium citrate should be ingested over a period of less than 60 min (15, 30 or 45 min), and completed 150–270 min before exercise.
Multiple spatial reference frames underpin perceptual recalibration to audio-visual discrepancies
Authors: Watson David Mark , Akeroyd Michael A. , Roach Neil W. , Webb Ben S.
Published: May 2021

In dynamic multisensory environments, the perceptual system corrects for discrepancies arising between modalities. For instance, in the ventriloquism aftereffect (VAE), spatial disparities introduced between visual and auditory stimuli lead to a perceptual recalibration of auditory space. Previous research has shown that the VAE is underpinned by multiple recalibration mechanisms tuned to different timescales, however it remains unclear whether these mechanisms use common or distinct spatial reference frames. Here we asked whether the VAE operates in eye- or head-centred reference frames across a range of adaptation timescales, from a few seconds to a few minutes. We developed a novel paradigm for selectively manipulating the contribution of eye- versus head-centred visual signals to the VAE by manipulating auditory locations relative to either the head orientation or the point of fixation. Consistent with previous research, we found both eye- and head-centred frames contributed to the VAE across all timescales. However, we found no evidence for an interaction between spatial reference frames and adaptation duration. Our results indicate that the VAE is underpinned by multiple spatial reference frames that are similarly leveraged by the underlying time-sensitive mechanisms.
Association between ischemic stroke and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis in Korea: A nationwide longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Lee Dong Hyun , Sheen Seung Hun , Lee Dong-Geun , Jang Jae-Won , Lee Dong Chan , Shin Seung-Ho , Han In-bo , Hong Je Beom , Kim Hakyung , Sohn Seil
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this longitudinal follow-up study was to investigate the risk of ischemic stroke nationwide in patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and controls who were matched in age and sex. Patient data were collected from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Health Screening (HEALS) cohort. Using the International Classification of Diseases code M05 (seropositive RA), with a prescription of any disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD), RA was identified. A total of 2,765 patients and 13,825 control subjects were included in our study. The 12-year incidence of ischemic stroke in each group was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. The risk ratio of ischemic stroke was estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Sixty-four patients (2.31%) in the seropositive RA group and 512 (3.70%) in the control group experienced ischemic stroke (P < 0.001) during the follow-up period. The hazard ratio of ischemic stroke in the seropositive RA group was 1.32 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02–1.73) after adjusting for age and sex. The adjusted hazard ratio of ischemic stroke in the seropositive RA group was 1.40 (95% CI, 1.07–1.82) after adjusting for demographics and comorbid medical disorders. According to the subgroup analysis, the hazard ratios of ischemic stroke risks in the female and hypertensive subgroups were 1.44 (95% CI, 1.05–1.97) and 1.66 (95% CI, 1.16–2.38), respectively. In the non-diabetes and non-dyslipidemia subgroups, the corresponding hazard ratios of ischemic stroke were 1.47 (95% CI, 1.11–1.95) and 1.43 (95% CI, 1.07–1.91). Seropositive RA patients have an increased risk of ischemic stroke. In female, hypertension, non-diabetes, and non-dyslipidemia RA subgroups, even without the traditional risk factors for stroke (except for hypertension), increased the risk, which could be potentially attributed to RA.
Characterization of ALTO-encoding circular RNAs expressed by Merkel cell polyomavirus and trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus
Authors: Yang Rong , Lee Eunice E. , Kim Jiwoong , Choi Joon H. , Kolitz Elysha , Chen Yating , Crewe Clair , Salisbury Nicholas J. H. , Scherer Philipp E. , Cockerell Clay , Smith Taylor R. , Rosen Leslie , Verlinden Louisa , Galloway Denise A. , Buck Christopher B. , Feltkamp Mariet C. , Sullivan Christopher S. , Wang Richard C.
Published: May 2021

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a conserved class of RNAs with diverse functions, including serving as messenger RNAs that are translated into peptides. Here we describe circular RNAs generated by human polyomaviruses (HPyVs), some of which encode variants of the previously described alternative large T antigen open reading frame (ALTO) protein. Circular ALTO RNAs (circALTOs) can be detected in virus positive Merkel cell carcinoma (VP-MCC) cell lines and tumor samples. CircALTOs are stable, predominantly located in the cytoplasm, and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modified. The translation of MCPyV circALTOs into ALTO protein is negatively regulated by MCPyV-generated miRNAs in cultured cells. MCPyV ALTO expression increases transcription from some recombinant promoters in vitro and upregulates the expression of multiple genes previously implicated in MCPyV pathogenesis. MCPyV circALTOs are enriched in exosomes derived from VP-MCC lines and circALTO-transfected 293T cells, and purified exosomes can mediate ALTO expression and transcriptional activation in MCPyV-negative cells. The related trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus (TSPyV) also expresses a circALTO that can be detected in infected tissues and produces ALTO protein in cultured cells. Thus, human polyomavirus circRNAs are expressed in human tumors and infected tissues and express proteins that have the potential to modulate the infectious and tumorigenic properties of these viruses.
Sexual Variations of Femoral Neck-Shaft Angle in the Population of Odisha
Authors: Kanchan Rajeev Kumar , Subhadarsini Sonali , Mishra Dharma Niranjan , Mohapatra Chinmayi
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND The peculiar waddling gait of a female attracts most of the anatomists to measure and compare the neck-shaft angle (NSA) of the femora. The femoral neck shaft angle is greater in women due to greater pelvic breadth and shorter femur. Neck-shaft angle was measured by the angle that the neck makes with the shaft of the femur and it is measured on the ventral surface of femur taking the long axis of femoral neck with the long axis of the proximal end of the femur. It gives information about the race it belongs to and normally measures 120° to 140°. The intention of this study was to establish the femoral neck shaft angle variations in adult male and female for medico-legal and anthropometric studies. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted on 84 adult human femora of unknown sex in the anatomy department, Sriram Chandra Bhanja (SCB) Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, from May 2018 to April 2019. We included all the femora which were free of damage or deformity and fully ossified indicating adult bone. Femora with any pathological changes i.e., cortical bone deterioration, extreme osteophyte activity, osteoarthritis and fracture etc. were excluded from the study. The NSA was measured by protractor and goniometer. RESULTS In the present study the NSA range for the right femur of male was 108° - 135° and for the right femur of females 117° - 135°. The left male femur was 118° - 135° and the left female femur was 120° - 135°. The mean neck shaft angle of male femora was 125.9° and the female femora was 125.7°. These measurements show that the values were more in males than the females. The value of the present study was statistically significant between male and female i.e., P < 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS These measurements are important in the medico-legal cases, reconstructive orthopaedic surgeries, hip replacement surgeries and also while constructing suitable prosthesis. This will also be helpful in the detection of sex by anatomists and forensic experts. KEY WORDS Neck Shaft Angle, Medico-Legal, Anthropometry and Goniometer
Evaluation of Tigecycline and Minocycline Susceptibility among Clinical Isolates of Carbapenem Resistant Acinetobacter Species
Authors: Parveen Asna , Bhat Pratibha
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND Acinetobacter species are important infectious agents worldwide especially in healthcare settings. It has the ability to develop various resistance mechanisms to various antibiotics. We wanted to study the role of tigecycline and minocycline in the treatment of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter species. METHODS 254 non-repetitive isolates of Acinetobacter species from various clinical samples like exudates, blood, sputum, urine were retrospectively studied. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by Vitek 2 compact system. Susceptibility of the carbapenem resistant isolates towards tigecycline and minocycline were analysed. RESULTS 205 (80.7 %) isolates were resistant to either of the carbapenem drugs and 49 (19.3 %) were sensitive to all the 3 carbapenems, namely imipenem, meropenem and doripenem. 54.1 % isolates were sensitive to tigecycline while sensitivity towards minocycline was 40.5 %. The degree of sensitive concordance in the susceptibility to minocycline and tigecycline against Acinetobacter species was 31.1 %, which indicated fair agreement statistically. 21.1 % isolates were resistant / intermediate to minocycline but sensitive to tigecycline. Only 9.4 % isolates which were resistant to tigecycline were sensitive to minocycline. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study have demonstrated that minocycline and tigecycline are effective against the carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter species. Tigecycline can be considered as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter which are otherwise difficult to inhibit using other antibiotics. KEY WORDS Carbapenem Resistance, Tigecycline, Minocycline, Antimicrobial Resistance
Role of MRI in Differentiating Benign from Malignant Breast Lesions Using Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI and Diffusion Weighted MRI
Authors: Ahluwalia Kunal Singh , Narula Harneet , Jain Amit , Arora Anshul , Vohra Aditi , Bansal Tanu , Gakhar Akshit
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in Indian women. Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) has improved specificity in characterising breast lesions. Diffusion weighted imaging can improve the sensitivity and specificity of MRI in the evaluation of breast lesions thus differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of diffusion weighted MRI and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions and to compare its findings with histopathological or fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) findings. METHODS A descriptive diagnostic study enrolled 30 female patients of palpable breast lumps with positive findings either on mammography or ultrasound. Ultrasonography was done on HD 15 (Philips Medical Systems, USA). This was followed by MRI which was done on MULTIVA 1.5 T using a dedicated breast array coil. RESULTS Fibroadenoma accounted for majority of benign lesions (4 / 10) while invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) accounted for majority of malignant lesions (15 / 20). 7 / 10 benign lesions showed type I curve, while majority (15 / 20) of the malignant lesions showed type III curve. 8 / 10 benign breast lesions did not show restricted diffusion on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) while all malignant lesions showed restricted diffusion on DWI. In our study, the mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value for benign and malignant lesions was 1.59 x 10-3 mm2 / s and 0.88 x 10- 3 mm2 / s respectively. CONCLUSIONS MR morphology, DCE-MRI and DWI are useful to characterise various breast lesions. MRI features of signal intensity of hypointensity on T2WI with other associated features of irregular shape, spiculate margins, heterogeneous enhancement on DCEMRI, type III dynamic curve and reduced ADC value are strong predictors of malignancy. KEY WORDS Breast MRI, DCE-MRI, DWI, Breast Carcinoma
Voluntad política a favor de la educación inclusiva y equitativa: Inicios y desarrollo analizando su significado
Authors: Darretxe Urrutxi Leire , Alvarez Rementería María , Alonso Saez Israel , Beloki Arizti Nekane
Published: May 2021

Este trabajo teórico aborda la cuestión sobre la apuesta de la política educativa internacional por una educación inclusiva y equitativa de calidad para todas las personas como derecho fundamental. La metodología seguida ha sido la revisión de publicaciones de organismos internacionales y artículos científicos de diferentes bases de datos de referencia, como Latindex, Erih y Dialnet, entre los años 2010-2020. Los escritos seleccionados han sido categorizados por las diferentes temáticas que aportaban entendimiento al ámbito de la educación inclusiva, lo que ha permitido su análisis y obtención de los resultados que se presentan. En primer lugar, se comienza relatando los inicios y el desarrollo de la Educación Inclusiva, recogiendo los principales acontecimientos relativos a la educación como derecho y poniendo especial énfasis en aquellos hitos de mayor relevancia y los compromisos refrendados internacionalmente a favor de la educación inclusiva. Posteriormente, se reflexiona sobre los diferentes puntos de vista complementarios que permiten abordar la educación inclusiva, argumentando que existen diferentes causas que han favorecido el desarrollo de este derecho. Así, se intenta delimitar el significado de inclusión, inclusión educativa y/o educación inclusiva, llegando a unos consensos o acuerdos avalados por la literatura. Se concluye destacando que la educación inclusiva tiene que estar basada en la equidad y la importancia de que las políticas educativas se comprometan con este reto de garantizar una educación inclusiva y equitativa para todas las personas.