bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tensão do cuidador e sua relação com segurança do idoso no domicílio
Authors: Santos Gleysson Coutinho , Teixeira Maria Luiza de Oliveira , Branco Elen Martins da Silva Castelo , Gonzalez Christiany Moçali , Silva Barbara Martins Correa da
Published: June 2024

Objetivos: Identificar as situações geradoras de tensão nos cuidadores de idosos atendidos no ambulatório de geriatria de enfermagem e descrever a relação entre as situações geradoras de tensão nos cuidadores e a segurança do idoso no domicílio. Método: Pesquisa de campo exploratória e descritiva, do tipo qualitativo. Os participantes foram 15 cuidadores de idosos atendidos no Ambulatório de Geriatria de Enfermagem de um Hospital Universitário do Rio de Janeiro. Na coleta de dados utilizou-se roteiro de entrevista individual semiestruturada, formulário de identificação sociocultural. Resultados: Os achados possibilitaram identificar que os entrevistados apresentaram diferentes níveis de tensão, destacando-se os fatores biopsicossociais, econômicos e histórico-culturais, que são as principais causas dos riscos à segurança do paciente no domicílio. Conclusão: Diante das dificuldades apontadas pelos cuidadores, torna-se necessário buscar uma rede social de apoio, oferecer orientações a fim de minimizar os impactos que a tensão de cuidar possa causar.
Bloqueios periféricos em cirurgias cardíacas pediátricas: Revisão sistemática
Authors: Costa Rômulo Carvalho , Lima Jenifer Lourany Vieira de , Andrade João Paulo Ferreira , Bomfim Kamile Vitória Silva , Alves Lorena Gabryelly da Silva , Silva Nycolle Evelyn Mendonça da , Brito Renan Guedes de
Published: June 2024

Os bloqueios periféricos (BPs) consistem em injeções anestésicas administradas para inativar a inervação de uma região específica do corpo, bloqueando assim, sinais de dor e sensibilidade. Os BPs são cada vez mais utilizados em cirurgias cardiotorácicas, uma vez que, podem atenuar as respostas adversas ao estresse fisiológico provocado pelo ato cirúrgico e garantem um bom nível de segurança. Esta revisão sistemática objetiva avaliar o uso dos bloqueios periféricos em cirurgias cardíacas pediátricas (CCPs). Foram utilizadas como bases, as plataformas PUBMED, SCIELO, LILACS, COCHRANE LIBRARY e EMBASE. Ao todo, foram encontrados 192 artigos, dos quais 152 foram excluídos após a leitura do título e resumo. Durante a leitura completa dos demais, 27 foram eliminados por critérios de exclusão e assim, apenas 13 artigos foram incluídos nesta revisão. Destes, foram avaliadas 768 crianças e levantados 8 tipos de BPs em CCPs: bloqueio do Plano Muscular Tóracico Transverso (BPMTT), bloqueio do plano eretor da espinha (BPEE), bloqueio do Nervo Paravertebral (BNP), bloqueio do Plano Transverso Abdominal (BPTA), bloqueio da bainha do reto (BBR), bloqueio Retrolaminar Torácico (BRL), bloqueio do Nervo Intercostal (BNIC), bloqueio do processo de ponto médio transversal da pleura (BPPMTP). A partir dos estudos revisados, infere-se que todos os tipos de BPs provocam uma recuperação aprimorada do paciente submetido às CCPs.
O uso de biomarcadores salivares para monitorização das alterações metabólicas ocasionadas pelo exercício físico - Uma revisão da literatura
Authors: Campos Artur Miranda , Costa Gabriela Vitória Aparecida Marques , Lopes Giovana Braga , Rodrigues Ester Martins França , Castro Giovanni Bonfioli Martins de
Published: June 2024

Introdução: A saliva é crucial para a saúde oral, refletindo a saúde geral do indivíduo devido à sua composição complexa. Com sua fácil coleta e rica fonte de informações clínicas, a saliva é promissora para investigar respostas fisiológicas ao exercício. Objetivo: Analisar as potencialidades e limitações dos marcadores salivares na monitorização das alterações bioquímicas provocadas pelo exercício físico. Métodos: Esta revisão de literatura utilizou as bases de dados SciELO, PubMed e Google Scholar, com as palavras-chave: "biomarcadores", "saliva", "monitorização" e "exercício físico". Foram encontrados 272 trabalhos. Os critérios de inclusão foram: responder à pergunta norteadora; ser um trabalho original e/ou uma revisão sistemática dos últimos 14 anos; publicado em inglês, português ou espanhol; e ter resultados significativos. Selecionaram-se 10 estudos. Resultados: Os biomarcadores salivares mostraram-se eficazes para avaliar o estado imunológico e endocrinológico, monitorar o estresse oxidativo e dano muscular, identificar concussões esportivas e analisar a eficiência dos métodos de recuperação. Observou-se uma diferença quantitativa entre os gêneros feminino e masculino. A técnica de coleta é simples, segura, barata e não invasiva, mas requer metodologia rigorosa e análise individual do atleta. Conclusão: A saliva é uma fonte rica em biomarcadores que refletem respostas fisiológicas ao exercício, apesar das limitações como a variabilidade individual e a necessidade de monitoramento personalizado.
Condução de caso de neoplasia apendicular pós apendicectomia: Relato de caso
Authors: Machado Camila Zanetti , Alvim Eduarda Reis da Rocha Villalba , Mourão Luma Chan , Ferreira Thiara de Medeiros Jabor , Negreiros Ana Cristina Soares Hernani Valverde , Leal Renan Helio Sens
Published: June 2024

Introdução: Tumores no apêndice são raros e frequentemente subdiagnosticados até o histopatológico. Sua clínica se assemelha à apendicite aguda, levando à maioria dos diagnósticos emergenciais e apendicectomias de urgência. As malignidades apendiculares incluem tumores epiteliais e não epiteliais, com carcinoides mucinosos sendo o subtipo mais comum. O objetivo deste estudo é relatar o caso de uma paciente com câncer de apêndice cecal. Relato de Caso: Paciente de 26 anos chegou ao hospital com sintomas típicos de apendicite. Exames revelaram suspeita de apendicite aguda, levando a uma apendicectomia de emergência. O histopatológico revelou neoplasia mucinosa de baixo grau no apêndice (LAMN), sem invasão. A paciente se recuperou bem após a cirurgia. Metodologia: O estudo consiste em um relato de caso de uma paciente com suspeita de apendicite aguda cujo histopatológico, pós operatório, revelou LAMN, sem invasão. O relato foi escrito com a permissão da participante através de um Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido lido e assinado pela paciente. Discussão: Os LAMN frequentemente se assemelham à apendicite aguda. O anatomopatológico é crucial para o diagnóstico e exames de imagem auxiliam na avaliação e estadiamento. A RNM é útil para esse propósito. Os cirurgiões devem estar preparados para lidar com alterações benignas ou malignas. Conclusão: Este caso enfatiza a importância de diagnosticar e tratar corretamente o câncer de apêndice cecal, condição rara que mimetiza uma apendicite aguda. É necessária avaliação clínica e histopatológica precisa e acompanhamento pós-operatório. Recomenda-se para estudos futuros investigar variações clínicas, desenvolver biomarcadores e avaliar terapias adjuvantes.
ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-MEDICATION PRACTICE OF DYSMENORRHEA AMONG PHARMACY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: Rahmi, M.Sc Eldiza Puji , Ananda Bella , Prabowo Imam , Pradana Dhigna Luthfiyani Citra
Published: June 2024

Dysmenorrhea is pain during menstruation that is experienced during adolescence caused by uterine muscle spasms. Data on knowledge of dysmenorrhea and self-medication practice among undergraduate student at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta (UPN Veteran Jakarta)  are scarce. This study aimed to assess and determine the relationship between the level of knowledge and primary dysmenorrhea self-medication practice. A cross-sectional study was carried out among female undergraduate Pharmacy Student of UPN Veteran Jakarta. A total of 107 unmarried and nulliparous female students were included in this study using the stratified random sampling technique. Based on the results of the study, 47 students (43.9%) had adequate knowledge, 46 students (43.0%) had moderate knowledge, and 14 students (13.1%) had inadequate knowledge. Forty female students (37.4%) had good practice, 40 female students (37.4%) had moderate practice, and 27 female students (25.2%) had poor practice regarding dysmenorrhea, and in this study, the value of confidentiality (p< 0.05). It is considered significant, with the intention that there is a relationship between the level of knowledge and primary dysmenorrhea self-medication.
UPDATE REVIEW OF PHYSALIS: ETHNOGRAPHY VALUE AND ITS USEFULNESS IN STROKE ISCHEMIC DISEASE
Authors: Makkiyah Feda
Published: June 2024

One Indonesian herbal medicine that deserves attention is Physalis minimal Linn. Identifying medications and their use in the correct dosages is crucial for effective treatment. Country gooseberry, or Physalis minima Linn, has anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory properties. This paper aims to reveal the potential use of Physalis minima Linn in stroke ischemic disease, a substantial current health issue in Indonesia. We used Scopus and Google databases to screen the intended articles with keywords used are TITLE-ABS- KEY (stroke) AND physalis AND antioxidant OR antiinflammation, "Physalis minima" and stroke ischemic" and "thrombolytic" OR " Antiinflammatory" OR "Antioxidant". Two other fellow researchers screened the resulting articles and read the articles together, and resumed the narration. Ten articles resulted in the screening—however, only 1 article was included in this article from the Scopus Databases. However, we got five articles out of 10 articles from Google databases. We divided the narration based on several items, such as anti-thrombolytic effects, antioxidant and antiinflammation, and ethnography of the plant. Conclusions. Physalis minima have its potency to be explored as an alternative treatment to stroke ischemic. Firstly P.minima tends to thrombolytic clot in case of thrombosis in stroke ischemia. Secondly, P.minima have an effect of antioxidants and anti-inflammation that is useful in acute stroke ischemia.
The Relationship of Compliance With Medication on Blood Pressure Stability in Hypertension Patients at Cinere District Health Center 2023
Authors: Sumantri Salsabila , Rahmi Eldiza puji
Published: June 2024

Several reasons for hypertension sufferers who do not comply with taking medication will slow down healing time and worsen the patient's condition and can even cause death. This study aims to determine the characteristics of hypertensive patients at the Cinere Community Health Center, the results of antihypertensive therapy at the Cinere Community Health Center and to determine the relationship between adherence to medication use and the success of therapy at the Cinere Community Health Center. This research uses a correlational analytical research design. Based on the discussion above, it can be concluded that the characteristics of hypertensive patients at the Cinere Community Health Center are the majority aged 45-65 years, female with the highest education level being elementary school and having suffered for > 1 year. The majority of medication adherence among hypertensive patients at the Cinere Community Health Center is still relatively low. The success of therapy in hypertensive patients at the Cinere Community Health Center resulted in a reduction in blood pressure of 31 people and in patients who did not reduce blood pressure there were 71 people. There is a relationship between adherence to taking medication and blood pressure stability in hypertensive patients at the Cinere Community Health Center
Maturation of type I and type II rat vestibular hair cells in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Borrajo Mireia , Sedano David , Palou Aïda , Giménez-Esbrí Víctor , Barrallo-Gimeno Alejandro , Llorens Jordi
Published: June 2024

Vestibular sensory epithelia contain type I and type II sensory hair cells (HCI and HCII). Recent studies have revealed molecular markers for the identification of these cells, but the precise composition of each vestibular epithelium (saccule, utricle, lateral crista, anterior crista, posterior crista) and their postnatal maturation have not been described in detail. Moreover, in vitro methods to study this maturation are not well developed. We obtained total HCI and HCII counts in adult rats and studied the maturation of the epithelia from birth (P0) to postnatal day 28 (P28). Adult vestibular epithelia hair cells were found to comprise ∼65% HCI expressing osteopontin and PMCA2, ∼30% HCII expressing calretinin, and ∼4% HCII expressing SOX2 but neither osteopontin nor calretinin. At birth, immature HCs express both osteopontin and calretinin. P28 epithelia showed an almost adult-like composition but still contained 1.3% of immature HCs. In addition, we obtained free-floating 3D cultures of the epithelia at P1, which formed a fluid-filled cyst, and studied their survival and maturation in vitro up to day 28 (28 DIV). These cultures showed good HC resiliency and maturation. Using an enriched medium for the initial 4 days, a HCI/calretinin+-HCII ratio close to the in vivo ratio was obtained. These cultures are suitable to study HC maturation and mature HCs in pharmacological, toxicological and molecular research.
Dynamic verification of an optimisation algorithm for power dispatch of integrated energy systems
Authors: Morales Sandoval Daniel A. , De La Cruz-Loredo Ivan , Saikia Pranaynil , Abeysekera Muditha , Ugalde-Loo Carlos E.
Published: June 2024

The urgent need to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 has led to a growing focus on innovative approaches to producing, storing, and consuming energy. Integrated energy systems (IES) have emerged as a promising solution, capitalising on synergies between energy networks and enhancing efficiency. Such a holistic approach enables the integration of renewable energy sources and flexibility provision from one energy network to another, reducing emissions while facilitating strategies for operational optimisation of energy systems. However, emphasis has been mostly made on steady-state methodologies, with a dynamic verification of the optimal solutions not given sufficient attention. To contribute towards bridging this research gap, a methodology to verify the outcomes of an optimisation algorithm is presented in this paper. The methodology has been applied to assess the operation of a civic building in the UK dedicated to health services. This has been done making use of real energy demand data. Optimisation is aimed at improving power dispatch of the energy system by minimising operational costs and carbon emissions. To quantify potential discrepancies in power flows and operational costs obtained from the optimisation, a dynamic model of the IES that better captures real-world system operation is employed. By incorporating slow transients of thermal systems, control loops, and non-linearity of components in the dynamic model, often overlooked in traditional optimisation modules, the methodology provides a more accurate assessment of energy consumption and operational costs. The effectiveness of the methodology is assessed through model-in-the-loop co-simulations between MATLAB/Simulink and Apros alongside a series of scenarios. Results indicate significant discrepancies in power flows and operational costs between the optimisation and the dynamic model. These findings illustrate potential limitations of conventional operational optimisation modules in addressing real-world complexities, emphasising the significance of dynamic verification methods for informed energy management and decision-planning.
Molecular mechanisms of human overgrowth and use of omics in its diagnostics: chances and challenges
Authors: Prawitt Dirk , Eggermann Thomas
Published: June 2024

Overgrowth disorders comprise a group of entities with a variable phenotypic spectrum ranging from tall stature to isolated or lateralized overgrowth of body parts and or organs. Depending on the underlying physiological pathway affected by pathogenic genetic alterations, overgrowth syndromes are associated with a broad spectrum of neoplasia predisposition, (cardio) vascular and neurodevelopmental anomalies, and dysmorphisms. Pathologic overgrowth may be of prenatal or postnatal onset. It either results from an increased number of cells (intrinsic cellular hyperplasia), hypertrophy of the normal number of cells, an increase in interstitial spaces, or from a combination of all of these. The underlying molecular causes comprise a growing number of genetic alterations affecting skeletal growth and Growth-relevant signaling cascades as major effectors, and they can affect the whole body or parts of it (mosaicism). Furthermore, epigenetic modifications play a critical role in the manifestation of some overgrowth diseases. The diagnosis of overgrowth syndromes as the prerequisite of a personalized clinical management can be challenging, due to their clinical and molecular heterogeneity. Physicians should consider molecular genetic testing as a first diagnostic step in overgrowth syndromes. In particular, the urgent need for a precise diagnosis in tumor predisposition syndromes has to be taken into account as the basis for an early monitoring and therapy. With the (future) implementation of next-generation sequencing approaches and further omic technologies, clinical diagnoses can not only be verified, but they also confirm the clinical and molecular spectrum of overgrowth disorders, including unexpected findings and identification of atypical cases. However, the limitations of the applied assays have to be considered, for each of the disorders of interest, the spectrum of possible types of genomic variants has to be considered as they might require different methodological strategies. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnostic workflows significantly contribute to the phenotype-driven selection and interpretation of molecular and physiological data.
Role of long non-coding RNA in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Hu Yufei , Lu Yifan , Fang Yi , Zhang Qizhe , Zheng Zhuoqun , Zheng Xiaojuan , Ye Xiaohua , Chen Yanping , Ding Jin , Yang Jianfeng
Published: June 2024

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of recurrent chronic inflammatory diseases, including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Although IBD has been extensively studied for decades, its cause and pathogenesis remain unclear. Existing research suggests that IBD may be the result of an interaction between genetic factors, environmental factors and the gut microbiome. IBD is closely related to non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). NcRNAs are composed of microRNA(miRNA), long non-coding RNA(lnc RNA) and circular RNA(circ RNA). Compared with miRNA, the role of lnc RNA in IBD has been little studied. Lnc RNA is an RNA molecule that regulates gene expression and regulates a variety of molecular pathways involved in the pathbiology of IBD. Targeting IBD-associated lnc RNAs may promote personalized treatment of IBD and have therapeutic value for IBD patients. Therefore, this review summarized the effects of lnc RNA on the intestinal epithelial barrier, inflammatory response and immune homeostasis in IBD, and summarized the potential of lnc RNA as a biomarker of IBD and as a predictor of therapeutic response to IBD in the future.
Trend of harmful algal bloom dynamics from GOCI observed diurnal variation of chlorophyll a off Southeast coast of China
Authors: Xu Yuying , Chen Jianyu , Yang Qingjie , Jiang Xiaoyi , Fu Yu , Pan Delu
Published: June 2024

Timely and accurate observations of harmful algal blooms dynamics help to coordinate coastal protection and reduce the damage in advance. To date, predicting changes in the spatial distribution of algal blooms has been challenging due to the lack of suitable tools. The paper proposes that the development and disappearance of algal bloom can be monitored by satellite remote sensing in a large area from the diurnal variation of chlorophyll a. In this paper, 32 pairs of observed data in 2011–2020 showed that it was most appropriate to outline the areas where the diurnal variation (the standard deviation calculated from the daily chlorophyll a) in chlorophyll a was more than 2.2 mg/m3. Among them, 30 pairs of data showed that the high chlorophyll a diurnal variation could predict the growth of the algal bloom in the next days. In these events, the median area difference between the two spatial distributions was -0.08%. When there was a high diurnal variation in chlorophyll a in the area adjacent to where algal bloom was occurred, a new algal bloom region was likely to spread in subsequent days. Continuous multiday time series showed that the diurnal variation in chlorophyll a can reflect the algal bloom’s overall growth condition.
Seasonal dynamics of global marine heatwaves over the last four decades
Authors: Wang Yishan , Zhou Yuntao
Published: June 2024

Marine heatwaves (MHWs), prolonged periods of abnormally high sea temperature, have greater devastating impacts on marine ecosystem services and socioeconomic systems than gradual long-term ocean warming. Despite growing evidence of increases in MHW frequency, duration, and intensity, their interseasonal variations remain unclear. Using satellite-derived daily sea surface temperature (SST) data from 1982 to 2022, this work reveals a strong seasonality in MHWs. Typically, the highest cumulative intensity, characterizing total impacts on ecosystems, occurs during the local warm seasons in most oceans, leading to a significant interseasonal difference between warm and cold seasons. The interseasonal difference is predominantly driven by air-sea heat flux, rather than oceanic horizontal advection and vertical process. An increase in these interseasonal differences is observed in mid and high latitudes, with a significant increase in the warm season and a weaker trend in the cold season. In the Equatorial Pacific and Western Equatorial Indian Ocean, intense MHWs are primarily exacerbated by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which also determines interseasonal variations in MHWs. Understanding the seasonality of MHWs can help better formulate corresponding policies to reduce economic and ecological losses caused by these events and can improve the accuracy of future predictions.
Destruction of the brush border by Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium subverts resorption by polarized epithelial cells
Authors: Felipe-López Alfonso , Hansmeier Nicole , Hensel Michael
Published: June 2024

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is an invasive, facultative intracellular gastrointestinal pathogen that destroys the brush border of polarized epithelial cells (PEC). The brush border is critical for the functions of PEC because it resorbs nutrients from the intestinal lumen and builds a physical barrier to infecting pathogens. The manipuation of PEC during infection by Salmonella was investigated by live-cell imaging and ultrastructural analysed of the brush border. We demonstrate that the destruction of the brush border by Salmonella significantly reduces the resorption surface of PEC along with the abrogation of endocytosis at the apical side of PEC. Both these changes in the physiology of PEC were associated with the translocation of type III secretion system effector protein SopE. Additionally, the F-actin polymerization rate at the apical side of PEC was highly altered by SopE, indicating that reduced endocytosis observed in infected PEC is related to the manipulation of F-actin polymerization mediated by SopE and, to a lesser extent, by effectors SopE2 or SipA. We further observed that in the absence of SopE, Salmonella effaced microvilli and induced reticular F-actin by bacterial accumulation during prolonged infection periods. In contrast to strains translocating SopE, strains lacking SopE did not alter resorption by PEC. Finally, we observed that after engulfment of Salmonella, ezrin was lost from the apical side of PEC and found later in early endosomes containing Salmonella. Our observations suggest that the destruction of the brush border by Salmonella may contribute to the pathogenesis of diarrhea.
The carbohydrate metabolism and expression of carbohydrate-active enzyme genes in Aspergillus luchuensis fermentation of tea leaves
Authors: Li Ruoyu , Wang Teng , Bo Nianguo , Wang Qi , Chen Qiuyue , Liang Zhengwei , Guan Yanhui , Jiang Bin , Ma Yan , Zhao Ming
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Carbohydrates, which make up 20 to 25% of tea beverages, are responsible for their flavor and bioactivity. Carbohydrates of pu-erh tea change during microbial fermentation and require further research. In this study, we examined the carbohydrate metabolism and expression of carbohydrate-active enzyme genes during the fermentation of tea leaves with Aspergillus luchuensis.

Methods

Widely targeted metabolomics analysis, high-performance anion-exchange chromatography measurements, and transcriptomics were used in this study.

Results

After fermentation, the levels of soluble sugar, hemicellulose, lignin, eight monosaccharides, and seven sugar alcohols increased. Meanwhile, the relative contents of polysaccharides, D-sorbitol, D-glucose, and cellulose decreased. High expression of 40 genes encoding 16 carbohydrate enzymes was observed during fermentation (FPKM>10). These genes encode L-iditol 2-dehydrogenase, pectinesterase, polygalacturonase, α-amylase, glucoamylase, endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, α-galactosidase, α-glucosidase, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, among others.

Discussion

These enzymes are known to break down polysaccharides and cell wall cellulose, increasing the content of monosaccharides and soluble sugars.
Region and layer-specific expression of GABAA receptor isoforms and KCC2 in developing cortex
Authors: Zavalin Kirill , Hassan Anjana , Zhang Yueli , Khera Zain , Lagrange Andre H.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptors (GABAARs) are ligand-gated Cl-channels that mediate the bulk of inhibitory neurotransmission in the mature CNS and are targets of many drugs. During cortical development, GABAAR-mediated signals are significantly modulated by changing subunit composition and expression of Cl-transporters as part of developmental processes and early network activity. To date, this developmental evolution has remained understudied, particularly at the level of cortical layer-specific changes. In this study, we characterized the expression of nine major GABAAR subunits and K-Cl transporter 2 (KCC2) in mouse somatosensory cortex from embryonic development to postweaning maturity.

Methods

We evaluated expression of α1-5, β2-3, γ2, and δ GABAAR subunits using immunohistochemistry and Western blot techniques, and expression of KCC2 using immunohistochemistry in cortices from E13.5 to P25 mice.

Results

We found that embryonic cortex expresses mainly α3, α5, β3, and γ2, while expression of α1, α2, α4, β2, δ, and KCC2 begins at later points in development; however, many patterns of nuanced expression can be found in specific lamina, cortical regions, and cells and structures.

Discussion

While the general pattern of expression of each subunit and KCC2 is similar to previous studies, we found a number of unique temporal, regional, and laminar patterns that were previously unknown. These findings provide much needed knowledge of the intricate developmental evolution in GABAAR composition and KCC2 expression to accommodate developmental signals that transition to mature neurotransmission.
Evidence for reticulospinal plasticity underlying motor recovery in Brown-Séquard-plus Syndrome: a case report
Authors: Eilfort Antonia Maria , Rasenack Maria , Zörner Björn , Curt Armin , Filli Linard
Published: June 2024

Brown-Séquard Syndrome (BSS) is a rare neurological condition caused by a unilateral spinal cord injury (SCI). Upon initial ipsilesional hemiplegia, patients with BSS typically show substantial functional recovery over time. Preclinical studies on experimental BSS demonstrated that spontaneous neuroplasticity in descending motor systems is a key mechanism promoting functional recovery. The reticulospinal (RS) system is one of the main descending motor systems showing a remarkably high ability for neuroplastic adaptations after incomplete SCI. In humans, little is known about the contribution of RS plasticity to functional restoration after SCI. Here, we investigated RS motor drive to different muscles in a subject with Brown-Séquard-plus Syndrome (BSPS) five months post-injury using the StartReact paradigm. RS drive was compared between ipsi- and contralesional muscles, and associated with measures of functional recovery. Additionally, corticospinal (CS) drive was investigated using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in a subset of muscles. The biceps brachii showed a substantial enhancement of RS drive on the ipsi- vs. contralesional side, whereas no signs of CS plasticity were found ipsilesionally. This finding implies that motor recovery of ipsilesional elbow flexion is primarily driven by the RS system. Results were inversed for the ipsilesional tibialis anterior, where RS drive was not augmented, but motor-evoked potentials recovered over six months post-injury, suggesting that CS plasticity contributed to improvements in ankle dorsiflexion. Our findings indicate that the role of RS and CS plasticity in motor recovery differs between muscles, with CS plasticity being essential for the restoration of distal extremity motor function, and RS plasticity being important for the functional recovery of proximal flexor muscles after SCI in humans.
Histopathology-based breast cancer prediction using deep learning methods for healthcare applications
Authors: Ramamoorthy Prabhu , Ramakantha Reddy Buchi Reddy , Askar S. S. , Abouhawwash Mohamed
Published: June 2024

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of female cancer mortality and is a type of cancer that is a major threat to women's health. Deep learning methods have been used extensively in many medical domains recently, especially in detection and classification applications. Studying histological images for the automatic diagnosis of BC is important for patients and their prognosis. Owing to the complication and variety of histology images, manual examination can be difficult and susceptible to errors and thus needs the services of experienced pathologists. Therefore, publicly accessible datasets called BreakHis and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) are used in this study to analyze histopathological images of BC. Next, using super-resolution generative adversarial networks (SRGANs), which create high-resolution images from low-quality images, the gathered images from BreakHis and IDC are pre-processed to provide useful results in the prediction stage. The components of conventional generative adversarial network (GAN) loss functions and effective sub-pixel nets were combined to create the concept of SRGAN. Next, the high-quality images are sent to the data augmentation stage, where new data points are created by making small adjustments to the dataset using rotation, random cropping, mirroring, and color-shifting. Next, patch-based feature extraction using Inception V3 and Resnet-50 (PFE-INC-RES) is employed to extract the features from the augmentation. After the features have been extracted, the next step involves processing them and applying transductive long short-term memory (TLSTM) to improve classification accuracy by decreasing the number of false positives. The results of suggested PFE-INC-RES is evaluated using existing methods on the BreakHis dataset, with respect to accuracy (99.84%), specificity (99.71%), sensitivity (99.78%), and F1-score (99.80%), while the suggested PFE-INC-RES performed better in the IDC dataset based on F1-score (99.08%), accuracy (99.79%), specificity (98.97%), and sensitivity (99.17%).
Influence of β-lactam pharmacodynamics on the systems microbiology of gram-positive and gram-negative polymicrobial communities
Authors: Smith Nicholas M. , Kaur Harpreet , Kaur Ravneet , Minoza Trisha , Kent Michael , Barekat Ayeh , Lenhard Justin R.
Published: June 2024

Objectives

We sought to evaluate the pharmacodynamics of β-lactam antibacterials against polymicrobial communities of clinically relevant gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens.

Methods

Two Enterococcus faecalis isolates, two Staphylococcus aureus isolates, and three Escherichia coli isolates with varying β-lactamase production were evaluated in static time-killing experiments. Each gram-positive isolate was exposed to a concentration array of ampicillin (E. faecalis) or cefazolin (S. aureus) alone and during co-culture with an E. coli isolate that was β-lactamase-deficient, produced TEM-1, or produced KPC-3/TEM-1B. The results of the time-killing experiments were summarized using an integrated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics analysis as well as mathematical modelling to fully characterize the antibacterial pharmacodynamics.

Results

In the integrated analysis, the maximum killing of ampicillin (Emax) against both E. faecalis isolates was ≥ 4.11 during monoculture experiments or co-culture with β-lactamase-deficient E. coli, whereas the Emax was reduced to ≤ 1.54 during co-culture with β-lactamase-producing E. coli. In comparison to monoculture experiments, culturing S. aureus with KPC-producing E. coli resulted in reductions of the cefazolin Emax from 3.25 and 3.71 down to 2.02 and 2.98, respectively. Two mathematical models were created to describe the interactions between E. coli and either E. faecalis or S. aureus. When in co-culture with E. coli, S. aureus experienced a reduction in its cefazolin Kmax by 24.8% (23.1%RSE). Similarly, β-lactamase-producing E. coli preferentially protected the ampicillin-resistant E. faecalis subpopulation, reducing Kmax,r by 90.1% (14%RSE).

Discussion

β-lactamase-producing E. coli were capable of protecting S. aureus and E. faecalis from exposure to β-lactam antibacterials.
Vancomycin population pharmacokinetics and dosing proposal for the initial treatment in obese adult patients
Authors: Polášková Lucie , Murínová Irena , Gregorová Jana , Slanař Ondřej , Šíma Martin
Published: June 2024

Aim

The aim of this study was to develop a vancomycin population pharmacokinetic model in adult obese patients and propose covariate-based dosing individualization in order to maximize the achievement of the newly recommended PK/PD target, according to a revised consensus guideline from 2020.

Methods

Therapeutic drug monitoring data from initial vancomycin therapy (first 3 days of treatment) in adult obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) patients from 2013 to 2022 were analyzed using a non-linear mixed-effects modeling method, and Monte Carlo simulations were then used to find the optimal dosage maximizing the PK/PD target attainment.

Results

A total of 147 vancomycin serum levels obtained from 138 patients were included in the analysis. Based on the covariate model diagnosis among all tested variables, no reliable predictor of vancomycin volume of distribution (Vd) was identified, while clearance (CL) was positively correlated with eGFR and lean body mass. Creatinine-based eGFR predicted vancomycin CL better than cystatin C-based eGFR. The median (interquartile range) value from conditional modes of individual estimates of Vd, CL, and elimination half-life in our population was 74.0 (70.5–75.4) L, 6.65 (4.95–8.42) L/h, and 7.7 (6.0–10.0) h, respectively.

Conclusion

We proposed dosing individualization based on the covariate found in order to maximize the achievement of the newly recommended PK/PD target of the AUC/MIC ratio of 400–600. Clinical pharmacy/pharmacology interventions may lead to an improvement in vancomycin dosing with a reflection in PK/PD target attainment.
Potential therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicine in acute mountain sickness: pathogenesis, mechanisms and future directions
Authors: Wu Zhenhui , Wang Yihao , Gao Rong , Chen Junru , Chen Yingfan , Li Maoxing , Gao Yue
Published: June 2024

Background and objectives

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a pathology with different symptoms in which the organism is not adapted to the environment that occurs under the special environment of high altitude. Its main mechanism is the organism’s tissue damage caused by acute hypobaric hypoxia. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory focuses on the holistic concept. TCM has made remarkable achievements in the treatment of many mountain sicknesses. This review outlines the pathogenesis of AMS in modern and traditional medicine, the progress of animal models of AMS, and summarizes the therapeutic effects of TCM on AMS.

Methods

Using the keywords “traditional Chinese medicine,” “herbal medicine,” “acute mountain sickness,” “high-altitude pulmonary edema,” “high-altitude cerebral edema,” “acute hypobaric hypoxia,” and “high-altitude,” all relevant TCM literature published up to November 2023 were collected from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases, and the key information was analyzed.

Results

We systematically summarised the effects of acute hypobaric hypoxia on the tissues of the organism, the study of the methodology for the establishment of an animal model of AMS, and retrieved 18 proprietary Chinese medicines for the clinical treatment of AMS. The therapeutic principle of medicines is mainly invigorating qi, activating blood and removing stasis. The components of botanical drugs mainly include salidroside, ginsenoside Rg1, and tetrahydrocurcumin. The mechanism of action of TCM in the treatment of AMS is mainly through the regulation of HIF-1α/NF-κB signaling pathway, inhibition of inflammatory response and oxidative stress, and enhancement of energy metabolism.

Conclusion

The main pathogenesis of AMS is unclear. Still, TCM formulas and components have been used to treat AMS through multifaceted interventions, such as compound danshen drip pills, Huangqi Baihe granules, salidroside, and ginsenoside Rg1. These components generally exert anti-AMS pharmacological effects by inhibiting the expression of VEGF, concentration of MDA and pro-inflammatory factors, down-regulating NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, and promoting SOD and Na + -K + -ATPase activities, which attenuates acute hypobaric hypoxia-induced tissue injury. This review comprehensively analyses the application of TCM in AMS and makes suggestions for more in-depth studies in the future, aiming to provide some ideas and insights for subsequent studies.
Exploring orphan GPCRs in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Öz-Arslan Devrim , Yavuz Melis , Kan Beki
Published: June 2024

Neurodegenerative disorders represent a significant and growing health burden worldwide. Unfortunately, limited therapeutic options are currently available despite ongoing efforts. Over the past decades, research efforts have increasingly focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these devastating conditions. Orphan receptors, a class of receptors with no known endogenous ligands, emerge as promising druggable targets for diverse diseases. This review aims to direct attention to a subgroup of orphan GPCRs, in particular class A orphans that have roles in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Multiple sclerosis. We highlight the diverse roles orphan receptors play in regulating critical cellular processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal survival and neuro-inflammation. Moreover, we discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting orphan receptors for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, emphasizing recent advances in drug discovery and preclinical studies. Finally, we outline future directions and challenges in orphan receptor research.
A research program to measure the lifetime of spin polarized fuel
Authors: Heidbrink W. W. , Baylor L. R. , Büscher M. , Engels R. W. , Garcia A. V. , Ghiozzi A. G. , Miller G. W. , Sandorfi A. M. , Wei X. , Zheng X.
Published: June 2024

The use of spin polarized fuel could increase the deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion cross section by a factor of 1.5 and, owing to alpha heating, increase the fusion power by an even larger factor. Issues associated with the use of polarized fuel in a reactor are identified. Theoretically, nuclei remain polarized in a hot fusion plasma. The similarity between the Lorentz force law and the Bloch equations suggests polarization can be preserved despite the rich electromagnetic spectrum present in a magnetic fusion device. The most important depolarization mechanisms can be tested in existing devices. The use of polarized deuterium and 3He in an experiment avoids the complexities of handling tritium, while encompassing the same nuclear reaction spin-physics, making it a useful proxy to study issues associated with full D-T implementation. 3He fuel with 65% polarization can be prepared by permeating optically-pumped 3He into a shell pellet. Dynamically polarized 7Li-D pellets can achieve 70% vector polarization for the deuterium. Cryogenically-frozen pellets can be injected into fusion facilities by special injectors that minimize depolarizing field gradients. Alternatively, polarized nuclei could be injected as a neutral beam. Once injected, the lifetime of the polarized fuel is monitored through measurements of escaping charged fusion products. Multiple experimental scenarios to measure the polarization lifetime in the DIII-D tokamak and other magnetic-confinement facilities are discussed, followed by outstanding issues that warrant further study.
Transdiagnostic markers across the psychosis continuum: a systematic review and meta-analysis of resting state fMRI studies
Authors: Merola Giuseppe Pierpaolo , Tarchi Livio , Saccaro Luigi F. , Delavari Farnaz , Piguet Camille , Van De Ville Dimitri , Castellini Giovanni , Ricca Valdo
Published: June 2024

Psychotic symptoms are among the most debilitating and challenging presentations of severe psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and bipolar disorder. A pathophysiological understanding of intrinsic brain activity underlying psychosis is crucial to improve diagnosis and treatment. While a potential continuum along the psychotic spectrum has been recently described in neuroimaging studies, especially for what concerns absolute and relative amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF and fALFF), these efforts have given heterogeneous results. A transdiagnostic meta-analysis of ALFF/fALFF in patients with psychosis compared to healthy controls is currently lacking. Therefore, in this pre-registered systematic review and meta-analysis PubMed, Scopus, and Embase were searched for articles comparing ALFF/fALFF between psychotic patients and healthy controls. A quantitative synthesis of differences in (f)ALFF between patients along the psychotic spectrum and healthy controls was performed with Seed-based d Mapping, adjusting for age, sex, duration of illness, clinical severity. All results were corrected for multiple comparisons by Family-Wise Error rates. While lower ALFF and fALFF were detected in patients with psychosis in comparison to controls, no specific finding survived correction for multiple comparisons. Lack of this correction might explain the discordant findings highlighted in previous literature. Other potential explanations include methodological issues, such as the lack of standardization in pre-processing or analytical procedures among studies. Future research on ALFF/fALFF differences for patients with psychosis should prioritize the replicability of individual studies.

Systematic review registration

https://osf.io/, identifier (ycqpz).
Role of miRNAs in the Chikungunya virus replication and pathogenesis
Authors: Nangare Rohini A. , Gajbhiye Virendra , Karpe Yogesh A.
Published: June 2024

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a vector-born alphavirus responsible for chikungunya fever with clinical manifestation of polyarthritis transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Establishing viral pathogenesis needs host machinery modulation, and the microRNAs (miRNA) modulate host cellular machinery to establish the infection or inhibit viral replication. miRNAs are the small noncoding RNA that control the gene expression. They are essential in cell differentiation, growth, development, and apoptosis. It also affects disease progression, cancer, and viral infection. CHIKV infection causes differential expression of miRNA, and miRNA has target genes involved in different cellular functions. These target genes may be crucial in CHIKV replication and cell growth. Suppression or overexpression of these miRNAs may have been linked with CHIKV pathogenesis by regulating immune and signaling pathways. Identification of biomarkers in disease progression through the study of circulating miRNAs during CHIKV infection is an emerging field. Therefore, understanding miRNAs’ differential expression and function during CHIKV infection is essential. The detailed studies on the miRNA-mediated regulatory network will provide new ways to develop miRNA-based therapies.
Data Reduction Technologies in Prediction of Propeller Noise
Authors: Afari Samuel , Mankbadi Reda
Published: June 2024

High-fidelity computations are often used in predicting the tonal and broadband noise of propellers and rotors associated with Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles (AAMVs). But LES is both CPU and storage intensive. We present here an investigation of the feasibility of reduction methods such as Proper Orthogonal Decomposition as well as Dynamic Mode Decomposition for reduction of data obtained via LES to be used further to obtain additional parameters. Specifically, we investigate how accurate reduced models of the high-fidelity computations can be used to predict the far-field noise. It is found that POD is capable of accurately reconstructing the parameters of interest with 15–40% of the total mode energies, whereas the DMD can only reconstruct primitive parameters such as velocity and pressure loosely. A rank truncation convergence criterion > 99.8% is needed for better performance of the DMD algorithm. In the far-field spectra, DMD can only predict the tonal contents in the lower and mid frequencies, while the POD can reproduce all frequencies of interest.
Nematicidal trans-Anethole Blends Paralyzing Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Kirgiafini Dimitra , Serafim Argyris , Menkissoglu-Spiroudi Urania , D’Addabbo Trifone , Tsiropoulos Nikolaos , Ntalli Nikoletta
Published: June 2024

Nematodes have a negative impact on crop production and yield. The use of synthetic formulations to control plant parasitic nematodes carries both environmental and human health risks. As these agrochemicals are gradually being phased out, recent research has been focused on finding more environmentally friendly, plant-based alternatives. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of botanicals, used alone or in artificial blends, in paralyzing Meloidogyne incognita second-stage juveniles (J2s) immersed in test solutions or exposed to vapors. We tested thymol, trans-anethole, and two lavender essential oils, referred to as LEOA and LEOB, which vary in their flower and stem compositions. We also employed in our study Melia azedarach aqueous extract (MWE), already proven to have considerable nematicidal activity. According to our findings, all treatments used individually exhibited considerable efficacy, even LEOA and LEOB first reported herein. In addition, all blends exhibited significant synergism, and the best-performing were trans-anethole/thymol, being synergic to paralyzing J2s for up to two days, and trans-anethole/LEOB as well as trans-anethole/MWE, provoking irreversible paralysis since the first day of J2 immersion in test solutions. Most importantly, the blend of trans-anethole with LEOA displayed the best effective synergism against M. incognita both for immersion and fumigation methods. Lastly, the chemical composition analysis displayed linalyl acetate and β-linalool as the major components of LEOA and β-linalool and eucalyptol as the major components of LEOB.