bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The safety of MSC therapy over the past 15 years: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Yang , Yi Hanxiao , Song Yancheng
Published: October 2021

Background

Despite increasing clinical investigations emphasizing the safety of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in different populations with different diseases, no article has recently reviewed the adverse events in all populations.

Aim

To evaluate the safety of MSC therapy in all populations receiving MSC therapy and explore the potential heterogeneities influencing the clinical application of MSCs.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched from onset until 1 March 2021.

Results

All adverse events are displayed as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs (confidential intervals). In total, 62 randomized clinical trials were included that enrolled 3546 participants diagnosed with various diseases (approximately 20 types of diseases) treated with intravenous or local implantation versus placebo or no treatment. All studies were of high quality, and neither serious publication bias nor serious adverse events (such as death and infection) were discovered across the included studies. The pooled analysis demonstrated that MSC administration was closely associated with transient fever (OR, 3.65, 95% CI 2.05–6.49, p < 0.01), administration site adverse events (OR, 1.98, 95% CI 1.01–3.87, p = 0.05), constipation (OR, 2.45, 95% CI 1.01–5.97, p = 0.05), fatigue (OR, 2.99, 95% CI 1.06–8.44, p = 0.04) and sleeplessness (OR, 5.90, 95% CI 1.04–33.47, p = 0.05). Interestingly, MSC administration trended towards lowering rather than boosting the incidence rate of arrhythmia (OR, 0.62, 95% CI 0.36–1.07, p = 0.09).

Conclusions

Conclusively, MSC administration was safe in different populations compared with other placebo modalities.
SUMO1 modification of IGF-1R combining with SNAI2 inhibited osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs stimulated by high glucose
Authors: Jiang Rongrong , Wang Miao , Shen Xiaobo , Huang Shuai , Han Jianpeng , Li Lei , Xu Zhiliang , Jiang Chengfeng , Zhou Qiao , Feng Xingmei
Published: October 2021

Background

Periodontal disease, an oral disease characterized by loss of alveolar bone and progressive teeth loss, is the sixth major complication of diabetes. It is spreading worldwide as it is difficult to be cured. The insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) plays an important role in regulating functional impairment associated with diabetes. However, it is unclear whether IGF-1R expression in periodontal tissue is related to alveolar bone destruction in diabetic patients. SUMO modification has been reported in various diseases and is associated with an increasing number of biological processes, but previous studies have not focused on diabetic periodontitis. This study aimed to explore the role of IGF-1R in osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) in high glucose and control the multiple downstream damage signal factors.

Methods

PDLSCs were isolated and cultured after extraction of impacted teeth from healthy donors or subtractive orthodontic extraction in adolescents. PDLSCs were cultured in the osteogenic medium with different glucose concentrations prepared by medical 5% sterile glucose solution. The effects of different glucose concentrations on the osteogenic differentiation ability of PDLSCs were studied at the genetic and cellular levels by staining assay, Western Blot, RT-PCR, Co-IP and cytofluorescence.

Results

We found that SNAI2, RUNX2 expression decreased in PDLSCs cultured in high glucose osteogenic medium compared with that in normal glucose osteogenic medium, which were osteogenesis-related marker. In addition, the IGF-1R expression, sumoylation of IGF-1R and osteogenic differentiation in PDLSCs cultured in high glucose osteogenic medium were not consistent with those cultured in normal glucose osteogenic medium. However, osteogenic differentiation of PDLCSs enhanced after adding IGF-1R inhibitors to high glucose osteogenic medium.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrated that SUMO1 modification of IGF-1R inhibited osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs by binding to SNAI2 in high glucose environment, a key factor leading to alveolar bone loss in diabetic patients. Thus we could maximize the control of multiple downstream damage signaling factors and bring new hope for alveolar bone regeneration in diabetic patients.
Differential induction of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals in agitated micro-shoot cultures of Ajuga integrifolia Buch. Ham. ex D.Don with biotic elicitors
Authors: Ullah Muhammad Asad , Gul Faiza Zareen , Khan Taimoor , Bajwa Muhammad Naeem , Drouet Samantha , Tungmunnithum Duangjai , Giglioli-Guivarc’h Nathalie , Liu Chunzhao , Hano Christophe , Abbasi Bilal Haider
Published: October 2021

Ajuga integrifoliaBuch. Ham. ex D.Don, a member ofLamiaceaefamily is pharmaceutically an active perennial herb widely spread in China, Afghanistan and Pakistan Himalayan region. The application of biotic elicitors is a promising approach to cover limitations of in vitro cell technology and challenges faced by pharmaceuticals industry for bulk up production. The current study involved the induction of agitated micro-shoot cultures with the aim to investigate the growth-promoting as well as phytochemicals enhancement role of yeast extract (YE) and pectin (PE). The results showed that both elicitors induced a considerable physiological response. Biomass accumulation was observed maximum (DW: 18.3 g/L) against PE (10 mg/L) compared to YE and control. Eleven secondary phytocompounds were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. PE (50 mg/L) was found to be effective in elicitation of rosmarinic acid (680.20 µg/g), chlorogenic acid (294.12 µg/g), apigenin (579.61 µg/g) and quercetin (596.89 µg/g). However, maximum caffeic acid (359.52 µg/g) and luteolin (546.12 µg/g accumulation was noted in PE (1 mg/L) treatment. Harpagide, aucubin, harpagoside and 8-O-acetyl-harpagoside production was suppressed by both elicitors except for YE (100 mg/L). Catalpol accumulation in micro-shoot cultures was also downregulated except in response to YE (50 and 100 mg/L). Antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity remained higher under PE (50 mg/L) and YE (100 mg/L) respectively. Therefore, results suggested thatAjuga integrifoliamicro-shoot cultures treated with yeast extract and pectin might be an efficient bio-factory to produce commercially potent specific secondary metabolites.
The involvement of community pediatricians in the treatment of developmental-behavioral difficulties as perceived by directors of child development centers
Authors: Nissanholtz-Gannot Rachel , Michael Davidovitch , Ashkenazi Yael , Grossman Zachi
Published: October 2021

Background

Developmental-behavioral issues are among the most frequent and disabling conditions of children and adolescents seen in ambulatory settings. Guidelines of the Israeli Pediatric Association and the Israeli Society for Developmental Pediatrics specify the role of the primary-care pediatrician in screening and early identification of mild developmental behavioral conditions and define the criteria for referral to child development institutes. The aims of this study were to examine and describe how directors of these institutes perceive the role and involvement of community pediatricians in child development.

Methods

Qualitative interviews of the directors of 22 child development institutes from the ministry of health and the four health plans.

Results

According to the interviewees, there is little involvement of community pediatricians in detecting developmental delays, and it is mainly nurses and preschool teachers who detect such delays. They report that the key barriers that deter community pediatricians from greater involvement in child development diagnosis and treatment are lack of time, lack of compensation, and insufficient clinical knowledge. The interviewees would like to see community pediatricians conducting the primary medical evaluation, providing parental guidance, referring to therapists in mild cases, exercising discretion before referring children to child development institutes and providing relevant information to the institutes in the referral process. The mechanisms that they proposed for increasing the involvement of community pediatricians were expansion of pediatricians’ training, increased pediatricians’ use of teleconsultation with child development specialists and incentives for thorough performance of developmental assessments.

Conclusions

Due to the importance of the Issue, we strongly recommend that policymakers require child development principles, evaluation, and providing appropriate parental guidance in the curriculum of the Israeli pediatric residency program. In addition, health plans should compensate pediatricians who need to conduct longer visits for children with developmental delays. The health plans should also develop teleconsultation channels for pediatricians with child development specialists to reduce unnecessary referrals to child development institutes.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Residential planning and layout design method based on multi-sensor information fusion
Authors: Wang Zhiyi
Published: October 2021

With the in-depth development of the market economy and the acceleration of the process of urbanization, a large number of people have poured into the city, and a large number of residential communities have been developed and constructed. Design quality in the development process is often replaced by output. Some companies attach importance to quality but do not know how to control quality. Based on this, this paper uses the method of multi-sensor information fusion to study the planning and layout design methods of residential areas, and provides a design basis for solving the problems of people’s living environment deterioration and increasingly scarce land resources. Based on the Rhinoceros and Grasshopper parametric platform, this paper integrates residential information model, performance prediction technology, and multi-sensor information fusion technology, taking residential planning and layout parameters as design variables. A set of intelligent optimization system for residential planning and layout based on multi-performance objective simulation was compiled. The “internal factors” and “external factors” that affect the results of RLIOS are studied, and then the residential planning and layout design methods are studied. Experiments have proved that no matter what algorithm is used, the performance of each target can be improved, the floor area ratio performance can be improved by 35.3–3.3%, and the open space performance can be improved by 12.6–31.36%. It shows that the residential planning and layout design method based on multi-sensor information fusion proposed in this paper improves the accuracy and efficiency of the work.
An implicit relation, relational theoretic approach under w-distance and application to nonlinear matrix equations
Authors: Jain Reena , Nashine Hemant Kumar , De la Sen Manuel
Published: October 2021

We propose a new class of implicit relations and an implicit type contractive condition based on it in the relational metric spaces under w-distance functional. Further we derive fixed points results based on them. Useful examples illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the presented results. We apply these results to discuss sufficient conditions ensuring the existence of a unique positive definite solution of the nonlinear matrix equation (NME) of the form $\mathcal{U}=\mathcal{Q} + \sum_{i=1}^{k}\mathcal{A}_{i}^{*} \mathcal{G}\mathcal{(U)}\mathcal{A}_{i}$
U
=
Q
+

∑

i
=
1

k

A
i
∗

G

(
U
)

A
i

, where $\mathcal{Q}$
Q
is an $n\times n$
n
×
n
Hermitian positive definite matrix, $\mathcal{A}_{1}$

A
1

, $\mathcal{A}_{2}$

A
2

, …, $\mathcal{A}_{m}$

A
m

are $n \times n$
n
×
n
matrices and $\mathcal{G}$
G
is a nonlinear self-mapping of the set of all Hermitian matrices which are continuous in the trace norm. In order to demonstrate the obtained conditions, we consider an example together with convergence and error analysis and visualisation of solutions in a surface plot.
Internal and external aspects of freedom of choice in mental health: cultural and linguistic adaptation of the Hungarian version of the Oxford CAPabilities questionnaire—Mental Health (OxCAP-MH)
Authors: Helter Timea Mariann , Kovacs Ildiko , Kanka Andor , Varga Orsolya , Kalman Janos , Simon Judit
Published: October 2021

Background

A link between mental health and freedom of choice has long been established, in fact, the loss of freedom of choice is one of the possible defining features of mental disorders. Freedom of choice has internal and external aspects explicitly identified within the capability approach, but received little explicit attention in capability instruments. This study aimed to develop a feasible and linguistically and culturally appropriate Hungarian version of the Oxford CAPabilities questionnaire—Mental Health (OxCAP-MH) for mental health outcome measurement.

Methods

Following forward and back translations, a reconciled Hungarian version of the OxCAP-MH was developed following professional consensus guidelines of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research and the WHO. The wording of the questionnaire underwent cultural and linguistic validation through content analysis of cognitive debriefing interviews with 11 Hungarian speaking mental health patients in 2019. Results were compared with those from the development of the German version and the original English version with special focus on linguistic aspects.

Results

Twenty-nine phrases were translated. There were linguistic differences in each question and answer options due to the high number of inflected, affixed words and word fragments that characterize the Hungarian language in general. Major linguistic differences were also revealed between the internal and external aspects of capability freedom of choices which appear much more explicit in the Hungarian than in the English or German languages. A re-analysis of the capability freedom of choice concepts in the existing language versions exposed the need for minor amendments also in the English version in order to allow the development of future culturally, linguistically and conceptually valid translations.

Conclusion

The internal and external freedom of choice impacts of mental health conditions require different care/policy measures. Their explicit consideration is necessary for the conceptually harmonised operationalisation of the capability approach for (mental) health outcome measurement in diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.
Testing the psychometric properties of a short skills inventory for students looking for their first job
Authors: Rodrigues Rosa Isabel
Published: October 2021

Background

In the last two decades, the transformations that have affected the business world have had a great impact on professional performance standards. As such, they have contributed significantly to increasing concerns regarding employability. Particularly, these concerns are even more worrying among students who are looking for their first job. Consequently, this leads organizations to question whether the skills these candidates have are sufficient and adequate for them to enter the job market. Although it is a problem that deserves an urgent response, it is still poorly understood amongst academics, which is why it continues to be essential to define and signal which skills candidates should develop in order to guarantee a better person-function fit. Hereupon, the present study aims at the construction and validation of a short skills inventory for students who are looking for their first job. This inventory will allow alignment between candidates' skills and the level of performance expected by their future employers.

Methods

The development of the short skills inventory for students looking for their first job was based on Classical test theory and Item response theory methodologies. Specifically, its developmental process encompassed three studies. Study 1, comprising a qualitative scope, dealt with the development and construction of the items (n = 97). Study 2, of an exploratory nature, was intended to evaluate the psychometric properties of the instrument (n = 173). Finally, Study 3, of a confirmatory nature, was aimed at validating the results gathered from the Exploratory factor analysis (n = 407).

Results

This inventory is a valuable asset for the selection of students who are looking for their first job. The analyzes carried out over the various studies show that this instrument has satisfactory psychometric properties, and, as such, is a valid and reliable instrument and an alternative to the instruments currently used in the recruitment and selection processes.

Conclusions

The construction of this short skills inventory brings theoretical and practical benefits. In short, it contributes to reducing Portugal’s gap regarding psychological assessment upon selection considering the lack of validated and verified instruments for students looking for their first job.
Atmospheric oxygenation of the early earth and earth-like planets driven by competition between land and seafloor weathering
Authors: Watanabe Yasuto , Tajika Eiichi
Published: October 2021

Oxygen is a potential biosignature for terrestrial Earth-like planets. The primary source of oxygen on Earth is oxygenic photosynthesis, which may be limited by the supply of riverine phosphorus. Therefore, phosphorus supply from the chemical weathering of continents is crucial for the evolution of pO2. Chemical weathering occurs on both the continents and seafloor and stabilizes the climate, but phosphorus is only supplied by continental weathering. The amount of continental weathering relative to seafloor weathering may be critical for primary productivity and pO2. The area of continents could change as a result of continental growth and the amount of ocean mass on the planetary surface, and these factors could be very different on extrasolar Earth-like planets. Here, we investigated the effects of continental and seafloor weathering on the atmospheric oxygen levels, in terms of the Earth-like phosphorus-limited marine biosphere. We used a simple biogeochemical model and investigated a possible relationship between continental growth and atmospheric oxygen levels. We found that the atmosphere could evolve totally different redox conditions (an abrupt rise of atmospheric oxygen levels or a reducing condition to form organic haze) caused by continental growth, which changes the relative contribution of silicate weathering feedback from seafloor to continent. We also found that conditions with lower solar luminosity and a larger land fraction provided a preferable condition for the phosphorus-limited marine biosphere to produce high levels of oxygen in the atmosphere. We also found that the atmospheric oxygen level is strongly affected by the activity of the anaerobic marine microbial ecosystem. Our results suggest that the area of land on the planetary surface may be crucial for achieving high oxygen levels in a phosphorus-limited marine biosphere. These results contribute to the fundamental understanding of the general behaviors of Earth-like planets with oceans and an Earth-like marine biosphere.
Natural and experimental high-pressure, shock-produced terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials
Authors: Miyahara Masaaki , Tomioka Naotaka , Bindi Luca
Published: October 2021

Hypervelocity impacts are among the fundamental phenomena occurring during the evolution of the solar system and are characterized by instantaneous ultrahigh pressure and temperature. Varied physicochemical changes have occurred in the building blocks of celestial bodies under such extreme conditions. The constituent material has transformed into a denser form, a high-pressure polymorph. The high-pressure polymorph is also thought to be the constituent of the deep Earth’s interior. Hence, experiments using a high-pressure and temperature generating apparatus have been conducted to clarify its crystal structure, pressure–temperature stability range, and transformation mechanisms. A natural high-pressure polymorph (mineral) is found from terrestrial and extraterrestrial rocks that experienced a hypervelocity impact. Mineralogists and planetary scientists have investigated high-pressure minerals in meteorites and rocks near terrestrial craters over a half-century. Here, we report brief reviews about the experiments producing high-pressure polymorphs and then summarize the research histories of high-pressure minerals occurring in shocked meteorites and rocks near terrestrial craters. Finally, some implications of high-pressure minerals found in impact-induced shocked rocks are also mentioned.

Graphic abstract
DNA damage in cumulus cells generated after the vitrification of in vitro matured porcine oocytes and its impact on fertilization and embryo development
Authors: López Alma , Betancourt Miguel , Ducolomb Yvonne , Rodríguez Juan José , Casas Eduardo , Bonilla Edmundo , Bahena Iván , Retana-Márquez Socorro , Juárez-Rojas Lizbeth , Casillas Fahiel
Published: October 2021

Background

The evaluation of the DNA damage generated in cumulus cells after mature cumulus-oocyte complexes vitrification can be considered as an indicator of oocyte quality since these cells play important roles in oocyte developmental competence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if matured cumulus-oocyte complexes exposure to cryoprotectants (CPAs) or vitrification affects oocytes and cumulus cells viability, but also if DNA damage is generated in cumulus cells, affecting fertilization and embryo development.

Results

The DNA damage in cumulus cells was measured using the alkaline comet assay and expressed as Comet Tail Length (CTL) and Olive Tail Moment (OTM). Results demonstrate that oocyte exposure to CPAs or vitrification reduced oocyte (75.5 ± 3.69%, Toxicity; 66.7 ± 4.57%, Vitrification) and cumulus cells viability (32.7 ± 5.85%, Toxicity; 7.7 ± 2.21%, Vitrification) compared to control (95.5 ± 4.04%, oocytes; 89 ± 4.24%, cumulus cells). Also, significantly higher DNA damage expressed as OTM was generated in the cumulus cells after exposure to CPAs and vitrification (39 ± 17.41, 33.6 ± 16.69, respectively) compared to control (7.4 ± 4.22). In addition, fertilization and embryo development rates also decreased after exposure to CPAs (35.3 ± 16.65%, 22.6 ± 3.05%, respectively) and vitrification (32.3 ± 9.29%, 20 ± 1%, respectively). It was also found that fertilization and embryo development rates in granulose-intact oocytes were significantly higher compared to denuded oocytes in the control groups. However, a decline in embryo development to the blastocyst stage was observed after CPAs exposure (1.66 ± 0.57%) or vitrification (2 ± 1%) compared to control (22.3 ± 2.51%). This could be attributed to the reduction in both cell types viability, and the generation of DNA damage in the cumulus cells.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that oocyte exposure to CPAs or vitrification reduced viability in oocytes and cumulus cells, and generated DNA damage in the cumulus cells, affecting fertilization and embryo development rates. These findings will allow to understand some of the mechanisms of oocyte damage after vitrification that compromise their developmental capacity, as well as the search for new vitrification strategies to increase fertilization and embryo development rates by preserving the integrity of the cumulus cells.
Prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among adolescent students in Finote Selam Town, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Kebede Damitie , Prasad Reddy P. C. J. , Asres Degnet Teferi , Aragaw Hayat , Worku Eyerusalem
Published: October 2021

Background

Undernutrition among adolescents is a major public health problem in developing nations including Ethiopia. Adolescents need to have good-quantity and good-quality nutrients to cope with this rapid growth and other health risks which increase nutritional demand. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among school adolescents in Finote Selam Town, Northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional study among adolescent students aged 10–19 in public schools was carried out in Finote Selam Town from February 5 to March 27, 2018. A total of 397 school adolescents were included in this study. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select study subjects. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data were entered using Epi info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20 and WHO AnthroPlus software. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with stunting and thinness. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% level significance were used to measure the strength of association, and statistical significance was declared at aPvalue less than 0.05.

Results

The prevalence of stunting and thinness among school adolescents was 21.8% and 16.9%, respectively. About 9.7% of school adolescents experienced both stunting and thinness. Being male (P = 0.031), coming from rural area (P = 0.046), having a family monthly income of less than $28.37 (P = 0.044) and having less than four dietary diversity (P = 0.021) were significantly associated with stunting. Early adolescent stage (P = 0.034), being male adolescent students (P = 0.37), having a family monthly income of less than $28.37 (P = 0.016), having a family monthly income between $28.37 and $56.74 (P = 0.021) (35.25 Birr = 1 USD) and using well water (P = 0.045) were significantly associated with thinness.

Conclusion

Undernutrition was a predominant problem in the study area. Sex, age, place of residence, dietary diversity, sources of drinking water and family monthly income were important factors associated with stunting and thinness among the respondents. Strategies to improve the nutritional status of adolescent students should be given much attention.
Dual burden of Zika and COVID-19 in India: challenges, opportunities and recommendations
Authors: Bardhan Mainak , Pramanik Debolina , Riyaz Rizana , Hasan Mohammad Mehedi , Essar Mohammad Yasir
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in the world from last year, and any further insults like Zika virus will surely bring the apocalypse unto us. In July 2021, Zika began spreading in India, mainly in the state of Kerala. Zika infection resembles closely COVID-19 and other arboviral infections, which might lead to delayed and misdiagnosis, further leading to underreporting of cases. Some of the feared complications of Zika include Guillain–Barré syndrome and congenital Zika syndrome leading to microcephaly. Thus, Zika virus disease (ZVD) has significant public health and social impacts. Since the trifecta of infectious diseases (host, agent and environment) are all conducive to the spread of Zika in India, there is a huge risk that ZVD might become endemic in India, which is especially dangerous in the backdrop of this pandemic. This has to be stopped at all costs: the main aspects of which are public health measures, vector control and early diagnosis, especially in case of pregnant women. The diversion of healthcare resources for this pandemic has albeit made this difficult, but we must do our bit if we have to overcome this situation.
Effect of combined light-emitting diodes on the accumulation of glucosinolates in Brassica microgreens
Authors: Alrifai Oday , Mats Lili , Liu Ronghua , Hao Xiuming , Marcone Massimo F. , Tsao Rong
Published: October 2021

As of recent, microgreen vegetable production in controlled environments are being investigated for their bioactive properties. Phytochemicals like glucosinolates (GLS) are highly sensitive to varying spectral qualities of light, especially in leafy greens of Brassica where the responses are highly species-dependent. The accumulation of bioactive GLS were studied under 8 different treatments of combined amber (590 nm), blue (455 nm), and red (655 nm) light-emitting diodes (rbaLED). A semi-targeted metabolomics approach was carried out to profile common intact-GLS in microgreen extracts of Brassica by means of LC-HRMS/MS. Thirteen GLS were identified, among them were 8 aliphatic, 4 indolic and 1 aromatic GLS. Mass spectrometry data showed sinigrin had the highest average concentration and was highest in B. juncea, progoitrin was highest in B. rapa and glucobrassicin in R. sativus. The individual and total GLS in the microgreens of the present study were largely different under rbaLED; B. rapa microgreens contained the highest profile of total GLS, followed by R. sativus and B. juncea. Sinigrin was increased and gluconasturtiin was decreased under rbaLED lighting in most microgreens, glucoalyssin uniquely increased in R. sativus and decreased in B. rapa and glucobrassicin uniquely decreased in both B. rapa and B. juncea. The present study showed that rbaLED contributed to the altered profiles of GLS resulting in their significant modulation. Optimizing the light spectrum for improved GLS biosynthesis could lead to production of microgreens with targeted health-promoting properties.

Graphical Abstract
Microstructure characteristics of cornea of some birds: a comparative study
Authors: Abdelftah Zeinab , Gaber Ahmed R. , Abo-Eleneen Rasha E. , EL-Bakry Ahlam M.
Published: October 2021

Background

Light is the critical factor that affects the eye's morphology and auxiliary plans. The ecomorphological engineering of the cornea aids the physiological activities of the cornea during connections between photoreceptor neurons and light photons. Cornea was dissected free from the orbit from three avian species as ibis (Eudocium albus), duck (Anas platyrhynchus domesticus) and hawk (Buteo Buteo) and prepared for light and scanning electron microscopy and special stain for structural comparison related to function.

Results

The three investigated avian species are composed of three identical layers; epithelium, stroma, and endothelium, and two basement membranes; bowman's and Descemet’s membrane, separating two cellular layers, except for B. buteo which only has a Descemet’s membrane. The corneal layers in the investigated species display different affinity to stain with Periodic Acid Schiff stain. The external corneal surface secured by different normal epithelial cells ran from hexagonal to regular polygonal cells. Those epithelial cells are punctured by different diameter microholes and microplicae and microvilli of various length. Blebs are scarcely distributed over their surface. The present investigation utilized histological, histochemical and SEM examination.

Conclusions

The study presents a brief image/account of certain structures of cornea for three of Avian’s species. Data distinguish the anatomic structures of the owl's eye. The discussion explains the role of some functional anatomical structures all through the vision.
The impact of government policies on Nigeria economic growth (case of fiscal, monetary and trade policies)
Authors: Adegboyo Olufemi Samuel , Keji Sunday Anderu , Fasina Oluwadamilola Tosin
Published: October 2021

This study examines the impact of fiscal, monetary and trade policies on Nigerian economic growth from 1985 to 2020. This study adopts endogenous growth model (AK model) as its theoretical framework. The unit root test results reveal that there is mixed level of stationarity in the variables. The bound test result shows that the variables cointegrate. The ARDL long-run result shows that fiscal policies stimulate economic growth, while on the contrary, trade policies deter Nigerian economic growth. The short-run result shows that the fiscal policies has an inconsistent impact on Nigerian economic growth and thus differs from the long-run result; while government spending continues to drive economic growth in Nigeria, government revenues have no effect on the growth of the economy. The result of the impact of monetary policies shows that interest rate impels growth of the economy while money supply deters growth of Nigeria’s economy; lastly, the trade policies maintain her negative influence on the economy in both the long run and short run. Sequel to the findings, the study recommends the following: Policymakers should place more emphasis on using fiscal policy which was found to be stimulating the country's growth rate. Whenever it is expedient to use monetary policy to stimulate economic growth, policy makers should make use of interest rates as it stimulates the growth of the economy in the short run. The government should review her trade policies to reduce import by encouraging consumption of local products and motivate exporters of goods (raw material) to refine the products before exporting such.
Antiulcer activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Capparis zeylanica against chemically induced ulcers
Authors: Tripathi Abhishek , Singh Sunil , Mukerjee Alok
Published: October 2021

Background

Peptic ulcer is the term which refers to acid peptic injury of the digestive tract, and it results in mucosal break reaching the submucosa. Leaves of Capparis zeylanica are used as counterirritant, rubefacient, as a cataplasm in piles, boils and swellings. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antiulcer activity of C. zeylanica ethanolic extract against chemically induced ulcers. The leaves were extracted with ethanol (50%) as solvent using hot perforation method. The extract was evaluated against acute and chronic ulcer models. Further, extract was evaluated for gastric autopsy of animals infected with Helicobacter pylori bacteria. The genes of rats were evaluated by gel electrophoresis method. Morphology of stomach was also studied after treatment with plant extract.

Results

Results exhibited that the area of ulcer was significantly reduced in both acute [naproxen-induced ulcer model (3.62 mm2), histamine-induced ulcer model (3.2 mm2) and ethanol-induced ulcer model (106.4 mm2)] and chronic [chronic naproxen-induced ulcer model (2.14 mm2), chronic histamine-induced ulcer model (0.16 mm2)]. The animals of naproxen-induced ulcer infected with H. pylori showed 91.48% reduction of ulcer area on 9th week after treatment with C. zeylanica extract (360 mg/kg). The rapid urease test and DNA observation revealed that no infection was present from 4th week after treatment with C. zeylanica extract (480 mg/kg). Morphological studies showed less conspicuous petechial marks and hemorrhages in stomach tissues after treatment with test drugs. Histopathological study revealed that C. zeylanica extract reduced stomach damages and eradicated H. pylori infections.

Conclusion

It can be concluded from the study that C. zeylanica possess antiulcer and anti-helicobacter activities.
Associations of measured resting energy expenditure with predictive equations, NUTRIC score, and patient outcomes
Authors: Sobhy Elham , Kader Radwa Abdel , Aboulfotouh Alshaimaa , Eshra Mohammed , Sayed Mohamed
Published: October 2021

Background

Indirect calorimetry is the reference method for measuring resting energy expenditure (REE), but the necessary equipment and technical expertise are not always available. Meanwhile, the NUTrition Risk in the Critically ill (NUTRIC) scale is designed to identify patients who would benefit from nutrition therapy, but no data are available regarding the association of NUTRIC scores with REE. Several predictive formulas are available as alternatives to indirect calorimetry for calculation of energy requirements, but they have not been compared in a homogeneous group of critically ill patients. The purpose of the study is to examine the correlations between energy expenditure and NUTRIC scores or patient outcomes, and to compare measured REE with estimations of energy expenditure.

Methods

In this observational, prospective study, indirect calorimetry was performed on 50 mechanically ventilated patients. Energy expenditure was also estimated with the bodyweight-based, Faisy–Fagon, and Penn-State PSUm equations.

Results

REE was higher in patients who survived treatment than in those who died, and was positively correlated with length of stay and duration of ventilation. NUTRIC scores did not correlate with REE. The Faisy–Fagon equation overestimated expenditure, whereas PSUm was unbiased and accurate. Calculations based on 25 kcal/kg bodyweight/day overestimated expenditure, whereas 23 kcal/kg/day produced unbiased estimates with greater accuracy than PSUm.

Conclusion

REE was positively associated with patient outcomes. Energy expenditure was accurately predicted by calculations of 23 kcal/kg bodyweight/day.
Diet-induced Fasting Ghrelin Elevation Reflects the Recovery of Insulin Sensitivity and Visceral Adiposity Regression
Authors: Tsaban Gal , Yaskolka Meir Anat , Zelicha Hila , Rinott Ehud , Kaplan Alon , Shalev Aryeh , Katz Amos , Brikner Dov , Blüher Matthias , Ceglarek Uta , Stumvoll Michael , Stampfer Meir J , Shai Iris
Published: October 2021

Context

Lower fasting ghrelin levels (FGL) are associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Objective

We aimed to explore the dynamics of FGL during weight loss and its metabolic and adiposity-related manifestations beyond weight loss.

Methods

This was a secondary analysis of a clinical trial that randomized participants with abdominal obesity/dyslipidemia to 1 of 3 diets: healthy dietary guidelines (HDG), Mediterranean diet (MED), or green-MED diet, all combined with physical activity (PA). Both MED diets were similarly hypocaloric and included 28 g/day walnuts. The green-MED group further consumed green tea (3-4 cups/day) and a Wolffia globosa (Mankai) plant green shake. We measured FGL and quantified body fat depots by magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and after 18 months.

Results

Among 294 participants (body mass index = 31.3 kg/m2; FGL = 504 ± 208 pg/mL; retention rate = 89.8%), lower FGL was associated with unfavorable cardiometabolic parameters such as higher visceral adipose tissue (VAT), intrahepatic fat, leptin, and blood pressure (P < 0.05 for all; multivariate models). The ∆FGL18-month differed between men (+7.3 ± 26.6%) and women (−9.2% ± 21.3%; P = 0.001). After 18 months of moderate and similar weight loss among the MED groups, FGL increased by 1.3%, 5.4%, and 10.5% in HDG, MED, and green-MED groups, respectively (P = 0.03 for green-MED vs HDG); sex-stratified analysis revealed similar changes in men only. Among men, FGL18-month elevation was associated with favorable changes in insulin resistance profile and VAT regression, after adjusting for relative weight loss (HbA1c: r = −0.216; homeostatic model of insulin resistance: r = −0.154; HDL-c: r = 0.147; VAT: r = −0.221; P < 0.05 for all). Insulin resistance and VAT remained inversely related with FGL elevation beyond that explained by weight loss (residual regression analyses; P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Diet-induced FGL elevation may reflect insulin sensitivity recovery and VAT regression beyond weight loss, specifically among men. Green-MED diet is associated with greater FGL elevation.
Reassessment of the Proteomic Composition and Function of Extracellular Vesicles in the Seminal Plasma
Authors: Wang Hanshu , Zhu Yu , Tang Chunhua , Zhou Zhiyang , Wang Zhengquan , Li Zhenhua , Zheng Xiaoguo , Chen Shitao , Zhou Yuchuan , Liang Ajuan , Li Yanquan , Lin Yu , Sun Fei
Published: October 2021

Seminal plasma contains a high concentration of extracellular vesicles (EVs). The heterogeneity of small EVs or the presence of nonvesicular extracellular matter (NV) pose major obstacles in understanding the composition and function of seminal EVs. In this study, we employed high-resolution density gradient fractionation to accurately characterize the composition and function of seminal EVs and NV. We found that the seminal EVs could be divided into 3 different subtypes—namely, high-density EV (EV-H), medium-density EV (EV-M), and low-density EV (EV-L)—after purification using iodixanol, while NV was successfully isolated. EVs and NV display different features in size, shape, and expression of some classic exosome markers. Both EV-H and NV could markedly promote sperm motility and capacitation compared with EV-M and EV-L, whereas only the NV fraction induced sperm acrosome reaction. Proteomic analysis results showed that EV-H, EV-M, EV-L, and NV had different protein components and were involved in different physiological functions. Further study showed that EV-M might reduce the production of sperm intrinsic reactive oxygen species through glutathione S-transferase mu 2. This study provides novel insights into important aspects of seminal EVs constituents and sounder footing to explore their functional properties in male fertility.
Maternal Iron Deficiency Alters Trophoblast Differentiation and Placental Development in Rat Pregnancy
Authors: Roberts Hannah , Woodman Andrew G , Baines Kelly J , Jeyarajah Mariyan J , Bourque Stephane L , Renaud Stephen J
Published: October 2021

Iron deficiency, which occurs when iron demands chronically exceed intake, is prevalent in pregnant women. Iron deficiency during pregnancy poses major risks for the baby, including fetal growth restriction and long-term health complications. The placenta serves as the interface between a pregnant mother and her baby, and it ensures adequate nutrient provisions for the fetus. Thus, maternal iron deficiency may impact fetal growth and development by altering placental function. We used a rat model of diet-induced iron deficiency to investigate changes in placental growth and development. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a low-iron or iron-replete diet starting 2 weeks before mating. Compared with controls, both maternal and fetal hemoglobin were reduced in dams fed low-iron diets. Iron deficiency decreased fetal liver and body weight, but not brain, heart, or kidney weight. Placental weight was increased in iron deficiency, due primarily to expansion of the placental junctional zone. The stimulatory effect of iron deficiency on junctional zone development was recapitulated in vitro, as exposure of rat trophoblast stem cells to the iron chelator deferoxamine increased differentiation toward junctional zone trophoblast subtypes. Gene expression analysis revealed 464 transcripts changed at least 1.5-fold (P < 0.05) in placentas from iron-deficient dams, including altered expression of genes associated with oxygen transport and lipoprotein metabolism. Expression of genes associated with iron homeostasis was unchanged despite differences in levels of their encoded proteins. Our findings reveal robust changes in placentation during maternal iron deficiency, which could contribute to the increased risk of fetal distress in these pregnancies.
Environmental Inequality and Residential Sorting in Germany: A Spatial Time-Series Analysis of the Demographic Consequences of Industrial Sites
Authors: Rüttenauer Tobias , Best Henning
Published: October 2021

Previous research has shown that low-income households bear a higher exposure to environmental pollution than high-income households. Some scholars have argued that selective siting of industrial facilities accounts for such environmental inequality, while others have argued that those citizens who can afford to move out of polluted regions do so, and the socioeconomically disadvantaged are sorted into polluted areas. Yet empirical evidence regarding the processes of environmental inequality is not conclusive. We build on an original data set that includes annual georeferenced data of 6,570 highly polluting industrial facilities in Germany from 2008 to 2017 and validate the fluctuation in facilities with geographical land-use data. We then connect the facilities to income and demographic data for 4,455 municipalities and investigate sociodemographic changes before and after the appearance of new facilities. Spatial models are employed to measure local relative changes, and fixed-effects individual slopes estimators are used to account for selection on economic trajectories. Results provide only limited support for the selective siting thesis but show that an area's average income decreases after the appearance of new industrial facilities, thereby resonating with the selective migration hypothesis. In contrast, facility closure does not attract, or reattract, more affluent households.
Propensity to endoplasmic reticulum stress in deer mouse fibroblasts predicts skin inflammation and body weight gain
Authors: Zhang Youwen , Lim Chang-uk , Sikirzhytski Vitali , Naderi Asieh , Chatzistamou Ioulia , Kiaris Hippokratis
Published: October 2021

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders, yet whether variations in the UPR among individuals influence the propensity for metabolic disease remains unexplored. Using outbred deer mice as a model, we show that the intensity of UPR in fibroblasts isolated early in life predicts the extent of body weight gain after high-fat diet (HFD) administration. Contrary to those with intense UPR, animals with moderate UPR in fibroblasts and therefore displaying compromised stress resolution did not gain body weight but developed inflammation, especially in the skin, after HFD administration. Fibroblasts emerged as potent modifiers of this differential responsiveness to HFD, as indicated by the comparison of the UPR profiles of fibroblasts responding to fatty acids in vitro, by correlation analyses between UPR and proinflammatory cytokine-associated transcriptomes, and by BiP (also known as HSPA5) immunolocalization in skin lesions from animals receiving HFD. These results suggest that the UPR operates as a modifier of an individual's propensity for body weight gain in a manner that, at least in part, involves the regulation of an inflammatory response by skin fibroblasts.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
PQN-59 and GTBP-1 contribute to stress granule formation but are not essential for their assembly in C. elegans embryos
Authors: Abbatemarco Simona , Bondaz Alexandra , Schwager Francoise , Wang Jing , Hammell Christopher M. , Gotta Monica
Published: October 2021

When exposed to stressful conditions, eukaryotic cells respond by inducing the formation of cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein complexes called stress granules. Here, we use C. elegans to study two proteins that are important for stress granule assembly in human cells – PQN-59, the human UBAP2L ortholog, and GTBP-1, the human G3BP1 and G3BP2 ortholog. Both proteins assemble into stress granules in the embryo and in the germline when C. elegans is exposed to stressful conditions. Neither of the two proteins is essential for the assembly of stress-induced granules, as shown by the single and combined depletions by RNAi, and neither pqn-59 nor gtbp-1 mutant embryos show higher sensitivity to stress than control embryos. We find that pqn-59 mutants display reduced progeny and a high percentage of embryonic lethality, phenotypes that are not dependent on stress exposure and that are not shared with gtbp-1 mutants. Our data indicate that, in contrast to human cells, PQN-59 and GTBP-1 are not required for stress granule formation but that PQN-59 is important for C. elegans development.
Case Report: severe hemoperitoneum due to spontaneous rupture of uterine vessels during the second trimester of pregnancy
Authors: Jayalath G.K.C. , Pathiraja Ramya , Jayarathna G.V. Ishara Geelaka Bandara
Published: October 2021

Spontaneous rupture of uterine vessels during pregnancy is a life-threatening condition though, it has a rare occurrence. This case report discusses about a 32-year-old lady at 16 weeks of gestation presented with spontaneous rupture of uterine artery and she was managed with emergency laparotomy with suturing of ruptured artery. She had delivered a healthy baby after 37 weeks of gestation by a caesarean section due to pregnancy induced hypertension at 36 weeks of gestation.