bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cold Welding Based Space Debris Removal System
Authors: DHAWAN Hitesh , KUMAR Ramesh
Published: June 2021

Space Debris is a major problem posing a great threat to all the future space travels as well as to all the satellites which are orbiting around the earth. According to a definition by the Inter-Agency Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) “space debris are all man-made objects including fragments and elements thereof, in Earth orbit or re-entering the atmosphere, that are non-functional” [1]. According to J. C. Liou, even if we stop all the space launches the amount of space debris will remain constant up to 50 years but will increase later due to collisions among them [3], [4]. Till December 16, 2019 a total of 20047 objects are on orbit out of which 5370 objects are payloads and 14677 are debris, this means about 73% of the objects in orbit constitutes debris. [2] The rate at which the debris is generated is much greater than the rate at which this debris deaccelerates, leaves the earth orbit and re-enters the earth atmosphere. We can protect the future space missions from huge debris particles that are traceable but the small debris elements pose a major threat. In this paper we propose a technique to remove the small debris particles from Lower earth orbits based on cold welding. Cold welding is the process in which two similar metals stick to each other when there is a metal to metal contact in space. This happens because on the ground these metals have layers of oxides thus, two pure metals never come in contact but in space, due to wear and tear, this layer of oxides get removed irreversibly and as a result, pure metals come in contact and the adhesive forces cause the metals to join. The debris is orbiting around the earth at a speed of 17500 mph [10]. For our system we use a composite material made up of a combination of elements that usually orbit the earth. Since, in relative frames they are stationary by increasing the velocity with controlled amount we can control the impact during contact. We will propel this composite material with the same speed around the earth as the debris, so that in their relative frames it appears stationary. By bringing the debris particles into contact with the composite material, cold welding will take place between them and then, we will send the system to international space station where the captured debris particles are removed from the composite material. By repeating this process, we can remove most of the small debris particles of size less than 10cm which are orbiting around the earth in lower earth orbit.
Analysis of Knocking Characteristic in Dual Fuel Engine - the Effects on Diethyl Ether
Authors: KIRUBADURAI B. , KANAGARAJA K. , JEGADEESWARI G.
Published: June 2021

In Diesel engines, where fuel is pumped into highly compressed air towards the end of the compression cycle, knocking is more or less unavoidable. By this time there is already a quantity of fuel in the combustion chamber which will first burn in areas of higher oxygen density before the full charge is combusted. The sudden rise in pressure and temperature produces the distinctive 'knock' or 'clatter' diesel, some of which must be allowed in engine design. The aim of knock control strategies is to try to maximize the trade-off between protecting the engine from damaging knock incidents, and optimizing the output torque of the engine. Knock events are a random process and independent. Knock controllers can't be programmed in a deterministic model. Due to the random nature of arriving knock events, a single time history simulation or experiment of knock control methods cannot provide a repeatable measurement of the controller efficiency. The desired trade-off must therefore be achieved in a stochastic context that could provide an appropriate environment for designing and evaluating the output of various knock control strategies with rigorous statistical properties. Clutching characteristics of a dual fuel diesel engine with direct injection of diesel and a liquid petroleum product in dual fuel mode. The engine is tested for knock reduction by adding Diethyl ether in to the diesel along with Liquid petroleum product. Variation of knocking was plotted with respect to different parameters and the result booted as knocking is minimized by the addition of diethyl ether.
Assessment of microbial and level of Cadmium, Chromium and Lead contamination on drinking water refilling station in Bungus Teluk Kabung, West Sumatera, Indonesia
Authors: Rahmi Azimatur , Yulia Rahma , Husna Asmaul , Amir Amelia
Published: June 2021

Refill drinking water is a choice of drinking water, especially for the middle-income community due to the convenience and affordable price. Many studies in Indonesia reported that drinking water from drinking water refilling stations is less safe or contaminated by coliform. This study assessed the microbial and level of several heavy metals (Cadmium, chromium, and Lead) contamination on refill drinking water from drinking water refilling station in Bungus Teluk Kabung West Sumatera, Indonesia. It found that Cadmium, Chromium, and Lead were detected in all samples. Still, none of their levels exceed the maximum permissible limits based on the guideline value on Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia number 492/MENKES/PER/IV/2010. Lead was found as the highest amount in sample B and then Chromium in sample A with values of 0.367 ppb and 0.143 ppb. The microbial contamination presence in all three refill drinking water samples with the total coliform was 28, 15, and 240 MPN per 100 ml for samples A, B, and C. Sample C has the highest microbial risk compare to A and B. The presence of E. Coli was also confirmed for all samples, and the metallic sheen identified it in all culture samples. Because the standard of the microbial parameter must be zero for coliform and E. Coli, these results revealed that all three refill drinking water samples from drinking water refilling stations Bungus Teluk Kabung are not eligible for direct consumption and could harm human health. The proper water treatment process or change in raw water sources need to be considered in the future. Inspection and monitoring from the health authority should be scheduled regularly to protect the consumers.
Non-uniform illumination correction based on multi-scale Retinex in digital image correlation
Authors: Sun Long , Tang Chen , Xu Min , Lei Zhenkun
Published: June 2021

Digital image correlation (DIC) is an effective optical measurement method. It aims to obtain the displacement field and strain field of the measured object by correlating two digital speckle images before and after deformation. In the actual acquisition of speckle images, due to the large volume of the measured object, the light source cannot cover all areas evenly or has some random change. These issues may easily lead to a non-uniform distribution of light intensity speckle images and reduce the quality of speckle images, which affects the accuracy of DIC measurement to a certain extent. To solve this problem, a non-uniform illumination correction algorithm based on multi-scale Retinex is introduced. First, to analyze the influence of non-uniform illumination on DIC measurement accuracy, the displacement comparison experiment of the numerical simulation speckle images with different non-uniform illumination is conducted. Then, a non-uniform illumination correction algorithm based on multi-scale Retinex is applied to reduce or eliminate the effects of non-uniform illumination by the simulation experiment. Finally, the quantitative measurement of rigid body rotation and uniaxial tensile experiment in plane is studied to verify the feasibility of the correction method for the speckle images. The experimental results show that the measurement accuracy of DIC is improved significantly with the aid of non-uniform illumination variation correction.
Efficient ptychographic phase retrieval via a matrix-free Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm
Authors: Kandel Saugat , Maddali S. , Nashed Youssef S. G. , Hruszkewycz Stephan O. , Jacobsen Chris , Allain Marc
Published: June 2021

The phase retrieval problem, where one aims to recover a complex-valued image from far-field intensity measurements, is a classic problem encountered in a range of imaging applications. Modern phase retrieval approaches usually rely on gradient descent methods in a nonlinear minimization framework. Calculating closed-form gradients for use in these methods is tedious work, and formulating second order derivatives is even more laborious. Additionally, second order techniques often require the storage and inversion of large matrices of partial derivatives, with memory requirements that can be prohibitive for data-rich imaging modalities. We use a reverse-mode automatic differentiation (AD) framework to implement an efficient matrix-free version of the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm, a longstanding method that finds popular use in nonlinear least-square minimization problems but which has seen little use in phase retrieval. Furthermore, we extend the basic LM algorithm so that it can be applied for more general constrained optimization problems (including phase retrieval problems) beyond just the least-square applications. Since we use AD, we only need to specify the physics-based forward model for a specific imaging application; the first and second-order derivative terms are calculated automatically through matrix-vector products, without explicitly forming the large Jacobian or Gauss-Newton matrices typically required for the LM method. We demonstrate that this algorithm can be used to solve both the unconstrained ptychographic object retrieval problem and the constrained “blind” ptychographic object and probe retrieval problems, under the popular Gaussian noise model as well as the Poisson noise model. We compare this algorithm to state-of-the-art first order ptychographic reconstruction methods to demonstrate empirically that this method outperforms best-in-class first-order methods: it provides excellent convergence guarantees with (in many cases) a superlinear rate of convergence, all with a computational cost comparable to, or lower than, the tested first-order algorithms.
Enhancing the impedance matched bandwidth of bottle microresonator signal processing devices
Authors: Sumetsky M. , Zaki S.
Published: June 2021

Light pulses entering an elongated bottle microresonator (BMR) from a transversely oriented input–output waveguide (microfiber) slowly propagate along the BMR length and bounce between turning points at its constricting edges. To avoid insertion losses and processing errors, a pulse should completely transfer from the waveguide into the BMR and, after being processed, completely return back into the waveguide. For this purpose, the waveguide and BMR should be impedance matched along the pulse bandwidth. Here we show how to enhance the impedance matched bandwidth by optimization of the BMR effective radius variation in a small vicinity of the input–output waveguide.
Crosstalk between H2A variant-specific modifications impacts vital cell functions
Authors: Schmücker Anna , Lei Bingkun , Lorković Zdravko J. , Capella Matías , Braun Sigurd , Bourguet Pierre , Mathieu Olivier , Mechtler Karl , Berger Frédéric
Published: June 2021

Selection of C-terminal motifs participated in evolution of distinct histone H2A variants. Hybrid types of variants combining motifs from distinct H2A classes are extremely rare. This suggests that the proximity between the motif cases interferes with their function. We studied this question in flowering plants that evolved sporadically a hybrid H2A variant combining the SQ motif of H2A.X that participates in the DNA damage response with the KSPK motif of H2A.W that stabilizes heterochromatin. Our inventory of PTMs of H2A.W variants showed thatin vivothe cell cycle-dependent kinase CDKA phosphorylates the KSPK motif of H2A.W but only in absence of an SQ motif. Phosphomimicry of KSPK prevented DNA damage response by the SQ motif of the hybrid H2A.W/X variant. In a synthetic yeast expressing the hybrid H2A.W/X variant, phosphorylation of KSPK prevented binding of the BRCT-domain protein Mdb1 to phosphorylated SQ and impaired response to DNA damage. Our findings illustrate that PTMs mediate interference between the function of H2A variant specific C-terminal motifs. Such interference could explain the mutual exclusion of motifs that led to evolution of H2A variants.
Short-lived detection of an introduced vertebrate eDNA signal in a nearshore rocky reef environment
Authors: Ely Taylor , Barber Paul H. , Man Lauren , Gold Zachary
Published: June 2021

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly used to measure biodiversity of marine ecosystems, yet key aspects of the temporal dynamics of eDNA remain unknown. Of particular interest is in situ persistence of eDNA signals in dynamic marine environments, as eDNA degradation rates have predominantly been quantified through mesocosm studies. To determine in situ eDNA residence times, we introduced an eDNA signal from a non-native fish into a protected bay of a Southern California rocky reef ecosystem, and then measured changes in both introduced and background eDNA signals across a fixed transect over 96 hours. Foreign eDNA signal was no longer detected only 7.5 hours after introduction, a time substantially shorter than the multi-day persistence times in laboratory studies. Moreover, the foreign eDNA signal spread along the entire 38 m transect within 1.5 hours after introduction, indicating that transport and diffusion play a role in eDNA detectability even in protected low energy marine environments. Similarly, native vertebrate eDNA signals varied greatly over the 96 hours of observation as well as within two additional nearby fixed transects sampled over 120 hours. While community structure did significantly change across time of day and tidal direction, neither accounted for the majority of observed variation. Combined, results show that both foreign and native eDNA signatures can exhibit substantial temporal heterogeneity, even on hourly time scales. Further work exploring eDNA decay from lagrangian perspective and quantifying effects of sample and technical replication are needed to better understand temporal variation of eDNA signatures in nearshore marine environments.
Adherent and suspension baby hamster kidney cells have a different cytoskeleton and surface receptor repertoire
Authors: Dill Veronika , Pfaff Florian , Zimmer Aline , Beer Martin , Eschbaumer Michael
Published: June 2021

Animal cell culture, with single cells growing in suspension, ideally in a chemically defined environment, is a mainstay of biopharmaceutical production. The synthetic environment lacks exogenous growth factors and usually requires a time-consuming adaptation process to select cell clones that proliferate in suspension to high cell numbers. The molecular mechanisms that facilitate the adaptation and that take place inside the cell are largely unknown. Especially for cell lines that are used for virus antigen production such as baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells, the restriction of virus growth through the evolution of undesired cell characteristics is highly unwanted. The comparison between adherently growing BHK cells and suspension cells with different susceptibility to foot-and-mouth disease virus revealed differences in the expression of cellular receptors such as integrins and heparan sulfates, and in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Transcriptome analyses and growth kinetics demonstrated the diversity of BHK cell lines and confirmed the importance of well-characterized parental cell clones and mindful screening to make sure that essential cellular features do not get lost during adaptation.
Circadian misalignment by environmental light/dark shifting causes circadian disruption in colon
Authors: Tran Laura , Jochum Sarah B. , Shaikh Maliha , Wilber Sherry , Zhang Lijuan , Hayden Dana M. , Forsyth Christopher B. , Voigt Robin M. , Bishehsari Faraz , Keshavarzian Ali , Swanson Garth R.
Published: June 2021

Background

Physiological circadian rhythms (CRs) are complex processes with 24-hour oscillations that regulate diverse biological functions. Chronic weekly light/dark (LD) shifting (CR disruption; CRD) in mice results in colonic hyperpermeability. However, the mechanisms behind this phenomenon are incompletely understood. One potential innovative in vitro method to study colonic CRs are colon organoids. The goals of this study were to utilize circadian clock gene Per2 luciferase reporter (Per2::Luc) mice to measure the effects of chronic LD shifting on colonic tissue circadian rhythmicity ex vivo and to determine if organoids made from shifted mice colons recapitulate the in vivo phenotype.

Methods

Non-shifted (NS) and shifted (S) BL6 Per2::Luc mice were compared after a 22-week experiment. NS mice had a standard 12h light/12h dark LD cycle throughout. S mice alternated 12h LD patterns weekly, with light from 6am-6pm one week followed by shifting light to 6pm-6am the next week for 22 weeks. Mice were tested for intestinal permeability while colon tissue and organoids were examined for CRs of bioluminescence and proteins of barrier function and cell fate.

Results

There was no absolute difference in NS vs. S 24h circadian period or phase. However, chronic LD shifting caused Per2::Luc S mice colon tissue to exhibit significantly greater variability in both the period and phase of Per2::Luc rhythms than NS mice colon tissue and organoids. Chronic LD shifting also resulted in increased colonic permeability of the Per2::Luc mice as well as decreased protein markers of intestinal permeability in colonic tissue and organoids from shifted Per2:Luc mice.

Conclusions

Our studies support a model in which chronic central circadian disruption by LD shifting alters the circadian phenotype of the colon tissue and results in colon leakiness and loss of colonic barrier function. These CRD-related changes are stably expressed in colon stem cell derived organoids from CRD mice.
Evidence on access to healthcare information by women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries: Scoping review
Authors: Shatilwe Joyce Twahafifwa , Kuupiel Desmond , Mashamba-Thompson Tivani P.
Published: June 2021

Background

A majority of women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not able to access healthcare information due to different factors. This scoping review aimed to map the literature on access to healthcare information by women of reproductive age in LMICs.

Methods

The literature search was conducted through the following databases: Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, EBSCOhost (Academic search complete, CINAHL with full text, MEDLINE with full text, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO), Emerald, Embase, published and peer-reviewed journals, organizational projects, reference lists, and grey literature.

Results

A total of 377 457 articles were identified from all the databases searched. Of these, four articles met inclusion criteria after full article screening and were included for data extraction. The themes that emerged from our study are as follows: accessibility, financial accessibility/affordability, connectivity, and challenges. This study demonstrated that there are minimal interventions that enable women of reproductive age to access healthcare information in terms of accessibility, financial accessibility, and connectivity.

Conclusion

The findings of the study revealed poor access and utilization of healthcare information by women of reproductive age. We, therefore, recommend primary studies in other LMICs to determine the accessibility, financial accessibility, connectivity, and challenges faced by women of reproductive age in LMICs.
Exceptional long-term sperm storage by a female vertebrate
Authors: Levine Brenna A. , Schuett Gordon W. , Booth Warren
Published: June 2021

Females of many vertebrate species have the capacity to store sperm within their reproductive tracts for prolonged periods of time. Termed long-term sperm storage, this phenomenon has many important physiological, ecological, and evolutionary implications, particularly to the study of mating systems, including male reproductive success and post-copulatory sexual selection. Reptiles appear particularly predisposed to long-term sperm storage, with records in most major lineages, with a strong emphasis on turtles and squamates (lizards, snakes, but not the amphisbaenians). Because facultative parthenogenesis is a competing hypothesis to explain the production of offspring after prolonged separation from males, the identification of paternal alleles through genetic analysis is essential. However, few studies in snakes have undertaken this. Here, we report on a wild-collected female Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox, maintained in isolation from the time of capture in September 1999, that produced two healthy litters approximately one and six years post capture. Genetic analysis of the 2005 litter, identified paternal contribution in all offspring, thus rejecting facultative parthenogenesis. We conclude that the duration of long-term sperm storage was approximately 6 years (71 months), making this the longest period over which a female vertebrate has been shown to store sperm that resulted in the production of healthy offspring.
Comparison of polypeptides that bind the transferrin receptor for targeting gold nanocarriers
Authors: McQuaid Conor , Halsey Andrea , Dubois Maëva , Romero Ignacio , Male David
Published: June 2021

The ability to target therapeutic agents to specific tissues is an important element in the development of new disease treatments. The transferrin receptor (TfR) is one potential target for drug delivery, as it expressed on many dividing cells and on brain endothelium, the key cellular component of the blood-brain barrier. The aim of this study was to compare a set of new and previously-described polypeptides for their ability to bind to brain endothelium, and investigate their potential for targeting therapeutic agents to the CNS. Six polypeptides were ranked for their rate of endocytosis by the human brain endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3 and the murine line bEnd.3. One linear polypeptide and two cyclic polypeptides showed high rates of uptake. These peptides were investigated to determine whether serum components, including transferrin itself affected uptake by the endothelium. One of the cyclic peptides was strongly inhibited by transferrin and the other cyclic peptide weakly inhibited. As proof of principle the linear peptide was attached to 2nm glucose coated gold-nanoparticles, and the rate of uptake of the nanoparticles measured in a hydrogel model of the blood-brain barrier. Attachment of the TfR-targeting polypeptide significantly increased the rates of endocytosis by brain endothelium and increased movement of nanoparticles across the cells.
Exploring the mechanism of hyperpermeability following glycocalyx degradation: Beyond the glycocalyx as a structural barrier
Authors: Abe Kyoko , Tanaka Junichi , Mishima Kenji , Iijima Takehiko
Published: June 2021

Pathological hyperpermeability is a morbidity involved in various systemic diseases, including sepsis. The endothelial glycocalyx layer (GCX) plays a key role in controlling vascular permeability and could be a useful therapeutic target. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the functional role of the GCX in vascular permeability and to elucidate its role in pathological conditions. First, male C57BL/6J wild-type mice were used as in vivo models to study the effects of sepsis and the pharmacological digestion of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on the GCX. Vascular permeability was evaluated using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextran. Second, the changes in gene expression in vascular endothelial cells after GAGs digestion were compared between a control and a septic model using RNA sequencing. In the in vivo study, the glycocalyx was depleted in both the septic model and the group with pharmacological GAGs digestion. FITC-labeled dextran had leaked into the interstitium in the septic group, but not in the other groups. In the in vitro study, histamine decreased the transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER), indicating an increase in permeability. GAGs digestion alone did not change the TEER, and the effect of histamine on the TEER was not enhanced by GAGs digestion. The gene expression profiles after GAGs digestion differed from the control condition, indicating the initiation of signal transduction. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the structural barrier of the GCX does not solely determine the fluid permeability of the endothelial layer, since enzymatic depletion of the GCX did not increase the permeability. The gene expression findings suggest that the digestion of GAGs alone did not induce hyperpermeability either in vitro or in vivo, although sepsis did induce hyperpermeability. While GAGs degradation by itself does not appear to induce hyperpermeability, it may play an important role in initiating signal transductions.
Health impacts of industrial mining on surrounding communities: Local perspectives from three sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Leuenberger Andrea , Winkler Mirko S. , Cambaco Olga , Cossa Herminio , Kihwele Fadhila , Lyatuu Isaac , Zabré Hyacinthe R. , Farnham Andrea , Macete Eusebio , Munguambe Khátia
Published: June 2021

Industrial mining projects can play an important role in global sustainable development if associated health risks are minimised and opportunities maximised. While a broad body of evidence from quantitative studies exists that establishes the interlinkages between mining operations and effects on public health, little research has been conducted investigating health impacts from the perspective of affected communities. This is particularly true in sub-Saharan Africa, where about a third of the remaining global mineral resources are endowed and health-related indicators for sustainable development are lagging behind. In this multi-country qualitative study, we explore community perceptions regarding impacts of industrial mining on their health and well-being. In nine study sites in Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Tanzania, we conducted 83 participatory focus group discussions with a total of 791 participants (385 men, 406 women). Our findings reveal a broad range of perceived impacts on environmental, economic and social determinants of health, with secondary health implications related to morbidity, mortality and well-being. Overall, perceived negative impacts prevailed, mainly related to environmental pollution, change in livelihoods or social disruption. Perceived positive impacts on health and well-being were related to interventions implemented by the mines such as new or improved water sources, health care facilities, roads and schools. The consistency of these findings across countries and study sites suggests a structural problem and indicates a pressing need to address health by acting on the wider determinants of health in mining regions. Participatory health impact assessment should be strengthened in host countries to foster strategic interventions, include marginalised population groups, and protect and promote the health of local communities. By including community perspectives on health before and during project implementation, policymakers can take advantage of economic opportunities while avoiding the pitfalls, bringing their communities closer to achieving good health and well-being goals by 2030 and beyond.
Digitalization of adverse event management in oncology to improve treatment outcome—A prospective study protocol
Authors: Kestler Angelika M. R. , Kühlwein Silke D. , Kraus Johann M. , Schwab Julian D. , Szekely Robin , Thiam Patrick , Hühne Rolf , Jahn Niels , Fürstberger Axel , Ikonomi Nensi , Balig Julien , Schuler Rainer , Kuhn Peter , Steger Florian , Seufferlein Thomas , Kestler Hans A.
Published: June 2021

The occurrence of adverse events frequently accompanies tumor treatments. Side effects should be detected and treated as soon as possible to maintain the best possible treatment outcome. Besides the standard reporting system Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), physicians have recognized the potential of patient-reporting systems. These are based on a more subjective description of current patient reporting symptoms. Patient-reported symptoms are essential to define the impact of a given treatment on the quality of life and the patient’s wellbeing. They also act against an underreporting of side effects which are paramount to define the actual value of a treatment for the individual patient. Here, we present a study protocol for a clinical trial that assesses the potential of a smartphone application for CTCAE conform symptom reporting and tracking that is adjusted to the standard clinical reporting system rather than symptom oriented descriptive trial tools. The presented study will be implemented in two parts, both lasting over six months. The first part will assess the feasibility of the application with 30 patients non-randomly divided into three equally-sized age groups (<55years, 55-75years, >75years). In the second part 36 other patients will be randomly assigned to two groups, one reporting using the smartphone and one not. This prospective second part will compare the impact of smartphone reported adverse events regarding applied therapy doses and quality of life to those of patients receiving standard care. We aim for early detection and treatment of adverse events in oncological treatment to improve patients’ safety and outcomes. For this purpose, we will capture frequent adverse events of chemotherapies, immunotherapies, or other targeted therapies with our smartphone application. The presented trial is registered at the U.S. National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04493450) on July 30, 2020.
Effectiveness of attentional bias modification training as add-on to regular treatment in alcohol and cannabis use disorder: A multicenter randomized control trial
Authors: Heitmann Janika , van Hemel-Ruiter Madelon E. , Huisman Mark , Ostafin Brian D. , Wiers Reinout W. , MacLeod Colin , DeFuentes-Merillas Laura , Fledderus Martine , Markus Wiebren , de Jong Peter J.
Published: June 2021

Background

Attentional bias for substance-relevant cues has been found to contribute to the persistence of addiction. Attentional bias modification (ABM) interventions might, therefore, increase positive treatment outcome and reduce relapse rates. The current study investigated the effectiveness of a newly developed home-delivered, multi-session, internet-based ABM intervention, the Bouncing Image Training Task (BITT), as an add-on to treatment as usual (TAU).

Methods

Participants (N = 169), diagnosed with alcohol or cannabis use disorder, were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: the experimental ABM group (50%; TAU+ABM); or the control group (50%; split in two subgroups the TAU+placebo group and TAU-only group, 25% each). Participants completed baseline, post-test, and 6 and 12 months follow-up measures of substance use and craving allowing to assess long-term treatment success and relapse rates. In addition, attentional bias (both engagement and disengagement), as well as secondary physical and psychological complaints (depression, anxiety, and stress) were assessed.

Results

No significant differences were found between conditions with regard to substance use, craving, relapse rates, attentional bias, or physical and psychological complaints.

Conclusions

The findings may reflect unsuccessful modification of attentional bias, the BITT not targeting the relevant process (engagement vs. disengagement bias), or may relate to the diverse treatment goals of the current sample (i.e., moderation or abstinence). The current findings provide no support for the efficacy of this ABM approach as an add-on to TAU in alcohol or cannabis use disorder. Future studies need to delineate the role of engagement and disengagement bias in the persistence of addiction, and the role of treatment goal in the effectiveness of ABM interventions.
Associations of nerve conduction parameters and OCT angiography results in adolescents with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Wysocka-Mincewicz Marta , Gołębiewska Joanna , Baszyńska-Wilk Marta , Olechowski Andrzej , Byczyńska Aleksandra , Mazur Maria , Nowacka-Gotowiec Monika
Published: June 2021

Aim

To evaluate dependence of abnormalities in peripheral nerves and retina in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and nerve conduction studies (NCS).

Material and methods

50 adolescents with T1D without any signs and symptoms of diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy (mean age 16.92±1.6 years, diabetes duration 6.88 ±4.34years) were included. In OCTA capillary plexuses superficial (SCP) and deep (DCP) vessel density: whole, foveal and parafoveal, ganglion cell complex (GCC), loss volume focal (FLV) and global loss volume (GLV) were analyzed in relation to NCS parameters (motor nerves median and tibial potential amplitude (CMAP), velocity (CV), distal latency (DML) and F wave and sensory nerves median and sural potential amplitude (SNAP), CV and distal latency (DSL).

Results

We detected the correlations between median sensory SNAP and GCC (r = -0.3, p <0.04), motor nerves tibial DML and CV and FLV (respectively r = -0.53, p<0.001, and r = -0.34, p<0.05), and median DML and GLV (r = 0.47, p<0.001). Vessel densities were related to changes in motor nerves tibial velocity (whole SCP r = 0.43, p <0.01, parafoveal SCP r = 0.41, p <0.01), CMAP (parafoveal SCP r = -0.35, p<0.03), median DML (whole DC r = 0.36, p<0.03, foveal DCP r = 0.37, p<0.02) and in sensory median SNAP (whole SCP r = -0.31, p<0.05).

Conclusions

In adolescents with T1D without diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy we detected associations between NCS and OCT and OCTA parameters, regarding decreased GCC and density of superficial and deep vessel plexuses in relation to DML and CV and amplitudes of sensory and motor potential.
IL-18 binding protein can be a prognostic biomarker for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Nakanishi Yu , Horimasu Yasushi , Yamaguchi Kakuhiro , Sakamoto Shinjiro , Masuda Takeshi , Nakashima Taku , Miyamoto Shintaro , Iwamoto Hiroshi , Ohshimo Shinichiro , Fujitaka Kazunori , Hamada Hironobu , Hattori Noboru
Published: June 2021

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, fibrosing interstitial pneumonia that presents with various clinical courses and progression ranging from rapid to slow. To identify novel biomarkers that can support the diagnosis and/or prognostic prediction of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, we performed gene expression analysis, and the mRNA of interleukin-18 binding protein was increasingly expressed in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis compared with healthy controls. Therefore, we hypothesized that the interleukin-18 binding protein can serve as a diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. We investigated the expression of interleukin-18 binding protein in lung tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and serum. Additionally, the correlation between interleukin-18 binding protein expression levels and the extent of fibrosis was investigated using mouse models of lung fibrosis induced by subcutaneous bleomycin injections. Serum interleukin-18 binding protein levels were significantly higher in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients (5.06 ng/mL, interquartile range [IQR]: 4.20–6.35) than in healthy volunteers (3.31 ng/mL, IQR: 2.84–3.99) (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that the correlation between serum interleukin-18 binding protein levels and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was statistically independent after adjustment for age, sex, and smoking status. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models revealed that serum interleukin-18 binding protein levels were predictive of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis disease prognosis independent of other covariate factors (hazard ratio: 1.655, 95% confidence interval: 1.224–2.237, p = 0.001). We also demonstrated a significant positive correlation between lung hydroxyproline expression levels and interleukin-18 binding protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from bleomycin-treated mice (Spearman r = 0.509, p = 0.004). These results indicate the utility of interleukin-18 binding protein as a novel prognostic biomarker for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Impoverishment impact of out-of-pocket payments for healthcare in rural Bangladesh: Do the regions facing different climate change risks matter?
Authors: Begum Afroza , Hamid Syed Abdul
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Out-of-pocket (OOP) payments for healthcare severely affect the current consumption, future health and earnings capacity of poor/underprivileged households and hence it is crucial for priority setting. This study assesses the variation in overall as well as disease-specific impoverishment impact of OOP payments between the regions experiencing different climate change risks, defined as high disaster-prone (HDP) areas and low-disaster-prone (LDP) areas, in Bangladesh.

Materials and methods

This paper estimated three poverty measures, such as poverty headcount, poverty intensity and normalized poverty gap for all ailments, catastrophic events, diseases types (communicable, non-communicable (NCDs), and accident and injury), illness conditions (acute and chronic) and hospitalization using 3,791 randomly selected rural households (1,203 from HDP and 2,588 from LDP areas) across the regions. Cost of basic need approach was used for estimating poverty line expenditure.

Results

About 13 percent households annually fall into poverty due to OOP outlays for healthcare. Despite having significantly (p-value≤0.01) less OOP payments (HDP areas: BDT 5,117; LDP areas: BDT5,811) the impoverishment impact of OOP payments for healthcare in HDP areas (16.5%) has substantially higher than LDP areas (11.3%).

Population in HDP areas, especially char (river island; 19.55 percent) and haor (water submerged; 16.80 percent) are more susceptible to any level of OOP payments due to low level of earnings. Catastrophic healthcare expenditure (61.79%) and NCDs (14.29 percent) are exacerbating the poverty level in Bangladesh. Both absolute and relative average poverty gap are more widen in HDP than LDP areas due to catastrophic OOP outlays for healthcare.

Conclusion

The impoverishment effect due to OOP payments for healthcare in both HDP and LDP areas are high, especially for NCDs and catastrophic healthcare expenditure. However, the situation is bit worse in HDP areas. Preventing the escalation of NCDs as well as catastrophic expenditure and hence reducing the level of impoverishment thereof call for restricting tobacco use, increasing physical activity, encouraging to intake healthy diets, ensuring food safety, controlling air pollution, and improving mental health. Moreover, government should give more emphasis, especially in the HDP areas, on making community clinics more functional through providing screening equipment and training to the Community Health Care Providers for early detection of NCDs, and ensuring availability of medicine all the time. Note that other than community clinics, there is little option for providing healthcare in HDP areas due to poor functionality of public facilities as well as lack of private facilities in HDP areas.
Why did informal sector workers stop paying for health insurance in Indonesia? Exploring enrollees’ ability and willingness to pay
Authors: Muttaqien Muttaqien , Setiyaningsih Hermawati , Aristianti Vini , Coleman Harry Laurence Selby , Hidayat Muhammad Syamsu , Dhanalvin Erzan , Siregar Dedy Revelino , Mukti Ali Ghufron , Kok Maarten Olivier
Published: June 2021

Indonesia faces a growing informal sector in the wake of implementing a national social health insurance system—Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN)—that supersedes the vertical programmes historically tied to informal employment. Sustainably financing coverage for informal workers requires incentivising enrolment for those never insured and recovering enrolment among those who once paid but no longer do so. This study aims to assess the ability- and willingness-to-pay of informal sector workers who have stopped paying the JKN premium for at least six months, across districts of different fiscal capacity, and explore which factors shaped their willingness and ability to pay using qualitative interviews. Surveys were conducted for 1,709 respondents in 2016, and found that informal workers’ average ability and willingness to pay fell below the national health insurance scheme’s premium amount, even as many currently spend more than this on healthcare costs. There were large groups for whom the costs of the premium were prohibitive (38%) or, alternatively, they were both technically willing and able to pay (25%). As all individuals in the sample had once paid for insurance, their main reasons for lapsing were based on the uncertain income of informal workers and their changing needs. The study recommends a combination of strategies of targeting of subsidies, progressive premium setting, facilitating payment collection, incentivising insurance package upgrades and socialising the benefits of health insurance in informal worker communities.
Ordinal synchronization mark sequence and its steganography for a multi-link network covert channel
Authors: Fu Songyin , Wang Rangding , Dong Li , Yan Diqun
Published: June 2021

A multi-link network covert channel (MLCC) such as Cloak exhibits a high capacity and robustness and can achieve lossless modulation of the protocol data units. However, the mechanism of Cloak involving an arrangement of packets over the links (APL) is limited by its passive synchronization schemes, which results in intermittent obstructions in transmitting APL packets and anomalous link switching patterns. In this work, we propose a novel ordinal synchronization mark sequence (OSMS) for a Cloak framework based MLCC to ensure that the marked APL packets are orderly distinguishable. Specifically, a unidirectional function is used to generate the OSMS randomly before realizing covert modulation. Subsequently, we formulate the generation relation of the marks according to their order and embed each mark into the APL packets by using a one-way hash function such that the mark cannot be cracked during the transmission of the APL packet. Finally, we set up a retrieval function of the finite set at the covert receiver to extract the marks and determine their orders, and the APL packets are reorganized to realize covert demodulation. The results of experiments performed on real traffic indicated that the MLCC embedded with OSMS could avoid the passive synchronization schemes and exhibited superior performance in terms of reliability, throughput, and undetectability compared with the renowned Cloak method, especially under a malicious network interference scenario. Furthermore, our approach could effectively resist the inter-link correlation test, which are highly effective in testing the Cloak framework.
Psiadin and plectranthone selectively inhibit colorectal carcinoma cells proliferation via modulating cyclins signaling and apoptotic pathways
Authors: Orabi Khaled Y. , Abaza Mohamed S. , Luqmani Yunus A. , Al-Attiyah Rajaa
Published: June 2021

Three scarce terpenes, psiadin, plectranthone and saudinolide, were obtained after chromatographic isolation and purification from the aerial parts of the respective plants. Their identities were established based on their spectral data. Their anticancer effects against two human colorectal carcinoma cell lines, CCL233 and CCL235, along with the potential molecular mechanisms of action, were explored. Psiadin and plectranthone exhibited marked growth inhibition on both cell lines in a time- and dose-dependent manner with minimal cytotoxicity against normal breast cells (HB2). The terpenes even showed superior activities to the tested standards. Flow cytometry showed apoptosis induction and alteration in the cell cycle in colorectal cancer cells treated with both compounds. Nevertheless, it was also found that both compounds inhibited NF-κB transcriptional activity, induced mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and increased the percentage of reactive oxygen species in the treated cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner as well. Since the anticancer effect of psiadin on cancer cells was higher than that produced by plectranthone, only psiadin was tested to determine its possible targets. The results suggested a high degree of specificity of action affecting particular cellular processes in both cancer cells. In conclusion, both terpenes, in particular psiadin, showed significant discriminative therapeutic potential between cancer and normal cells, a value that is missing in current chemotherapies.
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable esophageal cancer: A protocol of meta-analysis
Authors: Yu Guocan , Yu Wenfeng , Xu Xudong , Ye Bo , Yao Liwei
Published: June 2021

Background

Esophageal cancer is a highly malignant cancer with a very poor prognosis. For resectable esophageal cancer, neoadjuvant treatment could improve the prognosis of esophageal cancer. However, current clinical neoadjuvant treatment options for esophageal cancer are still limited. The application of immunotherapy is a potentially beneficial new neoadjuvant treatment option for esophageal cancer. The objective of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy for the neoadjuvant treatment of esophageal cancer.

Methods

We will search Wanfang Database, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Embase, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library for relevant articles published before July, 2021. We will also search the unpublished clinical trials of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in esophageal cancer in preprint website (such as bioRXiv and medRxiv) up to July, 2021. We will perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable esophageal cancer. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be included in this study. The risk of bias will be evaluated for each included study using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We will use RevMan 5.3 software for statistical analysis of the data.

Results

The results of this study will provide evidence of immunotherapy using as neoadjuvant treatment for esophageal cancer. This meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal seeking for publication.

Conclusion

The results of this study will provide a reliable basis for clinicians and patients to formulate the best pre-surgical treatment plan for resectable esophageal cancer.

Systematic review registration

INPLASY202120026.
Sustained splenic contraction after daily cocaine administration in rats
Authors: Nomura Moeka , Unuma Kana , Aki Toshihiko , Uemura Koichi
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of repeated cocaine administration on the whole body of rats. Rats (male, 6 weeks old, Sprague Dawley) were injected intraperitoneally with cocaine (50 mg/kg) once a day for 1, 3 or 7 days, and major organs (heart, liver, lung, brain, kidney, spleen) were excised from the sacrificed animals. During autopsy, we found a reduction in spleen size, but not other organs, in cocaine-administered rats as compared to control rats. This reduction became to be noticed at 3 day and easily perceived at 7 day. No marked changes were observed in other organs examined. H&E and EMG staining showed a tendency for a decrease in the number of red blood cells (RBCs) as well as an increase in collagen fibers in the spleens of rats treated repeatedly with cocaine. Transcriptome analysis indicated that repeated cocaine administration depletes RBCs from the spleen. Immunoblot analysis showed that cocaine increases the phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MYL) as well as the levels of transgelin, both of which are involved in the contraction of myofibrils. Collectively, these results show that repeated cocaine administration results in sustained contraction of the spleen, which leads to the release of RBCs from the spleen into circulation.