bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The efficacy of pulsed radiofrequency stimulation of the glenohumeral joint and suprascapular nerve for chronic shoulder pain and function compared to physiotherapy and exercise program without pain management
Authors: Ristmägi Aet , Jauhiainen Olli Petteri , Suominen Sanna , Heikkilä Hannu Veikko
Published: May 2022

Background: Degenerative tendon diseases are primarily treated conservatively in primary health care and the most important treatment modality is physiotherapy-guided therapeutic rehabilitation. Method: In this prospective observational study, we investigated the effect of two different treatment approaches in patients with chronic shoulder pain. Physiotherapy-guided treatment was compared to interventional pain treatment with radiofrequency nerve stimulation (pRF) before exercise therapy. The primary outcomes were active shoulder mobility and shoulder function assessed by SPADI questionnaire at two and 6-month controls. Results: The results of this study show that pRF treatment combined to physiotherapy seem to effect shoulder function more than physiotherapy alone. With regard to patients with chronic pain and decreased shoulder mobility (65%), pRF treatment showed a significant greater effect in relieving pain and increasing functional outcome assessed by SPADI. Also short-term pain and impairment reduction for 8-12 weeks occurred in patients with chronic rotator cuff lesions. A direct comparison between the rehabilitation programs strengthened the assumption that effective pain management could be necessary to obtain optimal effect of physiotherapy and physical training in patients with chronic (> 3 months) shoulder pain. Conclusion: PRF can be performed in an outpatient department and provides the clinician with an alternative or additional approach to oral drug treatment and intra-articular injection. Further, it may prove to be a useful treatment for patients who are unfit or unwilling to consider surgical intervention Level of evidence: IV.
Complement Activation Profiles in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Hackl, Lukas , Giner Thomas , Albrecht Julia , Liebensteiner Michael , Zlamy Manuela , Brunner Jürgen
Published: May 2022

Objectives: Besides T- and B-cells also the innate immunity is playing an effective role in the pathogenesis of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) reported in literature. The complement system (CS) is activated by the three different ways classical pathway (CP), lectin pathway (LP) and alternative pathway (AP). This is a controlled prospective observational single center study focused on the three pathways of CS and its effector, the terminal complement complex (TCC), associated with disease activity in all clinical JIA subgroups. Methods: Peripheral blood (PB) samples (n=159) of 60 JIA patients (partially also longitudinal visits) were analyzed for specific complement pathway activation (COMPL300 ELISA), complement factor H (CFH)-autoantibodies (CFHAb ELISA), and the soluble TCC (sC5b-9 ELISA) in serum (S) and EDTA plasma (P). TCC was also analyzed in synovial fluid (SF) of JIA patients (n=9) controlled with samples of healthy adults (n=12) obtained by arthroscopy (primarily gonarthrosis). As healthy controls (HC) adults (n=100) and children (n=18) without inflammatory diseases were tested. The JADAS10 defined the acute phase of the disease. Results: We compared the elevated serum TCC levels of JIA patients in the acute phase of the disease (13.32 IQR 8.09-19.48; p<0,001) with the controls' levels (7.78 IQR 4.93-10.31). Subgroup analyses showed statistically significant (s.s.) elevation in PArf+, OAper, and OAext. COMPL300 analyses revealed that JIA patients with acute disease had lower CP (82% IQR 37-97% vs 105% IQR 98-115%; p<0.001), LP (31% IQR 2-86% vs 80% IQR 20-101%; p<0.001), and AP (25% IQR 2-88% vs 85% IQR 70-98%; p<0.001) capacity compared to the HC average due to chronic activation in all three pathways. Both TCC and COMPL300 analyses during acute phase and remission showed a clear tendency, especially in PArf+ but only s.s. in the individual course. Remarkable sJIA patients neither in TCC nor in COMPL300 analyses showed complement activation. No evidence of CFH-autoantibodies was found in our study group. The TCC levels in SF showed a median of 2.48 IQR 1.71-2.76 AU/ml in JIA patients and surprisingly high levels in HC with 6.7 IQR 3.9-9.24 AU/ml. Conclusion: Specific subgroups of JIA patients (extOA, PARf+, ERA) showed increased CS activation in TCC in PB in the acute course of the disease. Furthermore, the decreased CS capacity, especially in the CP and AP, confirms the consumption of complement components as an additional contributor to the disease pathogenesis and acute course. Due to the CS activation throughout all disease activity states, we could not determine s.s. between the acute and remission phases in our cohort. However, COMPL300 in combination with TCC seems to be a helpful acute disease biomarker in the individual course. The pharmacological modulation of CS components might be a valid alternative approach in treatmentresistant patients, although further investigations are needed.
Fashion of Indigenous People in Bangladesh: Exploring Traditional Clothing Process of Chakma Tribe
Authors: Hui Tao
Published: May 2022

In Bangladesh, one of the largest tribal communities is known as the ‘Chakma’. Tribal fashion and its trend depend on their culture, language, religion, and tradition, which are identical for an ethnic person or group. Tribal clothing may range from a single piece to an entire outfit of artifacts that identify the person as a representative of a certain tribe. Ethnic or tribal people not only belong to a unique culture but also have different tastes in design and dresses. Tribal fashion is a traditional style that represents a culture and allows one to celebrate their heritage and origin. Chakma’s natural environment is vibrant, as seen thru their artisan work, especially costumes. This Chakma community has followed a very traditional way of weaving to make their attire. Chakma women and men dress in a variety of colorful outfits/attire, as well as carnival costumes and robes. Therefore, this study focuses to explore the traditional process of tribal textile, costumes from their artwork, and cultural values.
The Application of Chinese Song Brocade Concepts in Developing Jacquard Woven Design and Fabrics
Authors: Lu Chunhong
Published: May 2022

Chinese Song Brocade, a traditional silk handicraft with a long history, is one of the first batch of China’s intangible cultural heritage. However, the development of Song Brocade is greatly limited due to its high cost, small audience and complex fabrication process. To make the past serve the present, and enhance the competitiveness of Song Brocade products, Song brocade concepts have been used to develop modern jacquard woven design and fabrics. The simplified Song Brocade jacquard woven fabrics based on aspects of design, weaving technology and weaving materials have been investigated. In detail, nine fabrics with different weft densities or weft materials are prepared by the modern jacquard fabric design process and weaving technology first. Later, the hygroscopic heating and moisture permeability of the fabrics are studied. The results show that the hygroscopic and thermal properties of the fabric can be enhanced with the increased content of the hygroscopic fiber or the increased weft density to some extent, and the moisture permeability of the fabric increases with the increased content of the moisture absorbing fiber content and the decreased weft density. The simplified Song Brocade fabric can effectively reduce the production cost of Song Brocade and promote Song Brocade to the massive market.
STRATEGI PEMENANGAN TIM SUKSES DALAM PEMILIHAN KEPALA DESA KARANGWANGI KEC. KARANGWARENG KAB. CIREBON 2019-2024
Authors: Suhara Rizki Budhi , Kamaludin Hedi Eka
Published: May 2022

Demokrasi asli desa dicerminkan oleh kehidupan masyarakatnya yang gotong-royong dan serta pengambilan keputusan tentang persoalan masyarakat diselesaikan dengan musyawarah. Demokrasi tradisional digambarkan dengan pola-pola musyawarah dalam pengembilan keputusan dan gotong-royong dalam pelaksanaan keputusan tersebut, dan didalam masyarakatnya terdapat ikatan yang kuat antara warga yang satu dengan warga masyrakat yang lain. Tujuan penelitiannya untuk mengetahui strategi politik dan strategi komunikasi yang dilakukan oleh tim sukses untuk memenangkan calon kepala Desa. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan deskripstif kualitatif. Sebagai hasil penelitian yang telah dilakukan yakni dalam penerapan strategi politik terdapat cara ofensif dan defensif yang dilakukan oleh tim sukses dan strategi komunikasi yang terdiri dari adanya komunikator, pesan, media dan khalayak. Simpulannya adalah dalam melakukan strategi pemenangan pemilihan calon Kepala Desa dengan menggunakan stategi politik dan strategi komunikasi yang secara rutin dilakukan serta didukung dengan adanya alat komunikasi yang berbasis digital. Sebagai saran bahwa diharapkan penelitian ini akan menambah khasanah baru dan menjadi pelengkap wawasan pengetahuan penelitian sebelumnya dan di masa mendatang.Kata Kunci: Strategi Pemenangan, Tim Sukses, Kepala Desa, Desa
İmam Serahsî’nin Hanefi Fakihlere Yönelik Eleştirileri
Authors: İsabaeva Mairamkan
Published: May 2022

Hanefi mezhebi, Ebu Hanife’nin (v. 150/767) ortaya koymuş olduğu sistem üzerine bina edilmiştir. İmam Muhammed (v. 189/804) ve İmam Ebu Yusuf’un (v. 182/798) içtihatlarıyla teşekkül etmiştir. Nihâyet hicrî V. asrın büyük hukukçusu ve ilim adamı olan Ebu Bekr Muhammed İbn Ebi Sehl İmam Serahsî’nin el-Kâfî adlı eseri şerh ettiği muhteşem el-Mebsût adlı eser Hanefîlik açısından bir zirve noktası olarak addedilir. el-Mebsût, zorlu hapis şartlarında yazılması sebebiyle sistematik yapıdan büyük ölçüde yoksun bulunmasına rağmen hemen her meselede kurucu imamların içtihatlarını ayrıntılarıyla ortaya koyması, her bir içtihadı aklî ve naklî olarak temellendirilmesi, mezhep içinde ittifak ve ihtilaf edilen konuları bir bütün halinde sunması, ihtilaflı konularda tercihlerde bulunması, diğer Sünni fıkıh mezheplerinin konuya ilişkin görüşlerini tahlil ve tenkit etmesi bakımından tam anlamıyla bir şaheserdir. Bu bildiri, el-Mebsût adlı eser çerçevesinde İmam Serahsî’nin Hanefi fakihlerine yönelik eleştirilerini konu edinmekle birlikte mezhep içi eleştiri sürecinin nasıl işlediğini ve ne gibi sonuçlara ulaştığını, eleştirinin boyutlarını ve sayısal analizini yapmayı hedeflemektedir.
Psikolojik Danışmanların Kritik ve Analitik Düşünme Becerilerinin Bazı Değişkenlere Göre İncelenmesi
Authors: Yiğit Büşra , Parlar Hanifi
Published: May 2022

Yetkin bir psikolojik danışmanın temel özelliklerinden en önemlisi, kişisel ve bilimsel yeterliklerini uygun bir biçimde bütünleştirebilmesidir. Kritik ve analitik düşünme becerileri araştırıcı bir tutum içeren bilgi, davranış ve tutumun birleşimi ile ortaya çıkar ve psikolojik danışmanın sahip olması gereken, danışmanı değerli kılan bir beceridir. Bu doğrultuda araştırmanın amacı, psikolojik danışmanların kritik ve analitik düşünme becerilerini incelemektir. Bu amaca uygun biçimde, psikolojik danışmanların kritik ve analitik düşünme eğilimlerinin 6 demografik özellik açısından (cinsiyet, yaş, medeni durum, mesleki kıdem, eğitim, mesleki eğitim alma) anlamlı farklılaşmaların varlığı araştırılacaktır. Araştırmanın evrenini İstanbul ilinde seanslarına devam eden psikolojik danışmanlar oluşturmuştur. Araştırma verileri, California eleştirel düşünme eğilimi ölçeği ve demografik bilgi formu ile elde edilmiştir. Toplanan veriler, betimsel istatistikler, bağımsız gruplar t testi, tek yönlü varyans analizi ve pearson momentler çarpım korelasyon tekniği kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir.
Yüksek Öğretimde Kritik ve Analitik Düşünme Becerilerinin Geliştirilmesi: En İyi Üniversitelerin Bölgelere Göre Karşılaştırılması
Authors: Yüksel Sedat , Ünal İbrahim Musa , Buturak Abdullah Kadir , Cebeci Yusuf Zahid
Published: May 2022

Bu araştırma, dünyanın farklı bölgelerinde “en iyi 100” olarak listelenen üniversitelerdeki kritik ve analitik düşünme becerilerinin geliştirilmesi ile ilgili uygulamalar ve farkındalıkları arasında farklılık olup olmadığını anlamak amacıyla tasarlanmıştır. Tanımlayıcı bir yaklaşımla, birinci el, nitel veriler, gözlem yöntemiyle toplanmıştır. Bu amaçla tasarlanan yapısal gözlem formu, dört farklı bölgeden “Times Higher Education, THE, 2019 Top 100” da listelenen “en iyi 100” üniversiteye ait, kurumsal internet adreslerinin ingilizce versiyonunda, aynı sorulara cevap bulabilmek amacıyla aynı anahtar kelimelerin ilgili, ilintili, benzer veri tabanlarında arama, tarama ve delil toplama yoluyla doldurulmuştur. Bulgular, kritik ve analitik düşünme becerilerinin geliştirilmesi ve farkındalığı açısından analiz edildiğinde, farklı bölge üniversiteleri arasında anlamlı farklılıklar tesbit edilmiştir. Müfredat, ders içeriği, ders dışı etkinliklerle kampus içi kritik ve analitik düşünme becerilerini geliştirme çabaları ve farkındalıkları açısından ABD’de yer alan “en iyi 100” üniversitenin ilk sırada; Asya-Pasifik üniversitelerinin ikinci; Asya üniversitelerinin üçüncü ve Avrupa bölge üniversitelerinin dördüncü sırada yer aldıkları görülmektedir. Araştırmanın sonunda, literatürdeki tartışmalar ve araştırmanın bulguları ışığında, yükseköğrenim kurumlarında kritik ve analitik düşünme becerilerinin geliştirilmesi ile ilgili olarak uygulamaya dönük öneriler sunulmaktadır.
Bioengineered Probiotics: Synthetic Biology Can Provide Live Cell Therapeutics for the Treatment of Foodborne Diseases
Authors: Cruz Karla Cristina P. , Enekegho Laura O. , Stuart David T.
Published: May 2022

The rising prevalence of antibiotic resistant microbial pathogens presents an ominous health and economic challenge to modern society. The discovery and large-scale development of antibiotic drugs in previous decades was transformational, providing cheap, effective treatment for what would previously have been a lethal infection. As microbial strains resistant to many or even all antibiotic drug treatments have evolved, there is an urgent need for new drugs or antimicrobial treatments to control these pathogens. The ability to sequence and mine the genomes of an increasing number of microbial strains from previously unexplored environments has the potential to identify new natural product antibiotic biosynthesis pathways. This coupled with the power of synthetic biology to generate new production chassis, biosensors and “weaponized” live cell therapeutics may provide new means to combat the rapidly evolving threat of drug resistant microbial pathogens. This review focuses on the application of synthetic biology to construct probiotic strains that have been endowed with functionalities allowing them to identify, compete with and in some cases kill microbial pathogens as well as stimulate host immunity. Weaponized probiotics may have the greatest potential for use against pathogens that infect the gastrointestinal tract:Vibrio cholerae,Staphylococcus aureus,Clostridium perfringensandClostridioides difficile. The potential benefits of engineered probiotics are highlighted along with the challenges that must still be met before these intriguing and exciting new therapeutic tools can be widely deployed.
Analysis of DNA Repair-Related Prognostic Function and Mechanism in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Wang Liqiang , Lu Jianping , Song Ying , Bai Jing , Sun Wenjing , Yu Jingcui , Cai Mengdi , Fu Songbin
Published: May 2022

DNA repair mechanisms have been proven to be essential for cells, and abnormalities in DNA repair could cause various diseases, such as cancer. However, the diversity and complexity of DNA repair mechanisms obscure the functions of DNA repair in cancers. In addition, the relationships between DNA repair, the tumor mutational burden (TMB), and immune infiltration are still ambiguous. In the present study, we evaluated the prognostic values of various types of DNA repair mechanisms and found that double-strand break repair through single-strand annealing (SSA) and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) was the most prognostic DNA repair processes in gastric cancer (GC) patients. Based on the activity of these two approaches and expression profiles, we constructed a HR-LR model, which could accurately divide patients into high-risk and low-risk groups with different probabilities of survival and recurrence. Similarly, we also constructed a cancer-normal model to estimate whether an individual had GC or normal health status. The prognostic value of the HR-LR model and the accuracy of the cancer-normal model were validated in several independent datasets. Notably, low-risk samples, which had higher SSA and NHEJ activities, had more somatic mutations and less immune infiltration. Furthermore, the analysis found that low-risk samples had higher and lower methylation levels in CpG islands (CGIs) and open sea regions respectively, and had higher expression levels of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and lower methylation levels in the promoter of the gene encoding PD-L1. Moreover, low-risk samples were characterized primarily by higher levels of CD4+ memory T cells, CD8+ naive T cells, and CD8+ TEM cells than those in high-risk samples. Finally, we proposed a decision tree and nomogram to help predict the clinical outcome of an individual. These results provide an improved understanding of the complexity of DNA repair, the TMB, and immune infiltration in GC, and present an accurate prognostic model for use in GC patients.
Solvent-Induced Selectivity of Isoprene From Bio-Derived Prenol
Authors: Kothandaraman Jotheeswari , Cosimbescu Lelia , Swita Marie S.
Published: May 2022

In this work we demonstrate the selective catalytic conversion of prenol, which is an allylic alcohol that can be prepared from renewable resources to isoprene. The catalyst is an inexpensive molybdenum complex (Molyvan L) designed and used as an additive for lubricants. Isoprene is generated under relatively mild reaction parameters at 130–150°C, for 2 h, under vapor pressure conditions that do not exceed 50 psi. Two cases were studied: one in which Molyvan L was dissolved in a base oil at 1% concentration (weight/weight) and then mixed with a solvent and prenol and the other in which neat Molyvan L was introduced in the reaction and the base oil was replaced with the solvent and prenol. We investigated the selectivity of the reaction using the following solvents in both cases: dodecane, dodecanol, isododecane, octane, blendstock for oxygenate blending (BOB3), a fuel surrogate, a polyalphaolefin (PAO4), and methoxy polyethylene glycol (methoxy PEG350). Although conversion of prenol was above 94% in all experiments, isoprene was formed with various degrees of efficiency alongside a prenol isomeric alcohol, diprenyl ether and mixed ether via intramolecular and intermolecular dehydration reactions. Dodecane appeared to have the highest level of selectivity initially in base oil so we studied the effect of various dodecane-like solvents on isoprene yield and product profile. Surprisingly, octane (similar to dodecane) and isododecane (branched alkane) generated insignificant amounts of byproducts, essentially providing the highly desired isoprene with a very high selectivity. Branching of the solvent does not appear to have an effect on selectivity. Another advantage of this catalyst is the low loadings required to effect the transformation; that is, 0.25% (weight/volume) in the cases using neat Molyvan L and 0.5% (weight/volume) in the cases using Molyvan L dissolved in the base oil. Provided that prenol can be produced in large scale from bioresources, this work would enable the sustainable production of isoprene, in good yield, and with very high selectivity.
A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium
Authors: Severgnini Marco , Morselli Sara , Camboni Tania , Ceccarani Camilla , Laghi Luca , Zagonari Sara , Patuelli Giulia , Pedna Maria Federica , Sambri Vittorio , Foschi Claudio , Consolandi Clarissa , Marangoni Antonella
Published: May 2022

A deep comprehension of the vaginal ecosystem may hold promise for unraveling the pathophysiology of pregnancy and may provide novel biomarkers to identify subjects at risk of maternal-fetal complications. In this prospective study, we assessed the characteristics of the vaginal environment in a cohort of pregnant women throughout their different gestational ages and puerperium. Both the vaginal bacterial composition and the vaginal metabolic profiles were analyzed. A total of 63 Caucasian women with a successful pregnancy and 9 subjects who had a first trimester miscarriage were enrolled. For the study, obstetric examinations were scheduled along the three trimester phases (9-13, 20-24, 32-34 gestation weeks) and puerperium (40-55 days after delivery). Two vaginal swabs were collected at each time point, to assess the vaginal microbiome profiling (by Nugent score and 16S rRNA gene sequencing) and the vaginal metabolic composition (1H-NMR spectroscopy). During pregnancy, the vaginal microbiome underwent marked changes, with a significant decrease in overall diversity, and increased stability. Over time, we found a significant increase of Lactobacillus and a decrease of several genera related to bacterial vaginosis (BV), such as Prevotella, Atopobium and Sneathia. It is worth noting that the levels of Bifidobacterium spp. tended to decrease at the end of pregnancy. At the puerperium, a significantly lower content of Lactobacillus and higher levels of Gardnerella, Prevotella, Atopobium, and Streptococcus were observed. Women receiving an intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) were characterized by a vaginal abundance of Prevotella compared to untreated women. Analysis of bacterial relative abundances highlighted an increased abundance of Fusobacterium in women suffering a first trimester abortion, at all taxonomic levels. Lactobacillus abundance was strongly correlated with higher levels of lactate, sarcosine, and many amino acids (i.e., isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan). Conversely, BV-associated genera, such as Gardnerella, Atopobium, and Sneathia, were related to amines (e.g., putrescine, methylamine), formate, acetate, alcohols, and short-chain fatty-acids (i.e., butyrate, propionate).
“Alterations in the Skin Microbiota Are Associated With Symptom Severity in Mycosis Fungoides”
Authors: Zhang Yumeng , Seminario-Vidal Lucia , Cohen Leah , Hussaini Mohammad , Yao Jiqiang , Rutenberg David , Kim Youngchul , Giualiano Anna , Robinson Lary A. , Sokol Lubomir
Published: May 2022

Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), a non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is thought to arise from mature tissue-resident memory T cells. The most common subtypes include Mycosis Fungoides and Sezary Syndrome. The role of skin microbiota remains unclear in the symptom manifestation of MF. Among 39 patients with MF, we analyzed bacteria colonizing MF lesions and non-lesional skin in the contralateral side and characterized regional changes in the skin microbiota related to MF involvement using the difference in relative abundance of each genus between lesional and contralateral non-lesional skin. We investigated the relationship between these skin microbiota alterations and symptom severity. No statistically significant difference was found in bacterial diversity and richness between lesional and non-lesional skin. Different skin microbiota signatures were associated with different symptoms. More pronounced erythema in the lesions was associated with an increase in Staphylococcus. Pain and thick skin in the lesions were associated with a decrease in Propionibacterium. The results of this pilot study suggest that the skin microbiota plays an important role in changing skin phenotypes among patients with MF. Larger skin microbiota studies are needed to confirm these findings and support the use of antibiotic treatment to mitigate CTCL symptoms.
Humoral, Cellular and Cytokine Immune Responses Against SARS-CoV-2 Variants in COVID-19 Convalescent and Confirmed Patients With Different Disease Severities
Authors: Chiu Chun-Hsiang , Chang Yu-Hsiu , Chang Feng-Yee , Hung Yi-Jen , Liao Ching-Len , Chiu Kuo-Chou , Tsai Pei-Ling , Chang Tien-Wei , Yen Li-Chen
Published: May 2022

Objectives

To assess humoral and cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants in COVID-19 convalescent and confirmed patients, to explore the correlation between disease severity, humoral immunity, and cytokines/chemokines in confirmed patients, and to evaluate the ADE risk of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods

Anti-RBD IgG were quantified using an ELISA. Neutralization potency was measured using pseudovirus and real virus. Cellular immunity was measured using ELISpot. Cytokine/chemokine levels were detected using multiplex immunoassays. In vitro ADE assays were performed using Raji cells.

Results

One-month alpha convalescents exhibited spike-specific antibodies and T cells for alpha and delta variants. Notably, the RBD-specific IgG towards the delta variant decreased by 2.5-fold compared to the alpha variant. Besides, serum from individuals recently experienced COVID-19 showed suboptimal neutralizing activity against the delta and omicron variants. Humoral immune response, IL-6, IP-10 and MCP-1 levels were greater in patients with severe disease. Moreover, neither SARS-CoV-1 nor SARS-CoV-2 convalescent sera significantly enhanced SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection.

Conclusions

Significant resistance of the delta and omicron variants to the humoral immune response generated by individuals who recently experienced COVID-19. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation among disease severity, humoral immune response, and specific cytokines/chemokine levels. No evident ADE was observed for SARS-CoV-2.
The Activity of Liposomal Linolenic Acid Against Helicobacter pylori In Vitro and Its Impact on Human Fecal Bacteria
Authors: Wang Ya , Wu Shuang , Wang Le , Wang Youhua , Liu Dongsheng , Fu Yingjun , Xie Yong
Published: May 2022

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. Here, we focused on the activity of a novel nanomedicine-liposomal linolenic acid (LipoLLA) against H. pylori and its impact on human fecal bacteria in vitro. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of LipoLLA against 30 H. pylori clinical strains were determined in combination with amoxicillin (AMX), metronidazole (MTZ), levofloxacin (LVFX) and clarithromycin (CAM). Bactericidal activity was measured by generating concentration-bactericidal curves at different times and pH values. Leakage of glucose (GLU) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was detected, combined with detection of changes in morphology by electron microscopy, to study the mechanism of action of LipoLLA against H. pylori. The effect of LipoLLA on human fecal bacteria was studied by high-throughput sequencing of fecal samples. We observed a synergistic or additive effect when LipoLLA was combined with AMX, MTZ, LVFX and CAM. The concentration-sterilization curves were pH and time dependent. After treatment with LipoLLA, GLU and AST levels were increased (P<0.05), and the morphology of H. pylori changed significantly. Moreover, LipoLLA activity led to no significant changes in the intestinal flora in terms of alpha diversity, species composition, beta diversity, etc. In conclusion, LipoLLA showed good anti-H. pylori effects. It destroyed the outer membrane barrier and caused leakage of the bacterial contents to achieve anti-H. pylori effects. And LipoLLA had little effect on human fecal bacteria in vitro.
Long-Term Beta-Blocker Therapy in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Lee Seung-Jun , Choi Dong-Woo , Kim Choongki , Suh Yongsung , Hong Sung-Jin , Ahn Chul-Min , Kim Jung-Sun , Kim Byeong-Keuk , Ko Young-Guk , Choi Donghoon , Park Eun-Cheol , Jang Yangsoo , Nam Chung-Mo , Hong Myeong-Ki
Published: May 2022

Background

It is unclear whether beta-blocker treatment is advantageous in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We evaluated the clinical impact of long-term beta-blocker maintenance in patients with stable CAD after PCI with drug-eluting stent (DES).

Methods

From a nationwide cohort database, we identified the stable CAD patients without current or prior history of myocardial infarction or heart failure who underwent DES implantation. An intention-to-treat principle was used to analyze the impact of beta-blocker treatment on long-term outcomes of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) composed of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and hospitalization with heart failure.

Results

After stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting, a total of 78,380 patients with stable CAD was enrolled; 45,746 patients with and 32,634 without beta-blocker treatment. At 5 years after PCI with a 6-month quarantine period, the adjusted incidence of MACE was significantly higher in patients treated with beta-blockers [10.0 vs. 9.1%; hazard ratio (HR) 1.11, 95% CI 1.06–1.16, p < 0.001] in an intention-to-treat analysis. There was no significant difference in all-cause death between patients treated with and without beta-blockers (8.1 vs. 8.2%; HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.94–1.04, p = 0.62). Statistical analysis with a time-varying Cox regression and rank-preserving structure failure time model revealed similar results to the intention-to-treat analysis.

Conclusions

Among patients with stable CAD undergoing DES implantation, long-term maintenance with beta-blocker treatment might not be associated with clinical outcome improvement.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT04715594).
Effect of Integrated Care on Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Li Yi , Zhao Wenjing , Huang Jun , Zheng Murui , Hu Peng , Lu Jiahai , Deng Hai , Liu Xudong
Published: May 2022

Aims

The integrated management was evidenced to improve the hospitalization and its associated complications in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but the strategies of integrated care varied and results were inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of integrated care on AF-related outcomes with comparison with usual care.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for articles published until 10th January 2022. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials to study the effect of integrated care on AF-related outcomes. Meta-analysis with a random-effect model was used to calculate risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) by comparing the integrated care with usual care.

Results

A total of five studies with 6,486 AF patients were selected. By synthesizing available data, integrated care effectively reduced the risk of all-cause mortality (RR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.42–0.69), cardiovascular hospitalization (RR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.55–0.94), and cardiovascular mortality (RR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.36–0.78) when compared with usual care; however, there was no superior effect on preventing AF-related hospitalization (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.72–1.02), cerebrovascular events (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 0.75–1.70), and major bleeding (RR = 1.29, 95% CI = 0.86–1.94) when comparing integrated care with usual care.

Conclusion

Integrated care can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular hospitalizations in AF patients compared with usual care, while the benefit was not observed in other outcomes.
Resilience Assessment of Road Networks in the Extremely Severe Disaster Areas of the Wenchuan Earthquake
Authors: Wei Meng , Fang Song Jing , Chen Sang , Lin Ran yi , Huang Yong , Yang Li
Published: May 2022

On 12 May, 2008, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Wenchuan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, causing substantial losses of human life and property. This paper takes ten counties and cities along the road network in the extremely severe disaster areas of the Wenchuan earthquake as research objects and extracts typical road network characteristics for 10 time points during the pre-earthquake, damage and repair processes. Then, it builds three resilience assessment indices, namely, the overall integrity, overall connectivity and effective connectivity with the complex network and resilience framework, to investigate the road network resilience. A resilience curve of the road system based on real data from the extremely severe disaster areas of the Wenchuan earthquake is obtained here for the first time, revealing the total variation characteristics and key sections of the road system in terms of resilience and proposing strategies for resilience optimization.
Geological and Geochemical Characteristics of the Terrestrial Lower Jurassic Shale in Tarim Basin and its Favorable Exploration Areas
Authors: Wang Qifeng , Tang Haifa , Guo Zhi , Cheng Gang , Lv Zhikai , Liu Qunming
Published: May 2022

Large amounts of conventional gas resources that originated from terrestrial Lower Jurassic shale were discovered in the Tarim Basin, indicating promising exploration prospects for shale gas resources, whereas limited understandings were obtained on the geological and geochemical characteristics of the Lower Jurassic shale. In this study, based on cores of exploration wells and field outcrops, total organic carbon (TOC) pyrolysis, microscopic composition, organic elements, vitrinite reflectance, x-ray diffraction, and methane isothermal adsorption experiments were carried out on Lower Jurassic shale in the Tarim Basin. The results show that the TOC content of shale is relatively high, but the TOC content of shale in different regions is quite different. Among them, the Kuqa Depression is the highest (more than 3%), the Southwest Tarim Basin is second (more than 1%), and the East Tarim Basin is the lowest. The main types of kerogen in shale are mainly type III and type II2. The thermal evolution maturity of shale in different regions is quite different; the highest Ro of shale in the Southwest Tarim Basin is more than 2.0% and that of shale in the Kuqa depression is higher than 1.5%, both of which have entered the stage of high-over-mature evolution, and the shale in the East Tarim Basin is only in the low maturity–mature stage. The overall content of brittle minerals such as quartz in shale is greater than 40%, which has good fracturing properties. The adsorbed gas content of shale is high, but there is a great difference (0.5–4 m3/t), which is related to the large difference in the abundance of organic matter, thermal maturity, and clay mineral content of shale. Therefore, the Lower Jurassic shale gas in the Tarim Basin has good prospects for exploration. Based on the superposition method of the main controlling geological factors, it is predicted that the favorable areas for shale gas exploration are mainly located in the Keshen and Yinan-Yeyun areas of the Kuqa Depression and the Caohu Sag-Mandong area of the East Tarim Basin. This research not only provides basic data for the evaluation of shale gas resources in our country, but also provides certain guidance for the exploration of Lower Jurassic shale gas in the Tarim Basin.
Distribution Characteristics of Soil Particles and Their Relationships With Soil Organic Carbon Components in the Alluvial/Sedimentary Zone in the Lower Reaches of the Yellow River
Authors: Zhang Junhua , Li Guodong , Ding Shengyan , Tian Huiwen , Ren Xiaojuan , Liu Man , Zheng Yaping
Published: May 2022

Land use and sediment alluviation/deposition are the main factors influencing the vertical distributions of particles with different sizes and soil organic carbon (SOC) forms. Based on field investigation, experimental analysis, data analysis, soil particle characteristics, and the relationships with SOC compositions are studied in the typical alluviation/deposition area of Kaifeng–Zhoukou. In the soil profile, the particulate matter is mainly 10–50 μm and 50–250 μm in size with an average content of approximately 65%, the content difference within the same size particle range is small. There is a large content range of <1,000 μm particles, which is the main factor affecting the change in soil properties. The fractal dimension (D) of soil particles ranges from 2.21 to 2.78. The value of D of each layer in farmland is higher than that of each layer in woodland, and it has been observed that DNF(farmland in the nonflooded area) > DF(farmland in the flooded area) and DNW(woodland in the nonflooded area) > DW(farmland in the nonflooded area). The contents of particles smaller than 50 μm have a positive effect on D, and the particles exceeding 50 μm have a negative effect. The contents of 10–50 μm, <2 μm, 2–5 μm, and 5–10 μm particles and their dynamic variances are the root causes of the D differences in the farmland/woodland soil in the FA (the flooded area) and NFA (the nonflooded area). SOC components combine to a greater extent with silt and clay that are <10 μm in size in the NF, and the stability is relatively high. The contents of the 10–50 μm and <10 μm particles are the main reasons for the differences in the soil active and nonactive organic carbon (AOC and NOC, respectively) contents in the FA and the NFA. The difference in D can reflect the change in SOC and its components and can be used as an index to characterize the variance in soil properties and quality. This study revealed the influences of the different particle sizes in the SOC components, which will expand and enrich the current area of study and further provide a basis to increase SOC and improve soil quality.
Optimizing Leisure Agriculture by Analyzing Spatial Patterns and Tourists’ Perceptions: Evidence From Wuhan, China
Authors: Wang Chengcheng , Wu Shaohua , Yang Wei , Bao Haijun , Zhu Jinxia , Wang Xia
Published: May 2022

Leisure agriculture can meet the leisure needs of residents and promote farmers’ income, which is an important way to achieve rural revitalization. However, the unreasonable spatial patterns and weak competitiveness of leisure agriculture seriously restrict its sustainable development. This paper proposes a framework for optimizing leisure agriculture development, including spatial patterns analysis of leisure agriculture based on big data, quality analysis of leisure agriculture based on tourists’ perceptions, and strategies for optimizing leisure agriculture based on spatial patterns and tourists’ perceptions. Taking Wuhan city as an example, the results show that: 1) the main types of leisure agriculture are leisure farms, fishing, and picking gardens, showing an agglomerative distribution pattern; 2) considering tourists’ emotional perceptions, most comments are positive, and leisure farms should enhance the tourist experience; 3) tourists’ dissatisfaction mainly involves the environment, price, and travel, while product and service factors are relatively satisfactory; and 4) moderate agglomeration is beneficial to the quality of leisure agriculture, while excessive agglomeration has adverse effects. This study explores the development law of regional leisure agriculture, improves the relevant theoretical research system and methods, and provides decision-making references for promoting the development of leisure agriculture.
Mechanisms Responsible for Sand Hazards Along Desert Highways and Their Control: A Case Study of the Wuhai–Maqin Highway in the Tengger Desert, Northwest China
Authors: An Zhishan , Zhang Kecun , Tan Lihai , Niu Qinghe , Wang Tao
Published: May 2022

Highways in deserts usually suffer from severe sand hazards under the effect of wind-blown sand. In this article, the author has revealed the disaster-causing mechanisms of the Wuhai–Maqin Highway in the Tengger Desert, Northwest China. A sand control system with six belts was proposed and established for the highway, and its sheltering effect was examined through on-site monitoring. The results showed that from 2018 to 2019, the sand drift potential was dominated by northwest, northeast, and south winds, which indicated a low-energy windy environment, with a resulting southeast direction of sand transport. The particle size of surface sediments was mainly distributed between 1.26Φ and 2.5Φ, indicating fine sand and medium sand. The sand flux was mainly concentrated below 30 cm, accounting for 89.46% of the total sand transport. Airflow around the control system was significantly attenuated, with a maximum wind speed decreasing rate of 95.88%. The windproof efficiency of the control system against the near-surface wind-blown sand was more than 90%. This study provides a significant reference for the control of highway sand hazards in other deserts.
Evaluation of Temporal and Spatial Changes in Ecological Environmental Quality on Jianghan Plain From 1990 to 2021
Authors: Ren Wei , Zhang Xuesong , Peng Hongjie
Published: May 2022

Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Jianghan Plain is an important part of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Plain, and together with Dongting Lake Plain, it is known as the Two-Lake Plain. It is a well-developed agricultural area and is an important source of grain in China, as well as one of the major cotton-producing areas, and aquaculture is also an important local industry. With the rapid development of urbanization in China, the impact of human activities on the ecological environment of Jianghan Plain has become increasingly obvious in recent years, and how to timely and objectively assess spatial and temporal changes in ecological environmental quality is of great practical significance for the sustainable development of the region and the construction of an ecological civilization. The Google Earth Engine platform was used to optimize the reconstruction of Landsat TM/OLI images of Jianghan Plain from 1990 to 2021, coupled with four indicators of the natural ecological environment such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, WET, Normalized Difference Soil Index, and Land Surface Temperature to construct the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) and evaluate the spatial and temporal changes in ecological environmental quality on Jianghan Plain. The results showed that the mean RSEI values in 1990, 1998, 2006, 2014, and 2021 were 0.667, 0.636, 0.599, 0.621, and 0.648, respectively, indicating that the overall ecological environmental quality of Jianghan Plain showed a decreasing trend from 1990 to 2006 and an increasing trend from 2006 to 2021. Degradation was most serious from 1990 to 1998, accounting for 44.86% of the total area, and improvement was most obvious from 2006 to 2014, accounting for 26.64% of the total area. Moran’s I values from 1990 to 2021 were 0.531, 0.529, 0.525, 0.540, and 0.545, respectively, indicating that the spatial distribution of ecological environmental quality was positively correlated. The local spatial clustering of the RSEI local indicators of spatial association showed that H-H clustering areas on Jianghan Plain were mainly distributed in the northern and western regions, and L-L clustering areas were mainly distributed in the densely populated eastern regions with frequent human activities. The results can provide a theoretical basis for ecological environmental protection and improvement on Jianghan Plain.
New Insights on the Regulatory Gene Network Disturbed in Central Areolar Choroidal Dystrophy—Beyond Classical Gene Candidates
Authors: Kazmierczak de Camargo João Paulo , Prezia Giovanna Nazaré de Barros , Shiokawa Naoye , Sato Mario Teruo , Rosati Roberto , Beate Winter Boldt Angelica
Published: May 2022

Central areolar choroidal dystrophy (CACD) is a rare hereditary disease that mainly affects the macula, resulting in progressive and usually profound visual loss. Being part of congenital retinal dystrophies, it may have an autosomal dominant or recessive inheritance and, until now, has no effective treatment. Given the shortage of genotypic information about the disease, this work systematically reviews the literature for CACD-causing genes. Three independent researchers selected 33 articles after carefully searching and filtering the Scielo, Pubmed, Lilacs, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases. Mutations of six genes (PRPH2, GUCA1A, GUCY2D, CDHR1, ABCA4, andTTLL5) are implicated in the monogenic dominant inheritance of CACD. They are functionally related to photoreceptors (either in the phototransduction process, as in the case ofGUCY2D, or the recovery of retinal photodegradation in photoreceptors forGUCA1A,or the formation and maintenance of specific structures within photoreceptors forPRPH2). The identified genetic variants do not explain all observed clinical features, calling for further whole-genome and functional studies for this disease. A network analysis with the CACD-related genes identified in the systematic review resulted in the identification of another 20 genes that may influence CACD onset and symptoms. Furthermore, an enrichment analysis allowed the identification of 13 transcription factors and 4 long noncoding RNAs interacting with the products of the previously mentioned genes. If mutated or dysregulated, they may be directly involved in CACD development and related disorders. More than half of the genes identified by bioinformatic tools do not appear in commercial gene panels, calling for more studies about their role in the maintenance of the retina and phototransduction process, as well as for a timely update of these gene panels.
Domestic/Care Work and Severe Exploitation. The Limits of Italian Migrant Regularization Schemes
Authors: Degani Paola
Published: May 2022

In Western Europe, migrant women are very often employed in the area of domestic/care work. In Italy, their presence in this sector is very important, making them particularly susceptible to abuse and exploitation. Domestic/care workers are a gendered segment of labor migration still strongly divided along a gender binary through the sexual division of roles and labor, directly associated with the sphere of the welfare state. Migrant women in the caregiving and domestic sector are one of the least protected work groups under international and national labor legislation. For a long time, waged domestic work has not been regarded as “actual” work, as it revolves around natural tasks that women perform in the household. In Italy, the domestic work sector has recently responded to a law-decree to regulate the presence of migrant workers in areas where there is an important presence of severe exploitation. The Italian government, in May 2020, to relaunch a post-pandemic economy released a Decree titled “Emergence of employment relationships” to counteract undeclared migrant work. From the data published by the Ministry of the Interior, 85% of the total number of applications submitted involved domestic and care workers, while the remaining 15% regarded subordinate work, especially in agriculture. Evidence of widespread irregularity of foreign women employed in this sector emerged only in part. Currently, unprecedented attention as well as institutional interest have been given to severe exploitation in the labor market rather than to forced prostitution or other forms of heavy servitude to the detriment of foreigners (i.e., begging, forced criminal activities). Identification and assistance to migrants involved in severe labor exploitation however include an “extraordinary” number of young male adults which are receiving unprecedented attention. The article analyzes the effects of recent regularization of the domestic/care work and the outcome on migrant women during the critical COVID-19 pandemic period produced by this policy from a women's human rights perspective and on the ongoing debate on their protection from severe exploitation regime also in relation to the discourse on trafficking. In Italy the debate is of particularly interest even if it remains largely under-researched.