bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improvement of the organoleptic profile of cheeses with reduced calorie content by biotechnological means
Authors: Sviridenko Galina M , Vakhrusheva Darya S , Sviridenko Yuri Yа , Delitskaya Irina N , Mordvinova Valentina A
Published: February 2022

The article presents the results of a study on the influence of adjunct cultures of Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis and Lactobacillus helveticus on the organoleptic characteristics of cheeses with reduced calorie content. It has been established that differences in the composition of the starter microbiota have a significant effect on the depth and direction of biochemical processes, the formation of flavouring substances, which leads to a difference in their organoleptic evaluation. The method of cheese moulding, together with the composition of the starter microbiota, creates conditions that provide the possibility of adjusting the organoleptic profile of low‐fat cheeses.
Behaviour change theories and techniques used to inform nutrition interventions for adults undergoing bariatric surgery: A systematic review
Authors: Wright Charlene , Barnett Amandine , Campbell Katrina L. , Kelly Jaimon T. , Hamilton Kyra
Published: February 2022

Aim

This systematic review aimed to describe behaviour change theories and techniques used to inform nutrition interventions for adults undergoing bariatric surgery.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, PsycInfo, CENTRAL, EMBASE and CINAHL from inception until 09 March 2021. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials involving nutrition interventions performed by a healthcare provider, to adults that were waitlisted or had undergone bariatric surgery and received a nutrition intervention explicitly informed by one or more behaviour change theories or behaviour change techniques. Screening was conducted independently by two authors. Behaviour change techniques were examined using the behaviour change technique taxonomy version one which includes 93 hierarchical techniques clustered into 16 groups. Quality of included studies was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias 2.0.

Results

Twenty‐one publications were included, involving 15 studies and 14 interventions, with 1495 participants. Bias was low or had some concerns. Two interventions reported using behaviour change theories (transtheoretical model and self‐determination theory). Thirteen behaviour change technique taxonomy groupings and 29 techniques were reported across 14 interventions. Common techniques included ‘1.2 Problem solving’ (n = 9 studies), ‘3.1 Social support (unspecified)’ (n = 9 studies), ‘1.1 Goal setting (behaviour)’ (n = 6 studies) and ‘2.3 Self‐monitoring of behaviour’ (n =‐ 6 studies).

Conclusion

While behaviour change techniques have been included, behaviour change theory is not consistently reported and/or adopted to inform nutrition interventions for adults undergoing bariatric surgery. Integrating behaviour change theory and techniques in nutrition interventions is important for researchers and bariatric surgery teams, including dietitians, to effectively target behaviours for this population.
“Dark matter” of hunter‐gatherers archaeology: How many artifacts does a site lack?
Authors: Diachenko Aleksandr , Sobkowiak‐Tabaka Iwona
Published: February 2022

The extra‐site activities of hunter‐gatherers and artifact curation between functionally different camps raise the issue of items a site lacks. This issue is usually addressed using the fractal properties of raw material. The model presented in this paper simultaneously considers the qualitative and quantitative (exponential) properties of missing artifacts. Our model was tested on Federmesser and Swiderian materials from the site of Lubrza 10, Western Poland. The obtained results confirm the utility of this model application to comparative analysis of assemblages coming from different sites and their structural units and identification of their function.
Feasibility of interaortocaval clamping for renal artery during robot‐assisted right partial nephrectomy: A propensity score‐matching analysis
Authors: Motoyama Daisuke , Kawakami Asuka , Sato Ryo , Watanabe Kyohei , Matsushita Yuto , Watanabe Hiromitsu , Ito Toshiki , Sugiyama Takayuki , Otsuka Atsushi , Miyake Hideaki
Published: February 2022

Aim

To evaluate the impact of the interaortocaval clamping technique for the right renal artery on perioperative outcomes of patients who underwent robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN).

Methods

This study included 111 consecutive patients with right renal masses undergoing RAPN via the transperitoneal approach. In this series, standard and interaortocaval clamping techniques were defined as those for the right renal artery at the renal hilus and interaortocaval space, respectively. Based on the 3D images reconstructed from CT, interaortocaval clamping was preoperatively selected for patients in whom standard clamping of the main renal artery at the right hilum was judged to be technically difficult due to complicated vascular distribution, such as multiple branches of right renal arteries and veins and/or intertwining of these vessels.

Results

Of 111 patients, 95 and 16 were classified into the standard and interaortocaval clamping groups, respectively, and interaortocaval clamping was uneventfully performed as planned in all 16. After adjusting patient variables by 1:3 propensity score‐matching, 33 and 11 patients were included in the respective groups, and there were no significant differences in major clinical characteristics between them, while the incidences of multiple branches of right renal vessels as well as their intertwining beside the right renal hilus were significantly higher in the interaortocaval clamping group. However, no significant difference was noted in any of the perioperative outcomes, including operative time or intraoperative blood loss, between the two groups.

Conclusions

The interaortocaval clamping technique during RAPN is a feasible procedure with acceptable perioperative outcomes compared with standard hilar clamping, making it possible to more accurately resect renal tumors under clear visualization without unnecessary arterial bleeding from the tumor bed in patients with complex vascular distribution at the right renal hilus; however, special attention should be paid to the considerable individual variability of the interaortocaval anatomy.
Identification of endoscopic predictors of biliary malignancy during digital cholangioscopy
Authors: El Bacha Hicham , Harizi Rafik , Laugier René , Lorenzo Diane , Rivallin Paul , Leblanc Sarah , Barange Karl , Fumex Fabien , Laquière Arthur , Napoléon Bertrand , Vedrenne Bruno , Grabar Sophie , Prat Frederic
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Biliary brushings and biopsies obtained during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) have a low sensitivity for the diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures. While cholangioscopic analysis is useful, visual criteria have not yet been defined. The aim of this study was to identify visual criteria for the diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures (IDBS).

Methods

A multicenter study was conducted based on the analysis of cholangioscopic recordings of IBDS. Diagnostic criteria were identified in a study group and verified in a validation group.

Results

Four criteria were identified to be associated with malignancy, one negatively (“endobiliary material,” odds ratio [OR]  0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41–0.92) and three positively (“vascularized villous projections,” OR  1.52, 95% CI 1.03–2.24; “twisted or dilated vessels,” OR  2.18, 95% CI 1.47–3.24; and “dark color of the mucosa,” OR  1.82, 95% CI 1.23–2.70). Between two playbacks, the mean (95% CI) sensitivity of the observer’s visual diagnosis increased from 66.1% (60–72) to 73.8% (69–78) (P = 0.004); in the second playback, the kappa value for interobserver agreement ranged between 0.36 (color) and 0.56 (endobiliary material), with a significant improvement (P = 0.0031–0.0001) between the first and second playbacks. Blind assessment by endoscopists not involved in this study had a diagnostic accuracy of 73% (71.4–74.5).

Conclusion

The four identified cholangioscopic features are easy to implement in clinical practice and have the potential to increase the level of diagnostic confidence during the workup of IDBS.
Modelling uncertainties with TOPSIS and GRA based on q‐rung orthopair m‐polar fuzzy soft information in COVID‐19
Authors: Riaz Muhammad , Garg Harish , Hamid Muhammad Tahir , Afzal Deeba
Published: February 2022

Fuzzy hybrid models are strong mathematical tools to address vague and uncertain information in real‐life circumstances. The aim of this article is to introduce a new fuzzy hybrid model named as of q‐rung orthopair m‐polar fuzzy soft set (q‐RO‐m‐PFSS) as a robust fusion of soft set (SS), m‐polar fuzzy set (m‐PFS) and q‐rung orthopair fuzzy set (q‐ROFS). A q‐RO‐m‐PFSS is a new approach towards modelling uncertainties in the multi‐criteria decision making (MCDM) problems. Some fundamental operations on q‐RO‐m‐PFSSs, their key properties, and related significant results are introduced. Additionally, the complexity of logistics and supply chain management during COVID‐19 is analysed using TOPSIS (technique for ordering preference through the ideal solution) and GRA (grey relational analysis) with the help of q‐RO‐m‐PFS information. The linguistic terms are used to express q‐RO‐m‐PFS information in terms of numeric values. The proposed approaches are worthy efficient in the selection of ventilator's manufacturers for the patients suffering from epidemic disease named as COVID‐19. A practical application of proposed MCDM techniques is demonstrated by respective numerical examples. The comparison analysis of the final ranking computed by proposed techniques is also given to justify the feasibility, applicability and reliability of these techniques.
Enterprise credit risk prediction using supply chain information: A decision tree ensemble model based on the differential sampling rate, Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique and AdaBoost
Authors: Yao Gang , Hu Xiaojian , Zhou Taiyun , Zhang Yue
Published: February 2022

The spread of enterprise credit risk in the supply chain may lead to large‐scale bankruptcy and credit crises, which are related to national economic and social stability and financial system security. Therefore, enterprise credit risk in the supply chain context is not only a concern for banking financial institutions, credit rating agencies and enterprise managers but also the focus of governments. This article develops a DTE‐DSA (decision tree [DT] ensemble model using the differential sampling rate, Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique [SMOTE] and AdaBoost) prediction framework integrating supply chain information to predict enterprise credit risk. The empirical test shows that using supply chain information can significantly improve the prediction score. The DTE‐DSA model has the best prediction effect in dealing with class imbalance problems. Compared with single classifier models—such as logistic regression, k‐nearest neighbours, support vector machine, DT and DT using the SMOTE—as well as ensemble models—such as extremely randomized trees, random forest, rotation forest, extreme gradient boosting, gradient boosting DT and DT ensemble model using AdaBoost—the DTE‐DSA model not only has the best prediction score but also has a more stable performance. The comprehensive use of supply chain information and the DTE‐DSA model can result in the highest prediction score, with an area under the curve of 0.9016 and a Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistic of 0.7369. Further analysis of the variables of importance enhances the interpretability of the model and obtains relevant management insights.
Detecting breast cancer using novel mask R‐CNN techniques
Authors: Jahangeer Gul Shaira Banu , Thambidurai Dhiliphan Rajkumar
Published: February 2022

Breast cancer is more common in women and the mortality rate also increases in recent days. Early detection of breast cancer is reduces the severity of the disease to some extent. Various image processing and classification techniques imposed on a particular image to detect and diagnose the breast cancer clearly. For early detection, an efficient methodology is needed. To reduce death rate, accurate discovery of the disease should be efficiently implemented. The mask R‐CNN is used for segmentation to identify abnormalities and ensemble CNN is used to classify the benign and malignant tumour from the given mammographic breast cancer image. The input is fed into the enhanced fuzzy based median filter which is used to remove speckle noises which in turn increases the clarity of images. The noise‐free images are fed into the proposed mask R‐CNN for segmentation. It is an effective framework for segmentation of medical images. The classification process is then given into ensemble based CNN classifier for prediction of mammogram images. The ensemble based CNN is proposed for the classification of mammograms as benign and malignant. The proposed method focus on the optimization which is performed to minimize the memory requirements and running time while maintaining the high performance of the classifier. The performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, f‐measure, and recall is evaluated to measure the efficacy of the proposed design. Using MIAS and DDSM dataset the performance metrics has been evaluated and compared with existing approaches. The results shows that the performance of the proposed method shows higher efficiency.
Reducing the physical, social, and emotional impact of episodic migraine: Results from erenumab STRIVE and ARISE phase III randomized trials
Authors: Kawata Ariane K. , Ladd Mary Kate , Lipton Richard B. , Buse Dawn C. , Bensink Mark , Shah Shweta , Hareendran Asha , Mannix Sally , Mikol Daniel
Published: February 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the functional impact of migraine following treatment with erenumab, as measured by the Migraine Functional Impact Questionnaire (MFIQ).

Background

The MFIQ, a novel patient‐reported outcome (PRO) measuring the impact of migraine on four domains (physical function, social function, and emotional function [PF, SF, and EF]; usual activities [UAs]) and a single item assessing overall impact on UA, was included in phase III trials evaluating erenumab 70 and 140 mg monthly for migraine prevention among people with episodic migraine (EM).

Methods

In the ARISE study, 577 patients with EM were randomized to erenumab 70 mg or placebo. In the STRIVE study, 955 patients with EM were randomized to erenumab, 70 mg or 140 mg or placebo. Pairwise comparisons of least‐squares mean (LSM) change from baseline in MFIQ scores (with associated 95% confidence interval [CI]) were assessed for each active treatment versus placebo.

Results

In ARISE, greater reductions from baseline to month 3 were observed for 70 mg versus placebo for PF (LSM [95% CI]: −3.2 [−6.4 to −0.1]; p = 0.046) and EF (−4.0 [−7.3 to −0.7]; p = 0.019) domain scores. In STRIVE, between‐group differences also reflected reductions from baseline to the average of months 4–6 that favored erenumab on all four MFIQ domain scores. Reductions in impact for 70 mg compared to placebo were −4.3 (95% CI: −6.8 to −1.7; p < 0.001) for PF, −4.0 (−6.3 to −1.7; p < 0.001) for UA, −3.7 (−6.1 to −1.2; p = 0.003) for SF, and −5.3 (−7.9 to −2.6; p < 0.001) for EF domain scores. Improvements were also observed for 140 mg versus placebo with between‐group differences of −5.7 (95% CI: −8.2 to −3.2; p < 0.001) in PF, −5.1 (−7.5 to −2.8; p < 0.001) in UA, −5.0 (−7.4 to −2.6; p < 0.001) in SF, and −7.2 (−9.9 to −4.5; p < 0.001) in EF domain scores. There were also greater improvements in the overall impact on UA score for 70 mg (LSM [95% CI]: −4.3 [−7.0 to −1.7]; p = 0.001) and 140 mg (−5.3 [−8.5 to −3.2]; p < 0.001) versus placebo.

Conclusions

The MFIQ measures the frequency of impacts and level of difficulty on multiple functional domains that provide a more complete picture of the effects of migraine. MFIQ scores showed that in comparison with placebo, patients treated with erenumab had greater reductions in the functional impact of migraine, providing insight into treatment benefits that extend beyond improvements in clinical status and health‐related quality of life previously reported based on clinical end points and other PROs.
Effects of morphology on the electrochemical performance of NiFe2O4nanoparticles with battery‐type behavior
Authors: Silva Maitê M. S. , Raimundo Rafael A. , Ferreira Luciena S. , Macedo Daniel A. , Morales Marco A. , Souza Carlson P. , Santos Andarair G. , Lopes‐Moriyama André L.
Published: February 2022

We report the synthesis of NiFe2O4nanoparticles by the complexation EDTA‐citrate method under acidic (pH = 3) and basic (pH = 9) conditions. The structural, optical, vibrational, magnetic, and electrochemical properties were studied. The samples have crystallite sizes of 21 nm (pH 3) and 73 nm (pH 9), with rounded particles and layered structures. The57Fe Mössbauer spectra at 12 K showed that both samples had an inverse spinel cation distribution. At 5 K, the sample prepared at pH 9 showed saturation magnetizations of about 50 emu/g. Raman spectra showed typical bands of NiFe2O4phase. The materials were tested as electrodes under alkaline condition. The cyclic voltammetry and charge‐discharge experiments indicated a battery‐type behavior, with maximun capacities of 65 and 5 C/g (at specific currents of 3 and 10 A/g) for samples prepared at pH 9 and 3, respectively. This work offers a route for obtaining NiFe2O4nanoparticles with different morphologies and sizes tuned by the synthesis conditions.
On temperature‐dependent interfacial fracture energy/stress intensity factor and matrix cracking in ceramic composites
Authors: Gao Fei , Li Weiguo , Zhang Xuyao , Yang Mengqing , He Yi , Dong Pan , Ma Yanli , Qu Zhaoliang
Published: February 2022

The first matrix cracking stress is a crucial indicator to appraise the mechanical properties of ceramic‐matrix composites, which is the starting point of permanent damage. Based on the classic energy balance method and stress intensity method, two temperature‐dependent first matrix cracking stress models of fiber‐reinforced ceramic matrix composites are established, respectively. The model established by the energy balance method considers the evolution of interfacial fracture energy with temperature, and the model established by the stress intensity method takes into account the evolution of stress intensity factor with temperature. The predictions of the above models in a wide temperature range are verified using experimental data available in the literature, which shows the rationality and accuracy of the above models. Moreover, on the basis of the energy balance method model, the main factors controlling the first matrix cracking stress at different temperatures are analyzed by the numbers. Finally, in view of the analysis results, some suggestions on how to optimize and enhance the first matrix cracking stress at different temperatures are put forward.
Effector immune cells in chronic lung allograft dysfunction: A systematic review
Authors: Bos Saskia , Filby Andrew J. , Vos Robin , Fisher Andrew J.
Published: February 2022

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) remains the major barrier to long‐term survival after lung transplantation and improved insight into its underlying immunological mechanisms is critical to better understand the disease and to identify treatment targets. We systematically searched the electronic databases of PubMed and EMBASE for original research publications, published between January 2000 and April 2021, to comprehensively assess current evidence on effector immune cells in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from lung transplant recipients with CLAD. Literature search revealed 1351 articles, 76 of which met the criteria for inclusion in our analysis. Our results illustrate significant complexity in both innate and adaptive immune cell responses in CLAD, along with presence of numerous immune cell products, including cytokines, chemokines and proteases associated with tissue remodelling. A clear link between neutrophils and eosinophils and CLAD incidence has been seen, in which eosinophils more specifically predisposed to restrictive allograft syndrome. The presence of cytotoxic and T‐helper cells in CLAD pathogenesis is well‐documented, although it is challenging to draw conclusions about their role in tissue processes from predominantly bronchoalveolar lavage data. In restrictive allograft syndrome, a more prominent humoral immune involvement with increased B cells, immunoglobulins and complement deposition is seen. Our evaluation of published studies over the last 20 years summarizes the complex multifactorial immunopathology of CLAD onset and progression. It highlights the phenotype of several key effector immune cells involved in CLAD pathogenesis, as well as the paucity of single cell resolution spatial studies in lung tissue from patients with CLAD.
The Computer Aided Design/press technique: Fabrication of zirconia‐reinforced lithium disilicate restorations for treatment of extensive noncarious cervical lesions
Authors: Conejo Julian , Santos Telmo , Tikreeti Abdullah , Atria Pablo J. , Blatz Markus
Published: February 2022

Objective

The aim of this case report is to present the CAD/Press technique; a workflow that combines digital design, milled, or 3D printed burnout molds, and a new pressable ceramic material for the treatment of extensive noncarious lesions with minimal invasive indirect ceramic restorations.

Clinical Considerations

Clinical decisions from material selection, preparation design, manufacturing techniques to adhesive protocols will be discussed, as they are important factors for achieving long‐term clinical success while preserving healthy tooth structure.

Clinical Significance

The presented workflow aims to ease clinical decisions when restoring extensive cases with indirect restorations and show clinicians a workflow combining several techniques.
Male zebrafish (Danio rerio) do not preferentially associate with familiar over unfamiliar conspecifics
Authors: Blonder Aviva F. , Tarvin Keith A.
Published: February 2022

Members of several shoaling species have been shown to prefer to associate with familiar individuals, enhancing the benefits of aggregation. The authors used a series of social preference tasks in the laboratory to evaluate whether prior familiarity with potential partners influences preference of shoaling partner in male zebrafish (Danio rerio), a social species found in shallow, slow‐moving waters. The authors found that though male zebrafish exhibited a strong preference for shoaling with a male conspecific as opposed to remaining alone, they exhibited no preference for familiar over unfamiliar conspecifics. This suggests that the benefits of familiarity for shoaling behaviour may not be as important for male zebrafish as has been shown in other social fish species.
The effect of offender race/ethnicity on public opinion of appropriate criminal sentences
Authors: Forney Mia A. , Lacy Joyce W.
Published: February 2022

Purpose

There has been a long history of sentencing disparities in the United States criminal justice system, in particular amongst defendants of different races or ethnicities. The most commonly noted disparity is that Black defendants are typically sentenced more harshly than White defendants. This study analysed the relationship between an offender's racial/ethnic status and the layperson's opinion of an appropriate sentence by investigating an array of racial/ethnic categories amongst a variety of crimes.

Method

Undergraduate students (Experiment 1, N = 594; Experiment 3, N = 263) recruited from introductory psychology courses and a community sample (Experiment 2, N = 124) recruited via Amazon MTurk were presented with crime vignettes and photos of offenders and asked to assign a punishment that they deem appropriate (operationalized as number of months of imprisonment). Participants were also randomly assigned to either receive the 2018 Federal Guidelines’ recommended sentence for each crime or not.

Results

Two findings were the most striking: 1) White offenders were sentenced significantly more harshly than any other race/ethnicity for assault crimes and 2) significant differences in sentencing due to offender race/ethnicity were only apparent when participants were exposed to all five race/ethnicity categories (Experiments 1 and 2) rather than just one race/ethnicity (Experiment 3).

Conclusions

The results of the present study may be time‐sensitive and reflective of the current sociopolitical climate following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Future research may benefit from replicating this study longitudinally to assess the longevity of these results.
Mixed gangliocytoma–pituitary adenoma in MEN1 syndrome: A case report and literature review
Authors: Martin Elaine C. , Bitner Benjamin F. , Perez‐Rosendahl Mari , Kuan Edward C. , Linskey Mark E.
Published: February 2022

Pituitary adenoma is one of the three most common neoplasms described in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), and patients with pituitary adenoma occupies 30‐50% of those with MEN1‐related tumor. Mixed gangliocytoma–pituitary adenoma (MGPA) is a rare clinical entity in which gangliomatous cells are intermixed with adenomatous cells. This tumor has been estimated to account for 0.52–1.26% of all pituitary tumors. We report a rare case of MGPA in a patient with MEN1. A retrospective chart review was conducted on a patient with MEN1 diagnosed with MGPA in 2019 at a single tertiary academic medical center. A review of the literature was performed on MGPA and pituitary adenoma in MEN1. MGPA is rare, with only 174 cases previously reported in the literature and only three prior case reported in a patient with MEN1. There are multiple hypotheses regarding their pathogenesis, and it is unclear whether the MEN1 gene (menin) plays a role in the pathogenesis of MGPA. This tumor in MEN1 is a rare clinical entity of unknown etiology. Further studies are required with difficulty due to its low incidence.
Full genomic sequence of the HLA‐C*15:02:03 allele identified by next generation sequencing
Authors: Liacini Abdelhamid , Peters Lindsey , Gravante Christopher , Mancini Shannon , Geier Steven
Published: February 2022

Full‐length sequence of HLA‐C*15:02:03 covers all introns and exons and the 3′ UTR.
Animal experimental models of ischemic wounds – A review of literature
Authors: Lovasova Veronika , Bem Robert , Chlupac Jaroslav , Dubsky Michal , Husakova Jitka , Nemcova Andrea , Fronek Jiri
Published: February 2022

Critical limb ischemia is a serious form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The consequences of lower limb ischemia are pain, claudication and chronic non‐healing wounds. Patients with diabetes are especially at a high risk for developing non‐healing ulcers. The most serious complication is major amputation. For this reason, there is a significant medical requirement to develop new therapies in order to prevent the progression of PAD. For research purposes, it is crucial to find an appropriate model of chronic ischemia to explore the processes of wound healing. According to recently acquired information, rodents are currently the most commonly used animals in these types of studies. The main advantage of using small animals is the low financial cost due to the relatively small demand for food, water and living space. The disadvantage is their anatomy, which is different from that of humans. Larger animals have a more human‐like anatomy and physiology, but they require more expense and space for housing. A bipedicle skin flap and its modifications are popular models for ischemic wounds. In order to secure healing through re‐epithelisation, as opposed to contraction in rodents, there is a need to remove the panniculus carnosus muscle. Wounds in other experimental animals heal primarily through re‐epithelisation. The application of a silicone mesh underneath the flap prevents vascular regrowth in ischemic tissue. There is an ongoing effort to create in vivo diabetic models for chronic ulcer research. This work presents an overview of existing animal models of ischemic wounds.
GABA‐ergic agents modulated the effects of histamine on the behaviour of male mice in the elevated plus maze test
Authors: Fathalizade Farzan , Baghani Matin , Khakpai Fatemeh , Fazli‐Tabaei Soheila , Zarrindast Mohammad‐Reza
Published: February 2022

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Is there an interaction between histamine and the GABAergic system in modulation of anxiety in mice?

What is the main finding and its importance?

There is a synergistic anxiogenic effect between histamine and bicuculline in mice. This effect may be due to a direct or an indirect effect of the histaminergic system on the GABAergic system.

It has been documented that both histaminergic and GABAergic systems participate in the neurobiology of anxiety behaviour. In the current research, we investigated the effects of the histaminergic system and GABAA receptor agents on anxiety‐related behaviours and their interaction using the elevated plus maze test in mice. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of muscimol (0.12 and 0.25 mg/kg) increased the open arm time (OAT) (P < 0.001) without affecting the open arm entries (OAE) and locomotor activity, showing an anxiolytic effect. i.p. injection of bicuculline (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) decreased OAT (P < 0.001) but not OAE and locomotor activity, suggesting an anxiogenic behaviour. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) microinjection of histamine (2.5 and 5 μg/mouse) resulted in a decline in OAT (P < 0.001) but not OAE and locomotor activity, indicating an anxiogenic response. Co‐administration of histamine with GABAergic agents, muscimol (0.06 mg/kg; i.p.) and bicuculline (0.25 mg/kg; i.p.), decreased (P < 0.001) and increased (P < 0.05), respectively, the anxiogenic‐like response to the effective dose (5 μg/mouse; i.c.v.) of histamine. In addition, co‐treatment of effective doses of histamine (2.5 and 5 μg/mouse;i.c.v.) with an effective dose of muscimol (0.12 mg/kg; i.p.) and a non‐effective dose of bicuculline (0.25 mg/kg; i.p.) significantly decreased OAT (P < 0.001), suggesting a likely interaction between the histaminergic and GABAergic systems in the regulation of anxiety. The results demonstrated a synergistic anxiogenic‐like effect between histamine and bicuculline in mice. In conclusion, our results present an interaction between the histaminergic and GABAergic systems in anxiolytic/anxiogenic‐like behaviours in the elevated plus maze test.
ZEB1 recruits BRG1 to regulate airway remodelling epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in asthma
Authors: Wang Ting , Peng Bingming , Luo Tingting , Tian Daiyin , Zhao Zhihua , Fu Zhou , Li Qubei
Published: February 2022

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

The aim was to investigate the function of brahma‐related gene‐1 (BRG1) in airway remodelling epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) of asthma and identify the transcription factor of BRG1 that binds to the protomer of E‐cadherin.

What is the main finding and its importance?

This study highlighted an important molecular mechanism involving chromatin remodelling factor BRG1 that played a crucial role in airway remodelling EMT of asthma and demonstrated that ZEB1 was the key transcription factor recruiting BRG1. This finding might offer new insights into gene‐based therapy for asthma.

Epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) of airway remodelling happens in children with asthma. A reduction in the epithelial marker E‐cadherin is reported to be one of the initiating factors of EMT. Our previous study showed that chromatin remodelling factor brahma‐related gene‐1 (BRG1) could regulate the expression of E‐cadherin indirectly. However, the transcription factor involved in the recruitment of BRG1 in asthma is unknown. Here, we studied the function of Brg1 in an ovalbumin‐induced asthma model [lung‐specific conditional Brg1 knockdown (Brg1−/−) mice] and human bronchial epithelial 16HBE cells stably expressing BRG1 short hairpin RNA. Our results showed that Brg1 was involved in EMT in asthmatic mice by detecting the expression of EMT markers. We also identified that BRG1 participated in the transforming growth factor‐β‐induced EMT of 16HBE cells. We observed that zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) and BRG1 co‐localized in the EMT of TGF‐β‐induced 16HBE cells. Further results revealed that ZEB1 recruited BRG1 and bound to the promoter region (+3563/3715) to regulate E‐cadherin expression. Thus, ZEB1 might be the key transcription factor to recruit BRG1 in airway remodelling EMT of asthma and might be a new therapeutic target.
The Nature of “Searching” Vortices in Fluidic Logic Driven by a Switching Jet
Authors: Strasser Wayne
Published: February 2022

Fluctuating jets energized by local excitations can perform operations similar to those of electric circuits but without electricity or moving parts. Some have termed these circuits “fluidic computers.” It is known that fluidic logic in a bistable two-channel splitter arrangement can occur at predictable frequencies, but uncertainty surrounds the internal flow character and how fine-scale hydrodynamic details control its self-driven oscillations. Additionally, flow rates, switching frequencies, and switching pressures “chosen” by the fluidic logic are not known a priori. A joint computational/experimental study has revealed that three families of vortex rollers compete for space and momentum, searching for preferred trajectories. The rollers were strongly three-dimensional (3D) like horseshoe vortices, but vortex tube spanwise asymmetry, in an otherwise symmetrical flow passage, was pervasive during vortex searching. Bending and localized compression were evident. Reynolds stress analysis revealed that streamwise autocorrelation dominated much of the oscillation cycle, with wall-normal normal stresses being slightly lower and then spanwise normal stresses being about half of that; uv stresses generally changed signs when the jet flipped directions. The mechanism by which the flow naturally cycles between a direct and indirect flow passage without any external influence is discovered. Specifically, at discharge pressures exceeding ≈18% or below ≈8% of the feed total pressure, conditions are favorable for the searching vortices to choose an alternate path, engaging the cyclical fluid switch and rerouting the jet up to approximately half of its maximum deflection.
Multicenter Evaluation of the Acuitas AMR Gene Panel for Detection of an Extended Panel of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes among Bacterial Isolates
Authors: Simner Patricia J. , Musser Kimberlee A. , Mitchell Kara , Wise Mark G. , Lewis Shawna , Yee Rebecca , Bergman Yehudit , Good Caryn E. , Abdelhamed Ayman M. , Li Henry , Laseman Erin M. , Sahm Dan , Pitzer Kelsey , Quan Julia , Walker G. Terrance , Jacobs Michael R. , Rhoads Daniel D.
Published: February 2022

The Acuitas antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene panel is a qualitative, multiplex, nucleic acid‐based
in vitro
diagnostic test for the detection and differentiation of 28 antimicrobial resistance markers associated with not susceptible results (NS; i.e., intermediate or resistant) to one or more antimicrobial agents among cultured isolates of select
Enterobacterales
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, and
Enterococcus faecalis
. This study was conducted at four sites and included testing of 1,224 deidentified stocks created from 584 retrospectively collected isolates and 83 prospectively collected clinical isolates.
Inactivation of the Response Regulator AgrA Has a Pleiotropic Effect on Biofilm Formation, Pathogenesis and Stress Response in Staphylococcus lugdunensis
Authors: Aubourg Marion , Pottier Marine , Léon Albertine , Bernay Benoit , Dhalluin Anne , Cacaci Margherita , Torelli Riccardo , Ledormand Pierre , Martini Cecilia , Sanguinetti Maurizio , Auzou Michel , Gravey François , Giard Jean-Christophe
Published: February 2022

Although belonging to the natural human skin flora,
Staphylococcus lugdunensis
is recognized as a particularly aggressive and destructive pathogen. This study aimed to characterize the role of the response regulator AgrA, which is a component of the quorum-sensing
agr
system and known to be a major element in the regulation of pathogenicity and biofilm formation in
Staphylococcus aureus
.
Synergistic Regulation of Transcription and Translation in Escherichia coli Revealed by Codirectional Increases in mRNA Concentration and Translation Efficiency
Authors: Nguyen Huong Le , Duviau Marie-Pierre , Laguerre Sandrine , Nouaille Sébastien , Cocaign-Bousquet Muriel , Girbal Laurence
Published: February 2022

The process of gene expression is divided into translation and transcription. Considerable efforts have been made in bacteria to characterize the mechanisms underlying translational regulation and identify the regulatory factors for particular mRNAs.
Avian Hepatitis E Virus ORF2 Protein Interacts with Rap1b to Induce Cytoskeleton Rearrangement That Facilitates Virus Internalization
Authors: Zhang Beibei , Fan Mengnan , Fan Jie , Luo Yuhang , Wang Jie , Wang Yajing , Liu Baoyuan , Sun Yani , Zhao Qin , Hiscox Julian A. , Nan Yuchen , Zhou En-Min
Published: February 2022

Rap1b is a multifunctional protein that is responsible for cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation. The inactive form of Rap1b is phosphorylated and distributed in the cytoplasm, while active Rap1b is prenylated and loaded with GTP to the cell membrane.
Rare case of an 83-year-old woman with transrectal small bowel evisceration caused by spontaneous rectal perforation
Authors: Wiesler Benjamin , Linke Katja Simone , Delko Tarik
Published: February 2022

Spontaneous rectal perforation with transanal small intestinal evisceration is a rare condition. We report the case of an 83-year-old woman with a rectal perforation and transanal prolapse of small intestine through the rectal opening who was treated with transanal reposition under general anaesthesia and open Hartmann’s procedure. As part of the Hartmann’s procedure, segmental resection of the perforated colon was performed. This case illustrates that spontaneous rectal perforation is a severe surgical emergency, which needs immediate reposition and resection of the perforated rectum.
Bending response analysis of a laminated, tapered, curved, composite panel made from an agglomerated and wavy MWCNT–glass fiber–polymer hybrid
Authors: Kebede Kassa Mesfin , Babu Arumugam Ananda
Published: February 2022

The work investigates the influence of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the bending behavior of laminated, spherical, cylindrical, hyperbolic, and elliptical tapered composite panels made from a MWCNT–glass fiber–polymer hybrid and subjected to transverse loading conditions. The deflection and stress behavior of the composite panels were studied by developing a mathematical model based on high-order shear deformation theory using finite element (FE) formulation. In this context, the agglomeration and waviness of MWCNTs were modeled and characterized using the Eshelby–Mori–Tanaka approach and a continuum mechanics based 3-D representative volume element (RVE), respectively. Subsequently, glass fiber was introduced as a reinforcement phase, and the elastic properties of the three-phase hybrid composite material were obtained using the Chamis model. The developed FE formulation was validated theoretically and experimentally. Further, detailed parametric studies were performed to examine the influence of micromechanical and structural characteristics such as weight fraction of MWCNTs, weight fraction of fiber, type of load, taper configuration, curved geometry, curvature ratio, and length to thickness ratio of the panel on the bending behavior of the composite panels. The effective laminated tapered curved composite panel, TC-3, tailored with improved MWCNT characteristics, can substantially resist the stresses from a bending load.
Study of heavy-flavor decay muon production in proton–proton and heavy-ion collisions using the Angantyr model at LHC energies
Authors: Islam Md. Samsul , Sinha Tinku , Roy Pradip , Bhaduri Partha Pratim
Published: February 2022

We study the production of heavy-flavor decay muons (HFM) in proton–proton ([Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text]) and heavy-ion ([Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text]) collisions using Angantyr model in PYTHIA8 at Large Hadron Collider (LHC) energies. These studies have been performed for three colliding systems: small ([Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text]), intermediate (Xe–Xe) and large (Pb–Pb). The works have been performed in [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] (with [Formula: see text] = 2.76, 5.02, 7.0 and 13[Formula: see text]TeV), Xe–Xe (with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]5.44[Formula: see text]TeV) and Pb–Pb (with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]2.76 and 5.02[Formula: see text]TeV) collision systems. The production of heavy-flavor (charm and bottom quarks) decay muons in [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] collisions is measured in the forward rapidity [Formula: see text]. The standard statistical uncertainty is computed for each case as [Formula: see text]. In the study of [Formula: see text]-distribution of HFM at forward rapidity ([Formula: see text]) using Angantyr model, we find that simulation results agree with ALICE data reasonably well for [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] collisions. The comparison of simulation results with ALICE data for [Formula: see text]-distribution at [Formula: see text] and 7.0[Formula: see text]TeV in [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] collision has also been illustrated. In addition to the particle spectra, a more quantitative model-to-data comparison can be obtained through the observable [Formula: see text]. We, thus, calculate [Formula: see text] of HFM in this work for [Formula: see text] and 5.02[Formula: see text]TeV. The simulated [Formula: see text] results overestimate the ALICE data. [Formula: see text] estimation as a function of [Formula: see text] shows almost constant values and close to unity at lower energy ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]2.76[Formula: see text]TeV), but substantially lower than unity at comparatively higher energy ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]5.02[Formula: see text]TeV). We also predict for the HFM [Formula: see text] spectrum and [Formula: see text]-distribution in O–O collision at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]6.37[Formula: see text]TeV for 0–10[Formula: see text] collision centrality. These simulated spectra are illustrated for ALICE Run3 experiment and they comply with other HFM ALICE measurements.
Pulley Rupture in Rock Climber after Collagenase Treatment for Dupuytren Contracture
Authors: DEGREEF Ilse , KELLENS Sebastiaan
Published: February 2022

Pulley injuries and Dupuytren disease are quite common in rock climbing. We report a rock climber who was treated for a Dupuytren contracture with collagenase injection therapy. Two months later, he developed a traumatic pulley injury during climbing and was treated with a ring orthosis. However, the finger contracture deteriorated and both a recurrent pulley rupture and a second pulley rupture were diagnosed. We were unable to find any reports on the use of collagenase in rock climbers with Dupuytren disease. We report a case of pulley rupture in a rock climber, treated for Dupuytren contracture in the treated and an adjacent finger, 2 months after the injection of collagenase.

Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic)
Organoid-based expansion of patient-derived primary alveolar type 2 cells for establishment of alveolus epithelial Lung-Chip cultures
Authors: van Riet Sander , van Schadewijk Annemarie , Khedoe P. Padmini S. J. , Limpens Ronald W. A. L. , Bárcena Montserrat , Stolk Jan , Hiemstra Pieter S. , van der Does Anne M.
Published: February 2022

Development of effective treatment strategies for lung tissue destruction as seen in emphysema would greatly benefit from representative human in vitro models of the alveolar compartment. Studying how cellular cross talk and/or (altered) biomechanical cues affect alveolar epithelial function could provide new insight for tissue repair strategies. Preclinical models of the alveolus ideally combine human primary patient-derived lung cells with advanced cell culture applications such as breathing-related stretch, to reliably represent the alveolar microenvironment. To test the feasibility of such a model, we isolated primary alveolar type 2 cells (AEC2s) from patient-derived lung tissues including those from patients with severe emphysema, using magnetic bead-based selection of cells expressing the AEC2 marker HTII-280. We obtained pure alveolar feeder-free organoid cultures using a minimally modified commercial medium. This was confirmed by known AEC2 markers as well as by detection of lamellar bodies using electron microscopy. Following (organoid-based) expansion, cells were seeded on both cell culture inserts and the Chip-S1 Organ-Chip that has a flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane enabling the application of dynamic stretch. AEC2s cultured for 7 days on inserts or the chip maintained expression of HTII-280, prosurfactant protein C (SP-C), SP-A and SP-B, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) also in the presence of stretch. AEC2s cultured on the chip showed lower expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related vimentin expression compared with static cultures on inserts. The combination of a straightforward culture method of patient-derived AEC2s and their application in microfluidic chip cultures supports successful development of more representative human preclinical models of the (diseased) alveolar compartment.
Decision Model Applied in IoT for Green Buildings Based on Grey Incidence Analysis and ANN
Authors: Wang Liping , Zou Dongyao , Liu Yanpei , Xi Guangyong
Published: February 2022

Due to the fewer uncertainty samples and information-lacking problems in the decision-making center of the Internet of Things (IoT) for green buildings, the optimized model was selected as the preferred method in settlement prediction. In this paper, we proposed the adaptive adjustment strategies of the application layer in IoT for green buildings based on grey incidence analysis and artificial neural networks (ANNs). An additional layer H fuzzy propagation natural network algorithm was introduced to collect sensing layer data of IoT and adaptively adjust decisions. The energy-saving control of the building needs to be adjusted continuously; therefore, we have taken a grey incidence evaluation to obtain adjustment of the parameters. At the same time, the actual Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning subsystem is often in the grey state above, and the current control system of its system is missing the corresponding adjustment scheme. The introduction of the data evaluation in the data center for adaptive adjustment of input data is an effective solution. The real-time running result shows that the proposed solution reduces energy consumption by over 30% compared to the state-of-the-art approaches while having on average 10% fewer expired measurements. The strategies have a significant impact on energy savings for green buildings.