bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENERAPAN PEMBELAJARAN PROBLEM BASED LEARNING (PBL) DENGAN ALAT PERAGA UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR MATERI PEMBAGIAN
Authors: Sasi Putri Kusnawang , Nuro Falistya Roisatul Maratin , Sahara Indah Fida
Published: May 2023

This study aims to describe the increase in student learning outcomes in dividing learning using teaching aids in class IV SDN Lowokwaru 2 Malang City. This study used the Problem Based Learning (PBL) learning model in the form of classroom action research and was carried out in two cycles. Data collection techniques were direct observation techniques and measurement techniques. Data collection tools used observation sheets and tests. The results of research on the teacher's ability to compose teaching modules on average cycle 1 reached 3.14 increased in cycle II reached 3.71, the ability of teachers to carry out learning in cycle 1 received an average of 2.92 increased in cycle II reached an average of 3, 75 while student learning outcomes in cycle I averaged 67.67 with the completeness of 15 people increased in cycle II with an average value of 87.50 with 27 students' completeness. The data above shows the teacher's ability to compile and carry out learning and student learning outcomes in learning mathematics about the distribution of using visual aids in class IV students has increased.
Changes in the superoxide production and other macrophage functions could be related to the mortality of mice with endotoxin-induced oxidative stress.
Authors: Victor VM , de la Fuente M
Published: May 2023

Free radicals and proinflammatory cytokines from phagocytes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of endotoxic shock, a disease with high mortality caused by Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin. In the present study, male BALB/c and Swiss mice received intraperitoneally lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, respectively, that led to a lethal endotoxic shock (100 % of mortality before 30 h). Swiss mice injected with 100 mg/kg, that did not show lethal endotoxic shock, were also studied. Peritoneal macrophages were obtained from animals at 2, 4, 12 or 24 h after injection of LPS or saline (control) solutions. Superoxide anion and tumor necrosis factor (TNFalpha) production were determined in these cells as well as other functions such as adherence capacity, chemotaxis and phagocytosis. The increase in superoxide anion production after endotoxin injection was higher in cells from mice with lethal shock than in those with non-lethal shock. However, the enhancement of TNFalpha production was similar in all cases, although in Swiss mice the highest levels of TNFalpha were observed at 1.5 h after endotoxin injection, while in BALB/c mice they occurred at 2 h after LPS injection. This oxidative stress was also revealed by the other functions analyzed, since adherence to substrate and phagocytosis were stimulated and chemotaxis was decreased after endotoxin injection as compared to controls, the differences being even more significant in animals with lethal shock. These data suggest that these changes, mainly the increased production of free radicals even more than the TNFalpha release, could be involved in mouse mortality caused by LPS.
The onset of apoptosis of neurons induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury is delayed by transient period of hypertension in rats.
Authors: Smrčka M , Horký M , Otevřel F , Kuchtíčková Š , Kotala V , Mužík J
Published: May 2023

We investigated the potential neuroprotective effect of transient hypertension on neuronal cell death induced by ischemia-reperfusion. Recovery of neurons, terminally differentiated cells, is almost entirely dependent upon active transcription and repair of DNA damage. We focused on the histochemical detection of distribution of NOR (argyrophylic nucleolar proteins) reflecting nucleolar integrity, immunohistochemical detection of PARP-1 (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1), MADD (mitogen-activated death domain), a protein accumulated in nucleoli upon stimulation by ischemia, the active form of caspase-3, a universal proteolytic enzyme of apoptosis. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end-labeling method (TUNEL) proved the presence of in situ DNA fragmentation. We used the model of transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats with occlusion of middle cerebral artery. In experimental group of rats, the transient hypertension was induced by constriction of the abdominal aorta. The period of ischemia lasted 15, 30, 60 and 120 min followed by 48 h of reperfusion. We examined the frontal lobe of the ipsilateral hemisphere for apoptosis of neurons and compared it with the intact brain tissue. In normotensive rats with transient focal cerebral ischemia, we found disintegrated nucleoli of cortical as well as subcortical neurons at all investigated periods of ischemia, whereas the neurons of intact animals showed compact nucleoli with a few satellites. Nuclear positivity for MADD and PARP-1 was apparent in the neocortex after 15 min and peaked after 30 min of ischemia. On the other hand, the subcortical neurons showed nuclear positivity after 60 and 120 min. The immunohistochemical reaction for active caspase 3 was apparent after 30 min onwards predominantly in the cortex. The TUNEL staining was distinct after 60 and 120 min. In hypertensive rats, we found nucleolar disintegration, positivity for MADD, PARP-1 and caspase 3 after 30 min cortically and subcortically, followed by TUNEL positive staining of cortical neurons after 60 and 120 min. In summary, we detected delayed activation of neuronal apoptosis in transiently hypertensive rats with focal cerebral ischemia compared to normotensive animals. The apoptotic phenotype was confirmed by a panel of complementary methods showing rapid proteolysis-nucleolar segregation, MADD, PARP-1 and caspase-3 positivity as well as ultimate DNA fragmentation proved by the TUNEL assay.
Hepatotoxic effect of D-galactosamine and protective role of lipid emulsion.
Authors: Ferenčíková R , Červinková Z , Drahota Z
Published: May 2023

D-galactosamine is a hepatotoxic agent, which induces diffuse injury of liver tissue followed by the regeneration process. Our data showed a high increase of serum aminotransferases after D-galactosamine administration, which indicates a high extent of liver injury. When lipid emulsion was applied immediately after D-galactosamine, the increase of serum aminotransferases was greatly reduced. In addition, the decrease of the cytochrome c oxidase activity induced by D-galactosamine was not observed after lipid emulsion administration and the increase of total liver oxidative capacity in the regeneration period due to activated mitochondrial biogenesis was accelerated. All these findings indicate a protective effect of lipid emulsion administration against D-galactosamine toxicity.
Changes in acute phase proteins after anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody (infliximab) treatment in patients with Crohn´s disease.
Authors: Kupčová V , Turecký L , Detková Z , Príkazská M , Keleová A
Published: May 2023

Acute phase proteins and markers of proteosynthetic activity reflect the clinical activity in Crohn's disease (CD). The impact of anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody (anti-TNF) therapy on serum levels of acute phase proteins and proteosynthetic markers was studied. Fourteen patients with active CD were treated with 5 mg per kg of anti-TNF in intravenous infusion. Clinical activity (assessed by Crohn's disease activity index - CDAI), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin, cholinesterase and prealbumin were assessed before and in months 1 and 5 after treatment. A sustained decrease in CDAI was observed. This was accompanied by a significant decrease in alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin in month 1 (p=0.005 and p=0.01, respectively) while in month 5 the levels of both acute phase proteins rose significantly (p=0.003 for alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and p=0.02 for haptoglobin). Cholinesterase and prealbumin significantly increased in month 1 after the treatment (p=0.02 and p=0.0006, respectively), the increase was sustained in cholinesterase while prealbumin levels diminished in month 5. We conclude that the clinical improvement after anti-TNF therapy for CD is accompanied by changes of acute phase proteins and proteosynthetic markers. The assessment of these laboratory markers may be useful in the management of CD patients treated with anti-TNF.
Inhibin B, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone during childhood and puberty in males: changes in serum concentrations in relation to age and stage of puberty.
Authors: Chada M , Průša R , Bronský J , Kotaška K , Šídlová K , Pechová M , Lisá L
Published: May 2023

Inhibin B is a gonadal dimeric polypeptide hormone that regulates synthesis and secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in a negative feedback loop. The aim of the present study was to determine changes in serum inhibin B, gonadotropins and testosterone concentrations during childhood and puberty in males. We studied the relationship between circulating inhibin B, gonadotropins and testosterone in serum of healthy boys during the first two years of life and then in pubertal development. Using a recently developed two-side enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), inhibin B levels were measured in the serum of 78 healthy boys divided into eleven age groups from birth to the end of pubertal development. In addition, serum levels of gonadotropins and testosterone were measured. Serum inhibin B, gonadotropins and testosterone increased during the first months of postnatal life. A peak in serum inhibin B and gonadotropins concentrations was observed around 3-4 months of age. There was a significant positive correlation between serum inhibin B and gonadotropins and testosterone levels during the first 2 years of life. After this early increase, serum inhibin B, gonadotropins and testosterone levels decreased significantly and remained low until puberty followed by an increase beginning with the onset of puberty. Serum levels of inhibin B reached a peak at stage G3 of puberty. Around midpuberty, inhibin B lost its positive correlation with luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone from early puberty, and developed a strong negative correlation with FSH, which persisted into adulthood. We conclude that inhibin B plays a key role in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal hormonal axis during male childhood and pubertal development. Inhibin B is a direct marker of the presence and function of Sertoli cells and appears to reflect testicular function in boys.
Statistics in three biomedical journals.
Authors: Pilčík T
Published: May 2023

In this paper we analyze the use of statistics and associated problems, in three Czech biological journals in the year 2000. We investigated 23 articles Folia Biologica, 60 articles in Folia Microbiologica, and 88 articles in Physiological Research. The highest frequency of publications with statistical content have used descriptive statistics and t-test. The most usual mistake concerns the absence of reference about the used statistical software and insufficient description of the data. We have compared our results with the results of similar studies in some other medical journals. The use of important statistical methods is comparable with those used in most medical journals, the proportion of articles, in which the applied method is described insufficiently is moderately low.
Il ruolo delle attività ludodidattiche nella scuola media
Authors: Iacopini Ilaria
Published: May 2023

L’articolo presenta una sperimentazione svolta in un corso base1 di terza media con lo scopo di indagare lo sviluppo delle convinzioni degli allievi riguardo al ruolo delle attività ludodidattiche nell’apprendimento della matematica e il relativo incremento della motivazione durante le ore di lezione. La sperimentazione è stata suddivisa in tre fasi. Inizialmente è stato somministrato agli allievi un questionario con l’obiettivo di raccogliere le loro convinzioni sul ruolo delle attività ludodidattiche in ambito matematico. Successivamente è stato proposto agli allievi un percorso didattico finalizzato a sviluppare convinzioni favorevoli in merito alla valenza didattica e motivazionale della ludodidattica. Il percorso si compone di otto attività ludodidattiche, alternate ad attività di insegnamento tradizionale, che trattano diversi argomenti relativi agli ambiti matematici previsti dal Piano di studio della scuola dell’obbligo ticinese. Infine, domande di approfondimento al termine di ogni attività e un questionario finale hanno permesso di indagare l’evoluzione delle convinzioni degli allievi. I risultati ottenuti mostrano come, a seguito dell’intervento didattico, si sia verificato nella maggioranza dei casi un cambio di convinzioni a favore delle attività ludodidattiche sia per quanto riguarda l’efficacia che per la motivazione.
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1 In Canton Ticino a partire dalla terza media gli allievi vengono inseriti in corsi base e attitudinale in funzione delle competenze matematiche raggiunte alla fine della seconda.
Challenging spaces and formats of culture in the city: highlights on the future of cultural heritage management
Authors: Sabatini Francesca , Trimarchi Michele
Published: May 2023

This paper focuses upon the relationship between culture and society in the urban environment. The first section introduces the social and urban changes of our time from a critical theory perspective, integrating socioeconomic and urban studies: what emerges the fading of social boundaries and the emersion of new political claims arising from cultural instances; the second section focuses on the discrepancies between such changes and the cultural offer, still anchored to rigid heritage preservation, never meeting new forms of cultural expression. This stern dichotomy needs to be faced through a paradigm shift, which is dealt with in the third section: some best practices across Europe are selected, highlighting the need to focus on cross-sector partnerships, vertical integration, and a public support aimed at favouring the diffusion of culture on multiple social layers. The map of culture is eventually redesigned, and new creative encounters are made by challenging the use of space in the urban scenario.
What is the legacy of the European Year of Cultural Heritage? A long way from cultural policies towards innovative cultural management models
Authors: Borin Elena , Donato Fabio
Published: May 2023

The year 2018 has been declared the European Year of Cultural Heritage (EYCH). This initiative aims at celebrating European cultural heritage through a series of actions and events across Europe to enable people to become closer to and to become more involved with their cultural heritage. This paper aims at investigating the legacy of the EYCH and its impact on the management models of cultural heritage. By means of a qualitative approach analyzing both secondary and primary data, the research contributes to the academic reflection on cultural management by highlighting the link between policy, governance and management. The EYCH initiative focused on promoting transversal and integrated policy actions by participatory governance approaches. However, it partially fails to design a proper management model for the cultural heritage that could enable policy and governance innovation to take place.
Palpable cities: leisure in the contemporary urban geographies – a theoritecal discussion
Authors: Arosteguy Agustín , Gome Christianne Luce
Published: May 2023

This paper argues the role of cities as scenarios where the economic, social, political, cultural, leisure, educational and also geographical inequality it is increasingly evident. It is intended to reflect about the close relationship of humans with the territory. In addition, we seek to discuss the importance of leisure as a builder of identity (individual and social), of belonging and a key factor in appropriations (through the leisure experiences, the routes and places that each individual has in their city) of the territory by its inhabitants.
Italian university collections: managing the artistic heritage of the university’s ivory tower
Authors: Mozzoni Isabella , Fanelli Simone , Donelli Chiara Carolina
Published: May 2023

The management of university museums and collections has been an issue for decades as they have played a crucial role in supporting the three missions of the higher education system: research, teaching and making academia’s resources available for public use. In this paper, we focus on the Italian case, where the enhancement, management and accessibility of university collections are all part of the evaluation system for universities. Our aim in this work is to propose a reconnaissance of university art collections in Italy and investigate the three managerial challenges defined by the Council of Europe: accessibility, financial sustainability and communication of university collections. The findings show that Italian universities hold an enormous cultural heritage, mainly undervalued, both in terms of number of artworks and in terms of the artworks’ economic value. In addition, Italian managerial approaches show significant critical issues regarding the three managerial challenges.
Un-mind the gap: questioning the division between artistic instrumentalism and autonomy from an ethnomusicological perspective
Authors: Chibici-Revneanu Claudia
Published: May 2023

This article aims to contribute to on-going cultural policy debates on artistic instrumentalism vs. autonomy, striving to undermine this apparent dichotomy by drawing from ethnomusicology and related fields. Ethnomusicology, although frequently ignored by cultural policy studies, has an established tradition of exploring the functionality of music. As such, it not only provides profound insight into social effects of music, but also helps reveal that the division between instrumental art and “art for art’s sake” is largely a historical and culture-specific invention of the Western (musical) world. Moreover, the article will show that Western music has always been functional, paradoxically partly due to its ideational separation from instrumental (especially economic) pressures. Hence, this article argues both in favour of a recognition of music’s powerful functionality and the need to keep the musical sphere at least partially separate from too straight-forward monetary and quantitative impact concerns.
EU’s civil society bias in the Neighbourhood: a case study on culture
Authors: Valenza Domenico , Trobbiani Riccardo
Published: May 2023

This article attempts to analyse the European Union’s (EU) financial and technical support to cultural actors in EU Neighbourhood countries. In particular, it enquires whether the boundaries of what cultural sector means for the EU are based on a Eurocentric understanding of civil society or rather on a more inclusive definition mediated with partner countries’ societies. The work hypothesises that the EU tends to support cultural civil society organisations on the basis of their closeness to European standards, norms and values. Findings highlight a mixed picture. On the one hand, a Eurocentric understanding of civil society tends to prevail in EU discourses and is enforced by technical means addressing the status and capacity of the organisations involved, with some exceptions. On the other hand, the EU does not seem to impose strong prerequisites concerning the agenda of organisations and aims to be as inclusive as possible.
Digital education as a catalyst for museum transformation: the case of the ”Museums and New Digital Cultures” course
Authors: Zardini Lacedelli Stefania , Tamma Michele , Fazzi Fabiana
Published: May 2023

To embrace digital transformation, Continuing Professional Development (CDP) has become a strategic asset. In the cultural sector, new educational needs are emerging around the concept of “digital”, but how to approach them in a way that supports the evolution of previous roles as well as the overall organisational change? This paper addresses the aforementioned issue through the case study of a training programme, promoted by the Veneto Region and aimed at updating the digital skills of the regional cultural workforce. A qualitative study was implemented to explore the impact of such training programme, “Museums and New Digital Cultures”, which involved 120 professionals from 34 cultural organisations, at both individual and organisational levels. The research outcomes show how the introduction and implementation of new digital practices can be a key tool in transforming the individual evolution of different professional roles and trigger a broader organisational change.
Carbon dots labeled Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: a fluorescent multifunctional biocarrier for anticancer drug delivery
Authors: Abdullah Noor A. , Mahmoud Hoda E. , El-Nikhely Nefertiti A. , Hussein Ahmed A. , El-Khordagui Labiba K.
Published: May 2023

A carbon dots (CDs)-biolabeled heat-inactivated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (HILP) hybrid was investigated as a multifunctional probiotic drug carrier with bioimaging properties using prodigiosin (PG) as anticancer agent. HILP, CDs and PG were prepared and characterized using standard methods. CDs-labeled HILP (CDs/HILP) and PG loaded CDs/HILP were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and for entrapment efficiency (EE%) of CDs and PG, respectively. PG-CDs/HILP was examined for stability and PG release. the anticancer activity of PG-CDs/HILP was assessed using different methods. CDs imparted green fluorescence to HILP cells and induced their aggregation. HILP internalized CDs via membrane proteins, forming a biostructure with retained fluorescence in PBS for 3 months at 4°C. Loading PG into CDs/HILP generated a stable green/red bicolor fluorescent combination permitting tracking of both drug carrier and cargo. Cytotoxicity assay using Caco-2 and A549 cells revealed enhanced PG activity by CDs/HILP. LCSM imaging of PG-CDs/HILP-treated Caco-2 cells demonstrated improved cytoplasmic and nuclear distribution of PG and nuclear delivery of CDs. CDs/HILP promoted PG-induced late apoptosis of Caco-2 cells and reduced their migratory ability as affirmed by flow cytometry and scratch assay, respectively. Molecular docking indicated PG interaction with mitogenic molecules involved in cell proliferation and growth regulation. Thus, CDs/HILP offers great promise as an innovative multifunctional nanobiotechnological biocarrier for anticancer drug delivery. This hybrid delivery vehicle merges the physiological activity, cytocompatibility, biotargetability and sustainability of probiotics and the bioimaging and therapeutic potential of CDs.
Impacts of gait biomechanics of patients with thoracolumbar kyphosis secondary to Scheuermann’s disease
Authors: Cheng Hao , Jiang Zi-Ang , Chen Liang , Wang Guo-Dong , Liu Xiao-Yang , Sun Jian-Min , Tsai Tsung-Yuan
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK) is a common feature in patients with spinal deformities. However, due to limited studies, the impacts of TLK on gait have not been reported. The objective of the study was to quantify and evaluate the impacts of gait biomechanics of patients with TLK secondary to Scheuermann’s disease.

Methods: Twenty cases of Scheuermann’s disease patients with TLK and twenty cases of asymptomatic participants were recruited into this study. And the gait motion analysis was conducted.

Results: The stride length was shorter in the TLK group compared to control group (1.24 ± 0.11 m vs. 1.36 ± 0.21 m, p = 0.04). Compared to control group, the stride time and step time were more prolonged in the TLK group (1.18 ± 0.11s vs. 1.11 ± 0.08 s, p = 0.03; 0.59 ± 0.06 s vs. 0.56 ± 0.04 s, p = 0.04). The gait speed of the TLK group was significantly slower than it of control group (1.05 ± 0.12 m/s vs. 1.17 ± 0.14 m/s, p = 0.01); In the sagittal plane, the range of motion (ROM) of the hip in the TLK group was significantly smaller than that of the control group (37.71 ± 4.35° vs. 40.05 ± 3.71°, p = 0.00). In the transverse plane, the adduction/abduction ROMs of the knee and ankle, as well as the internal and external rotation of the knee, were smaller in TLK group than ROMs in the control group (4.66 ± 2.21° vs. 5.61 ± 1.82°, p = 0.00; 11.48 ± 3.97° vs. 13.16 ± 5.6°, p = 0.02; 9.00 ± 5.14° vs. 12.95 ± 5.78°, p = 0.00).

Discussion: The main finding of this study was that measurements of gait patterns and joint movement of the TLK group were significantly lower than those of the control group. And these impacts have the potential to exacerbate degenerative progress of joints in the lower extremities. These abnormal features of gait can also serve as a guideline for physicians to focus on TLK in these patients.
Advances in CO2 utilization employing anisotropic nanomaterials as catalysts: a review
Authors: Kandathil Vishal , Manoj Narayanapillai
Published: May 2023

Anisotropic nanomaterials are materials with structures and properties that vary depending on the direction in which they are measured. Unlike isotropic materials, which exhibit uniform physical properties in all directions, anisotropic materials have different mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical properties in different directions. Examples of anisotropic nanomaterials include nanocubes, nanowires, nanorods, nanoprisms, nanostars, and so on. These materials have unique properties that make them useful in a variety of applications, such as electronics, energy storage, catalysis, and biomedical engineering. One of the key advantages of anisotropic nanomaterials is their high aspect ratio, which refers to the ratio of their length to their width, which can enhance their mechanical and electrical properties, making them suitable for use in nanocomposites and other nanoscale applications. However, the anisotropic nature of these materials also presents challenges in their synthesis and processing. For example, it can be difficult to align the nanostructures in a specific direction to impart modulation of a specific property. Despite these challenges, research into anisotropic nanomaterials continues to grow, and scientists are working to develop new synthesis methods and processing techniques to unlock their full potential. Utilization of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a renewable and sustainable source of carbon has been a topic of increasing interest due to its impact on reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Anisotropic nanomaterials have been used to improve the efficiency of CO2 conversion into useful chemicals and fuels using a variety of processes such as photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and thermocatalysis. More study is required to improve the usage of anisotropic nanomaterials for CO2 consumption and to scale up these technologies for industrial use. The unique properties of anisotropic nanomaterials, such as their high surface area, tunable morphology, and high activity, make them promising catalysts for CO2 utilization. This review article discusses briefly about various approaches towards the synthesis of anisotropic nanomaterials and their applications in CO2 utilization. The article also highlights the challenges and opportunities in this field and the future direction of research.
Assessment of cypermethrin and amitraz resistance and molecular profiling of voltage-gated sodium channel and octopamine tyramine genes of Rhipicephalus microplus
Authors: Obaid Muhammad Kashif , Almutairi Mashal M. , Alouffi Abdulaziz , Safi Sher Zaman , Tanaka Tetsuya , Ali Abid
Published: May 2023

Control of ticks and tick-borne pathogens is a priority for human and animal health. Livestock-holders extensively rely on acaricide applications for tick control. Different groups of acaricides including cypermethrin and amitraz have been consistently used in Pakistan. There has been a gap in understanding the susceptibility or resistance of Rhipicephalus microplus, the most prevalent tick in Pakistan, to acaricides. The present study aimed to molecularly characterize cypermethrin and amitraz targeted genes such as voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) and octopamine tyramine (OCT/Tyr) of R. microplus ticks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan to monitor the acaricides resistance. Tick specimens were collected from cattle and buffaloes in northern (Chitral, Shangla, Swat, Dir, and Buner), central (Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi, and Nowshera), and southern districts (Kohat, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan) of KP, Pakistan. Different concentrations of commercially available cypermethrin (10%) and amitraz (12.5%) were prepared for in vitro larval immersion tests (LIT). In LIT, the average mortality rate of immersed larvae was recorded that was increased gradually with an increase in the concentration of specific acaricide. The larvae’s highest mortality rates (94.5% and 79.5%) were observed at 100-ppm of cypermethrin and amitraz, respectively. A subset of 82 R. microplus ticks was subjected to extract genomic DNA, followed by PCR to amplify partial fragments of VGSC (domain-II) and OCT/Tyr genes. The BLAST results of the consensus sequence of VGSC gene (domain-II) showed 100% identity with the acaricides susceptible tick sequence from the United States (reference sequence). Obtained identical sequences of OCT/Tyr genes showed maximum identity (94-100%) with the identical sequences reported from Australia (reference sequence), India, Brazil, Philippines, USA, South Africa, and China. Thirteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (10 synonymous and three non-synonymous) were observed at various positions of partial OCT/Tyr gene fragments. The SNP at position A-22-C (T-8-P) in OCT/Tyr gene has been linked to amitraz resistance in R. microplus ticks. Molecular analysis and LIT bioassay’s findings indicate the availability of resistant R. microplus ticks in the KP region. To our understanding, this is the first preliminary study to monitor cypermethrin and amitraz resistance via molecular profiling of cypermethrin and amitraz targeted genes (VGSC and OCT/Tyr) in combination with in vitro bioassays (LIT) in R. microplus ticks from Pakistan.
The safety and efficacy of balloon-expandable versus self-expanding trans-catheter aortic valve replacement in high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis
Authors: Senguttuvan Nagendra Boopathy , Bhatt Hemal , Balakrishnan Vinod Kumar , Krishnamoorthy Parasuram , Goel Sunny , Reddy Pothireddy M. K. , Subramanian Vinodhini , Claessen Bimmer E. , Kumar Ashish , Majmundar Monil , Ro Richard , Lerakis Stamatios , Jayaraj Ramamoorthi , Kalra Ankur , Flather Marcus , Dangas George
Published: May 2023

Aim

Transfemoral Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TF-TAVR) is a safe and effective therapy compared with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients across all risk profiles using balloon-expandable valves (BEV) and self-expanding valves (SEV). Our aim was to compare safety and efficacy of BEV vs. SEV in high-risk patients undergoing TF-TAVR.

Methods and results

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Clinicaltrials.gov, Scopus, and Web of sciences for studies on patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR. Primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes defined by Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 (VARC-2) criteria were also examined. Six studies with 2,935 patients (1,439 to BEV and 1,496 to SEV) were included. BEV was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality (2.2% vs. 4.5%; RR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.31–0.82; p < 0.006) and cardiovascular mortality [(2.5% vs. 4.3%; RR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.32–0.90; p = 0.01) at 30 days compared with SEV. Implantation of more than one valve per procedure (0.78% vs. 5.11%; RR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.07–0.31; p < 0.00001), and moderate/severe AR/PVL (2.5% vs. 9.01%; RR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.17–0.48); p < 0.00001) were also lower in the BEV arm.

Conclusion

BEV TAVR is associated with reduced all-cause mortality (High level of GRADE evidence), cardiovascular mortality (very low level) at 30 days compared with SEV TAVR in high surgical risk patients. Data are necessary to determine if the difference in outcomes persists in longer-term and if the same effects are seen in lower-risk patients.

Systematic Review Registration

identifier, CRD42020181190.
Subclinical postoperative atrial fibrillation: a randomized trial
Authors: Sabbag Avi , Berkovich Anat , Raanani Ehud , Volvovitch David , McIntyre William F. , Kassif Yigal , Kogan Alexander , Glikson Michael , Beinart Roy
Published: May 2023

Background

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most common complication of cardiac surgery, requiring interventions and prolonging hospital stay. POAF is associated with increased mortality and a higher rate of systemic thrombo-embolism. The rates of recurrent AF, optimal follow-up and management remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the incidence of recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) events, during long term follow-up in patients with POAF following cardiac surgery.

Methods

Patients with POAF and a CHA2DS2-VASc score of ≥2 were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to either implantation of a loop recorder (ILR) or ECG monitoring using periodic Holters. Participants were followed prospectively for 2 years. The primary end point was the occurrence of AF longer than 5 min.

Results

The final cohort comprised of 22 patients, of whom 14 received an ILR. Over a median follow up of 25.7 (IQR of 24.7–44.4) months, 8 patients developed AF, representing a cumulative annualized risk of AF recurrence of 35.7%. There was no difference between ILR (6 participants, 40%) and ECG/Holter (2 participants, 25% p = 0.917). All 8 patients with AF recurrence were treated with oral anticoagulation. There were no cases of mortality, stroke or major bleeding. Two patients underwent ILR explantation due to pain at the implantation site.

Conclusions

The rate of recurrent AF in patients with POAF after cardiac surgery and a CHA2DS2-VASc score of ≥2 is approximately 1 in 3 when followed systematically. Further research is need to assess the role of ILRs in this population.
The role of conduction system pacing in patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Wijesuriya Nadeev , Mehta Vishal , De Vere Felicity , Strocchi Marina , Behar Jonathan M. , Niederer Steven A. , Rinaldi Christopher A.
Published: May 2023

Conduction system pacing (CSP) has emerged as a promising novel delivery method for Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT), providing an alternative to conventional biventricular epicardial (BiV) pacing in indicated patients. Despite increasing popularity and widespread uptake, CSP has rarely been specifically examined in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a cohort which forms a significant proportion of the heart failure (HF) population. In this review, we first examine the mechanistic evidence for the importance of sinus rhythm (SR) in CSP by allowing adjustment of atrioventricular delays (AVD) to achieve the optimal electrical response, and thus, whether the efficacy of CSP may be significantly attenuated compared to conventional BiV pacing in the presence of AF. We next evaluate the largest clinical body of evidence in this field, related to patients receiving CSP following atrioventricular nodal ablation (AVNA) for AF. Finally, we discuss how future research may be designed to address the vital question of how effective CSP in AF patients is, and the potential hurdles we may face in delivering such studies.
Crime, inequality and public health: a survey of emerging trends in urban data science
Authors: Luca Massimiliano , Campedelli Gian Maria , Centellegher Simone , Tizzoni Michele , Lepri Bruno
Published: May 2023

Urban agglomerations are constantly and rapidly evolving ecosystems, with globalization and increasing urbanization posing new challenges in sustainable urban development well summarized in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The advent of the digital age generated by modern alternative data sources provides new tools to tackle these challenges with spatio-temporal scales that were previously unavailable with census statistics. In this review, we present how new digital data sources are employed to provide data-driven insights to study and track (i) urban crime and public safety; (ii) socioeconomic inequalities and segregation; and (iii) public health, with a particular focus on the city scale.
Personal data governance and privacy in digital reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health initiatives in Palestine and Jordan: a mapping exercise
Authors: Nemer Maysaa , Khader Yousef S. , Alyahya Mohammad S. , Pirlot de Corbion Alexandrine , Sahay Sundeep , Abu-Rmeileh Niveen M. E.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

There is a rapid increase in using digital technology for strengthening delivery of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) services. Although digital health has potentially many benefits, utilizing it without taking into consideration the possible risks related to the security and privacy of patients' data, and consequently their rights, would yield negative consequences for potential beneficiaries. Mitigating these risks requires effective governance, especially in humanitarian and low-resourced settings. The issue of governing digital personal data in RMNCH services has to date been inadequately considered in the context of low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper aimed to understand the ecosystem of digital technology for RMNCH services in Palestine and Jordan, the levels of maturity of them, and the implementation challenges experienced, particularly concerning data governance and human rights.

Methods

A mapping exercise was conducted to identify digital RMNCH initiatives in Palestine and Jordan and mapping relevant information from identified initiatives. Information was collected from several resources, including relevant available documents and personal communications with stakeholders.

Results

A total of 11 digital health initiatives in Palestine and 9 in Jordan were identified, including: 6 health information systems, 4 registries, 4 health surveillance systems, 3 websites, and 3 mobile-based applications. Most of these initiatives were fully developed and implemented. The initiatives collect patients' personal data, which are managed and controlled by the main owner of the initiative. Privacy policy was not available for many of the initiatives.

Discussion

Digital health is becoming a part of the health system in Palestine and Jordan, and there is an increasing use of digital technology in the field of RMNCH services in both countries, particularly expanding in recent years. This increase, however, is not accompanied by clear regulatory policies especially when it comes to privacy and security of personal data, and how this data is governed. Digital RMNCH initiatives have the potential to promote effective and equitable access to services, but stronger regulatory mechanisms are required to ensure the effective realization of this potential in practice.
Gender differences in the impact of 3-year status changes of metabolic syndrome and its components on incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: a decade of follow-up in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study
Authors: Hadaegh Farzad , Abdi Amir , Kohansal Karim , Hadaegh Parto , Azizi Fereidoun , Tohidi Maryam
Published: May 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to examine the gender differences in the association between status changes of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components, using Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria, with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among an urban population.

Methods

The study included 4,463 Iranian adult participants (2,549 women) aged ≥20 years. Based on status changes of MetS and its components during 3 years, subjects were categorized into four groups: MetS-free (reference), MetS-developed, MetS-recovery, and MetS-stable. A similar categorization was applied to MetS components. Multivariable Cox regression models were used for estimating hazard ratios (HRs) and women-to-men ratios of HRs (RHRs).

Results

During a median follow-up of 9.3 years, 625 T2DM events (351 women) occurred. Compared with the reference, the HRs of the MetS-developed, -recovery, and -stable groups among men for incident T2DM were 2.90, 2.60, and 4.92; the corresponding values for women were 2.73, 2.88, and 5.21, respectively (all p-values < 0.01), without significant gender difference in these relationships. In both genders, the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) component, regardless of the change in status, was strongly and significantly associated with incident T2DM with HRs ranging from 2.49 to 9.42; a similar association was also found for high waist circumference (WC)-recovery and -stable groups, with HRs ranging from 1.58 to 2.85 (p-values ≤ 0.05). Regarding gender differences, the development and persistence of high blood pressure (BP) status exposed men to greater T2DM risk than women with women-to-men RHRs of 0.43 (0.26–0.72) and 0.58 (0.39–0.86), respectively. Moreover, stable low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and high triglyceride (TG) levels conferred higher T2DM risk in women than in men, with women-to-men RHRs of 1.67 (0.98–2.86) and 1.44 (0.98–2.14), respectively (both p-values = 0.06).

Conclusion

Among Tehranian adults, in both genders, all status changes of MetS, even those recovered from MetS, have a higher risk of T2DM compared to those who never had MetS. Also, all statuses of high FPG, in addition to recovered and stable high WC, were strongly associated with T2DM risk. Specifically, men with stable or developed high BP and women with stable dyslipidemic status were at differentially increased risk of incident T2DM.
Brown adipose tissue-derived exosomes delay fertility decline in aging mice
Authors: Zhang Hanke , Fang Yuqing , Gao Ying , Zeng Xinliu , Lu Zhenzhen , Liu Lin , Chen Chunyan , Huang Jiayu , Li Yanhui
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Ovarian aging has steadily grown to be a significant health issue for women as a result of the increase in average life expectancy and the postponement of reproductive age. One of the important pathological foundations of ovarian aging is formed by mitochondrial dysfunction, which causes decreases in follicle quantity and oocyte quality. In recent years, brown adipose tissue (BAT) transplantation has been proven as an effective treatment for aging-related diseases, such as ovarian aging. However, BAT transplantation is an invasive operation with long-term risks. Therefore, we need to find an alternative strategy.

Methods

We injected BAT-derived exosomes into eight-month-old C57BL/6 female mice. The fertility was detected by the estrous cycle and mating test. The changes of ovary and oocyte were measured by ovarian volume, organ coefficient, follicle counting, and oocyte maturation rate. ROS level, mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level were measured to analyze the mitochondrial function of oocytes. The changes in metabolism were explored by cold stimulation test, body weight and blood sugar. The possible molecular mechanism was further investigated by RNA sequencing.

Results

In terms of fertility, the estrous cycle of aging mice after BAT-derived exosome intervention was more regular, and the number of progenies and litters was increased. At the tissue level, the ovaries in the BAT-exosome group were larger, and the number of primordial follicles, secondary follicles, antral follicles and total follicles increased. At the cellular level, BAT-derived exosomes improved the maturation of oocytes in vivo and in vitro, increased the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels of oocytes, and decreased ROS levels. Besides, BAT-derived exosomes ameliorated the metabolism and viability of aging mice. Furthermore, mRNA sequencing showed that BAT exosomes altered the expression levels of genes related to metabolism and the quality of oocytes.

Conclusion

BAT-derived exosomes enhanced mitochondrial function, promoted follicle survival, improved fertility, and extended ovarian lifespan in aging mice.
Identification of ferroptosis-related genes in the progress of NASH
Authors: He Linwei , Wang Jianming , Tao Baihua , Zhu Ruolan , Li Changbing , Ning Bo
Published: May 2023

Background

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is becoming more widespread, and some similarities exist between its etiology and ferroptosis. However, there are limited investigations on which ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) are regulated in NASH and how to regulate them. We screened and validated the pivotal genes linked to ferroptosis in NASH to comprehend the function of ferroptosis in the development of NASH.

Methods

Two mRNA expression data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) as the training set and validation set respectively. FRGs were downloaded from FerrDb. The candidate genes were obtained from the intersection between differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and FRGs, and further analyzed using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The hub genes were identified by the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Cytoscape. Then, FRGs closely related to the severity of NASH were identified and further confirmed using the validation set and mouse models. Ultimately, based on these genes, a diagnostic model was established to differentiate NASH from normal tissues using another data set from GEO.

Results

A total of 327 FRGs in NASH were acquired and subjected to GSEA. And 42 candidate genes were attained by overlapping the 585 FRGs with 2823 DEGs, and enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were primarily engaged in the fatty acid metabolic, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress. A total of 10 hub genes (PTGS2、IL1B、IL6、NQO1、ZFP36、SIRT1、ATF3、CDKN1A、EGR1、NOX4) were then screened by PPI network. The association between the expression of 10 hub genes and the progress of NASH was subsequently evaluated by a training set and verified by a validation set and mouse models. CDKN1A was up-regulated along with the development of NASH while SIRT1 was negatively correlated with the course of the disease. And the diagnostic model based on CDKN1A and SIRT1 successfully distinguished NASH from normal samples.

Conclusion

In summary, our findings provide a new approach for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of NASH based on FRGs, while advancing our understanding of ferroptosis in NASH.
Legal environmental regulation and green technology innovation of energy enterprises: based on panel threshold regression
Authors: Xu Didong , Chen Yadi , Wang Jia , Huang Xiaoyue
Published: May 2023

Legal environmental regulation is not only an important tool for green technology innovation and energy efficiency improvement, but also a key measure for enterprise upgrading and high-quality economic development. Based on the panel data of China’s listed energy companies from 2010 to 2020, this paper finds that legal environmental regulation has a significant positive impact on enterprise green technological innovation by using SYS-GMM. And the threshold regression model is used to examine the nonlinear impact of legal environmental regulation on green technology innovation in this paper. The results show that the positive impact of legal environmental regulation on green output of energy enterprises is more prominent than that of non-R&D investment. In addition, the impact of legal environmental regulation on green technology innovation of energy enterprises has a threshold effect. That is, the loose legal environmental regulation (LER ≤ 399.656) has a negative impact on the green output of energy enterprises, while the impact of strict legal environmental regulation (LER > 399.656) is the opposite. Meanwhile, the loose legal environmental regulation (LER ≤ 491.291) and strict legal environmental regulation (LER > 491.291) have a negative impact on the non-R&D investment of energy enterprises. Finally, there are huge differences in green technology innovation capabilities of energy enterprises.