bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Telomere Length as a Biomarker of Smoking-Induced Cellular Damage
Authors: Odah Mohammad
Published: March 2024

Smoking is a pervasive global health concern associated with a myriad of diseases, but its impact on cellular aging, particularly in relation to telomeres, is increasingly recognized. Telomeres, protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, play a crucial role in maintaining genomic integrity. This review critically examines the existing evidence on the association between smoking and telomere atrophy, exploring the molecular mechanisms involved and the implications for accelerated aging and heightened disease risk. The comprehensive analysis encompasses both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, elucidating potential gender and age disparities. Insights into the molecular pathways linking smoking to telomere shortening are discussed, along with the broader implications for public health. The review concludes by outlining potential interventions and suggesting future research directions in this critical area.
Link Between the G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR), SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein, ACE2, Vaccines, and Long COVID
Authors: Altable Marcos
Published: March 2024

The knowledge of COVID-19 impact on the human body has increased rapidly. Although many people recover from COVID-19, some continue to experience persistent symptoms that have been identified as Long COVID. This condition can have a severe impact on quality of life, and it remains a significant concern for medical professionals and researchers. One of the key components of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that enables it to enter human cells is the spike (S) protein. Recent studies have revealed a complex network of interactions between G proteins, spike (S) protein, and the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) may be responsible, at least in part, for long COVID. SARS-CoV-2 can also affect the brain, leading to neurological symptoms such as confusion, memory loss, and fatigue. Increasing evidence suggests that COVID-19 is not just a respiratory illness since it is likely that the virus could influence signal transduction pathways such as G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), among others, in the brain, either directly or indirectly, affecting neural functions. These interactions with the spike (S) protein and RAS, alongside the brain, are complex and require deep research to understand their implications for Long COVID-19 manifestation fully. While recent research has shed light on the complex interactions between G proteins, spike (S) protein, the brain, and the angiotensin system, this article explores these interconnected pathways and their implications for long COVID-19 manifestations. The present review summarises current research on different molecular mechanisms in Long COVID pathophysiology and may help identify possible targets or new strategies for the diagnosis and treatment.
Atmospheric Sound Propagation Over Rough Sea: Numerical Evaluation of Equivalent Acoustic Impedance of Varying Sea States
Authors: Vecchiotti Andrea , Ryan Teresa J. , Vignola Joseph F. , Turo Diego
Published: March 2024

This work presents a numerical study on atmospheric sound propagation over rough water surfaces. A method to generate pseudorandom sea profiles consistent with sea wave spectra is presented. The proposed method is suited to capture the logarithmic nature of the energy distribution of the waves. Sea profiles representing fully developed seas for sea states 2, 3, 4 and 5 are generated from the Elfouhaily et al. (ECKV) sea wave spectra. Excess attenuation caused by refraction and surface roughness is predicted with a parabolic equation (PE) solver. A novel method to estimate equivalent effective impedance based on PE predictions at different sea states is presented. Parametric expressions using acoustic frequency and significant wave height are developed for effective surface impedances. In this work, sea surface roughness is on a scale comparable to the acoustic wavelength. Under this condition, the acoustic scattering is primarily incoherent. This work shows the limitations of using an equivalent surface impedance in such incoherent scattering cases.
Estructura y composición florística de un bosque subandino en Togüí (Boyacá, Colombia)
Authors: Alvarado Reyes Anderson Javier , Rosero Lasprilla Liliana , Jara Muñoz Orlando Adolfo
Published: March 2024

Se caracterizó la estructura y composición florística de un bosque subandino en Togüí (Boyacá, Colombia). Se muestrearon 10 transectos de 50 x 2 m (0,1 ha), registrando individuos con un diámetro a la altura del pecho (DAP) mínimo de 1 cm. El análisis se centró en la composición florística, la importancia ecológica de las familias y las especies, así como en la estructura vertical y horizontal del bosque. Se registró un total de 287 individuos, 68 especies y 34 familias de plantas. Estas cifras indican una menor riqueza de especies e individuos en comparación con otros bosques subandinos. Las familias Clusiaceae, Lauraceae y Rubiaceae resultaron ser las de mayor importancia ecológica. El patrón de distribución diametral siguió una forma de J invertida, y el dosel del bosque alcanzó una altura de 23 metros. Se resalta la importancia ecológica de Alfaroa williamsii Ant. Molina (Juglandaceae), una especie raramente documentada en el país.
Role of Metaphor in Communication, Language and Psychotherapy (Cross-disciplinary Analysis)
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Mailenova F.G. , Ganieva R.R. ,   Derzhavinsky Institute
Published: March 2024

Метафора, являясь частью повседневной жизни, пронизывает все наше суще­ствование: без нее немыслимо как повседневное, так и научное (особенно философское и междисциплинарное) общение. Одна из главных целей дан­ной статьи – обзор литературы, благодаря которой можно отследить измене­ние роли метафоры в науке, философии и языкознании. Метафоричность, бу­дучи неизменным атрибутом философской мысли, тем не менее долгое время воспринималась больше как естественное свойство речи и необходимый эле­мент коммуникации или художественный прием, поэтому в большинстве работ по этой тематике основное внимание уделяется анализу метафоры на стыке философии и лингвистики, в связи с чем в статье предлагается кро­ме философской также литературная часть обзора. Сближение философии не только с литературой, но и психологией, стремление философов современ­ности постичь тайны человеческой психики и мышления, которые невозмож­но исследовать и описать без попыток шагнуть в пространство бессознатель­ного, возродили использование метафоры как способа познания. Расширение роли психотерапии как лечения словом наполнило идею метафоры новыми смыслами, поэтому в статье показана также психотерапевтическая функция метафоры. Современная гипнотерапия, основоположником которой является М. Эриксон, благодаря способности метафор в виде зашифрованных по­сланий вступать в диалог с бессознательным клиентов, использует их как средство утоления боли, выработки творческих решений и гармонизации внутреннего состояния. Важной задачей статьи является не только анализ ис­точников (философских, психологических и литературных), а также сведение их воедино с целью сделать шаг в комплексном, междисциплинарном иссле­довании этого явления. Благодаря исследованию влияния метафоры на наш язык, познание, особенности коммуникации и эмоциональные состояния мы можем сделать еще один шаг в постижении удивительных тайн нашего мозга и нашего творческого бессознательного.
Linguistic and Mystical Motives in Philosophy by P. Florensky
Authors:   National Reserch University "Higher School of Ecomomics", Zhukova M.V.
Published: March 2024

Статья посвящена рассмотрению лингвомистических мотивов в философ­ских построениях П.А. Флоренского. Автор показывает, что раскрытие дан­ной проблематики возможно путем тематизации таких концептов в филосо­фии Флоренского, как язык и религиозный опыт. В статье выдвигается тезис, что лейтмотивом онто-гносеологии Флоренского стала христиански окрашенная философия имени, что позволяет вывести изучение лингвоми­стических мотивов воззрений Флоренского на первый план. Философия языка мыслителя основывается на представлении о символе как о синер­гийном действии его ноуменальной и феноменальной сторон. Обсуждая данную проблему, автор анализирует тексты Флоренского, в которых он трактует символ как нечто большее, чем он сам, не равное самому себе, а являющее иную реальность, промежуточный уровень между внутренним и внешним. Подобное утверждение позволяет говорить о лингвомистиче­ской установке философских выкладок Флоренского. В статье раскрывает­ся смысл лингвомистических мотивов в вопросе установления связи чело­века с трансцендентным. Пути восстановления связи между профанным и сакральным изложены Флоренским в философии культа, ядром которой является религиозный праксис. Обязательной частью обрядовых практик считается молитва. В работе показано, что Флоренский выдвигает пробле­му реализации религиозного опыта как формы взаимодействия человече­ского и божественного путем словесного служения. Лингвомистические мотивы в данном аспекте представляют собой основание, на котором вы­страивается весь православный религиозный праксис – как это представле­но в философии Флоренского – праксис, который, в свою очередь, обязате­лен для формирования цельного мировоззрения, а также для будущего спасения человечества в лоне церкви. В статье реконструируется концепт молитвы как важного структурного элемента онто-гносеологической кон­цепции Флоренского, которую можно на уровне философии языка предста­вить как форму переживания лингвомистического опыта, выраженного в синергии человека, языка и Бога.
Rolling bearing fault detection of rotary machine using a novel adaptive sparse representation
Authors: Yuanhang Sun
Published: March 2024

Vibration signals of rolling bearings are often flooded by the noise and interference in early stages of failure. But extracting fault features from noisy signals effectively is a huge challenge. Sparse representation (SR)-based approaches have been used broadly to fault detection due to its stable performance and good anti-noise property. Nevertheless, its performance is very much dictated by the sparse regularization term and regularization parameter-setup. To overcome the existing drawback, an adaptive k-sparsity-based weighted generalized minimax concave (Ada-KWGMC) SR algorithm is proposed in this paper. Specifically, a weighted generalized minimax concave (WGMC) penalty is developed firstly for inducing the sparsity and anti-noise performance in Ada-KWGMC. Then an adaptive parameter setup approach has been put forward to make the regularization parameter free, thereby promoting the applicability of Ada-KWGMC. In this parameter setup method, the k-sparsity and the solution algorithm are integrated to set the regularization parameter adaptively without losing fault information. The diagnostic results of simulated signal and real fault signal shows that Ada-KWGMC has good performance in the fault detection.
Mental Health Professionals' Perspectives on Group Intervention for Women Survivors Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative study
Authors: Periyasamy Chinnadurai , Ezhumalai Sinu
Published: March 2024

Background: To examine the perspectives of mental health professionals on providing group intervention for female spouses of men with alcohol dependence who experienced intimate partner violence.
Method: Aqualitative research design was used, and purposive sample technique was used to select the participants. Nine experts with more thanfive years of experience in handling partner violence cases providedinsights through in-depth interviews. The sample size was nine; data was saturated with nine experts. The researcher prepared a semistructured interview guide and mental health experts validated it. The transcripts were carefully examined several times, coded and re-codeded . The codes were subsequently organized into thematic categories.
Results: More than half (66.7%) of the experts were aged35-45 years. Most of the experts (77.8%) were females. More than half (55.6%) of the experts had more than five years of experience in mental health and intimate partner violence. Most of the experts (66.7%) were working in teaching institutions related to mental health and intimate partner violence. The remaining one-third (33.3%) of the experts were legal and women empowerment practitioners. The thematic analysis generated six main themes and 19 subthemes, with 189 codes.
Conclusion: Experts emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to IPV intervention. Group interventionaddresses multiple issues that contribute to violence. Survivors need safe housing, counseling, legal help, and financial assistance.
Detoxification of BTEX in a saline environment by Aspergillus niger
Authors: Rodrigues Kelly , Salgado Ricardo , Galhanas Dina , Bermudez Victoria Maura S. , Silva Glória Maria Marinho , Mata Ana T. A.
Published: March 2024

BTEX can be found in marine and estuarine waters due to accidental spills of oil and derivatives, as well as in production water and effluents from petrochemical plants. Solutions involving the bioremediation of these compounds in both saline environments and effluents with high salinity are necessary. The halotolerance of Aspergillus niger was tested by subjecting it to a gradual increase in salinity through the sequential addition of NaCl from 2 to 30‰ (v/v). It supported its growth up to 25‰, with a biomass production rate of 0.93 ± 0.11 g/d. The adapted biomass was used in batch reactor assays to test the biodegradation of BTEX (1,500 mg/L). The fungi removed BTEX more rapidly in the presence of 2 g/L of sucrose: benzene (2.20 d-1) > toluene (1.83 d-1) > ethylbenzene (1.12 d-1) > xylene (0.91 d-1). However, even in the absence of sucrose, there was removal in the reactors with fungi: benzene (1.13 d-1) > toluene (0.97 d-1) > ethylbenzene (0.77 d-1) > xylene (0.68 d-1), with higher removal through microbial action (absorption and adsorption). Benzene was the only compound found adsorbed to the mycelium (1.50 ± 0.19 to 13.35 ± 4.72 mg/g of biomass).
Development of a nomogram model for predicting the risk of insomnia in nurses who underwent the Long- COVID
Authors: Ye Lingxiao , Zhang Feng , Wang Lili , Chen Yufei , Shi Jiaran , Cai Tingting
Published: March 2024

Purpose
To investigate the prevalence of insomnia among nurses diagnosed with Long-COVID, analyze the potential risk factors, and establish a nomogram prediction model.
Methods
General demographic information was obtained, and assessments of sleep quality, burnout, and stress were performed in a single center in May 2023. Three hundred and ninety-eight nurses were recruited. The Lasso regression technique was employed to screen for potential factors contributing to insomnia. A prognostic nomogram was constructed and evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves and calibration curves.
Results
Fifty-four percent of nurses complained of insomnia in this study. Eleven variables were independently associated with sleep patterns, including family, years of work, relaxion time, sequela of respiratory system, sequela of nervous system, others sequela, attitudes towards COVID-19, sleep duration, previous sleep problems, stress, and job burnout. The R-squared value was 0.4642 and the area under curve was 0.8661. The derived nomogram showed that neurological sequela, stress, job burnout, sleep time before infection, and previous sleep problems also made the most substantial contributions to predicting sleep patterns. The calibration curves for predicting insomnia showed significant agreement between the nomogram models and actual observations.
Conclusion
The present study established a nomogram prediction model of insomnia for nurses diagnosed with Long-COVID, which is helpful for the early clinical identification of high-risk individuals with insomnia.
Prebiotic Asymmetric Synthesis of Ribose by CO2 Reduction in Hydrodynamic Cavitation with Vortex
Authors: Fang Yuxi , Ding Wei , Ying Diwen , Zhang Wendi , Jia Jinping
Published: March 2024

Prebiotic synthesis is a critical aspect in the origin of life. Especially, D-ribose plays a fundamental role in the RNA world theory as the exclusive sugar for RNA1-3. CO2 is known to be predominant in the primitive atmosphere4-6. However, prebiotic synthesis of ribose from CO2 has never been reported, leaving origin of D-ribose as an unsolved conundrum. Herein, we propose the enantiomeric formation of D-ribose by hydrodynamic cavitation with vortex in the prebiotic world, which was supported by the formation of enantiomeric ribose under the simulated prebiotic condition in the opposite vortices of a Venturi reactor equipped with antipodal oblique blades. Various sugars with total concentration of ~2.46 μM were achieved in the presence of Ca2+, in which ribose is the main component, with an enantiomeric excess (ee) in the range of 30.2-40.2%. Formaldehyde and CH2OH· were formed from CO2 by high temperature and high pressure in hydrodynamic cavitation. Ribose was predicted to be formed by the reaction involving addition of CH2OH· starting from formaldehyde in the presence of Ca2+. Vortex is speculated to be initiating symmetry breaking of ribose due to different yield of each enantiomer, induced by geometric coefficient interaction between the chiral intermediate and vortex. Our findings provide a prevalent possibility for the formation of ribose by cavitation in the prebiotic ocean, which implies hydrodynamic cavitation would be one of the important driving forces for origin of life. Furthermore, possibility of symmetry breaking of ribose by vortex on the primitive earth was proposed as well.
Geospatial Analysis of Flood Susceptible Areas in Damaturu Central, Yobe State, Nigeria.
Authors: Usman 'Shitu Shehu , Ngurnoma Nuhu Yerima
Published: March 2024

This study focuses on flood susceptibility mapping in Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria, leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques. Damaturu is prone to recurring flood events, necessitating effective flood mitigation and risk assessment strategies. Through the integration of GIS and remote sensing data, this research develops a robust flood susceptibility model. The study incorporates various data sources, including digital elevation models, hydrological data, and land-use maps, to create a comprehensive spatial database. Remote sensing data obtained from satellite and aerial platforms facilitate land cover change detection, flood extent identification, and flood-related damage assessment. The flood susceptibility mapping process employs GIS-based techniques, such as Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weight of Evidence (WoE), to analyze and integrate the datasets, ultimately generating flood susceptibility maps for the area. These maps offer essential insights into flood-prone regions, aiding in flood risk assessment, disaster preparedness, and the development of targeted flood management strategies. The research outcomes are invaluable for policymakers, urban planners, and emergency response teams, enabling informed decision-making and proactive flood mitigation measures. The integration of GIS and remote sensing technologies ensures a comprehensive and adaptable approach to combat the challenges posed by floods in Damaturu, enhancing the resilience of local communities to future flood events.
Enhanced Human-Object Interaction Detection via Maximum IoU Partitioning and Chunk Block Attention
Authors: Lee Hyunmin , Kang Donggoo , Park Hasil , Kim Yeongjoon , Kwon Sunkyu , Paik Joonki
Published: March 2024

Accurate understanding of spatial relationships between humans and objects is a key for recognizing the Human-Object Interaction (HOI).Due to its inherent simplicity and interpretability, Intersection over Union (IoU) has established itself as the predominant metric for expressing spatial relationships.This paper presents a simple yet effective attention mechanism that leverages the IoU metric.Specifically, we introduce a Chunk Block Attention (CBA) module that computes spatial-aware attention weights of image slices extracted through the IoU-guided Human-Object association method.The CBA uniquely integrates self-attention and cross-attention to capture internal and external relationships within slices.Through extensive experiments on various HOI models, we validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.Experimental results show consistent improvements in qualitative measure and impressive interpretability by visualizing the learned attention weights.Furthermore, we provide detailed analysis and visualizations of the attention weights learned by the CBA module.This reveals insights into how the model focuses on relevant spatial and semantic relationships for recognizing complex human-object interactions.
Performance Evaluation of Secured Storage Access Control System for Public Health Records in Cloud Computing
Authors: Malathi P , Devi S Suganthi , J Jospin Jeya
Published: March 2024

Cloud computing activities have grown exponentially today. Cloud computing is typically a service that is provided for computing as a service. It shares network or internet services, applications and info. Accordingly, resources and individuals are communicated via the Internet to the whole world regardless of where they are. This benefit from Cloud Computing has brought many sectors to satisfy the most critical consumer targets, including the healthcare industry and the financial sector. The proposed innovative mechanism for the closed sharing of private health data using attribute-based encryption in cloud computing. In view of partially truthful cloud storage, it can be contended that sufferers must have absolute control of their own privacy by encrypting their Public Health Record (PHR) files to allow fine-grained access to completely understand the patient-centric definition. The system tackles the specific difficulties of using a couple of owners and users of PHR, in that proposed work greatly minimize the difficulty of main administration while improving the assurances of privacy relative to previous works. As the results, the proposed applied the Attribute Encryption Scheme (ABE) to encrypt the PHR data, so that patients can allow access to not only private customers, but also quite a variety of public domain clients with exclusive technical positions, credentials, and affiliations to gain the right of entry.
Application of the Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer for assessing cotton fiber ribbon width
Authors: Tesema Addisu Ferede , Gautam Surendra , Sayeed Md Abu , Turner Christopher , Delhom Christopher D. , Abidi Noureddine
Published: March 2024

Background Cotton fiber fineness is an essential trait for processing fibers into yarn. Fibers that are long, strong, and fine allow the production of high yarn counts, i.e., finer yarns. Existing methods for measuring fineness are time-consuming, tedious, and impractical to evaluate a large number of samples. For this reason, the textile industry has sought a rapid, accurate, and reliable instrument to determine fiber fineness and other fiber quality parameters. Recently, the Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer (OFDA) was introduced for rapid and precise evaluation of the diameter of different types of fibers, i.e., wool, cotton, and synthetic fibers. In this study, the OFDA was evaluated for measuring the ribbon width of cotton fiber snippets. A set of 104 carded cotton samples covering a wide range of fiber properties were selected and tested with nine replications per sample.Results Before the ribbon width measurement, the repeatability of the OFDA diameter measurement was confirmed. Comparisons with the data (cross-sections, AFIS, and Cottonscope) obtained from previous studies on the 104 samples were used to assess the effectiveness of the proposed method. We observed that the relationship between ribbon widths from the Cottonscope and the OFDA is not very good. Still, there is a strong correlation between OFDA ribbon width and AFIS standard fineness. We hypothesize that the poor relationship between the Cottonscope and the OFDA is related to the medium in which the measurements are performed, i.e., aqueous medium for the Cottonscope and air for the OFDA.Conclusion The OFDA 4000 ribbon width measurement could be useful in a laboratory setting. The results are stable and provide measurements closely related to AFIS standard fineness, a trusted measurement within the cotton industry.
Automated Spatial Omics Landscape Analysis Approach Reveals Novel Tissue Architectures in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Holman* Derek R. , Rubin* Samuel J. S. , Ferenc* Mariusz , Holman* Elizabeth A. , Koron Alexander N. , Daniel Robel , Boland Brigid S. , Nolan Garry , Chang John T. , Rogalla Stephan
Published: March 2024

The utility of spatial omics in leveraging cellular interactions in normal and diseased states for precision medicine is hampered by a lack of strategies for matching disease states with spatial heterogeneity-guided cellular annotations. Here we use a spatial context-dependent approach that matches spatial pattern detection to cell annotation. Using this approach in existing datasets from ulcerative colitis patient colonic biopsies, we identified architectural complexities and associated difficult-to-detect rare cell types in ulcerative colitis germinal-center B cell follicles. Our approach deepens our understanding of health and disease pathogenesis, illustrates a strategy for automating nested architecture detection for highly multiplexed spatial biology data, and informs precision diagnosis and therapeutic strategies.

*Derek R. Holman, Samuel J. S. Rubin, Mariusz Ferenc, and Elizabeth A. Holman contributed equally to this work.
The Association between a History of Induced Abortion for Nonmedical Reasons and Maternal and Neonatal Perinatal Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zhang Siqi , Lu Chunxia , Zhao Qing , Zhang Ling ping , Xiang Yuxin , He Weichong , Qu Yong , Zhang Yujiao , Dong Wenbin , Lei Xiaoping
Published: March 2024

Background
Following the implementation of the universal two-child policy in China, many multiparous women who had a history of induced abortion gave birth again. However, there is a lack of studies exploring the associations between induced abortion for nonmedical reasons and maternal and neonatal perinatal complications.
Methods
In this retrospective cohort study, the participants were multiparous women who gave birth to singleton babies at or after 28 weeks of gestation between December 1st, 2015, and December 1st, 2020. The exposure factor was maternal history of induced abortion for nonmedical reasons. Logistic regression models were used to adjust for potential confounding factors, and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for maternal and neonatal perinatal outcomes. The dose‒effect relationships between the number of induced abortions for nonmedical reasons and adverse outcomes were tested by the Cochran‒Armitage trend test (p for trend). Stratified analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the results in subgroups with different maternal ages or interpregnancy intervals.
Results
There were 3,985 multiparous women with a history of induced abortion for nonmedical reasons and 1,823 multiparous women without such a history. Compared to women without such a history, women with a history of induced abortion for nonmedical reasons had increased risks of cesarean section (adjusted OR, 1.44; 95% CI: 1.23–1.69), placenta-related complications (adjusted OR, 2.14; 95% CI: 1.68–2.72), uterine-related complications (adjusted OR, 1.38; 95% CI: 1.05–1.81), HDP (adjusted OR, 1.49; 95% CI: 1.16–1.93), and preterm birth (adjusted OR, 1.24; 95% CI: 1.05–1.48) in subsequent pregnancy. In addition, there were dose-effect relationships between the number of induced abortions and the number of cesarean sections (P trend <.001), placenta-related complications (P trend <.001), uterine-related complications (P trend =.016), HDP (P trend =.0003), and preterm birth (P trend =.0006). Similar trends were observed in most subgroups with different maternal ages or interpregnancy intervals.
Conclusions
A history of induced abortion for nonmedical reasons was associated with increased risks of maternal and neonatal perinatal complications. Furthermore, dose‒effect relationships were observed for these associations.
Is the ventriculo-atrial shunt a last resort treatment for hydrocephalus? A meta-analysis comparing ventriculo-atrial and ventriculo-peritoneal shunt
Authors: Bue Enrico Lo , Morello Alberto , Bellomo Jacopo , Bradaschia Leonardo , Lacatena Filippo , Colonna Stefano , Fiumefreddo Alessandro , Stieglitz Lennart , Regli Luca , Lanotte Michele Maria , Garbossa Diego , Cofano Fabio
Published: March 2024

Hydrocephalus is a common pathology in the neurosurgical field. Since the first permanent ventriculo-subarachnoid-subgaleal shunt by Mikulicz in 1893, there were multiple attempts to find a solution to drain the excess production/less reabsorption of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain. Nowadays the most used technique is the Ventriculo-Peritoneal Shunt (VPS), whereas the ventriculo-atrial shunt (VAS) is used only in some rare conditions. To date there are still no specific guidelines or strong evidences in literature to choose between the two methods and the decision usually lying in the confidence and expertise of the surgeon. Since this lack of established recommendations, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these two shunting techniques. This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta–Analyses). No chronological limits of study publications were included. Prospective and retrospective clinical studies, and reports of case series with at least five patients per group and reporting data on comparison between VAS and VPS techniques were eligible for inclusion. 9 studies meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria and reporting on 3197 patients were identified and included in in the quantitative synthesis. The risk for shunt dysfuction/obstruction was significantly lower in the VAS group (0.49, 95%-CI 0.34 to 0.70, I2 0%). As for the risk of infection, it was not significantly different between the two groups (1.02, 95%-CI 0.59 to 1.74, I2 0%). The risk for revision was not significantly different between the two groups, however the heterogeneity between the studies was high (0.73, 95%-CI 0.36 to 1.49, I2 91%). On the other hand, the risk of death was not significantly different between the two groups, however the heterogeneity between the studies was high (1.93, 95%-CI 0.81 to 4.62, I2 64%). VAS represent a valuable alternative to VPS. In this study, it was observed a lower risk of shunt dysfunction/obstruction variable in the VAS group and there was no statistical difference on the occurrence of at least one infection-related complication. The choice between these two techniques must to be tailored to the specific characteristics of patient.
Efficacy of Axicabtagene Ciloleucel Compared to Historical Treatments for Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma of Asian Descent: A Matching Adjusted Indirect Comparison of ZUMA-1 vs REAL-TREND
Authors: Locke Frederick , Ball Graeme , Ray Markqayne , Li Tony , Limbrick-Oldfield Eve , Popoff Evan , Kanters Steve
Published: March 2024

Background: To better understand the comparative effectiveness of axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) to historical standard of care (SoC) for the treatment of refractory diffused large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) among patients of Asian descent, we conducted a matching-adjusted indirect treatment comparison (MAIC) of the pivotal ZUMA-1 trial (NCT02348216 registered in 2015) and the Asia-based REAL-TREND cohort.
Methods: The individual patient data (IPD) from ZUMA-1 (n = 101 infused patients) used the 60-month data-cut, while the REAL-TREND cohort data consisted of aggregate data and pseudo-IPD derived from digitized curves using the Guyot algorithm. The outcomes assessed were overall survival (OS), complete response (CR) and overall response rate (ORR), as reported in REAL-TREND. The MAIC weights were derived using age ≥60, sex, proportion of fourth line or higher (4L+) patients, international prognostic index (IPI; 0-1 vs 2 vs 3 vs 4-5), and refractory to SCT. Sensitivity analyses explored the use of the intention to treat population, alternative variable alignment and use of central review assessed response outcomes for ZUMA-1.
Results: Somebaseline characteristics were similar across ZUMA-1 and REAL-TREND, such as age and IPI scores, but key differences included proportion of 4L+ patients (69% vs 9%), of ECOG performance score 0-1 (100% vs. 59%), and type of refractoriness. The MAIC models aligned on prior lines and refractoriness, while differences in ECOG performance scores were captured through IPI. The resulting effective sample size for ZUMA-1 was 31.1. The estimated hazard ratio for OS was 0.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.50) and sensitivity analyses led to similar estimates. Strong effects were estimated for both ORR (odds ratio: 20.76; 95% CI: 7.18-60.02) and CR (odds ratio: 15.25; 95% CI: 6.84-33.98).
Conclusion: The comparative efficacy of axi-cel relative to historical SoC was similar to that observed in studies restricted to Western settings. By providing outcomes data within a population of Asian-descent, we can provide better economic modeling to support reimbursements and improved access.
Residues of veterinary antibiotics in solid natural and organic fertilizers – method development and sample analysis
Authors: Patyra Ewelina , Osiński Zbigniew , Kwiatek Krzysztof
Published: March 2024

Antibiotics are active substances frequently used to treat and prevent diseases in animal husbandry. Most veterinary antibiotics are excreted after administration, in some cases up to 90% of the consumed dose can be found in the faeces and/or urine as parent compound. Livestock excrement is used around the world as natural fertilizers or, after processing, as organic fertilizers for crops and grasslands. Natural and organic fertilizers are an excellent source of nutrients for plants, but due to the presence of veterinary antibiotics in them, they may pose a threat to the natural environment, mainly to soil microorganisms, but also to human and animal health. Therefore, the work aimed to develop and validate an analytical method using the UHPLC-MS/MS technique and to analyze real samples of natural and organic fertilizers. Our research has shown that over 38% of natural fertilizers are contaminated with antibiotics, mainly doxycycline in concentrations reaching up to several dozen milligrams per kilogram of fertilizers. In the case of organic fertilizers that undergo processing, the presence of antibiotics was found in over 37% of the analyzed samples. The presented analytical method can be a tool for assessing the presence of veterinary antibiotics in solid natural and organic fertilizers.
What impact local failure for post-operative radiotherapy of resected brain metastases in breast cancer patients?
Authors: haisraely ory , jaffe marcia , Symon Zvi , Taliansky Alicia , Lawerence Yaacov
Published: March 2024

Background
Single brain metastasis surgical resection remains an effective treatment for brain metastases. However, surgery alone associate with a high rate of local failure. The current guidelines recommend radiation to surgical cavity. The recommended dose for brain cavity after surgery remain to be define as most guidelines gives a very general suggestion about the dose and fractionation. The aim of this study was to determine what variable influence local control in this specific population.
Methods
Retrospective analysis of 62 patients with breast cancer who undergo surgical resection to single brain metastases and who received post-operative radiotherapy between the years 2011–2022. All clinical and dosimetric variables were analyzed to evaluate their impact on local control.
Results
One year local control was 70.9%. HER-2 disease, size of initial tumor, time from initial surgery, total dose deliver, inclusion of corridor and type of lesion were all significant for local control. Patients with HER-2 positive disease had higher local control rate without any difference in other variables.
Conclusion
Brain metastases from breast cancer remain a life-threating condition. Surgery plays a critical role in the treatment of large symptomatic brain metastases for which Post-operative radiotherapy is essential. Choosing a regime with a dose of more then 40Gy (BED) seems important for achieving local control and without increase toxicity. Different biology and systemic therapy options can differentiate Breast cancer population after brain surgery for metastatic disease. A larger prospective trial is needed to addressed the question whether lower dosage can be use in HER-2 positive disease.
Enhancing Precision in Vascular Embolization: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Intentional Early Detachment Technique with Detachable Coils in Complex Cases
Authors: Oka Shojiro , Kohno Shigeshi , Arizono Shigeki , Onishi Yasuyuki , Fumimoto Masaya , Yoshida Atsushi , Ishikura Reiichi , Ando Kumiko
Published: March 2024

Background
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and versatility of an intentional early detachment technique with detachable coils to address challenging vascular embolization scenarios. This novel approach aims to provide interventional radiologists with an alternative method for achieving precise coil placement when standard methods of detachable coil placement are rendered ineffective owing to vascular anatomy or limited available equipment.
Materials and Methods
This was a retrospective study comprising 11 patients (9 males and 2 females; median age, 77 years) who underwent embolization procedures using the intentional early detachment technique via 1.6-Fr or 1.3-Fr microcatheters between October 2021 and December 2023. In this technique, detachable coils were intentionally detached within the microcatheter and placed using saline flushing. Technical success, complications, and clinical success were evaluated.
Results
The technique was applied in three distinct scenarios: tortuous vascular anatomy (4 cases), inadequate system backup (3 cases), and 1.3-Fr microcatheter use (4 cases). The technical and clinical success rates were 100%. No complications were observed, and there were no cases of coil migration or malpositioning.
Conclusion
The intentional early detachment technique is valuable for interventional radiologists and offers a solution for challenging vascular embolization scenarios. Although its application is limited to specific circumstances, it can significantly enhance coil placement in complex cases, thereby contributing to improved patient care.
Application of TELC model to neuroscience: Better elucidation for neural stimulation by touch
Authors: Lee James
Published: March 2024

The 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was recently awarded to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian “for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch”. It is well established that touch receptors (PIEZO) provide sensory inputs to inform the brain about objects in our environment. However, exactly how the transient ion transport activity of touch receptors could stimulate action potential firing seems still not entirely clear. In this article, the latest transmembrane-electrostatically localized protons/cations charges (TELC) theory is employed to better understand neural stimulation and action potential that we have recently identified as the voltage contributed by TELC at a neural liquid-membrane interface in a neural cell. The TELC density at the resting membrane potential of −70 mV is now calculated to be 3900 (protons + cations) per μm2 on extracellular membrane surface. At the stimulation threshold level (−55 mV), the TELC density is calculated to be 3100 (protons + cations) per μm2. Accordingly, the neural stimulation by touch can now be better understood by analyzing PIEZO ion conduction and TELC activity. The response time from PIEZO channel ion conduction activities to reduce the TELC density to the stimulation level of 3100 TELC per μm2 for action potential firing was calculated for the first time. The activities of a single or a few PIEZO channels may be sufficient to generate a “graded potential” to trigger an action potential spike firing. With a high number (200~300) of PIEZO channels activated by touch, it can generate the required “graded potential” to reach the stimulation threshold level (−55 mV) within 0.3 ms. Real-time action potential (Vt) with PIEZO mechanically-activated stimulation by touch is now, mathematically explained through a novel integral equation (Vt=-1/C ∫0t I(t)dt+ V0) of the net time-dependent transmembrane ion current I(t), which is fundamentally important to neuroscience.
Mentha spp. essential oils: Toxicity to Alphitobius diaperinus, activity against poultry pathogenic bacteria, and Beauveria bassiana compatibility
Authors: Gebauer Sandra , Pompermayer Katiane , de Oliveira Daian Guilherme Pinto , Pinto Fabiana Gisele da Silva , Rosset Jéssica , Bandeira Debora Marina , Silva Gabriela Trindade de Souza e , de Oliveira Murilo Silva , Silva Geraldo Humberto , Alves Luis Francisco Angeli , Carvalho Geraldo Andrade , de Oliveira Denilson Ferreira , Alves Dejane Santos
Published: March 2024

The botanical insecticides market is growing because of limitations placed on the use of certain synthetic chemical insecticides. Consequently, this study explored the following hypotheses: i) essential oils (EOs) derived from Mentha spp. are toxic to Alphitobius diaperius (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), a common poultry pest; ii) these EOs are compatible with Beauveria bassiana, the natural enemy of the poultry pest, that parasite A. diaperinus; iii) these EOs also exhibit activity against bacteria that are pathogenic to poultry. In topical applications and ingestion tests, EOs from Mentha arvensis, Mentha spicata, and Mentha piperita were toxic to A. diaperinus. Chromatographic analyses revealed that menthol is the predominant compound in M. arvensis and M. piperita, whereas carvone is the major compound in M. spicata. Both (-)- and (+)-menthol, along with (-)- and (+)-carvone, underwent testing with A. diaperinus. Nevertheless, their activity was not as potent as that of the EOs, suggesting a possible synergistic and/or additive effect. The EOs did not have any adverse effects on the conidial germination, vegetative growth, or conidia production per colony of the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana. Consequently, these EOs are compatible with this natural enemy. The EO extracted from M. spicata exhibited significant toxicity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), whereas the remaining EOs displayed moderate toxicity against this bacterium. The EOs derived from Mentha spp., as assessed in this study, hold promise for the development of botanical insecticides tailored for the control of A. diaperinus. These insecticides are selective in favor of the natural enemy B. bassiana, and can also serve as effective sanitizers, thanks to their antibacterial properties.
The application of bronchoscopy in the assessment of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis severity and recurrence
Authors: Guo Cuiyan , Zhang Qi , Zhou Peining , Cheng Yuan , Nie Ligong , Wang Guangfa
Published: March 2024

Purpose: To explore the role of bronchoscopy for the assessment of checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP).
Method： A retrospective single-center study was conducted to assess patients diagnosed with CIP at grade 2 or above and also underwent bronchoscopy between January 2020 and December 2022. Clinical data and bronchoscopic findings were recorded. The treatment data and prognosis information were collected.
Results:
Twenty-one patients who underwent bronchoscopy and were diagnosed with CIP were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis. Of them, T lymphocyte subsets of BALF were tested in 15 cases. Transbronchial cryobiopsywas performed in 8 patients, and transbronchial lung biopsy was performed in 5 patients. 14 patients experienced grade 2 CIP, while 7 patients ≥ grade 3 CIP. Symptoms were improved in 19 (90.5%) patients after standard treatment adhering to CIP guidelines. However, 5 patients relapsed during steroid tapering. Factors related to the severity and recurrence of CIP were analyzed. Patients with previous interstitial lung disease (ILD) were more likely to develop high grade CIP than those without [83.3% (5/6) versus 15.4% (3/15), P=0.011].The odds ratio (OR) was 32.5 (95%CI 2.284-443.145, P=0.009). Increased BALF lymphocyte percentage was associated with high grade CIP, OR 1.095 (95%CI 1.001-1.197, P=0.047), and higher possibility of CIP relapse, OR 1.123 (95%CI, 1.005-1.225, P=0.040). Lymphocyte subsets were tested in 15 patients. CD4/CD8 >1 was found in 80%(4/5) of relapsed patients and 20%(2/10) of patients without relapse (P=0.047). The OR was 16.00 (95%CI 1.093-234.24, P=0.043).
Conclusion：
In this retrospective study, patients with previous ILD was more likely to develop high grade CIP. Higher lymphocyte percentage in BALF was associated with high grade CIP and susceptibility to relapse during treatment of CIP. A CD4/CD8 ratio greater than 1 in lymphocyte subsets of BALF was associated with higher possibility of CIP relapse.
Neurosyphilis with Concomitant Cryptococcal Meningitis in a Patient with AIDS after COVID-19: a case report
Authors: Wang Qi , Pan yunfei
Published: March 2024

Background The common infections agents causing meningitis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) includeCryptococcus neoformansandTreponema pallidum. Furthermore, there is an elevated risk of meningitis in patients with HIV concomitantly infected with SARS-CoV-2. Case presentation: A 38-year-old male presented with headache and dizziness. After hospitalization, polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab was positive, and lumbar puncture revealed neurosyphilis with concomitant cryptococcal meningitis. He underwent Paxlovid, penicillin, antifungal and antiretroviral treatment. The patient had no other neurological symptoms and was stable during the 6-month follow-up period. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with HIV, particularly those not underwent antiretroviral therapy, are at higher risk for severe infections, including central nervous system complications, due to their compromised immune systems.
Intravenous High-dose Anakinra Drops Venous Thrombosis and Myocardial Infarction in Severe and Critical COVID-19 Patients: A Propensity Score Matched Study
Authors: Çakmak Ramazan , Yüce Servet , Ay Mustafa , Uyar Muhammed Hamdi , Kılıç Muhammed İkbal , Bektaş Murat
Published: March 2024

Introduction: In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of high-dose intravenous anakinra treatment on the development of thrombotic events in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. Material and methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary referral center in Aksaray, Turkey. The study population consisted of two groups as follows; the patients receiving high-dose intravenous anakinra (anakinra group) added to background therapy and the patients treated with standard of care (SoC) as a historical control group. Age, gender, mcHIS scores, and comorbidities such as DM, HT, and CHD of the patients were determined as the variables to be matched. Results: We included 114 patients in SoC and 139 patients in the Anakinra group in the study. Development of any thromboembolic event (5% vs 12.3%, p = 0.038; OR:4.3) and PTE (2.9% vs 9.6%, p = 0.023; OR:5.1) were lower in the Anakinra group than SoC. No patient experienced CVA and/or clinically evident DVT both in two arms. After 1:1 PS matching, 88 patients in SoC and 88 patients in the Anakinra group were matched and included in the analysis. In survival analysis, the development of any thromboembolic event, PTE, and MI were higher in SoC compared to Anakinra. Survival rate was also lower in patients with SoC arm than Anakinra in patients who had any thromboembolic event as well as MI. Conclusion: In our study, the development of thrombosis was associated with hyperinflammation in patients with severe and critical COVID-19. Intravenous high-dose anakinra treatment decreases both venous and arterial events in patients with COVID-19.