bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laboratory Methods for Detection of Infectious Agents and Serological Response in Humans With Tick-Borne Infections: A Systematic Review of Evaluations Based on Clinical Patient Samples
Authors: Henningsson Anna J. , Aase Audun , Bavelaar Herjan , Flottorp Signe , Forsberg Pia , Kirkehei Ingvild , Lövmar Matilda , Nilsson Kenneth , Nyman Dag , Ornstein Katharina , Sjöwall Johanna , Skogman Barbro H. , Tjernberg Ivar , Aaberge Ingeborg
Published: September 2021

Background: For the most important and well-known infections spread by Ixodes ticks, Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), there are recommendations for diagnosis and management available from several health authorities and professional medical networks. However, other tick-borne microorganisms with potential to cause human disease are less known and clear recommendations on diagnosis and management are scarce. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of published studies and reviews focusing on evaluation of laboratory methods for clinical diagnosis of human tick-borne diseases (TBDs), other than acute LB and TBE. The specific aim was to evaluate the scientific support for laboratory diagnosis of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, rickettsiosis, neoehrlichiosis, babesiosis, hard tick relapsing fever, tularemia and bartonellosis, as well as tick-borne co-infections and persistent LB in spite of recommended standard antibiotic treatment.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature search in 11 databases for research published from 2007 through 2017, and categorized potentially relevant references according to the predefined infections and study design. An expert group assessed the relevance and eligibility and reviewed the articles according to the QUADAS (diagnostic studies) or AMSTAR (systematic reviews) protocols, respectively. Clinical evaluations of one or several diagnostic tests and systematic reviews were included. Case reports, non-human studies and articles published in other languages than English were excluded.

Results: A total of 48 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for evaluation. The majority of these studies were based on small sample sizes. There were no eligible studies for evaluation of tick-borne co-infections or for persistent LB after antibiotic treatment.

Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for larger evaluations of laboratory tests using clinical samples from well-defined cases taken at different time-points during the course of the diseases. Since the diseases occur at a relatively low frequency, single-center cross-sectional studies are practically not feasible, but multi-center case control studies could be a way forward.
Effectiveness of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Against Pneumococcal Diseases Among the Elderly Aged 60 Years or Older: A Matched Test Negative Case-Control Study in Shanghai, China
Authors: Sun Xiaodong , Guo Xiang , Qiu Jing , Zhao Genming , Xu Xinxin , Wagner Abram L. , Jiang Hongli , Huang Zhuoying , Ren Jia , Ma Xiaoying , Liang Xiufang , Yao Yao , Wu Jialing , Lu Yihan
Published: September 2021

Background:Streptococcus pneumoniae infection among adults, especially in adults over 60 years old in China results in a large number of hospitalizations and a substantial financial burden. This study assessed the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) against pneumococcal diseases among the elderly aged 60 years or older in Shanghai, China.

Methods: We conducted a test-negative case–control study among the elderly aged 60 years or older who sought care at hospitals in 13 districts of Shanghai from September 14, 2013 to August 31, 2019. A case was defined as pneumococcal disease and testing positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae. Controls had symptoms congruent with pneumococcal disease but were negative for Streptococcus pneumoniae. We conducted 1:2 matching by gender, age, hospital and admission date. Vaccination status was verified from the immunization system database. VE was calculated with conditional logistic regression according to the formula (1–OR) ×100%.

Results: Overall, 603 adults aged 60 years or older with pneumococcal disease and positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae were included as cases, and 19.6% (118 persons) had a recorded PPV23 vaccination. The controls included 1,206 adults, whose vaccination rate was 23.8% (287 persons). The VE against pneumococcal diseases among the whole population was 24% (95% CI: 2%, 40%) and among women 44% (95% CI: 6%, 67%). After adjusting for multiple variables, the effectiveness of PPV23 against pneumococcal diseases was still statistically significant with VE for all of 25% (95% CI: 3%, 42%) and VE for women of 49% (95% CI: 11%, 71%).

Conclusion: PPV23 was effective against pneumococcal diseases in adults aged 60 years or older in Shanghai, China. Its relatively high effectiveness among women warrants this group to be particularly targeted for vaccination, with further research on why vaccination effectiveness is less among men.
Syndemic Framework Evaluation of Severe COVID-19 Outcomes in the United States: Factors Associated With Race and Ethnicity
Authors: Williams Christopher , Vermund Sten H.
Published: September 2021

Socially and economically disadvantaged racial and ethnic minorities have experienced comparatively severe clinical outcomes from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States. Disparities in health outcomes arise from a myriad of synergistic biomedical and societal factors. Syndemic theory provides a useful framework for examining COVID-19 and other diseases that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Syndemic models ground research inquiries beyond individual clinical data to include non-biological community-based drivers of SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and severity of disease. Given the importance of such economic, environmental, and sociopolitical drivers in COVID-19, our aim in thisPerspectiveis to examine entrenched racial and ethnic health inequalities and the magnitude of associated disease burdens, economic disenfranchisement, healthcare barriers, and hostile sociopolitical contexts—all salient syndemic factors brought into focus by the pandemic. Systemic racism persists within long-term care, health financing, and clinical care environments. We present proximal and distal public policy strategies that may mitigate the impact of this and future pandemics.
Exposure of Ophthalmologists to Patients' Exhaled Droplets in Clinical Practice: A Numerical Simulation of SARS-CoV-2 Exposure Risk
Authors: Fan Yanchao , Liu Li , Zhang Hui , Deng Yingping , Wang Yi , Duan Mengjie , Wang Huan , Wang Lixiang , Han Leifeng , Liu Yalin
Published: September 2021

Background: Lack of quantification of direct and indirect exposure of ophthalmologists during ophthalmic diagnostic process makes it hard to estimate the infectious risk of aerosol pathogen faced by ophthalmologists at working environment.

Methods: Accurate numerical models of thermal manikins and computational fluid dynamics simulations were used to investigate direct (droplet inhalation and mucosal deposition) and indirect exposure (droplets on working equipment) within a half-minute procedure. Three ophthalmic examination or treatment scenarios (direct ophthalmoscopic examination, slit-lamp microscopic examination, and ophthalmic operation) were selected as typical exposure distance, two breathing modes (normal breathing and coughing), three levels of ambient RH (40, 70, and 95%) and three initial droplet sizes (50, 70, and 100 μm) were considered as common working environmental condition.

Results: The exposure of an ophthalmologist to a patient's expiratory droplets during a direct ophthalmoscopic examination was found to be 95 times that of a person during normal interpersonal interaction at a distance of 1 m and 12.1, 8.8, and 9.7 times that of an ophthalmologist during a slit-lamp microscopic examination, a surgeon during an ophthalmic operation and an assistant during an ophthalmic operation, respectively. The ophthalmologist's direct exposure to droplets when the patient cough-exhaled was ~7.6 times that when the patient breath-exhaled. Compared with high indoor RH, direct droplet exposure was higher and indirect droplet exposure was lower when the indoor RH was 40%.

Conclusion: During the course of performing ophthalmic examinations or treatment, ophthalmologists typically face a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by droplet transmission.
Dust Exposure and Respiratory Health Among Workers in Primary Coffee Processing Factories in Tanzania and Ethiopia
Authors: Bråtveit Magne , Abaya Samson Wakuma , Sakwari Gloria , Moen Bente E.
Published: September 2021

Introduction: In primary coffee factories the coffee beans are cleaned and sorted. Studies from the 80- and 90-ties indicated respiratory health effects among the workers, but these results may not represent the present status. Our aim was to review recent studies on dust exposure and respiratory health among coffee factory workers in Tanzania and Ethiopia, two major coffee producing countries in Africa.

Methods: This study merged data from cross-sectional studies from 2010 to 2019 in 4 and 12 factories in Tanzania and Ethiopia, respectively. Personal samples of “total” dust and endotoxin were taken in the breathing zone. Chronic respiratory symptoms were assessed using the American Thoracic Society (ATS) questionnaire. Lung function was measured by a spirometer in accordance with ATS guidelines.

Results: Dust exposure among male production workers was higher in Ethiopia (GM 12 mg/m3; range 1.1–81) than in Tanzania (2.5; 0.24–36). Exposure to endotoxins was high (3,500; 42–75,083) compared to the Dutch OEL of 90 EU/m3. The male workers had higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms than controls. The highest symptom prevalence and odds ratio were found for cough (48.4%; OR = 11.3), while for breathlessness and wheezing the odds ratios were 3.2 and 2.4, respectively. There was a significant difference between the male coffee workers and controls in the adjusted FEV1 (0.26 l/s) and FVC (0.21 l) and in the prevalence of airflow limitation (FEV1/FVC < 0.7) (6.3 vs. 0.9%). Among the male coffee workers, there was a significant association between cumulative dust exposure and the lung function variables FEV1 and FVC, respectively.

Conclusions: The results suggest that coffee production workers are at risk of developing chronic respiratory symptoms and reduced lung function, and that the findings are related to high dust levels. Measures to reduce dust exposure should be targeted to factors identified as significant determinants of exposure.
Highly Sensitive Flexible Pressure Sensors Enabled by Mixing of Silicone Elastomer With Ionic Liquid-Grafted Silicone Oil
Authors: Kang Zhaoqing , Nie Yi , Yu Liyun , Zhang Suojiang , Skov Anne Ladegaard
Published: September 2021

Developing highly sensitive flexible pressure sensors has become crucially urgent due to the increased societal demand for wearable electronic devices capable of monitoring various human motions. The sensitivity of such sensors has been shown to be significantly enhanced by increasing the relative dielectric permittivity of the dielectric layers used in device construction via compositing with immiscible ionic conductors. Unfortunately, however, the elastomers employed for this purpose possess inhomogeneous morphologies, and thus suffer from poor long-term durability and unstable electrical response. In this study, we developed a novel, flexible, and highly sensitive pressure sensor using an elastomeric dielectric layer with particularly high permittivity and homogeneity due to the addition of synthesized ionic liquid-grafted silicone oil (denoted LMS-EIL). LMS-EIL possesses both a very high relative dielectric permittivity (9.6 × 105 at 10−1 Hz) and excellent compatibility with silicone elastomers due to the covalently connected structure of conductive ionic liquid (IL) and chloropropyl silicone oil. A silicone elastomer with a relative permittivity of 22 at 10−1 Hz, Young’s modulus of 0.78 MPa, and excellent homogeneity was prepared by incorporating 10 phr (parts per hundreds rubber) of LMS-EIL into an elastomer matrix. The sensitivity of the pressure sensor produced using this optimized silicone elastomer was 0.51 kPa−1, which is 100 times higher than that of the pristine elastomer. In addition, a high durability illustrated by 100 loading–unloading cycles and a rapid response and recovery time of approximately 60 ms were achieved. The excellent performance of this novel pressure sensor suggests significant potential for use in human interfaces, soft robotics, and electronic skin applications.
Process Evaluation of Project FFAB (Fun Fast Activity Blasts): A Multi-Activity School-Based High-Intensity Interval Training Intervention
Authors: Weston Kathryn L. , Innerd Alison , Azevedo Liane B. , Bock Susan , Batterham Alan M.
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Over the last decade, research into the impact of school-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on young people's health has markedly increased. Despite this, most authors have focused on the outcomes of their intervention, rather than the process of how the study was conducted. The aim of our study, therefore, was to conduct a mixed methods process evaluation of Project FFAB (Fun Fast Activity Blasts), a school-based HIIT intervention for adolescents. The objectives were to explore study recruitment, reach, intervention dose, fidelity, participants' experiences, context, and future implementation.

Methods: Recruitment was assessed by comparing the number of students who received study information, to those who provided consent. Reach was described as the number of participants who completed the intervention. Dose was reported via the number of HIIT sessions delivered, total exercise time commitment, HIIT exercise time, and session attendance. Post-intervention focus groups were conducted with intervention participants (n = 33; aged 14.1 ± 0.3 years; mean ± standard deviation). These discussions explored aspects of intervention fidelity (extent that the intervention was delivered as intended); participants' experiences of the HIIT sessions; context (exploration of the nuances of school-based HIIT); and ideas for future implementation.

Results: Recruitment, reach, and dose data indicate that Project FFAB was largely delivered as planned. Focus group data identified a mismatch between perceived vs. prescribed work: rest ratio for the multi-activity HIIT drills. Generally, the HIIT drills were well-received; participants often reported they were fun to complete, and the use of heart rate monitors was helpful for interpreting exercise intensity. Some participants stated that greater variety in the HIIT drills would be preferable. The timing and structure of the HIIT sessions that took place outside of physical education lessons received mixed responses.

Conclusion: Collectively, our study supports the use of school-based HIIT and provides valuable insights into how such interventions can be implemented. Project FFAB could be modified to account for individuals' preferences on when the exercise sessions took place. In addition, a wider range of activities could be included, and the prescribed work: rest ratio of the HIIT drills could be better communicated.
Assessment of Antibiotic Stewardship Components of Certification Programs in US Animal Agriculture Using the Antibiotic Stewardship Assessment Tool
Authors: Umber Jamie K. , Moore Kristine A.
Published: September 2021

Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) are meant to promote appropriate use of antibiotics and to help maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics. For the United States (US) animal agriculture industry, multiple resources exist to guide antibiotic stewardship practices. Animal management certification programs can promote on-farm compliance with antibiotic stewardship through the incentive of achieving certification. The goal of this project was to determine whether the stewardship-related requirements of US-based certification programs align with identified core components of antibiotic stewardship in food animal agriculture using the Antibiotic Stewardship Assessment Tool (ASAT). We applied the ASAT to publicly available information from four different US animal agriculture certification programs that incorporate some level of antibiotic stewardship. In part due to varying scopes, the programs demonstrated a great deal of variability in meeting the metrics of the ASAT, with one program meeting all the required metrics and the other three only meeting the metrics to varying degrees (ranging from 3 to 67%). We identified several areas as opportunities for enhancing and promoting ASP implementation on farms. The area with the most opportunity for improvement is evaluation. Evaluation can help ensure effective outcomes of stewardship practices and ensure accountability for following recommended antibiotic stewardship guidelines. While evaluation currently may fall outside the scope of some certification programs, the incorporation of more specific antibiotic stewardship evaluation details within certification program content could serve as an important mechanism for promoting voluntary on-farm compliance with antibiotic stewardship guidelines.
Rotating Hinge Knee Arthroplasty for Revision Prosthetic-Knee Infection: Good Functional Outcomes but a Crucial Need for Superinfection Prevention
Authors: Bourbotte-Salmon Florian , Ferry Tristan , Cardinale Mickaël , Servien Elvire , Rongieras Frédéric , Fessy Michel-Henry , Bertani Antoine , Laurent Frédéric , Buffe-Lidove Margaux , Batailler Cécile , Lustig Sébastien ,   The Lyon Bone and Joint Infections Study Group
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Management of chronic infection following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is challenging. Rotating hinged prostheses are often required in this setting due to severe bone loss, ligamentous insufficiency, or a combination of the two. The nature of the mechanical and septic complications occurring in this setting has not been well-described. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient outcomes using a hinge knee prosthesis for prosthetic knee infections and to investigate risk factors for implant removal.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that included all patients treated in our tertiary level referral center between January 2009 and December 2016 for prosthetic knee infection with a hinge knee prosthesis. Only patients with a minimum 2-year of follow-up were included. Functional evaluation was performed using international knee society (IKS) “Knee” and “Function” scores. Survival analysis comparing implant removal risks for mechanical and septic causes was performed using Cox univariate analysis and Kaplan-Meier curves. Risk factors for implant removal and septic failure were assessed.

Results: Forty-six knees were eligible for inclusion. The majority of patients had satisfactory functional outcomes as determined by mean IKS scores (mean knee score: 70.53, mean function score: 46.53 points, and mean knee flexion: 88.75°). The 2-year implant survival rate was 89% but dropped to 65% at 7 years follow-up. The risk of failure (i.e., implant removal) was higher for septic etiology compared to mechanical causes. Patients with American society of anesthesiologists (ASA) score>1, immunosuppression, or with peripheral arterial diseases had a higher risk for septic failure. Patients with acute infection according to the Tsukayamaclassification had a higher risk of failure. Of the 46 patients included, 19 (41.3%) had atleast one infectious event on the surgical knee and most of these were superinfections (14/19) with new pathogens isolated. Among pathogens responsible for superinfections (i) cefazolin and gentamicin were both active in six of the cases but failed to prevent the superinfection; (ii) cefazolin and/or gentamicin were not active in eight patients, leading to alternative systemic and/or local antimicrobial prophylaxis consideration.

Conclusions: Patients with chronic total knee arthroplasty (TKA) infection, requiring revision using rotating hinge implant, had good functional outcomes but experienced a high rate of septic failure, mostly due to bacterial superinfection. These patients may need optimal antimicrobial systemic prophylaxis and innovative approaches to reduce the rate of superinfection.
Soil Particulate and Mineral-Associated Organic Matter Increases in Organic Farming under Cover Cropping and Manure Addition
Authors: Kauer Karin , Pärnpuu Sandra , Talgre Liina , Eremeev Viacheslav , Luik Anne
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to investigate the soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rate and soil organic matter (SOM) composition in conventional rotational cropping with mineral fertilization compared with organic cover cropping with and without composted manure addition during 2008–2018 to specify the SOM stabilization under different farming systems. The SOC proportion in particulate organic matter (POM) (63–2000 µm) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) (<63 µm) fractions were estimated in different treatments, and the SOM composition in the fractions was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. The SOC sequestration rate was treatment-dependent, with the higher SOC sequestration rate (1.26 Mg ha−1 y−1) in the organic treatment with cover crop and composted manure. Across all treatments, 57.3%–77.8% of the SOC stock was in the MAOM fraction. Mineral N fertilization increased POM-C concentration by 19%–52% compared with the unfertilized control. Under the organic treatments, the POM-C concentration was 83%–95% higher than the control. The MAOM-C concentration increased by 8%–20%. The mineral N fertilization and organic treatments (with and without cover crops and composted manure) increased the SOC stock proportion of POM. The highest proportion of SOC stock related to POM was in the cover cropping system, reducing the proportion of C related to the MAOM fraction, but the addition of composted manure with cover cropping also increased the proportion of C in MAOM. Compared with MAOM, the POM had a less resistant organic matter composition, and the POM resistance was higher in organic than conventional treatments. In general, the recalcitrance of SOM increased with SOC concentration. The POM fraction had higher aromaticity (or degree of decomposition) than the MAOM fraction. The aromaticity in POM and MAOM fractions was higher in the organic farming system and depended on mineral N fertilization and cover cropping, but the effect of manure was not significant. Although the SOC sequestration rate was higher under manure addition, resulting in the highest formation of both POM and MAOM in the soil, manure addition had little effect on overall SOM composition compared with cover crops.
Mitigation of High-Temperature Damage by Application of Kaolin and Pinolene on Young Olive Trees (Olea europaea L.): A Preliminary Experiment to Assess Biometric, Eco-Physiological and Nutraceutical Parameters
Authors: Cirillo Aurora , Conti Stefano , Graziani Giulia , El-Nakhel Christophe , Rouphael Youssef , Ritieni Alberto , Di Vaio Claudio
Published: September 2021

Various products are used to mitigate the negative effects of abiotic stress in olive trees. The aim of the research was to examine an anti-transpirant product (Vapor Gard®, V) and a kaolin- based product (Manisol, K) effect on the growth of two-year-old olive tree seedlings under high temperature. The study was conducted in a greenhouse on trees of a native cultivar of Campania (cv. Salella) grown in pot during the growing season from May to September 2020. The experimental design included two products: di-1-p-menthene (product V) and kaolin (product K), applied five times at 20 day intervals compared with a control. The following biometric, physiological, and nutraceutical parameters were evaluated: stomatal conductance, chlorophyll a fluorescence, Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) index, relative water content (RWC), shoots growth, total leaf area per plant, trunk cross-sectional area, dry matter partitioning, total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity. The results obtained showed that the application of di-1-p-menthene (V) was able to induce a significant improvement of shoots growth (+37.22%) and trunk cross-sectional area (+46.60%) and a reduction of the stomatal conductance and an increase of leaf RWC values. Application with kaolin had positive effects on the total polyphenol content, with an increase over the control of 240.33% and higher antioxidant activity values. Further studies are necessary to determine the effect of these products on the biometric, physiological and nutraceutical parameters of mature olive trees cultivated in open field conditions.
Concordance of Skin Prick Test, Intradermal Testing, Serum IgE Levels and Symptoms in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Huppertz Tilman , Dahlem Martha , Weyer-Elberich Veronika , Haxel Boris R.
Published: September 2021

Background: Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis is achieved by a combination of patient history and different screening tools, followed by specific provocation testing. Screening tools usually involve a skin prick test (SPT), specific serum IgE or a combination of both. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation of SPT, intradermal testing and specific serum IgE testing in certain allergens and to evaluate sensitization rates, symptom patterns and time of symptoms in a cohort of patients with suspected allergic rhinitis. Methods: Data on 4653 patients with suspected allergic rhinitis were included and divided into five groups: spring bloomers (birch, hazel, etc.), summer bloomers (grasses and rye), autumn bloomers (ribwort and mugwort), mites and mold. Correlation of SPT, intradermal testing and specific IgE test results using Cohen’s kappa and logistic regression were carried out to evaluate the probability of symptoms. Results: Comparison of SPT and specific serum IgE led to kappa coefficients between 0.33 and 0.47, corresponding to a minor to moderate concordance. Comparing the symptoms reported by patients with sensitization diagnosed by SPT, a correlation was only found for spring and summer bloomers with an odds ratio of 1.5 and 2.1, respectively. The most prevalent symptom in the study cohort was rhinitis, followed by others such as asthma, sense of smell and atopic dermatitis. Conclusions: SPT seems to be more sensitive than specific IgE for detection of sensitization. Patients’ symptoms as well as the timing of symptoms, especially for perennial allergies, are not always very pronounced.
Identifying Risk Factors for Low Piglet Birth Weight, High Within-Litter Variation and Occurrence of Intrauterine Growth-Restricted Piglets in Hyperprolific Sows
Authors: Riddersholm Kristina V. , Bahnsen Ida , Bruun Thomas S. , de Knegt Leonardo V. , Amdi Charlotte
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to identify risk factors affecting PBW, high CVPBW and the occurrence of IUGR piglets in 12 commercial Danish herds with hyperprolific sows using free-access stalls, floor or electronic sow feeding systems in the gestation unit. The following factors were investigated: the duration of previous lactation, the length of the interval from weaning to insemination, the length of gestation, litter size, parity, sow backfat thickness in late gestation and the type of feeding system in the gestation unit. The study included newborn piglets from 452 litters with the following production indicator averages: 21.3 piglets/L, 1235 g PBW, 22.9% CVPBW and 10.9% and 11.8% within-litter occurrence of severe and mild IUGR piglets, respectively. Increasing length of weaning-to-insemination interval decreased PBW by 25.8 g/day. For 2nd to 9th parity sows, each additional piglet in the litter increased CVPBW by 0.38%, the occurrence of severe IUGR piglets by 0.68% and mild IUGR piglets by 0.50%. Sows of 5th parity and older had a 1.39% higher CVPBW and 49.1 g lighter piglets compared with sows of 2nd to 4th parity. PBW was lower in one ESF herd, suggesting complex interactions that need to be further elucidated. The main critical risk factor observed was litter size.
Towards a Framework for High-Performance Simulation of Livestock Disease Outbreak: A Case Study of Spread of African Swine Fever in Vietnam
Authors: Pham Linh Manh , Parlavantzas Nikos , Le Huy-Ham , Bui Quang Hung
Published: September 2021

The spread of disease in livestock is an important research topic of veterinary epidemiology because it provides warnings or advice to organizations responsible for the protection of animal health in particular and public health in general. Disease transmission simulation programs are often deployed with different species, disease types, or epidemiological models, and each research team manages its own set of parameters relevant to their target diseases and concerns, resulting in limited cooperation and reuse of research results. Furthermore, these simulation and decision support tools often require a large amount of computational power, especially for models involving tens of thousands of herds with millions of individuals spread over a large geographical area such as a region or a country. It is a matter of fact that epidemic simulation programs are often heterogeneous, but they often share some common workflows including processing of input data and execution of simulation, as well as storage, analysis, and visualization of results. In this article, we propose a novel architectural framework for simultaneously deploying any epidemic simulation program both on premises and on the cloud to improve performance and scalability. We also conduct some experiments to evaluate the proposed architectural framework on some aspects when applying it to simulate the spread of African swine fever in Vietnam.
Characterization of Suspected Crimes against Companion Animals in Portugal
Authors: Araújo Diana , Lima Carla , Mesquita João R. , Amorim Irina , Ochôa Cristina
Published: September 2021

Animal crimes are a widespread phenomenon with serious implications for animal welfare, individual well-being and for society in general. These crimes are universal and represent a major problem in human/animal interaction. In Portugal, current law 69/2014 criminalizes the mistreatment and abandonment of companion animals. This study characterizes forensic cases received at the Laboratory of Pathology of the National Institute of Agrarian and Veterinary Investigation (Vairão) since the enforcement of the aforementioned legislation. A retrospective study was carried out based on the consult of 160 data files of forensic necropsies from 127 dogs and 33 cats. Necropsies confirmed prior crime suspicion in 38 cases (24%), from which 33 were dogs and five were cats. Among confirmed cases, most of assaulted animals were medium-size (57%), crossbreed (55%) male (58%) dogs (87%), which were the victims of blunt force trauma (31%), firearms (27%), poisoning (27%) and asphyxiation (15%). In cats, most of the assaulted animals were juvenile (60%) females (60%) of unknown breed (40%), which suffered blunt force trauma (100%) as the only cause of death. The present study shows that violence against animals is a reality, and complaints about these crimes are gradually increasing due to the population’s raising awareness about animal rights. Greater communication and coordination between clinicians, veterinary pathologists, and law enforcement officers are essential to validate and legally support these cases and subject them to trial.
Predictors of Voriconazole Trough Concentrations in Patients with Child–Pugh Class C Cirrhosis: A Prospective Study
Authors: Zhao Yichang , Hou Jingjing , Xiao Yiwen , Wang Feng , Zhang Bikui , Zhang Min , Jiang Yongfang , Li Jiakai , Gong Guozhong , Xiang Daxiong , Yan Miao
Published: September 2021

This prospective observational study aimed to clinically describe voriconazole administrations and trough concentrations in patients with Child–Pugh class C and to investigate the variability of trough concentration. A total of 144 voriconazole trough concentrations from 43 Child–Pugh class C patients were analyzed. The majority of patients (62.8%) received adjustments. The repeated measured trough concentration was higher than the first and final ones generally (median, 4.33 vs. 2.99, 3.90 mg/L). Eight patients with ideal initial concentrations later got supratherapeutic with no adjusted daily dose, implying accumulation. There was a significant difference in concentrations among the six groups by daily dose (p = 0.006). The bivariate correlation analysis showed that sex, CYP2C19 genotyping, daily dose, prothrombin time activity, international normalized ratio, platelet, and Model for end-stage liver disease score were significant factors for concentration. Subsequently, the first four factors mentioned above entered into a stepwise multiple linear regression model (variance inflation factor <5), implying that CYP2C19 testing makes sense for precision medicine of Child–Pugh class C cirrhosis patients. The equation fits well and explains the 34.8% variety of concentrations (R2 = 0.348). In conclusion, it needs more cautious administration clinically due to no recommendation for Child–Pugh class C patients in the medication label. The adjustment of the administration regimen should be mainly based on the results of repeated therapeutic drug monitoring.
H2O2-Mediated Oxidative Stress Enhances Cystathionine γ-Lyase-Derived H2S Synthesis via a Sulfenic Acid Intermediate
Authors: Wang Jun , Jia Guanya , Li Heng , Yan Shasha , Qian Jing , Guo Xin , Li Ge , Qi Haizhen , Zhu Zhilong , Wu Yanjun , He Weijuan , Niu Weining
Published: September 2021

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is generated mainly by cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) in the cardiovascular system, plays a pivotal role in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. However, the regulatory mechanism of the CSE/H2S system is poorly understood. Herein, we show that oxidation induces the disulfide bond formation between Cys252 and Cys255 in the CXXC motif, thus stimulating the H2S-producing activity of CSE. The activity of oxidized CSE is approximately 2.5 fold greater than that of the reduced enzyme. Molecular dynamics and molecular docking suggest that the disulfide bond formation induces the conformational change in the active site of CSE and consequently increases the affinity of the enzyme for the substrate L-cysteine. Mass spectrometry and mutagenesis studies further established that the residue Cys255 is crucial for oxidation sensing. Oxidative stress-mediated sulfenylation of Cys255 leads to a sulfenic acid intermediate that spontaneously forms an intramolecular disulfide bond with the vicinal thiol group of Cys252. Moreover, we demonstrate that exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and endogenous H2O2 triggered by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promote cellular H2S production through the enhancement of CSE activity under oxidative stress conditions. By contrast, incubation with H2O2 or VEGF did not significantly enhance cellular H2S production in the presence of PEG-catalase, an enzymatic cell-permeable H2O2 scavenger with high H2O2 specificity. Taken together, we report a new posttranslational modification of CSE that provides a molecular mechanism for H2O2/H2S crosstalk in cells under oxidative stress.
Transcriptomics Underlying Pulmonary Ozone Pathogenesis Regulated by Inflammatory Mediators in Mice
Authors: Cho Hye-Youn , Jedlicka Anne E. , Chang Frederick H. , Marzec Jacqui , Bauer Alison K. , Kleeberger Steven R.
Published: September 2021

Ozone (O3) is the predominant oxidant air pollutant associated with airway inflammation, lung dysfunction, and the worsening of preexisting respiratory diseases. We previously demonstrated the injurious roles of pulmonary immune receptors, tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR), and toll-like receptor 4, as well as a transcription factor NF-κB, in response to O3 in mice. In the current study, we profiled time-dependent and TNFR- and NF-κB-regulated lung transcriptome changes by subacute O3 to illuminate the underlying molecular events and downstream targets. Mice lacking Tnfr1/Tnfr2 (Tnfr-/-) or Nfkb1 (Nfkb1-/-) were exposed to air or O3. Lung RNAs were prepared for cDNA microarray analyses, and downstream and upstream mechanisms were predicted by pathway analyses of the enriched genes. O3 significantly altered the genes involved in inflammation and redox (24 h), cholesterol biosynthesis and vaso-occlusion (48 h), and cell cycle and DNA repair (48–72 h). Transforming growth factor-β1 was a predicted upstream regulator. Lack of Tnfr suppressed the immune cell proliferation and lipid-related processes and heightened epithelial cell integrity, and Nfkb1 deficiency markedly suppressed lung cell cycle progress during O3 exposure. Common differentially regulated genes by TNFR and NF-κB1 (e.g., Casp8, Il6, and Edn1) were predicted to protect the lungs from cell death, connective tissue injury, and inflammation. Il6-deficient mice were susceptible to O3-induced protein hyperpermeability, indicating its defensive role, while Tnf-deficient mice were resistant to overall lung injury caused by O3. The results elucidated transcriptome dynamics and provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms regulated by TNFR and NF-κB1 in pulmonary subacute O3 pathogenesis.
Male Disadvantage in Oxidative Stress-Associated Complications of Prematurity: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression
Authors: van Westering-Kroon Elke , Huizing Maurice J , Villamor-Martínez Eduardo , Villamor Eduardo
Published: September 2021

A widely accepted concept is that boys are more susceptible than girls to oxidative stress-related complications of prematurity, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). We aimed to quantify the effect size of this male disadvantage by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies exploring the association between sex and complications of prematurity. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs were calculated by a random-effects model. Of 1365 potentially relevant studies, 41 met the inclusion criteria (625,680 infants). Male sex was associated with decreased risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fetal distress, and C-section, but increased risk of low Apgar score, intubation at birth, respiratory distress, surfactant use, pneumothorax, postnatal steroids, late onset sepsis, any NEC, NEC > stage 1 (RR 1.12, CI 1.06–1.18), any IVH, severe IVH (RR 1.28, CI 1.22–1.34), severe IVH or PVL, any BPD, moderate/severe BPD (RR 1.23, CI 1.18–1.27), severe ROP (RR 1.14, CI 1.07–1.22), and mortality (RR 1.23, CI 1.16–1.30). In conclusion, preterm boys have higher clinical instability and greater need for invasive interventions than preterm girls. This leads to a male disadvantage in mortality and short-term complications of prematurity.
Fisetin Protects HaCaT Human Keratinocytes from Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis by Inhibiting the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response
Authors: Molagoda Ilandarage Menu Neelaka , Kavinda Mirissa Hewage Dumindu , Choi Yung Hyun , Lee Hyesook , Kang Chang-Hee , Lee Mi-Hwa , Lee Chang-Min , Kim Gi-Young
Published: September 2021

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) originates from the combustion of coal and is found in the exhaust of fumes of diesel vehicles. PM2.5 readily penetrates the skin via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, causing skin senescence, inflammatory skin diseases, DNA damage, and carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated whether fisetin, a bioactive flavonoid, prevents PM2.5-induced apoptosis in HaCaT human keratinocytes. The results demonstrated that fisetin significantly downregulated PM2.5-induced apoptosis at concentrations below 10 μM. Fisetin strongly inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins. The PM2.5-induced apoptosis was associated with the induction of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, mediated via the protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK)–eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α)–activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)–CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP) axis. Additionally, the cytosolic Ca2+ levels were markedly increased following exposure to PM2.5. However, fisetin inhibited the expression of ER stress-related proteins, including 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), phospho-eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP, and reduced the cytosolic Ca2+ levels. These data suggest that fisetin inhibits PM2.5-induced apoptosis by inhibiting the ER stress response and production of ROS.
Lycopene Protects Intestinal Epithelium from Deoxynivalenol-Induced Oxidative Damage via Regulating Keap1/Nrf2 Signaling
Authors: Rajput Shahid Ali , Liang Shao-Jie , Wang Xiu-Qi , Yan Hui-Chao
Published: September 2021

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a threatening mycotoxin primarily present in the agricultural environment, especially in food commodities and animal forages, and exerts significant global health hazards. Lycopene (LYC) is a potent antioxidant carotenoid mainly present in tomatoes and other fruits with enormous health benefits. The present study was designed to ascertain whether LYC could protect DON-induced intestinal epithelium oxidative injury by regulating Keap1/Nrf2 signaling in the intestine of mice. A total of forty-eight mice were randomly distributed into four groups (n = 12), Control (CON), 10 mg/kg BW LYC, 3 mg/kg BW DON, and 3 mg/kg DON + 10 mg/kg LYC BW (DON + LYC). The experimental groups were treated by intragastric administration for 11 days. Our results showed that LYC significantly increased average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), and repaired intestinal injury and barrier dysfunction, as evident by increased trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and decreased diamine oxidase (DAO) activity, as well as up-regulated tight junction proteins (occludin, claudin-1) under DON exposure. Furthermore, LYC treatment stabilized the functions of intestinal epithelial cells (Lgr5, PCNA, MUC2, LYZ, and Villin) under DON exposure. Additionally, LYC alleviated DON-induced oxidative stress by reducing ROS and MDA accumulation and enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, T-SOD, T-AOC, and GSH-Px), which was linked with the activation of Nrf2 signaling and degradation of Keap1 expression. Conclusively, our findings demonstrated that LYC protects intestinal epithelium from oxidative injury by modulating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway under DON exposure. These novel findings could lead to future research into the therapeutic use of LYC to protect the DON-induced harmful effects in humans and/or animals.
Granular Stack Density’s Influence on Homogeneous Fluidization Regime: Numerical Study Based on EDEM-CFD Coupling
Authors: Drame Aboubacar Sidiki , Wang Li , Zhang Yanping
Published: September 2021

FLUENT and EDEM were applied to simulate liquid–solid coupling in a 3D homogenous fluidization. The dynamics of destabilization of the granular material immersed by homogeneous fluidization were observed. The effect of initial packing density of granular stack and fluidization rate on the fluidization’s transient regime, the configuration of particles in the fluidized bed and the variation of bed height were analyzed and discussed. According to the results, there was an original observation of a strong impact of the initial density of an initially static granular stack on the transient fluidization regime. Depending on the material initial volume fraction, there was a difference in grain dynamics. For an initially loose stack, a homogeneous turbulent fluidization was observed, whereas for an initially dense stack, there was a mass takeoff of the stack. The propagation of wave porosity instability, from the bottom to the top of the stack with fast kinetics that decompacted the medium, followed this mass takeoff.
Multi-Templates Based Robust Tracking for Robot Person-Following Tasks
Authors: Cao Minghe , Wang Jianzhong , Ming Li
Published: September 2021

While the robotics techniques have not developed to full automation, robot following is common and crucial in robotic applications to reduce the need for dedicated teleoperation. To achieve this task, the target must first be robustly and consistently perceived. In this paper, a robust visual tracking approach is proposed. The approach adopts a scene analysis module (SAM) to identify the real target and similar distractors, leveraging statistical characteristics of cross-correlation responses. Positive templates are collected based on the tracking confidence constructed by the SAM, and negative templates are gathered by the recognized distractors. Based on the collected templates, response fusion is performed. As a result, the responses of the target are enhanced and the false responses are suppressed, leading to robust tracking results. The proposed approach is validated on an outdoor robot-person following dataset and a collection of public person tracking datasets. The results show that our approach achieved state-of-the-art tracking performance in terms of both the robustness and AUC score.
Use of Computed Tomography Scan Technology to Explore the Porosity of Concrete: Scientific Possibilities and Technological Limitations
Authors: Vicente Miguel Angel , Mena Álvaro , Mínguez Jesús , González Dorys Carmen
Published: September 2021

This paper shows the scientific possibilities of computed tomography for the study of concrete porosity. The enormous technological advances in computed tomography equipment used in materials research, with increasingly higher energy, better resolution and smaller pixel size will allow, in the near future, viewing pore sizes that are currently unthinkable, competing in resolution with the traditional techniques of mercury porosimetry and nitrogen adsorption. The challenge at that time (and to a lesser extent today) will be how to extract as much information as possible from the large amount of data provided by computed tomography equipment. In this article, through the study of six cubic specimens of 40 mm sides, different techniques of extraction and presentation of the information are shown, which help us to better understand the characterization of the morphology and distribution of the pores inside the concrete matrix. This information is essential to understand some of the macroscopic responses of the concrete.
Automated Detection of Premature Flow Transitions on Wind Turbine Blades Using Model-Based Algorithms
Authors: Parrey Ann-Marie , Gleichauf Daniel , Sorg Michael , Fischer Andreas
Published: September 2021

Defects on rotor blade leading edges of wind turbines can lead to premature laminar–turbulent transitions, whereby the turbulent boundary layer flow forms turbulence wedges. The increased area of turbulent flow around the blade is of interest here, as it can have a negative effect on the energy production of the wind turbine. Infrared thermography is an established method to visualize the transition from laminar to turbulent flow, but the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the turbulence wedges is often too low to allow a reliable wedge detection with the existing image processing techniques. To facilitate a reliable detection, a model-based algorithm is presented that uses prior knowledge about the wedge-like shape of the premature flow transition. A verification of the algorithm with simulated thermograms and a validation with measured thermograms of a rotor blade from an operating wind turbine are performed. As a result, the proposed algorithm is able to detect turbulence wedges and to determine their area down to a CNR of 2. For turbulence wedges in a recorded thermogram on a wind turbine with CNR as low as 0.2, at least 80% of the area of the turbulence wedges is detected. Thus, the model-based algorithm is proven to be a powerful tool for the detection of turbulence wedges in thermograms of rotor blades of in-service wind turbines and for determining the resulting areas of the additional turbulent flow regions with a low measurement error.