bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MAPEAMENTO DAS PESQUISAS BRASILEIRAS SOBRE LABORATÓRIOS ASSOCIADOS À MATEMÁTICA: ANÁLISE DE 40 ANOS DE PRODUÇÕES ACADÊMICAS
Authors: De Oliveira Carlos Eduardo , Cavalcante José Luiz , Andrade Vladimir Lira Veras Xavier
Published: August 2023

Este artigo, resultado de uma investigação de doutorado, tem como finalidade apresentar um mapeamento das pesquisas acadêmicas (dissertações e teses) produzidas no Brasil, nos últimos 40 anos (1983 a 2022), que trazem laboratórios associados à Matemática como um dos seus focos principais. Como relato científico de uma pesquisa de característica inventariante, que busca desenhar um panorama, inicia por evidenciar brevemente fatos e textos historicamente demarcados no desenvolvimento da temática dos laboratórios. Em seguida, detalha metodologicamente a construção da Base de Dados da Pesquisa (Base), organizada em uma planilha, gerada a partir de dados coletados em 55 trabalhos, frutos de mestrados (acadêmico e profissional) e doutorados em programas de pós-graduação nas áreas de Educação, de Ensino e de Matemática. Dentre os principais resultados, destaca-se a constatação de que a produção científica sobre os laboratórios não tem sido uniforme, apesar de as discussões em torno da temática não serem recentes. Desde a primeira produção acadêmica, em 1983, há um lapso temporal de 14 anos para surgimento de novos trabalhos; mesmo assim, somente a partir de 2010 a produção começa a tomar corpo. Observa-se, ainda, que os trabalhos estão mais concentrados em apenas duas regiões brasileiras (Nordeste e Sudeste); que a área de Ensino detém a maior parte das pesquisas; e que os mestrados profissionais têm assumido um lugar de destaque nesta produção.
O SOFTWARE RÉGUA E COMPASSO COMO FERRAMENTA PARA O ENSINO DA GEOMETRIA
Authors: Silva Lima Vinicius , Fonseca Campos Mota Eliane , De Azevedo Pedrosa João Vitor , Alves dos Santos Aderval
Published: August 2023

Este artigo tem como objetivo relatar a experiência vivenciada com o uso da ferramenta (software) de ensino Régua e Compasso (RC) na 18º Semana Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Instituto Federal Goiano Campus Urutaí, ocorrido em 2021. Usamos o software para o desenvolvimento de uma oficina do evento no formato remoto devido ao distanciamento social. A oficina foi organizada pelos bolsistas do subprojeto de Matemática do Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência (PIBID/Matemática). Primeiramente, estudamos o software, em seguida, criamos o roteiro da oficina, elaboramos as atividades, apresentamos o roteiro e as atividades à coordenação do PIBID para as devidas correções e orientações, realizamos a simulação e nos dias 07 e 08 de outubro de 2021 realizamos a oficina com o apoio do supervisor do subprojeto. Participaram da oficina 13 alunos. Todo o trabalho realizado foi importante para a nossa formação profissional. Consideramos o momento da realização das atividades o mais significativo da oficina, pois foi o momento de interação dos participantes conosco. Pudemos acompanhar o raciocínio deles e intervir provocando-os com questionamentos até que conseguissem chegar no resultado correto. Foi desafiador, prazeroso e enriquecedor.
Mycelium-based biomaterials as smart devices for skin wound healing
Authors: Ruggeri Marco , Miele Dalila , Contardi Marco , Vigani Barbara , Boselli Cinzia , Icaro Cornaglia Antonia , Rossi Silvia , Suarato Giulia , Athanassiou Athanassia , Sandri Giuseppina
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Recently, mycelia of Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus, edible fungi, have been characterized in vitro as self-growing biomaterials for tissue engineering since they are constituted of interconnected fibrous networks resembling the dermal collagen structure.

Aim: This work aims to investigate the biopharmaceutical properties of G. lucidum and P. ostreatus mycelia to prove their safety and effectiveness in tissue engineering as dermal substitutes.

Methods: The mycelial materials were characterized using a multidisciplinary approach, including physicochemical properties (morphology, thermal behavior, surface charge, and isoelectric point). Moreover, preclinical properties such as gene expression and in vitro wound healing assay have been evaluated using fibroblasts. Finally, these naturally-grown substrates were applied in vivo using a murine burn/excisional wound model.

Conclusions: Both G. lucidum and P. ostreatus mycelia are biocompatible and able to safely and effectively enhance tissue repair in vivo in our preclinical model.
Chlorite geochemical vectoring of ore bodies: a natural kind clustering approach
Authors: Freij Nicole , Gregory Daniel David , Zhang Shuang , Morrison Shaunna M.
Published: August 2023

Chlorite has long been considered a mineral group likely to have different trace element chemistry with proximity to mineralization, and therefore can be used to vector towards ore bodies. However, due to their geochemical complexity, it has proven challenging to develop a simple vectoring method based on the variation in abundance of one or a few chemical elements or isotopes. Machine learning, specifically cluster analysis, provides a potential mathematical tool for characterizing multidimensional geochemical correlations with proximity to mineralization. In this contribution we conducted a cluster analysis on 23 elements from 1,679 distinct chlorite sample analyses. The combination of this clustering technique with classification by proximity to the ore body, 1) explores and characterizes the nature of chlorite composition and proximity to ore bodies and 2) tests the efficacy of clustering-classification methods to predict whether a chlorite sample is near to an ore body. We found that chlorite chemistry is more strongly controlled by deposit type than proximity to mineralization and that cluster analysis of chlorite trace element content is likely not a viable way to develop vectors towards porphyry mineralization.
Low glomerular filtration rate values are associated with higher TSH in an elderly population at high cardiovascular disease risk
Authors: Brenta Gabriela , Nepote Alejandra , Barreto Adriana , Musso Carla , Faingold Cristina , Fossati Pía , Antonelli Alessandro , Fallahi Poupak , Famá Fausto , Meroño Tomás
Published: August 2023

Background

Hypothyroidism is associated with impaired glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a recognized cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality risk factor. In older adults, this association remains unexplored. We aimed to determine the relationship of elevated TSH with GFR in an elderly population at high CVD risk.

Methods

Older adults (age>65ys) with high CVD risk defined by two or more CVD risk factors: smoking (S), high blood pressure (HBP), high total cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, diabetes (DM), metabolic syndrome or previous cardiovascular event, were prospectively included at our ambulatory Endocrine Clinic. Patients under levothyroxine or thyroid disease were excluded. TSH> 6mU/l defined subclinical hypothyroidism (ScH) with normal free T4 levels. Estimated GFR was calculated by the Berlin-Initiative Study (BIS)-1 formula for elderly population. Urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (uACR), IL-6 and TNF-α, and Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were also determined. The U Mann-Whitney test, the Spearman test, and multiple linear regression were used as statistical tests,

Results

Finally 246 patients (68% females) were included and 20 (8%) had ScH. This group, was older (median, Q1-Q3: 77,72-78; 72,68-77 years, p=0.01) and DM was less frequent than in the euthyroid group (35 vs 58%, p=0.039). Lower fasting glucose (-20%,p=0.01), GFR (-14%,p=0.01) and freeT4 (-10%,p<0.001) were found compared to euthyroid patients. A higher prevalence of Kidney failure was found in ScH (80 vs. 46%, p=0.003) vs. euthyroid individuals. Significant correlations with GFR were detected: age (r-0.482,p<0.001), TSH (r-0.172,p=0.004), IL-6 (r-0.150,p=0.047), TNF-α (r-0.274,p<0.001), uACR (r-0.170,p=0.009) and CIMT(r-0.189,p=0.004). By multiple linear regression, in a model adjusted by age, sex, BMI, uACR, S, DM, TNF-α and HBP, TSH (Bst -0.14, p=0.023, R2 = 0.25) was found an independent predictor of GFR.

Conclusion

In older adults with high CVD risk, ScH is associated with lower renal function, and this relationship is present regardless of other cardiometabolic risk factors. These results suggest that ScH could contribute to low GFR and excess CVD risk, although this hypothesis should be addressed in longitudinal studies.
The psychometric properties of the barriers to insulin treatment questionnaire in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using insulin
Authors: Ma Min , Ma Xiquan , Chang Jingzhi , Yin Feiyan , Ma Sha , Zhang Yuan , Shi Zhidao
Published: August 2023

Aim

The objective of this study was to translate the Barriers to Insulin Treatment Questionnaire (BIT) into Chinese and test its psychometric properties in middle-aged and elderly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) patients using insulin in the Han people of urban China.

Methods

We established the Barriers to Insulin Treatment Questionnaire in Chinese (BIT-C). We selected 296 patients with T2D for testing BIT-C's the reliability and validity, of which 120 patients were retested four weeks later. Another 200 patients with T2D were selected to perform the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Results

The final BIT-C consisted of 11 items (BIT-C-11) and four factors. The explained variances of the BIT-C-11 and its four factors were 90.153%, 51.308%, 18.810%, 10.863%, and 9.173%. CFA validated that the four-factor model fit with the data of the BIT-C-11. Standardized factor loadings ranged between 0.77 and 0.90. The Cronbach’s α coefficients of the BIT-C-11 and its four factors were 0.903, 0.952, 0.927, 0.938, and 0.917. Correlation analysis was performed between the BIT-C-11 and General Adherence Scale in Chinese (GAS-C) to calculate the criterion-related validity (r = 0.598, p < 0.001). The correlation coefficient r of the BIT-C-11’s test–retest reliability was 0.810 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The BIT-C-11 has good reliability and validity. It can be used for psychological resistance to insulin therapy studies of middle-aged and elderly patients with T2D using insulin in the Han people of Chinese cities.
Quality of life in the course of a one-year use of an advanced hybrid closed-loop system in adults with type 1 diabetes previously naïve to advanced diabetes technology
Authors: Cyranka Katarzyna , Matejko Bartłomiej , Juza Anna , Kieć-Wilk Beata , Cohen Ohad , Malecki Maciej T. , Klupa Tomasz
Published: August 2023

Aim

To evaluate the effect of a one-year use of an advanced hybrid closed-loop (AHCL) system on the quality of life, level of anxiety, and level of self-efficacy in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) previously treated with multiple daily injections (MDI) and naïve to advanced diabetes technology

Methods

A total of 18 participants of a previously published 3-month randomized trial (10 men, 8 women; age 40.9 ± 7.6 years) who were switched directly from MDI/BMG to AHCL completed 12 months of MiniMed 780G™system use (a 3-month randomized trial followed by a 9-month follow-up phase). At month 6 of the study, patients were switched from the sensor GS3 (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) system, powered by Guardian™ Sensor 3) to GS4. Quality of life was assessed using the Polish validated version of the ‘QoL-Q Diabetes’ questionnaire. The level of anxiety was evaluated with the use of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Self-efficacy was assessed with the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Results were obtained at baseline and at the end of the study.

Results

Significant increase in QoL was reported in the global score (p=0.02, Cohen d=0.61) and in as many as 11 out of 23 analyzed areas of life: being physically active (p=0.02, Cohen d = 0.71); feeling well (p<.01, Cohen d = 0.73); feeling in control of my body (p<.01, Cohen d = 0.72); looking good (p<.01, Cohen d = 1.07); working (p<.01, Cohen d = 1.12); sleeping (p=0.01, Cohen d = 0.66); eating as I would like (p<.01, Cohen d = 0.79); looking after or being useful to others (p= 0.02, Cohen d = 0.65); being active with pets/animals (p<.01, Cohen d = 0.95); being spontaneous (p=0.02, Cohen d = 0.67); and doing “normal” things (p=0.02, Cohen d = 0.67). Both state (p=0.04, Cohen d = 0.56) and trait (p=0.02, Cohen d = 0.60) anxiety decreased while the general self-efficacy increased (p=0.03, Cohen d = 0.76). No participant stopped the use of the pump.

Conclusion

Adult patients with T1D previously treated with MDI and naïve to modern technologies experienced significant improvement in their psychological well-being after transitioning to the AHCL system after 12 months of treatment.
Association between Helicobacter pylori infection and triglyceride levels: a nested cross-sectional study
Authors: Xie Jun , Wang Jinyun , Zeng Rong , Xie Yong
Published: August 2023

Background

Currently, the available evidence regarding the relationship between the lipid profile and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is limited and conflicting. There is also a dearth of studies that have explored the possibility of sex-specific differences in the association between H. pylori infection and triglyceride levels.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 1,146 participants utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2000 conducted in the United States. A logistic regression model was employed to evaluate the association between H. pylori seropositivity and triglyceride levels. Subgroup analyses stratified by sex were conducted to explore sex-specific differences in this association.

Results

Serum triglyceride levels were significantly higher in H. pylori-seropositive participants than in H. pylori-seronegative participants. In the logistic regression analysis, there was a positive correlation between H. pylori seropositivity and triglyceride levels (OR=1.231; 95% CI, 1.016-1.491; P=0.033). In the subgroup analysis, the adjusted association between serum triglycerides and H. pylori seropositivity was significant in females (OR=1.732; 95% CI, 1.113-2.696; P=0.015) but not in males (OR=1.091; 95% CI, 0.698-1.705; P=0.704).

Conclusion

The association between high triglyceride levels and H. pylori infection is specific to the female population.
Fetal hyperechoic kidney cohort study and a meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Wei , Zu Shujing , Jin Qiu , Liu Yu , Wang Chao , Shen Huimin , Wang Ruijing , Zhang Hui , Liu Meimei
Published: August 2023

Objective: To investigate the positive rate of chromosomal and monogenic etiologies and pregnancy outcomes in fetuses with hyperechoic kidney, and to provide more information for genetic counseling and prognosis evaluation.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 25 cases of hyperechoic kidney diagnosed prenatal in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University and Harbin Red Cross Central Hospital (January 2017–December 2022). Furthermore, we conducted a meta-analysis of a series of hyperechoic kidneys (HEK) in the literature to assess the incidence of chromosomal and monogenic etiologies, mortality, and pooled odds ratio (OR) estimates of the association between the incidence of these outcomes and other associated ultrasound abnormalities.

Results: 25 fetuses of HEK were enrolled in the cohort study, including 14 with isolated hyperechoic kidney (IHK) and 11 with non-isolated hyperechoic kidney (NIHK). Chromosomal aneuploidies were detected in 4 of 20 patients (20%). The detection rate of pathogenic or suspected pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) was 29% (4/14) for IHK and 37% (4/11) for NIHK. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed in 5 fetuses, and pathogenic genes were detected in all of them. The rate of termination of pregnancy was 56% in HEK. 21 studies including 1,178 fetuses were included in the meta-analysis. No case of abnormal chromosome karyotype or (intrauterine death)IUD was reported in fetuses with IHK. In contrast, the positive rate of karyotype in NIHK was 22% and that in HEK was 20%, with the ORs of 0.28 (95% CI 0.16–0.51) and 0.25, (95% CI 0.14–0.44), respectively. The positive rate of (chromosome microarray analysis) CMA in IHK was 59% and that in NIHK was 32%, with the ORs of 1.46 (95% CI 1.33–1.62) and 0.48 (95% CI, 0.28–0.85), respectively. The positive rate of monogenic etiologies in IHK was 31%, with the OR of 0.80 (95% CI 0.25–2.63). In IHK, the termination rate was 21% and neonatal mortality was 13%, with the ORs of 0.26 (95% CI, 0.17–0.40), 1.72 (95% CI, 1.59–1.86), and that in NIHK was 63%, 0.15 (95% CI, 0.10–0.24); 11%, 0.12 (95% CI, 0.06–0.26), respectively. The intrauterine mortality in NIHK group was 2%, with the OR of 0.02 (95% CI, 0.01–0.05). HNF1B variant has the highest incidence (26%) in IHK.

Conclusion: The positive rate of karyotype was 20% in HEK and 22% in NIHK. The positive rate of CMA was 32% in NIHK and 59% in IHK. The positive rate of IHK monogenic etiologies was 31%. HNF1B gene variation is the most common cause of IHK. The overall fetal mortality rate of NIHK is significantly higher than that of IHK. The amount of amniotic fluid, kidney size and the degree of corticomedullary differentiation have a great impact on the prognosis, these indicators should be taken into consideration to guide clinical consultation and decision-making.
Continuous multimodal technologies in industrial microbiology: potential for achieving high process performance and agility
Authors: Wei Hui , Himmel Michael E.
Published: August 2023

The field of industrial microbiology has great potential to tackle the most pressing challenges facing society, but today, this entails much more than classical fermentation technology followed by product upgrading. Methods are needed to confer unit-operation-level functionality and whole-system-level robustness, as well as flexibility. As examples of this concept, we focus here on methodologies often deployed at industrial scale as discrete processes—such as biological, chemical, and electrochemical unit operations—that are also capable of substantial complementarity when combined sequentially and operated continuously. A key and relatively new type of conversion step is made possible by catalyst immobilization methods at both the enzymatic and cellular level. Cases drawn from electro-fermentation for acetoin production and syngas-mediated microbial electrosynthesis of ethanol exemplify the synergy of combined operational approaches. Because modular processes can be treated as a series of reactor elements, considerable flexibility is possible. As discussed, however, not all processes are amenable to this intensification.
Hardware-in-the-loop testing of control of a precooled desiccant air-cooling system
Authors: Haggag Osama , Demir Mehmet Hakan , Cetin Sabri , Worek William , Premer Jeffrey , Pandelidis Demis
Published: August 2023

Increasing the energy efficiency of cooling in buildings is an important component of the management of global energy consumption. A super-efficient cooling system based on the evaporation concept has been developed, and initial simulation results using the MATLAB/Simulink software tool have already been published by our team. In this paper, we present the results of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing of the real-time controller for the cooler. HIL testing is an engineering process in which the actual controller hardware and software are implemented and interfaced with a real-time simulated model of the controlled system. Using HIL testing, many real-world problems can be fixed before testing on the actual prototype. The controller design is implemented on a small-footprint industrial PC with CODESYS RTE and application code, while control software is implemented using IEC 61131-3 programming languages. Similarly, a real-time thermodynamic and input–output variable-based model of the room, environment, and cooler and its mechanical components (sensors and actuators) are modeled using another industrial PC with the same software tools. HIL test results show very good agreement with the offline simulations.
Arousal detection by using ultra-short-term heart rate variability (HRV) analysis
Authors: Mohammadpoor Faskhodi Mahtab , Fernández-Chimeno Mireya , García-González Miquel Angel
Published: August 2023

Introduction: The study of arousal is crucial as it helps to understand the role of increased physiological and psychological activation in emotions, motivation, cognitive performance, stress responses, sleep-wake cycles, and clinical application. Recent studies have shown that arousal is commonly associated with physiological changes including heart rate variability (HRV) as indicated by RR intervals. In some applications, the analysis requires analyzing short segments of RR time series, shorter than the usual 5 min HRV. The objective of this study is to check the performance of ultra-short-term HRV indices to track changes in arousal.

Method: In this study, to follow arousal changes, 31 healthy subjects were examined in both non-arousal (relaxed) and aroused states. Two states of 5 minutes each are used to measure the relaxed and arousal states. After data collection, RR time series segments were obtained randomly for each subject in arousal and relaxed states in the 30s, 60s, 120s, and 240s time windows. Next, 17 ultra-short-term HRV indices were computed for each time window for RR intervals in relaxed and aroused states.

Results and Discussion: Due to the findings, novel indices such as ACI and fnQ may aid in the recognition of arousal from relaxed status. The odds of ACI being higher for the same subject during a randomly selected arousal interval than during a randomly selected relax interval are 78%, 79%, 84%, and 89% for the 30s, 60s, 120s, and 240s time windows respectively. Similarly, the odds of fnQ being higher during arousal than during a relaxed state are 79%, 81%, 84%, and 85% for the 30s, 60s, 120s, and 240s time windows respectively. Therefore, ACI and fnQ provided the best performances in intra-individual arousal detection by using ultra-short-term HRV analysis among all of the obtained indices. Nevertheless, when pooling the indices for all the subjects, the inter-subject variability causes a moderate classification performance for all indices. In this case, the best performing index is fnQ with an area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) of 75%, 77%, 79%, and 80% for the 30s, 60s, 120s, and 240s time windows respectively.
Interaction patterns of methoprene-tolerant and germ cell-expressed Drosophila JH receptors suggest significant differences in their functioning
Authors: Kolonko-Adamska M. , Zawadzka-Kazimierczuk A. , Bartosińska-Marzec P. , Koźmiński W. , Popowicz G. , Krężel A. , Ożyhar A. , Greb-Markiewicz B.
Published: August 2023

Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and germ cell-expressed (Gce) proteins were shown to be juvenile hormone (JH) receptors of Drosophila melanogaster with partially redundant functions. We raised the question of where the functional differentiation of paralogs comes from. Therefore, we tested Met and Gce interaction patterns with selected partners. In this study, we showed the ability of Gce and its C-terminus (GceC) to interact with 14-3-3 in the absence of JH. In contrast, Met or Met C-terminus (MetC) interactions with 14-3-3 were not observed. We also performed a detailed structural analysis of Met/Gce interactions with the nuclear receptor fushi tarazu factor-1 (Ftz-F1) ligand-binding domain. We showed that GceC comprising an Ftz-F1-binding site and full-length protein interacts with Ftz-F1. In contrast to Gce, only MetC (not full-length Met) can interact with Ftz-F1 in the absence of JH. We propose that the described differences result from the distinct tertiary structure and accessibility of binding sites in the full-length Met/Gce. Moreover, we hypothesize that each interacting partner can force disordered MetC and GceC to change the structure in a partner-specific manner. The observed interactions seem to determine the subcellular localization of Met/Gce by forcing their translocation between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, which may affect the activity of the proteins. The presented differences between Met and Gce can be crucial for their functional differentiation during D. melanogaster development and indicate Gce as a more universal and more active paralog. It is consistent with the theory indicating gce as an ancestor gene.
Several dementia subtypes and mild cognitive impairment share brain reduction of neurotransmitter precursor amino acids, impaired energy metabolism, and lipid hyperoxidation
Authors: Aquilani Roberto , Cotta Ramusino Matteo , Maestri Roberto , Iadarola Paolo , Boselli Mirella , Perini Giulia , Boschi Federica , Dossena Maurizia , Bellini Anna , Buonocore Daniela , Doria Enrico , Costa Alfredo , Verri Manuela
Published: August 2023

Objective

Dementias and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are associated with variously combined changes in the neurotransmitter system and signaling, from neurotransmitter synthesis to synaptic binding. The study tested the hypothesis that different dementia subtypes and MCI may share similar reductions of brain availability in amino acid precursors (AAPs) of neurotransmitter synthesis and concomitant similar impairment in energy production and increase of oxidative stress, i.e., two important metabolic alterations that impact neurotransmission.

Materials and methods

Sixty-five demented patients (Alzheimer’s disease, AD, n = 44; frontotemporal disease, FTD, n = 13; vascular disease, VaD, n = 8), 10 subjects with MCI and 15 control subjects (CTRL) were recruited for this study. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma levels of AAPs, energy substrates (lactate, pyruvate), and an oxidative stress marker (malondialdehyde, MDA) were measured in all participants.

Results

Demented patients and subjects with MCI were similar for age, anthropometric parameters, biohumoral variables, insulin resistance (HOMA index model), and CSF neuropathology markers. Compared to age-matched CTRL, both demented patients and MCI subjects showed low CSF AAP tyrosine (precursor of dopamine and catecholamines), tryptophan (precursor of serotonin), methionine (precursor of acetylcholine) limited to AD and FTD, and phenylalanine (an essential amino acid largely used for protein synthesis) (p = 0.03 to <0.0001). No significant differences were found among dementia subtypes or between each dementia subtype and MCI subjects. In addition, demented patients and MCI subjects, compared to CTRL, had similar increases in CSF and plasma levels of pyruvate (CSF: p = 0.023 to <0.0001; plasma: p < 0.002 to <0.0001) and MDA (CSF: p < 0.035 to 0.002; plasma: p < 0.0001). Only in AD patients was the CSF level of lactate higher than in CTRL (p = 0.003). Lactate/pyruvate ratios were lower in all experimental groups than in CTRL.

Conclusion

AD, FTD, and VaD dementia patients and MCI subjects may share similar deficits in AAPs, partly in energy substrates, and similar increases in oxidative stress. These metabolic alterations may be due to AAP overconsumption following high brain protein turnover (leading to phenylalanine reductions), altered mitochondrial structure and function, and an excess of free radical production. All these metabolic alterations may have a negative impact on synaptic plasticity and activity.
Stat1 is an inducible transcriptional repressor of neural stem cells self-renewal program during neuroinflammation
Authors: Imitola Jaime , Hollingsworth Ethan W. , Watanabe Fumihiro , Olah Marta , Elyaman Wassim , Starossom Sarah , Kivisäkk Pia , Khoury Samia J.
Published: August 2023

A central issue in regenerative medicine is understanding the mechanisms that regulate the self-renewal of endogenous stem cells in response to injury and disease. Interferons increase hematopoietic stem cells during infection by activating STAT1, but the mechanisms by which STAT1 regulates intrinsic programs in neural stem cells (NSCs) during neuroinflammation is less known. Here we explored the role of STAT1 on NSC self-renewal. We show that overexpressing Stat1 in NSCs derived from the subventricular zone (SVZ) decreases NSC self-renewal capacity while Stat1 deletion increases NSC self-renewal, neurogenesis, and oligodendrogenesis in isolated NSCs. Importantly, we find upregulation of STAT1 in NSCs in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) and an increase in pathological T cells expressing IFN-γ rather than interleukin 17 (IL-17) in the cerebrospinal fluid of affected mice. We find IFN-γ is superior to IL-17 in reducing proliferation and precipitating an abnormal NSC phenotype featuring increased STAT1 phosphorylation and Stat1 and p16ink4a gene expression. Notably, Stat1–/– NSCs were resistant to the effect of IFN-γ. Lastly, we identified a Stat1-dependent gene expression profile associated with an increase in the Sox9 transcription factor, a regulator of self-renewal. Stat1 binds and transcriptionally represses Sox9 in a transcriptional luciferase assay. We conclude that Stat1 serves as an inducible checkpoint for NSC self-renewal that is upregulated during chronic brain inflammation leading to decreased self-renewal. As such, Stat1 may be a potential target to modulate for next generation therapies to prevent progression and loss of repair function in NSCs/neural progenitors in MS.
The causal effect of serum micronutrients on malignant kidney neoplasm in European descent
Authors: Qiao Pengfei , Tian Zhentao
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Observational studies have revealed that serum minerals and vitamins are associated with cancer. However, the causal relationships between serum minerals and vitamins and renal malignancies remain unclear.

Methods

Mendelian randomization (MR) was used for causal estimation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for serum minerals and vitamins were obtained from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). GWAS for malignant kidney neoplasm was obtained from the FinnGen consortium. Methods of inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median were carried out for causal inference. F-statistic was calculated to ensure a robust instrumental variable. Cochran’s Q statistics was applied to calculate heterogeneity. MR-Egger regression, MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier methods (MR-PRESSO) methods were used to perform pleiotropy analysis. Meanwhile, confounding factors were considered to determine whether causal inference would be biased.

Results

Eight different micronutrients were included (zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, copper, selenium, phosphate, and vitamin B12). After MR analysis, we found a protective effect of serum zinc against malignant kidney neoplasm (IVW: odds ratios (ORs), 0.86; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.78–0.94; p, 0.0016; MR-Egger: OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64–0.97; p, 0.052; weighted median: OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75–0.96; p, 0.011). Causal relationships between other micronutrients and malignant kidney neoplasm were not obtained. No heterogeneity and pleiotropy were detected, while causality was not biased by confounding factors.

Conclusion

We considered that serum zinc exerted a protective effect against malignant kidney neoplasm. In clinical practice, for people with high malignant kidney neoplasm risk, an oral zinc supplementation might play a role in a potential therapeutic target.
Case Report: Paraneoplastic psoriasis in thymic carcinoma
Authors: Mix Lucas , Knoll Manuel , Häring Max-Felix , Bethge Wolfgang Andreas , Schröder Jan C. , Forchhammer Stephan , Krumm Patrick , Schürch Christian M. , Schaller Martin , Lengerke Claudia
Published: August 2023

Thymic carcinomas are exceedingly rare and very aggressive malignancies of the anterior mediastinum. While thymomas exhibit a high association with paraneoplastic syndromes, these phenomena are a rarity in thymic carcinomas. In general, acanthotic syndromes such as acroceratosis neoplastica and acanthosis nigricans maligna are commonly observed as paraneoplastic phenomena in patients with carcinomas. In contrast, psoriasis vulgaris, another acanthotic disease, rarely occurs as a paraneoplasia. We report the case of a 36-year-old patient with progressive thymic carcinoma (undifferentiated carcinoma, T3N2M1a) and paraneoplastic psoriasis occurring ten months before the initial diagnosis of the carcinoma. Over the course of the disease, new psoriatic flares heralded relapse or progression of the carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of paraneoplastic psoriasis in thymic carcinoma.
Myopic progression in school-aged children with moderate intermittent exotropia
Authors: Shen Tao , Liang Mintong , Chen Linxing
Published: August 2023

Objective

It is still controversial whether intermittent exotropia (IXT) affects myopic progression during the critical period of visual development. This study retrospectively analyzed the long-term myopic changes and the impact of IXT surgery on myopic progression in school-aged children with moderate IXT.

Methods

The medical records of 65 children from 5 to 13 years old with or without IXT between 2015 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients whose spherical equivalent refraction (SER) were less than −3.00 diopter (D) were included and divided into three groups: IXT surgery group (Group A), which comprised 22 IXT patients who received IXT surgery, IXT observation group (Group B), which comprises 19 IXT patients who only received long-term observational follow-up; and normal control group (Group C), which comprised 24 normal controls without IXT. The main outcome measurement was the rate of myopic progression, which was defined as the mean myopic shift in SER per year.

Results

The 3- and 5-years long-term follow-up rates of myopic progression were −0.47 ± 0.28 D per year and −0.48 ± 0.23 D per year respectively in Group B, and those were significantly slower than that in Group C (−0.73 ± 0.32 D per year and −0.76 ± 0.19 D per year respectively). However, there was no significant difference in the rate of myopic progression between Group A and B or between Group A and C.

Conclusion

Moderate IXT may have lower rate of myopic progression in school-aged children. Whether IXT surgery influence the rate of myopic progression still needs further study.
Sign learning of hearing children in inclusive day care centers—does iconicity matter?
Authors: Goppelt-Kunkel Madlen , Stroh Anna-Lena , Hänel-Faulhaber Barbara
Published: August 2023

An increasing number of experimental studies suggest that signs and gestures can scaffold vocabulary learning for children with and without special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, little research has been done on the extent to which iconicity plays a role in sign learning, particularly in inclusive day care centers. This current study investigated the role of iconicity in the sign learning of 145 hearing children (2;1 to 6;3 years) from inclusive day care centers with educators who started using sign-supported speech after a training module. Children’s sign use was assessed via a questionnaire completed by their educators. We found that older children were more likely to learn signs with a higher degree of iconicity, whereas the learning of signs by younger children was less affected by iconicity. Children with SEND did not benefit more from iconicity than children without SEND. These results suggest that whether iconicity plays a role in sign learning depends on the age of the children.
Relations between risk perception, perceptions of peers’ driving, and risky driving among Cambodian adolescents
Authors: Lim Bouyheak , Lahar Cindy J. , Dang Hoang-Minh , Weiss Bahr
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Traffic accidents are a leading cause of death globally, with substantial economic impact particularly in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). Adolescents are at particular risk, partly due to their tendency to engage in risky driving. However, most research designed to identify potential causes of risky adolescent driving has been conducted in Western, high-income countries, which often have substantial cultural differences from LMIC that potentially influence risky adolescent driving.

Methods

The present study, one of the first focused on this topic in Southeast Asia, cross-sectionally assessed 425 adolescent motorbike drivers in the Southeast Asian LMIC Cambodia. Adolescents’ (a) beliefs about peers’ driving (social norms) and (b) driving risk perception were assessed as predictors of four risky driving behaviors: aggressive driving; distracted driving; intoxicated driving; violating driving laws.

Results

Canonical correlation analysis identified a general relation between (a) beliefs about peers’ driving, and (b) all four risky driving behaviors, with R2 = 0.35 indicating over one-third of the variance in risky driving was explained by perceptions of peers’ driving. Risk perception was not involved in the significant canonical relation, however. Gender moderated two of the underlying relations, with females showing larger relations between perceptions of friends’ driving, and distracted driving and violating driving laws.

Discussion

These findings provide useful directions for future research (e.g., assessing the accuracy of Cambodian adolescents’ perceptions of peers’ driving) useful for helping stakeholders tailor road safety programs (e.g., providing adolescent drivers with accurate information regarding their peers’ actual driving behaviors) for adolescent motorcyclists in Cambodia and similar countries.
The role of the WatchPAT device in the diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Campbell Christina D. , Sulaiman Imran
Published: August 2023

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition affecting an estimated 936 million individuals worldwide, leading to a considerable demand for diagnostic services. Polysomnography, the current gold standard for diagnosis, is resource intensive and inconvenient for patients and healthcare providers. The WatchPAT is an unobtrusive device for home OSA diagnosis. It utilizes peripheral arterial tomography in conjunction with heart rate, oximetry, actingraphy, and respiratory movements for the diagnosis of OSA. It has good correlation with polysomnography for OSA diagnosis and also reports sleep time and sleep staging. The WatchPAT device has reported sensitivities of 81–95%, specificities of 66–100%, positive predictive values of 79–96%, and negative predictive values of 92% for the determination of the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI). It has also been studied and its use validated in a variety of patient populations, including children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with comorbid medical conditions. The device has also been adopted for use in screening for cardiac arrhythmia and central sleep apnea, although neither use has become widespread. With the emergence of telemedicine and an increasing demand for sleep services, the WatchPAT device can be a useful aid in OSA diagnostics.
A Chinese expert consensus on thoracic endovascular aortic repair of type B aortic dissection with a single-branched stent graft for revascularization of the left subclavian artery
Authors: Li Xiaoye , Song Chao , Zhang Lei , Yuan Liangxi , Dai Xiangchen , Guo Lianrui , Lu Qingsheng
Published: August 2023

Thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) is currently the recommended and most widely used treatment for type B aortic dissection. A major challenge is revascularization of the left subclavian artery in order to extend the landing zone to zone 2 (Ishimaru classification). Various strategies have been used for revascularization, including branched stent graft, fenestrated stent graft, the chimney technique, the parallel technique, and bypass surgery. Single-branched stent graft is one of the most promising strategies, and several products have recently been reported as potential candidates for use with this approach. The Castor single-branched stent graft is the only off-the-shelf product available; this product has been developed through collaboration between Chinese corporations and clinicians. In this Perspective article, clinical experience and data obtained from TEVAR with the Castor single-branched stent graft are summarized by experienced Chinese experts.
Clinical Efficacy of Fidaxomicin and Oral Metronidazole for Treating Clostridioides difficile Infection and the Associated Recurrence Rate: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Mori Nobuaki , Hirai Jun , Ohashi Wataru , Asai Nobuhiro , Shibata Yuichi , Mikamo Hiroshige
Published: August 2023

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has significant implications for healthcare economics. Although clinical trials have compared fidaxomicin (FDX) and vancomycin, comparisons of FDX and oral metronidazole (MNZ) are limited. Therefore, we compared the therapeutic effects of FDX and oral MNZ. Patients diagnosed with CDI between January 2015 and March 2023 were enrolled. Those treated with oral MNZ or FDX were selected and retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was the global cure rate. Secondary outcomes included factors contributing to the CDI global cure rate; the rate of medication change owing to initial treatment failure; and incidence rates of clinical cure, recurrence, and all-cause mortality within 30 days. Of the 264 enrolled patients, 75 and 30 received initial oral MNZ and FDX treatments, respectively. The corresponding CDI global cure rates were 53.3% and 70% (p = 0.12). In multivariate analysis, FDX was not associated with the global cure rate. In the MNZ group, 18.7% of the patients had to change medications owing to initial treatment failure. The FDX group had a higher clinical cure rate and lower recurrence rate than the MNZ group, although not significant. However, caution is necessary owing to necessary treatment changes due to MNZ failure.
Bio-Inspired Internet of Things: Current Status, Benefits, Challenges, and Future Directions
Authors: Alabdulatif Abdullah , Thilakarathne Navod Neranjan
Published: August 2023

There is no doubt that the involvement of the Internet of Things (IoT) in our daily lives has changed the way we live and interact as a global community, as IoT enables intercommunication of digital objects around us, creating a pervasive environment. As of now, this IoT is found in almost every domain that is vital for human survival, such as agriculture, medical care, transportation, the military, and so on. Day by day, various IoT solutions are introduced to the market by manufacturers towards making our life easier and more comfortable. On the other hand, even though IoT now holds a key place in our lives, the IoT ecosystem has various limitations in efficiency, scalability, and adaptability. As such, biomimicry, which involves imitating the systems found in nature within human-made systems, appeared to be a potential remedy to overcome such challenges pertaining to IoT, which can also be referred to as bio-inspired IoT. In the simplest terms, bio-inspired IoT combines nature-inspired principles and IoT to create more efficient and adaptive IoT solutions, that can overcome most of the inherent challenges pertaining to traditional IoT. It is based on the idea that nature has already solved many challenging problems and that, by studying and mimicking biological systems, we might develop better IoT systems. As of now, this concept of bio-inspired IoT is applied to various fields such as medical care, transportation, cyber-security, agriculture, and so on. However, it is noted that only a few studies have been carried out on this new concept, explaining how these bio-inspired concepts are integrated with IoT. Thus, to fill in the gap, in this study, we provide a brief review of bio-inspired IoT, highlighting how it came into play, its ecosystem, its latest status, benefits, challenges, and future directions.
Cellular Automaton Model for Pedestrian Evacuation Considering Impacts of Fire Products
Authors: Liu Yuechan , Li Junyan , Sun Chao
Published: August 2023

To accurately simulate realistic pedestrian evacuation from a fire, a cellular automaton model of the dynamic changes in pedestrian movement parameters is developed in conjunction with fire dynamics software. The fire dynamics software is used to simulate the spread of smoke within the scene to obtain visibility and CO concentration data within the scene. We imported the smoke data into the cellular automata and adjusted the pedestrian movement speed over time, resulting in simulation data that closely align with reality. The results show that for the single-room scenario, as pedestrian density increased from 0.1 to 0.5 persons per square meter (p/m2), the influence of the percentage of pedestrians familiar with their location on evacuation efficiency decreased from 44.93% to 24.52%. Conversely, in the multi-room scenario, it increased from 23.68% to 38.79%. The proportion of pedestrians less affected by smoke decreases and stabilizes as the CO yield increases. In the single-room scenario, when the CO yield is below 10%, the crowd with a low percentage of pedestrians familiar with the site is more affected by smoke than those with a high percentage. In the multi-room scenario, the victimization rate of the crowd follows an increasing-then-decreasing curve, ultimately stabilizing with changes in CO yield.
Applying Biofloc Technology in the Culture of Mugil cephalus in Subtropical Conditions: Effects on Water Quality and Growth Parameters
Authors: Garcés Sara , Lara Gabriele
Published: August 2023

Mugil cephalus is an estuarine species that has been shown to acclimate to a diversity of environmental conditions being a good candidate to diversify aquaculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and water quality of M. cephalus juveniles in a biofloc technology system (BFT). Over a period of 87 days, mullet juveniles (117.36 ± 6.48 g) were reared in two experimental conditions: water exchange (control group) (50% three times a week) and BFT (C:N ratio of 15:1). M. cephalus juveniles were stocked at a density of 7.2 kg·m−3. Water quality parameters were monitored periodically. Fish were fed with a balanced artificial feed for marine fish (2% of the total biomass). The water quality parameters were similar between the treatments, with the exception of pH, alkalinity, TSS, and N-NO3 (p < 0.05). Zootechnical parameters WG, DWG, BG, SGR, condition factor, and survival did not show significant differences (p > 0.05). The biomass gain was higher in BFT (p < 0.05). Water quality variables did not appear to influence mullet survival under culture conditions. Mullet is a species that can be reared in BFT without compromising productive performance and having a significant saving of water.
Chronic Kidney Disease Linked to Higher Incidence of Gastric Diseases
Authors: Wang Xiaoliang , Wright Zachary , Wang Jiayan , Frandah Wesam M. , Song Gengqing
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and different gastric diseases by conducting a population-based retrospective analysis using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data. A total of 7,159,694 patients diagnosed with gastric diseases with or without CKD were included, and the diagnoses of gastritis, gastric polyps, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and Helicobacter pylori infection were based on ICD-10-CM codes. The study found a higher prevalence of gastritis and gastric polyps in patients with CKD compared to patients without CKD, especially in the late stages of CKD. After adjustment, patients with CKD also had a higher risk of developing these gastric diseases than patients without CKD. However, there was no significant association between all stages of CKD and PUD or Helicobacter pylori infection. These results underscored the importance of monitoring gastric health in patients with CKD.