bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emerging noncoding RNAs contained in extracellular vesicles: rising stars as biomarkers in lung cancer liquid biopsy
Authors: Cammarata Giuseppe , de Miguel-Perez Diego , Russo Alessandro , Peleg Ariel , Dolo Vincenza , Rolfo Christian , Taverna Simona
Published: November 2022

Lung cancer has a high morbidity and mortality rate, and affected patients have a poor prognosis and low survival. The therapeutic approaches for lung cancer treatment, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, are not completely effective, due to late diagnosis. Although the identification of genetic drivers has contributed to the improvement of lung cancer clinical management, the discovery of new diagnostic and prognostic tools remains a critical issue. Liquid biopsy (LB) represents a minimally invasive approach and practical alternative source to investigate tumor-derived alterations and to facilitate the selection of targeted therapies. LB allows for the testing of different analytes such as circulating tumor cells, extracellular vesicles (EVs), tumor-educated platelets, and cell-free nucleic acids including DNAs, RNAs, and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Several regulatory factors control the key cellular oncogenic pathways involved in cancers. ncRNAs have a wide range of regulatory effects in lung cancers. This review focuses on emerging regulatory ncRNAs, freely circulating in body fluids or shuttled by EVs, such as circular-RNAs, small nucleolar-RNAs, small nuclear-RNAs, and piwi-RNAs, as new biomarkers for early detection, prognosis, and monitoring of therapeutic strategy of lung cancer treatment.
Catalyst characterization Ni-Sn nanoparticles supported in Al2O3and MgO: Acetophenone hydrogenation
Authors: León-Gutiérrez Yasna , Cárdenas-Triviño Galo
Published: November 2022

Monometallic and bimetallic Ni and Sn catalysts were prepared in different ratios by the Solvated Metal Atom Dispersed (SMAD) method for the catalytic hydrogenation of acetophenone to 1-phenylethanol. The preparation of the catalysts was carried out by evaporation of Ni and Sn metal atoms and subsequent co-deposition at 77 K using 2- isopropanol as solvent on alumina and magnesium oxide as supports. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed a high percentage of nickel atoms in zero valence, while the tin phases were founded in reduced and oxidized form. The average size of the nanoparticles measured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) ranged from 8 to 15 nm while the metal dispersion on the surface measured by hydrogen chemisorption ranged from 0.07% for Ni1% Sn0.3%/MgO to 3.2% for Ni5%/MgO. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that γ-Al2O3catalysts exhibit higher thermal stability than MgO catalysts. The catalysis results showed that the best support is MgO reaching 66% conversion in Ni5% Sn0.5%/MgO catalyst.
Large Felid and Peccary Habitat Use in Isolated and Contiguous Forest in Panamá: Implications for Conservation
Authors: Fort Jessica L. , Suriyamongkol Thanchira , Nielsen Clayton K. , Carver Andrew D. , Moreno Ricardo , Meyer Ninon F. V. , Groninger John W.
Published: November 2022

Background and Research Aims

Wildlife research in Panamá has focused primarily on protected areas along the Central Cordillera, where much of the remaining mature rainforest habitat is located. Information on large felid and prey habitat use in isolated habitats in Panamá is therefore limited. Here, we estimated occupancy and detection probabilities, as affected by habitat and anthropogenic influences, for 2 felid species (jaguars [ Panthera onca] and pumas [ Puma concolor]), and 2 prey species (white-lipped peccaries [ Tayassu pecari] and collared peccaries [ Pecari tajacu]).

Methods

Camera trap surveys were conducted during 2014–2015 at Cerro Hoya National Park (CHNP), an isolated remnant of tropical rainforest habitat, and Darién National Park (DNP), a large tract of continuous rainforest habitat. We used single-season, single-species occupancy modeling to estimate probabilities of detection and habitat use of our focal species.

Results

Three of the 4 focal species were detected at both sites, excluding white-lipped peccary at CHNP. Detection of jaguars and white-lipped peccaries at DNP was highest in February, while detection of collared peccaries at DNP and pumas at CHNP was highest in May and April, respectively. Peccary habitat use was uniform across sites and unaffected by habitat covariates. Both felids preferred habitat further away from anthropogenic disturbance, and jaguars preferred habitat at higher elevations than pumas.

Conclusion

We further confirm the presence of jaguars and likely local extirpation of white-lipped peccaries in CHNP. Temporal variations influenced detections of focal species. Habitat use of felids was negatively affected by anthropogenic disturbance and elevation. Implications for Conservation Habitat fragmentation and human activities negatively influenced habitat use of felids at both study areas. Given that CHNP serves as one of the last remnants of forest habitat outside the Central Cordillera, we recommend that CHNP be considered a top priority area for wildlife conservation in Panamá.
Individual fixation tendencies in person viewing generalize from images to videos
Authors: Broda Maximilian D. , de Haas Benjamin
Published: November 2022

Fixation behavior toward persons in static scenes varies considerably between individuals. However, it is unclear whether these differences generalize to dynamic stimuli. Here, we examined individual differences in the distribution of gaze across seven person features (i.e. body and face parts) in static and dynamic scenes. Forty-four participants freely viewed 700 complex static scenes followed by eight director-cut videos (28,925 frames). We determined the presence of person features using hand-delineated pixel masks (images) and Deep Neural Networks (videos). Results replicated highly consistent individual differences in fixation tendencies for all person features in static scenes and revealed that these tendencies generalize to videos. Individual fixation behavior for both, images and videos, fell into two anticorrelated clusters representing the tendency to fixate faces versus bodies. These results corroborate a low-dimensional space for individual gaze biases toward persons and show they generalize from images to videos.
Rapid Sharing of Islamophobic Hate on Facebook: The Case of the Tablighi Jamaat Controversy
Authors: Ghasiya Piyush , Sasahara Kazutoshi
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about several challenges in addition to the virus itself. The rise of Islamophobic hate speech on social media is one such challenge. As countries were coping with economic collapse due to mass lockdown, hateful people, especially those associated with far-right groups, were targeting and blaming Muslims for the spread of the coronavirus. In India, where intense religious/communal polarization is taking place under the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, one such prominent instance of Islamophobia—the “Tablighi Jamaat Controversy” (TJC)—occurred. This article analyzes Facebook posts by public groups over a 5-month period (March–August 2020) to find the major actors and track their link-sharing behavior. We found that the Pro-BJP groups with a right-wing ideology spread Islamophobic hate speech, while other groups (anti-hate) worked to counter the hate. We also found that the hate disseminators were extremely active (three times faster) in sharing their content as compared with the anti-hate groups. Finally, our research indicated that the links most widely shared by the hate spreaders were mostly misinformation. These results explain the use of the Facebook platform to spread hate and misinformation, demonstrating how BJP’s pro-Hindu ideology and its attitude toward Muslims is directly and indirectly enabling these actors to spew hate against Muslims with no legal consequences.
Parent Perspectives: Understanding the Postschool Concerns of Parents of Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities
Authors: Sanderson Kelli A. , Bumble Jennifer L.
Published: November 2022

Given the importance of family participation in transition planning, it is essential to understand the concerns parents have for their children with disabilities so professionals can better address family needs and develop strategies to enhance expectations and improve student outcomes. Using results from a national U.S. survey, we examined the extent of parent concern with their child’s postschool outcomes, how postschool concerns are organized, and the factors that predict increased concern. Participants were 240 parents of youth with disabilities ages 16 to 21 years. Results indicate that parent concerns are across postschool activities. Predictors of increased concerns included parent and student characteristics. Comparisons between White and non-White families showed differences in extent of postschool concerns between the groups. Paid work experiences and employing a strengths-based approach were related to decreased concerns. Limitations and implications are discussed.
Decellularized Nucleus Pulposus Matrix/Chitosan Hybrid Hydrogels for Nucleus Pulposus Tissue Engineering
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Yifeng , Liu Chen , Shang Xifu
Published: November 2022

Study Design

Basic research

Objective

To prepared 3 DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogels and chose the best DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogel for NP tissue engineering.

Methods

Three DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogels were fabricated by changing the ratio of the decellularized NP matrix to chitosan and crosslinking with genipin. NP stem cells (NPSCs) were cultured on the hybrid hydrogels and their proliferation, morphology, and gene expression were evaluated. Finally, an in vivo experiment was performed to evaluate the immune response to the hydrogels.

Results

The adhered NPSCs proliferated well on the hybrid hydrogel. The gene expression of NP-related collagen type II, aggrecan, and Sox-9 from NPSCs cultured on DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogel-1 was greater than from cells cultured on DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogel-2 and DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogel-3. Few inflammatory cells were observed during the in vivo experiment with DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogel-1.

Conclusions

DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogel-1 is a potential candidate scaffold for NP tissue engineering.
Costs Versus Complications: Public Perspectives on International Cosmetic Surgery Tourism
Authors: Hassell Natalie E. , Bustos Valeria P. , Elmer Nicholas , Comer Carly D. , Manstein Samuel M. , Lin Samuel J.
Published: November 2022

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of potential complications and motivations among patients willing to travel internationally for cosmetic surgery and to gain insight into public perceptions of cosmetic surgery tourism by surveying a large, cross-sectional sample of the general public. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed through Amazon Mechanical Turk regarding cosmetic surgery tourism in adults 18 years and older and currently residing in the United States (US). Results: A total of 484 responses were analyzed. Of those, 45.2% of participants would consider having plastic surgery. Among these participants, 67.1% would consider traveling outside of the US to receive cosmetic surgery. Participants who reported Hispanic or Latino ethnicity had increased odds of considering surgery abroad (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.1-8.7, P = .030). Participants reported that the top advantages of traveling outside of the US for surgery were the price of surgery internationally, a shorter waiting list for surgery, and privacy during recovery. The top disadvantages were the risk of complications, lack of follow-up or continuity care after surgery, and distance from home. Although the risk of complications was acknowledged as the top disadvantage, the perceived safety of receiving plastic surgery abroad was not related to willingness to consider having surgery abroad ( P = .268). Conclusion: These findings support the need for continued awareness of patients considering international travel for cosmetic surgery and increased education of the general public regarding the safety of cosmetic surgery tourism and the importance of selecting board-certified plastic surgeons and accredited facilities.
Redefining the Russian Empire: The turn to liberal imperialism through the letters of Prince Nikolay A. Orlov at the height of the Great Reforms
Authors: de Athouguia Filipe Sara
Published: November 2022

Prince Nikolay Alexeyevich Orlov (1827–1885) was an aristocrat, a war hero and a prominent diplomat of the Russian Empire who enjoyed a prestigious position from a very young age. In his correspondence with Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich in the early 1860s, Prince Orlov expounded his views on Russian politics, putting forward his liberal outlook of what the empire ought to be. His most crucial proposals were (i) revising Russian foreign policy and redefining imperial borders (which included solving the ‘Polish Question’); (ii) adopting federalism with local representative institutions based on a notion of ‘legitimate power’; (iii) introducing bottom-up reforms; (iv) abolishing ‘backwards practices’ (in particular, corporal punishment) and (v) guaranteeing civil rights and equality before the law. Based on letters and other writings that remain vastly under-researched in Russia and practically unknown to English-speaking audiences, I analyse Prince Orlov’s correspondence as illustrative of a broader ideological turn to liberal imperialism and contextualise it from Russian and European perspectives. By positing that Russian liberalism was strongly impacted by the successes and shortcomings of the liberal imperialism of the 1860s, I invite the reader to rethink some ideological and chronological boundaries that are routinely taken for granted in discussions regarding liberalism, imperialism and their interconnectedness.
A Qualitative Study of Two Oregon Family Medicine Clinics to Explain Parent and Child Healthcare Initiation and Engagement
Authors: Angier Heather , Wyte-Lake Tamar , Williams Shannon , McCrimmon Sara , Moreno Laura , E DeVoe Jennifer , Cohen Deborah
Published: November 2022

Background: Parental factors are associated with children's receipt of recommended care but not adequately described. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of patients with at least two visits who were a primary caregiver for a child who also had at least two visits at the same clinic in 1/2018–12/2019 from two Oregon family medicine clinics. We stratified patients by child age and number of caregiver visits and randomly selected caregivers. Participants were interviewed in accordance with approval by our Institutional Review Board between 12/2020 and 4/2021. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Results: 12 caregivers (termed parents) were interviewed; half were single parents and three-quarters had a history of substance use disorder and/or a mental health condition. Parents focused on the importance of keeping themselves healthy to keep their families healthy. They described similar reasons for choosing to initiate and continue care for themselves and their children at the same clinic, including: convenience, trust, relationships, and receiving whole-person and whole-family care. Many valued having a healthcare “home” for their entire family. We developed a figure that highlights three themes that capture the interrelated factors parents identified as supporting healthcare use for themselves and their families. These overarching themes included: healthcare initiation; healthcare engagement and continuity; and parent bringing child to the same clinic for healthcare. Conclusion: Our data suggests that long-standing patient-clinic relationships for parents and children can support family-focused healthcare.
RNA-based therapies in inherited retinal diseases
Authors: Girach Aniz , Audo Isabelle , Birch David G. , Huckfeldt Rachel M. , Lam Byron L. , Leroy Bart P. , Michaelides Michel , Russell Stephen R. , Sallum Juliana M.F. , Stingl Katarina , Tsang Stephen H. , Yang Paul
Published: November 2022

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous group of genetic eye disorders. There are more than 300 disease entities, and together this group of disorders affects millions of people globally and is a frequent cause of blindness or low-vision certification. However, each type is rare or ultra-rare. Characteristically, the impaired vision in IRDs is due to retinal photoreceptor dysfunction and loss resulting from mutation in a gene that codes for a retinal protein. Historically, IRDs have been considered incurable and individuals living with these blinding conditions could be offered only supportive care. However, the treatment landscape for IRDs is beginning to evolve. Progress is being made, driven by improvements in understanding of genotype–phenotype relationships, through advances in molecular genetic testing and retinal imaging. Alongside this expanding knowledge of IRDs, the current era of precision medicine is fueling a growth in targeted therapies. This has resulted in the first treatment for an IRD being approved. Several other therapies are currently in development in the IRD space, including RNA-based therapies, gene-based therapies (such as augmentation therapy and gene editing), cell therapy, visual prosthetics, and optogenetics. RNA-based therapies are a novel approach within precision medicine that have demonstrated success, particularly in rare diseases. Three antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) are currently in development for the treatment of specific IRD subtypes. These RNA-based therapies bring several key advantages in the setting of IRDs, and the potential to bring meaningful vision benefit to individuals living with inherited blinding disorders. This review will examine the increasing breadth and relevance of RNA-based therapies in clinical medicine, explore the key features that make AONs suitable for treating genetic eye diseases, and provide an overview of the three-leading investigational AONs in clinical trials.
Bronchial responsiveness and decline in FEV1 in aluminium potroom workers
Authors: Soyseth V , Kongerud J , Kjuus H , Boe J
Published: November 2022

We have investigated the relationship between annual decline in forced expiratory volume in one second (delta FEV1) and bronchial responsiveness (BR) in aluminium potroom workers. BR was measured in a cross-sectional study of 337 aluminium potroom workers half-way through a 6 yr follow-up study of lung function. A skin-prick test (SPT) was also performed. During follow-up the mean number of measurements of lung function (FEV1) in each subject was 6.8. Mean delta FEV1 was 21.3 ml.yr-1 (within subject SD = 30.5 ml.yr-1). Mean delta FEV1 was 57.0, 44.5 and 16.6 ml.yr-1 in subjects who had provocative concentration producing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20) < or = 8.0, 8.1-32.0 and > 32.0 mg.ml-1, respectively. After adjustment for gender, atopy, smoking habit, FEV1, age and familial asthma the association between BR and delta FEV1 was weakened, and was not statistically significant. A significantly accelerated decline in FEV1 with age was found. The difference in delta FEV1 between smokers and nonsmokers was 39.3 ml.yr-1, and between subjects who had a positive skin-prick test compared to subjects with a negative skin-prick test 39.6 ml.yr-1. In subjects reporting work-related asthmatic symptoms the decline in FEV1 was 43.2 ml.yr-1 greater than in asymptomatic subjects. In asymptomatic subjects, positive skin-prick test was also associated with increased delta FEV1. These data indicate that a single measurement of BR is not a predictor of delta FEV1 in aluminium potroom workers. Smoking, work-related asthmatic symptoms, and positive reaction to skin-prick test in asymptomatic workers were risk factors of increased delta FEV1.
Increased urinary LTE4 excretion following inhalation of LTC4 and LTE4 in asthmatic subjects
Authors: Christie PE , Tagari P , Ford-Hutchinson AW , Black C , Markendorf A , Schmitz-Schumann M , Lee TH
Published: November 2022

Urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4) increases during exacerbations of asthma and following antigen challenge. We determined whether urinary LTE4 excretion reflects sulphidopeptide leukotrienes in the airways of asthmatic patients. Urinary LTE4 concentration was measured prior to and 1.5 and 3.5 h following inhalation of bronchoconstrictive doses of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) or LTE4 in eight asthmatic subjects. Increasing doses of agonist were inhaled until a 35% fall in specific airways conductance (sGaw) was achieved. There was no significant difference between the 53 +/- 3% (mean +/- SEM) fall in sGaw following inhalation of LTC4 (63.1 ng geometric mean, GM, range 5.8-527.5 ng) and the 43 +/- 4% fall in sGaw following inhalation of LTE4 7.94 ng/GM (range 132-3701 ng). The LTE4 excretion rate increased significantly from 2.95 (range 0.6-17.5) ng.h-1 to 4.67 (range 0.8-20) ng.h-1 at 1.5 h following LTC4 inhalation; and from 1.8 (range 0.07-6.7) ng.h-1 to 6.9 (range 2.9-27.3) ng.h-1 at 1.5 h following LTE4 inhalation; and had returned from baseline by 3.5 h. There was a correlation between the dose of LTC4 inhaled and LTE4 excreted in the urine (r = 0.82 and r = 0.72, respectively). The % recovery of LTE4 in the urine, of the total dose of inhaled LTC4 or LTE4 administered, was 6.9 +/- 4.1% and 0.8 +/- 0.3%, respectively. Thus, inhalation of bronchoconstricting doses of LTC4 or LTE4 alter urinary LTE4 excretion in a dose-dependent fashion. This indicates that urinary LTE4 can be used as a marker of sulphidopeptide leukotriene synthesis in the lungs of patients with asthma.
Effects of PAF, FMLP and opsonized zymosan on the release of ECP, elastase and superoxide from human granulocytes
Authors: Turner NC , Wood LJ , Foster M , Gueremy T
Published: November 2022

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent chemoattractant for human eosinophils and neutrophils and causes eosinophil and neutrophil recruitment into animal airways. Since eosinophils and eosinophil cationic proteins are thought to play an important role in the pathophysiology of asthma, we have examined the hypothesis that PAF may also stimulate eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) release from human granulocytes. Granulocytes (93% neutrophils, 3% eosinophils) were isolated from the blood of normal volunteers, using metrizamide density gradients, and stimulated in vitro with PAF, L-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP) or opsonized zymosan (OPZ). Superoxide generation was measured colorimetrically, granulocyte degranulation by a fluorimetric assay for elastase, and eosinophil activation by specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for ECP. Granulocyte chemotaxis was also measured. Whilst both PAF and FMLP were potent chemoattractants for human mixed granulocytes (concentrations producing half the maximal effect (EC50s) ca 10 nM), PAF at concentrations below 10 microM was a poor stimulus to superoxide generation, elastase release or ECP release from the same cell population. In contrast, FMLP was a potent stimulus to both superoxide generation (EC50 48 nM) and ECP (EC50 ca 100 nM) and elastase release (EC50 ca 1 microM). OPZ was a potent stimulus to superoxide generation, but was a poor stimulus to ECP or elastase release. Thus, although PAF is a potent chemoattractant for human granulocytes, our results suggest that it alone may not stimulate their subsequent activation and release of cytotoxic products.
Risk of infection and estimated incidence of tuberculosis in northern Uganda
Authors: Migliori GB , Borghesi A , Spanevello A , Eriki P , Raviglione M , Maciocco G , Morandi A , Ballardini L , Neri M
Published: November 2022

The main goals of our study were to evaluate: 1) the annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) and its annual decrease in Uganda; 2) the expected incidence of new tuberculosis cases and the notification rate; and 3) the role of incentives given to children tested in increasing compliance with the survey procedures. The methodology is based on performing the standard World Health Organization (WHO) tuberculin test on children of the same age groups at intervals of 10-15 yrs, identifying infected persons by induration distribution analysis, and converting the prevalence rates detected into risk rates according to the ARTI model. Two thousand six hundred and twenty one school children aged 10 yrs old and bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) nonvaccinated, in six study areas, were injected with two tuberculin units (TU) of purified protein derivative (PPD) RT 23 Copenhagen. The detected prevalence was 14 +/- 1.4% (prevalence +/- 95% confidence interval (95% CI)) and the ARTI value 1.2 +/- 0.9%, with an estimated annual decrease of 0.83% from 1958 to 1970 and 2.9% in the 1970-1987 period. The estimated expected incidence of new cases in Uganda was 59 smear positive and 75 smear negative/extrapulmonary cases per 100,000 population in 1987, and 53 and 65, respectively, in 1990, with an overall 68% notification coverage. No significant improvement in children returning for reading was observed in the group receiving incentives. We conclude that the average decrease (2.9%) probably represents the natural decline of tuberculosis in Uganda. The coverage appears encouraging, although the ARTI detected could be underestimated, since the existing ARTI model was developed and validated before the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) era.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Prognostic factors and survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma
Authors: Van Gelder T , Damhuis RA , Hoogsteden HC
Published: November 2022

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a lethal disease and little is known about prognostic factors. The prognostic significance of age, stage of disease, gender and histological subtype was studied in 167 new cases of cytologically (15%) or histologically (85%) proven malignant pleural mesothelioma in the Rotterdam area, during the period 1987-1989. Median survival of all patients was 242 days. Univariate analysis identified age, stage and histopathological subtype as significant prognostic factors, which was confirmed in multivariate analysis. Median survival rates for patients < 65, 65-74 and > or = 75 yrs were 359, 242 and 131 days, respectively. Patients with Stage I disease had a median survival of 359 days compared to 147 and 112 days, respectively, for patients with Stage II and the combination of Stages III and IV. Mixed histopathological subtype (190 days) was less favourable than sarcomatous (207 days) and epithelial (252 days) subtypes. Using a Cox proportional hazard model in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, age, histological subtype and stage were identified as independent prognostic factors. These prognostic factors should be taken into account when starting or evaluating treatment studies.
Longitudinal changes in time domain spirogram indices and their variability
Authors: Nakadate T , Sato T , Kagawa J
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study was to describe longitudinal changes in time domain spirogram indices and their variability. We therefore measured forced expiratory spirograms of 326 middle-aged male employees in two asbestos-using factories four times over 5 yrs. From the original sample of 326, 225 healthy subjects, who provided reliable results for three or more surveys, were selected for analysis. The mean and standard deviation of transit time and their log-transformed values (MTT, STT, ln(MTT), and ln(STT), respectively), as well as two indices of the estimated time constant distribution (Mu and Sigma, respectively) were analysed using a longitudinal model. The longitudinally estimated annual increase of MTT, STT, ln(MTT), and ln(STT) was about three times larger than the cross-sectional estimate, whilst they were comparable in Mu and Sigma. A highly significant contribution of between-subject variability was found in all indices. This was particularly remarkable in the mean components. The between-subject variability was about eight times larger than the error variance in Mu, and three times in MTT and ln(MTT). We conclude that the longitudinal data of transit time indices should not be compared with cross-sectional reference values, and that the magnitude of error variance of these indices in longitudinal repeated measurements will be rather less than the cross-sectional counterpart reported previously.
Functional status of elderly people treated for asthma-related symptoms: a population based case-control study
Authors: Nejjari C , Tessier JF , Barberger-Gateau P , Jacqmin H , Dartigues JF , Salamon R
Published: November 2022

There are few data on the disability caused by asthma in elderly subjects. The aim of this survey was to assess the functional status of a population aged 65 years or more, being treated for asthma-related symptoms. A representative sample of 3,777 elderly people, living at home in the South-West of France, was surveyed using a standardized questionnaire on factors of ageing and their consequences. To assess the functional status, five scales were used: Activities of Daily Living (ADL); Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL); Rosow and Breslau scale; Mobility; and a Subjective Health Scale. Patients treated for asthma-related symptoms were identified by means of their use of the anti-asthma drugs mentioned in the questionnaire. In a second stage, the presence of asthma-related symptoms was further established by enquiring from their general practitioners and by direct questioning of the patients. Among 135 subjects taking anti-asthma drugs, 83 (61%) had positive responses to specific questions, either from their doctors or from themselves, allowing them to be identified as "asthmatic". In comparison with a control group matched for age and sex (n = 166; two controls for each patient), asthmatic patients had a higher dependence in the IADL scale, a greater self-assessment of poor health, and a greater handicap in mobility. However, they had the same level of ADL disability as controls. Despite adjustment for residential area, depressive symptoms, Mini Mental Status (MMS) Exam score, visual and auditory impairment, and joint pain, patients treated for asthma still had a higher risk of disability in daily life, and a poorer subjective health than controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sensory neuropeptides and the human lower airways: present state and future directions
Authors: Joos GF , Germonpre PR , Kips JC , Peleman RA , Pauwels RA
Published: November 2022

The sensory neuropeptides, substance P and neurokinin A, are present in human airway nerves, beneath and within the epithelium, around blood vessels and submucosal glands, and within the bronchial smooth muscle layer. Studies on autopsy tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum suggest that in asthma the substance P content of the airways may be increased. Neurokinin A is a more potent bronchoconstrictor than substance P. Asthmatics are hyperresponsive to neurokinin A and substance P. The neuropeptide degrading enzyme, neutral endopeptidase is present in the airways and is involved in the degradation of endogenously released and exogenously administered substance P and neurokinin A, both in normal and asthmatic subjects. As for other indirect bronchoconstrictor stimuli, the effect of neurokinin A on airway calibre in asthmatics can be inhibited by pretreatment with nedocromil sodium. Evidence is accumulating, not only from studies in animals but also from experiments on human airways, that tachykinins may also cause mucus secretion and plasma extravasation. They also have important proinflammatory effects, such as the chemoattraction of eosinophils and neutrophils, the adhesion of neutrophils, and the stimulation of lymphocytes, macrophages and mast cells. The tachykinins interact with the targets on the airways by specific tachykinin receptors. The NK1 and the NK2 receptor have been characterized in human airways, both pharmacologically and by cloning. The NK2 receptor is responsible for the in vitro contraction of normal airways, whilst the NK1 receptor is responsible for most of the other airway effects. Because of their presence in the airways and because of their ability to mimic the various pathophysiological features of asthma, substance P and neurokinin A are presently considered as possible mediators of asthma. The present development of potent and selective tachykinin antagonists will allow us to further define the role of tachykinins in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Hypothesis: exposure to solvents may cause fibrosing alveolitis
Authors: Billings CG , Howard P
Published: November 2022

The incidence of fibrosing alveolitis, which can be caused by many agents, is increasing. In a proportion of patients, the aetiology is unknown (cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis), but it has been suggested that environmental factors may play an important, but unrecognized, role in its pathogenesis. A review of the literature suggests that there may be a link between exposure to solvents, widespread occupational pollutants, and fibrosing alveolitis. Experimental work in animals has shown that exposure to solvents produces changes in the lung similar to those found in fibrosing alveolitis. Occupational exposure to a wide number of solvents has been associated with the development of systemic sclerosis. Pulmonary involvement in systemic sclerosis is morphologically indistinguishable from fibrosing alveolitis, and a close relationship between the two diseases seems to exist. This close relationship and the experimental work linking solvent exposure to fibrosing alveolitis suggest that solvent exposure may be one cause of cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis. Determination of any occupational exposure of patients with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis may help in the understanding and prevention of this disease.
Loss of lymphocyte modulatory control by surfactant lipid extracts from acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis: comparison with sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Lesur O , Mancini NM , Janot C , Chabot F , Boitout A , Polu JM , Gerard H
Published: November 2022

Surfactant components are recognized to exert a regulatory control on lymphocytes in physiological conditions, as testified by in vitro studies. However, what happens following lung injury has not been established. As surfactant composition is altered in interstitial lung diseases, this work was carried out to compare the modulatory impact of normal human alveolar fluids on lymphocyte proliferation, with that from inflammatory lung diseases which are characterized by distinct patterns of immunologically-mediated alterations (i.e. sarcoidosis, acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis). Thymidine incorporation of allogeneic normal human blood lymphocytes was studied in the presence of total alveolar fluids or lipid extracts from 37 subjects, and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) as T-cell mitogen. The results show that: 1) total alveolar fluids and lipid extracts from normal subjects share a concentration-dependent suppressive activity on T-cell proliferation; 2) total alveolar fluids from diseased patients have lost this property, either by a lack of suppressive activity (i.e. idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) or even by enhanced activity (i.e. sarcoidosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis); 3) lipid extracts from diseased patients still retain the suppressive activity of normal subjects, except for hypersensitivity; and 4) an imbalance in surfactant phospholipids with an increase in the inducers to suppressors ratio is more likely to explain this alteration in hypersensitivity pnuemonitis than changes in total lipid content. In conclusion, alveolar lipid extracts from acute hypersensitivity pnuemonitis have lost the modulatory control normally exerted by surfactant lipids on lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. This alteration may contribute to the invasion of the lung by lymphocytes in acute hypersensitivity pnuemonitis in vivo.
Determinants of response to immunosuppressive therapy in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: van Oortegem K , Wallaert B , Marquette CH , Ramon P , Perez T , Lafitte JJ , Tonnel AB
Published: November 2022

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) response to corticosteroids and cytotoxic medications appears to be the most important determinant of survival. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyse the determinants of response to immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone alone, or prednisone and cyclophosphamide, in IPF. Twenty five consecutive patients were studied. Initial evaluation in untreated patients included clinical, biological and functional parameters. Sequential evaluation by pulmonary function tests (forced vital capacity (FVC) and transfer factor of the lungs for carbon monoxide (TLCO)) was performed at a 3 month interval. Response to therapy was defined as an improvement in FVC and/or TLCO of more than 10% after 12 months, with maintenance of this improvement for at least another 12 months. Twelve of the 25 patients were classified as responders. A symptomatic disease of less than 12 months duration before onset of therapy related to response. FVC was more impaired in the group of responders when the comparison was limited to patients with an FVC of less than 90%. Bronchoalveolar lavage cell counts were not significantly different between responders and non-responders. Assessment of pulmonary function after 3 months of treatment was predictive of maintenance of the response or of even further improvement. Patients with improved FVC after 3 months of therapy had a significantly shorter symptomatic disease before onset of treatment (7.6 +/- 7.1 vs 20.2 +/- 18.6 months). A beneficial effect of addition of cyclophosphamide was observed only in patients who demonstrated an early but short-lived improvement to steroids. Adverse reactions of immunosuppressive therapy were noticed in 10 patients, and required discontinuation of treatment in six of them.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Improved detection of abnormal respiratory function using forced expiration from raised lung volume in infants with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Turner DJ , Lanteri CJ , LeSouef PN , Sly PD
Published: November 2022

The raised volume rapid thoracic compression (RVRTC) technique is a recently developed method of measuring lung function in infants. The measurements of forced expiratory volume-time (FEVt) parameters from raised lung volumes have been shown to be less variable than maximal flow at functional residual capacity (VmaxFRC), obtained from the conventional rapid thoracic compression (RTC) technique. Measurements of VmaxFRC are highly variable, and may not be sensitive enough to detect a difference between normal infants and infants with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to determine whether the raised volume rapid thoracic compression technique could detect abnormal lung function in a group of CF infants with no current respiratory symptoms. Twelve CF infants were studied (median age 10.5 months, range 3-18 months), and compared to normative data collected previously on 26 healthy infants (median age 14 months, range 3-23 months). We found that VmaxFRC failed to detect any difference between the two groups. CF infants had significantly smaller FEV0.5 and FEV0.75 measurements at a lung volume set by 17.5 cmH2O predetermined inflation pressure (PP) both as raw values and when expressed as percentage predicted. We conclude that the raised volume rapid thoracic compression technique is a sensitive tool, able to detect abnormal lung function in infants with cystic fibrosis. This abnormality was not demonstrated by measurements derived from the conventional rapid thoracic compression technique in the tidal volume range.
Changes in respiratory resistance to low dose carbachol inhalation and to pneumatic trouser inflation are correlated
Authors: Lorino AM , Lofaso F , Lorino H , Harf A
Published: November 2022

Inflation of the leg compartments of pneumatic trousers increases thoracic blood volume. The resultant response in respiratory impedence was investigated in nine normal volunteers, and compared with the response to increasing doses of inhaled carbachol. Respiratory impedance was measured by the forced oscillation technique (4-32 Hz), and respiratory resistance at zero frequency (R0) was extrapolated from linear regression analysis of resistive impedance versus frequency. The mean increase in R0 was 31% after inhalation of 125 micrograms carbachol, and 21% after inflation of pneumatic trousers. The percentage changes in R0 following pneumatic trouser inflation highly correlated those induced by inhalation of 125 micrograms carbachol (r = 0.98) Our data demonstrate that, even in normal subjects, pneumatic trouser inflation causes an increase in respiratory resistance, which can be predicted by the response to a low dose of carbachol. These results support the assumption that cholinergic agents might not only be bronchoconstrictors but also vasodilators of the bronchial vessels. At a low dose, the vasodilating action of carbachol could be the major factor involved in the respiratory response.
Do turbines with servo-controlled speed improve continuous positive airway pressure generation?
Authors: Lofaso F , Heyer L , Leroy A , Lorino H , Harf A , Isabey D
Published: November 2022

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices with a servo-mechanism to control pressure have recently been developed. We evaluated six such devices and three conventional systems in terms of effectiveness in maintaining constant pressure. Machines were tested with pressure levels of 5, 10 and 15 cmH2O. Dynamic behaviour was evaluated: 1) by calculating the imposed work of breathing during simulated breath generated by a sinusoidal pump; and 2) by following the fall in pressure after a transient flow of 1 l.s-1. Quasi-static behaviour was evaluated by simulating a predetermined air leak. Under dynamic conditions, work of breathing was lowest with one conventional nasal CPAP device and three servo-controlled nasal CPAP devices; whereas, the highest levels of work of breathing were recorded with two servo-controlled nasal CPAP devices. The pressure-time response to a transient flow yielded similar results, with a significant inverse correlation between pressure values observed after 300 ms and imposed work of breathing during simulated breathing (r = -0.91). Under quasi-static conditions, microprocessor servo-controlled devices exhibited the best performance. These results suggest that microprocessor servo-controlled nasal CPAP devices are not always the best systems for maintaining constant airway pressure in dynamic situations. However, they are more effective in ensuring maintenance of the desired pressure in the event of an air leak at the mask.
Mobile Robot Combination Autonomous Behavior Strategy to Inspect Hazardous Gases in Relatively Narrow Man–Machine Environment
Authors: Gao Xueshan , Zhang Qingfang , Li Mingkang , Lan Bingqing , Fu Xiaolong , Li Jingye
Published: November 2022

Selecting the optimal speed for dynamic obstacle avoidance in complex man–machine environments is a challenging problem for mobile robots inspecting hazardous gases. Consideration of personal space is important, especially in a relatively narrow man–machine dynamic environments such as warehouses and laboratories. In this study, human and robot behaviors in man–machine environments are analyzed, and a man–machine social force model is established to study the robot obstacle avoidance speed. Four typical man–machine behavior patterns are investigated to design the robot behavior strategy. Based on the social force model and man–machine behavior patterns, the fuzzy-PID trajectory tracking control method and the autonomous obstacle avoidance behavior strategy of the mobile robot in inspecting hazardous gases in a relatively narrow man–machine dynamic environment are proposed to determine the optimal robot speed for obstacle avoidance. The simulation analysis results show that compared with the traditional PID control method, the proposed controller has a position error of less than 0.098 m, an angle error of less than 0.088 rad, a smaller steady-state error, and a shorter convergence time. The crossing and encountering pattern experiment results show that the proposed behavior strategy ensures that the robot maintains a safe distance from humans while performing trajectory tracking. This research proposes a combination autonomous behavior strategy for mobile robots inspecting hazardous gases, ensuring that the robot maintains the optimal speed to achieve dynamic obstacle avoidance, reducing human anxiety and increasing comfort in a relatively narrow man–machine environment.
A lightweight classification of adaptor proteins using transformer networks
Authors: Rahardja Sylwan , Wang Mou , Nguyen Binh P. , Fränti Pasi , Rahardja Susanto
Published: November 2022

Background

Adaptor proteins play a key role in intercellular signal transduction, and dysfunctional adaptor proteins result in diseases. Understanding its structure is the first step to tackling the associated conditions, spurring ongoing interest in research into adaptor proteins with bioinformatics and computational biology. Our study aims to introduce a small, new, and superior model for protein classification, pushing the boundaries with new machine learning algorithms.

Results

We propose a novel transformer based model which includes convolutional block and fully connected layer. We input protein sequences from a database, extract PSSM features, then process it via our deep learning model. The proposed model is efficient and highly compact, achieving state-of-the-art performance in terms of area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, Matthew’s Correlation Coefficient and Receiver Operating Characteristics curve. Despite merely 20 hidden nodes translating to approximately 1% of the complexity of previous best known methods, the proposed model is still superior in results and computational efficiency.

Conclusions

The proposed model is the first transformer model used for recognizing adaptor protein, and outperforms all existing methods, having PSSM profiles as inputs that comprises convolutional blocks, transformer and fully connected layers for the use of classifying adaptor proteins.