bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improvement in Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy After High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Silva Lilian de Souza D’Albuquerque , de Queiroz Natércia Neves Marques , de Melo Franciane Trindade Cunha , Abrahão Neto João Felício , Janaú Luísa Corrêa , de Souza Neto Norberto Jorge Kzan , de Lemos Manuela Nascimento , de Oliveira Maria Clara Neres Iunes , de Alcântara Angélica Leite , de Moraes Lorena Vilhena , da Silva Wanderson Maia , de Souza Ícaro José Araújo , Said Nivin Mazen , de Lemos Gabriela Nascimento , Felício Karem Miléo , Santos Márcia Costa dos , Motta Ana Regina Bastos , dos Reis Melissa de Sá Oliveira , Lobato Isabel Jane Campos , de Figueiredo Priscila Boaventura Barbosa , de Souza Ana Carolina Contente Braga , Piani Pedro Paulo Freire , Felício João Soares
Published: November 2020

Background

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is associated with diabetes mellitus, increasing morbidity and mortality. Some cross-sectional studies associated CAN with low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of high-dose vitamin D (VD) supplementation on CAN in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) patients.

Methods

We performed a prospective study with 23 patients diagnosed with T1DM and CAN. Subjects with VD levels <30 ng/ml received 10,000 IU/day; the ones with VD levels between 30–60 ng/ml were given 4,000 IU/day for 12 weeks.

Results

There was an improvement in CAN parameters related to resting heart rate variability, such as time domain parameters [Maximum RR interval (0.77 ± 0.11 vs 0.94 ± 0.51 s, p <0.05), Mean length of regular RR intervals (0.71 ± 0.10 vs 0.76 ± 0.09 s, p <0.05) and Standard deviation of all NN intervals (0.02 ± 0.01 vs 0.03 ± 0.02 s; p <0.01)] and frequency domain parameters [Low Frequency (1.9 ± 0.5 vs 2.5 ± 0.9 s, p < 0.001), Total Power (2.5 ± 0.4 vs 2.8 ± 0.6 s, p <0.05)]. In addition, there was a correlation between absolute VD level variation and posttreatment High Frequency (%), as well as among percent variation in VD level and end-of-study Low Frequency/High Frequency ratio (r=0.6, p<0.01; r= -0.5, p<0.05, respectively).

Conclusion

Our pilot study is the first to suggest a strong association between high-dose vitamin D supplementation and improved cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in T1DM patients. It occurred without any variation in HbA1C, blood pressure levels, lipids, and insulin dose.

Clinical Trial Registration

http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN32601947, identifier ISRCTN32601947.
Mannan-MOG35-55 Reverses Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Inducing a Peripheral Type 2 Myeloid Response, Reducing CNS Inflammation, and Preserving Axons in Spinal Cord Lesions
Authors: Dagkonaki Anastasia , Avloniti Maria , Evangelidou Maria , Papazian Irini , Kanistras Ioannis , Tseveleki Vivian , Lampros Fotis , Tselios Theodore , Jensen Lise Torp , Möbius Wiebke , Ruhwedel Torben , Androutsou Maria-Eleni , Matsoukas John , Anagnostouli Maria , Lassmann Hans , Probert Lesley
Published: November 2020

CNS autoantigens conjugated to oxidized mannan (OM) induce antigen-specific T cell tolerance and protect mice against autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). To investigate whether OM-peptides treat EAE initiated by human MHC class II molecules, we administered OM-conjugated murine myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide 35-55 (OM-MOG) to humanized HLA-DR2b transgenic mice (DR2b.Ab°), which are susceptible to MOG-EAE. OM-MOG protected DR2b.Ab° mice against MOG-EAE by both prophylactic and therapeutic applications. OM-MOG reversed clinical symptoms, reduced spinal cord inflammation, demyelination, and neuronal damage in DR2b.Ab° mice, while preserving axons within lesions and inducing the expression of genes associated with myelin (Mbp) and neuron (Snap25) recovery in B6 mice. OM-MOG-induced tolerance was peptide-specific, not affecting PLP178-191-induced EAE or polyclonal T cell proliferation responses. OM-MOG-induced immune tolerance involved rapid induction of PD-L1- and IL-10-producing myeloid cells, increased expression of Chi3l3 (Ym1) in secondary lymphoid organs and characteristics of anergy in MOG-specific CD4+ T cells. The results show that OM-MOG treats MOG-EAE in a peptide-specific manner, across mouse/human MHC class II barriers, through induction of a peripheral type 2 myeloid cell response and T cell anergy, and suggest that OM-peptides might be useful for suppressing antigen-specific CD4+ T cell responses in the context of human autoimmune CNS demyelination.
Use of Synthetic Salmon GnRH and Domperidone (Ovaprim®) in Sharks: Preparation for ex situ Conservation
Authors: Kim Sang Wha , Hong Won Hee , Han Se Jin , Kwon Jun , Ko Heejun , Lee Sung Bin , Giri Sib Sankar , Kim Sang Guen , Kim Byung Yeop , Jang Goo , Lee Byeong Chun , Kim Dong Wan , Park Se Chang
Published: November 2020

Shark populations are constantly decreasing owing to environmental destruction and overfishing; thus, sharks are now at a risk of extinction, with 27.9% of shark species classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Sharks are apex predators and a keystone species in balancing the marine food chain; their extinction will create an imbalance of the entire marine ecosystem. Assisted reproductive technology is the last resort for protecting animals facing severe extinction. Here, as a proactive effort toward building a hormone-induced artificial insemination protocol for endangered wild sharks, we identified the possibility of germ cell maturation by administration of Ovaprim®, a commercially produced synthetic salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and calculated its optimum dosage and injection timing. The experiment was conducted on two shark species—Triakis scyllium and Triaenodon obesus. We found that intramuscular injections of 0.2 mL/kg of Ovaprim® for male T. scyllium and T. obesus, 0.2 mL/kg + 0.5 mL/kg at a 24 h interval for female T. scyllium, and 0.2 mL/kg + 0.2 mL/kg or 0.2 mL/kg + 0.3 mL/kg at a 24 h interval for female T. obesus were optimal dose protocols. These doses effectively induced the maturation and ovulation of oocytes and the release of semen. Our results confirm that Ovaprim® is a suitable tool for shark hormone-induced artificial insemination and indicate that this method may enable the conservation of the endangered shark species.
Under-Ice Phytoplankton Blooms: Shedding Light on the “Invisible” Part of Arctic Primary Production
Authors: Ardyna Mathieu , Mundy C. J. , Mayot Nicolas , Matthes Lisa C. , Oziel Laurent , Horvat Christopher , Leu Eva , Assmy Philipp , Hill Victoria , Matrai Patricia A. , Gale Matthew , Melnikov Igor A. , Arrigo Kevin R.
Published: November 2020

The growth of phytoplankton at high latitudes was generally thought to begin in open waters of the marginal ice zone once the highly reflective sea ice retreats in spring, solar elevation increases, and surface waters become stratified by the addition of sea-ice melt water. In fact, virtually all recent large-scale estimates of primary production in the Arctic Ocean (AO) assume that phytoplankton production in the water column under sea ice is negligible. However, over the past two decades, an emerging literature showing significant under-ice phytoplankton production on a pan-Arctic scale has challenged our paradigms of Arctic phytoplankton ecology and phenology. This evidence, which builds on previous, but scarce reports, requires the Arctic scientific community to change its perception of traditional AO phenology and urgently revise it. In particular, it is essential to better comprehend, on small and large scales, the changing and variable icescapes, the under-ice light field and biogeochemical cycles during the transition from sea-ice covered to ice-free Arctic waters. Here, we provide a baseline of our current knowledge of under-ice blooms (UIBs), by defining their ecology and their environmental setting, but also their regional peculiarities (in terms of occurrence, magnitude, and assemblages), which is shaped by a complex AO. To this end, a multidisciplinary approach, i.e., combining expeditions and modern autonomous technologies, satellite, and modeling analyses, has been used to provide an overview of this pan-Arctic phenological feature, which will become increasingly important in future marine Arctic biogeochemical cycles.
Severe COVID-19 Illness: Risk Factors and Its Burden on Critical Care Resources
Authors: Yun Kyongsik , Lee Jeong Seok , Kim Eun Young , Chandra Himanshu , Oh Baek-Lok , Oh Jihoon
Published: November 2020

In South Korea, the first confirmed case of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) was detected on January 20, 2020. After a month, the number of confirmed cases surged, as community transmission occurred. The local hospitals experienced severe shortages in medical resources such as mechanical ventilators and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) equipment. With the medical claims data of 7,590 COVID-19 confirmed patients, this study examined how the demand for major medical resources and medications changed during the outbreak and subsequent stabilization period of COVID-19 in South Korea. We also aimed to investigate how the underlying diseases and demographic factors affect disease severity. Our findings revealed that the risk of being treated with a mechanical ventilator or ECMO (critical condition) was almost twice as high in men, and a previous history of hypertension, diabetes, and psychiatric diseases increased the risk for progressing to critical condition [Odds Ratio (95% CI), 1.60 (1.14–2.24); 1.55 (1.55–2.06); 1.73 (1.25–2.39), respectively]. Although chronic pulmonary disease did not significantly increase the risk for severity of the illness, patients with a Charlson comorbidity index score of ≥5 and those treated in an outbreak area had an increased risk of developing a critical condition [3.82 (3.82–8.15); 1.59 (1.20–2.09), respectively]. Our results may help clinicians predict the demand for medical resources during the spread of COVID-19 infection and identify patients who are likely to develop severe disease.
Nutritional Support and Clinical Outcome of Severe and Critical Patients With COVID-19 Pneumonia
Authors: Yue Xiangfeng , Li Min , Wang Yu , Zhang Jing , Wang Xinyi , Kan Linwei , Zhang Xiaojian , Du Shuzhang
Published: November 2020

Background: In 2020, a novel coronavirus has spread throughout the world. More than four hundred thousand people have died of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, most of which were severe and critical patients. No effective antiviral treatment has been verified thus far. Nutrition support has become one of the important treatments for severe and critical patients.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 26 severe patients and 22 critical patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled. We recorded the diet and nutritional treatments in severe and critical patients. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of severe and critical patients were also collected.

Results: Average calorie intake of severe patients (19.3 kcal/kg/d) was higher than critical patients (15.3 kcal/kg/d) (P = 0.04). Protein intake was similar in the two groups (0.65 and 0.62 g/kg per day, respectively; P = 0.29). There was no significant difference in the median duration of viral shedding between the severe and critical patients (P = 0.354).

Conclusions: A permissive underfeeding strategy that restricts non-protein calories but preserves protein intake is feasible for critical patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Viral shedding duration of critical patients was the same as severe patients who received standard feeding. Nevertheless, evidence of the conclusion is not sufficient because of small sample size. To show the real clinical benefit of permissive low-calorie and adequate protein intake in critical SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients, a large and pragmatic randomized controlled trial is needed.
The Impact of Obesity and Lifestyle on the Immune System and Susceptibility to Infections Such as COVID-19
Authors: de Frel Daan L. , Atsma Douwe E. , Pijl Hanno , Seidell Jacob C. , Leenen Pieter J. M. , Dik Willem A. , van Rossum Elisabeth F. C.
Published: November 2020

Background: COVID-19 is a global challenge to healthcare. Obesity is common in patients with COVID-19 and seems to aggravate disease prognosis. In this review we explore the link between obesity, chronic disease, lifestyle factors and the immune system, and propose societal interventions to enhance global immunity.

Search Strategy and Selection Criteria: We performed three literature searches using the keywords (1) coronavirus AND comorbidities, (2) comorbidities AND immune system, and (3) lifestyle factors AND immune system. Results were screened for relevance by the main author and a total of 215 articles were thoroughly analyzed.

Results: The relationship between obesity and unfavorable COVID-19 prognosis is discussed in light of the impact of chronic disease and lifestyle on the immune system. Several modifiable lifestyle factors render us susceptible to viral infections. In this context, we make a case for fostering a healthy lifestyle on a global scale.

Conclusions: Obesity, additional chronic disease and an unhealthy lifestyle interactively impair immune function and increase the risk of severe infectious disease. In adverse metabolic and endocrine conditions, the immune system is geared toward inflammation. Collective effort is needed to ameliorate modifiable risk factors for obesity and chronic disease on a global scale and increase resistance to viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
Roles of Hydrogen Sulfide Donors in Common Kidney Diseases
Authors: Ngowi Ebenezeri Erasto , Sarfraz Muhammad , Afzal Attia , Khan Nazeer Hussain , Khattak Saadullah , Zhang Xin , Li Tao , Duan Shao-Feng , Ji Xin-Ying , Wu Dong-Dong
Published: November 2020

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays a key role in the regulation of physiological processes in mammals. The decline in H2S level has been reported in numerous renal disorders. In animal models of renal disorders, treatment with H2S donors could restore H2S levels and improve renal functions. H2S donors suppress renal dysfunction by regulating autophagy, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation through multiple signaling pathways, such as TRL4/NLRP3, AMP-activated protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin, transforming growth factor-β1/Smad3, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1/2, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and nuclear factor kappa B. In this review, we summarize recent developments in the effects of H2S donors on the treatment of common renal diseases, including acute/chronic kidney disease, renal fibrosis, unilateral ureteral obstruction, glomerulosclerosis, diabetic nephropathy, hyperhomocysteinemia, drug-induced nephrotoxicity, metal-induced nephrotoxicity, and urolithiasis. Novel H2S donors can be designed and applied in the treatment of common renal diseases.
Berberine Suppresses Colonic Inflammation in Dextran Sulfate Sodium–Induced Murine Colitis Through Inhibition of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Activity
Authors: Zhai Lixiang , Huang Tao , Xiao Hai-tao , Wu Pei-gen , Lin Cheng-yuan , Ning Zi-wan , Zhao Ling , Kwan Hiu Yee Anna , Hu Xian-jing , Wong Hoi Leong Xavier , Li Xian-qian , Bian Zhao-xiang
Published: November 2020

Ulcerative colitis (UC) causes chronic inflammation and damage to the colonic mucosal layer. Recent studies have reported significant changes in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) in UC patients and oral administration of PC has considerable therapeutic effects against UC, suggesting the metabolism of phosphatidylcholine may be involved in the UC development. Our previous work has demonstrated that berberine effectively suppresses inflammation and protects colonic mucosa injury in DSS-induced colitic mice. However, whether the therapeutic effects of berberine are attributed to its action on the PC metabolism remains unknown. In the present study, we have shown that berberine significantly reduces the lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) levels in the sera of DSS-induced experimental colitis mice and LPS-stimulated macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The cytosolic phospholipase A2a (PLA2G4A), an enzyme for hydrolyzing PC to LPC, was found to be up-regulated in the colon tissue of experimental colitis mice and inflamed macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. We then demonstrated berberine inhibits the phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2a (PLA2G4A) in the colon tissue of experimental colitis mice and inflamed macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Subsequently, we revealed berberine suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory factors including TNF-alpha and IL-6 through regulating PLA2G4A dysfunction in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Mechanistically, we found that berberine directly binds to PLA2G4A and inhibits MAPK/JNK signaling pathway to inhibit PLA2G4A activity in inflammatory status. Therefore, we concluded that berberine inhibits colonic PLA2G4A activity to ameliorate colonic inflammation in experimental colitic mice, suggesting modulation of the PC metabolism via PLA2G4A might be beneficial for establishing new therapies strategy for UC.
Statements About the Pervasiveness of Behavior Require Data About the Pervasiveness of Behavior
Authors: Speelman Craig P. , McGann Marek
Published: November 2020

Despite recent close attention to issues related to the reliability of psychological research (e.g., the replication crisis), issues of the validity of this research have not been considered to the same extent. This paper highlights an issue that calls into question the validity of the common research practice of studying samples of individuals, and using sample-based statistics to infer generalizations that are applied not only to the parent population, but to individuals. The lack of ergodicity in human data means that such generalizations are not justified. This problem is illustrated with respect to two common scenarios in psychological research that raise questions for the sorts of theories that are typically proposed to explain human behavior and cognition. The paper presents a method of data analysis that requires closer attention to the range of behaviors exhibited by individuals in our research to determine the pervasiveness of effects observed in sample data. Such an approach to data analysis will produce results that are more in tune with the types of generalizations typical in reports of psychological research than mainstream analysis methods.
Gaze Following in Ungulates: Domesticated and Non-domesticated Species Follow the Gaze of Both Humans and Conspecifics in an Experimental Context
Authors: Schaffer Alina , Caicoya Alvaro L. , Colell Montserrat , Holland Ruben , Ensenyat Conrad , Amici Federica
Published: November 2020

Gaze following is the ability to use others’ gaze to obtain information about the environment (e.g., food location, predators, and social interactions). As such, it may be highly adaptive in a variety of socio-ecological contexts, and thus be widespread across animal taxa. To date, gaze following has been mostly studied in primates, and partially in birds, but little is known on the gaze following abilities of other taxa and, especially, on the evolutionary pressures that led to their emergence. In this study, we used an experimental approach to test gaze following skills in a still understudied taxon, ungulates. Across four species (i.e., domestic goats and lamas, and non-domestic guanacos and mouflons), we assessed the individual ability to spontaneously follow the gaze of both conspecifics and human experimenters in different conditions. In line with our predictions, species followed the model’s gaze both with human and conspecific models, but more likely with the latter. Except for guanacos, all species showed gaze following significantly more in the experimental conditions (than in the control ones). Despite the relative low number of study subjects, our study provides the first experimental evidence of gaze following skills in non-domesticated ungulates, and contributes to understanding how gaze following skills are distributed in another taxon—an essential endeavor to identify the evolutionary pressures leading to the emergence of gaze following skills across taxa.
On the use of AI for Generation of Functional Music to Improve Mental Health
Authors: Williams Duncan , Hodge Victoria J. , Wu Chia-Yu
Published: November 2020

Increasingly music has been shown to have both physical and mental health benefits including improvements in cardiovascular health, a link to reduction of cases of dementia in elderly populations, and improvements in markers of general mental well-being such as stress reduction. Here, we describe short case studies addressing general mental well-being (anxiety, stress-reduction) through AI-driven music generation. Engaging in active listening and music-making activities (especially for at risk age groups) can be particularly beneficial, and the practice of music therapy has been shown to be helpful in a range of use cases across a wide age range. However, access to music-making can be prohibitive in terms of access to expertize, materials, and cost. Furthermore the use of existing music for functional outcomes (such as targeted improvement in physical and mental health markers suggested above) can be hindered by issues of repetition and subsequent over-familiarity with existing material. In this paper, we describe machine learning approaches which create functional music informed by biophysiological measurement across two case studies, with target emotional states at opposing ends of a Cartesian affective space (a dimensional emotion space with points ranging from descriptors from relaxation, to fear). Galvanic skin response is used as a marker of psychological arousal and as an estimate of emotional state to be used as a control signal in the training of the machine learning algorithm. This algorithm creates a non-linear time series of musical features for sound synthesis “on-the-fly”, using a perceptually informed musical feature similarity model. We find an interaction between familiarity and perceived emotional response. We also report on subsequent psychometric evaluation of the generated material, and consider how these - and similar techniques - might be useful for a range of functional music generation tasks, for example, in nonlinear sound-tracking such as that found in interactive media or video games.
Changes in Phosphorus Fractions and Its Availability Status in Relation to Long Term P Fertilization in Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Mahmood Mohsin , Tian Yi , Ma Qingxia , Ahmed Waqas , Mehmood Sajid , Hui Xiaoli , Wang Zhaohui
Published: November 2020

Excessive phosphorus (P) application can alter soil P availability and limit plant growth by compacting soil and fixation of P into different organic and inorganic forms. However, it remains uncertain whether these changes happen after limited fertilization or an excessive rate applied under the winter wheat cropping system. The current study aimed to identify the transformation of P into different organic (Po) and inorganic (Pi) fractions, and their role in the plant P uptake and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. A long-term study (12 years) was conducted to assess the changes in soil Pi and Po fractions in response to different P rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg P2O5 ha−1) applied to winter wheat. Phosphorus fractions were determined using the Hedley modified Tiessen and Moir fractionation scheme. Our findings demonstrated that different P rates significantly increased the available P, particularly NaHCO3-Pi, in the inorganic P fractions compared to P0 treatment. NaHCO3-Pi showed a strong relationship with grain yield (R2 = 0.91) and P uptake (R2 = 0.80). Grain yield was significantly higher in the P100 treatment, but no significant difference was observed between P100 and P200 treatments. The P200 treatment had a maximum grain P content and plant P uptake. Compared with the P0 treatment, all organic fractions yielded the highest Po with the P rate increase, ranging from 27.3 to 75.6 mg kg−1, 27.2 to 35.6 mg kg−1, and 58.8 to 124 mg kg−1 for NaHCO3-Po, NaOH-Po, and HCl-Po, respectively. Among all Pi fractions, the maximum fraction, known as apatite (HClD-Pi), was found in the P200 treatment with the range of 165 to 245.9 mg kg−1. HClD-Pi accounted for 32% of total P, which can be transformed into the available P form with the passage of time. An increase of 78% in residual P was found under the treatment of P200. The residual P fraction was positively correlated with grain yield, P uptake, and other inorganic fractions. It can be concluded that application of P increases P availability and grain yield with an increase in its application rate, but too much use of P can cause soil pollution and higher fixation of P. Consequently, a balanced application of fertilizer is recommended to reduce its fixation and increase its availability for higher crop yield.
Biomass Performance and Competition Effects in an Established Temperate Agroforestry System of Willow and Grassland—Results of the 2nd Rotation
Authors: Graß Rüdiger , Malec Sarah , Wachendorf Michael
Published: November 2020

Agroforestry systems (AFSs) are promoted as environmentally friendly and climate-change-resilient cultivation systems with the potential of increasing ecosystem services. Especially under temperate climatic conditions, the implementation in agricultural practice is low so far, inter alia due to the lack of knowledge regarding longer-term effects of such systems. This study investigated biomass yields and crop development during the second rotation of an alley cropping system with willows (clone “Tordis” ((Salix schwerinii x S. viminalis) x S. vim.)) and grassland that was established in March 2011, as reported in a former study of the authors. Two grassland swards (white clover grass (Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L.) (CG) and a diversity mixture with 32 plant species (DIV)) were proven in an intensive (3/4 cuts per year) and extensive management system (two cuts per year). Total yield (sum of three years) of AFS increased substantially in the second rotation (year four to six after establishment of the AFS). This was particularly due to a fivefold increase in woody biomass. At the same time, yields of grassland biomass decreased slightly. Biomass of CG outperformed DIV, especially in the intensive managed systems with a dry matter (DM) yield of 18 t ha−1, compared to 12.6 t ha−1. However, AFS grassland yields were always lower than yields of reference areas with grassland in pure stand. Nevertheless, lower yields are probably caused by competition effects between woody crops and grassland. Grassland yields along transects across the grassland alleyways showed a strong decrease in the border areas in all treatments. Higher grassland yields in the alley center did not compensate yield reductions in border areas. Furthermore, the botanical composition of grassland was modified in border areas with reduced legume DM contribution and increases of both grasses and forbs. Thus, the width of grassland alleys with 9 m caused strong competition effects by the willows.
Absence of mgrB Alleviates Negative Growth Effects of Colistin Resistance in Enterobacter cloacae
Authors: Wozniak Jessie E. , Chande Aroon T. , Burd Eileen M. , Band Victor I. , Satola Sarah W. , Farley Monica M. , Jacob Jesse T. , Jordan I. King , Weiss David S.
Published: November 2020

Colistin is an important last-line antibiotic to treat highly resistant Enterobacter infections. Resistance to colistin has emerged among clinical isolates but has been associated with a significant growth defect. Here, we describe a clinical Enterobacter isolate with a deletion of mgrB, a regulator of colistin resistance, leading to high-level resistance in the absence of a growth defect. The identification of a path to resistance unrestrained by growth defects suggests colistin resistance could become more common in Enterobacter.
Therapeutic Potential of Heme Oxygenase-1 in Aneurysmal Diseases
Authors: Jiang Wei-Cheng , Chen Chen-Mei , Hamdin Candra D. , Orekhov Alexander N. , Sobenin Igor A. , Layne Matthew D. , Yet Shaw-Fang
Published: November 2020

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and intracranial aneurysm (IA) are serious arterial diseases in the aorta and brain, respectively. AAA and IA are associated with old age in males and females, respectively, and if rupture occurs, they carry high morbidity and mortality. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to IA rupture has a high rate of complication and fatality. Despite these severe clinical outcomes, preventing or treating these devastating diseases remains an unmet medical need. Inflammation and oxidative stress are shared pathologies of these vascular diseases. Therefore, therapeutic strategies have focused on reducing inflammation and reactive oxygen species levels. Interestingly, in response to cellular stress, the inducible heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is highly upregulated and protects against tissue injury. HO-1 degrades the prooxidant heme and generates molecules with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, resulting in decreased oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, increasing HO-1 activity is an attractive option for therapy. Several HO-1 inducers have been identified and tested in animal models for preventing or alleviating AAA, IA, and SAH. However, clinical trials have shown conflicting results. Further research and the development of highly selective HO-1 regulators may be needed to prevent the initiation and progression of AAA, IA, or SAH.
The NRF2, Thioredoxin, and Glutathione System in Tumorigenesis and Anticancer Therapies
Authors: Jaganjac Morana , Milkovic Lidija , Sunjic Suzana Borovic , Zarkovic Neven
Published: November 2020

Cancer remains an elusive, highly complex disease and a global burden. Constant change by acquired mutations and metabolic reprogramming contribute to the high inter- and intratumor heterogeneity of malignant cells, their selective growth advantage, and their resistance to anticancer therapies. In the modern era of integrative biomedicine, realizing that a personalized approach could benefit therapy treatments and patients’ prognosis, we should focus on cancer-driving advantageous modifications. Namely, reactive oxygen species (ROS), known to act as regulators of cellular metabolism and growth, exhibit both negative and positive activities, as do antioxidants with potential anticancer effects. Such complexity of oxidative homeostasis is sometimes overseen in the case of studies evaluating the effects of potential anticancer antioxidants. While cancer cells often produce more ROS due to their increased growth-favoring demands, numerous conventional anticancer therapies exploit this feature to ensure selective cancer cell death triggered by excessive ROS levels, also causing serious side effects. The activation of the cellular NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2) pathway and induction of cytoprotective genes accompanies an increase in ROS levels. A plethora of specific targets, including those involved in thioredoxin (TRX) and glutathione (GSH) systems, are activated by NRF2. In this paper, we briefly review preclinical research findings on the interrelated roles of the NRF2 pathway and TRX and GSH systems, with focus given to clinical findings and their relevance in carcinogenesis and anticancer treatments.
Empathy and Community in the Age of Refugees: Petzold’s Radical Translation of Seghers’ Transit
Authors: Landwehr Margarete J.
Published: November 2020

Petzold’s film constitutes a radical translation of Seghers’ novel by transforming her tale of political refugees in Vichy France into an existential allegory depicting the fluidity of identities and relationships in a globalized world. The transitory existence of Petzold’s war refugee serves as an extreme example of the instability of modern life, which allows spectators to identify and empathize with migrants’ unpredictable journeys. Moreover, the director conveys the universality of his protagonist’s story by portraying him as an Everyman bereft of distinctive personality traits, by intermingling the past (Seghers’ plot) with the present (contemporary settings), and by situating his experiences in non-descript, liminal “non-places.” Both thematically and aesthetically, narrative is portrayed as establishing a community in an unstable contemporary world. Like the anti-hero of many modern Bildungsromane, Petzold’s protagonist fails to develop a stable identity and enduring friendships that anchor him in a community, but he creates his own family of listeners through his storytelling. In a similar vein, the film’s voice-over/narrator that bridges the fictional world with that of the audience underscores the film’s (and the novel’s) central theme: in a world of rapid change and mobility, the individual who may not be able to establish a stable identity or relationships, can create, as a narrator, a community of empathic listeners.
Optimal Siting and Sizing of Battery Energy Storage Systems for Distribution Network of Distribution System Operators
Authors: Boonluk Panyawoot , Siritaratiwat Apirat , Fuangfoo Pradit , Khunkitti Sirote
Published: November 2020

In this work, optimal siting and sizing of a battery energy storage system (BESS) in a distribution network with renewable energy sources (RESs) of distribution network operators (DNO) are presented to reduce the effect of RES fluctuations for power generation reliability and quality. The optimal siting and sizing of the BESS are found by minimizing the costs caused by the voltage deviations, power losses, and peak demands in the distribution network for improving the performance of the distribution network. The simulation results of the BESS installation were evaluated in the IEEE 33-bus distribution network. Genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) were adopted to solve this optimization problem, and the results obtained from these two algorithms were compared. After the BESS installation in the distribution network, the voltage deviations, power losses, and peak demands were reduced when compared to those of the case without BESS installation.
Theoretical Simulation of the Near-Field Probe for Non-Invasive Measurements on Planar Layers with Biological Characteristics
Authors: Gorst Aleksandr , Zavyalova Kseniya , Yakubov Vladimir , Mironchev Aleksandr , Zapasnoy Andrey
Published: November 2020

The article presents the design of the near-field probe, which is a combined emitter (a combination of a symmetric dipole and an annular frame). The design of the probe allows forming a prolonged zone of the near-field. This effect can be used for in-depth penetration of the field in media with high absorption, without loss of information. Particular attention in this article is given to a detailed study of the interaction of the field created by this probe on plane-layered biological media. A theoretical analysis of the interaction of the electromagnetic field was carried out in a wide frequency band with a model plane-layer biological medium containing blood vessels of shallow depth using the proposed probe design. Conclusions are drawn about the depth of penetration of a useful signal into different media-analogs of biological tissue. This study is necessary to consider the possibility of using this probe for non-invasive measurements of blood glucose concentration. The studies were carried out using numerical simulation in the CST (Computer Simulation Technology) Microwave Studio environment. All biological tissues were simulated over a wide frequency range from 10 MHz to 10 GHz.
Child Pain Intensity and Parental Attitudes toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine Predict Post-Tonsillectomy Analgesic Use
Authors: Lee Jaclyn , Delaney Katherine , Napier Molly , Card Elizabeth , Lipscomb Brittany , Werkhaven Jay , Whigham Amy S. , Franklin Andrew D. , Bruehl Stephen , Stone Amanda L.
Published: November 2020

Parental attitudes regarding pain interventions and perceptions of their child’s pain intensity likely influence the decision to administer postoperative analgesics. Our study examined the impact of daily fluctuations in child pain intensity and parental attitudes regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) on analgesic administration following pediatric tonsillectomy. Parents of children undergoing tonsillectomy (n = 33) completed a survey assessing CAM attitudes and a 7-day postoperative electronic daily diary to record their child’s daily pain intensity and analgesic medications (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or oxycodone). Generalized linear mixed models with Poisson distributions evaluated the effects of within-person (child’s daily pain intensity) and between-person (average postoperative pain, parental CAM attitudes) components on the number of medication doses administered. Higher daily pain intensity was associated with more oxycodone doses administered on a given day, but not acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Positive parental CAM attitudes were associated with less oxycodone use, beyond the variations accounted for by the child’s daily pain intensity and average postoperative pain. Both parental CAM attitudes and their child’s daily pain intensity were independently associated with parental decisions to administer opioids following tonsillectomy. Understanding factors influencing individual variability in analgesic use could help optimize children’s postoperative pain management.
Restoration of an Upper Anterior Tooth in an Adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder—A Student Case Report
Authors: Diekamp Max , Jenter Leonie , Schulte Andreas G. , Fricke Oliver , Schmidt Peter
Published: November 2020

Background: Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other mental or physical limitations experience an imbalance in the frequency of dental treatment as compared with the general patient population, in part, due to inadequate pre-graduate training of future dentists. Case presentation: This case report describes a successful anterior tooth restoration, in awake state, in a 15-year-old boy with early childhood autism. The procedure was carried out independently by students of dentistry within the scope of their integrated clinical training semesters. Desensitization sessions were used as a preparatory measure and elements of behavioral facilitation (tell-show-feel-feel-do) were applied during the treatment. Conclusions: To avoid discrimination of this group of patients in the provision and quality of dental care, a structured approach to the transfer of theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of special care dentistry is indispensable. To this end, treatment strategies for special care patients should be taught to pre-graduate dental students as a fundamental part of their university curriculum.
Exploring Associations between Attitudes towards Climate Change and Motivational Human Values
Authors: Dias Narcisa Maria Oliveira Carvalho , Vidal Diogo Guedes , Sousa Hélder Fernando Pedrosa e , Dinis Maria Alzira Pimenta , Leite Ângela
Published: November 2020

Climate change (CC) represents a global challenge for humanity. It is known that the impacts of anthropogenic actions are an unequivocal contribution to environmental issues aggravation. Human values are recognized as psychological constructs that guide people in their attitudes and actions in different areas of life, and the promotion of pro-environmental behaviors in the context of CC must be considered a priority. The present work aimed to understand the contribution of attitudes towards CC and selected sociodemographic variables to explain Schwartz’s motivational human values. The sample consists of 1270 Portuguese answering the European social survey (ESS) Round 8. Benevolence and self-transcendence are the most prevalent human values among respondents. The majority believe in CC and less than half in its entirely anthropogenic nature. It was found that the concern with CC and education contributes to explain 11.8% of the conservation variance; gender and concern about CC explain 10.1% of the variance of self-transcendence; and age, gender and concern about CC contribute to explain 13% of the variance of openness to change. This study underlines the main human values’ drivers of attitudes towards CC, central components in designing an effective societal response to CC impacts, which must be oriented towards what matters to individuals and communities, at the risk of being ineffective.
Temperature Dependent Structural Evolution of WSe2: A Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction Study
Authors: Mathew Sinu , Abraham Aben Regi , Chintalapati Sandhya , Sarkar Soumya , Joseph Boby , Venkatesan Thirumalai
Published: November 2020

A thorough investigation of the structural parameters of micromechanically exfoliated multilayer WSe2 flakes was undertaken between 400 K to 110 K. Crystal structure of WSe2 remains in the trigonal prismatic structure in this temperature range, however, with a clear difference in the temperature dependence of the in-plane a, and the out-of-plane c, lattice parameters. The linear coefficients of thermal expansion of a and c are 5.132 × 10−6/K and 8.105 × 10−6/K, respectively. The temperature dependence of the unit-cell volume is analyzed using zero-pressure equation-of-state which yielded the Debye temperature of the WSe2 to be 160 K. Following the temperature dependence of the W-Se and W-W bond distances, a nonlinear behavior is observed in the former in contrast to a rather regular behavior of the later. This significant difference in the temperature dependence of the a and c lattice parameters can have consequences in the macroscopic physical properties of the system. A good correlation between the temperature dependence of the W-Se bond distance and Raman E2g1 mode has been observed.
The Long and Winding Road of Atrial Septostomy
Authors: Sandoval Julio
Published: November 2020

Almost forty years have elapsed since the first description of the use of atrial septostomy in the setting of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) [...]
Look at Tempered Subdiffusion in a Conjugate Map: Desire for the Confinement
Authors: Stanislavsky Aleksander , Weron Aleksander
Published: November 2020

The Laplace distribution of random processes was observed in numerous situations that include glasses, colloidal suspensions, live cells, and firm growth. Its origin is not so trivial as in the case of Gaussian distribution, supported by the central limit theorem. Sums of Laplace distributed random variables are not Laplace distributed. We discovered a new mechanism leading to the Laplace distribution of observable values. This mechanism changes the contribution ratio between a jump and a continuous parts of random processes. Our concept uses properties of Bernstein functions and subordinators connected with them.
Excitation Dynamics in Chain-Mapped Environments
Authors: Tamascelli Dario
Published: November 2020

The chain mapping of structured environments is a most powerful tool for the simulation of open quantum system dynamics. Once the environmental bosonic or fermionic degrees of freedom are unitarily rearranged into a one dimensional structure, the full power of Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) can be exploited. Beside resulting in efficient and numerically exact simulations of open quantum systems dynamics, chain mapping provides an unique perspective on the environment: the interaction between the system and the environment creates perturbations that travel along the one dimensional environment at a finite speed, thus providing a natural notion of light-, or causal-, cone. In this work we investigate the transport of excitations in a chain-mapped bosonic environment. In particular, we explore the relation between the environmental spectral density shape, parameters and temperature, and the dynamics of excitations along the corresponding linear chains of quantum harmonic oscillators. Our analysis unveils fundamental features of the environment evolution, such as localization, percolation and the onset of stationary currents.
Scattering as a Quantum Metrology Problem: A Quantum Walk Approach
Authors: Zatelli Francesco , Benedetti Claudia , Paris Matteo G. A.
Published: November 2020

We address the scattering of a quantum particle by a one-dimensional barrier potential over a set of discrete positions. We formalize the problem as a continuous-time quantum walk on a lattice with an impurity and use the quantum Fisher information as a means to quantify the maximal possible accuracy in the estimation of the height of the barrier. We introduce suitable initial states of the walker and derive the reflection and transmission probabilities of the scattered state. We show that while the quantum Fisher information is affected by the width and central momentum of the initial wave packet, this dependency is weaker for the quantum signal-to-noise ratio. We also show that a dichotomic position measurement provides a nearly optimal detection scheme.
Energy Optimization for Motorized Spindle System of Machine Tools under Minimum Thermal Effects and Maximum Productivity Constraints
Authors: Li Benjie , Zheng Hualin , Yang Xiao , Guo Liang , Li Binglin
Published: November 2020

Motorized spindle system is one of the crucial components affecting the machine tools energy performance. Many previous studies have examined its energy optimization problems, however, most such studies focused mainly on parameters optimization to improve material removal energy efficiency or reduce total energy consumption. A missing research area is energy optimization problem considering thermal stability and productivity constraints simultaneously. Against this background, an energy optimization approach of motorized spindle system is presented with consideration of thermal stability and productivity adequately, with the goal of maximization of energy efficiency and material removal rate, and minimization of spindle average temperature which is closely associated with thermal stability. Firstly, the energy characteristics of motorized spindle and its cooling system are mathematically modelled. Then, a multi-objective optimization model is established to take the maximum energy efficiency, minimum spindle average temperature, and maximum material removal rate as objectives. The optimal solution is obtained by solving the proposed optimization model with the Non-dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II). Finally, a case study is introduced to validate the proposed method and the results indicate that the proposed method is more effective to find optimal decision variables for balancing the considered objectives compared with the existing optimization method.
Integrated Leaching and Thermochemical Technologies for Producing High-Value Products from Rice Husk: Leaching of Rice Husk with the Aqueous Phases of Bioliquids
Authors: Gao Wenran , Li Hui , Karnowo  , Song Bing , Zhang Shu
Published: November 2020

It remains challenging to develop a techno-economically feasible method to remove alkali and alkaline earth metal species (AAEMs) from rice husk (RH), which is a widely available bioresource across the world. In this study, the AAEMs leaching effect of aqueous phases of both bio-crude prepared by hydrothermal liquefaction (AP-HT) and bio-oil prepared by pyrolysis (AP-Pyro) of RH were systematically investigated. The results indicated that although the acidity of AP-HT and AP-Pyro are much lower than that of HCl, they performed a comparable removal efficiency on AAEMs (Na: 56.2%, K: 96.7%, Mg: 91.0%, Ca: 46.1% for AP-HT, while Na: 58.9%, K: 96.9%, Mg: 94.0%, Ca: 86.3% for AP-Pyro) with HCl. The presence of phenolics in bio-oil could facilitate the penetration of water and organic acids into the inner area of RH cells, thus enhancing the AAEMs removal via chelate reactions. The thermal stability of leached RH during thermochemical conversions was studied via TG and Py-GC-MS. The results showed that the heat conduction efficiency in leached RH was enhanced with a high pyrolysis rate, resulting in a narrow carbon chain distribution (C5–C10) of derived chemical compounds.