bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Time to Castration Resistance on Survival in Metastatic Hormone Sensitive Prostate Cancer Patients in the Era of Combination Therapies
Authors: Wenzel Mike , Preisser Felix , Hoeh Benedikt , Schroeder Maria , Würnschimmel Christoph , Steuber Thomas , Heinzer Hans , Banek Severine , Ahrens Marit , Becker Andreas , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Chun Felix K. H. , Kluth Luis A. , Mandel Philipp
Published: April 2021

Background

To evaluate the impact of time to castration resistance (TTCR) in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) patients on overall survival (OS) in the era of combination therapies for mHSPC.

Material and Methods

Of 213 mHSPC patients diagnosed between 01/2013-12/2020 who subsequently developed metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), 204 eligible patients were analyzed after having applied exclusion criteria. mHSPC patients were classified into TTCR <12, 12-18, 18-24, and >24 months and analyzed regarding OS. Moreover, further OS analyses were performed after having developed mCRPC status according to TTCR. Logistic regression models predicted the value of TTCR on OS.

Results

Median follow-up was 34 months. Among 204 mHSPC patients, 41.2% harbored TTCR <12 months, 18.1% for 12-18 months, 15.2% for 18-24 months, and 25.5% for >24 months. Median age was 67 years and median PSA at prostate cancer diagnosis was 61 ng/ml. No differences in patient characteristics were observed (all p>0.05). According to OS, TTCR <12 months patients had the worst OS, followed by TTCR 12-18 months, 18-24 months, and >24 months, in that order (p<0.001). After multivariable adjustment, a 4.07-, 3.31-, and 6.40-fold higher mortality was observed for TTCR 18-24 months, 12-18 months, and <12 months patients, relative to TTCR >24 months (all p<0.05). Conversely, OS after development of mCRPC was not influenced by TTCR stratification (all p>0.05).

Conclusion

Patients with TTCR <12 months are at the highest OS disadvantage in mHSPC. This OS disadvantage persisted even after multivariable adjustment. Interestingly, TTCR stratified analyses did not influence OS in mCRPC patients.
Unpowered Scooter Injury in Children at a Korea Level I Trauma Center
Authors: Keum Min Ae , Cho Min Jeng
Published: April 2021

Purpose:Unpowered scooters for recreation and transportation are popular among children. However, to date, there have been no studies on scooter-related injuries in Korea. This study aimed to assess the frequency and injury pattern with unpowered scooters and to propose prevention strategies.

Methods:Medical records of children aged <16 years with unpowered scooter-related injuries who visited the emergency department (ED) from 2007 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results:A total of 109 children were included. The majority (78.9%) of injuries occurred during the last 3 years of the study. The mean age was 5.2 years, and 88% of children were <8 years of age. Most injuries (80.7%) occurred from a fall off a scooter. A total of 65.1% (n= 71) of injuries were to the head and face, followed by upper limb, lower limb, and torso injuries. Eight patients had an intracranial injury and skull fracture. Twenty children had limb fractures, and the most common site of fracture was the elbow. None of the patients wore any protective gear.

Conclusions:Unpowered scooter-related injuries are on the increase and represent a serious problem among younger children. The head and face, where serious injuries can occur, are the most vulnerable. Public and parental awareness and education regarding protective gear and safety guidelines are essential to prevent injuries.
Chest CT Scan for the Diagnosis of Pediatric Pulmonary TB: Radiological Findings and Its Diagnostic Significance
Authors: Buonsenso Danilo , Pata Davide , Visconti Emiliano , Cirillo Giulia , Rosella Francesco , Pirronti Tommaso , Valentini Piero
Published: April 2021

Diagnosing active TB in children remains a clinical challenge, due to difficulties in achieving a definite microbiological confirmation, aspecific clinical manifestation, low sensitivity of chest radiography (CXR). For this reason, the use of chest computed tomography (CT) scan to evaluate suspected TB pediatric cases is increasing. We retrospectively reviewed records of patients aged <16 years diagnosed with active TB at the Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart to describe CT findings and to evaluate the need for its execution for diagnosis. In 41 cases, 7 CXR were normal (17.1%) while no CT scan was evaluated as negative. In 19 cases (46.3%), CXR was considered non-probable TB pulmonary, compared with 11 of 37 cases (29.7%) of CT. In 15 cases (36.6%) CXR was described as probable for TB pulmonary, instead 26 of the 37 cases evaluated by CT (70.3%) were classified as probable TB. We describe CT findings in patients with pediatric TB. We confirmed that CT can improve the diagnostic accuracy. In particular, the comparison between the CT and CXR ability in detecting cases of pulmonary TB in accordance with the proposed radiological probability criteria, showed a superiority of CT in detecting probable TB pictures (70.3%) compared with 36.6% of the x-Ray.
Implementation and Outcomes of a Telehealth Neonatology Program in a Single Healthcare System
Authors: Maddox Lory J. , Albritton Jordan , Morse Janice , Latendresse Gwen , Meek Paula , Minton Stephen
Published: April 2021

Background: Intermountain Healthcare, an early adopter and champion for newborn video-assisted resuscitation (VAR), identified a reduction in facility-level transfers and an estimated savings of $1. 2 million in potentially avoided transfers in a 2018 study. This study was conducted to increase understanding of VAR at the individual, newborn level.

Study Aim: To compare transfers to a newborn intensive care unit (NICU), length of stay (LOS), and days of life on oxygen between newborns managed by neonatal VAR and those receiving standard care (SC).

Methods: This retrospective, nonequivalent group study includes infants born in an Intermountain hospital between 2013 and 2017, 34 weeks gestation or greater, and requiring oxygen support in the first 15 minutes of life. Data came from billing and clinical records from Intermountain's enterprise data warehouse and chart reviews. We used logistic regression to estimate neonatal VAR's impact on transfers. Negative binomial regression estimated the impact on LOS and days of life on supplemental oxygen.

Results: The VAR intervention was used in 46.2 percent of post-implementation cases and is associated with (1) a 12 percentage points reduction in the transfer rate, p = 0.02, (2) a reduction in spoke hospital (SH) LOS of 8.33 h (p < 0.01) for all transfers; (3) a reduction in SH LOS of 2.21 h (p < 0.01) for newborns transferred within 24 h; (4) a reduction in SH LOS of 17.85 h (p = 0.06) among non-transferred newborns; (5) a reduction in days of life on supplemental oxygen of 1.4 days (p = 0.08) among all transferred newborns, and (6) a reduction in days of life on supplemental oxygen of 0.41 days (p = 0.04) among non-transferred newborns.

Conclusion: This study provides evidence that neonatal VAR improves care quality and increases local hospitals' capabilities to keep patients close to home. There is an ongoing demand for support to rural and community hospitals for urgent newborn resuscitations, and complex, mandatory NICU transfers. Efforts may be necessary to encourage neonatal VAR since the intervention was only used in 46.2 percent of this study's potential cases. Additional work is needed to understand the short- and long-term impacts of Neonatal VAR on health outcomes.
Estrogen-Related Receptor γ Agonist DY131 Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Liver Injury
Authors: Ma Haoyang , Liu Jiaye , Du Yang , Zhang Shengnan , Cao Weidong , Jia Zhanjun , Gong Wei , Zhang Aihua
Published: April 2021

Sepsis-associated liver dysfunction remains a challenge in clinical practice with high mortality and limited specific therapies. DY131 is a pharmacological agonist of the orphan receptor estrogen-related receptor (ERR) γ which plays a crucial role in regulating energy generation, oxidative metabolism, cell apoptosis, inflammatory responses, etc. However, its role in acute liver injury is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effect of DY131 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury. Mice were pretreated with DY131 through intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 5 mg/kg/day for 3 days prior to LPS challenge (10 mg/kg). 24 h later, they were anesthetized and sacrificed. Blood and liver tissues were collected for further studies. In a separate experiment, mice were treated with saline (vehicle) or DY131 for 3 days to evaluate the toxicity of DY131. We found that ERRγ was downregulated in the liver tissues from LPS-treated mice. Pretreatment with DY131 ameliorated LPS-induced liver injury as demonstrated by reduced liver enzyme release (ALT, AST, and LDH), improved liver morphological damage, and attenuated oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. Meanwhile, DY131 had no significant side effects on hepatic and renal functions in mice. Finally, transcriptomics analysis revealed that the dysregulated pathways associated with inflammation and metabolism were significantly reversed by DY131 in LPS-treated mice, providing more evidence in favor of the protective effect of DY131 against LPS-induced liver injury. Altogether, these findings highlighted the protective effect of DY131 on LPS-induced hepatotoxicity possibly via suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.
A Comparison Study on Traditional Mixtures of Herbal Teas Used in Eastern Mediterranean Area
Authors: Obón Concepción , Rivera Diego , Fonollá Elena , Alcaraz Francisco , Attieh Latifa
Published: April 2021

Multipurpose herbal teas with numerous ingredients, in which flowers are the main component, are common in the traditional medicine and pharmacy of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean countries. In this study, we combine ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology field work techniques and botany and pharmacognosy laboratory methods for the study of traditional herbal mixtures with flowers, we identify their botanical ingredients and record the local medicinal uses of these mixtures, in Greece, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Turkey. These, and their industrial versions, are analyzed, using morphological and multivariate analysis techniques in order to determine marker species, relevant patterns of combination and local styles. The medicinal properties attributed to the different flowers are discussed in relation with their role in the mixtures. These blends are consumed for their relaxing, digestive, and anti-infective properties. These mixtures are not consumed as a treatment when one is sick but rather to avoid getting sick, as a preventive measure. The formulations can reach forty ingredients (sarantha in Greek, arbain in Arabic language of Palestine), usually entire or coarsely chopped in the more traditional formulations, leading to extreme variability of individual doses. We ask what biological signification this randomness can have. To give an answer requires new and more comprehensive pharmacological approaches. The flowers of Rosaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae and Fabaceae species characterize these mixtures in which other materials (roots, leaves, and fruits) and other species are present as well. Flowers of some species, particularly of Fabaceae, are exclusively used in mixtures, and their use in monospecific herbal teas is not yet recorded. We draw attention on the urgent need in exhaustively recording in Greece and the Near East, the formulation and use of traditional herbal mixtures and their numerous local variants. To consider these mixtures and the contribution of flowers (most mixtures receive the general name of tea of flowers) merits further extensive study.
Current Situation, Global Potential Distribution and Evolution of Six Almond Species in China
Authors: Wang Wei , Li Zhen-Jian , Zhang Ying-Long , Xu Xin-Qiao
Published: April 2021

Almond resources are widely distributed in Central Asia; its distribution has not been studied in detail. Based on the first-hand data of field investigation, climate variables and chloroplast genome data, climatic characteristics of six almond species in China were analyzed, and the global distribution and evolutionary relationship were predicted. The six almond species are concentrated between 27.99°N and 60.47°N. Different almond species have different climatic characteristics. The climate of the almond species distribution has its characteristics, and the distribution of almond species was consistent with the fatty acid cluster analysis. All the test AUC (area under curve) values of MaxEnt model were larger than 0.92. The seven continents except for Antarctica contain suitable areas for the six almond species, and such areas account for approximately 8.08% of the total area of these six continents. Based on the analysis of chloroplast DNA and the distribution characteristics, the evolutionary relationship of the six almond species was proposed, which indicated that China was not the origin of almond. In this study, the construction of a phylogenetic tree based on the chloroplast genome and the characteristics of geographical distribution were constructed. The six almond species in China may have evolved from “Unknown almond species” through two routes. The MaxEnt model for each almond species provided satisfactory results. The prediction results can provide the important reference for Prunus dulcis cultivation, wild almond species development and protection.
ZmFdC2 Encoding a Ferredoxin Protein With C-Terminus Extension Is Indispensable for Maize Growth
Authors: Chen Yue , Zhong Deyi , Yang Xiu , Zhao Yonghui , Dai Liping , Zeng Dali , Wang Quan , Gao Lei , Li Shengben
Published: April 2021

As important electron carriers, ferredoxin (Fd) proteins play important roles in photosynthesis, and the assimilation of CO2, nitrate, sulfate, and other metabolites. In addition to the well-studied Fds, plant genome encodes two Fd-like protein members named FdC1 and FdC2, which have extension regions at the C-terminus of the 2Fe-2S cluster. Mutation or overexpression of FdC genes caused alterations in photosynthetic electron transfer rate in rice and Arabidopsis. Maize genome contains one copy of each FdC gene. However, the functions of these genes have not been reported. In this study, we identified the ZmFdC2 gene by forward genetics approach. Mutation of this gene causes impaired photosynthetic electron transport and collapsed chloroplasts. The mutant plant is seedling-lethal, indicating the indispensable function of ZmFdC2 gene in maize development. The ZmFdC2 gene is specifically expressed in photosynthetic tissues and induced by light treatment, and the encoded protein is localized on chloroplast, implying its specialized function in photosynthesis. Furthermore, ZmFdC2 expression was detected in both mesophyll cells and bundle sheath cells, the two cell types specialized for C4 and C3 photosynthesis pathways in maize. Epigenomic analyses showed that ZmFdC2 locus was enriched for active histone modifications. Our results demonstrate that ZmFdC2 is a key component of the photosynthesis pathway and is crucial for the development of maize.
The Role of Adults in “Youth Led” Climate Groups: Enabling Empowerment
Authors: Elsen Felix , Ord Jon
Published: April 2021

This research explores young people's attitudes toward adult involvement within “youth led” youth climate groups. Young people were acutely aware of their marginalization and overall, there was a consensus that adults played a useful role as a resource, as experienced adult activists possessed knowledge that they lacked, or in offering practical support on legal issues or liaising with the police. The attitudes of young people to adult involvement is at times paradoxical in that whilst they were aware of its necessity, adults altered the dynamics of the groups, as there was a “power gap” and that adults' views could take precedence. As a result, on some occasions the young people parted ways from the adults. A continual theme from the research was that young people's involvement in “youth climate groups” gave them a sense of empowerment and they were much more aware of how to effect change, and to some extent they did need the support of adults in this process, often due to their structural disempowerment. The findings suggest that adult involvement was most successful when adults were committed to empowering young people and the researchers suggest that Kirshner's model of “cycles of fading” is a useful framework for adult involvement.
Improving Employment Through Interpersonal Psychotherapy: A Case Series of Patients With Treatment-Refractory Depression
Authors: Katagiri Takeshi , Takaesu Yoshikazu , Kurihara Mariko , Oe Yuki , Ishii Miho , Onoda Naoko , Hayasaka Tomonari , Kanda Yuta , Imamura Yayoi , Watanabe Koichiro
Published: April 2021

Patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD) have significantly great losses in work productivity and employment. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is considered an approach for the treatment of TRD. However, the effectiveness of IPT in patients with TRD remains unclear. In this study, we report cases of TRD patients who underwent IPT after a detailed evaluation, along with their employment status. Of 112 patients who experienced 1-week examination administration for TRD at Kyorin University Hospital, which aimed to determine appropriate diagnosis and treatment approaches for each patient, four patients who met the criteria for major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV-TR and were determined suitable for IPT were included in this report. Two patients had moderate, one had mild, and one had remission levels of depressive symptoms according to the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale at the time of admission. All four patients completed the scheduled sessions of IPT (6–16 sessions) in the outpatient clinic and achieved remission. All four patients attained full-time employment within 6 months after receiving IPT. This study suggests that the appropriate selection of IPT might be effective for TRD patients, possibly leading to positive outcomes, including work productivity and employment status.
Aberrant Resting-State Cerebellar-Cerebral Functional Connectivity in Unmedicated Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Murayama Keitaro , Tomiyama Hirofumi , Tsuruta Sae , Ohono Aikana , Kang Mingi , Hasuzawa Suguru , Mizobe Taro , Kato Kenta , Togao Osamu , Hiwatashi Akio , Nakao Tomohiro
Published: April 2021

Background: Although abnormality of cerebellar-cerebral functional connectivity at rest in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been hypothesized, only a few studies have investigated the neural mechanism. To verify the findings of previous studies, a large sample of patients with OCD was studied because OCD shows possible heterogeneity.

Methods: Forty-seven medication-free patients with OCD and 62 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state functional magnetic imaging scans. Seed-based connectivity was examined to investigate differences in cerebellar-cerebral functional connectivity in OCD patients compared with HCs. Correlations between functional connectivity and the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms were analyzed.

Results: In OCD, we found significantly increased functional connectivity between the right lobule VI and the left precuneus, which is a component of the default mode network (DMN), compared to HCs. However, there was no correlation between the connectivity of the right lobule VI-left precuneus and obsessive-compulsive severity.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that altered functional connectivity between the cerebellum and DMN might cause changes in intrinsic large-scale brain networks related to the traits of OCD.
Aerobic High-Intensity Exercise Training Improves Cardiovascular Health in Older Post-menopausal Women
Authors: Hoier Birgitte , Olsen Line Nørregaard , Leinum Maria , Jørgensen Tue Smith , Carter Howard Henry , Hellsten Ylva , Bangsbo Jens
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a period of aerobic high intensity training on central- and peripheral cardiovascular parameters in older post-menopausal women. Eleven healthy post-menopausal (>10 years after menopause) women (mean age: 64 years; BMI: 25.3 kg m−2) completed an 8-week period of supervised, high intensity cycle training, with sessions conducted three times per week. Before and after the training period maximal oxygen uptake, body composition, popliteal artery flow mediated dilation, exercise hyperemia, arterial blood pressure, and plasma lipids were assessed. In addition, levels of estrogen related receptor α (ERRα) and vasodilator enzymes were determined in muscle biopsy samples. Training induced an 18% increase (P < 0.001) in maximal oxygen uptake. Plasma High-density lipoprotein (HDL) was higher (P < 0.05) after than before the training period. Fat mass was reduced (4.9%; P < 0.01), whereas lean body mass was unaltered. Mean arterial blood pressure was unchanged (91 vs. 88 mmHg; P = 0.058) with training. Training did not induce a change in popliteal flow mediated dilation. Exercise hyperemia at submaximal exercise was lower (P < 0.01; 11 and 4.6% at 10 and 16 W, respectively) after compared to before training. Muscle ERRα (~1.7-fold; P < 0.01) and eNOS (~1.4-fold; P < 0.05) were higher after the training intervention. The current study demonstrates that, in older post-menopausal women, a period of aerobic high intensity training effectively increases maximal oxygen uptake and improves the cardiovascular health profile, without a parallel improvement in conduit artery function.
Corona Virus Pandemic: Implication on Biodiversity Conservation
Authors: Akinsorotan Oluseun A. , Olaniyi Oluwatobi E. , Adeyemi Ayomide A. , Olasunkanmi Adeola H.
Published: April 2021

Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic affected the environment, placing a strain on the economy and all parts of human society. The effects of Covid-19 are inevitable, as there is a reduction in human pressures on the natural ecosystem because of the lockdown of social and economic activities. Ecosystem integrity (in terms of species diversity, endemism, and threats) in African countries with global hotspots for biodiversity conservation threatened. This paper provides a snapshot of the quickly growing situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown and predicts events during normality. At present, essential conservation work (protected area/national park staff still patrol and guard vulnerable species and landscapes) is still ongoing across the globe with the accruing positive effects of the pandemic—reduced air/water pollution, short-term disruption in wildlife trafficking and ecosystem restoration. Despite this, prevailing problems such as indiscriminate exploitation of wildlife resources, tourism revenue loss, staff absenteeism/poor performance, increased human dependence on natural resources, disruptions of field/research work, and species monitoring would persist. The Covid-19 pandemic will affect conservation program funding in most African countries. Our world is changing, and the conservation community must be ready to respond appropriately.
COVID-19 and Vaccination Campaigns as “Western Plots” in Pakistan: Government Policies, (Geo-)politics, Local Perceptions, and Beliefs
Authors: Ali Inayat , Sadique Salma , Ali Shahbaz
Published: April 2021

Vaccination encounters multiple context-specific challenges—socio-cultural, economic, and political—that substantially affect its uptake. Likewise, natural disasters and health emergencies considerably impact immunization endeavors, such as the coronaviurs 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has overwhelmed the entire world. It was already anticipated that the pandemic would severely affect Pakistan's vaccination programs due to interruptions in routine vaccination and the overstretching of healthcare systems. Consequently, there are anticipations of outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Yet empirical evidence is missing. Drawing on qualitative research, this article focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on routine vaccination programs in Pakistan. Our data come from a small village located in Pakistan's Sindh province where local people refused the routine polio vaccine that was stopped for a while, then resumed in July 2020. They suspected both the vaccine and COVID-19 to be a “Western plot.” We argue that these perceptions and practices can be seen against the backdrop of economic, socio-cultural, and (geo)political forces, which are encoded in “societal memory.” Not only is there a need to reverse the significant impacts of COVID-19 on routine vaccination by arranging supplementary immunization activities (SIAs), but also the government must deal with other pressing issues that affect the vaccination programs in the country.
Arteterapia y su aportación a las psicoterapias verbales
Authors: López Martínez María Dolores
Published: April 2021

En el presente artículo se realizará una aproximación al término arteterapia con la finalidad de comprender los principios fundamentales de esta joven materia tanto en su ámbito disciplinar como profesional. En primer lugar, se abordará la relación existente entre los conceptos Arte y Terapia, destacando la creatividad como nexo entre ambos. A continuación, se revisa el concepto de arteterapia a partir de las diferencias que presenta frente a las psicoterapias predominantemente verbales.
Influencia de los estilos parentales en adolescentes que han intentado suicidarse
Authors: Palacios Delgado Jorge Raúl
Published: April 2021

El objetivo de esta investigación fue conocer las diferencias en los estilos parentales de los adolescentes que han intentado suicidarse, así como identificar el efecto que tienen las prácticas parentales sobre el intento suicida. Se utilizó una muestra de 1000 jóvenes de los cuales 485 eran hombres y 515 eran mujeres, con un rango de edad entre 14 y 22 años. Para medir los estilos parentales se utilizó el instrumento multidimensional de Palacios y Andrade (2006) el cual mide cuatro estilos parentales, con base en siete prácticas parentales. Para medir el intento suicida se integro una sección con preguntas relativas al intento de suicidio. Los resultados mostraron diferencias en los estilos parentales, específicamente los estilos autoritario y negligente se vinculan con este comportamiento. Por otro lado, una menor autonomía materna, la imposición por parte la madre y una menor supervisión del papá influyen en la presencia de intentar suicidarse un mayor número de veces en los adolescentes.
Entrevista con manuel villegas sobre “el error de prometeo. Psico(pato)logía del desarrollo moral”
Authors: Feixas Guillem
Published: April 2021

Entrevista con Manuel Villegas.
Revision acerca del tratamiento no farmacologico del trastorno límite de personalidad. Comparacion de dos tratamientos: terapia dialectica conductual y grupo analisis
Authors: Carretero Quevedo Blanca , Llabrés Fuster María Neus , Ribot Miquel María Antonia , Capllonch Gamundi María Inmaculada
Published: April 2021

El Trastorno Límite de Personalidad es uno de los trastornos de personalidad más frecuentes. Dichos pacientes suponen un coste elevado, siendo los que más servicios consumen y los que menos se benefician de estos, permaneciendo inalterados por los diversos tratamientos ensayados. En los últimos años se han estudiado varios enfoques psicoterapéuticos para el tratamiento de dicho trastorno. Se comparan dos técnicas Terapia Dialéctica Conductual y Grupoanálisis. Se concluye que ambas técnicas, pueden ser útiles y que sus focos de intervención al ser diferentes, podrían ser complementarias, para ser utilizadas en dispositivos tipo Hospital de Día. Se considera necesario, para el tratamiento de estos pacientes, la visión dimensional del trastorno, planteando el tratamiento en diferentes momentos del proceso, para tratar algunos síntomas nucleares, realizándose con diferentes técnicas, adoptando así un enfoque ecléctico.
Sobre las vivencias de profesionales psi y sus aportes
Authors: Córdoba Sanz Rodrigo
Published: April 2021

En este artículo se traza de una manera clara la conexión entre biografía y desarrollo de la persona, sus motivaciones, el desarrollo del autoconcepto, identidad, y creaciones teóricas y orientación clínica en el profesional de la salud psi. El autor se basa para ello en múltiples ejemplos de la historia de la psicoterapia, así como en su propio recorrido formativo personal.
La renovación epistemológica actual de la psicoterapia sistémica: repercusiones en la teoría y en la práctica
Authors: Onnis Luigi
Published: April 2021

En este artículo se pasa revista a los profundos cambios que se están experimentando en el campo de la Terapia Familiar Sistémica, desde sus inicios hasta nuestros días. El núcleo de este cambio debe buscarse en el paso de una epistemología de la representación a una epistemología de la construcción, de una epistemología de los sistemas observados a una epistemología de los sistemas autoobservantes. Se desarrollan igualmente las implicaciones de este desplazamiento conceptual para la práctica de la Terapia Familiar y se apunta la influencia que esta nueva perspectiva tendrá, sin duda, para todo el ámbito de la psicoterapia en general.
MultiKOC: Multi-One-Class Classifier Based K-Means Clustering
Authors: Abdallah Loai , Badarna Murad , Khalifa Waleed , Yousef Malik
Published: April 2021

In the computational biology community there are many biological cases that are considered as multi-one-class classification problems. Examples include the classification of multiple tumor types, protein fold recognition and the molecular classification of multiple cancer types. In all of these cases the real world appropriately characterized negative cases or outliers are impractical to achieve and the positive cases might consist of different clusters, which in turn might lead to accuracy degradation. In this paper we present a novel algorithm named MultiKOC multi-one-class classifiers based K-means to deal with this problem. The main idea is to execute a clustering algorithm over the positive samples to capture the hidden subdata of the given positive data, and then building up a one-class classifier for every cluster member’s examples separately: in other word, train the OC classifier on each piece of subdata. For a given new sample, the generated classifiers are applied. If it is rejected by all of those classifiers, the given sample is considered as a negative sample, otherwise it is a positive sample. The results of MultiKOC are compared with the traditional one-class, multi-one-class, ensemble one-classes and two-class methods, yielding a significant improvement over the one-class and like the two-class performance.
Segregation Distortion for Male Parents in High Density Genetic Maps from Reciprocal Crosses between Two Self-Incompatible Cultivars Confirms a Gametophytic System for Self-Incompatibility in Citrus
Authors: Ollitrault Patrick , Ahmed Dalel , Costantino Gilles , Evrard Jean-Charles , Cardi Celine , Mournet Pierre , Perdereau Aude , Froelicher Yann
Published: April 2021

Self-incompatibility is an important evolutionary feature in angiosperms and has major implications for breeding strategies in horticultural crops. In citrus, when coupled with parthenocarpy, it enables the production of seedless fruits in a mono-varietal orchard. A gametophytic incompatibility system with one S locus was proposed for citrus, but its molecular mechanisms remain the subject of debate. The objective of this work was to locate the S locus by the analyzing segregation distortion in reciprocal crosses of two self-incompatible citrus sharing one self-incompatible allele and to compare this location with previously published models. High density genetic maps of ‘Fortune’ mandarin and ‘Ellendale tangor’ with, respectively, 2164 SNP and 1467 SNP markers, were constructed using genotyping by sequencing data. They are highly syntenic and collinear with the clementine genome. Complete rejection of one allele was only observed in male segregation in the two parents and in only one genomic area, at the beginning of chromosome 7 of the clementine reference genome. Haplotype data in the area surrounding the theoretical S locus were in agreement with previously proposed S genotypes. Overall, our results are in full agreement with the recently proposed gametophytic S-RNase system with the S locus at the beginning of chromosome 7 of the clementine reference genome.
The Method and Timing of Weed Control Affect the Productivity of Intercropped Maize (Zea mays L.) and Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Andert Sabine
Published: April 2021

Intercropping results in high overall system productivity on a given piece of land due to the efficient use of available plant growth resources. Weed control in intercropping systems is, however, still a challenge. This study focuses on the effect of the type of weed control (chemical/mechanical) and the timing of chemical herbicide application (pre-emergence/post-emergence) on weed control and crop productivity in a maize bean mixture. For this purpose, the results of a three-year field experiment (2017 to 2019) in northeast Germany will be presented. The experimental setup included a control, three chemical methods, and one mechanical method of weed control. Except for the mechanical treatment, a completely randomized block design was established. Weeds were assessed at BBCH 12 of the maize, immediately before the first weed control treatments to estimate the initial weed infestation, and twice in the six to eight leaf stage of the maize. The weed coverage (%) was estimated. The maize bean mixture was harvested and yields (t ha−1) were measured. The results confirm that the type of weed control, as well as the timing of herbicide application, significantly affects the weed coverage of the maize bean mixture. The most successful weed control strategy was the double chemical herbicide application, in which chemical herbicides are in used pre-emergence beans (BBCH 12 maize) and post-emergence beans (BBCH 12 bean). Weed coverage was reduced by up to 75% using this most effective herbicide strategy and by up to 61% through mechanical weed control, compared to the control. The additional effects of post-emergence treatment on the pre-emergence herbicide control resulted in a 16.5% weed coverage decline. The yield surplus of double chemical herbicide application (pre/post-emergence) was up to 53%, and for the mechanical weed control up to 23%. Additionally, post-emergence herbicide use in intercropped maize and bean resulted in a 16% yield surplus, compared to the single pre-emergence chemical weed control. Optimal timing of weed control during the most sensitive phenology stages of the maize bean mixture is crucial for productivity. The results of this study provide an additional option for suitable weed control of intercropped maize and bean.
Review of Two Mechanical Separation Technologies for the Sustainable Management of Agricultural Phosphorus in Nutrient-Vulnerable Zones
Authors: Lyons Gary A. , Cathcart Ashley , Frost J. Peter , Wills Michael , Johnston Christopher , Ramsey Rachael , Smyth Beatrice
Published: April 2021

This work reviews two mechanical separation technologies (screw press and decanting centrifuge) which could be used in the dairy, beef, pig and anaerobic digestion sectors in nutrient-vulnerable zones in order to improve the sustainability of manure and anaerobic digestate management by decreasing agricultural phosphorus loss and reducing environmental impact on water quality. Capital and operating costs, separation efficiency and throughput, and management and processing of separated fractions, including transport costs, environmental impacts and the biosecurity of separated solids for export, were considered. Of the two technologies reviewed, screw press separation is a more cost-effective option (5-fold cheaper per tonne of feedstock) when lower amounts of export of phosphorus off farm are acceptable. For farms and those with anaerobic digesters managing larger volumes of manure/digestate, screw press separation is possible. However if higher levels of phosphorus removal are required, the use of decanting centrifugation is a viable option. Centralised processing facilities could also make use of decanting centrifuge technology to act as processing hubs for local farms within a distance that makes it economical for transport of manure/treated manure to/from the processor (the maximum distance for economical transport of raw manure and separated solids is approximately 70 km and 84 km, respectively). Both separation technologies could be integrated into agricultural manure and digestate management systems in order to provide a more sustainable approach to managing agricultural phosphorus loss and its associated impact on water quality. Screw press and decanting centrifuge separation could reduce phosphorous loss to water bodies by 34% and from 30 to 93%, respectively.
Dietary Oleocanthal Supplementation Prevents Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice
Authors: Montoya Tatiana , Sánchez-Hidalgo Marina , Castejón María Luisa , Rosillo María Ángeles , González-Benjumea Alejandro , Alarcón-de-la-Lastra Catalina
Published: April 2021

Oleocanthal (OLE), a characteristic and exclusive secoiridoid of Oleoaceae family, is mainly found in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Previous studies have reported its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer and neuroprotective effects. Since the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involves inflammatory and oxidative components, this study was designed to evaluate the preventive role of dietary OLE-supplemented effects in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) murine model. Animals were fed with a preventive OLE-enriched dietary during 6 weeks previous to CIA induction and until the end of experiment time. At day 43 after first immunization, mice were sacrificed: blood was recollected and paws were histological and biochemically processed. Dietary OLE prevented bone, joint and cartilage rheumatic affections induced by collagen. Levels of circulatory matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-17, IFN-γ) were significantly decreased in secoiridoid fed animals. Besides, dietary OLE was able to diminish COX-2, mPGES-1 and iNOS protein expressions and, also, PGE2 levels. The mechanisms underlying these protective effects could be related to Nrf-2/HO-1 axis activation and the inhibition of relevant signaling pathways including JAK-STAT, MAPKs and NF-κB, thus controlling the production of inflammatory and oxidative mediators. Overall, our results exhibit preliminary evidences about OLE, as a novel dietary tool for the prevention of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, such as RA.
Phenolic Compounds from Carissa spinarum Are Characterized by Their Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Hepatoprotective Activities
Authors: Liu Ye , Zhang Yongli , Muema Felix Wambua , Kimutai Festus , Chen Guilin , Guo Mingquan
Published: April 2021

Carissa spinarum has been traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases due to its different pharmacological activities. However, the active compounds responsible for its potentially specific activities have rarely been explored. To this end, the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction was screened out and selected for further phytochemical isolation because of its promising activities in preliminary 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and COX-2 inhibition assays. As a result, 10 compounds (1−10), including a new one (5), were isolated, with eight of these being identified as phenolic compounds, as expected. Compound 9 possessed an IC50 value of 16.5 ± 1.2 µM, which was lower than that of positive control (vitamin C, 25.5 ± 0.3 µM) in the DPPH assay, and compounds 2, 6, 7 and 9 showed better total antioxidant capacity than vitamin C in the FRAP assay. Meanwhile, compounds 1−6 and 9 also had IC50 values of less than 1.0 µM, which was even better than the positive control indomethacin in the COX-2 inhibition assay. In this context, compounds 2 and 9 were further evaluated to exhibit clear hepatoprotective activities by improving the L02 cell viability and reducing ROS production using a H2O2-induced L02 cell injury model. This study provides initial evidence revealing the most potent phenolic compounds from the root bark of C. spinarum responsible for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities.
Maternal Supplementation with Herbal Antioxidants during Pregnancy in Swine
Authors: Parraguez Víctor H. , Sales Francisco , Peralta Oscar A. , De los Reyes Mónica , Campos Alfonso , González Javier , Peralta Wolfgang , Cabezón Camila , González-Bulnes Antonio
Published: April 2021

The effects of a combined supplementation with herbal antioxidants during pregnancy on reproductive traits and piglet performance (number of live, dead, and mummified newborns and litter weight at birth and individual body weight at both birth and weaning) were assessed in a total of 1027 sows (504 treated and 523 control females) kept under commercial breeding conditions. The supplementation increased the number of live-born piglets (13.64 ± 0.11 vs. 12.96 ± 0.13 in the controls; p = 0.001) and the total litter weight, decreasing the incidence of low-weight piglets without affecting the number of stillbirths and mummified newborns. Such an effect was modulated by the number of parity and the supplementation, with supplementation increasing significantly the number of living newborns in the first, second, sixth, and seventh parities (0.87, 1.10, 1.49, and 2.51 additional piglets, respectively; p < 0.05). The evaluation of plasma vitamin concentration and biomarkers of oxidative stress (total antioxidant capacity, TAC, and malondialdehyde concentration, MDA) performed in a subset of farrowing sows and their lighter and heavier piglets showed that plasma levels of both vitamins were significantly higher in the piglets than in their mothers (p < 0.05 for vitamin C and p < 0.005 for vitamin E), with antioxidant supplementation increasing significantly such concentrations. Concomitantly, there were no differences in maternal TAC but significantly higher values in piglets from supplemented sows (p < 0.05). On the other hand, supplementation decreased plasma MDA levels both in the sows and their piglets (p < 0.05). Finally, the piglets from supplemented mothers showed a trend for a higher weaning weight (p = 0.066) and, specifically, piglets with birth weights above 1 kg showed a 7.4% higher weaning weight (p = 0.024). Hence, the results of the present study, with high robustness and translational value by offering data from more than 1000 pregnancies under standard breeding conditions, supports that maternal supplementation with herbal antioxidants during pregnancy significantly improves reproductive efficiency, litter traits, and piglet performance.
Fast HILIC Method for Separation and Quantification of Non-Volatile Aromatic Compounds and Monosaccharides from Willow (Salix sp.) Bark Extract
Authors: Meriö-Talvio Heidi , Dou Jinze , Vuorinen Tapani , Pitkänen Leena
Published: April 2021

Willow bark water extracts contain a mixture of chemically heterogeneous compounds. Fast screening techniques of the extracts are often needed to obtain information on the profile of bioactive and/or other valuable components in the extract. This is, however, a challenging task due to the different chemical structures of the components. Willow bark extract from the hybrid Karin contains several bioactive compounds such as aromatic picein, triandrin, and (+)-catechin. Willow bark extract also contains significant amounts of the monosaccharides fructose and glucose. Here, we demonstrate the applicability of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, coupled with evaporative light scattering and ultraviolet detectors, for the simultaneous separation and quantification of major aromatic compounds and monosaccharides from the willow bark extract. The ternary eluent mixture consisting of acetonitrile, water, and methanol enabled the baseline separation of the main components in the extract in a short analysis time, which makes this method ideal for fast screening of the plant extracts and investigating the purity of fractionated bioactive compounds.
On the Influence of the Vertical Earthquake Component on Structural Responses of High-Rise Buildings Isolated with Double Friction Pendulum Bearings
Authors: Hoang Phuong Hoa , Phan Hoang Nam , Nguyen Van Nam
Published: April 2021

The double friction pendulum (DFP) bearing is adapted from the well-known single friction pendulum (SFP) bearing. This type of bearings has been widely used for structural vibration controls. The main advantage of the DFP is its capacity to accommodate larger displacements as compared with the SFP one. This paper aims to assess the effect of the vertical earthquake component on the seismic behaviour of a base-isolated high-rise building. In this respect, the mathematical model of the building subjected to earthquake excitations with an implementation of a DFP bearing system is established. The model presented herein considers earthquake excitations in horizontal (X and Y) and vertical (Z) directions. A series model of two friction elements is presented for the bearing, where the friction load of the bearing surface is governed by a modified Bouc-Wen model, which is dependent on the sliding velocity and the contact pressure. The numerical results of an example of a base-isolated 9-story steel building subjected to near-source and far-field earthquakes show the high effectiveness of the bearing system in reduction of the seismic response of the building, especially in the near-source region, as well as exhibit considerable effectiveness of the vertical earthquake component on the bearing and structural behaviour.
Extending Cooling Rate Performance of Fast Scanning Chip Calorimetry by Liquid Droplet Cooling
Authors: Zhuravlev Evgeny , Jiang Jing , Zhou Dongshan , Androsch René , Schick Christoph
Published: April 2021

The liquid droplet cooling technique for fast scanning chip calorimetry (FSC) is introduced, increasing the cooling rate for large samples on a given sensor. Reaching higher cooling rates and using a gas as the cooling medium, the common standard for ultra-fast temperature control in cooling requires reducing the lateral dimensions of the sample and sensor. The maximum cooling rate is limited by the heat capacity of the sample and the heat exchange between the gas and the sample. The enhanced cooling performance of the new liquid droplet cooling technique is demonstrated for both metals and polymers, on examples of solidification of large samples of indium, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and poly (butylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PBN). It was found that the maximum cooling rate can be increased up to 5 MK/s in room temperature environment, that is, by two orders of magnitude, compared to standard gas cooling. Furthermore, modifying the droplet size and using coolants at different temperatures provide options to adjust the cooling rate in the temperature ranges of interest.