bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemabate Increases Cell Adhesion by Inducing Cx43 Protein Up-expression On HUVECs
Authors: Zhang Yanling , Deng Zhizhao , Li Xianlong , Zhang Qian , Zeng Weiqi , Cai Jun , Yuan Dongdong
Published: May 2022

Background
Hemabate is one of the most frequently-used drug in obstetrics, mostly applied in postpartum hemorrhage. Its hemostatic effect is explicit via inducing intensive vasoconstriction. Inevitably, it may result in vascular endothelial injury. Connexin 43 (Cx43) is reported to be of great importance in vascular damage, and triggers monocyte-endothelial adhesion, which changes hemodynamics and worsens vascular injury. Therefore, we conducted researches on the hemabate-induced monocyte-endothelial adhesion and preliminarily explored the underlying mechanism.
Results
We found that the expression level of Cx43 was much higher on HUVECs cultured with hemabate, which could activate downstream PKCα/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, manifested as PKCα, MEK and ERK phosphorylation levels increase. Then, cell adhesion molecules, such as ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin, and THP-1/HUVECs adhesion were all elevated. With the inhibition of Cx43 expression with oleamide, the activity of PKCα/MEK/ERK signaling pathway was downregulated and cell adhesion molecules were attenuated. Also, the effect of hemabate on THP-1/HUVECs adhesion were reversed.
Conclusions
Hemabate application could induce cell adhesion molecules expression and increase monocyte-endothelial adhesion, the underlying mechanism of which was that hemabate upregulated Cx43 expression and activated PKCα/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. This side effect of hemabate should be noticed by clinicians.
Assessment of clinical and subclinical endometritis impacts on the reproductive performance and milk production of dairy cows in Brazilian herds
Authors: Paiano Renan Braga , Bonilla Jeannine , Pugliesi Guilherme , Moreno Andrea Micke , Baruselli Pietro Sampaio
Published: May 2022

Clinical endometritis (CE) and subclinical endometritis (SE) are one of the main uterine diseases in dairy cows during the puerperium period, which can directly affect milk production and fertility in dairy herds. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the CE and SE on the subsequent reproductive performance and milk production of dairy cows in Brazilian herds. A total of 279 lactating Holstein dairy cows (28 to 33 d in milk) from six commercial farms were evaluated. The cows were classified into three groups: healthy cows (without CE and SE, n = 161), cows with CE (vaginal discharge score = 3 and ≥ 18% PMNL, n = 83) and cows with SE (absence of signs of CE and > 18% PMNL, n = 35). Cows with CE and SE had a lower (P < 0.05) conception rate at first AI than healthy cows. Furthermore, both cows with CE and SE needed more service to become pregnant and days to be pregnant (P < 0.05) than healthy cows. Cows with CE and SE produced less milk than healthy cows. The logistic regression showed that any factor evaluated in this study were not associated with the incidence of CE and SE. In conclusion, our results reveal a negative impact of CE and SE on the reproductive performance and milk production of dairy cows.
Stochastic model in neural network - an application in pacemaker GABAergic neurons
Authors: Guimarães Karine , Duarte Aline
Published: May 2022

In this paper we present a numerical study of a mathematical model that describes the continuous temporal evolution of membrane potentials in a GABAergic neuronal network. This model, with stochastic and evolutionary characteristics, is an application of the version introduced in1 where the authors present the continuous time version of a new class of stochastic models for biological neural networks.More specifically, the computational simulations of the model provide numerical results describing spiking neuron with electrophysiological characteristics of a brain region called substantia nigra pars reticulada, emphasizing changes in desynchronized firing activity and how changes in individual activity propagate through the network.
HSP expression depends on its molecular construction and different organs of the chicken: a meta-analysis
Authors: Siddiqui Sharif Hasan , Khan Mousumee , Choe Hosung , Kang Darae , Shim Kwanseob
Published: May 2022

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) expression protect the cell from stress, this expression varies on tissue and stress level. Here, we investigated the structure and functional expression of HSPs in different chicken organs using meta-analysis. A total of 1,253 studies were collected from three different electronic databases from January 1, 2015 to February 1, 2022. Of these studies, 28 were selected based on the specific criteria for this meta-analysis. The results for the expression of HSPs and the comparative expression of HSPs (HSP90, HSP70, and HSP60) in different chicken organs (brain, heart, liver, muscle, and intestine) were analyzed using the odds ratio or the random-effects model (REM) at a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. Compared to the thermoneutral groups, heat stress groups exhibited a significant (P < 0.01) change in their HSP70 expression in the chicken liver (8 trials: REM = 1.41, 95% CI: 0.41, 4.82). The expression of different HSPs in various chicken organs varied and the different organs were categorized according to their expression levels. HSP expression differed among the heart, liver, and muscle of chickens. HSPs expression level depends on the structure and molecular weight of the HSPs, as well as the type of tissue.
Clinical manifestations and genotype of primary ciliary dyskinesia diagnosed in Korea: a nationwide, multicenter, retrospective study
Authors: Kim Minji , Lee Mi-Hee , Hong Soo-Jong , Yu Jinho , Cho Joongbum , Suh Dong In , Kim Hyung Young , Kim Hye-young , Jung Sungsu , Lee Eun , Lee Sooyoung , Jeong Kyunguk , Shim Jung Yeon , Kim Jeong Hee , Chung Hai Lee , Jang Yoon Young , Kwon Ji-Won , Seo Ju-Hee , Kim Ju Hee , Ahn Ji Young , Song Kun Baek , Song Kyu-Sang , Kim So Yeon , Kim Seon Young , Chung Eun Hee
Published: May 2022

Background: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder that leads to secondary ciliary dysfunction. PCD is a rare disease worldwide, and its data are limited in Korea. This study systematically evaluated the clinical symptoms, diagnostic characteristics, and treatment of pediatric PCD in Korea. Methods: The medical records of paediatric patients diagnosed with PCD from January 2000 to August 2021 were retrospectively evaluated in this Korean nationwide, multicenter study.Results: Overall, 42 patients were diagnosed with PCD in 15 medical institutions. The median age at diagnosis was 9.9±6.0 years (range: 0.5 months–25.5 years). Most patients (40/42) were born at full term, 18 (42.9%) had neonatal respiratory symptoms, and 15 (35.7%) had a history of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. The most common complaint (59.5%) was chronic nasal symptoms. Among them, 18 patients had a PICADAR score over 5 points, 32 patients were diagnosed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and 14 patients through genetic studies. TEM mostly identified outer dynein arm defects (alone or combined with inner dynein arm defects, n = 16). The genes with the highest mutation rates were DNAH5 (three cases) and DNAAF1 (three cases). Chest computed tomography revealed bronchiectasis in 34 out of 42 patients.Conclusions: Although PCD is a rare disease, early diagnosis can improve prognosis. However, a single gold standard diagnostic method has not yet been established, and its prevalence may be low owing to misdiagnosis.
Percutaneous coronary angiography and interventions in the porcine model: A feasible and safe proposal
Authors: Tsigkas Grigorios , Vasilagkos Georgios , Tousis Alexandros , Theofanis Michail , Apostolos Anastasios , Spyridonidis Ioannis , Goudas Leonidas , Karpetas Georgios , Moulias Athanasios , Katsouras Christos S. , Kitrou Panagiotis , Mplani Virginia , Moulas Anargyros N , Karnabatidis Dimitrios , Davlouros Periklis
Published: May 2022

Background/Purpose
Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedural details in swine are similar to those performed to humans, since their heart and coronary anatomy closely resembles. However, only a few detailed descriptions of the procedure are available, containing notable differences. We present a feasible and reproducible protocol for percutaneous coronary interventions in porcine experimental models, utilizing ultrasound-guided femoral approach.
Methods/Materials
Nine female pigs were studied to explore the feasibility of superficial femoral arterial (SFA) access for coronary angiography and provisional PCI, as well as the most suitable guiding coronary catheters and angiographic projections for the above interventions. Experiments were performed under general anesthesia, using ultrasound-guided puncture of the SFA to gain arterial access. The Amplatzer AR1® catheter, and the Right Coronary Bypass® catheter were used for the selective engagement of the right and the left coronary artery respectively.
Results
Successful arterial access and subsequent cardiac catheterization were performed in all pigs. Only one animal required a second puncture for femoral artery access. None of the 9 animals presented any significant tachycardia or hypotensive episode. One animal developed an access site-related complication following the first catheterization procedure. During follow-up, 100% success of SFA catheterization was achieved using the same ultrasound-guided technique.
Conclusions
The ultrasound-guided superficial femoral artery access for coronary angiography and provisional interventions in porcine models is a quick and safe alternative to the carotid artery approach. The RCB and AR1 catheters may be the best choice for the quick and easy selective coronary engagement of the right and left ostia respectively.
WITHDRAWN: Data Mining and Analysis for Adverse Event Signals of Emicizumab Based on Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System Database
Authors: Wei Lianhui , Tian Ye , Chen Xiao , Guo Xiaojing , Chen Chenxin , Zheng Yi , Xu Jinfang , Ye Xiaofei
Published: May 2022

Background: Emicizumab is the latest treatment for patients with hemophilia A. Its safety in real-world data is limited, and both regulatory agencies and clinical researchers have raised concerns about its risk of adverse events.Aim: This study utilized the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database to tap into potential adverse event signals of Emicizumab to inform its clinical use and further protect patient health.Method: The analysis was carried out by searching data from the fourth quarter of 2017 to the second quarter of 2021 in the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database. Adverse events were defined as the preferred term in the International Council for Harmonisation Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities version 24.0. Disproportionality analysis was performed using the reporting odds ratio and information component methods based on statistical shrinkage transformation.Results: A total of 5,598,717 records were included, of which 1,244 were emicizumab-related adverse event records. A total of 703 emicizumab-related adverse event signals were mined, and 101 positive signals were detected. Adverse events such as haemarthrosis, haemorrhage, haematoma muscle, and traumatic haemorrhage had stronger signal intensity, while haemorrhage, haemarthrosis, arthralgia, fall, and injection site pain were reported more frequently.Conclusion: Emicizumab has an adequate safety profile, with adverse drug reactions mostly consisting of arthralgia and injection site reactions with mild symptoms. Attention should be paid to potential adverse drug reactions such as acute myocardial infarction and sepsis, and certain precautions should be taken to ensure patient safety.
Indirect coagulation of residual lesions of circumferential piles after excisional hemorrhoidectomy; a prospective controlled pilot study
Authors: Hamed Mohamed KF , Sabry Ahmed Mohamed , Elazazy Mohamed
Published: May 2022

Background
“Circumferential prolapsed piles” poses great challenge for colorectal surgeons. “Infrared photocoagulation” (IFC) is a safe procedure for early stages of piles but is not readily available due to high costs. We introduce a simple simulation of (IFC) for management of residual daughter piles after surgical excision of the main piles.
Method
10 patients with circumferential grade III-IV piles were recruited for “indirect cauterization” of residual daughter piles after open excision of the main piles and were observed for one month for postoperative complications. The results were compared to those of the last 10 correlated patients in the database managed by simple excision of the main piles only.
Results
Three cases of SSI (Surgical Site Infection) with minimal, temporary spotting after removal of dressing were found in the study group. No case of incontinence was recorded
Conclusion
The “indirect cauterization” technique is feasible with satisfactory outcome for cases of circumferential piles in low resource areas.
Customer churn prediction from Internet banking transactions data using an ensemble meta-classifier algorithm
Authors: Ehsani Fatemeh
Published: May 2022

With the advancement of electronic markets platforms, customers show different purchase behaviors. Since they have a wide range of choices and low exit barriers, customer movement from one digital store to another has become a natural problem for every business. Customers are the most valuable property of every enterprise. Thus, Suppliers have to tie a strong relationship with their customers to prevent their leaving by providing the most appropriate produces and services based on their desires and trying to satisfy them. Customer churn prediction (CCP) is one of the customer relationship management (CRM) strategies to estimate the probability of their abandonment. Marketers use CCP to attract visitors, engage them in websites activities, convert them into customers, and retain them for a long time. Internet banking transactions dataset is a dependable resource to analyze customer interactions and their churn behaviors. Transactions data scrutinizes the customer’s specifications and their payment details. In this paper, we introduced a meta-classifier algorithm to predict customer churn behavior according to the transactions data. We applied the four most used supervised classification algorithms. Then, we improved their performance by hyperparameters and tuning. We also performed RFECV feature selection to extract and rank the most critical variables. The experimental results represent that combining various machine learning developed algorithms in a funnel of meta-classifier can extract the highest prediction accuracy.
Ageism, An Invisible Social Determinant of Health for Older Syrian Refugees in Lebanon – A Service Providers’ Perspective
Authors: Chahine Maya Abi , Kienzler Hanna
Published: May 2022

Background
Older refugees face particular challenges because their health and social needs are largely overlooked in humanitarian programmes, policies and research. The few studies available have shown that older refugees suffer from a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, including mental health problems, increased social isolation and poverty, and difficulty accessing health and social services. This article aims to provide further in-depth understanding of how service providers perceive health and social challenges of older Syrian refugees living in Lebanon by focusing on (1) their health and social challenges; (2) the available and lacking services; (3) participation; and (4) policy recommendations to improve services.
Methods
This study is based on a qualitative research approach. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with health and social workers providing services to older Syrian refugees living in Lebanon. All interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, coded and analysed using thematic analysis.
Results
Study results clearly show that older refugees face increased marginalisation and neglect, mainly because of ageism. Ageism experienced at aid agency, family and individual levels, impacts negatively on older refugees. They have a sense of social isolation, neglect and feel they are a burden, consequently their social participation decreases, impacting negatively on their physical and mental health as well as their access to social and health care. Linked to experiences of ageism, study participants noted: (1) high prevalence rates of non-communicable diseases and mental health problems; (2) difficulties accessing care, with inadequate services to support the needs of older refugees; and (3) policy recommendations calling for an holistic approach to aid which takes into consideration the specific needs of older refugees as well as their capabilities.
Concluding Remarks
Ageism is a key determinant of health which negatively impacts the physical, mental and social health, and wellbeing of older Syrian refugees. It pushes them to the margins of society where they are left behind by the humanitarian response, policy makers and researchers, as well as their communities and families. To mitigate this situation, this article calls for directly addressing ageism on social, service and policy levels.
Detectionof Fetal Trisomy 8 Mosaicism with Cell-free Fetal DNA in Maternal Plasma
Authors: Hu Junjie , Yan Kai , Jin Pengzhen , Yang Yanmei , Sun Yixi , Dong Minyue
Published: May 2022

Background
Cell-free fetal DNA in the maternal plasma is widely used to identify the aneuploid, including trisomy 21, 18, 13 and sex chromosomes. While for the detection of rare autosomal trisomies, the outcome has not come to a consensus. Here we reported a case of trisomy 8 mosaicism (T8M) which was identified by cffDNA screening.
Methods
Noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS), fetal karyotyping, single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP array) and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis were used to characterize etiology in the fetus.
Results
In this study, trisomy 8 was initially identified by cell-free fetal DNA in the maternal plasma. Ultrasound scans and magnetic resonance imaging observed fetal hydronephrosis and irregular spine. Trisomy 8 mosaicism was diagnosed based on the SNP array and amniocentesis results. The couple decided to continue the pregnancy after genetic counseling and a male infant was delivered. Interphase FISH analysis in the uncultured neonatal cord blood cells confirmed trisomy 8 mosaicism, with a percentage of 10%. In the follow up, periodic fever as well as language retardation was observed, indicating a poor prognosis.
Conclusions
Our study provided an insight into the identification of low level rare autosomal trisomy mosaicism with cell-free fetal DNA.
Protective effect of yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica) peptides on cartilage in papain-induced knee osteoarthritis rats via mediating the NF-κB/iNOS-COX-2 pathway
Authors: Yan Jia-xing , Li Zuo-an , Feng Lan-jie , Shen Lu-hong , Zhang Jiu-liang
Published: May 2022

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic joint disorder worldwide. The water extracts of yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica) plastron can be used to repair bones and tendons, but the effect and mechanism of yellow pond turtle peptides (YPTP) on KOA is not clarified. This study aimed to explore the corresponding functional effect and anti-inflammatory activity of YPTP on cartilage in rats with papain-induced KOA by network pharmacology and animal experiments. The network pharmacology results showed that the top ten key target genes of YPTP on KOA included TNF, FPR2, APP, AGTR2, AGTR1, STAT3, NFKBIA, BDKRB2, F2, and BIRC2, which were involved in multiple pathways associated with NF-κB signaling. Protein-protein interaction analysis demonstrated that the key targets of YPTP on KOA included COX-2 and iNOS. In addition, YPTP administration (75 and 150 mg/kg) on rats with papain-induced KOA was performed, and knee joint swelling, biomarkers, inflammatory factors, joint microstructure and joint components were assessed. Animal experiment results indicated that YPTP could decrease the expression of COX-2, iNOS and other inflammatory factors in the NF-κB signaling pathway. YPTP could also regulate the expression of MMP-3 and COLLII induced by inflammatory factors, thereby relieving joint pannus, cartilage damage and bone resorption. Our findings indicated that YPTP could inhibit the NF-κB/iNOS-COX-2 pathway and regulate the expression of MMP-3 and COLLII, thereby restricting cartilage degradation and synovial inflammation. This study may provide a theoretical guidance for the selective use of YPTP supplementation on health regulation in the future.
Synergistic Effect of Zn with Ni on ZSM-5 as Propane Aromatization Catalyst: Effect of Temperature and Feed flowrate
Authors: Oseke G. G. , Atta A. Y. , Mukhtar B. , El-Yakubu B. J. , Aderemi B. O.
Published: May 2022

This work shows how propane was catalytically converted to aromatic compounds over Zn-Ni/HZSM-5 to investigate the synergistic role of nickel as zinc stabilizer and promoter in propane aromatization. Co-impregnation method was employed for Zn-Ni/ZSM-5 synthesis fixed 2 wt. % of zinc and 1, 2 and 3 wt. % of nickel. Modified catalysts were fully characterized. Catalysts crystallinity, structure and microporosity were retained from analysis results. Propane aromatization process was conducted at 540 oC, 1200 ml/g-h gas hourly space velocity and atmospheric pressure. The presence of Ni with Zn improved catalytic performance for all Ni loading. Aromatic selectivity and propane conversion were improved with best performance to be Zn-Ni/ZSM-5 with 2 wt. % Zn, 2 wt. % Ni on ZSM-5 averaging 88 and 60 % for twelve hours’ time on stream. Aromatic selectivity on Zn-Ni/ZSM-5 is eight times better than the parent HZSM-5 and one and half times better than the Zn/ZSM-5 catalyst. The electronic interaction of zinc and nickel resulting from equality of oxidation state of +1 and +2 and metal binding energy change synergistically improved the catalytic performance of the bimetallic Zn-Ni/ZSM-5 over the HZSM-5 and Zn/ZSM-5. Flowrate increase from 6 to 35 ml min-1 was found to decrease propane conversion from 80-40 % with increased aromatic selectivity from 55-80 %. Temperature increase from 500-580 oC favours both propane conversion and aromatic selectivity increase from 50-68 and 55-92 % respectively. The metallic interactions from H2-TPR and XPS analysis revealed strong improvement on propane conversion, aromatic selectivity and product distribution.
The Vienna Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (VIIH) database – an Austrian registry
Authors: Pruckner Philip , Mitsch Christoph , Macher Stefan , Krajnc Nik , Marik Wolfgang , Novak Klaus , Wöber Christian , Pemp Berthold , Bsteh Gabriel
Published: May 2022

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is an increasingly prevalent disease bearing the risk of visual impairment and affecting quality of life. Clinical presentation and outcome are heterogeneous. Large, well-characterized cohorts are scarce.Here, we describe the Vienna-Idiopathic-Intracranial-Hypertension (VIIH) database aiming to characterize the clinical spectrum, diagnostic findings, therapeutic management, and outcome of IIH.Methods: We identified patients with IIH according to the modified Dandy criteria who were treated at our center between 2014 and 2021. Methodology and structure of the VIIH database are described in detail including demographics, clinical parameters, magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography, transorbital sonography, treatment, and outcome.Results: Of 113 patients, 89% were female (mean age 32.3 years). Median body mass index (BMI) was 31.8, with 85% overweight (BMI>25). Papilledema was found in 95% with 5% classified as IIH without papilledema. Headache was present in 84% and showed migrainous features in 43%. Median opening pressure in lumbar puncture was 31cmH2O.Pharmacotherapy (predominantly acetazolamide) was established in 99%, 56% required at least one therapeutic lumbar puncture and 13% surgical intervention. After a median follow-up of 3.7 years, 43% had not achieved significant weight loss, papilledema was present in 59% and headache in 76% (58% improved). Comparing initial presentation to follow-up, perimetry was abnormal in 67% vs. 50% (8% worsened, 24% improved) and transorbital sonography in 87% vs. 65% with a median optic nerve sheath diameter of 5.4mm vs. 4.9mm. Median peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness had decreased from 199µm to 99µm and ganglion cell layer volume from 1.13mm3 to 1.05mm3.Conclusions: The VIIH database constitutes a large representative cohort, characterizing IIH-related symptoms, diagnostic findings, treatment, and outcome parameters and emphasizing substantial long-term sequelae of IIH. Future analyses will aim to refine phenotyping and identify factors predicting outcome.
What added value of CNRM-AROME convection-permitting regional climate model compared to CNRM-ALADIN regional climate model for urban climate studies ? Evaluation over Paris area (France)
Authors: Lemonsu Aude , Caillaud Cécile , Alias Antoinette , Riette Sébastien , Seity Yann , Roy Benjamin Le , Michau Yohanna , Lucas-Picher Philippe
Published: May 2022

The convection-permitting regional climate model CNRM-AROME was applied on a spatial domain restricted to the northern half of France for analyzing its performances in simulating the urban climate of Paris region, and its potential added value compared to the regional climate model CNRM-ALADIN. In addition to its fine horizontal resolution (2.5 km compared to 12.5 km for CNRM-ALADIN), CNRM-AROME has the advantage of integrating the urban canopy model TEB into its land-surface modelling system. A hindcast simulation was performed for the past period 2000-2017, following an evaluation configuration for which CNRM-AROME was driven by CNRM-ALADIN, driven itself by the ERA-Interim reanalyses. Long-term gridded observations with kilometric resolution allowed a fine spatial scale evaluation of the atmospheric variables simulated by both models. They showed in particular a significant overestimation of spring precipitation, but an improvement of summer precipitation in CNRM-AROME compared to CNRM-ALADIN. Above all, thanks to its horizontal resolution and the use of a dedicated urban model, CNRM-AROME was shown to offer significant added value for the simulation of urban heat islands, for the mapping of heat-warming areas, and for representing the effects of the city on precipitation. It is a promising tool to diagnose climatic and impact indicators at the city scale, and their evolution in a changing climate.
Relation between derived cardiovascular indices, body surface area, blood pressure/heart rate recovery among active and inactive Nigerian student
Authors: Ewah Patrick Ayi , Oyeyemi Adetoyeje Y
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUNDThe ease in the computation of derived cardiovascular indices such as mean arterial pressure [MAP], rate pressure product [RPP] and pulse pressure [PP]), make them attractive for use in making clinical decision for patient management in resource deprived environment. This study sought to determine the relationship between these indices and heart rate/blood pressure drops during recovery state among physically active and inactive individuals following submaximal exercise. RESULTSThis quasi-experimental study conveniently sampled 105 apparently healthy male subjects age 18-35 years of the University of Maiduguri. Inter-group categorization was executed by IPAQ. The derived indices were calculated using heart rate and blood pressure measurement while the body surface area (BSA) was determined using height and weight. The subjects were subjected to a submaximal exercise test using a bicycle ergometer. Data analysis include; descriptive statistic, Pearson correlation, student t-test, analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression. The data was analyse using SPSS version 25.0 at significance of p<0.05. The mean BSA and resting-PP, MAP and RPP were 1.84±0.16 m2, 41.23±7.57 mmHg, 85.92±9 mmHg and 8266.45±1404.05 respectively. The resting-RPP of the physically inactive subjects was significantly higher than that of the active (8742.71±1496.31 vs 7790.18±1131.59, p=0.00) however, the active subject had a higher resting-MAP than the inactive (87.91±7.98 Vs 83.93±9.59, p=0.03). The relationship between the RPP and the Absolute/percent recovery HR was r=-0.23, p=0.02/r=-0.34, p=0.00. The relationship between the PP and absolute recovery SBP was r=0.22, p= 0.03. The relationship found between the MAP and absolute recovery SBP was (r= 0.33, p= 0.00). The best negative predictor negative predictor recovery HR was the RPP while the MAP was the best positive predictor of recovery HR and SBP. CONCLUSIONSOverall, the physically active subjects coped better during the exercise than their inactive counterpart because of lower cardiac work and better blood perfusion to vital body organs. An inverse relationship was found between the RPP and absolute/percent recovery HR at one-minute post exercise while a positive relationship was found between the PP and absolute drop in SBP/percent drop in DBP one-minute post exercise. The best predictor of recovery HR and blood pressure was the RPP.
Self-perceived general health at start of TNFi therapy predicts therapeutic response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: analysis from the ATTRA registry
Authors: Nekvindová Lucie , Vencovský Jiří , Pavelka Karel , Horák Pavel , Rouhová Renata , Závada Jakub
Published: May 2022

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have been shown to predict various disease outcomes. One of the most widely used PRO instruments is the Short Form (SF) 36 questionnaire which evaluates the patient's health status. Our goal was to evaluate the association between therapeutic response and patients' self-perceived general health status at TNFi initiation based on answers to two selected questions (Qs) in the SF-36 questionnaire.Methods: We included two separate datasets with RA patients (pts) initiating the first-line TNFi within the period 01/01/2001–31/12/2017 (primary dataset) and 01/01/2018–01/01/2020 (validation dataset) with at least one‑year follow‑up and filled SF-36 questionnaire at baseline. Patients were grouped according to their response ('definitely/mostly yes' vs 'definitely/mostly no') to Q11A and Q11C at baseline. The primary outcome was remission (REM) according to DAS28-ESR (<2.6) at the 12‑month visit. REM rates were compared across patients' groups with Pearson's chi-squared test. Using logistic regression, crude and adjusted (to baseline DAS28-ESR and HAQ) odds ratios (ORs) were computed. Drug retentions were obtained through the Kaplan-Meier method. We repeated the analysis on propensity score-matched patients at baseline as a sensitivity analysis. Results: Within the primary dataset (648/792 pts answering positively/negatively to Q11A; 730/580 pts answering positively/negatively to Q11C), patients answering 'yes' to Q11A/Q11C had 1.5/1.4 times higher odds for REM at 12-month visit than patients answering 'no'. The odds remained significantly different even after accounting for baseline DAS28-ESR and HAQ and within propensity score-matched datasets. Further, patients answering 'yes' to Q11A had a 1.3 times higher risk of TNFi discontinuation than patients answering 'no'. The validation dataset analysis (216/254 pts answering 'yes'/'no' to Q11A; 231/201 answering 'yes'/'no' to Q11C) gave similar results. Patients answering 'yes' to Q11A/Q11C had 1.7 times higher odds of reaching REM at the 12-month visit than patients responding 'no'. Even after accounting for baseline disease activity and functional status and within PS-matched datasets, the odds remained significantly higher. However, there was no statistically significant difference in drug retentions.Conclusions: We provide strong evidence that self-perceived general health at TNFi initiation predicts reaching remission at 12 months in pts with RA.
Calcium and strontium contractile activation properties of single skinned skeletal muscle fibres from elderly women 66-90 years of age
Authors: Ronaldson Susan M. , Stephenson D. George , Head Stewart I.
Published: May 2022

The single skinned muscle fibre technique was used to investigate Ca2+-and Sr2+-activation properties of skeletal muscle fibres from elderly women (66-90 years). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle. Three populations of muscle fibres were identified according to their specific Sr2+-activation properties: slow-twitch (type I), fast-twitch (type II) and hybrid (type I/II) fibres. All three fibre types were sampled from the biopsies of 66 to 72 years old women, but the muscle biopsies of women older than 80 years yielded only slow-twitch (type I) fibres. The proportion of hybrid fibres in the vastus lateralis muscle of women of circa 70 years of age (24%) was several-fold greater than in the same muscle of adults (<10%), suggesting that muscle remodelling occurs around this age. There were no differences between the Ca2+-and Sr2+ -activation properties of slow-twitch fibres from the two groups of elderly women, but there were differences compared with muscle fibres from adults with respect to sensitivity to Ca2+, steepness of the activation curves, and characteristics of the fibre-type dependent phenomenon of spontaneous force oscillations occurring at submaximal levels of activation. The maximal Ca2+ activated specific force from all the fibres collected from the seven old women use in the present study was significantly lower by 20% than in the same muscle of adults. Taken together these results show there are qualitative and quantitative changes in the activation properties of the contractile apparatus of muscle fibres from the vastus lateralis muscle of women with advancing age, and that these changes need to be considered when explaining observed changes in women’s mobility with aging.
A phenomic approach of bamboo species identification using deep learning
Authors: Wang Ziwei , Li Jing , Yue Xianghua , Yi Wukun , Wang Hankun , Chen Hong , Tian Genlin
Published: May 2022

Plant has high similarity and dense detail information in morphology, color and texture, especially in bamboo species, which consists of ground tissue and vascular bundles, the cross-sectional images of bamboo belong to fine-grained, for this reason, the classification of bamboo species has always required aid from a domain expert. Recently, deep learning and convolutional neural network (CNN) have become a new solution for image recognition and classification, features can be effectively extracted from bamboo images and high accuracy can be outputted. Here, convolutional neural network models were constructed to achieve the rapid classification of bamboo species, meanwhile, to simulate the complex classification of bamboo, identification complexity was artificially added by mixing all images, but the models were still found feasible. These models are trained to identify 45 bamboo types with Top-1 accuracy of 92.14% and Top-5 accuracy of 98.10%, indicating that the models extracted the specific features from the cross-section images efficiently.
SINR-based Slot Reuse Algorithm for Multi-Channel Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Zeng Bo , Liang Zhiqing , Gao Xiaofeng
Published: May 2022

Multi-channel technology can eff ectively eliminate wireless interference. The algorithms proposed for multi-channel sensor networks usually assume that there are enough channels available to enable interference-free parallel transmission. However, in practice, the channels that can be used are limited. This makes it possible that wireless interference cannot be completely eliminated, making parallel transmission impossible. Therefore, it is a challenging problem to develop a scheduling algorithm with fully parallel transmission capability under limited channels. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a heuristic slot reuse algorithm combining Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) and multi-channel technology. The algorithm allocates consecutive slots to nodes in a top-down manner. When the slot cannot be allocated because the SINR is not satisfi ed, a new channel will be added and allocate the slot. The simulation results show that our algorithm achieves concurrent transmission under limited channels, resulting in an optimized scheduling length.
Effect of Electronic Medical Record Management Systems on the Disease Activity and Frequency of Outpatient Visits of Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: A cross-sectional
Authors: Huang Pei-Ju , Liu Yen-Tze , Chen Yi-Hsing , Chen Yi-Ming , Lai Kuo-Lung , Hsieh Tsu-Yi , Hung Wei-Ting , Lin Ching-Tsai , Tseng Chih-Wei , Tang Kuo-Tung , Chou Yin-Yi , Wu Yi-Da , Hsieh Chia-Wei , Chen Yen-Ju , Liao Yu-Wan , Chen Hsin-Hua , Huang Wen-Nan , Huang Chin-Yin
Published: May 2022

BackgroundTo investigate the impact of an electronic medical record management system (EMRMS) on disease activity and the frequency of outpatient visits among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).MethodsWe identified 652 patients with AS who were followed up for at least 1 year before and after the first Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) assessment and compared the number of outpatient visits and average visit time within 1 year before and after the initial ASDAS assessment. Finally, we analyzed 201 patients with AS who had complete data and received ≥3 continuous ASDAS assessments at an interval of 3 months, and we compared the results of the second and third ASDAS assessments with those of the first.ResultsThe number of annual outpatient visits increased after ASDAS assessment (5.8 ± 3.4 vs. 5.4 ± 3.4, p < 0.001), particularly among those with a high initial disease activity. The average visit time was reduced within 1 year after ASDAS assessment (8.7 ± 3.8 vs. 9.2 ± 4.4 min, p = 0.030), especially among patients whose ASDAS-C-reactive protein (CRP) was <1.3 (8.5 ± 3.3 vs. 9.2 ± 4.2 min, p = 0.022). Among patients who received at least three ASDAS assessments, the third ASDAS-CRP was significantly lower than the first (1.5 ± 0.8 vs. 1.6 ± 0.8, p = 0.049).ConclusionThe use of an EMRMS increased the frequency of ambulatory visits among AS patients with high disease activity and reduced the visit time among those with an inactive disease. Continual ASDAS assessments may help control the disease activity of patients with AS.Trial registrationInstitutional Review Board (IRB) of Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TCVGH-IRB No.: CE20145B)
Predictive value of extubation failure diagnosed by decrease in central venous oxygen saturation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wu Chenxia , Hu Luoxia , Shen Qinkang , Xu Hua , Huang Haijun
Published: May 2022

Background: The predictive power of extubation failure diagnosed by decrease in central venous oxygen saturation(ΔScvO2) varies by studies. Here we summarized the diagnostic value of extubation failure tested by ΔScvO2.Methods: A comprehensive online search was performed to select potentially eligible studies that evaluated the predictive power of extubation failure tested by ΔScvO2. A manual search was also performed to identify additional studies. Data were extracted to calculate the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR),negative LR, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to evaluate the predictive power of extubation failure.Results: Overall, five studies including 353 patients were included in this review, of whom 105 (30%) were extubation failure. The cutoff values of ΔScvO2 varied across studies, ranging from 3.8% to 5.4%. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed with an overall Q = 0.007, I2 = 0%, and P = 0.498. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for the overall population were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.74-0.90) and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.83-0.92), respectively. The pooled positive LR and negative LR were 7.2 (95%CI: 4.6-11.2) and 0.19 (95%CI: 0.12-0.31), respectively. The DOR was 38 (95% CI: 17–86). Overall, the pooled AUROC was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.90–0.94).Conclusions: The ΔScvO2 performed well in predicting extubation failure in adult mechanical ventilation patients.Further studies with a larger data set and well-designed models are required to confirm the diagnostic accuracy and utility of ScvO2 in predicting extubation outcomes in mechanical ventilation patients.
Calibrating a Three-Viewpoints Thermal Camera with Few Correspondences
Authors: Kim Ju O , Kim Jieun , Lee Deokwoo
Published: May 2022

This paper proposes the approach to calibration of a thermal camera that has three viewpoints. This work estimates the intrinsic parameters of the camera by establishing geometric relationship between real-world scene points and image points. This work estimates the extrinsic parameters , i.e., rotation and translation of the camera using vanishing points. The present work is different from the existed work on the calibration from three perspectives. The first one is that this work calibrates thermal camera with three viewpoints whose relative rotation is greater than 180-degree. The second one is that the viewpoints shares few overlapped areas due to the structure of the camera, so the proposed work is more challenging and difficult than the previous work on the calibration. The third one is that projected image of a scene requires quality enhancement for the calibration. Since few overlapped images are given a priori, feature matching cannot be used for the calibration. Instead of using correspondence matching, vanishing points are exploited to estimate relative rotations of cameras. The intrinsic parameters are estimated by capturing thermal-checkerboard followed by image processing. Experimental results show the accuracy and stability of the proposed approach for estimation of the intrinsic and the extrinsic parameters.
Shape-selective remobilization of microparticles in a mesh-based DEP filter at high throughput
Authors: Weirauch Laura , Giesler Jasper , Baune Michael , Pesch Georg R. , Thöming Jorg
Published: May 2022

In numerous of studies, dielectrophoresis (DEP) has proven that its high selectivity and versatility make it a promising separation technique in a variety of fields. So far, however, only a few processes in the bioanalytics have made it to commercial use. One of the main challenges is to achieve a technically relevant throughput while maintaining a high selectivity. We present a novel approach of a mesh-based DEP filter with ordered field disturbing structures that has a high potential for upscaling because low-cost and commercially available materials are used. In this filter, we firstly trap a mixture of particles and then selectively remobilize them via a frequency shift, which allows for multidimensional separation. Shape-selective separation is demonstrated using ellipsoidal and spherical polystyrene particles, first in established microchannels and subsequently in the mesh-based filter. Hence, particles were trapped at flow rates up to 120 mLh-1 and then selectively remobilized according to their shape. These results pave the way for high-throughput multitarget separations in a single and scalable device.
The Effects of flaxseed supplementation on circulating adipokines concentration in patients with ulcerative colitis
Authors: Morshedzadeh Nava , Rahimlou Mehran , Shahrokh Shabnam , Chaleshi Vahid , Mirmiran Parvin , Zali Mohammad Reza
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases affecting people of all ages. Adipokines secreted from adipose tissue have been shown to play an essential role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of supplementation with ground flaxseed (GF) on the concentrations of adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin in patients with UC.Methods: This trial is an open-labeled randomized controlled trial conducted among 70 patients with UC. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: flaxseed and control. Patients in the intervention were received 30 g/day flaxseed powder for 12 weeks. Patients' anthropometric, nutritional, and biochemical factors were evaluated at the beginning and end of the intervention period.Finding: Totally, 64 patients (36 men and 28 women) with a mean age of 31.12 ± 9.67 were included in the final analysis. There wasn’t any significant difference between the two groups regarding baseline weight and height (p>0.05). After the 12 weeks' intervention, flaxseed supplementation led to a significant reduction in the resistin (-4.85 ± 1.89 vs. -1.10 ± 2.25, p<0.001) and visfatin concentration (-1.33± 1.14 vs. -0.53 ± 1.63, p=0.018). Moreover, we found a significant increase in the adiponectin levels after the GF supplementation (3.49 ± 1.29 vs. -0.35 ± 0.96, p<0.001).Conclusion: It has been reported in this study that flaxseed supplementation could exert beneficial effects on adipokine levels in patients with UC. Trial registration: IRCT registration no. IRCT20180311039043N1
Screening for Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Patients with Cough Attending Different Block Public Health Centre of North Bank of Kamrup District of Assam, India: Does Location, Gender and Duration of Cough Impact on Screening?
Authors: Deka Bipul Chandra , Saikia Devabrata , Kashyap Manash Pratim , Sarma Jayanta Biswa , Kakati Nayan jyoti
Published: May 2022

India has 2.64 million tuberculosis (TB) cases, and this number is almost 30% of the worldwide TB burden. The aim of the study was to find out whether there is a relationship between the prevalence of TB cases with respect to gender, duration of cough and location. In this study, sputum samples were collected from the patients who reported cough in outdoor patient departments. All sputum samples were examined microscopically. Age, gender, and location-wise data were prepared for study. During the study period, total 37119 presumptive patients were attended outpatient department and 1103 (2.97%) presumptive patients reported cough. Out of 1103 presumptive cases, 5.98% were found to be sputum positive. The occurrence was highest among male patients (73.1%). The age group 16–30 years was found to be the most vulnerable one. Duration of cough was not found to be a significant factor for sputum positive pulmonary TB. However, there was a locality-wise difference in detection (P < 0.05). The findings suggested that cough reported for any duration should be brought under TB screening. Although the data showed that the occurrence of TB was maximum in male patients, female TB patients should also be brought under thorough investigation. In locations showing significant TB cases, targeted interventions should be initiated by government and non-government agencies to detect the root cause.