bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Le mal-être de l’animal malade et sa gestion en élevage
Authors: BAREILLE N.
Published: May 2020

L’objectif de cet article est d’amener des éléments de réflexion sur les conséquences de la maladie sur le bien-être des animaux et d’envisager les principales voies d’amélioration en élevage. Le bien-être physique de l’animal malade est compromis : il a des modifications physiologiques comparables à celles liées au stress, il doit adopter des postures et des mouvements anormaux afin de limiter la douleur, il a des difficultés à réaliser ses comportements normaux ce qui se traduit in fine par des baisses de performances. Son bien-être mental est lui aussi affecté. Une sensibilisation des intervenants en élevage au mal-être de l’animal malade doit être entreprise. L’éleveur doit détecter et prendre en charge rapidement ses animaux malades. Les vétérinaires doivent améliorer leurs procédures thérapeutiques en ayant recours dès que nécessaire aux analgésiques.
Impact des conditions de pré-abattage sur le stress et le bien-être des animaux d’élevage
Authors: TERLOUW E.M.C. , ARNOULD C. , AUPERIN B. , BERRI C. , LE BIHAN-DUVAL E. , LEFEVRE F. , MOUNIER L.
Published: May 2020

Malgré les progrès de ces dernières années, la période de pré-abattage est une source de stress pour les animaux. Les procédés d’abattage nécessitent des regroupements et des mélanges d’animaux, l’enlèvement du milieu habituel et l’introduction dans des environnements non familiers, le transport, la manipulation par l’homme et le jeûne, et entraînent parfois des mauvaises conditions d’ambiance. Ils sont souvent générateurs de stress d’origine physique (fatigue, faim, douleur, inconfort physique) et psychologique (peur, stress social). Les techniques d’étourdissement sont parfois mal maîtrisées ou mal adaptées. Ces procédés entraînent des réponses comportementales, physiologiques et métaboliques qui sont utilisées pour évaluer le niveau de stress de l’animal. Afin de mieux respecter le bien-être animal à l’abattage, il est nécessaire d’élargir nos connaissances des causes de stress. L’effet négatif que peuvent avoir ces réponses sur les qualités des viandes est succinctement abordé.
Prévision de la digestibilité des fourrages par la méthode pepsine-cellulase. Le point sur les équations proposées
Authors: AUFRÈRE J. , BAUMONT R. , DELABY L. , PECCATTE J.R. , ANDRIEU J. , ANDRIEU J.P. , DULPHY J.P.
Published: May 2020

La digestibilité pepsine-cellulase est largement utilisée pour prévoir la digestibilité de la matière organique (dMO) des fourrages. Les équations de prévision utilisées jusqu’à présent avaient été établies en 1989 sur 85 échantillons d’espèces pures de graminées, de légumineuses, et sur des prairies permanentes riches en graminées, récoltées en vert ou en foin. Certaines espèces fourragères comme le trèfle violet, les mélanges ray-grass/trèfle blanc, et les fourrages récoltés en ensilage n’avaient pas été inclus dans cette équation. Pour conforter et élargir les équations de prévision, nous avons analysé la relation entre la dMO et la digestibilité pepsine-cellulase d’une banque de données constituée de 384 échantillons dont la digestibilité in vivo a été mesurée sur moutons à l’INRA de Theix en Auvergne ou à l’INRA du Pin-au-Haras en Normandie et dont la digestibilité pepsine-cellulase a été déterminée à l’INRA de Theix. Cette banque de données comporte 269 échantillons de fourrages verts (121 de graminées, 60 de mélanges ray-grass/trèfle blanc, 32 de légumineuses et 56 de prairies permanentes), 64 échantillons de fourrages fermentés (39 de graminées, 25 de légumineuses) et 51 échantillons de foins (37 de graminées et 14 légumineuses). Sur l’ensemble des données (n = 384), la plage de variation de la dMO est de 48,5 à 84,6 et celle de la digestibilité pepsine-cellulase de 38,6 à 86,5. L’analyse de cette base de données nous a permis de conforter les équations de prévision proposées pour les fourrages verts et les foins (écarts-types résiduels compris en 2,2 et 2,9 points de digestibilité), de préciser les différences de pente dans les équations de prévision entre les fourrages de graminées et de légumineuses, de proposer une équation pour les fourrages verts issus d’association ray-grass/trèfle blanc et des équations pour les fourrages fermentés (ensilages et balles rondes) avec une précision inférieure à 2 points de digestibilité. Une étude de validation a été réalisée à partir de 122 échantillons extérieurs à ceux utilisés pour établir les équations de prévision et dont la composition chimique et la digestibilité pepsine-cellulase ont été déterminées dans un laboratoire d’analyse extérieur à l’INRA. Les écarts-types de prévision de la dMO à partir de la digestibilité pepsine-cellulase varient de 2,7 et 3,2 points de digestibilité selon la catégorie de fourrages considérée. Ils sont inférieurs à ceux obtenus pour la prévision à partir de la composition chimique (MAT, CB) qui varie entre 3,5 et 5,1 points de digestibilité.
Drug design: 4-thiazolidinones applications. Part 1. Synthetic routes to the drug-like molecules
Authors: Lesyk Roman
Published: May 2020

4-Thiazolidinones, as examples of privileged scaffolds, have been the focus of medicinal chemistry since 60th. Among them, 5-substituted thiazolidinones with a C5 exocyclic bond (5-ene derivatives) are of special interest due to chemical characteristics and pharmacological profiles, possessing anticancer, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties, as well as being high-affinity ligands to a number of biological targets. A new medicinal chemistry trend claims that the aforementioned compounds are frequent hitters or pan assay interference compounds, which are useless because of the possible low selectivity. This is argued by the Michael acceptor property of 5-ene-4-thiazolidinones, which is actively discussed in the literature and requires further investigation. Based on SAR analysis, the main vectors for the design of 5-ene-4-thiazolidinone-based molecules were proposed: complication of C5 fragment; introduction of the substituents in the N3 position; synthesis of isosteric heterocycles; combination with other pharmacologically attractive fragments; annealing of thiazolidinone core; utilisation of 5-ene-thiazolidinones in synthesis of other compounds. The affinity of 5-ene-4-thiazolidinones toward various targets can be regarded as an advantage in polypharmacological approaches. Michael acceptors are considered as the “new old tool” for new drug creation, especially anticancer agents. One of the possible solutions within privileged substructure-based diversity-oriented synthesis is the fixation of 5-ene-4-thiazolidinone fragment in the fused heterocycles, for example, thiopyrano[2,3-d]thiazoles obtained from 5-ene-thiazolidinones.
Leucocytes and Th-associated cytokine profile of HIV-leishmaniasis coinfected patients attending the Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Authors: Abdullahi Idris Nasir , Emeribe Anthony Uchenna , Adekola Hafeez Aderinsayo , Muhammad Habiba Yahaya , Ahmad Abdurrahman El-fulaty , Anka Abubakar Umar , Mohammed Yusuf , Haruna Shamsuddeen , Shuwa Halima Ali , Babayo Adamu
Published: May 2020

Introduction. T helper cells (Th)-1 and -2 cytokines homeostasis control or predict clinical outcome of infected persons, especially those with HIV/AIDS. This case-control study evaluated the leucocyte differentials, TNF-α, IL-2 and -10 levels, among HIV-infected persons with serological evidence of leishmaniasis attending the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Material and Methods. This study involved blood samples from 28 HIV-infectedwith Leishmania donovani rK39 and IgG positive (group 1), 30 age- and sex-matched HIV-infected individuals without Leishmania antibodies (group 2) and 30 apparently healthy persons without HIV and Leishmania antibodies (group 3). Full blood counts, TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-10 levels were analysed using an automated haematology analyser and ELISA, respectively. Structured questionnaires were used to collate biochemical and clinical data from participants.
Results. Ten (35.7%) participants in group 1 were on ART, 15 (50%) in group 2 were on ART, while group 3 were ART naïve. There were significantly higher values in basophil (4.4 ± 2.5%) and eosinophil counts (12.9 ± 3.8%) in HIV/Leishmania coinfected persons (p˂0.005), whereas other white cell subpopulations were significantly lower in the HIV/Leishmania coinfected participants (p˂0.05). There were significantly reduced CD4+ T cell counts (119 ± 26 vs 348 ± 63 vs 605 ± 116 cells/mm3), TNF-α (36.82 ± 8.21 vs 64.67 ± 12.54 vs 254.98 ± 65.59 pg/mL) and IL-2 levels (142.14 ± 20.91 vs 507.6 ± 84.42 vs 486.62 ± 167.87 pg/mL) among HIV/Leishmania coinfected participants compared to group 2 and group 3 participants, respectively. However, higher IL-10 levels (80.35 ± 14.57 pg/mL) were detected in HIV/Leishmania coinfected participants compared to the HIV mono-infected (62.2 ± 10.43 pg/mL) and apparently healthy persons (23.97 ± 4.88 pg/mL; p˂0.001).
Conclusion. Eosinophil and basophil counts, and serum IL-10 level were high in HIV/Leishmania coinfected patients demonstrating parasite-induced hypersensitivity and immunosuppression.
The Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak: The Israeli Experience
Authors: Sabbah Mohammad Yasser
Published: May 2020

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-COV) and Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-COV). The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) refers to the cluster of viral pneumonia cases which first started occurring in Wuhan city, which has a population of 11 million people and is the largest city in Hubei province in central China, since December 2019. On Tuesday, the 11th of February 2020, the WHO officially named the disease caused by the new coronavirus "COVID-19", with more than 43,000 patients, and more than 1,000 deaths cases were reported in China. The Government of Israel, the Prime Minister's Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense and the Treasury, have decided to take early first steps to prevent the spread of the virus in the Country. The first step was banning Chinese tourists from entering the country via Ben-Gurion International Airport, and this was only the beginning, as afterwards the decision was made to close all border crossings. The idea was to reduce the number of entrances to the State of Israel as much as possible, and every citizen coming back from countries such as China and European countries was directly sent to home quarantine for a period of 14 days.
ORBIS (Open Research Biopharmaceutical Internships Support) – building bridges between academia and pharmaceutical industry to improve drug development
Authors: Lulek Janina , Jakubowska Emilia , Davin Sharon , Dumicic Aleksandra Dumicic , Garbacz Grzegorz , Michniak-Kohn Bożena , Rudzki Piotr J. , Smułek Wojciech , Juppo Anne , Strachan Clare , Syarkevych Oleg , Tajber Lidia
Published: May 2020

Open Research Biopharmaceutical Internships Support (ORBIS) is an international, Horizon 2020 project funded by Maria Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) programme. Six academic institutions and four pharmaceutical companies from seven countries cooperate with the aim to improve the preclinical pathway of medicine development through increased Research and Development (R&D) productivity, especially focusing on processes and technologies which address the challenge of poor drug bioavailability. The RISE scheme supports secondments, meaning that early stage and experienced researchers are sent to consortium partner institutions to advance studies on pharmaceutical preformulation, dosage forms and drug delivery systems and methods of biopharmaceutical evaluation. The ORBIS project enables secondees to gain news skills and develop their competences in an international and intersectoral environment, strengthening the human capital and knowledge synergy in the European pharmaceutical R&D sector.
Social-Group-Optimization Assisted Kapur’s Entropy and Morphological Segmentation for Automated Detection of COVID-19 Infection from Computed Tomography Images
Authors: Dey Nilanjan , Rajinikant V. , Fong Simon James , Kaiser M. Shamim , Mahmud Mufti
Published: May 2020

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has been declared as a global pandemic. Due to its infection rate and severity, it has emerged as one of the major global threats of the current generation. To support the current combat against the disease, this research aims to propose a Machine Learning based pipeline to detect the COVID-19 infection using the lung Computed Tomography scan images (CTI). This implemented pipeline consists of a number of sub-procedures ranging from segmenting the COVID-19 infection to classifying the segmented regions. The initial part of the pipeline implements the segmentation of the COVID-19 affected CTI using Social-Group-Optimization and Kapur’s Entropy thresholding, followed by k-means clustering and morphology-based segmentation. The next part of the pipeline implements feature extraction, selection and fusion to classify the infection. PCA based serial fusion technique is used in fusing the features and the fused feature vector is then employed to train, test and validate four different classifiers namely Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine with Radial Basis Function, and Decision Tree. Experimental results using benchmark datasets show a high accuracy (> 91%) for the morphology-based segmentation task and for the classification task the KNN offers the highest accuracy among the compared classifiers (> 87%). However, this should be noted that this method still awaits clinical validation, and therefore should not be used to clinically diagnose the ongoing COVID-19 infection.
Performance Analysis of Gaussian, Median, Mean and Weiner Filters on Biomedical Image De-Noising
Authors: Bharati Subrato , Podder Prajoy
Published: May 2020

Noise reduction in medical images is a perplexing undertaking for the researchers in digital image processing. Noise generates maximum critical disturbances as well as touches the medical images quality, ultrasound images in the field of biomedical imaging. The image is normally considered as gathering of data and existence of noises degradation the image quality. It ought to be vital to reestablish the original image noises for accomplishing maximum data from images. Medical images are debased through noise through its transmission and procurement. Image with noise reduce the image contrast and resolution, thereby decreasing the diagnostic values of the medical image. This paper mainly focuses on Gaussian noise, Pepper noise, Uniform noise, Salt and Speckle noise. Different filtering techniques can be adapted for noise declining to improve the visual quality as well as reorganization of images. Here four types of noises have been undertaken and applied on medical images. Besides numerous filtering methods like Gaussian, median, mean and Weiner applied for noise reduction as well as estimate the performance of filter through the parameters like mean square error (MSE), peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), Average difference value (AD) and Maximum difference value (MD) to diminish the noises without corrupting the medical image data.
Dynamics of Cohomological Expanding Mappings II : Third and Fourth Main Results
Authors: Azonnahin Armand
Published: May 2020

Let f : V → V be a Cohomological Expanding Mapping1 of a smooth complex compact homogeneous manifold with $ dim_{\mathbb{C}}(\Vc)=k \ge 1$ and Kodaira Dimension $\leq 0$. We study the dynamics of such mapping from a probabilistic point of view, that is, we describe the asymptotic behavior of the orbit $ O_{h} (x) = \{h^{n} (x), n \in \mathbb{N} \quad \mbox{or}\quad \mathbb{Z}\}$ of a generic point. Using pluripotential methods, we have constructed in our previous paper \cite{Armand4} a natural invariant canonical probability measure of maximal Cohomological Entropy $ \nu_{h} $ such that ${\chi_{2l}^{-m}} (h^m)^\ast \Omega \to \nu_h \qquad \mbox{as} \quad m\to\infty$ for each smooth probability measure $\Omega $ in $\Vc$ . We have also studied the main stochastic properties of $ \nu_{h}$ and have shown that $ \nu_{h}$ is a smooth equilibrium measure , ergodic, mixing, K-mixing, exponential-mixing. In this paper we are interested on equidistribution problems and we show in particular that $ \nu_{h}$ reflects a property of equidistribution of periodic points by setting out the Third and Fourth Main Results in our study. Finally we conjecture that $$\nu_h:=T_l^+ \wedge T_{k-l}^-,$$ $$\dim_\HH(\nu_h)= \Psi h_{\chi}(h) , $$ $$\dim_\HH( \mbox{Supp} T_l^+) \geq 2(k-l) + \frac{\log \chi_{2l}}{\psi_l},$$ $$|\langle \nu_m^x-\nu_h,\zeta\rangle|\leq M \Big[1+\log^+{1\over D(x,\Tc)}\Big]^{\beta/2}\|\zeta\|_{\Cc^\beta} \gamma^{-\beta m/2}$$ and $$|\langle \nu_m^x-\nu_h,\zeta\rangle|\leq M \Big[1 +\log^+{1\over D(x,E_\gamma)}\Big]^{\beta/2}\|\zeta\|_{\Cc^\beta} \gamma^{-\beta m/2}.$$
Does Social Distancing Have an Effect on Water Quality? : An Evidence from Chlorophyll-a Level in the Water of Populated Southeast Asian Coasts
Authors: Adwibowo Andrio
Published: May 2020

The COVID 19 related social distancing is hypothesized can affect the environmental quality including the air and water quality. Correspondingly, this study aims to study how the reduction of activities of people living near the rivers and the coastal areas due to social distancing may decrease the discharges of materials and nutrients to the water body. The chlorophyll-a was used as bio indicators of nutrient contents related to the anthropogenic activities in the coast. The study was conducted in the Jakarta coast considering that this coast was surrounded by populated cities with total population equal to 16 million people. The chlorophyll-a was measured in mg/m3 and monitored using remote sensing data from January to April 2020 representing the period before and after the implementation of social distancing. The determinant environmental factor measured was sea surface temperature (0C). The study considered that there were reductions of levels and areas of chlorophyll-a in the coast. The chlorophyll-a levels were reduced from January to April (p<0.05). The chlorophyll-a levels for January, February, March, and April were 7.36 mg/m3 (95%CI: 6.34-8.37), 7.90 mg/m3 (95%CI: 7.32-8.47), 6.52 mg/m3 (95%CI: 5.37-7.66), and 4.21 mg/m3 (95%CI: 3.34-5.07) respectively. However, the differences of chlorophyll-a were not influenced by the sea surface temperature factor (p>0.05). Based on remote sensing data in January and February, the sizes of coastal areas with chlorophyll-a levels >7.00 mg/m3 were larger than areas observed in March and April. Contrarily, the coastal area sizes with low chlorophyll-a levels <5.00 mg/m3 were increasing in April. To conclude the dynamic of anthropogenic activities in coastal setting is responsible and associated with the water quality and nutrient contents as indicated by chlorophyll-a levels.
The role of teachers’ metacognitive awareness on language learners’ knowledge of grammar and critical thinking skills
Authors: Zadeh Hasan Haghani , Behrouzi Parviz
Published: May 2020

The present study was an attempt to discover the probable effects of EFL teachers’ Metacognitive Awareness (MA) on Iranian EFL learners’ knowledge of grammar and critical thinking ability. The study aimed to see whether or not teachers’ MA can improve language learner’ knowledge of grammar and critical thinking skill. To this end, 100 EFL teachers were selected and completed Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI). Then, 10 teachers with lowest degree of MA and 10 with highest degree of MA were selected to teach 207 intermediate language learners. The learners selected took a grammar tests and a critical thinking ability questionnaire test before and after the treatment. Collecting and analyzing the data, it was revealed that teachers’ MA affected language learners’ knowledge of grammar, while it did not influence the participants’ critical thinking skills. The findings of the present study might be useful for language teachers and teacher trainers.
Оптимумы солёности для вегетативного размножения и полового воспроизведения диатомовой водоросли Toxarium undulatum
Authors: Давидович Н. А. , Давидович О. И.
Published: May 2020

Распространение диатомовых водорослей ограничивается пределами их толерантности по отношению к факторам среды. Род Toxarium представлен всего двумя видами, хотя его эволюция продолжается более 100 млн лет. Toxarium undulatum широко распространён в тропических и субтропических морях; он встречается и в Чёрном море, солёность которого вдвое ниже океанической. Представляет интерес изучение эколого-физиологических характеристик этого вида с точки зрения его отношения к солёности. Клоновые культуры T. undulatum выделены из проб, собранных в озере Донузлав, сообщающемся с Чёрным морем (юго-запад Крымского полуострова), и в прибрежье острова Гран-Канария (архипелаг Канарских островов). Эксперименты по изучению пределов толерантности по отношению к солёности показали, что черноморские клоны жизнеспособны в диапазоне, охватывающем как минимум 30 ‰ (от 12 до 42 ‰). Такой же широкий диапазон солёностной толерантности, слегка сдвинутый в сторону бόльших значений, наблюдали у океанических клонов этого вида. Установлены оптимумы для вегетативного роста и полового воспроизведения. У черноморских клонов они оказались равными 27,8 и 27,2 ‰ соответственно, что заметно выше солёности, которая наблюдается в месте обитания популяции. Аналогичное превышение положения оптимумов в отношении вегетативного размножения и полового воспроизведения по сравнению с теми уровнями солёности, в которых находятся природные популяции, было отмечено для ряда других черноморских диатомовых, что свидетельствует об их океаническом (средиземноморском) прошлом. Сделан вывод о том, что T. undulatum, наряду с другими видами, начал заселять черноморский бассейн ориентировочно семь тысяч лет назад, после того как в распреснённое Новоэвксинское море-озеро через образовавшийся пролив Босфор стала поступать вода из Средиземного моря. Между тем темпы эволюции не позволили привести физиологические и экологические характеристики изучаемого вида в полное соответствие с условиями окружающей среды. В его физиологических реакциях по отношению к солёности прослеживается океаническое происхождение. Обсуждается возможность видообразования в связи с заселением Чёрного моря океаническими видами.
К изучению макрофитобентоса прибрежной акватории Караджинского участка полуострова Тарханкут (Крым, Чёрное море)
Authors: Садогурский С. Е.
Published: May 2020

Приведены сведения о составе и распределении макроводорослей в прибрежной акватории Караджинской бухты, примыкающей к южному кластеру особо охраняемой природной территории Национальный природный парк «Тарханкутский» (Крым, п-ов Тарханкут, Чёрное море). Специфика геоморфологического строения береговой зоны обусловливает структурные особенности макрофитобентоса и его промежуточное положение по отношению к макрофитобентосу прилегающих абразионных и аккумулятивных участков берега. Всего зарегистрировано 57 видов макроводорослей (Chlorophyta — 12, Ochrophyta (кл. Phaeophyceae) — 12, Rhodophyta — 33), из них 21 — в псевдолиторали и 56 — в сублиторали. Биомасса колеблется от 0,5 кг·м−2 в псевдолиторали до 4,5 кг·м−2 в сублиторали. Характер и количественные показатели бентосной растительности, состав флоры и соотношение эколого-флористических группировок макрофитобентоса в целом характерны для Тарханкутско-Севастопольского гидроботанического района Чёрного моря. Раритетная фракция включает 14 таксонов, занесённых в природоохранные списки различного ранга. Биотоп подлежит особой охране согласно Директиве ЕС о местообитаниях (Directive 92/43/EEC). Территориально-аквальный комплекс имеет созологическую и рекреационную ценность, его сохранение необходимо для обеспечения структурно-функциональной целостности экосистемы береговой зоны моря.
Systemic lupus erythematosus: what do Chinese patients and general practitioners know?
Authors: Wang Xia Jun , Sha Yue , Xu Dong , Chen lin Jia
Published: May 2020

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease with multiple systems involved. Traditionally, the diagnosis and management of SLE is only limited at secondary and tertiary hospitals. In recent years, China has vigorously carried out the hierarchical medical system, which placed the emphasis on primary health care. It is said that general practitioner should provide recognition, monitoring, management and education for SLE patients, as well as coordinate closely with rheumatologist to optimize prognosis. However, little is known about GPs’ knowledge and attitude towards SLE in China, as well as SLE patients. Methods: Data were collected from 113 SLE patients and 225 community GPs. Patients were recruited from a rheumatology clinic, Peking Union Medical Hospital from October to December 2018. All the GPs involved in the study work in the community health centers in Beijing. Based on the self-designed questionnaire, a face-to-face questionnaire and internet-based questionnaire were conducted among SLE patients and GPs, respectively. Data was analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and knowledge level was reported as percent correct. Results: The average score of patients' disease knowledge was 6.99±2.21. The results showed that higher levels of education were associated with higher levels of knowledge (𝜒2=4.231, P=0.04), as was being married (𝜒2=27.781, P<0.001), employed (𝜒2=63.865, P<0.001), follow-up duration ≥10 years (𝜒2=26.174, P<0.001), frequency of hospitalization ≥3 times (𝜒2=22.44, P<0.001), more organs and systems involved (𝜒2=90.36, P<0.001). Univariate linear regression analysis showed that patients with lower age, higher levels of education, being married and shorter follow-up duration had higher educational needs (P<0.05). Moreover, GPs answered 47% of the questions correctly. They showed poor awareness of SLE diagnostic classification, signs of recurrence, complications and follow-up management. Conclusions: There are many gaps in SLE patients’ and GPs’ knowledge of the disease. And both of them have expressed the educational requirements of their expected aspects. Understanding the view of the SLE patients and GPs may help clinicians and policymakers focus their assessments and develop strategies to improve the management of SLE patients.
A newly revised pivot knee prosthesis for peri-knee malignant bone destruction tumor management
Authors: tan jie , Zhang Qingyi , Wu Wu , Li Yaxing , Huang Kai , Wang Lin , Rao Yong , Zhang Yue , Xue Hao , Zou Longfei , Zheng Shuling , Wang Zhi , Xie Huiqi
Published: May 2020

BackgroundThis study evaluated the effectiveness of a newly revised pivot knee prosthesis in patients with peri-knee malignant bone destruction tumors.MethodsMedical records of patients who were admitted to our hospital from January 2014 to February 2020 and underwent the newly revised pivot knee prosthesis operations were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Visual analogue scale (VAS), hospital special surgery (HSS) knee score, American knee society knee score (KSS), and ROM for pre-operation, discharge, and last follow-up were applied to assess the effectiveness of this surgery. Meanwhile, the results of musculoskeletal tumor society system (MTSS) and radiographs were observed and analyzed at last follow-up.ResultsThe average operation time was 174.0 ± 35.5 min, and intraoperative bleeding volume was 271.2 ± 127.3 ml. The follow-up time was 33.8 ± 14.9 months. The scores of VAS, HSS, and KSS at pre-operation, discharging, and last follow-up were all comparable (p༜0.05), ROM was only comparable between discharging and last follow-up (p༜0.05), while ROM between preoperative and discharging had no significance (p༞0.05). MTSS at last follow-up was22.6 ± 2.4. All patients were alive with their prosthesis in good condition except for one patient who underwent revision surgery for misalignment of prosthesis and two patients who died of systemic metastasis.ConclusionThe newly revised pivot knee prosthesis is a good alternative limb-salvage strategy for patients who suffered from bone destruction tumors, although patient tumor stage and health condition should be fully assessed before surgery to reduce the mortality rate of patients who are not eligible.
Semi-pilot production of xanthan gum using nejayote as culture medium substrate
Authors: Orozco-Flores Alonso A. , Zúñiga-Sánchez Jesús O. , Iracheta-Cárdenas Maria M. , Gomez-Flores Ricardo , Romo-Sáenz César I. , Rodríguez-Padilla Cristina , Tamez-Guerra Patricia
Published: May 2020

Background: Xanthan gum is an industrialized polysaccharide produced by Xanthomonas genus. Alternative carbon sources for Xanthomonas culturing may help reducing its production cost. Nejayote, a residue from maize nixtamalization process, is an alternative culture medium substrate to produce xanthan. In this study, industrial and semi-industrial nejayote alone or in combination with supplements, were tested for xanthan production by Xantomonas campestris (1 × 108 cells/mL inoculum), using YGC medium as control, in 100 mL and 1 L volumes. Cellular growth was determined by the colorimetric MTT reduction assay (OD 540 ). Xanthan pyruvate and acetyl groups from nejayote plus supplement cultures in the bioreactor were evaluated (OD 570). Results: Industrial nejayote steadily produced up to 4 g/L xanthan, as compared with YGC medium control, which increased its production over time up to 9.3 g/L at 96 h. Cellular activity assay revealed that the highest values after 24 h (3.88 and 2.71 OD 540 for YGC and industrial nejayote, respectively). Nejayote supplemented with MgSO4 •7 H2O resulted in the highest xanthan production (10.8 g/L), but low cell growth (3.6 and 1.82 OD 540 for YGC and nejayote plus supplement, respectively), after 96 h of culture. Furthermore, gum yield reached up to 6 g/L and 1.9 OD 540, after 96 h of nejayote plus supplement culture, using a 14 L bioreactor. Xanthan pyruvate and acetyl groups from nejayote plus supplement cultures in the bioreactor resulted in similar amounts (0.107 and 0.130 OD 570 , respectively), compared with a commercial biopolymer (0.148 and 0.127 OD 570 respectively). Conclusions: X. campestris effectively grew and produced industrial-quality xanthan gum in nejayote substrate-containing culture medium, thus providing an inexpensive alternative for bioremediation.
Laparoscopic Versus Open Abdominal Radical Hysterectomy for Patients with Endometrial Cancer Involving Cervix
Authors: Wang Ming , Zhao Ziyi , Xu Xiaohong , Miao Jinwei , Kong Weimin , Duan Wei , Su Li , Yin Ziran , Wu Yumei
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND: Data on the survival outcome between laparoscopic and open abdominal radical hysterectomy is limited in patients with endometrial cancer involving cervix.METHODS: We performed a retrospective 1:1 matched observational study in patients who had their cervix involved by endometrial cancer during the 2010–2018 period in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in China. All enrolled patients underwent cancer-directed radical hysterectomy through laparoscopic approach or open abdominal surgery and followed until 3 years after the surgery. The primary outcome was the rates of disease-free survival and overall survival.RESULTS: A total of 142 patients were included in the study, 54 patients received laparoscopic surgery and 54 of the remaining 88 patients who received open surgery were selected as control. Overall, the median follow-up duration was 54.22 ± 31.14 months (95%CI: 48.71–59.89 months). There was no difference on the baseline information between two groups, including ages, rates of histologic subtypes, rates of deep myometrial invasion, rates of lymph-node involvement, and postoperative stage. There was no significant difference between the three-year disease-free rates between two groups (3-year rate, 94.3% vs. 92.2%; hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.40 to 4.61). The 3-years rate of overall survival in patients of the laparoscopic group was comparable to patients in the open surgery group (3-year rate, 89.87% vs. 92.14%; hazard ratio for death from any cause, 1.87; 95% CI, 0.60 to5.86).CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that laparoscopic approach surgery was not associated with shorter disease-free survival and overall survival than open abdominal radical hysterectomy in patients with endometrial cancer involving cervix.
Quality of Care for Children with Malaria at Private Health Facilities in Mid-Western Region of Uganda: A Cross Section Study
Authors: Wanzira Humphrey , Tumwine Daniel , Bukoma Patrick , Musiime Allan , Biculu Juliet , Ediamu Tom , Gudoi Samuel , Tibenderana James , Mulebeke Ronald , Nantanda Rebecca , Achan Jane
Published: May 2020

Background Approximately 50 percent of the population in Uganda seeks health care from private facilities but there is limited data on the quality of care for malaria in these facilities. This study aimed to document the quality of malaria case management in private health facilities in nine districts in the Mid-Western region of Uganda, an area of moderate malaria transmission.Methods This was a cross sectional study in which purposive sampling was used to select fifteen private-for-profit facilities from each district. An interviewer-administered questionnaire that contained both quantitative and open-ended questions was used. Information was collected on availability of treatment aides, knowledge on malaria, malaria case management, laboratory practices, malaria drugs stock and data management. We determined the proportion of health workers that adequately provided malaria case management according to national standards.Results Of the 135 health facilities staff interviewed, 61.48% (52.91 - 69.40) had access to malaria treatment protocols while 48.89% (40.19 - 57.63) received malaria training. The majority of facilities, 98.52% (94.75 - 99.82) had malaria diagnostic services and the most commonly available anti-malarial drug was artemether-lumefantrine, 85.19% (78 - 91), followed by Quinine, 74.81% (67 - 82) and intravenous artesunate, 72.59% (64 – 80). Only 14.07% (8.69 – 21.10) responded adequately to the acceptable cascade of malaria case management practice. Specifically, 33.33% (25.46 - 41.96) responded correctly to management of a patient with a fever, 40.00% (31.67 - 48.79) responded correctly to the first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria, whereas 85.19% (78.05 - 90.71) responded correctly to severe malaria treatment. Only 28.83% submitted monthly reports, where malaria data was recorded, to the national database.Conclusion This study revealed sub-optimal malaria case management practices at private health facilities with approximately 14% of health care workers demonstrating correct malaria case management cascade practices. This was due to limited access to malaria case management protocols and guidelines, lack of adequate staff training and supportive supervision, stock-outs of essential anti-malarial commodities and inadequate malaria related community level sensitization. The national malaria control programme could consider this information to inform specific areas of focus for strengthening malaria case management in the private health facilities.
Prognostic Value Of Leukocytosis In Pediatric Head Trauma
Authors: Sahin Levent , Kayabas Murat , Aras Levent
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Our aim in this study is to investigate the relationship between age, gender, trauma etiology, presence of symptoms at the time of admission, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), brain CT findings and blood WBC levels at admission.
Methods

305 pediatric patients [between 0 and 18 years old] who applied to the emergency department of Kafkas University Medical Faculty Hospital between 2016 and 2019 after head trauma were included in the study. The data of these patients were analyzed retrospectively from the hospital records. Age, gender, head trauma etiology, GCS scores at the time of presentation, their symptoms, their brain CT findings and blood WBC levels were examined. Chi-square test was performed between patients with and without leukocytosis and independent variables.
Results

After applying exclusion factors, the data of 173 patients who underwent CT in the emergency room after head trauma and whose blood tests were studied were examined. When patients were analyzed according to gender, 111 (64.2%) were male and 62 (35.8%) were found to be female. In terms of age, it was seen that those between the ages of 0 and 2 were 54 (31.2%), and those between the ages of 2- and 18 were 119 (68.8%). Among the etiological causes of traumas, the most frequent (n = 113) 65.3% falls were seen. The number of patients with symptoms was 57 (32.9%). Patients with GCS 14 ≥ constituted 69.4% of the total patients (n = 120). There was a pathological finding in 19.0% of the brain CT' s (n = 33) taken. Leukocytosis was detected in 17.3% of the patients [n = 30].
Conclusion

As a result of this study, it was found statistically significant that the blood WBC levels were higher in children who had head trauma, whose GCS was 13 ≤ at the time of application, who had symptoms and who had pathology in brain CT compared to other groups.
Abnormal Histones Acetylation In Patients With Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Li Yan , Lv Xiuying , Zhou Mi , He Yan , Wang Ying , Xuan Jingxiu , Shi Guixiu
Published: May 2020

Background

pSS is an autoimmune disease characterized by an exocrine gland epithelium injury with dense lymphocytic infiltration, involvement of the peripheral nervous, pulmonary, blood, kidney, skin, and joint. Aberrant histone acetylation is increasingly thought to plays important role in the pathogenesis of AIDs. However, there is very little data on histone acetylation in pSS.
Methods

We investigated the expressions of HAT genes (p300, CREEBP and PCAF) by real time PCR in PBMCs from pSS patients. HAT activity and histone H3/ H4 acetylation activity measured by activity kit and histone H3/H4 acetylation verified by WB. Spearman test was utilized to analyze the association between levels of HAT activity and clinical parameters of patients with pSS.
Results

The expressions of p300, CREEBP and PCAF in PBMCs from pSS patients were decreased in mRNA comparison with HCs. HAT activity and histone H3/H4 acetylation were reduced in PBMCs from pSS patients. We found negatively correlations between the HAT activity and CRP and TNF-α, and positively correlations between the HAT activity and C4.
Conclusions

Histone hypoacetylation is observed in patients with pSS and involved in the disease duration of Sjogren's syndrome.
Sex-related differences in clinical characteristics and comorbidities and their impact on clinical outcome in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Shin Seunghwan , Park Eun Hye , Kang Eun Ha , Lee Yun Jong , Song Yeong Wook , Ha You-Jung
Published: May 2020

Backgrounds:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more prevalent in women and prior studies have reported several epidemiologic differences between sex and low achievement of remission in women RA. However, these sex differences across various populations remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to elucidate sex-related differences in clinical characteristics and their potential impact on clinical outcome in a large Korean cohort of patients with RA.
Methods

In total, 5,376 RA patients from the KORean Observational study Network for Arthritis (KORONA) database were examined at baseline and for 3 consecutive years using the disease activity score 28 (DAS28), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), and health-related outcomes. Within a subgroup with active disease (DAS28 ≥ 3.2) at baseline, sex impacts on clinical outcome during a 3-year period were analyzed using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models. The sex effect on achieving clinical remission was analyzed using Cox-proportional hazard regression.
Results

At baseline, women (n = 4,574) were younger and had more erosive disease and longer disease duration than men (n = 802) with significantly higher scores in DAS28, HAQ, and patient-reported outcomes. The prevalence of interstitial lung disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes in men was significantly higher than that of women. In a RA subgroup with active disease at baseline, a GEE analysis demonstrated that sex significantly influenced the rate of change of DAS28 (p = 0.035) over time. In that group, men are associated with achieving DAS28 sustained remission as well as point remission (both p < 0.001).
Conclusion

Most comorbidities were more prevalent in men than in women among Korean patients with RA. However, for RA-related clinical outcomes, the longitudinal change in disease activity and the rate of achieving clinical remission were found to be worse in women RA. Therefore, sex-related differences should be considered when managing RA patients.
Direction-of-Arrival Method Based on Randomize-Then-Optimize Approach
Authors: Tang Caiyi , Wang Qianli , Zhao Zhiqin , Nie Zaiping , Niu Chuanfeng
Published: May 2020

Sparse Bayesian learning (SBL) has been successfully applied in solving the problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation. However, SBL needs multiple snapshots to ensure accuracy and costs huge computational workload. To reduce the requirement of snapshot and computational burden, a DOA estimation method based on the randomize-then-optimize (RTO) algorithm is first time introduced. RTO algorithm uses the optimization and Metropolis-Hastings approach to avoid the “learning” process of SBL in updating hyperparameters. And in order to apply RTO algorithm in the circumstance of signal with Laplace prior, a prior transformation technique is first induced. Compared with conventional CS based DOA methods, the proposed method has a better accuracy with single snapshot and shorter processing time. Some simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Dynamics of heparin binding protein in cardiothoracic surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass – exploring its potential as a marker for postoperative infections.
Authors: Sterner Niklas , Fisher Jane , Thelaus Louise , Ketteler Carolin , Lemez Spela , Dardashti Alain , Nilsson Johan , Linder Adam , Zindovic Igor
Published: May 2020

Background Surgical trauma and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) cause an inflammatory response, difficult to differentiate from postoperative infections. Heparin-binding protein (HBP) is released from neutrophils and has been shown to predict infection-related organ dysfunction and disease progression to severe sepsis. The aim of this study was to investigate the pre-, intra- and postoperative dynamics of HBP in cardiac surgery using CPB, in order to explore the usefulness of HBP as a biomarker for postoperative infections. Methods and Results Thirty patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB were included, of which 15 underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and 15 underwent complex procedures with longer CPB time. A reference group of ten patients undergoing lung surgery without CPB was also included. HBP was measured at nine different time points during surgery. Our results showed that HBP levels were not affected by surgical trauma itself. An increase in HBP levels was observed immediately following heparin administration and further increased during CPB. Prior to protaminization, we measured higher peak in HBP-levels in the complex group 345.7 (287.8-472.6) ng/mL compared with the CABG group 152.7 (85.3-204.0) ng/mL, p <0.001. HBP decreased rapidly following end of CPB and simultaneous protamine administration. Delay of protamine administration revealed that protamine, and not the cessation of CPB is primarily responsible for the rapidly reduced HBP concentration. At the arrival to the ICU, the median HBP levels were 24.8 (15.6-38.1) ng/mL for CABG patients compared with 50.5 (36.5-104.6) ng/mL for complex surgery patients ( p =0.004). One day after surgery HBP levels in all three groups were below the proposed cutoff of 30 ng/mL previously found to predict development organ dysfunction during infection. There was a statistically significant correlation between CPB duration and peak HBP concentration (r=0.598, p =0.002). Conclusions HBP levels are elevated by administration of heparin and the use of CPB. However, at postoperative day one, HBP levels normalized regardless of surgical complexity, indicating that postoperative HBP measurement may be used as a screening tool for postoperative infections in cardiac surgery.
Regulation of degenerative spheroids after injury
Authors: Yong Yu , Gamage Kanchana , Cushman Courtny , Spano Anthony , Deppmann Christopher D
Published: May 2020

Background

Neuronal injury leads to rapid, programmed disintegration of axons distal to the site of lesion. Much like other forms of axon degeneration ( e.g. developmental pruning, toxic insult from neurodegenerative disorder), Wallerian degeneration associated with injury is preceded by spheroid formation along axons. The mechanisms by which injury leads to formation of spheroids remains elusive.

Methods

Here, using wild-type and mutant neonatal mouse primary sympathetic neurons, immunostaining and calcium imaging, we investigate the roles of players previously implicated in the progression of Wallerian degeneration in injury-induced spheroid formation.

Results

We find that intra-axonal calcium flux is accompanied by actin-Rho dependent growth of calcium rich axonal spheroids that eventually rupture, releasing material to the extracellular space prior to catastrophic axon degeneration. Importantly, after injury, Sarm1 -/- and DR6 -/- , but not Wld s (excess NAD + ) neurons, are capable of forming spheroids that eventually rupture, releasing their contents to the extracellular space. Supplementation of exogenous NAD + or expressing WLD s suppresses Rho-dependent spheroid formation and degeneration in response to injury.

Conclusions

Taken together, our findings place Rho-actin and NAD + upstream of spheroid formation and may suggest that other mediators of degeneration, such as DR6 and SARM1, mediate post-spheroid rupture events that lead to catastrophic axon disassembly.
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Cancer Mortality in a Federative Unit of the Brazilian Legal Amazon Between 2000 and 2015
Authors: Alves Mário Ribeiro , Oliveira Jânia Cristina de Souza , Andrade Amanda Cristina de Souza , Souza Bárbara da Silva Nalin de , Azevedo Elicléia Filgueira Santiago de , Souza Rita Adriana Gomes de , Galvão Noemi Dreyer
Published: May 2020

Background: About 41 million deaths were due to chronic noncommunicable diseases and of these, 9 million (22%) had cancer as a basic cause of death. In Brazil, 2,023,038 deaths from cancer occurred between 1996 and 2010. Methods: Ecological design study, in which mortality from neoplasia was analyzed, from 2000 to 2015, for the municipalities of the Mato Grosso state. Mortality rates due to cancer were calculated by the ratio of the sum of deaths by cancer in each quadrennium, divided by the average of the population in the two central years of the period, multiplied by 10,000 inhabitants. An annual percentage change was calculated by the ratio of the linear regression coefficient to the cancer mortality rates in the Mato Grosso state at the beginning of the analyzed period (2000 to 2003). Thematic maps were constructed for each quadrennium using intervals of equal classes. Results: Cancer caused 31,097 deaths in the Mato Grosso state in the period, 13,058 in women and 18,039 in men, with a male to female ratio of 1.38. The top five causes of cancer death in the period were lung (12.2%), prostate (8.7%), stomach (7.7%), breast (6.0%) and liver (4.7%). There is an increase in the number of municipalities with rates greater than 23.67 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in the period. Conclusion: The description of cancer mortality can bring important contributions to epidemiological studies. These studies are necessary, especially in Mato Grosso, since studies on this topic are scarce, and can potentially contribute to the identification of priority regions for intervention aiming to reduce mortality rates.