bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intussusception Related to Small Intestinal Lipomas: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Hu Qiang , Wu Jinfeng , Sun Yuanshui
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Adult intussusception is a rare disease that is difficult to diagnose and treat and is even rarer when it is caused by a lipoma of the small intestine. We reported a case of a small intestine lipoma combined with intussusception, which can guide people in future clinical work.

Case Presentation

A 51-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with “abdominal pain for 1 month.” Enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen suggested a lipoma in the left lower quadrant and a proximal intussusception. After excluding surgical contraindications, laparoscopic exploration was performed on the second day of admission, which showed a small amount of ascites in the abdominal cavity, a small intestine–small intestine-type intussusception about 20 cm from the ileocecal area and about 140 cm from the ileocecal area, and a mass of about 2×4 cm that was palpable by laparoscopic intestinal forceps, which was protruded into the intestinal cavity with a soft texture and sound mobility. A 5 cm-long incision was made above the mass to dissect into the abdomen layer by layer, and the diseased intestine was dislodged outside the abdominal cavity with oval forceps. The intestine was reduced by hand and observed for half an hour after reduction, and the blood circulation and peristalsis of the intestine were observed to be still sound. The intestine was dissected at 2 cm from the upper and lower margins of the mass using linear anastomosis to operate small intestine side-to-side anastomosis. The intestine was opened concurrently and closed with a linear anastomosis, using 3-0 absorbable thread to reinforce anastomosis intermittently. The procedure went smoothly, and the patient was discharged on the 5th postoperative day.

Conclusion

A small intestinal lipoma combined with small intestinal intussusception is rare in clinical practice and needs to be diagnosed by asking history detailedly, physical examination, and relevant ancillary tests such as abdominal CT. Laparoscopic-assisted small incision surgery for adult intussusception combines the advantages of laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy, operating simply and easily.
Favoring Expression of Yak Alleles in Interspecies F1 Hybrids of Cattle and Yak Under High-Altitude Environments
Authors: Chen Shi-Yi , Li Cao , Luo Zhihao , Li Xiaowei , Jia Xianbo , Lai Song-Jia
Published: June 2022

Both cis- and trans-regulation could cause differential expression between the parental alleles in diploid species that might have broad biological implications. Due to the relatively distant genetic divergence between cattle and yak, as well as their differential adaptation to high-altitude environments, we investigated genome-wide allelic differential expression (ADE) in their F1 hybrids using Nanopore long-read RNA-seq technology. From adult F1 hybrids raised in high-altitude, ten lung and liver tissues were individually sequenced for producing 31.6 M full-length transcript sequences. Mapping against autosomal homologous regions between cattle and yak, we detected 17,744 and 14,542 protein-encoding genes expressed in lung and liver tissues, respectively. According to the parental assignments of transcript sequences, a total of 3,381 genes were detected to show ADE in at least one sample. There were 186 genes showing ubiquitous ADE in all the studied animals, and among them 135 and 37 genes had consistent higher expression of yak and cattle alleles, respectively. Functional analyses revealed that the genes with favoring expression of yak alleles have been involved in the biological progresses related with hypoxia adaptation and immune response. In contrast, the genes with favoring expression of cattle alleles have been enriched into different biological progresses, such as secretion of endocrine hormones and lipid metabolism. Our results would support unequal contribution of parental genes to environmental adaptation in the F1 hybrids of cattle and yak.
Frozen-Thawed Sperm Analysis of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Dogs Treated With Finasteride
Authors: Flores Renato Bueno , Angrimani Daniel de Souza Ramos , Brito Maira Morales , Almeida Leticia Lima de , Lopes João Vitor Menezes , Losano João Diego de Agostini , Vannucchi Camila Infantosi
Published: June 2022

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a pathological condition that directly interferes with the reproductive potential of senile dogs, by leading to prostate enlargement and sperm injury, which in turn may compromise sperm freezeability. Moreover, albeit finasteride treatment reduces prostatic volume and blood supply and maintains seminal quality and testicular integrity, the effects of sperm samples submitted to cryopreservation after the finasteride treatment are still unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate frozen-thawed semen of BPH dogs, as well as dogs subjected to BPH pharmacological treatment with finasteride. For such purpose, 20 dogs were previously selected and assigned to three experimental groups, according to BPH diagnosis and treatment with finasteride: Control (n= 9), BPH Group (n= 5) and BPH-Finasteride Group (n= 6). Semen was subjected to one-step cryopreservation protocol with tris-fructose-citric acid extender with 5% glycerol and thawed at 37°C for 30 sec. Fresh and post-thaw sperm samples were evaluated for macroscopic parameters, sperm concentration, sperm motility kinetics, sperm mitochondrial activity and potential, oxidative stress, plasmatic and acrosome membrane integrity, sperm DNA fragmentation and sperm binding test on perivitelic membrane of chicken egg yolk. Regarding fresh semen, BPH-Finasteride group had the lowest ejaculate visual aspect (opacity), higher frequency of sperm flagellar beating (BCF) and percentage of sperm with medium velocity. Control group had the highest percentage of sperm DNA integrity compared to BPH group. For the frozen-thawed semen, Control group presented the highest percentage of spermatozoa with high mitochondrial activity. However, the BPH-Finasteride group showed higher number of sperm bound to the perivitelline membrane of chicken egg yolk compared to the BPH Group. Conversely, BPH group had higher percentage of DNA damage. In conclusion, the ejaculate of BPH dogs has higher susceptibility to cryoinjury, whereas finasteride-treated dogs have increased spermatozoa functional performance, suggesting a promising use of BPH dogs as semen donors in sperm cryopreservation programs.
The Effect of Increasing Tibial Tuberosity Advancement and Quadriceps Muscle Force on Cranial Translation of the Tibia in the Cranial Cruciate Deficient Stifle Joint in Dogs
Authors: Ober Ciprian , Berger Chen , Cohen Liat , Milgram Joshua
Published: June 2022

Background

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease is a well-known pathology that generates both rotational and translational instability of the stifle joint that leads to osteoarthritis in dogs. Tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) is a common surgical technique used to dynamically neutralize the tibiofemoral shear forces to achieve stifle joint stability. However, significant persistent instability has been documented in clinical cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing quadriceps load, increasing tibial tuberosity advancement, and increasing joint flexion angle on the cranial translation of the tibia relative to the femur in the cranial cruciate ligament deficient stifle joint.

Methods and Results

Six cadaveric hind limbs were collected from six healthy mixed breed dogs of medium build and prepared for biomechanical testing. The specimen was placed into a custom-made joint testing machine, and translation of the tibia relative to the femur was measured at stifle angles of 135°, 120°, and 105°. Cranial tibial thrust was generated by applying a vertical load to the metatarsal pad and the quadriceps muscle was simulated with loads of 0, 5, and 10 kg applied to the patellaviaa system of weights and pulleys. All specimens were tested with the CCL intact and cut, both of which served as controls. The tibial tuberosity was then advanced using both 6 mm and 9 mm cages, and the specimen was tested using the identical technique. Each specimen was loaded to failure by increasing the load applied to the pes until the sudden marked cranial translation of the tibia. Tibial tuberosity advancement with an applied quadriceps load was successful in limiting cranial tibial translation in 54/62 tests. Under similar loading conditions, TTA failed to limit cranial translation in 8 tests. The failures occurred at all angles of flexion examined. In the cases that failed cranial translation could be limited by either increasing the quadriceps load or increasing the amount of tibial tuberosity advancement.

Conclusion

This study showed that TTA with an applied quadriceps load is effective at decreasing cranial tibial translation at functional joint angles.
Dimethoxycurcumin Acidifies Endolysosomes and Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Entry
Authors: Khan Nabab , Afghah Zahra , Baral Aparajita , Geiger Jonathan D. , Chen Xuesong
Published: June 2022

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to take a huge toll on global health. Although improving, currently there are only limited therapies against SARS-CoV-2. Curcumin, a natural polyphenol, exerts antiviral effects against a wide variety of viruses and can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 entry. However, undesirable physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of curcumin limit its clinical application. Here, we determined the effects of dimethoxycurcumin (DiMC), a methylated analog of curcumin with improved bioavailability, on the entry of SARS-CoV-2. DiMC blocked entry of pseudo-SARS-CoV-2 into Calu-3 human non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma cells and Vero E6 green monkey kidney epithelial cells. Mechanistically, DiMC acidified lysosomes, enhanced lysosome degradation capabilities, and promoted lysosome degradation of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a major receptor for SARS-CoV-2 entry, as well as pseudo-SARS-CoV-2 and the SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein. Furthermore, other lysosome acidifying agents, including the TRPML1 agonist ML-SA1 and the BK channel activator NS1619, also blocked the entry of pseudo-SARS-CoV-2. Thus, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential of DiMC and lysosome acidifying agents might be explored further as possible effective therapeutic strategies against COVID-19.
Growth or Development Trap
Authors: Csath Magdolna
Published: June 2022

In this essay, we explore how to obtain a more accurate picture not only of the growth situation as measured by traditional economic indicators, but also of the level of development, which also raises the possibility of becoming trapped. We distinguish between development and growth, pointing out that Hungary has good growth figures, but lags behind in terms of development indicators. This discrepancy requires further, more detailed analysis in order to define desirable targets for development indicators that are independent of growth indicators, and to avoid the development trap by achieving them. This is also justified because, in the longer term, the evolution of development indicators also affects the chances of sustainable growth and allows for more general, systemic qualitative progress. Based on the statistical data presented in relation to the issues raised, we conclude that it would be necessary to construct a mathematical model of growth and development to illustrate and econometrically analyse the dynamic relationship. But this is not undertaken in the context of this essay.
Does the Past Haunt Us No More? How Proximity to Foreign Currency Lending Experience Affects Trust in the Banking System and Financial Literacy
Authors: Fellner Zita , Marosi Anna
Published: June 2022

While FX lending is often the focus of analyses on non-performing loans and postcrisis debt relief measures, its effect on debtors’ subsequent behaviour and attitudes has been addressed to a far lesser extent in the research in recent years. In our study, we seek to fill this gap by examining the effect of proximity to foreign currency lending experience on an individual’s trust in the banking system, and financial literacy. For our study, we relied on data from a CATI survey conducted on behalf of the MNB, the central bank of Hungary, in September 2021. The sample of 1,001 respondents represents the Hungarian adult population in terms of gender, age, type of municipality, region and educational level. In addition to the proximity to foreign currency lending experience, modelling controls included sociodemographic variables on the one hand, and variables related to borrowing on the other. The effect of proximity to foreign currency lending experience was examined in terms of both trust in the banking system and components of financial literacy. The effect was quantified using a linear regression model based on OLS estimation. According to our estimate, the role of proximity to foreign currency lending experience is less important than expected. Closer proximity to foreign currency lending experience has no apparent effect on a borrower’s overall trust in banks operating in Hungary. At the same time, proximity to foreign currency lending experience increases the likelihood of the respondent’s belief that a bank acts in bad faith (exploiting legal loopholes). Among the components of financial literacy, it plays a significant role only in financial knowledge, i.e. controlled for other factors, closer proximity on average increases financial knowledge. Conversely, it fails to influence, in any manner, the adoption of more conscious attitude, behaviour and practices.
Stability versus Volatility: Hungarian Experiences with the First Five Years of Solvency II Regarding Quantitative Elements
Authors: Bártfai-Bora Zsuzsanna , Huszárik Ádám , Holczinger Norbert
Published: June 2022

It has been more than five years since the introduction of the Solvency II framework (S2), which determines how insurers should operate in Europe, and this allows for a detailed analysis of Hungarian developments. The new approach in S2 that makes it similar to banking regulation, including the market-consistent valuation principles and the application of a risk-based capital requirement, has stood the test of time in recent years: the various shocks did not undermine the stability of the Hungarian sector. This was largely due to the recommendation of the central bank of Hungary (Magyar Nemzeti Bank, MNB) on holding a volatility capital buffer. This is because the robust capital position of the sector as a whole has been maintained in the context of 50–100-basis point reductions in capital adequacy levels in certain individual cases, which justifies the use of the capital buffer. The balanced capital position was also influenced by the conservative investment strategy, which resulted in one of the lowest market risk exposures in Europe, against the backdrop of huge government securities holdings, even by international standards.
Evaluating Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Schemes by Employees Using the Example of a Financial Insurance Company
Authors: Vörös Máté , Ásványi Zsófia , Fűrész Diána Ivett
Published: June 2022

All forms of employment, part-time and fixed-term employment included, are sustainable only if they create mutually beneficial conditions both for employers and employees. While benefits for employers are more obvious in these particular forms of employment, employees’ preferences are less frequently discussed. The study is a comparative analysis between employees with part-time and fixedterm and with typical employment contracts with respect to exit rate and chances of corporate career development. The data pool consisted of 4,683 employees employed by a large Hungarian corporation. In contrast to previous studies, instead of using qualitative methods, a quantitative analysis of employees’ attitude towards part-time and fixed-term employment was carried out as part of the research. The focus of our investigation was to find out whether or not employees perceived atypical employment as advantageous. Based on the results obtained, it can be stated that compared to employees in typical forms of employment, the exit rate among members of the two atypical employment groups was higher, and their career development opportunities were also more limited.
Audio Denoising Coprocessor Based on RISC-V Custom Instruction Set Extension
Authors: Yuan Jun , Zhao Qiang , Wang Wei , Meng Xiangsheng , Li Jun , Li Qin
Published: June 2022

As a typical active noise control algorithm, Filtered-x Least Mean Square (FxLMS) is widely used in the field of audio denoising. In this study, an audio denoising coprocessor based on Retrenched Injunction System Computer-V (RISC-V), a custom instruction set extension was designed and a software and hardware co-design was adopted; based on the traditional pure hardware implementation, the accelerator optimization design was carried out, and the accelerator was connected to the RISC-V core in the form of coprocessor. Meanwhile, the corresponding custom instructions were designed, the compiling environment was established, and the library function of coprocessor acceleration instructions was established by embedded inline assembly. Finally, the active noise control (ANC) system was built and tested based on Hbird E203-Core, and the test data were collected through an audio analyzer. The results showed that the audio denoising algorithm can be realized by combining a heterogeneous System on Chip (SoC) with a hardware accelerator, and the denoising effect was approximately 8 dB. The number of instructions consumed by testing custom instructions for specific operations was reduced by approximately 60%, and the operation acceleration effect was significant.
Load Identification for the More Electric Aircraft Distribution System Based on Intelligent Algorithm
Authors: Yang Juan , Bao Xingwang , Yang Zhangang
Published: June 2022

Accurate identification of electrical load working status can provide information support to the remote electrical distribution system (EDS) of more electric aircraft (MEA), which could use it to realize redundant switching and protection. This paper presents a method to automatically identify the load status on the remote power distribution unit (RPDU) of MEA by using an intelligent algorithm. The experimental platform is built in an aircraft Electrical Power System (EPS) distribution large-scale test cabin. Four pieces of typical aviation equipment are installed in the test cabin and powered from RPDU. Voltage and current values under 15 working combinations on the RPDU are measured to extract the steady-state V-I trajectory. In total, 750 group samples were collected in the feature parameter database. A generalized regression neural network (GRNN) identification model was established, and the smoothing factor was calculated by using a conventional cross-validation method to train and reach an optimal value. However, the identification results are not ideal. In order to improve the accuracy, the parameter of GRNN was optimized by genetic algorithms. The proposed model shows great performance as accuracy of all 15 classifications reached 100%. The proposed model has advantages of flexible network structure, high fault tolerance, and robustness. It can realize global approximation optimization, avoid local optimization, effectively improve GRNN fitting accuracy, improve model generalization ability, and reduce model training calculation.
First Complete Cytochrome B Sequences and Molecular Taxonomy of Bat Species from Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera Thejanee , Schwarz Franziska , Muzeniek Therese , Siriwardana Sahan , Becker-Ziaja Beate , Perera Inoka C. , Handunnetti Shiroma , Weerasena Jagathpriya , Premawansa Gayani , Premawansa Sunil , Nitsche Andreas , Yapa Wipula , Kohl Claudia
Published: June 2022

This is the first report on the molecular identification and phylogeny of the Rousettus leschenaultii Desmarest, 1810, Rhinolophus rouxii Temminck, 1835, Hipposideros speoris Schneider, 1800, Hipposideros lankadiva Kelaart, 1850, and Miniopterus fuliginosus Kuhl, 1817, bat species in Sri Lanka, inferred from analyses by mitochondrially encoded cytochrome b gene sequences. Recent research has indicated that bats show enormous cryptic genetic diversity. Moreover, even within the same species, the acoustic properties of echolocation calls and morphological features such as fur color could vary in different populations. Therefore, we have used molecular taxonomy for the accurate identification of five bat species recorded in one of the largest cave populations in Sri Lanka. The bats were caught using a hand net, and saliva samples were collected non-invasively from each bat by using a sterile oral swab. Nucleic acids were extracted from the oral swab samples, and mitochondrial DNA was amplified by using primers targeting the mitochondrially encoded cytochrome b gene. This study reports the first molecular evidence for the identification of five bat species in Sri Lanka. Our findings will contribute to future conservation and systematic studies of bats in Sri Lanka. This study will also provide the basis for a genetic database of Sri Lankan bats which will contribute significantly to the investigation of potentially zoonotic bat viruses.
Comparative Study of the Effects of Two Dietary Sources of Vitamin D on the Bone Metabolism, Welfare and Birth Progress of Sows Fed Protein- and Phosphorus-Reduced Diets
Authors: Lütke-Dörhoff Michael , Schulz Jochen , Westendarp Heiner , Visscher Christian , Wilkens Mirja R.
Published: June 2022

To investigate the influence of two dietary sources of vitamin D on the vitamin D status, bone metabolism, welfare and birth progress of gestating and lactating sows, forty-nine multiparous sows were randomly assigned to one of two diets: “CON” (n = 25; 50 μg vitamin D3/kg feed) and “HYD” (n = 24; 50 μg 25-hydroxycholecalciferol/kg feed). The basal diets were protein- and phosphorus-reduced. The trial started on day 3 ante insemination of the sows and ended with weaning of the piglets on day 28 postpartum. Dietary supplementation of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol resulted in improved maternal vitamin D status (p < 0.001), fewer gait changes (p < 0.01) and longer standing time after feeding (day 5 ante partum; p < 0.05) compared to vitamin D3. However, the bone markers CrossLaps and osteocalcin were not affected. Overall, the present results suggest that sows fed 25-hydroxycholecalciferol instead of vitamin D3 showed improved locomotion and stance strength. However, this outcome is probably not related to altered bone metabolism. The underlying mechanisms must be investigated in further studies.
Analyzing Thermal Comfort Sensations in Semi-Outdoor Space on a University Campus: On-Site Measurements in Tehran’s Hot and Cold Seasons
Authors: Zafarmandi Sevil , Mahdavinejad Mohammadjavad , Norford Leslie , Matzarakis Andreas
Published: June 2022

Outdoor and semi-outdoor thermal comfort on the university campus is essential for encouraging students’ outdoor activities and interactions and reducing energy consumption in occupied buildings. For this reason, the current study presents on-site measurements and questionnaire surveys on a university campus in Tehran, Iran. It aims to investigate the most applicable thermal indices in Tehran’s cold and hot seasons. Measurements were conducted over winter and summer days; in addition, the survey collected 384 responses. The results confirm that the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) indices are better predictors of semi-outdoor thermal comfort in summer and winter than Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and New Standard Effective Temperature (SET*), respectively, highlighting the importance of considering accurate thermal indices in different seasons. Finally, all analyses were gathered in a predictive empirical model, knowledge of which may be helpful in the planning and design of outdoor and semi-outdoor environments in Tehran and similar climates.
Ionospheric TEC Prediction Base on Attentional BiGRU
Authors: Lei Dongxing , Liu Haijun , Le Huijun , Huang Jianping , Yuan Jing , Li Liangchao , Wang Yali
Published: June 2022

Many studies indicated that ionospheric total electron content (TEC) prediction is vital for terrestrial and space-based radio-communication systems. In previous TEC prediction schemes based on RNN, they learn TEC representations from previous time steps, and each time-step made an equal contribution to a prediction. To overcome these drawbacks, we propose two improvements in our study: (1) To predict TEC with both past and future time-step, Bidirectional Gate Recurrent Unit (BiGRU) was presented to improve the capabilities. (2) To highlight critical time-step information, attention mechanism was used to provide weights to each time-step. The proposed attentional BiGRU TEC predicting method was evaluated on the publicly available data set from the Centre for Orbit Determination in Europe. We chose three geographical locations in low latitude, middle latitude, and high latitude to verify the performance of our proposed model. Comparative experiments were conducted using Deep Neural Network (DNN), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Bidirectional Long Short-Term Term memory (BiLSTM), and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU). Experimental results show that the proposed Attentional BiGRU model is superior to the other models in the selected nine regions. In addition, the paper discussed the effects of latitudes and solar activities on the performance of Attentional BiGRU model. Experimental results show that the higher the latitude, the higher the prediction accuracy of our proposed model. Experimental results also show that in the middle latitude, the prediction accuracy of the model is less affected by solar activity, and in other areas, the model is greatly affected by solar activity.
Exploring Non-Linear Dependencies in Atmospheric Data with Mutual Information
Authors: Laarne Petri , Amnell Emil , Zaidan Martha Arbayani , Mikkonen Santtu , Nieminen Tuomo
Published: June 2022

Relations between atmospheric variables are often non-linear, which complicates research efforts to explore and understand multivariable datasets. We describe a mutual information approach to screen for the most significant associations in this setting. This method robustly detects linear and non-linear dependencies after minor data quality checking. Confounding factors and seasonal cycles can be taken into account without predefined models. We present two case studies of this method. The first one illustrates deseasonalization of a simple time series, with results identical to the classical method. The second one explores associations in a larger dataset of many variables, some of them lognormal (trace gas concentrations) or circular (wind direction). The examples use our Python package ‘ennemi’.
A Simple Greedy Heuristic for Site Specific Management Zone Problem
Authors: Urbán Rivero Luis Eduardo , Velasco Jonás , Ramírez Rodríguez Javier
Published: June 2022

In agriculture, the soil properties influence the productivity and quality of crops. The farmer expects that in a specific area of the land, the physicochemical characteristics of the soil will be homogeneous as the selected crop has the desired quality and minimizes the use of fertilizers. There are three approaches to determining the correct delimitation of the land in the state-of-the art. The first one (k-means and fuzzy k-means) is impractical for current agricultural technology. The second approach is based on integer linear programming and a pre-processing step. This approach limits the shapes of delimited zones to rectangular, and the third approach extends the solution search space and generates orthogonal regions using Estimation of Distribution Algorithms (EDA). In this work, we generate orthogonal regions with a different approach to the EDA, a greedy construction heuristic. Our heuristic produces feasible solutions with a reasonable running time compared with the running times of EDA.
The Anti-Inflammatory and Antithrombotic Properties of Bioactives from Orange, Sanguine and Clementine Juices and from Their Remaining By-Products
Authors: Tsoupras Alexandros
Published: June 2022

The anti-oxidant properties of vitamin C and of phenolic compounds of citrus fruits are well established. However, the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic potential of both vitamin C and of the more amphiphilic and lipophilic components of citrus fruits needs further attention. In this study, the anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic properties of vitamin C and of freshly squeezed juices and their lipid bioactives from the Navalina and Sanguine orange varieties and the Clementine variety of mandarins, as well as from their remaining by-products, were evaluated against the inflammatory and thrombotic pathways of the platelet-activating factor (PAF) and thrombin in platelets, as well as against PAF-biosynthesis in leukocytes. The non-oxidized juices of these citrus fruits and a vitamin C supplement showed stronger anti-PAF and antithrombin effects than their oxidized versions through their general anti-oxidant effect in platelets. The total lipids (TLs) and the HPLC-derived fractions of phenolic compounds and of polar lipid bioactives from both juices and their peels’ by-products showed a more specific stronger inhibitory effect against the inflammatory and thrombotic pathways of PAF and thrombin in platelets, while these bioactives strongly inhibited also the specific enzyme activities of the main biosynthetic enzymes of PAF in leukocytes. The stronger bioactivity of the dietary bioactives found in the juices of these citrus fruits against specific biochemical pathways of inflammation and thrombosis seems to act with synergy with the anti-oxidant potential of their vitamin C content, which further supports the notion that these juices are functional foods with anti-inflammatory protective health benefits. In addition, the presence of these dietary bioactive phenolic compounds and polar lipid bioactives in the remaining peels’ wastes further enhance the valorization of such food industry by-products as potential sources of anti-inflammatory bioactives to be used as ingredients for novel functional products.
Effect of Pulse Frequency on the Microstructure and the Degradation of Pulse Electroformed Zinc for Fabricating the Shell of Biodegradable Dosing Pump
Authors: Wu Shuhui , Luo Yizhuo , Hu Wei , Chen Yonghong , Huang Zhi
Published: June 2022

In this work, we applied single-pulse electrodeposition method to prepare biodegradable zinc coating for the shell of an implantable dosing pump, and explored the effect of pulse frequency on microstructures and degradation behavior of electroformed zinc. Samples were produced by single-pulse electro-deposition technique with different pulse frequencies (50 Hz, 100 Hz, and 1000 Hz). By controlling the pulse frequency, the thickness of the zinc coating can be adjusted. The 50 Hz produced zinc film possesses strong (11.0) grain orientation, 100 Hz produced zinc film possesses clear ((11.0) and (10.0)) grain orientations, yet 1000 Hz produced zinc film shows more random grain orientations of (10.0), (10.1), and (11.0), which provides a possible way to design a controllable nanometer surface microtopography. Although thermodynamic degradation tendency implied from open current corrosion voltage were similar, the kinetic corrosion rate showed a clear increasing trend as pulse frequency increased from 50 Hz to 1000 Hz, which corresponded with the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and long-term soaking test in hanks solution. According to ISO 10993-5:2009 and ISO 10993-4:2002, electrodeposited zinc materials produced in this study showed a benign hemolysis ratio and no toxicity for cell growth. Zinc prepared under 50 Hz shows the best blood compatibility. Electrodeposited zinc materials are expected to be used for the shell of a degradable dosing pump.
Divide-and-Attention Network for HE-Stained Pathological Image Classification
Authors: Yan Rui , Yang Zhidong , Li Jintao , Zheng Chunhou , Zhang Fa
Published: June 2022

Since pathological images have some distinct characteristics that are different from natural images, the direct application of a general convolutional neural network cannot achieve good classification performance, especially for fine-grained classification problems (such as pathological image grading). Inspired by the clinical experience that decomposing a pathological image into different components is beneficial for diagnosis, in this paper, we propose a Divide-and-Attention Network (DANet) for Hematoxylin-and-Eosin (HE)-stained pathological image classification. The DANet utilizes a deep-learning method to decompose a pathological image into nuclei and non-nuclei parts. With such decomposed pathological images, the DANet first performs feature learning independently in each branch, and then focuses on the most important feature representation through the branch selection attention module. In this way, the DANet can learn representative features with respect to different tissue structures and adaptively focus on the most important ones, thereby improving classification performance. In addition, we introduce deep canonical correlation analysis (DCCA) constraints in the feature fusion process of different branches. The DCCA constraints play the role of branch fusion attention, so as to maximize the correlation of different branches and ensure that the fused branches emphasize specific tissue structures. The experimental results of three datasets demonstrate the superiority of the DANet, with an average classification accuracy of 92.5% on breast cancer classification, 95.33% on colorectal cancer grading, and 91.6% on breast cancer grading tasks.
A Physics-Guided Neural Network for Predicting Protein–Ligand Binding Free Energy: From Host–Guest Systems to the PDBbind Database
Authors: Cain Sahar , Risheh Ali , Forouzesh Negin
Published: June 2022

Calculation of protein–ligand binding affinity is a cornerstone of drug discovery. Classic implicit solvent models, which have been widely used to accomplish this task, lack accuracy compared to experimental references. Emerging data-driven models, on the other hand, are often accurate yet not fully interpretable and also likely to be overfitted. In this research, we explore the application of Theory-Guided Data Science in studying protein–ligand binding. A hybrid model is introduced by integrating Graph Convolutional Network (data-driven model) with the GBNSR6 implicit solvent (physics-based model). The proposed physics-data model is tested on a dataset of 368 complexes from the PDBbind refined set and 72 host–guest systems. Results demonstrate that the proposed Physics-Guided Neural Network can successfully improve the “accuracy” of the pure data-driven model. In addition, the “interpretability” and “transferability” of our model have boosted compared to the purely data-driven model. Further analyses include evaluating model robustness and understanding relationships between the physical features.
Aging and Microbiome in the Modulation of Vaccine Efficacy
Authors: Kumar Manoj , James Meenu Mariya , Kumawat Manoj , Nabi Bilkees , Sharma Poonam , Pal Namrata , Shubham Swasti , Tiwari Rajnarayan R. , Sarma Devojit Kumar , Nagpal Ravinder
Published: June 2022

From infancy through to old age, the microbiome plays an important role in modulating the host-immune system. As we age, our immune system and our gut microbiota change significantly in composition and function, which is linked to an increased vulnerability to infectious diseases and a decrease in vaccine responses. Our microbiome remains largely stable throughout adulthood; however, aging causes a major shift in the composition and function of the gut microbiome, as well as a decrease in diversity. Considering the critical role of the gut microbiome in the host-immune system, it is important to address, prevent, and ameliorate age-related dysbiosis, which could be an effective strategy for preventing/restoring functional deficits in immune responses as we grow older. Several factors, such as the host’s genetics and nutritional state, along with the gut microbiome, can influence vaccine efficacy or reaction. Emerging evidence suggests that the microbiome could be a significant determinant of vaccine immunity. Physiological mechanisms such as senescence, or the steady loss of cellular functions, which affect the aging process and vaccination responses, have yet to be comprehended. Recent studies on several COVID-19 vaccines worldwide have provided a considerable amount of data to support the hypothesis that aging plays a crucial role in modulating COVID-19 vaccination efficacy across different populations.
Cerebellar Differences after Rehabilitation in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Authors: Gill Kamaldeep K. , Lang Donna , Zwicker Jill G.
Published: June 2022

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects a child’s ability to learn motor skills. Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is one of the recommended treatments to help achieve functional motor goals. The purpose of this study was to determine if CO-OP intervention induces functional improvements and structural changes in the cerebellum of children with DCD. Using a randomized waitlist-controlled trial, we investigated the effects of CO-OP intervention on cerebellar volume in 47 children with DCD (8–12 years old). Outcome measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS), and Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2. The SUIT toolbox was used to carry out voxel-based morphometry using T1-weighted MRI scans. Children with DCD showed improved motor outcomes and increased gray matter volume in the brainstem, right crus II, bilateral lobules VIIIb, and left lobule IX following CO-OP. Significant associations were found between PQRS scores and regional gray matter changes in the brainstem, right crus II, right lobule VIIb, right and left lobule VIIIb, and vermis IX. Given the improved motor and brain outcomes with CO-OP, it is recommended that children with DCD be referred for this rehabilitation intervention.
Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome, Subtypes and 8-Year All-Cause Mortality in Aging Phenotypes: The Salus in Apulia Study
Authors: Bortone Ilaria , Zupo Roberta , Castellana Fabio , Aresta Simona , Lampignano Luisa , Sciarra Sabrina , Griseta Chiara , Stallone Tommaso Antonio , Sborgia Giancarlo , Lozupone Madia , Panza Francesco , Lagravinese Gianvito , Battista Petronilla , Sardone Rodolfo
Published: June 2022

Background: This study aims to establish the key clinical features of different motoric cognitive risk (MCR) subtypes based on individual quantitative measures of cognitive impairment and to compare their predictive power on survival over an 8-year observation time. Methods: We analyzed data from a population-based study of 1138 subjects aged 65 years and older in south Italy. These individuals were targeted and allocated to subtypes of the MCR phenotype according to the slowness criterion plus one other different cognitive domain for each characterized phenotype (Subjective Cognitive Complaint [SCC]; Global Function [Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) < 24]; or a combination of both). Clinical evaluation and laboratory assays, along with a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological and physical tests, completed the sample investigation. Results: MCR prevalence was found to be 9.8% (n = 112), 3.6% (n = 41), 3.4% (n = 39) and 1.8% (n = 21) for the MCR, MCR-GlobalFunction, MCR-StructuredSCC and MCR-SCC and GlobalFunction, respectively. Univariate Cox survival analysis showed an association only of the MCR-GlobalFunction subtype with an almost three-fold increased risk of overall death as compared to the other counterparts (HR 2.53, 95%CI 1.28 to 4.99) over an 8-year observation period. Using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) for clustered survival data, we found that MCR males had an increased and significant mortality risk with respect to MCR female subjects. Conclusions: MCR phenotypes assigned to the MMSE cognitive domain are more likely to have an increased risk of overall mortality, and gender showed a huge effect on the risk of death for MCR subjects over the 8-year observation.
2D-DIGE-MS Proteomics Approaches for Identification of Gelsolin and Peroxiredoxin 4 with Lymph Node Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Huang Cheng-Yi , Lee Ko-Chao , Tung Shui-Yi , Huang Wen-Shin , Teng Chih-Chuan , Lee Kam-Fai , Hsieh Meng-Chiao , Kuo Hsing-Chun
Published: June 2022

Background/Aims: A combination of fluorescence two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry approach was used to search for potential markers for prognosis and intervention of colorectal cancer (CRC) at different stages of lymph node metastasis (LMN). This quantitative proteomic survey aimed to investigate the LNM-associated proteins and evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics of these target proteins in CRC from stage I to stage IV. Methods: Sixteen CRC cases were categorized into paired non-LNM and LNM groups, and two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis and MS proteome analysis were performed. Differential protein expression between non-LNM and LNM CRC was further validated in a tissue microarray, including 40 paraffin-embedded samples by immunohistochemistry staining. Moreover, a Boyden chamber assay, flow cytometry, and shRNA were used to examine the epithelial–mesenchymal transition and mechanism invasiveness of the differentially expressed proteins in DLD-1 cells and in vivo xenograft mouse model. Results: Eighteen differentially expressed proteins were found between non-LNM and LNM CRC tissues. Among them, protein levels of Gelsolin (GSN) and peroxiredoxin 4 (PRDX4) were abundant in node-positive CRC. Downregulation of GSN and PRDX4 markedly suppressed migration and invasiveness and also induced cell cycle G1/S arrest in DLD-1. Mechanistically, the EGFR/RhoA/PKCα/ERK pathways are critical for transcriptional activation of histone modification of H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) of GSN and PRDX4 promoters, resulting in upregulation of GSN, PRDX4, Twist-1/2, cyclinD1, proliferating cell-nuclear antigen, β-catenin, N-cadherin, and matrix metalloprotein-9. Conclusions: GSN and PRDX4 are novel regulators in CRC lymph node metastasis to potentially provide new insights into the mechanism of CRC progression and serve as a biomarker for CRC diagnosis at the metastatic stage.
Exogenous Hormone Factors in Relation to the Risk of Malignant Melanoma in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chiavarini Manuela , Naldini Giulia , Giacchetta Irene , Fabiani Roberto
Published: June 2022

The influence of exogenous female hormones on the risk of developing malignant melanoma in women remains controversial. The aim of our review and meta-analysis is to summarize the evidence and derive a more accurate estimation of the association between oral contraceptives (OCs) or menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and the risk of developing malignant melanoma in women. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus database were searched for studies published up until October 2021. The PRISMA statement and MOOSE guidelines were followed. Studies were pooled using a random effects model. Heterogeneity was explored with the chi-square-based Cochran’s Q statistic and the I2 statistic. Publication bias was assessed with Begg’s test and Egger’s test. Forty-six studies met the eligibility criteria. The pooled analysis (26 studies) on OC use and the risk of developing cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) showed no significant association, but demonstrated significant association for cohort studies (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.16; I2 = 0.00%, p = 0.544). The pooled analysis (16 studies) showed a significantly increased risk of CMM in association with MHT (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08–1.23; I2 = 25.32%, p = 0.169). Stratifying the results by study design showed that a significant increased risk of CMM was associated with MHT in the cohort studies (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.04–1.19; I2 = 0%, p = 0.467). No significant publication bias could be detected. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential association with formulation, duration of use, and dosage of use, and to better understand the role of possible confounders.
Comparison of Short- and Long-Term Mortality in Patients with or without Cancer Admitted to the ICU for Septic Shock: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Le Borgne Pierrick , Feuillassier Léa , Schenck Maleka , Herbrecht Jean-Etienne , Janssen-Langenstein Ralf , Simand Celestine , Gantzer Justine , Nannini Simon , Fornecker Luc-Matthieu , Alamé Karine , Lefebvre François , Castelain Vincent , Schneider Francis , Clere-Jehl Raphaël
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Cancer patients are at high risk of developing septic shock (SSh) and are increasingly admitted to ICU given their improved long-term prognosis. We, therefore, compared the prognosis of cancer and non-cancer patients with SSh. Methods: We conducted a monocentric, retrospective cohort study (2013–2019) on patients admitted to ICU for SSh. We compared the clinical characteristics and management and studied short- and long-term mortality with ICU and in-hospital mortality and 1-year survival according to cancer status. Results: We analyzed 239 ICU stays in 210 patients, 59.5% of whom were men (n = 125), with a median age of 66.5 (IQR 56.3–77.0). Of the 121 cancer patients (57.6% of all patients), 70 had solid tumors (33.3%), and 51 had hematological malignancies (24.3%). When comparing ICU stays of patients with versus without cancer (n = 148 vs. n = 91 stays, respectively), mortality reached 30.4% (n = 45) vs. 30.0% (n = 27) in the ICU (p = 0.95), and 41.6% (n = 59) vs. 35.6% (n = 32) in hospital (p = 0.36), respectively. ICU length of stay (LOS) was 5.0 (2.0–11.3) vs. 6.0 (3.0–15.0) days (p = 0.27), whereas in-hospital LOS was 25.5 (13.8–42.0) vs. 19.5 (10.8–41.0) days (p = 0.33). Upon multivariate analysis, renal replacement therapy (OR = 2.29, CI95%: 1.06–4.93, p = 0.03), disseminated intravascular coagulation (OR = 5.89, CI95%: 2.49–13.92, p < 0.01), and mechanical ventilation (OR = 7.85, CI95%: 2.90–21.20, p < 0.01) were associated with ICU mortality, whereas malignancy, hematological, or solid tumors were not (OR = 1.41, CI95%: 0.65–3.04; p = 0.38). Similarly, overall cancer status was not associated with in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.99, CI95%: 0.98–4.03, p = 0.06); however, solid cancers were associated with increased in-hospital mortality (OR = 2.52, CI95%: 1.12–5.67, p = 0.03). Lastly, mortality was not significantly different at 365-day follow-up between patients with and without cancer. Conclusions: In-hospital and ICU mortality, as well as LOS, were not different in SSh patients with and without cancer, suggesting that malignancies should no longer be considered a barrier to ICU admission.