bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ocular manifestations in Sjögren’s syndrome – it never rains but it pours? Case report
Authors: Hitnarowicz Anna M. , Janocha Aleksandra , Wielgos Zuzanna , Sarnat-Kucharczyk Monika , Pojda-Wilczek Dorota
Published: July 2023

Zespół Sjögrena (Sjögren’s syndrome – SS) jest przewlekłą, autoimmunologiczną chorobą układową o charakterze zapalnym. Występują w nim limfocytarne nacieki zapalne w gruczołach wydzielania zewnętrznego, co prowadzi do ich znacznej dysfunkcji i zniszczenia. Stan chorobowy najczęściej obejmuje gruczoły łzowe i ślinianki, co powoduje suchość oczu i suchość w jamie ustnej. W pracy opisano przypadek 64-letniej kobiety, która od 6 lat odczuwała dyskomfort w prawym oku. Okulista rozpoznał zaćmę początkową obu oczu, owrzodzenie rogówki oka prawego i podwinięcie powieki dolnej prawej wymagające interwencji chirurgicznej. Pomimo udanego zabiegu rzęsy zaczęły nieprawidłowo odrastać i podrażniać rogówkę. W krótkim czasie problem nieprawidłowo rosnących rzęs objął również powieki lewego oka. Rzęsy powiek obu oczu wielokrotnie usuwano mechanicznie. Na podstawie objawów, dodatniego wyniku testu Schirmera oraz obecności przeciwciał SS-A rozpoznano SS. W kolejnych latach w obu oczach pacjentki rozwinęły się keratopatia wraz z ubytkami nabłonka rogówki, zaawansowana zaćma, podwinięcie górnych powiek oraz związany z tym nieprawidłowy wzrost rzęs. Stany te wymagały intensywnego leczenia farmakologicznego oraz chirurgicznego, w tym naszycia błony owodniowej na powierzchnię oka prawego, plastyki powiek, zamknięcia punktów łzowych i operacji zaćmy. Pomimo leczenia u pacjentki występują obecnie liczne zrosty spojówkowe oraz unaczynione bielmo rogówki prawego oka. Oprócz objawów ocznych pacjentka wykazuje objawy ze strony innych narządów.
Anemia among Adolescent Girls: Its Association with Protein and Iron Intake
Authors: Jumiyati Jumiyati , Wahyu W Tetes , Krisnasary Arie , Yulianti Risda
Published: July 2023

Adolescence is a time of physical and psychological growth as people transition to adulthood, and proper nutrition is essential for this process. Anemia, a condition characterized by a lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin, is the most common health issue among young women. In 2018, the prevalence of anemia was higher in women (27.2%) than in men (20.3%), and particularly high (32%) in the 15-24 age group. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anemia among teenage women in a rural area . The study used a cross-sectional design and included 112 middle school female students in Rejang Lebong Regency. The data was collected using survey questionnaire and a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire to assess factors such as knowledge, the intake of calorie, protein, vitamin C, and iron. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the relations between these variables and anemia status. The correlation analysis showed that knowledge, calorie intake, and vitamin C were not significantly correlated with anemia (p values 0.378, 0.563 and 0.087, respectively). However, there was a significant correlation between iron and protein intake with the occurrence of anemia (p values 0.000 and 0.030).
Computational Advancements in Cancer Combination Therapy Prediction
Authors: Flanary Victoria L. , Fisher Jennifer L. , Wilk Elizabeth J. , Howton Timothy C. , Lasseigne Brittany N.
Published: July 2023

As cancer remains resistant to several modes of treatment, novel therapeutics are still under active investigation to overcome treatment inefficacy in cancer. Given the high attrition rate of de novo drug discovery, drug screening, and drug repurposing have offered time- and cost-effective alternative strategies for the identification of potentially effective therapeutics. In contrast to large-scale drug screens, computational approaches for drug repurposing leverage the increasing amounts of biomedical data to predict candidate therapeutic agents prior to testing in biological models. Current studies in drug repurposing for cancer therapy prediction have increasingly focused on the prediction of combination therapies, as combination therapies have numerous advantages over monotherapies. These include increased effect from synergistic interactions, reduced toxicity from lowered drug doses, and a reduced risk of resistance due to multiple non-overlapping mechanisms of action. This review provides a summary of several classes of computational methods used for drug combination therapy prediction in cancer research, including networks, regression-based machine learning, classifier machine learning models, and deep learning approaches, with the goal of presenting current progress in the field, particularly to non-computational cancer biologists. We conclude by discussing the need for further advancements in technologies that incorporate disease mechanisms, drug characteristics, multi-omics data, and clinical considerations to generate effective patient-specific drug combinations, as holistic data integration will inevitably result in optimal targeted therapeutics for cancer.
Neuromuscular Magnetic Field Measurement Based on Superconducting Bio-Sensors
Authors: Zhang Zhidan , He Anran , Xu Zihan , Yang Kun , KONG Xiangyan
Published: July 2023

These years, disease-causing and disabling diseases have caused great concern. Neurological, musculoskeletal disorders are diverse and affect people of a wide range of ages. And the lack of
comprehensive diagnostic methods places a huge burden on healthcare systems and social economies. In this paper, the current status of clinical research on neuromuscular diseases is introduced, and the advantages of magnetic field measurement compared with clinical diagnostic methods are illustrated. The paper makes a comprehensive description about the related technology of superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), magnetic field detection noise suppression scheme, the development trend of sensor detection system, and the application and model establishment of neuromuscular magnetic field. The current researches and developments in the worldwide are compared simultaneously in this paper and finally the conclusions and outlook are put forward. This review will be very interesting and helpful to the scientific community.
A Mixed Vehicle Routing Problem with Electric and Internal Combustion Vehicles and Common Carriers
Authors: Dang--- Yibo , Allen Theodore Tetreault , Singh Manjeet
Published: July 2023

With the continuous improvement and observable benefits of electric vehicles (EVs), major logistic companies are introducing more EVs into their conventional fleets. This gives rise to a new type of vehicle routing problem with mixed vehicles, where heterogeneous internal combustion vehicles (ICVs) and electric vehicles are considered in route planning. In addition, certain deliveries that are not efficient on any type of vehicles, are outsourced to third-party common carriers. In this paper, we define this problem as a mixed vehicle routing problem with common carriers (MVRPC). The objective of such problems is to minimize the transportation costs by considering routes with ICVs and EVs, the possibility of visiting recharging stations, outsourcing options, and drivers’ layover regulations. This variant of the vehicle routing problems has many practical applications, particularly in the design of long-haul transportation and last-mile delivery services. Effective MVRPC solutions play a key role in promoting the going Green image and optimally allocating resources. The problem has received limited attention in the literature likely because addressing all the needed aspects is especially challenging. To solve the large-scale problem, we develop a branch-and-cut pricing framework that relies on strong cuts and customized labeling algorithms. Numerical experiments highlight the effectiveness of our algorithm. This success can be attributed to tailored critical resources, dynamically bounded bidirectional labeling procedures, strong dominance criteria, and implementation strategies.
The Role of Endosongraphy in Cardiology: Clinical Applications
Authors: Elhakim Abdelrahman , Karkour Kawther , Sauter Philip , Rode Michael , Elhakim Mohamed , Radke Peter , Saad Mohamed
Published: July 2023

Background: Ultrasonography in medicine allows real time “dynamic” assessment of structure where the procedure takes place. This feature and design could be more advantageous than radiological “static” view imaging. Thus, it is the convincing imaging tool for many structural cardiovascular and gastrointestinal interventions. Technically, the image resolution for Endosonography (EUS) is noticeably higher than that of transesophageal echocardiography (TOE). The benefits of investigating the cardiovascular structures using this high-resolution endoscope are unknown. Clinical applications: We present clinical applications of incidentally diagnosed cardiovascular structures, which demonstrated during routine gastrointestinal endosonographic procedures. These diagnoses could influence changes in management strategies. Discussion: The introduction of high resolution endosonography (EUS) in cardiology allows "panoramic" and “dynamic” real-time assessment of cardiovascular structures with an accurate definition of the variable cardiovascular anatomy. Using this advantage during routine gastrointestinal procedures allows for the early detection of asymptomatic cardiac pathologies and accompanying diseases, prevents double investigations for patients and operators, eliminates the risk of esophageal trauma, highlights interdisciplinary teamwork benefits, and could facilitate in the future the indications for cardiac-based structural procedures, which could influence management strategies with improved safety, efficacy, and economic outcomes. Conclusion: The introduction of endosonography (EUS) in cardiology provide high-resolution real-time assessments of cardiovascular anatomy. Thus, it can be used for early detections of variable cardiovascular pathologies during routine gastrointestinal procedures.
Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome Caused by Orthohantaviruses in Xiangyun County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Huang Hao , Fu Meng , Han Peiyu , Yin Hongmin , Yang Zi , Kong Yichen , Wang Bo , Yang Xing-Lou , Ren Tilian , Zhang Yunzhi
Published: July 2023

Orthohantaviruses can cause two types of human infections: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HFRS is a zoonotic disease transmitted by multiple rodent species. Yunnan Province in southwest China is the natural foci of HFRS, and Dali Prefecture in Yunnan Province has the highest incidence of HFRS; however, the precise status of orthohantavirus infection in Dali Prefecture remains unknown. To this end, we obtained clinical data of HFRS patients from the medical records of the People's Hospital of Xiangyun County in Dali Prefecture from July 2019 to August 2021. We collected epidemiological data of HFRS patients through interviews and investigated host animals using the night clip or night cage method. We systematically performed epidemiological analyses of patients and host animals. The differences in the presence of rodent activity at home (2=8.75, P=0.031<0.05), of rodent-proof equipment in the food (2=9.19, P=0.025<0.05), and of rodents or rodent excrement in the workplace (2=10.35, P=0.014<0.05) were statistically different in the four clinical types, including mild, medium, severe, and critical HFRS-associated diseases. Furthermore, we conducted molecular detection of orthohantavirus in host animals. The total orthohantavirus infection rate of rodents was 2.7% (9/331); the specific infection rate of specific animal species was 6.1% (5/82) for the Apodemus chevrieri, 100% (1/1) for the Rattus nitidus, 3.8% (2/53) for the Rattus norvegicus, and 12.5% (1/8) for the Crocidura dracula. In this study, a total of 21 strains of orthohantavirus were detected in patients and rodents. The 12 orthohantavirus strains from patients showed a closer relationship with Seoul orthohantavirus (SEOOV) L0199, DLR2, and GZRn60 strains; the six orthohantavirus strains from Rattus norvegicus and Apodemus chevrieri were closely related to SEOOV GZRn60 strain; One strains (XYRn163) from Rattus norvegicus and one strain (XYR.nitidus97) from Rattus nitidus were closely related to SEOOV DLR2 strain; the orthohantavirus strain from Crocidura dracula was closely related to the Luxi orthohantavirus (LUXV) LX309 strain. In conclusion, patients with HFRS in Xuangyun County of Dali Prefecture are predominantly affected by SEOOV, with multiple genotypes of orthohantavirus in host animals, and most importantly, these orthohantavirus strains constantly demonstrated zoonotic risk in humans.
Wet and Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration Induced by Polyethylene Glycol
Authors: Mitchell Reece , Logan Connor , Lyzogubov Valeriy V. , Bora Nalini S. , Bora Puran S.
Published: July 2023

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness world-wide. We recently reported that polyethylene glycol (PEG) can activate the alternative pathway of the complement system and induce choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mice. Currently, no other investigator has demonstrated CNV after PEG injection in the mouse eye. The aim of this article is twofold: we review the histologic changes in mouse retina and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) after treatment with PEG, and we summarize a model of wet and dry AMD pathogenesis in mice through subretinal PEG treatment of RPE cells and retinal layers. We injected (subretinal) male C57BL/6 mice with 2 μL of solution containing 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg of PEG or PBS in control groups. Eyes were harvested at day 1, 3 and 5 after injection and processed for analysis. Sections were immunohistochemically stained for complement component C3, mem-brane attack complex (MAC), and cytokeratin 18. Light and laser confocal microscopy was used for image capturing. PEG increased deposition of C3 and MAC on RPE cells and on all retinal layers after 1.0 mg injection. PEG induced loss of cellular contacts between RPE cells and migration of RPE cells in the subretinal space at day 1 after PEG injection. After 0.5 mg PEG injection, increased size of RPE cells was detected at day 3 and 5. Apoptotic bodies were observed in outer nuclear layer at day 3 and 5 after 0.5 mg PEG treatment. RPE cells with dark cytoplasm and condensed chromatin were observed. Higher doses of PEG induce CNV, encouraged RPE cell proliferation and death, and damage photoreceptors in mice. This simple and fast model may be useful to explore the pathogenesis of both dry and wet AMD.
Cooperative Cruise Control for Intelligent Connected Vehicles: A Bargaining Game Approach
Authors: Arevalo-Castiblanco Miguel F. , Pachon Jaime , Tellez-Castro Duvan , Mojica-Nava Eduardo
Published: July 2023

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are at the forefront of advancements in transportation, offering enhanced efficiency, safety, and environmental friendliness. To enable ITS, autonomous systems play a pivotal role, leveraging breakthroughs in autonomous driving, data-driven modeling, and multiagent control strategies to establish sustainable and coordinated traffic management. The integration of connected and automated vehicles has garnered significant attention as a potential solution for alleviating traffic congestion and improving fuel economy, achieved through global route optimization and cooperative driving. This study focuses on a predictive control perspective to address the cooperative cruise control problem. Online decision-making is employed during the driving process, utilizing information gathered from the network. By employing bargaining games to establish an operating agreement among vehicles, we formalize a synchronization approach based on predictive control theory. Ultimately, these findings are put to the test in an emulation environment within a hardware-in-the-loop system.
Age and Task Modulate Olfactory Sensitivity in the Florida Carpenter Ant Camponotus floridanus
Authors: Ferguson Stephen T , Bakis Isaac , Edwards Nicholas D , Zwiebel Laurence J
Published: July 2023

Age-related changes in behavior and sensory perception have been observed in a wide variety of animal species. In ants and other eusocial insects, workers often progress through an ordered sequence of olfactory-driven behavioral tasks. Notably, these behaviors are plastic, and workers adapt and rapidly switch tasks in response to changing environmental conditions. In the Florida carpenter ant, smaller minors typically perform most of the work needed to maintain the colony while the larger majors are specialized for nest defense and rarely engage in these routine tasks. Here, we investigate the effects of age and task group on olfactory responses to a series of odorant blends in minor and major worker castes. Consistent with their respective roles within the colony, we observed significant age-associated shifts in the olfactory responses of minors as they transitioned between behavioral states, whereas the responses of majors remained consistently low regardless of age. Furthermore, we identified a unitary compound, 3-methylindole, which elicited significantly higher responses and behavioral aversion in minor nurses than in similarly aged foragers suggesting that this compound may play an important role in brood care. Taken together, our results suggest that age- and task-associated shifts in olfactory physiology may play a critical role in the social organization of ant colonies.
The Effect of COVID-19 on Gut Microbiota: Exploring the Complex Interplay and Implications for Human Health
Authors: Akter Shamima , Tasnim Sa’dia , Barua Rashu , Choubey Mayank , Arbee Shahida , Mohib Mohammad Mohabbulla , Minhaz Naofel , Choudhury Ajanta , Sarker Pallab , Mohiuddin Mohammad Sarif
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to significant global health implications. Although the respiratory manifestations of COVID-19 are widely recognized, emerging evidence suggests that the disease may also significantly affect the gut microbiota, the intricate community of bacteria that lives within the gastrointestinal system. This extensive article intends to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the gut microbiota, examining the underlying mechanisms, clinical implications, and potential therapeutic interventions. Understanding the complex interactions between COVID-19 and the gut microbiota will help us to gain valuable insights into the broader consequences of this viral infection on human health.
Short Physical Performance Battery Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure in Institutionalized Spanish Older Adults
Authors: Santamaría-Peláez Mirian , González-Bernal Jerónimo J. , Da Silva-González Álvaro , Medina-Pascual Elena , Gentil-Gutiérrez Ana , Fernández-Solana Jessica , Mielgo-Ayuso Juan , González-Santos Josefa
Published: July 2023

Background: The validation of measuring instruments in health is a requirement to be able to use them safely and reliably. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) tool is an instrument widely used in the clinic and validated in numerous countries and languages and for different populations. The objective of this research was to determine the psychometric properties of SPPB for a sample composed of institutionalized Spanish older adults. Methods: Multicenter study of the psychometric properties of the Short Physical Performance Battery tool with a convenience sample of 194 institutionalized older adults. Reliability (internal consistency), validity (construct validity and convergent validity) tests were performed. Results: The results show a very good internal consistency, construct validity and convergent validity. In addition, the factorial structure of the SPPB is provided, which reflects that it is a unidimensional scale. Conclusions: In conclusion, the Short Physical Performance Battery is a valid and reliable tool for use with institutionalized older adults. Its use is recommended as part of the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for the evaluation of the physical or functional sphere. Authors should include one of the following statements about the registration status of the manuscript here: This study was prospectively registered and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Burgos (IR 11/2018).
Yeast lsm Pro-Apoptotic Mutants Show Defects in Autophagy Induction
Authors: Caraba Benedetta , Stirpe Mariarita , Palermo Vanessa , Vaccher Ugo , Bianchi Michele Maria , Falcone Claudio , Mazzoni Cristina
Published: July 2023

LSM4 is an essential yeast gene encoding a component of different LSM complexes involved in the regulation of mRNA splicing, stability and translation. In previous papers we reported that the expression in S. cerevisiae of the K. lactis Lsm4 gene lacking the C-terminal Q/N-rich domain in a Lsm4 null strain S. cerevisiae (Sclsm4D1) restored cell viability. Nevertheless, in this transformed strain we observed some phenotypes which are typical markers of regulated cell death, Reactive Oxygen Species and oxidated RNA accumulation. In this paper we report that a similar truncation operated in the S. cerevisiae LSM4 gene confers to cells the same phenotypes observed with the K.lactis LSM4D1 gene. Up to now there was no evidence on the direct involvement of LSM4 in autophagy. Here we found that the Sclsm4D1 mutant showed defects in the induction of autophagy and it was very sensitive to nitrogen starvation or treatment with low doses of rapamycin, an inducer of autophagy. Moreover, both during nitrogen starvation and ageing, the Sclsm4D1 mutant accumulated cytoplasmic autophagy-related structures, suggesting a role of Lsm4 in Phagophore Assembly Site (PAS) processing and/or vacuolar autophagosome internalization
Cooperative Standoff Target Tracking using Multiple Fixed-wing UAVs with Input Constraints in Unknown Wind
Authors: Liu Zhong , Xiang Lingshuang , Zhu Zemin
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates the problem of cooperative standoff tracking using multiple fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with control input constraints. In order to achieve accurate target tracking in the presence of unknown background wind and target motion, a coordinated standoff target tracking algorithm is proposed. The objective of the research is to steer multiple UAVs to fly a circular orbit around a moving target with prescribed intervehicle angular spacing. To achieve this goal, two control laws are proposed, including relative range regulation and space phase separation. On one hand, a heading rate control law based on Lyapunov guidance vector field is proposed. The convergence analysis show that the UAVs can asymptotically converge to a desired circular orbit around the target, regardless of their initial position and heading. Through rigorous theoretical proof, it is concluded that the command signal of the proposed heading rate controller will not violate the boundary constraint on heading rate. On the other hand, a temporal phase is introduced to represent the phase separation and avoid discontinuity of the wrapped space phase angle. On this basis, a speed controller is developed to achieve equal phase separation. The proposed airspeed controller met the requirement of airspeed constraint. In addition, to improve the robustness of the aircraft during target tracking, an estimator is developed to estimate the composition velocity of the unknown wind and target motion. The proposed estimator uses the offset vector between the UAV’s actual flight path and the desired orbit which is defined by Lyapunov guidance vector field to estimate the composition velocity. The stability of the estimator is proved. Simulations are conducted under different scenarios to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative standoff target tracking algorithm. The simulation results of indicate that, the temporal-phase-based speed controller can achieve fast convergence speed and small phase separation error. Additionally, the composition velocity estimator exhibits fast response speed and high estimation accuracy.
A Miniaturized Thin-Film UWB Monopole Antenna Implemented with High-Dk Adhesive
Authors: Dao Duc Nguyen , Chung Jae-Young
Published: July 2023

This paper presents the design of a miniaturized polyimide-based antenna for Ultra-Wideband (UWB) communication. Miniaturization is achieved through the utilization of adhesive material with a high dielectric constant (high-Dk). The goal of this work is to investigate the impact of such material on the antenna performance and to optimize its design for UWB operation. The manufacturing of the antenna using the proposed structure was developed and the prototype of antenna for UWB high-band (6 - 9 GHz) is measured and analyzed. By leveraging the high Dk of the adhesive material, the simulation and measurement results showed that the proposed antenna with high Dk adhesive film can achieve the compact dimension with good performance in gain, and time domain characteristics. The results of this study show a potential of exhibiting a reduction in the size of the antenna and will contribute to the advancement of miniaturized UWB antenna technology.
Unveiling the Past in Three Dimensions: A Methodology for Creating Versatile Digital Twins from Paleontological Findings in a Museum
Authors: Konstantakis Markos , Trichopoulos Georgios , Aliprantis John , Michalakis Konstantinos , Caridakis George , Thanou Athina , Zafeiropoulos Anastasios , Papavassiliou Symeon , Koskeridou Efterpi , Sklavounou Stamatina , Psarras Christos
Published: July 2023

In recent years, researchers in the field of cultural heritage have intensified their efforts to develop new ways to enhance the promotion and accessibility of cultural content in order to attract more audiences using virtual representations of physical objects (digital twins). Therefore, they increasingly include new technologies and digital tools in their operation, since their application both to the general public and among the cultural organisations themselves, is considered particularly effective. Simultaneously, the increasing quality of the produced digitizations has opened up new opportunities for further exploitation of digitization outcomes in a broader context than was initially anticipated. Responding to the growing demand of museum visitors for a personalized digital tour experience, especially in the midst of the recent Covid-2019 pandemic, the v-PalM project aims to develop a digital platform for offering virtual guidance and education services at the Museum of Paleontology and Geology that is hosted at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens. The development of the platform will be based on collecting data through several methods including crowdsourcing, innovative information and communication technologies, taking advantage of content digitization using 3D scanning devices. In this paper, we demonstrate a methodology for the digitization of paleontological findings that can be used for creating digital twins suitable for various scenarios including research, education, and entertainment.
Regional Traffic Event Detection Using Data Crowdsourcing
Authors: Kim Yuna , Song SangHo , Lee Hyeonbyeong , Choi Dojin , Lim Jongtae , Bok Kyoungsoo , Yoo Jaesoo
Published: July 2023

Accurate detection and state analysis of traffic flows are essential for effectively reconstructing traffic flows and reducing the risk of severe injury and fatality. For this reason, several studies on resolving traffic problems have proposed the use of crowdsourcing, in which drivers provide real-time traffic information using mobile devices, to monitor traffic conditions. Using data collected via crowdsourcing for traffic event detection has advantages in terms of improved accuracy and reduced time cost in collecting relevant data. In this paper, we propose a technique that employs crowdsourcing to collect traffic-related data and uses these data to detect events that influence traffic. The proposed technique uses various machine-learning methods to more accurately identify events and find accurate location information. Therefore, it is able to resolve problems typically encountered with conventionally provided location information, such as broadly defined locations or inaccurate location information. The proposed technique has advantages in terms of reducing time and cost while increasing accuracy. Its validity and effectiveness were also demonstrated through various performance evaluations.
First Attempt to Find Spectral Patterns in Cork Oak Leaves Revealing the Interaction of the Plant with Phytophthora cinnamomi
Authors: Guerra Rui , Pires Rosa , Brázio António , Cavaco Ana Maria , Schütz Gabriela , Coelho Ana Cristina
Published: July 2023

Cork oak tree (Quercus suber L.) symbolises Montado landscape in Portugal and is a central element in the country's social and economic history. In recent decades, the loss of thousands of cork oaks has been reported, revealing the ongoing decline of these agro-forestry ecosystems. This emblematic tree of the Mediterranean Basin is host to the soil-born root pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi, an active cork oak decline driver. In this framework, the early diagnosis of trees infected by the oomycete by non-invasive methods should contribute to the sustainable management of cork oak ecosystems and motivated this work. Using leaf reflectance spectroscopy it was possible to distinguish plants inoculated with P. cinnamomi from non-inoculated plants in a long course assay and to argue about the factors contributing to this differentiation. Spectral acquisitions in the visible-near infrared (400–1100 nm) were performed at 63, 78, 91, 126 and 248 days after inoculation (DAI), on the abaxial and adaxial faces of the leaves, and the spectral data was arranged in a three-way array of samples × wavelengths × days. The separation of the two plant groups were attributed to variations in water content (4v (O−H)) and/or a shift in the red edge and to structural modifications in the epidermal layer and/or the mesophyll of the leaves observed in the visible range. These spectral signatures can assist in the field identification of cork oaks that are interacting with P. cinnamomi.
Landsat-7 ETM+, Landsat-8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 MSI Surface Reflectance Cross-Comparison and Harmonization over the Mediterranean Basin Area
Authors: Perez Martina , Vitale Marcello
Published: July 2023

In the Mediterranean area, vegetation dynamics and phenology analyzed over a long time can have an important role in highlighting changes in land use and cover as well as the effect of climate change. Over the last 30 years, remote sensing has played an essential role in bringing about these changes thanks to many types of observations and techniques. Satellite images are to be considered an important tool to grasp these dynamics and evaluate them in an inexpensive and multidisciplinary way thanks to Landsat and Sentinel satellite constellations. The integration of these tools holds a dual potential: on one hand, allowing to obtain longer historical series of reflectance data, while on the other hand, making data available with a higher frequency even within a specific timeframe. The study aims to conduct a comprehensive cross-comparison analysis of long-time series pixel values in the Mediterranean regions. For this scope comparisons between Landsat-7 (ETM+), Landsat-8 (OLI), and Sentinel-2 (MSI) satellite sensors were conducted based on surface reflectance products. We evaluated these differences using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Major Axis linear regression (RMA) analysis on points extracted from over 15,000 images across the Mediterranean basin area from 2017 to 2020. Minor but consistent differences were noted, necessitating the formulation of suitable adjustment equations to better align Sentinel-2 reflectance values with those of Landsat-7 or Landsat-8. The results of the analysis are compared with the most used harmonization coefficients proposed in the literature, revealing significant differences. The root mean square deviation, the mean difference and the orthogonal distance regression (ODR) slope show an improvement of the parameters for both models used (OLS and RMA) in this study. The discrepancies in reflectance values lead to corresponding variations in the estimation of biophysical parameters, such as NDVI, showing an increase in the ODR slope of 0.3. Despite differences in spatial, spectral, and temporal characteristics, we demonstrate that integration of these datasets is feasible through the application of band-wise regression corrections for a sensitive and heterogeneous area like those of the Mediterranean basin area.
Quantitating Wastewater Characteristic Parameters Using Neural Network Regression Modeling on Spectral Reflectance
Authors: Fortela Dhan Lord B. , Travis Armani , Mikolajczyk Ashley P. , Sharp Wayne , Revellame Emmanuel , Holmes William , Hernandez Rafael , Zappi Mark
Published: July 2023

Wastewater (WW) analysis is a critical step in various operations such as control of a WW treatment facility, and speeding-up the analysis of WW quality can significantly improve such operations. This work demonstrates the capability of neural network (NN) regression models to estimate WW characteristic properties such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia (NH3-N), total dissolved substances (TDS), total alkalinity (TA), and total hardness (TH) by training on WW spectral reflectance in the visible to near-infrared spectrum (400nm-2000nm). The dataset contains samples of spectral reflectance intensity, which were the inputs, and the WW parameter levels (BOD, COD, NH3-N, TDS, TA, and TH), which were the outputs. Various NN model configurations were evaluated in terms of regression model fitness. The mean-absolute-error (MAE) was used as the metric for training and testing the NN models, and the coefficient of determination (R2) between the model predictions and true values was also computed to measure how well the NN models predict the true values. With online spectral measurements, the trained neural network model can provide non-contact and real-time estimation of WW quality at minimum estimation error.
Verifiable Privacy Preservation Scheme for Outsourcing Medical Image to Cloud Through ROI Based Crypto-Watermarking
Authors: Zhou Chuan , Zhou Yi , Liu Xiangzhi
Published: July 2023

Abstract: The paper proposes a novel verifiable privacy preservation scheme for outsourcing medical image to cloud through ROI based crypto-watermarking. In the proposal scheme, data owner firstly carries out substitution of S-box for the region of interest (ROI) of medical image, and then separates the image into 4 most significant bits (MSBs) plane and 4 least significant bits (LSBs) plane images. Secondly, the hash value of ROI is embedded into the two separated bit plane images using reversible watermarking algorithm. Lastly, some selected hash values are transformed into the initial parameters of chaotic maps, and the two sharing secrets, which are produced through chaos based encryption algorithm, are finally outsourced to two different cloud servers. Authorized users can obtain shares from various cloud servers and then recover the original medical image losslessly through a series of decryption operations and watermark extraction. Furthermore, the users can verify whether the original image is completely reconstructed or not, they even can locate the tampered parts inside ROI if anyone of the sharing secrets is damaged. Some experiments are analysed and compared to show the security and effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Leptospira Lipid a Is a Potent Adjuvant Capable of Inducing Antigen-Specific Sterilizing Immunity Against Leptospirosis
Authors: Varma Vivek , Kadivella Mohammad , Kavela Sridhar , Faisal Syed
Published: July 2023

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance. The current killed vaccine provides serovar-specific protection without sterilizing immunity. Several surface antigens, including Leptospira immunoglobulin-like proteins (LigA and LigB), have been identified as subunit vaccine candidates; however, they require potent adjuvants. Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), including lipid A, is a well-known immunostimulatory agent, and the formulation of Monophosphoryl Lipid A (MPLA) in Alum is a clinical adjuvant. Being less endotoxic, we tested the adjuvant activity of lipid A purified from L. interrogans serovar Pomona (PLA) for its ability to activate innate and enhance antigen-specific adaptive immune response. PLA-induced activation of macrophages similar to levels induced by MPLA, albeit at a much higher dose, indicating that it is less stimulatory than MPLA. Mice immunized with a Variable portion of LigA (LAV) formulated in Alum and PLA (LAV-Alum-PLA) induced significantly higher levels of LAV-specific humoral and cellular immune response than Alum but similar to levels induced by Alum-MPLA. The adjuvant activity of PLA seems to be quite similar to MPLA and primarily mediated through enhanced recruitment, activation, and uptake of antigens by innate immune cells. Moreover, like MPLA, the PLA formulation was able to generate a long-term memory response. Most importantly, PLA demonstrated better potency than MPLA formulation and generated sterilizing immunity against challenge in a hamster model of leptospirosis. Altogether, our study has provided important insight into the adjuvant activity of Leptospira lipid A and has opened avenues for the development of LPS-based vaccines against this dreadful zoonosis.
Clinical observation of a patient with small and large intestine lesions with Crohn's disease and eosinophilic colitis
Authors:   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Samolygo I.S. , Aminova A.I. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation,   G.N.Speransky City Children’s Hospital No 9 Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Erdes S.I. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Eryushova T.Yu. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation,   G.N.Speransky City Children’s Hospital No 9 Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Davidenko N.V. ,   G.N.Speransky City Children’s Hospital No 9 Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Zubova T.V. ,   G.N.Speransky City Children’s Hospital No 9 Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

Crohn's disease (granulomatous enteritis, granulomatous colitis, terminal ileitis) is a chronic relapsing disease characterized by transmural granulomatous inflammation with segmental lesions often of the small and large intestine. Eosinophilic colitis is a rare disease characterized by high level of eosinophilic infiltrate in the colon wall in patients with symptoms, more often manifested by abdominal pain or diarrhea. We face more often with the unique combination of these two diseases, characterized by different types of immunological reactions. We presented the clinical case of Crohn's disease and eosinophilic colitis in a 15-year-old boy. We face more often with the unique combination of these two pathological conditions, characterized by different types of immunological reactions, The article presents the clinical case of Crohn's disease and eosinophilic colitis in a 15-year-old boy. The aim of this clinical case is to increase the knowledge of practitioners about inflammatory bowel diseases, to point out possible combinations of different immunological inflammatory reactions in one patient, and the difficulties in diagnosing and managing this kind of patients. Key words: Crohn's disease, eosinophilic colitis, diagnosis, treatment, hormone-resistant form, targeted therapy, children
Utility of personalized medicine in cardiology practice
Authors:   Loginov Moscow Clinical Scientific Center of Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Dolgova E.V. , Bodunova N.A. ,   Loginov Moscow Clinical Scientific Center of Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Khavkin A.I. ,   Research Clinical Institute of Childhood of the Moscow Region, Moscow, Russian Federation,   Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russian Federation, Litvinova M.M. ,   Loginov Moscow Clinical Scientific Center of Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

Significant changes have taken place in cardiology over the past 15 years within the framework of a personalized approach to the management of patients with cardiovascular diseases. This review provides up-to-date information on the genetic aspects of the development of various cardiovascular diseases, including heart and vascular malformations, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmias, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, thrombosis, and some others. In the current paper cardiovascular pathologies are divided according to the etiological principle into the chromosomal, monogenic and polygenic diseases. The problems of introducing intensively developing genetic technologies and medical genetic counseling into the practice of cardiologists, as well as the appropriate and rational usage and interpretation of genetic tests, remain actual issue. The necessity of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of cardiological patients with close cooperation of a cardiologist and a clinical geneticist is shown. Key words: cardiogenetics, hereditary diseases, cardiology, cardiovascular diseases, chromosomal diseases, gene diseases, congenital heart defects, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, arterial hypertension, thrombosis, personalized medicine, mutations, polymorphisms
Reconstructing a Patellar Tendon Rupture Neglected for 14 Years When Anatomic Restoration Is Not Possible
Authors: Jurgensmeier Kevin , Kweon Christopher Y
Published: July 2023

Case:

This case highlights the utility and outcomes of an Achilles tendon bone-block allograft in reconstructing the patellar tendon of a 44-year-old man in the setting of a high-riding, irreducible patella after a chronic patellar tendon rupture of 14 years.

Conclusion:

In cases of a neglected patellar tendon rupture with an irreducible high-riding patella, an Achilles tendon bone-block allograft can provide the length and tissue necessary to reconstruct the extensor mechanism. Although reconstruction may not be anatomic, patients can still experience great subjective and objective functional improvement with restoration of the extensor mechanism even after delayed reconstruction.
Thoracic Spine Fracture After Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Patient with Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: de los Cobos Daniel , Nwadike Benjamin A. , Padhye Kedar
Published: July 2023

Case:

A 32-year-old man with a history of ankylosing spondylitis presented to the emergency department because of sepsis secondary to Fournier’s gangrene and subsequently went into cardiac arrest requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). On the twelfth hospital day, a fracture through the T5-T6 intervertebral disk space was incidentally found on a chest, abdominal, and pelvic Computed Tomography (CT) scan. The rounds of CPR were the only traumatic event that the patient underwent before the discovery of the spine fracture.

Conclusion:

A low threshold for advanced imaging should be held to rule out occult spine fractures in patients with ankylosed spines after receiving CPR.
The causal effect between gut microbiota and sarcopenia related traits: A large-scale bidirectional Mendelian randomization
Authors: Fu weili , Xu Tianhao , Zhang Lei , Yang Xiaolong
Published: July 2023

Objective
The causal relationship between gut microbiota and sarcopenia remains unclear. The objective is to investigate the causal association between gut microbiota and sarcopenia related traits, including low hand grip strength (LHGS), appendicular lean mass (ALM), and usual walking speed (UWP), using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR).
Design
Two sample Mendelian randomization study.
Setting and Participants
Genetic instruments predicting gut microbiota were from an existing genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 18,340 individuals (85% European descent). Summary data for LHGS (254,894 individuals), ALM ((487,378 individuals), and UWP (335,288 individuals) were respectively from different GWAS.
Methods
We selected genetic variants as instrumental variables for 211 taxa at different taxonomic levels and performed inverse variance weighting (IVW) to estimate the causal effects. We also conducted sensitivity analyses including heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy.
Results
We identified 7, 7, and 10 genetically predicted taxa that showed causal associations with LHGS, ALM, and UWP, respectively. Of these, family Alcaligenaceae, family Family XIII, family Streptococcaceae, genus Eubacterium brachy group, and genus Terrisporobacter were found to be genetically related to LHGS, family Bacteroidaceae, genus Bacteroides, genus Oscillospira, and genus Turicibacter are genetically associated with ALM, and family Veillonellaceae, genus Flavonifractor, genus Lachnospiraceae NC2004 group, genus Ruminococcaceae UCG010, and genus Actinomyces exhibited a genetic correlation with UWP. Sensitivity analysis shows that the above results do not violate the MR assumptions.
Conclusion
Our study provides novel evidence for the causal role of gut microbiota in sarcopenia. Modulating the gut microbiota may have potential implications for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia.
a pathomic model to predict ifn-γ expression and patients’ survival in breast cancer: a machine learning-based study
Authors: Jiang Wenying , Gao Lanmei , Ni Jiulin , Li Shuting , Li Yueming , Xing Wei
Published: July 2023

Purpose
Breast cancer (BC) is the most popular malignancy. IFN-γ plays an important role in cancer immunity. This study is to predict IFN-γ expression in BC by digital pathology. Procedures: RNA-Seq data, pathological images, and clinical data from TCGA-BRCA were retrieved. Images were segmented by the OTSU algorithm and pathomic features were extracted via PyRadiomics. The cohort was randomly divided into the training and validation set as 7:3 ratios. The maximum relevance and minimum redundancy and recursive feature elimination algorithm were used to select the features. Then the prediction model was built by the Gradient Boosting Machine algorithm.
Results
IFN-γ was significantly up-regulated in BC (P < 0.001), and was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 0.463, 95% CI 0.316 − 0.68). The IFN-γ prediction model consisted of 6 pathomic features. The AUC of the ROC was 0.757 and 0.709 in training and validation sets, respectively. The calibration curves did not deviate from the reference line. The calculated pathomic score was an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival of BC patients (HR = 0.604, 95% CI 0.392 − 0.93). Pathomic features were found to be significantly correlated with T cells CD4 memory, T cells follicular helper and Macrophages M1 infiltrate abundance, and with immune genes, such as CD28, CD27, PDCD1 and CTLA4, (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
The pathomic model could predict the expression of IFN-γ and patients’ outcomes in breast cancer. The features were significantly related to the abundance of immune cell infiltration and genes.