bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Content and Mechanism of Action of National Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions on Management of Respiratory Tract Infections in Primary and Community Care
Authors: Atkins Lou , Chadborn Tim , Bondaronek Paulina , Ashiru-Oredope Diane , Beech Elizabeth , Herd Natalie , de La Morinière Victoria , González-Iraizoz Marta , Hopkins Susan , McNulty Cliodna , Sallis Anna
Published: August 2020

A major modifiable factor contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is inappropriate use and overuse of antimicrobials, such as antibiotics. This study aimed to describe the content and mechanism of action of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions to improve appropriate antibiotic use for respiratory tract infections (RTI) in primary and community care. This study also aimed to describe who these interventions were aimed at and the specific behaviors targeted for change. Evidence-based guidelines, peer-review publications, and infection experts were consulted to identify behaviors relevant to AMS for RTI in primary care and interventions to target these behaviors. Behavior change tools were used to describe the content of interventions. Theoretical frameworks were used to describe mechanisms of action. A total of 32 behaviors targeting six different groups were identified (patients; prescribers; community pharmacists; providers; commissioners; providers and commissioners). Thirty-nine interventions targeting the behaviors were identified (patients = 15, prescribers = 22, community pharmacy staff = 8, providers = 18, and commissioners = 18). Interventions targeted a mean of 5.8 behaviors (range 1–27). Influences on behavior most frequently targeted by interventions were psychological capability (knowledge and skills); reflective motivation (beliefs about consequences, intentions, social/professional role and identity); and physical opportunity (environmental context and resources). Interventions were most commonly characterized as achieving change by training, enabling, or educating and were delivered mainly through guidelines, service provision, and communications & marketing. Interventions included a mean of four Behavior Change Techniques (BCTs) (range 1–14). We identified little intervention content targeting automatic motivation and social opportunity influences on behavior. The majority of interventions focussed on education and training, which target knowledge and skills though the provision of instructions on how to perform a behavior and information about health consequences. Interventions could be refined with the inclusion of relevant BCTs, such as goal-setting and action planning (identified in only a few interventions), to translate instruction on how to perform a behavior into action. This study provides a platform to refine content and plan evaluation of antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
Evaluation of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities of Extracts from Tricholosporum goniospermum, an Edible Wild Mushroom
Authors: Angelini Paola , Venanzoni Roberto , Angeles Flores Giancarlo , Tirillini Bruno , Orlando Giustino , Recinella Lucia , Chiavaroli Annalisa , Brunetti Luigi , Leone Sheila , Di Simone Simonetta Cristina , Ciferri Maria Chiara , Zengin Gokhan , Ak Gunes , Menghini Luigi , Ferrante Claudio
Published: August 2020

Tricholosporum goniospermum (Bres.) Guzmán ex T.J. Baroni is an excellent edible mushroom whose compounds and biological properties are still unknown. In this study, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from fruiting bodies and liquid-cultured mycelia were compared for the analysis of phenolic compounds, the evaluation of scavenger (DPPH, ABTS) and reducing (CUPRAC, FRAP) activities, and the enzyme inhibition of α-amylase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and tyrosinase. Additionally, T. goniospermum extracts were evaluated for antibacterial and antimycotic activities against Gram+ and Gram− bacteria, and clinical yeast and fungal dermatophytes. Finally, based on the extract content in phenolic compounds, in silico studies, including the docking approach, were conducted to predict the putative targets (namely tyrosinase, lanosterol-14-α-demethylase, the multidrug efflux system transporters of E. coli (mdtK) and P. aeruginosa (pmpM), and S. aureus β-lactamase (ORF259)) underlying the observed bio-pharmacological and microbiological effects. The methanolic extract from mycelia was the richest in gallic acid, whereas the ethyl acetate extract from fruiting bodies was the sole extract to show levels of catechin. Specifically, docking runs demonstrated an affinity of catechin towards all docked proteins, in the micromolar range. These in silico data are consistent, at least in part, with the highest activity of ethyl acetate extract as an antimicrobial and anti-tyrosinase (554.30 mg KAE/g for fruiting bodies and 412.81 mg KAE/g for mycelia) agent. The ethyl acetate extracts were also noted as being the most active (2.97 mmol ACAE/g for fruiting bodies and 2.25 mmol ACAE/g for mycelia) on α-amylase. BChE inhibitory activities varied from 2.61 to 26.78 mg GALAE/g, while the tested extracts were not active on AChE. In conclusion, all mushroom extracts tested in this study had potent antimicrobial activities. Particularly, among the tested extracts, the ethyl acetate extract showed the highest efficacy as both an antimicrobial and anti-tyrosinase agent. This could be related, albeit partially, to its content of catechin. In this regard, the bioinformatics analyses showed interactions of catechin with tyrosinase and specific microbial proteins involved in the resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs, thus suggesting innovative pharmacological applications of T. goniospermum extracts.
Clinical and Economic Burden of Carbapenem-Resistant Infection or Colonization Caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii: A Multicenter Study in China
Authors: Zhen Xuemei , Stålsby Lundborg Cecilia , Sun Xueshan , Gu Shuyan , Dong Hengjin
Published: August 2020

Background: Carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), and Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) pose significant threats to public health. However, the clinical and economic impacts of CRKP, CRPA, and CRAB remain largely uninvestigated in China. This study aimed to examine the clinical and economic burden of CRKP, CRPA, and CRAB compared with carbapenem susceptible cases in China. Method: We conducted a retrospective and multicenter study among inpatients hospitalized at four tertiary hospitals between 2013 and 2015 who had K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii positive clinical samples. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the impact of potential confounding variables, including age, sex, insurance, number of diagnosis, comorbidities (disease diagnosis, and Charlson comorbidity index), admission to intensive care unit, and surgeries. The main indicators included economic costs, length of stay (LOS), and mortality rate. Results: We included 12,022 inpatients infected or colonized with K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii between 2013 and 2015, including 831 with CRKP and 4328 with carbapenem susceptible K. pneumoniae (CSKP), 1244 with CRPA and 2674 with carbapenem susceptible P. aeruginosa (CSPA), 1665 with CRAB and 1280 with carbapenem susceptible A. baumannii (CSAB). After PSM, 822 pairs, 1155 pairs, and 682 pairs, respectively were generated. Compared with carbapenem-susceptible cases, those with CRKP, CRPA, and CRAB were associated with statistically significantly increased total hospital cost ($14,252, p < 0.0001; $4605, p < 0.0001; $7277, p < 0.0001) and excess LOS (13.2 days, p < 0.0001; 5.4 days, p = 0.0003; 15.8 days, p = 0.0004). In addition, there were statistically significantly differences in hospital mortality rate between CRKP and CSKP, and CRAB and CSAB group (2.94%, p = 0.024; 4.03%, p = 0.03); however, the difference between CRPA and CSPA group was marginal significant (2.03%, p = 0.052). Conclusion: It highlights the clinical and economic impact of CRKP, CRPA, and CRAB to justify more resources for implementing antibiotic stewardship practices to improve clinical outcomes and to reduce economic costs.
Germination Improves the Polyphenolic Profile and Functional Value of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.)
Authors: Kapravelou Garyfallia , Martínez Rosario , Perazzoli Gloria , Sánchez González Cristina , Llopis Juan , Cantarero Samuel , Goua Marie , Bermano Giovanna , Prados Jose , Melguizo Consolación , Aranda Pilar , López-Jurado María , Porres Jesus M.
Published: August 2020

The use of legumes as functional foods has gained increasing attention for the prevention and treatment of the so called non-communicable diseases that are highly prevalent worldwide. In this regard, biotechnological approaches for the enhancement of legumes’ nutritional and functional value have been extensively employed. In the present study, the process of germination increased several parameters of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) functionality, including extract yield, total phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant capacity. In addition, 3-day-germinated mung bean proved to be an interesting source of dietary essential minerals and exhibited a greater variety of polyphenolic compounds compared to raw mung bean. These properties resulted in enhanced cytoprotective features of the 3-day mung bean extracts against radical oxygen species in human colorectal (HT29) and monocyte (U937) cell lines. Moreover, the antiproliferative effects were tested in different colon cancer cell lines, T84 and drug-resistant HCT-18, as well as in a non-tumor colon CCD-18 line. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the germination process improves the mung bean’s nutritional value and its potential as a functional food.
Enhanced Resistance to Fire of the Bark-Based Panels Bonded with Clay
Authors: Tudor Eugenia Mariana , Scheriau Christoph , Barbu Marius Catalin , Réh Roman , Krišťák Ľuboš , Schnabel Thomas
Published: August 2020

The aim of this study was to investigate the flammability of ecologically friendly, 100% natural larch and poplar bark-based panels bonded with clay. The clay acted as a fire retardant, and it improved the fire resistance of the boards by 12–15% for the surface and 27–39% for the edge of the testing specimens. The thermal conductivity was also analyzed. Although the panels had a density ranging from 600 to 900 kg/m3, thermal conductivity for the panel with a density of 600 kg/m3 was excellent, and it was comparable to lightweight insulation panels with much lower densities. Besides that, the advantage of the bark clay boards, as an insulation material, is mostly in an accumulative capacity similar to wood cement boards, and it can significantly improve the climatic stability of indoor spaces that have low ventilation rates. Bark boards with clay, similar to wood cement composites (wood wool cement composites and wood particle cement composites), have low mechanical properties and elasticity. Therefore, there their use is limited to non-structural paneling applications. These ecologically friendly, 100% natural and recyclable composites can be mostly used with respect to their thermal insulation, acoustics and fire resistance properties.
Service-Aware Interactive Presentation of Items for Decision-Making
Authors: Mauro Noemi , Ardissono Liliana , Capecchi Sara , Galioto Rosario
Published: August 2020

Current information exploration models present low-level features or technical aspects related to the paradigm used to generate results. While this may increase transparency, it does not help the user form a personal opinion about items because it does not describe the overall experience with them. In order to address this issue, we propose the INTERactivE viSualizaTion model (INTEREST) that supports the exploration and analysis of search results by means of a graphical representation of consumer feedback aimed at making the user aware of the service properties in all the stages of fruition, focusing on the data that is most relevant to her/him. INTEREST is based on the Service Journey Maps for the design and description of user experience with services. We applied it to the home booking domain by developing the Apartment Monitoring application that supports overviewing and analyzing online reviews about rented homes. In a user study, we compared the decision-making support provided by our application with that of a baseline model that enables a temporal filtering of consumer feedback. We found out that Apartment Monitoring outperforms the baseline in user experience, user awareness of item properties, and user control during the interaction with the system. In particular, according to the participants of the study, Apartment Monitoring describes the expectations about the homes and it supports their selection in a more effective way than the baseline. These findings encourage moving from a low-level description of item properties to a service-oriented one in order to improve users’ decision-making capabilities.
Optimizing Latent Factors and Collaborative Filtering for Students’ Performance Prediction
Authors: Gómez-Pulido Juan A. , Durán-Domínguez Arturo , Pajuelo-Holguera Francisco
Published: August 2020

The problem of predicting students’ performance has been recently tackled by using matrix factorization, a popular method applied for collaborative filtering based recommender systems. This problem consists of predicting the unknown performance or score of a particular student for a task s/he did not complete or did not attend, according to the scores of the tasks s/he did complete and the scores of the colleagues who completed the task in question. The solving method considers matrix factorization and a gradient descent algorithm in order to build a prediction model that minimizes the error in the prediction of test data. However, we identified two key aspects that influence the accuracy of the prediction. On the one hand, the model involves a pair of important parameters: the learning rate and the regularization factor, for which there are no fixed values for any experimental case. On the other hand, the datasets are extracted from virtual classrooms on online campuses and have a number of implicit latent factors. The right figures are difficult to ascertain, as they depend on the nature of the dataset: subject, size, type of learning, academic environment, etc. This paper proposes some approaches to improve the prediction accuracy by optimizing the values of the latent factors, learning rate, and regularization factor. To this end, we apply optimization algorithms that cover a wide search space. The experimental results obtained from real-world datasets improved the prediction accuracy in the context of a thorough search for predefined values. Obtaining optimized values of these parameters allows us to apply them to further predictions for similar datasets.
The Effect of the Addition of Fruit Powders on the Quality of Snacks with Jerusalem Artichoke during Storage
Authors: Kita Agnieszka , Nowak Joanna , Michalska-Ciechanowska Anna
Published: August 2020

The aim of the study was to evaluate the physical, chemical and sensory properties of novel snacks gained from pellets composed of Jerusalem artichoke flour with the addition of cranberry, chokeberry and blackcurrant juice powders (after extrusion) fried or microwaved during 5-week storage. In ready-to-eat snacks stored in climatic chamber, the moisture content, texture, colour, total polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity, while in fat fraction of fried snacks—peroxide and acid values were examined. Overall sensory attributes were monitored as well. It was indicated that an addition of fruit powders increased the content of total polyphenols (on average by 40%) and improved the antioxidant capacity of snacks obtained. The products with fruit powders exhibited more attractive colour, while their texture was harder (when cranberry and chokeberry powders were added) in comparison with the control sample. Snacks with fruit powders addition showed better storage stability, what was especially important in the case of fried snacks where oxidative deterioration is most significant. The best effect was observed when chokeberry or black currant powders were used as additives. Replacing frying by microwaving as expansion method allowed to obtain snacks with acceptable sensory attributes and good quality during storage.
Design of Unimorph Type 3DOF Ultrasonic Motor
Authors: Jūrėnas Vytautas , Kazokaitis Gražvydas , Mažeika Dalius
Published: August 2020

A new design of 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) piezoelectric ultrasonic motor (USM) is introduced in this paper. The concept of this design is to incorporate a spherical rotor between two piezoelectric transducers. Each transducer is coupled with a flange, and it operates like a unimorph structure. Such a design of the transducer allows to increase the amplitude of the vibrations and to generate the higher torque and driving force used to achieve 3DOF rotary motion of the spherical rotor. The proposed USM may be used for humanoid robots, optomechanical systems, or small satellites. This USM consists of several components, is lightweight and reliable. Numerical analysis and experimental studies were performed to validate the feasibility of this drive, to find out proper resonant frequencies for the unimorph, and optimize the shape of the flange. Experimental studies were accomplished to validate the results of the numerical analysis and to validate the operating principles of the piezoelectric motor.
A Clustering Refinement Approach for Revealing Urban Spatial Structure from Smart Card Data
Authors: Tang Liyang , Zhao Yang , Tsui Kwok Leung , He Yuxin , Pan Liwei
Published: August 2020

Facilitated by rapid development of the data-intensive techniques together with communication and sensing technology, we can take advantage of smart card data collected through Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) systems to establish connections between public transit and urban spatial structure. In this paper, with a case study on Shenzhen metro system in China, we investigate the agglomeration pattern of passenger flow among subway stations. Specifically, leveraging inbound and outbound passenger flows at subway stations, we propose a clustering refinement approach based on cluster member stability among multiple clusterings produced by isomorphic or heterogeneous clusterers. Furthermore, we validate and elaborate five clusters of subway stations in terms of regional functionality and urban planning by comparing station clusters with reference to government planning policies and regulations of Shenzhen city. Additionally, outlier stations with ambiguous functionalities are detected using proposed clustering refinement framework.
Use Case Based Blended Teaching of IIoT Cybersecurity in the Industry 4.0 Era
Authors: Fernández-Caramés Tiago M. , Fraga-Lamas Paula
Published: August 2020

Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are paradigms that are driving current industrial revolution by connecting to the Internet industrial machinery, management tools or products so as to control and gather data about them. The problem is that many IIoT/Industry 4.0 devices have been connected to the Internet without considering the implementation of proper security measures, thus existing many examples of misconfigured or weakly protected devices. Securing such systems requires very specific skills, which, unfortunately, are not taught extensively in engineering schools. This article details how Industry 4.0 and IIoT cybersecurity can be learned through practical use cases, making use of a methodology that allows for carrying out audits to students that have no previous experience in IIoT or industrial cybersecurity. The described teaching approach is blended and has been imparted at the University of A Coruña (Spain) during the last years, even during the first semester of 2020, when the university was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Such an approach is supported by online tools like Shodan, which ease the detection of vulnerable IIoT devices. The feedback results provided by the students show that they consider useful the proposed methodology, which allowed them to find that 13% of the IIoT/Industry 4.0 systems they analyzed could be accessed really easily. In addition, the obtained teaching results indicate that the established course learning outcomes are accomplished. Therefore, this article provides useful guidelines for teaching industrial cybersecurity and thus train the next generation of security researchers and developers.
A Pneumatically-Actuated Mouse for Delivering Multimodal Haptic Feedback
Authors: Hassan Waseem , Kim Hwangil , Talhan Aishwari , Jeon Seokhee
Published: August 2020

Most of the information a user obtains through a computer is visual and/or auditory. Providing synchronized haptic information in addition to visual and/or auditory information can significantly enhance user experience and perception of virtual objects. In this paper, we propose a pneumatically-controlled haptic mouse that can replace a conventional computer mouse and deliver multimodal haptic feedback using a single end-effector. The haptic mouse can deliver distinct haptic feedback, i.e., static pressure, high frequency vibrations, and impact response. It has a dual-layered silicone housing with two air chambers. The outer layer is stretchable, and when pumped with air, changes in size and delivers feedback directly to the hand. The inner layer is non-stretchable, and is used to hold the form of the haptic mouse. Various experiments were conducted to quantify the characteristics of haptic mouse. The haptic mouse can generate a static pressure of up to 0.6 Gs, vibrations up to 250 Hz, and provides a max actuation delay of 23 ms. Based on those characteristics, haptic geometry and texture rendering algorithms were developed. These algorithms were used to render virtual shapes and textures and were evaluated using a psychophysical experiment. The results show that participants were able to successfully identify the geometries and textures in most cases.
Adaptive Relay Selection Scheme by Using Compound Channel
Authors: Na Yu-Jin , Lee Won-Seok , Paek Min-Jae , Song Hyoung-Kyu , Hwang Duckdong , You Young-Hwan
Published: August 2020

As a cellular network of the fifth generation (5G) is commercialized, mobile devices and data throughput have rapidly increased. According to the spatial density for communication increases, the nodes of cell are overloaded. Therefore, the heterogeneous ultra dense network (UDN) is suggested. Furthermore, the techniques for selecting a relay have been proposed in the Heterogeneous Net (HetNet). The relays are needed to improve communication performance and mitigate overload of nodes. In this paper, an adaptive relay selection scheme is proposed to obtain the diversity gain from multiple relays. To enhance the reliability of communication, the proposed scheme suggests a new algorithm considering outage probability and diversity gain of compound channel. Furthermore, the selected relays use an antenna selection algorithm to improve the channel capacity. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme improves the bit error rate (BER) and the data throughput.
Analysis of Subharmonic Oscillation and Slope Compensation for a Differential Boost Inverter
Authors: El Aroudi Abdelali , Al-Numay Mohamed , Haroun Reham , Huang Meng
Published: August 2020

This paper focuses on the steady-behavior of a differential boost inverter used for generating a sinewave AC voltage in rural areas. The analysis of its dynamics will be performed using an accurate approach based on discrete time models and Floquet theory and adopting a quasi-static approximation. In particular, the undesired subharmonic oscillation exhibited by the inverter will be analyzed and its boundary in the parameter space will be predicted and delimited. Combining analytical expressions and computational procedures to determine the quasi-static duty cycle, subharmonic oscillation is accurately predicted. It is found that subharmonic oscillation takes place at critical values of the sinewave voltage reference cycle, which can cause distortion to the input current and degrade the harmonic content of the output voltage. The results provide useful information for the design of the boost inverter to avoid distortion caused by subharmonic oscillation. Namely, the minimum value of the compensation slope and the maximum proportional gain of the AC output voltage controller guaranteeing a pure sinewave voltage and clean inductor current during the entire AC cycle will be determined. Numerical simulations performed on the switched model implemented using PSIM© software confirm the theoretical predictions.
Multi-Scale Transects of Three North American Drylines
Authors: White Loren D. , Lu Duanjun
Published: August 2020

North American drylines are distinct air mass boundaries that have often been examined for their relation to the initiation of severe convective storms. Three cases of drylines occurring in synoptically quiescent environments are analyzed using data obtained from a single mobile platform in concert with data from operational synoptic and mesoscale observing systems. Very distinct moisture contrasts were noted in a nocturnal April case in mountainous terrain in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. The other two cases revealed multi-step moisture transitions within synoptically diffuse moisture gradients. Their evolution over time suggests that such multi-step patterns may be associated with diurnal and geographic forcing transitions, as well as positioning of deep moist convection.
Artificial Neural Networks Model for Predicting Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Based on VDR Gene FokI Polymorphism, Lipid Profile and Demographic Data
Authors: Hatmal Ma’mon M. , Abderrahman Salim M. , Nimer Wajeha , Al-Eisawi Zaynab , Al-Ameer Hamzeh J. , Al-Hatamleh Mohammad A. I. , Mohamud Rohimah , Alshaer Walhan
Published: August 2020

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifactorial disease associated with many genetic polymorphisms; among them is the FokI polymorphism in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene. In this case-control study, samples from 82 T2DM patients and 82 healthy controls were examined to investigate the association of the FokI polymorphism and lipid profile with T2DM in the Jordanian population. DNA was extracted from blood and genotyped for the FokI polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Lipid profile and fasting blood sugar were also measured. There were significant differences in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels between T2DM and control samples. Frequencies of the FokI polymorphism (CC, CT and TT) were determined in T2DM and control samples and were not significantly different. Furthermore, there was no significant association between the FokI polymorphism and T2DM or lipid profile. A feed-forward neural network (FNN) was used as a computational platform to predict the persons with diabetes based on the FokI polymorphism, lipid profile, gender and age. The accuracy of prediction reached 88% when all parameters were included, 81% when the FokI polymorphism was excluded, and 72% when lipids were only included. This is the first study investigating the association of the VDR gene FokI polymorphism with T2DM in the Jordanian population, and it showed negative association. Diabetes was predicted with high accuracy based on medical data using an FNN. This highlights the great value of incorporating neural network tools into large medical databases and the ability to predict patient susceptibility to diabetes.
Botanical Products in the Treatment and Control of Schistosomiasis: Recent Studies and Distribution of Active Plant Resources According to Affected Regions
Authors: Duarte Galhardo de Albuquerque Ricardo Diego , Mahomoodally Mohamad Fawzi , Lobine Devina , Suroowan Shanno , Rengasamy Kannan RR
Published: August 2020

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma, is the second most prevalent parasitic disease in the world. It affects around 200 million people. Clinical treatment, prophylaxis, and prevention are performed in countries susceptible to schistosomiasis. In the pharmacological treatment for an acute form of schistosomiasis, the use of antiparasitics, mainly praziquantel, is more common. As an alternative way, prevention methods such as reducing the population of intermediate hosts (mollusks) with molluscicides are important in the control of this disease by interrupting the biological cycle of this etiological parasite. Despite the importance of pharmacological agents and molluscicides, they have side effects and environmental toxicity. In addition, they can lead to the development of resistance enhancing of parasites, and lead to the search for new and effective drugs, including resources of vegetal origin, which in turn, are abundant in the affected countries. Thus, the purpose of this review is to summarize recent studies on botanical products with potential for the control of schistosomiasis, including anti-Schistosoma and molluscicide activities. In addition, species and plant derivatives according to their origin or geographical importance indicating a possible utility of local resources for countries most affected by the disease are presented.
Contactin-1 Is Reduced in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Parkinson’s Disease Patients and Is Present within Lewy Bodies
Authors: Chatterjee Madhurima , van Steenoven Inger , Huisman Evelien , Oosterveld Linda , Berendse Henk , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Del Campo Marta , Lemstra Afina W. , van de Berg Wilma D. J. , Teunissen Charlotte E.
Published: August 2020

Synaptic degeneration is an early phenomenon in Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis. We aimed to investigate whether levels of synaptic proteins contactin-1 and contactin-2 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of PD patients are reduced compared to dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) patients and controls and to evaluate their relationship with α-synuclein aggregation. Contactin-1 and -2 were measured in CSF from PD patients (n = 58), DLB patients (n = 72) and age-matched controls (n = 90). Contactin concentration differences between diagnostic groups were assessed by general linear models adjusted for age and sex. Contactin immunoreactivity was characterized in postmortem substantia nigra, hippocampus and entorhinal cortex tissue of PD patients (n = 4) and controls (n = 4), and its relation to α-syn aggregation was evaluated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Contactin-1 levels were lower in PD patients (42 (36–49) pg/mL) compared to controls (52 (44–58) pg/mL, p = 0.003) and DLB patients (56 (46–67) pg/mL, p = 0.001). Contactin-2 levels were similar across all diagnostic groups. Within the PD patient group, contactin-1 correlated with t-α-syn, tTau and pTau (r = 0.30–0.50, p < 0.05), whereas contactin-2 only correlated with t-α-syn (r = 0.34, p = 0.03). Contactin-1 and -2 were observed within nigral and cortical Lewy bodies and clustered within bulgy Lewy neurites in PD brains. A decrease in CSF contactin-1 may reflect synaptic degeneration underlying Lewy body pathology in PD.
Alanyl-Glutamine Restores Tight Junction Organization after Disruption by a Conventional Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid
Authors: Bartosova Maria , Herzog Rebecca , Ridinger David , Levai Eszter , Jenei Hanna , Zhang Conghui , González Mateo Guadalupe T. , Marinovic Iva , Hackert Thilo , Bestvater Felix , Hausmann Michael , López Cabrera Manuel , Kratochwill Klaus , Zarogiannis Sotirios G. , Schmitt Claus Peter
Published: August 2020

Understanding and targeting the molecular basis of peritoneal solute and protein transport is essential to improve peritoneal dialysis (PD) efficacy and patient outcome. Supplementation of PD fluids (PDF) with alanyl-glutamine (AlaGln) increased small solute transport and reduced peritoneal protein loss in a recent clinical trial. Transepithelial resistance and 10 kDa and 70 kDa dextran transport were measured in primary human endothelial cells (HUVEC) exposed to conventional acidic, glucose degradation products (GDP) containing PDF (CPDF) and to low GDP containing PDF (LPDF) with and without AlaGln. Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and claudin-5 were quantified by Western blot and immunofluorescence and in mice exposed to saline and CPDF for 7 weeks by digital imaging analyses. Spatial clustering of ZO-1 molecules was assessed by single molecule localization microscopy. AlaGln increased transepithelial resistance, and in CPDF exposed HUVEC decreased dextran transport rates and preserved claudin-5 and ZO-1 abundance. Endothelial clustering of membrane bound ZO-1 was higher in CPDF supplemented with AlaGln. In mice, arteriolar endothelial claudin-5 was reduced in CPDF, but restored with AlaGln, while mesothelial claudin-5 abundance was unchanged. AlaGln supplementation seals the peritoneal endothelial barrier, and when supplemented to conventional PD fluid increases claudin-5 and ZO-1 abundance and clustering of ZO-1 in the endothelial cell membrane.
Dietary Supplementation with Sugar Beet Fructooligosaccharides and Garlic Residues Promotes Growth of Beneficial Bacteria and Increases Weight Gain in Neonatal Lambs
Authors: Quijada Narciso M. , Bodas Raúl , Lorenzo Jose M. , Schmitz-Esser Stephan , Rodríguez-Lázaro David , Hernández Marta
Published: August 2020

The proper development of the early gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota is critical for newborn ruminants. This microbiota is susceptible to modification by diverse external factors (such as diet) that can lead to long-lasting results when occurring in young ruminants. Dietary supplementation with prebiotics, ingredients nondigestible and nonabsorbable by the host that stimulate the growth of beneficial GIT bacteria, has been applied worldwide as a potential approach in order to improve ruminant health and production yields. However, how prebiotics affect the GIT microbiota during ruminants’ early life is still poorly understood. We investigated the effect of milk supplementation with a combination of two well-known prebiotics, fructooligosaccharides (FOS) from sugar beet and garlic residues (all together named as “additive”), exerted on preweaned lamb growth and the composition of their fecal microbiota, by using 16S rRNA gene amplicon high-throughput sequencing. The results showed a significant increase in the mean daily weight gain of lambs fed with the additive. Lamb fecal microbiota was also influenced by the additive intake, as additive-diet lambs showed lower bacterial diversity and were significantly more abundant in Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Veillonella. These bacteria have been previously reported to confer beneficial properties to the ruminant, including promotion of growth and health status, and our results showed that they were strongly linked to the additive intake and the increased weight gain of lambs. This study points out the combination of FOS from sugar beet and garlic residues as a potential prebiotic to be used in young ruminants’ nutrition in order to improve production yields.
Cognitive Function Improvement in Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease Following Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Authors: Kim Wang-In , Han Jae-Young , Song Min-Keun , Park Hyeng-Kyu , Jo Jihoon
Published: August 2020

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a painless noninvasive method that reportedly improves cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by stimulating the brain. However, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Thus, the present study investigates the cognitive effects in a 5xFAD AD mouse model using electrophysiological and pathological methods. We used male 5xFAD C57BL/6J and male C57BL/6J wild-type mice; the dementia model was confirmed through DNA sequencing. The verified AD and wild-type mice were randomly assigned into four groups of five mice each: an induced AD group receiving tDCS treatment (Stim-AD), an induced AD group not receiving tDCS (noStim-AD), a non-induction group receiving tDCS (Stim-WT), and a non-induction group not receiving tDCS (noStim-WT). In the Stim group, mice received tDCS in the frontal bregma areas at an intensity of 200 µA for 20 min. After 2 weeks of treatment, we decapitated the mice, removed the hippocampus from the brain, confirmed its neuronal activation through excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) recording, and performed molecular experiments on the remaining tissue using western blots. EPSP significantly increased in the Stim-AD group compared to that in the noStim-AD, which was comparable to that in the non-induced groups, Stim-WT and noStim-WT. There were no significant differences in cyclic amp-response element binding protein (CREB), phosphorylated CREB (pCREB), and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the Stim-AD group compared to those in the noStim-AD group. This study demonstrated that a tDCS in both frontal lobes of a transgenic 5xFAD mouse model affects long-term potentiation, indicating possible enhancement of cognitive function.
Pt-Ni Nanoalloys for H2 Generation from Hydrous Hydrazine
Authors: Zhou Liu , Luo Xianjin , Xu Lixin , Wan Chao , Ye Mingfu
Published: August 2020

Hydrous hydrazine (N2H4∙H2O) is a candidate for a hydrogen carrier for storage and transportation due to low material cost, high hydrogen content of 8.0%, and liquid stability at room temperature. Pt and Pt nanoalloy catalysts have been welcomed by researchers for the dehydrogenation of hydrous hydrazine recently. Therefore, in this review, we give a summary of Pt nanoalloy catalysts for the dehydrogenation of hydrous hydrazine and briefly introduce the decomposition mechanism of hydrous hydrazine to prove the design principle of the catalyst. The chemical characteristics of hydrous hydrazine and the mechanism of dehydrogenation reaction are briefly introduced. The catalytic activity of hydrous hydrazine on different supports and the factors affecting the selectivity of hydrogen catalyzed by Ni-Pt are analyzed. It is expected to provide a new way for the development of high-activity catalysts for the dehydrogenation of hydrous hydrazine to produce hydrogen.
Advances in Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells within the Tumor Microenvironment: An Updated Review
Authors: Dzobo Kevin , Senthebane Dimakatso Alice , Ganz Chelene , Thomford Nicholas Ekow , Wonkam Ambroise , Dandara Collet
Published: August 2020

Despite great strides being achieved in improving cancer patients’ outcomes through better therapies and combinatorial treatment, several hurdles still remain due to therapy resistance, cancer recurrence and metastasis. Drug resistance culminating in relapse continues to be associated with fatal disease. The cancer stem cell theory posits that tumors are driven by specialized cancer cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are a subpopulation of cancer cells known to be resistant to therapy and cause metastasis. Whilst the debate on whether CSCs are the origins of the primary tumor rages on, CSCs have been further characterized in many cancers with data illustrating that CSCs display great abilities to self-renew, resist therapies due to enhanced epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) properties, enhanced expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) membrane transporters, activation of several survival signaling pathways and increased immune evasion as well as DNA repair mechanisms. CSCs also display great heterogeneity with the consequential lack of specific CSC markers presenting a great challenge to their targeting. In this updated review we revisit CSCs within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and present novel treatment strategies targeting CSCs. These promising strategies include targeting CSCs-specific properties using small molecule inhibitors, immunotherapy, microRNA mediated inhibitors, epigenetic methods as well as targeting CSC niche-microenvironmental factors and differentiation. Lastly, we present recent clinical trials undertaken to try to turn the tide against cancer by targeting CSC-associated drug resistance and metastasis.
ZnO Nanostructured Thin Films via Supersonic Plasma Jet Deposition
Authors: Carra Chiara , Dell’Orto Elisa , Morandi Vittorio , Riccardi Claudia
Published: August 2020

Zinc Oxide nanostructured thin films were grown by a novel plasma assisted vapour deposition method, which aims to combine the versatility of deposition processes that are mediated by plasma with the capability to control particles diffusion and nucleation. For this purpose, the proposed approach spatially separates into two different vacuum chambers the creation of zinc oxide from a metalorganic precursor from the actual film growth, thanks to the extraction of a supersonic jet of plasma seeded by the precursor fragments. The characterization of the reactor in different plasma conditions has been carried out by means of optical emission spectroscopy (OES). ZnO films with different degrees of purity, thickness uniformity, as well as different morphologies can be obtained varying the deposition parameters. The samples profiles have been collected in order to evaluate deposition rates and films uniformity. The as-prepared as well as annealed thin films were characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to evaluate their chemical composition and purity. According to Raman analyses, the annealed samples are high-purity wurtzite-type crystalline zinc oxide films. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirm a surface morphology characterized by columnar structures.
Technique of Gene Expression Profiles Extraction Based on the Complex Use of Clustering and Classification Methods
Authors: Babichev Sergii , Škvor Jiří
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we present the results of the research concerning extraction of informative gene expression profiles from high-dimensional array of gene expressions considering the state of patients’ health using clustering method, ML-based binary classifiers and fuzzy inference system. Applying of the proposed stepwise procedure can allow us to extract the most informative genes taking into account both the subtypes of disease or state of the patient’s health for further reconstruction of gene regulatory networks based on the allocated genes and following simulation of the reconstructed models. We used the publicly available gene expressions data as the experimental ones which were obtained using DNA microarray experiments and contained two types of patients’ gene expression profiles—the patients with lung cancer tumor and healthy patients. The stepwise procedure of the data processing assumes the following steps—in the beginning, we reduce the number of genes by removing non-informative genes in terms of statistical criteria and Shannon entropy; then, we perform the stepwise hierarchical clustering of gene expression profiles at hierarchical levels from 1 to 10 using the SOTA (Self-Organizing Tree Algorithm) clustering algorithm with correlation distance metric. The quality of the obtained clustering was evaluated using the complex clustering quality criterion which is considered both the gene expression profiles distribution relative to center of the clusters where these gene expression profiles are allocated and the centers of the clusters distribution. The result of this stage execution was a selection of the optimal cluster at each of the hierarchical levels which corresponded to the minimum value of the quality criterion. At the next step, we have implemented a classification procedure of the examined objects using four well known binary classifiers—logistic regression, support-vector machine, decision trees and random forest classifier. The effectiveness of the appropriate technique was evaluated based on the use of ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis using criteria, included as the components, the errors of both the first and the second kinds. The final decision concerning the extraction of the most informative subset of gene expression profiles was taken based on the use of the fuzzy inference system, the inputs of which are the results of the appropriate single classifiers operation and the output is the final solution concerning state of the patient’s health. To our mind, the implementation of the proposed stepwise procedure of the informative gene expression profiles extraction create the conditions for the increasing effectiveness of the further procedure of gene regulatory networks reconstruction and the following simulation of the reconstructed models considering the subtypes of the disease and/or state of the patient’s health.
Emotional Self-Regulation through Introjective Practices in Physical Education
Authors: Cañabate Dolors , Santos Mónica , Rodríguez David , Serra Teresa , Colomer Jordi
Published: August 2020

This study analyzed emotional self-regulation in relation to K-9 and K-10 school children’s emotional intelligence defined on three dimensions: Emotional attention, clarity of feelings, and emotional repair. The objective was to analyze the students’ perceptions of skills and capacities that promoted the awareness of emotions when performing introjective motor practices, i.e., motor skill exercises in which the inner logic provokes a process of sensorial self-awareness and psychosomatic balance. A total of 90 fourth-year primary school students from four different schools participated in the study and a reduced version of the Trait-Meta Mood Scale (TMMS) questionnaire was used to measure students’ individual self-regulation. First, pre- and post-test results showed significant differences with a 20.1% improvement in the three dimensions of intrapersonal emotional attention (emotional attention, clarity of feeling, and emotional repair) after having performed a set of in-class introjective practices. Second, while there were no significant differences between the boys and girls during the pre-test, significant changes—an 8.1% difference—were found in the post-test results for girls.
Effects of Block vs. Traditional Scheduling on High School Science Success—Lessons from Biology Classes
Authors: Labak Irena , Sertić Perić Mirela , Radanović Ines
Published: August 2020

Many studies investigate the effects of block vs. traditional class scheduling on the students’ success in high-school science classes. However, it is rare for studies to investigate the interactive effect of class scheduling and students’ average performance on the students’ success. We investigated how block (B) vs. single (S) class scheduling, students’ average performance and their interaction affect students’ success in high school biology course. The study included 281 high school students (1st to 4th grade; 124 students from S-, 157 from B-scheduled classes) participating in: (1) first written exam conducted to evaluate students’ initial knowledge; (2) teaching in block- vs. single-scheduled classes; (3) second written exam conducted to assess students’ achievement after block- vs. single-scheduled classes. Block-scheduled classes improved students’ performance in 3rd grade only. In 1st and 2nd grade, students from single-scheduled classes achieved better results. In 4th grade, there was no significant difference in success among block- vs. single-scheduled classes. Block-scheduled classes did not affect students’ success equally across all student performance categories. When estimating the effects of class scheduling on students’ success, students’ age, prior knowledge, overall performance and complexity of educational topics should be considered.