bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spillover Effects in Europe – a new research front
Authors: Vickery Jonathan
Published: June 2023

Arts and cultural organisations all across Europe are continually faced with demands to justify their receipt of public funding, and increasingly under pressure to align their interests with funders or government sponsors. A new research project on “creative and cultural spillover” attempts to devise a new language and perhaps a new sense of mission for cultural agents. Based on a survey of existing research, it observes how culture and the arts have always played a significant social and economic function. However, it further asserts that reference to a EU scale policy framework should motivate cultural sectors (perhaps in alliance with the creative industries) to actively generate “spillover” within broader innovation and sustainability frameworks. This short article presents the project’s rationale and central concerns, and underlines its significance to the cultural policy research community (but does not preempt the imminent publication of a Final Report).
Changing the image of elderly people in Poland: the senior citizen as an important audience member and creator of culture
Authors: Jakubowska Alicja , Kłosiewicz Ewa , Mękarski Michał
Published: June 2023

In Poland, as in many European countries, we can observe the inevitable process of population aging. This phenomenon and its consequences are an essential issue to be reconsidered in cultural policies and cultural management strategies. More and more seniors are becoming active participants and creators of cultural events. This increases the quantity and quality of cultural provision addressed to this social group. This article is the result of a nationwide research project “Why Do Seniors Need Culture?” The study focuses on diagnosing the cultural needs of seniors and the types of activities and places preferred by elderly people. The paper describes the ways in which seniors are vital audience members, creators of culture and transmitters of timeless values. The authors then depict the common stereotypes about old age and how we must attempt to break them and, finally, the study presents the changes that have occurred in the way elderly people are perceived, both by themselves and by the rest of the population.
Unresolved issues: students’ perceptions of internships in arts and cultural management
Authors: Cuyler Antonio , Hodges Anne
Published: June 2023

Based on 76 open-ended survey comments from arts and cultural management students, this study used content analysis to identify and describe unresolved issues with internships. The data revealed issues of concern including financial challenges, cultural organizations’ commitment, intern satisfaction, and distinguishing between graduate and undergraduate internship criteria and expectations. Identifying and describing students’ perceptions of these issues alert the field that improvement in these areas could lead to enhanced internship satisfaction and professional development for arts and cultural management students.
Contrast-enhanced echocardiographic diagnosis of benign and malignant cardiac tumors and its correlation with pathology
Authors: Yang Zihao , Niu Yicui , Ma Hui , Gong Wenqing , Yu Lu , Liu Liwen , Zheng Minjuan
Published: June 2023

Background

This study aimed to explore the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced echocardiography (CEE) in benign and malignant cardiac tumors and detect the correlation of CEE parameters and immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers.

Methods

The data of 44 patients with cardiac tumors confirmed by pathology were reviewed. Lesions were examined before surgery using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and CEE with time-intensity curve analysis. The expression of CD31, VEGF and Ki67 was measured by IHC staining. Microvessel density (MVD) was quantified via IHC for CD31. The clinical variables, TTE, CEE and IHC parameters were compared between benign and malignant cardiac tumors. Receiver operating characteristic curve were used to analyze the value of factors in predicting malignant cardiac tumors. The correlation between CEE and IHC parameters was analyzed.

Results

Among 44 cardiac tumors, 34 were benign and 10 were malignant. There were significant differences in the TTE parameters (pericardial effusion, tumor boundary, diameter, basal width), CEE parameters (tumor peak intensity (TPI), peak intensity ratio of tumor to myocardium (TPI/MPI), area under time-intensity curve (AUTIC)) and IHC parameters (Ki67, MVD, CD31, VEGF) between the benign and malignant tumor groups (all P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the CEE and IHC parameters had diagnostic value in malignant cardiac tumors. There was a correlation between TPI/MPI and Ki67 (r = 0.62), AUTIC and Ki67 (r = 0.50), and AUTIC and CD31 (r = 0.56).

Conclusion

TTE and CEE parameters were different between benign and malignant cardiac tumors. CEE is helpful to differentiate the properties of cardiac tumors. There is a correlation between CEE parameters and IHC markers. AUTIC and TPI/MPI can reflect the proliferation and invasion of tumors.
Case report: Multimodality imaging of unusual coronary to pulmonary collaterals in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Goyal Ansh , Avery Ryan , Cuttica Michael J. , Flaherty James D. , Malaisrie S. Chris , Mylvaganam Ruben
Published: June 2023

We present unusual coronary-pulmonary collaterals in a 65-year-old CTEPH patient. Perfusion mapping of a dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) study revealed areas of right lung that were minimally perfused despite unilateral occlusion of the right pulmonary artery, leading to the discovery of coronary-pulmonary collaterals via invasive coronary angiography. Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy removed the clot en-bloc. Post-surgery DECT and catheterization confirmed restoration of pulmonary arterial circulation and excellent hemodynamic response. Here, suggestion of perfusion to a proximally obstructed lung with DECT helped to document the presence of rarely documented coronary-pulmonary artery collaterals.
Outcomes and experiences of families with children with type 1 diabetes on insulin pumps through subsidised pump access programs in Western Australia
Authors: Fu Vivian R. , Irwine Kathleen , Browne-Cooper Kirsty , Taplin Craig E. , Jones Timothy W. , Davis Elizabeth A. , Abraham Mary B.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

In Australia, access to insulin pump therapy for children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is predominantly restricted to families with private health insurance. In an attempt to improve equity, additional subsidised pathways exist which provide pumps to families with reduced financial resources. We aimed to describe the outcomes and experiences of families with children commenced on pumps through these subsidised pathways in Western Australia (WA).

Methods

Children with T1D in WA who did not have private health insurance and received pumps from the subsidised pump programs between January 2016 and December 2020 were included. Study 1 was designed to review glycaemic outcome. A retrospective analysis of HbA1c was conducted in the whole cohort and in children who commenced pump after the first year of diagnosis to exclude the impact of the partial clinical remission phase following diagnosis. HbA1c at baseline, and six, 12, 18 and 24 months after pump initiation were collected. Study 2 was designed to review experiences of families commenced on pumps through subsidised pathway. A questionnaire designed by the clinical team was distributed to parents via an online secure platform to capture their experiences.

Results

Of the 61 children with mean (SD) age 9.0 (4.9) years who commenced pump therapy through subsidised pump programs, 34 children commenced pump therapy after one year of diagnosis of T1D. The median (IQR) HbA1c (%) in 34 children at baseline was 8.3 (1.3), with no statistically significant change from baseline at six months [7.9 (1.4)], 12 months [8.0 (1.5)], 18 months [8.0 (1.3)] or 24 months [8.0 (1.3)]. The questionnaire response rate was 56%. 83% reported intention to continue pump therapy, however 58% of these families did not have avenue to acquire private health insurance. Families expressed inability to procure private health insurance due to low income and unreliable employment and remained largely unsure about the pathway to obtain the next pump.

Discussion

Children with T1D who commenced insulin pump therapy on subsidised pathways maintained glycaemic control for two years, and families favored pumps as a management option. However, financial limitations persist as a significant barrier to procure and continue pump therapy. Pathways for access need to be assessed and advocated.
Host genotype affects endotoxin release in excreta of broilers at slaughter age
Authors: Marcato F. , Rebel J. M. J. , Kar S. K. , Wouters I. M. , Schokker D. , Bossers A. , Harders F. , van Riel J. W. , Wolthuis-Fillerup M. , de Jong I. C.
Published: June 2023

Host genotype, early post-hatch feeding, and pre- and probiotics are factors known to modulate the gut microbiome. However, there is a knowledge gap on the effect of both chicken genotype and these dietary strategies and their interplay on fecal microbiome composition and diversity, which, in turn, can affect the release of endotoxins in the excreta of broilers. Endotoxins are a major concern as they can be harmful to both animal and human health. The main goal of the current study was to investigate whether it was possible to modulate the fecal microbiome, thereby reducing endotoxin concentrations in the excreta of broiler chickens. An experiment was carried out with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement including the following three factors: 1) genetic strain (fast-growing Ross 308 vs. slower growing Hubbard JA757); 2) no vs. combined use of probiotics and prebiotics in the diet and drinking water; and 3) early feeding at the hatchery vs. non-early feeding. A total of 624 Ross 308 and 624 Hubbard JA757 day-old male broiler chickens were included until d 37 and d 51 of age, respectively. Broilers (N = 26 chicks/pen) were housed in a total of 48 pens, and there were six replicate pens/treatment groups. Pooled cloacal swabs (N = 10 chickens/pen) for microbiome and endotoxin analyses were collected at a target body weight (BW) of 200 g, 1 kg, and 2.5 kg. Endotoxin concentration significantly increased with age (p = 0.01). At a target BW of 2.5 kg, Ross 308 chickens produced a considerably higher amount of endotoxins (Δ = 552.5 EU/mL) than the Hubbard JA757 chickens (p < 0.01). A significant difference in the Shannon index was observed for the interaction between the use of prebiotics and probiotics, and host genotype (p = 0.02), where Ross 308 chickens with pre-/probiotics had lower diversity than Hubbard JA757 chickens with pre-/probiotics. Early feeding did not affect both the fecal microbiome and endotoxin release. Overall, the results suggest that the chicken genetic strain may be an important factor to take into account regarding fecal endotoxin release, although this needs to be further investigated under commercial conditions.
Spatiotemporal quantitative microRNA-155 imaging reports immune-mediated changes in a triple-negative breast cancer model
Authors: Skourti Elena , Volpe Alessia , Lang Cameron , Johnson Preeth , Panagaki Fani , Fruhwirth Gilbert O.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs and represent key players in physiology and disease. Aberrant microRNA expression is central to the development and progression of cancer, with various microRNAs proposed as potential cancer biomarkers and drug targets. There is a need to better understand dynamic microRNA expression changes as cancers progress and their tumor microenvironments evolve. Therefore, spatiotemporal and non-invasive in vivo microRNA quantification in tumor models would be highly beneficial.

Methods

We developed an in vivo microRNA detector platform in which the obtained signals are positively correlated to microRNA presence, and which permitted stable expression in cancer cells as needed for long-term experimentation in tumor biology. It exploits a radionuclide-fluorescence dual-reporter for quantitative in vivo imaging of a microRNA of choice by radionuclide tomography and fluorescence-based downstream ex vivo tissue analyses. We generated and characterized breast cancer cells stably expressing various microRNA detectors and validated them in vitro.

Results

We found the microRNA detector platform to report on microRNA presence in cells specifically and accurately, which was independently confirmed by real-time PCR and through microRNA modulation. Moreover, we established various breast tumor models in animals with different levels of residual immune systems and observed microRNA detector read-outs by imaging. Applying the detector platform to the progression of a triple-negative breast cancer model, we found that miR-155 upregulation in corresponding tumors was dependent on macrophage presence in tumors, revealing immune-mediated phenotypic changes in these tumors as they progressed.

Conclusion

While applied to immunooncology in this work, this multimodal in vivo microRNA detector platform will be useful whenever non-invasive quantification of spatiotemporal microRNA changes in living animals is of interest.
Novel strategies to prevent and overcome relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Hodroj Mohammad Hassan , Abou Dalle Iman , Moukalled Nour , El Cheikh Jean , Mohty Mohamad , Bazarbachi Ali
Published: June 2023

The outcome of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has improved over time with the incorporation of multi-agent chemotherapy in the treatment landscape as well as the recent approval of immunotherapeutic agents allowing a larger proportion of patients to undergo allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) which is still considered a potential curative approach. However, relapse post-transplant is still occurring and constitutes a common cause of treatment failure in B-ALL. The present review aims to discuss the novel strategies and therapies used to prevent and overcome relapse post allo-HCT in patients with ALL, focusing on the role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in Philadelphia chromosome positive B-ALL, the role of innovative agents such as blinatumomab and inotuzumab ozogamicin, and finally the role of cellular therapy.
Targeted chitosan nanobubbles as a strategy to down-regulate microRNA-17 into B-cell lymphoma models
Authors: Capolla Sara , Argenziano Monica , Bozzer Sara , D’Agaro Tiziana , Bittolo Tamara , De Leo Luigina , Not Tarcisio , Busato Davide , Dal Bo Michele , Toffoli Giuseppe , Cavalli Roberta , Gattei Valter , Bomben Riccardo , Macor Paolo
Published: June 2023

Introduction

MicroRNAs represent interesting targets for new therapies because their altered expression influences tumor development and progression. miR-17 is a prototype of onco-miRNA, known to be overexpressed in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) with peculiar clinic-biological features. AntagomiR molecules have been largely studied to repress the regulatory functions of up-regulated onco-miRNAs, but their clinical use is mainly limited by their rapid degradation, kidney elimination and poor cellular uptake when injected as naked oligonucleotides.

Methods

To overcome these problems, we exploited CD20 targeted chitosan nanobubbles (NBs) for a preferential and safe delivery of antagomiR17 to B-NHL cells.

Results

Positively charged 400 nm-sized nanobubbles (NBs) represent a stable and effective nanoplatform for antagomiR encapsulation and specific release into B-NHL cells. NBs rapidly accumulated in tumor microenvironment, but only those conjugated with a targeting system (antiCD20 antibodies) were internalized into B-NHL cells, releasing antagomiR17 in the cytoplasm, both in vitro and in vivo. The result is the down-regulation of miR-17 level and the reduction in tumor burden in a human-mouse B-NHL model, without any documented side effects.

Discussion

Anti-CD20 targeted NBs investigated in this study showed physico-chemical and stability properties suitable for antagomiR17 delivery in vivo and represent a useful nanoplatform to address B-cell malignancies or other cancers through the modification of their surface with specific targeting antibodies.
Mechanisms of esophageal cancer metastasis and treatment progress
Authors: Wang Yusheng , Yang Wei , Wang Qianyun , Zhou Yong
Published: June 2023

Esophageal cancer is a prevalent tumor of the digestive tract worldwide. The detection rate of early-stage esophageal cancer is very low, and most patients are diagnosed with metastasis. Metastasis of esophageal cancer mainly includes direct diffusion metastasis, hematogenous metastasis, and lymphatic metastasis. This article reviews the metabolic process of esophageal cancer metastasis and the mechanisms by which M2 macrophages, CAF, regulatory T cells, and their released cytokines, including chemokines, interleukins, and growth factors, form an immune barrier to the anti-tumor immune response mediated by CD8+ T cells, impeding their ability to kill tumor cells during tumor immune escape. The effect of Ferroptosis on the metastasis of esophageal cancer is briefly mentioned. Moreover, the paper also summarizes common drugs and research directions in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy for advanced metastatic esophageal cancer. This review aims to serve as a foundation for further investigations into the mechanism and management of esophageal cancer metastasis.
A rare early-onset neonatal case of Birk-Barel syndrome presenting severe obstructive sleep apnea: a case report
Authors: Zhang Qian , Qin Zhen , Hu Ruolan , Li Yifei , Yang Fan , Li Jinrong
Published: June 2023

Background

Birk-Barel syndrome, also known as KCNK9 imprinting syndrome, is a rare fertility disorder. And the main clinical manifestations include congenital hypotonic, craniofacial malformation, developmental delay, and intellectual disability. Generally, such patients could be diagnosed beyond the infant period. Moreover, the delayed diagnosis might lead to a poor prognosis of rehabilitation therapy. However, neonatal obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was seldom reported in Birk-Barel syndrome. Here, we reported a severe neonatal OSA case induced by Birk-Barel syndrome, resulting in an early diagnosis with improved outcomes by integrative management.

Case presentation

The proband was a neonate presenting with recurrent severe OSA, with craniofacial deformity and congenital muscle hypotonia. Bronchoscopy examinations indicated a negative finding of pharyngeal and bronchus stenosis, while laryngomalacia had been observed. Whole exon sequencing demonstrated a c. 710C>A heterozygous variant resulting in a change of amino acid (p.A237D). This variant resulted in a change of amino acid sequence, affected protein features and changed splice site leading to a structural deformation in KCNK9 protein. This p.A237D variant also affected the crystal structure on the p.G129 site. Additionally, we used the mSCM tool to measure the free energy changes between wild-type and mutant protein, which indicated highly destabilizing (−2.622 kcal/mol).

Conclusion

This case report expands the understanding of Birk-Barel syndrome and indicates that OSA could serve as the on-set manifestation of Birk-Barel syndrome. This case emphasized genetic variants which were associated with severe neonatal OSA. Adequate WES assessment promotes early intervention and improves the prognosis of neurological disorders in young children.
The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans as an animal experiment replacement for assessing the virulence of different Salmonella enterica strains
Authors: Burkhardt Wiebke , Salzinger Carina , Fischer Jennie , Malorny Burkhard , Fischer Matthias , Szabo Istvan
Published: June 2023

Caenorhabditis (C.) elegans has become a popular toxicological and biological test organism in the last two decades. Furthermore, the role of C. elegans as an alternative for replacing or reducing animal experiments is continuously discussed and investigated. In the current study, we investigated whether C. elegans survival assays can help in determining differences in the virulence of Salmonella enterica strains and to what extent C. elegans assays could replace animal experiments for this purpose. We focused on three currently discussed examples where we compared the longevity of C. elegans when fed (i) with S. enterica serovar Enteritidis vaccination or wild-type strains, (ii) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) deficient rough or LPS forming smooth S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, and (iii) with an S. enterica subsp. diarizonae strain in the presence or absence of the typical pSASd plasmid encoding a bundle of putative virulence factors. We found that the C. elegans survival assay could indicate differences in the longevity of C. elegans when fed with the compared strain pairs to a certain extent. Putatively higher virulent S. enterica strains reduced the lifespan of C. elegans to a greater extent than putatively less virulent strains. The C. elegans survival assay is an effective and relatively easy method for classifying the virulence of different bacterial isolates in vivo, but it has some limitations. The assay cannot replace animal experiments designed to determine differences in the virulence of Salmonella enterica strains. Instead, we recommend using the described method for pre-screening bacterial strains of interest to select the most promising candidates for further animal experiments. The C. elegans assay possesses the potential to reduce the number of animal experiments. Further development of the C. elegans assay in conjunction with omics technologies, such as transcriptomics, could refine results relating to the estimation of the virulent potential of test organisms.
Comparisons of artificial intelligence algorithms in automatic segmentation for fungal keratitis diagnosis by anterior segment images
Authors: Li Dong-Jin , Huang Bing-Lin , Peng Yuan
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study combines automatic segmentation and manual fine-tuning with an early fusion method to provide efficient clinical auxiliary diagnostic efficiency for fungal keratitis.

Methods

First, 423 high-quality anterior segment images of keratitis were collected in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital (China). The images were divided into fungal keratitis and non-fungal keratitis by a senior ophthalmologist, and all images were divided randomly into training and testing sets at a ratio of 8:2. Then, two deep learning models were constructed for diagnosing fungal keratitis. Model 1 included a deep learning model composed of the DenseNet 121, mobienet_v2, and squeezentet1_0 models, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model, and the multi-layer perception (MLP) classifier. Model 2 included an automatic segmentation program and the deep learning model already described. Finally, the performance of Model 1 and Model 2 was compared.

Results

In the testing set, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of Model 1 reached 77.65, 86.05, 76.19, 81.42%, and 0.839, respectively. For Model 2, accuracy improved by 6.87%, sensitivity by 4.43%, specificity by 9.52%, F1-score by 7.38%, and AUC by 0.086, respectively.

Conclusion

The models in our study could provide efficient clinical auxiliary diagnostic efficiency for fungal keratitis.
Characterization of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging revealing relationships between white matter disconnection and behavioral disturbances in mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review
Authors: Zhou Yu , Wei Lan , Gao Song , Wang Jun , Hu Zhigang
Published: June 2023

White matter disconnection is the primary cause of cognition and affection abnormality in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Adequate understanding of behavioral disturbances, such as cognition and affection abnormality in MCI, can help to intervene and slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) promptly. Diffusion MRI is a non-invasive and effective technique for studying white matter microstructure. This review searched the relevant papers published from 2010 to 2022. Sixty-nine studies using diffusion MRI for white matter disconnections associated with behavioral disturbances in MCI were screened. Fibers connected to the hippocampus and temporal lobe were associated with cognition decline in MCI. Fibers connected to the thalamus were associated with both cognition and affection abnormality. This review summarized the correspondence between white matter disconnections and behavioral disturbances such as cognition and affection, which provides a theoretical basis for the future diagnosis and treatment of AD.
The big food view and human health from the prospect of bio-manufacturing and future food
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Xin
Published: June 2023

The “big food view” has attracted widespread attention due to the view of sustainable nutrition and human health as part of sustainable development. The “big food view” starts from better meeting the people's needs for a better life. While ensuring the supply of grain, the effective supply of meat, vegetables, fruits, aquatic products and other foods also should be guaranteed. Using cell factories to replace the traditional food acquisition methods, establishing a new model of sustainable food manufacturing, will greatly reduce the demand for resources in food production, and improve the controllability of food production and manufacturing, and effectively avoid potential food safety and health risks. Cell factories can provide key technologies and supporting methods for the biological manufacturing of important food components, functional food ingredients and important functional nutritional factors, realizing a safer, nutritious, healthy and sustainable way of food acquisition. The combination of cell factory technology and other technologies meets the people's new dietary demand, and also supports that sustainable nutrition and human health as part of sustainable development. This paper focuses on the big food view and human health from the prospect of bio-manufacturing and future food, which aims to better meet people's dietary needs for increasingly diversified, refined, nutritious and ecological food through diversified food manufacturing.
Safety and efficacy of laparoscopic digestive tract nutrition reconstruction combined with conversion therapy for patients with unresectable and obstructive gastric cancer
Authors: Ye Rong , Wang Chuandong , Hu Bo , Guan Guoxian
Published: June 2023

Background

To explore the safety, efficacy, and survival benefits of laparoscopic digestive tract nutrition reconstruction (LDTNR) combined with conversion therapy in patients with unresectable gastric cancer with obstruction.

Methods

The clinical data of patients with unresectable gastric cancer with obstruction who was treated in Fujian Provincial Hospital from January 2016 to December 2019, were analyzed. LDTNR was performed according to the type and degree of obstruction. All patients received the epirubicin + oxaliplatin + capecitabine regimen as conversion therapy.

Results

Thirty-seven patients with unresectable obstructive gastric cancer underwent LDTNR, while thirty-three patients received chemotherapy only. In LDTNR group patients, the proportion of nutritional risks gradually decreased, the rate of severe malnutrition decreased, the proportion of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) <2.5 increased, the proportion of prognosis nutrition index (PNI) ≥45 increased, and the Spitzer QOL Index significantly increased at day 7 and 1 month postoperatively (P<0.05). One patient (6.3%) developed grade III anastomotic leakage and was discharged after the endoscopic intervention. The median chemotherapy cycle of patients in LDTNR group was 6 cycles (2-10 cycles), higher than that in Non-LDTNR group (P<0.001). Among those who received LDTNR therapy, 2 patients had a complete response, 17 had a partial response, 8 had stable disease, and 10 had progressive disease, which was significantly better than the response rate in Non-LDTNR group(P<0.001). The 1-year cumulative survival rates of the patients with or without LDTNR were 59.5% and 9.1%. The 3-year cumulative survival rate with or without LDTNR was 29.7% and 0%, respectively (P<0.001).

Conclusions

LDTNR can improve the inflammatory and immune status, increase compliance with chemotherapy, and have potential benefits in improving the safety and effectiveness of and survival after conversion treatment.
Case report of unusual synchronous anal and rectal squamous cell carcinoma: clinical and therapeutic lesson
Authors: Ciardiello Davide , Del Tufo Sara , Parente Paola , Gravina Antonietta Gerarda , Selvaggi Francesco , Panarese Iacopo , Franco Renato , Caterino Michele , Martini Giulia , Ciardiello Fortunato , Grassi Roberto , Cappabianca Salvatore , Reginelli Alfonso , Martinelli Erika
Published: June 2023

Synchronous tumors of the rectum and anus are sporadic. Most cases in the literature are rectal adenocarcinomas with concomitant anal squamous cell carcinoma. To date, only two cases of concomitant squamous cell carcinomas of the rectum and anus are reported, and both were treated with up-front surgery and received abdominoperineal resection with colostomy. Here, we report the first case in the literature of a patient with synchronous HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the rectum and anus treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy with curative intent. The clinical-radiological evaluation demonstrated complete tumor regression. After 2 years of follow-up, no evidence of recurrence was observed.
Development of Cardiac Events and Functional Recovery Prediction Models for Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Kim Dong-Hee , Choi Eun Seok , Kwon Bo Sang , Park Chun Soo , Cha Seul Gi , Baek Jae Suk , Yu Jeong Jin , Kim Young-Hwue , Yun Tae-Jin
Published: June 2023

Graphical Abstract

Outcome Prediction Models for Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy. The probabilities of FR and CEs within 2 years after the initial presentation can be calculated using outcome prediction models for pediatric patients with DCMP. Medical treatment with close follow-up is advisable for patients who are deemed more likely to experience FR than CEs, while early registration for HTPL and aggressive employment of LVADs is recommended for patients who are deemed more likely to experience CEs than FR. DCMP, dilated cardiomyopathy; FR, functional recovery of the left ventricle; CE, cardiac event; F/U, follow-up; LVAD, left ventricular assist device.
The burden of inappropriate birth weight on neonatal survival in term newborns: a population-based study in a middle-income setting
Authors: Konstantyner Tulio , Areco Kelsy Catherina Nema , Bandiera-Paiva Paulo , Marinonio Ana Sílvia Scavacini , Kawakami Mandira Daripa , Balda Rita de Cássia Xavier , Miyoshi Milton Harumi , Sanudo Adriana , Costa-Nobre Daniela Testoni , de Freitas Rosa Maria Vieira , Morais Liliam Cristina Correia , Teixeira Monica La Porte , Waldvogel Bernadette Cunha , Kiffer Carlos Roberto Veiga , de Almeida Maria Fernanda Branco , Guinsburg Ruth
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Premature birth, perinatal asphyxia, and infections are the main causes of neonatal death. Growth deviations at birth also affect neonatal survival according to week of gestation at birth, particularly in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to verify the association between inappropriate birth weight and neonatal death in term live births.

Methods

This is an observational follow-up study with all term live births from 2004 to 2013 in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Data were retrieved with the deterministic linkage of death and birth certificates. The definition of very small for gestational age (VSGA) and very large for gestational age (VLGA) used the 10th percentile of 37 weeks and the 90th percentile of 41 weeks + 6 days, respectively, based on the Intergrowth-21st. We measured the outcome in terms of time to death and the status of each subject (death or censorship) in the neonatal period (0–27 days). Survival functions were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method stratified according to the adequacy of birth weight into three groups (normal, very small, or very large). We used multivariate Cox regression to adjust for proportional hazard ratios (HRs).

Results

The neonatal death rate during the study period was 12.03/10,000 live births. We found 1.8% newborns with VSGA and 2.7% with VLGA. The adjusted analysis showed a significant increase in mortality risk for VSGA infants (HR = 4.25; 95% CI: 3.89–4.65), independent of sex, 1-min Apgar score, and five maternal factors.

Discussion

The risk of neonatal death in full-term live births was approximately four times greater in those with birth weight restriction. The development of strategies to control the factors that determine fetal growth restriction through planned and structured prenatal care can substantially reduce the risk of neonatal death in full-term live births, especially in developing countries such as Brazil.
Effects of simulated hypo-gravity on lower limb kinematic and electromyographic variables during anti-gravitational treadmill walking
Authors: Malaya Christopher A. , Parikh Pranav J. , Smith Dean L. , Riaz Arshia , Chandrasekaran Subhalakshmi , Layne Charles S.
Published: June 2023

Introduction: This study investigated kinematic and EMG changes in gait across simulated gravitational unloading levels between 100% and 20% of normal body weight. This study sought to identify if each level of unloading elicited consistent changes—particular to that percentage of normal body weight—or if the changes seen with unloading could be influenced by the previous level(s) of unloading.

Methods: 15 healthy adult participants (26.3 ± 2.5 years; 53% female) walked in an Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill unloading system (mean speed: 1.49 ±0.37 mph) for 1 min each at 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% of normal body weight, before loading back to 100% in reverse order. Lower-body kinematic data were captured by inertial measurement units, and EMG data were collected from the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius, and anterior tibialis. Data were compared across like levels of load using repeated measures ANOVA and statistical parametric mapping. Difference waveforms for adjacent levels were created to examine the rate of change between different unloading levels.

Results: This study found hip, knee, and ankle kinematics as well as activity in the rectus femoris, and medial gastrocnemius were significantly different at the same level of unloading, having arrived from a higher, or lower level of unloading. There were no significant changes in the kinematic difference waveforms, however the waveform representing the change in EMG between 100% and 80% load was significantly different from all other levels.

Discussion: This study found that body weight unloading from 100% to 20% elicited distinct responses in the medial gastrocnemius, as well as partly in the rectus femoris. Hip, knee, and ankle kinematics were also affected differentially by loading and unloading, especially at 40% of normal body weight. These findings suggest the previous level of gravitational load is an important factor to consider in determining kinematic and EMG responses to the current level during loading and unloading below standard g. Similarly, the rate of change in kinematics from 100% to 20% appears to be linear, while the rate of change in EMG was non-linear. This is of particular interest, as it suggests that kinematic and EMG measures decouple with unloading and may react to unloading uniquely.
CMRD-Net: a deep learning-based Cnaphalocrocis medinalis damage symptom rotated detection framework for in-field survey
Authors: Chen Tianjiao , Wang Rujing , Du Jianming , Chen Hongbo , Zhang Jie , Dong Wei , Zhang Meng
Published: June 2023

The damage symptoms of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (C.medinalis) is an important evaluation index for pest prevention and control. However, due to various shapes, arbitrary-oriented directions and heavy overlaps of C.medinalis damage symptoms under complex field conditions, generic object detection methods based on horizontal bounding box cannot achieve satisfactory results. To address this problem, we develop a Cnaphalocrocis medinalis damage symptom rotated detection framework called CMRD-Net. It mainly consists of a Horizontal-to-Rotated region proposal network (H2R-RPN) and a Rotated-to-Rotated region convolutional neural network (R2R-RCNN). First, the H2R-RPN is utilized to extract rotated region proposals, combined with adaptive positive sample selection that solves the hard definition of positive samples caused by oriented instances. Second, the R2R-RCNN performs feature alignment based on rotated proposals, and exploits oriented-aligned features to detect the damage symptoms. The experimental results on our constructed dataset show that our proposed method outperforms those state-of-the-art rotated object detection algorithms achieving 73.7% average precision (AP). Additionally, the results demonstrate that our method is more suitable than horizontal detection methods for in-field survey of C.medinalis.
A metabolome genome-wide association study implicates histidine N-pi-methyltransferase as a key enzyme in N-methylhistidine biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Uchida Kai , Kim June-Sik , Sato Muneo , Tabeta Hiromitsu , Mochida Keiichi , Hirai Masami Yokota
Published: June 2023

A genome-wide association study (GWAS), which uses information on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from many accessions, has become a powerful approach to gene identification. A metabolome GWAS (mGWAS), which relies on phenotypic information based on metabolite accumulation, can identify genes that contribute to primary and secondary metabolite contents. In this study, we carried out a mGWAS using seed metabolomic data from Arabidopsis thaliana accessions obtained by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to identify SNPs highly associated with the contents of metabolites such as glucosinolates. These SNPs were present in genes known to be involved in glucosinolate biosynthesis, thus confirming the effectiveness of our analysis. We subsequently focused on SNPs detected in an unknown methyltransferase gene associated with N-methylhistidine content. Knockout and overexpression of A. thaliana lines of this gene had significantly decreased and increased N-methylhistidine contents, respectively. We confirmed that the overexpressing line exclusively accumulated histidine methylated at the pi position, not at the tau position. Our findings suggest that the identified methyltransferase gene encodes a key enzyme for N-methylhistidine biosynthesis in A. thaliana.
Support of adult urinary incontinence products: recommendations to assure safety and regulatory compliance through application of a risk assessment framework
Authors: Krause Edburga L. , Hattersley Anne M. , Abbinante-Nissen Joan M. , Gutshall Denise , Woeller Kara E.
Published: June 2023

Urinary incontinence (UI) or involuntary loss of urine is a common chronic medical condition among women. It is estimated that 5%−70% of the population experiences incontinence with most studies suggesting 25%−45% of the population. Varying definitions of UI (e.g., stress, urgency, mixed) exist, and inconsistent symptom assessment tools, age, and gender can affect the estimate of incidence. Disposable Adult Incontinence products were first introduced into the market in the late 1970s and initially were used mostly in nursing homes and hospitals. However, during the 1980s, the market for incontinence products via retail outlets dramatically increased as awareness of the benefits of the products grew and stigma about their use declined. Today's products that manage urine loss have an extensive history and have evolved with time. Always products were introduced into the market in 2014 and are designed to meet the needs of women of all ages. Considered medical devices in some countries, regional regulations and global guidelines require clear planning, thorough assessment, and concise documentation of clinical safety. This manuscript will briefly review the regulatory landscape with a specific focus on European Union regulations. As previously published, the iterative, risk assessment framework used to assess the safety of Always incontinence products confirms that these products are compatible with skin and can be used safely. This manuscript will expand on the current literature highlighting additional steps that help assure the safety and compliance of the products from quality assurance programs through comprehensive post-market safety surveillance. Recommendations to help ensure several of the key regulatory requirements are met are outlined in the context of a risk assessment framework used to assure safety.
A selective up-sampling method applied upon unbalanced data for flare prediction: potential to improve model performance
Authors: Liu Siwei , Wang Jingjing , Li Ming , Cui Yanmei , Guo Juan , Shi Yurong , Luo Bingxian , Liu Siqing
Published: June 2023

The Spaceweather HMI Active Region Patch (SHARP) parameters have been widely used to develop flare prediction models. The relatively small number of strong-flare events leads to an unbalanced dataset that prediction models can be sensitive to the unbalanced data and might lead to bias and limited performance. In this study, we adopted the logistic regression algorithm to develop a flare prediction model for the next 48 h based on the SHARP parameters. The model was trained with five different inputs. The first input was the original unbalanced dataset; the second and third inputs were obtained by using two widely used sampling methods from the original dataset, while the fourth input was the original dataset but accompanied by a weighted classifier. Based on the distribution properties of strong-flare occurrences related to SHARP parameters, we established a new selective up-sampling method and applied it to the mixed-up region (referred to as the confusing distribution areas consisting of both the strong-flare events and non-strong-flare events) to pick up the flare-related samples and add small random values to them and finally create a large number of flare-related samples that are very close to the ground truth. Thus, we obtained the fifth balanced dataset aiming to 1) promote the forecast capability in the mixed-up region and 2) increase the robustness of the model. We compared the model performance and found that the selective up-sampling method has potential to improve the model performance in strong-flare prediction with its F1 score reaching 0.5501 ± 0.1200, which is approximately 22% − 33% higher than other imbalance mitigation schemes.
Quadrotor Cascade Control System Design Based on Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control
Authors: Qiao Zheng , Zhu Guixin , Zhao Tong
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we propose a cascade control system design based on linear active disturbance rejection control (SMC&A-LADRC) to address the following quadrotor UAV problems: that the path is easily yawed when disturbed, the control parameters are difficult to optimize, and the tracking accuracy is low. The strategy can effectively eliminate external disturbances and adjust the controller parameters online so that the quadrotor UAV always flies on the optimal path to achieve energy optimization and long-endurance flight. The proposed cascade control system combines the advantages of sliding mode control (SMC) and linear active-disturbance rejection control (LADRC), using the linear extended state observer (LESO) to estimate the uncertain external disturbances and unmodeled internal dynamics of the quadrotor system, compensate for the uncertain signals under SMC chattering, optimize the PD controller parameters online using adaptive control to eliminate the effects of parameter deviations, and simplify the parameter adjustment process. Finally, a stability analysis of the quadrotor cascade control system is carried out by using the Lyapunov theorem of stability, and a simulation analysis is carried out using MATLAB to compare the results with those obtained with classical LADRC. The test results indicate that the control strategy of this paper is reasonable for utilization with a quadrotor attitude and displacement control system, allowing the quadrotor to fly on the optimal path with good anti-interference ability and a fast response speed.
Youth Entrepreneurship in Germany: Empirical Evidence on the How, the Why, the How Many, the Who and the When
Authors: Sternberg Rolf , Breitenbach David
Published: June 2023

Youth entrepreneurship is an increasingly prominent aspect of entrepreneurship support policies, but there is surprisingly little relevant research-based empirical evidence. This research gap is particularly noticeable when it comes to the personal and contextual factors that steer young people’s decision to start a business. Using statistically representative survey data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for Germany, we apply logit regressions to determine the influence of 10 independent variables on the likelihood of starting a business. We distinguish between 18–24-year-olds and 25–64-year-olds as well as between founders and non-founders. Self-efficacy in entrepreneurial skills, fear of failure and gender are the strongest influencing variables for the person-related factors and knowledge of other founders for the contextual factors. For younger people, the formal level of education and the perception of local entrepreneurial opportunities do not play a role in the decision to start a business, whereas they are very important for older people. Our results suggest that start-up promotion policies should explicitly address the empirically proven factors of youth entrepreneurship instead of a ‘one size fits all’ policy for new businesses, regardless of the age of the founders.
Changes in the AGE/Macrophage/TNF-α Pathway Affect Skin Dryness during KK-Ay/Tajcl Mice Aging
Authors: Hiramoto Keiichi , Imai Masashi , Tanaka Shota , Ooi Kazuya
Published: June 2023

Skin dryness associated with type 2 diabetes worsens with age; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we investigated the effects of aging on skin dryness using a type 2 diabetes mice model. Specific pathogen-free KK-Ay/TaJcl mice of different ages (10, 27, 40, and 50 weeks) were used in this study. The results confirmed that skin dryness worsens with age. Furthermore, increased levels of advanced glycation end products (AGE), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, along with an increased expression of the major AGE receptor (RAGE), an increased macrophage number, and decreased collagen expression were observed in the skin of aged KK-Ay/TaJcl mice. In conclusion, dry skin conditions worsen with age in diabetic mice, and the AGE/RAGE/PGE2 and TNF-α pathways play an important role in exacerbating skin dryness during aging in these mice.