bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liquid Biopsy and Artificial Intelligence as Tools to Detect Signatures of Colorectal Malignancies: A Modern Approach in Patient’s Stratification
Authors: Ginghina Octav , Hudita Ariana , Zamfir Marius , Spanu Andrada , Mardare Mara , Bondoc Irina , Buburuzan Laura , Georgescu Sergiu Emil , Costache Marieta , Negrei Carolina , Nitipir Cornelia , Galateanu Bianca
Published: March 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most frequently diagnosed type of cancer and a major worldwide public health concern. Despite the global efforts in the development of modern therapeutic strategies, CRC prognosis is strongly correlated with the stage of the disease at diagnosis. Early detection of CRC has a huge impact in decreasing mortality while pre-lesion detection significantly reduces the incidence of the pathology. Even though the management of CRC patients is based on robust diagnostic methods such as serum tumor markers analysis, colonoscopy, histopathological analysis of tumor tissue, and imaging methods (computer tomography or magnetic resonance), these strategies still have many limitations and do not fully satisfy clinical needs due to their lack of sensitivity and/or specificity. Therefore, improvements of the current practice would substantially impact the management of CRC patients. In this view, liquid biopsy is a promising approach that could help clinicians screen for disease, stratify patients to the best treatment, and monitor treatment response and resistance mechanisms in the tumor in a regular and minimally invasive manner. Liquid biopsies allow the detection and analysis of different tumor-derived circulating markers such as cell-free nucleic acids (cfNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the bloodstream. The major advantage of this approach is its ability to trace and monitor the molecular profile of the patient’s tumor and to predict personalized treatment in real-time. On the other hand, the prospective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine holds great promise in oncology, for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis prediction of disease. AI has two main branches in the medical field: (i) a virtual branch that includes medical imaging, clinical assisted diagnosis, and treatment, as well as drug research, and (ii) a physical branch that includes surgical robots. This review summarizes findings relevant to liquid biopsy and AI in CRC for better management and stratification of CRC patients.
Identifying Language Disorder Within a Migration Context: Development and Performance of a Pre-school Screening Tool for Children With German as a Second Language
Authors: Holzinger Daniel , Weber Christoph , Jezek Magdalena
Published: March 2022

Background

There is a lack of accurate and practicable instruments for identifying language disorders in multilingual children in pre-school settings.

Objective

To develop a language screening instrument for pre-school children who are growing up with German as their second language.

Design

After the development and initial validation of a language screening tool, the new instrument (LOGiK-S) was administered to three cohorts of children (2014, 2015, 2017) with a non-German first language attending a variety of public pre-schools in Upper Austria. The screening instrument measures expressive and receptive grammatical skills in German. The final validation study included the results for 270 children for the screening measure and reference tests. A combination of a standardized comprehensive language test of grammatical skills developed for children acquiring German as a second language and a test of expressive vocabulary with the use of specific cutoffs for second language learners was applied as the gold standard for identifying language disorders.

Results

The LOGiK-S screening of expressive grammar demonstrated excellent accuracy (AUC.953). The screening subscale of receptive grammar did not improve the prediction of language disorders. Using an optimized cutoff yielded a fail rate of 17%, excellent sensitivity (0.940), and specificity (0.936). Time economy and acceptance of the screening by children and screeners were mostly rated as high.

Conclusion

The LOGiK-S language screening instrument assessing expressive German grammar development using bilingual norms is a valid and feasible instrument for the identification of language disorders in second language learners of German at the pre-school age.
GC-MS Profile of Hua-Feng-Dan and RNA-Seq Analysis of Induced Adaptive Responses in the Liver
Authors: Liu Jia-Jia , Liang Yan , Zhang Ya , Wu Rui-Xia , Song Ying-Lian , Zhang Feng , Shi Jing-Shan , Liu Jie , Xu Shang-Fu , Wang Zhang
Published: March 2022

Background: Hua-Feng-Dan is a patent Chinese medicine for stroke recovery and various diseases. This study used GC-MS to profile its ingredients and RNA-Seq to analyze the induced adaptive response in the liver.

Methods: Hua-Feng-Dan was subjected to steam distillation and solvent extraction, followed by GC-MS analysis. Mice were orally administered Hua-Feng-Dan and its “Guide drug” Yaomu for 7 days. Liver pathology was examined, and total RNA isolated for RNA-Seq, followed by bioinformatic analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR).

Results: Forty-four volatile and fifty liposoluble components in Hua-Feng-Dan were profiled and analyzed by the NIST library and their concentrations quantified. The major components (>1%) in volatile (5) and liposoluble (10) were highlighted. Hua-Feng-Dan and Yaomu at hepatoprotective doses did not produce liver toxicity as evidenced by histopathology and serum enzyme activities. GO Enrichment revealed that Hua-Feng-Dan affected lipid homeostasis, protein folding, and cell adhesion. KEGG showed activated cholesterol metabolism, bile secretion, and PPAR signaling pathways. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by DESeq2 with p < 0.05 compared to controls. Hua-Feng-Dan produced more DEGs than Yaomu. qPCR on selected genes largely verified RNA-Seq results. Ingenuity Pathways Analysis of the upstream regulator revealed activation of MAPK and adaptive responses by Hua-Feng-Dan, and Yaomu was less effective. Hua-Feng-Dan-induced DEGs were highly correlated with the Gene Expression Omnibus database of chemical-induced adaptive transcriptome changes in the liver.

Conclusion: GC-MS primarily profiled volatile and liposoluble components in Hua-Feng-Dan. Hua-Feng-Dan at the hepatoprotective dose did not produce liver pathological changes but induced metabolic and signaling pathway activations. The effects of Hua-Feng-Dan on liver transcriptome changes point toward induced adaptive responses to program the liver to produce hepatoprotective effects.
The Antitumor Effect and Mechanism of Total Flavonoids From Coreopsis Tinctoria Nutt (Snow Chrysanthemum) on Lung Cancer Using Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Wufuer Yilimire , Yang Xu , Guo Luyuan , Aximujiang Kasimujing , Zhong Li , Yunusi Kurexi , Wu Guixia
Published: March 2022

Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt (C. tinctoria), also known as Snow Chrysanthemum, is rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. It has important pharmacological effects such as lowering blood lipids, regulating blood glucose, and anti-tumor effect. However, its anti-tumor mechanism has not yet been investigated thoroughly. This study aimed to explore the anti-tumor effect of total flavonoids extracted from C. tinctoria (CTFs) on lung cancer and the possible mechanism. The components of CTFs were analyzed using Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The active components of CTFs were screened according to oral bioavailability (OB) and drug-likeness (DL). Totally, 68 components of CTFs were identified and 23 active components were screened. Network pharmacological analysis on the active components identified 288 potential targets associated with lung cancer. After protein-protein interaction (PPI) network topology analysis, 17 key protein targets including Akt1, MAPK1, TP53, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, Bax, GSK3B and CCND1 were screened. The molecular docking results showed that the active components of CTFs had good binding activity with key targets. GO and KEGG analysis of candidate targets found that the main enrichment was in PI3K/Akt-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Finally, according to the results of network pharmacology, the potential molecular mechanism of CTFs intervention in lung cancer was validated experimentally in vitro and in vivo. The experimental validation results demonstrated that the antitumor activity of CTFs on lung cancer may be related to inhibiting the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and activating the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway.
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Coronary Arteries: From Mechanisms to Events
Authors: Pahud de Mortanges Aurélie , Sinaci Eldem , Salvador Dante , Bally Lia , Muka Taulant , Wilhelm Matthias , Bano Arjola
Published: March 2022

Objective: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) lower plasma glucose through effects on insulin and glucagon secretion and by decelerating gastric emptying. GLP-1 RAs have many beneficial effects beyond glycemic control, including a protective role on the cardiovascular system. However, underlying mechanisms linking GLP-1 RAs with coronary artery disease are complex and not fully elucidated. In this mini-review, we discuss these mechanisms and subsequent clinical events.

Data Sources: We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for evidence on GLP-1 RAs and coronary events. We did not apply restrictions on article type. We reviewed publications for clinical relevance.

Synopsis of Content: In the first part, we review the current evidence concerning the role of GLP-1 RAs on potential mechanisms underlying the development of coronary events. Specifically, we discuss the role of GLP-1 RAs on atherosclerosis and vasospasms of epicardial coronary arteries, as well as structural/functional changes of coronary microvasculature. In the second part, we summarize the clinical evidence on the impact of GLP-1 RAs in the prevention of acute and chronic coronary syndromes and coronary revascularization. We conclude by discussing existing gaps in the literature and proposing directions for future research.
Paeoniflorin Ameliorates Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Chronic Kidney Disease via AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α-Mediated Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Li Qiang , Wu Jing , Huang Jiawen , Hu Rong , You Haiyan , Liu Lingyu , Wang Dongtao , Wei Lianbo
Published: March 2022

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common and serious complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are involved in the pathogenesis of muscle atrophy. The aim of this study was to explore the effects and mechanisms of paeoniflorin on CKD skeletal muscle atrophy. We demonstrated that paeoniflorin significantly improved renal function, calcium/phosphorus disorders, nutrition index and skeletal muscle atrophy in the 5/6 nephrectomized model rats. Paeoniflorin ameliorated the expression of proteins associated with muscle atrophy and muscle differentiation, including muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx/atrogin-1), muscle RING finger 1 (MuRF1), MyoD and myogenin (MyoG). In addition, paeoniflorin modulated redox homeostasis by increasing antioxidant activity and suppressing excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Paeoniflorin alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing the activities of electron transport chain complexes and mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, paeoniflorin also regulates mitochondrial dynamics. Importantly, paeoniflorin upregulated the expression of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), and phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Similar results were observed in C2C12 myoblasts treated with TNF-α and paeoniflorin. Notably, these beneficial effects of paeoniflorin on muscle atrophy were abolished by inhibiting AMPK and SIRT1 and knocking down PGC-1α. Taken together, this study showed for the first time that paeoniflorin has great therapeutic potential for CKD skeletal muscle atrophy through AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α-mediated oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.
The Function of Metformin in Aging-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
Authors: Song Yanhong , Wu Ziyi , Zhao Ping
Published: March 2022

Metformin is a widely accepted first-line hypoglycemic agent in current clinical practice, and it has been applied to the clinic for more than 60 years. Recently, researchers have identified that metformin not only has an efficient capacity to lower glucose but also exerts anti-aging effects by regulating intracellular signaling molecules. With the accelerating aging process and mankind’s desire for a long and healthy life, studies on aging have witnessed an unprecedented boom. Osteoporosis, sarcopenia, degenerative osteoarthropathy, and frailty are age-related diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The decline in motor function is a problem that many elderly people have to face, and in serious cases, they may even fail to self-care, and their quality of life will be seriously reduced. Therefore, exploring potential treatments to effectively prevent or delay the progression of aging-related diseases is essential to promote healthy aging. In this review, we first briefly describe the origin of metformin and the aging of the movement system, and next review the evidence associated with its ability to extend lifespan. Furthermore, we discuss the mechanisms related to the modulation of aging in the musculoskeletal system by metformin, mainly its contribution to bone homeostasis, muscle aging, and joint degeneration. Finally, we analyze the protective benefits of metformin in aging-related diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
The “Second Hit” of Repair in a Rabbit Model of Chronic Rotator Cuff Tear
Authors: Wu Isabella T. , Gibbons Michael C. , Esparza Mary C. , Vasquez-Bolanos Laura S. , Hyman Sydnee A. , Dorn Shanelle N. , Singh Anshuman , Lane John G. , Fithian Donald C. , Ruoss Severin , Ward Samuel R.
Published: March 2022

The rabbit supraspinatus is a useful translational model for rotator cuff (RC) repair because it recapitulates muscle atrophy and fat accumulation observed in humans after a chronic tear (the “first hit”). However, a timeline of RC tissue response after repair, especially with regard to recent evidence of muscle degeneration and lack of regeneration, is currently unavailable. Thus, the purpose of this study was to characterize the progression of muscle and fat changes over time after the repair of a chronic RC tear in the rabbit model. Two rounds of experiments were conducted in 2017–2018 and 2019–2020 with N = 18 and 16 skeletally mature New Zealand White rabbits, respectively. Animals underwent left supraspinatus tenotomy with repair 8 weeks later. The unoperated right shoulder served as control. The rabbits were sacrificed at 1-, 2-, 4-, and 8-weeks post-repair for histological and biochemical analysis. Atrophy, measured by fiber cross-sectional area and muscle mass, was greatest around 2 weeks after repair. Active muscle degeneration peaked at the same time, involving 8% of slide areas. There was no significant regeneration at any timepoint. Fat accumulation and fibrosis were significantly increased across all time points compared to contralateral. Statement of Clinical Significance: These results demonstrate model reproducibility and a “second hit” phenomenon of repair-induced muscle atrophy and degeneration which partially recovers after a short time, while increased fat and fibrosis persist.
Implementation of a Spatially-Variant and Tissue-Dependent Positron Range Correction for PET/CT Imaging
Authors: Kertész Hunor , Beyer Thomas , Panin Vladimir , Jentzen Walter , Cal-Gonzalez Jacobo , Berger Alexander , Papp Laszlo , Kench Peter L. , Bharkhada Deepak , Cabello Jorge , Conti Maurizio , Rausch Ivo
Published: March 2022

Aim

To develop and evaluate a new approach for spatially variant and tissue-dependent positron range (PR) correction (PRC) during the iterative PET image reconstruction.

Materials and Methods

The PR distributions of three radionuclides (18F, 68Ga, and 124I) were simulated using the GATE (GEANT4) framework in different material compositions (lung, water, and bone). For every radionuclide, the uniform PR kernel was created by mapping the simulated 3D PR point cloud to a 3D matrix with its size defined by the maximum PR in lung (18F) or water (68Ga and 124I) and the PET voxel size. The spatially variant kernels were composed from the uniform PR kernels by analyzing the material composition of the surrounding medium for each voxel before implementation as tissue-dependent, point-spread functions into the iterative image reconstruction. The proposed PRC method was evaluated using the NEMA image quality phantom (18F, 68Ga, and 124I); two unique PR phantoms were scanned and evaluated following OSEM reconstruction with and without PRC using different metrics, such as contrast recovery, contrast-to-noise ratio, image noise and the resolution evaluated in terms of full width at half maximum (FWHM).

Results

The effect of PRC on 18F-imaging was negligible. In contrast, PRC improved image contrast for the 10-mm sphere of the NEMA image quality phantom filled with 68Ga and 124I by 33 and 24%, respectively. While the effect of PRC was less noticeable for the larger spheres, contrast recovery still improved by 5%. The spatial resolution was improved by 26% for 124I (FWHM of 4.9 vs. 3.7 mm).

Conclusion

For high energy positron-emitting radionuclides, the proposed PRC method helped recover image contrast with reduced noise levels and with improved spatial resolution. As such, the PRC approach proposed here can help improve the quality of PET data in clinical practice and research.
Meta-Analysis of the Factors Influencing the Restoration of Spontaneous Circulation After Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: An Hui-Ru , Han Yi-Ran , Wang Tian-Hao , Chi Fei , Meng Yu , Zhang Chun-Yan , Liang Jian-Qin , Li Xiang-Lan
Published: March 2022

Objective

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the factors influencing the restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiopulmonary arrest (CA).

Methods

Relevant papers on the factors influencing the ROSC in patients with CA were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Biology Medicine disk, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP databases. After screening, data extraction, and quality evaluation of the papers, a meta-analysis was carried out.

Results

A total of 36 papers, involving a total sample size of 2,305 cases, were included. The meta-analysis revealed that the location and time of onset of CA, the type of cardiac rhythm at first monitoring, the start time of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the use of electric defibrillation, and the cumulative dose of adrenaline all significantly impacted the ROSC (p < 0.05) and may have affected its success rate. The pH value at CA onset, combined use of adrenaline and vasopressin, CPR duration, mechanical cardiac compression use, and whether CA was caused by heart disease had no significant effect on ROSC.

Conclusion

The location and time of onset of CA, the cardiac rhythm at first monitoring, the start time of CPR, the use of electric defibrillation, and the cumulative dose of adrenaline significantly impacted the ROSC.
Metabolic Engineering of Crocin Biosynthesis in Nicotiana Species
Authors: Ahrazem Oussama , Zhu Changfu , Huang Xin , Rubio-Moraga Angela , Capell Teresa , Christou Paul , Gómez-Gómez Lourdes
Published: March 2022

Crocins are high-value soluble pigments that are used as colorants and supplements, their presence in nature is extremely limited and, consequently, the high cost of these metabolites hinders their use by other sectors, such as the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2L (CsCCD2L) is the key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of crocins in Crocus sativus. In this study, CsCCD2L was introduced into Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana glauca for the production of crocins. In addition, a chimeric construct containing the Brevundimonas sp. β-carotene hydroxylase (BrCrtZ), the Arabidopsis thaliana ORANGE mutant gene (AtOrMut), and CsCCD2L was also introduced into N. tabacum. Quantitative and qualitative studies on carotenoids and apocarotenoids in the transgenic plants expressing CsCCD2L alone showed higher crocin level accumulation in N. glauca transgenic plants, reaching almost 400 μg/g DW in leaves, while in N. tabacum 36 μg/g DW was obtained. In contrast, N. tabacum plants coexpressing CsCCD2L, BrCrtZ, and AtOrMut accumulated, 3.5-fold compared to N. tabacum plants only expressing CsCCD2L. Crocins with three and four sugar molecules were the main molecular species in both host systems. Our results demonstrate that the production of saffron apocarotenoids is feasible in engineered Nicotiana species and establishes a basis for the development of strategies that may ultimately lead to the commercial exploitation of these valuable pigments for multiple applications.
Linguistically-Based Comparison of Different Approaches to Building Corpora for Text Simplification: A Case Study on Italian
Authors: Brunato Dominique , Dell'Orletta Felice , Venturi Giulia
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we present an overview of existing parallel corpora for Automatic Text Simplification (ATS) in different languages focusing on the approach adopted for their construction. We make the main distinction between manual and (semi)–automatic approaches in order to investigate in which respect complex and simple texts vary and whether and how the observed modifications may depend on the underlying approach. To this end, we perform a two-level comparison on Italian corpora, since this is the only language, with the exception of English, for which there are large parallel resources derived through the two approaches considered. The first level of comparison accounts for the main types of sentence transformations occurring in the simplification process, the second one examines the results of a linguistic profiling analysis based on Natural Language Processing techniques and carried out on the original and the simple version of the same texts. For both levels of analysis, we chose to focus our discussion mostly on sentence transformations and linguistic characteristics that pertain to the morpho-syntactic and syntactic structure of the sentence.
A Binary-Entropy Analysis of the Relationship Between Scoring Structure and Match Outcome in Badminton
Authors: Wang Chih-Chuan
Published: March 2022

This study explores the relationship between the scoring structure and the win or loss of a badminton match, while providing quantitative analytic data using binary entropy to determine the uncertainty of said win or loss. Scoring structure data were collected from the official match records of the top 16 events of the World Badminton Championships from 2006 to 2020 (a total of 10 editions) as collection objects (745 matches and 1,734 sets in all) and were analyzed by means of notational analysis. Our entropy analysis showed that the main factor affecting the certainty of win or loss in men’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles comes from the number of leading points, and in women’s singles and women’s doubles from whether the current point is closer to the match point. Our binary-entropy analysis based on scoring structure showed that, to maintain high uncertainty so that players stay competitive, the scoring points of two sides should differ in less than 5; in addition, the decisive factors for victory strongly depend on gender, also justifying research results of previous studies.
Mining Digital Traces of Facebook Activity for the Prediction of Individual Differences in Tendencies Toward Social Networks Use Disorder: A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Marengo Davide , Montag Christian , Mignogna Alessandro , Settanni Michele
Published: March 2022

More than three billion users are currently on one of Meta’s online platforms with Facebook being still their most prominent social media service. It is well known that Facebook has designed a highly immersive social media service with the aim to prolong online time of its users, as this results in more digital footprints to be studied and monetized (via psychological targeting). In this context, it is debated if social media platforms can elicit addictive behaviors. In the present work, we demonstrate in N = 1,094 users that it is possible to predict from digital footprints of the Facebook users their self-reported addictive tendencies toward social media (R > 0.30) by applying machine-learning strategies. More specifically, we analyzed the predictive power of a set of models based on different sets of features extracted from digital traces, namely posting activity, language use, and page Likes. To maximize the predictive power of the models, we used an ensemble of linear and non-linear prediction algorithms. This work showed also sufficient accuracy rates (AUC above 0.70) in distinguishing between disordered and non-disordered social media users. In sum, individual differences in tendencies toward “social networks use disorder” can be inferred from digital traces left on the social media platform Facebook. Please note that the present work is limited by its cross-sectional design.
Acceptability of Peer Support for People With Schizophrenia in Chennai, India: A Cross Sectional Study Amongst People With Lived Experience, Caregivers, and Mental Health Professionals
Authors: Sims Sonia , Hepsipa Omega Juliet S. , Joseph Jainey , Gopal Subhashini , Raghavan Vijaya , Venkatraman Lakshmi , Padmavati Ramachandran
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Establishing structured peer support in mental health, particularly for people with schizophrenia, as a psychosocial intervention is early in low and middle-income countries like India. Before implementing and understanding the effectiveness of peer support service and which mode of peer support delivery will be suitable for our culture, our study aimed to understand if peer support would be accepted by the different participants like persons with schizophrenia, caregivers and mental health professionals in a tertiary care center in Chennai, India.

Methods

The study was conducted at the outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary psychiatric care facility in Chennai, India. A cross-sectional study method was used. Consecutive persons diagnosed with schizophrenia and caregivers of persons with schizophrenia, who attended the outpatient department, and mental health professionals within and outside the facility who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria participated in the study. A structured questionnaire purposefully developed for the study was administered to the different study participants. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Categorical variables were expressed as frequency and percentages, while the continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation.

Results

A total of 155 participants (52 persons with schizophrenia, 50 caregivers and 53 mental health professionals) completed the survey. The majority of the participants (90.4% of persons with schizophrenia, 86% caregivers and all mental health professionals) welcomed peer support interventions. The participants wanted peers to help persons with schizophrenia achieve personal goals to enhance their mental health and day to day living with an emphasis on independent living and interpersonal and social relationships and help them achieve medication and treatment-related goals toward recovery. Understanding the role of a peer support volunteer and transitioning from a “person with schizophrenia” to a “peer support volunteer” by persons with schizophrenia was thought most challenging.

Conclusion

The results highlight the potential acceptability of peer support across several stakeholders in the care of schizophrenia in a low and middle-income country context. The results may guide the implementation of a peer support volunteer programme as an essential mechanism of delivering psychosocial interventions for persons with schizophrenia.
Differential Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor-1 Protein Expression in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Between Schizophrenia Type 1 and Type 2
Authors: Chand Ganesh B. , Jiang Hao , Miller J. Philip , Rhodes C. Harker , Tu Zhude , Wong Dean Foster
Published: March 2022

Understanding the etiology and treatment approaches in schizophrenia is challenged in part by the heterogeneity of this disorder. One encouraging progress is the growing evidence that there are subtypes of schizophrenia. Recent in vitro findings of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) gene expression on postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) showed that schizophrenia has two subtypes, those with a relatively normal DLPFC transcriptome (Type 1) and those with differentially expressed genes (Type 2). Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1PR1) is one of the genes that was highly upregulated in Type 2 compared to Type 1 and controls. The impact of that finding is limited because it only can be confirmed through analysis of autopsy tissue, and the clinical characteristics such as symptoms severity or illness duration except for cause of death was not available from that Medical Examiner based autopsy study. However, S1PR1 has great potential because it is a target gene that can be accessed via positron emission tomography (PET) in vivo using specific radioligands (starting with [11C]CS1P1) successfully developed at our center in human brain imaging. As a preliminary study to validate this PET target in schizophrenia, S1PR1 protein expression was assessed by receptor autoradiography (ARG) using [3H]CS1P1 and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the DLPFC from patients with schizophrenia classified as Type 1 or Type 2 based on their DLPFC transcriptomes and from controls. Our analyses demonstrate that ARG S1PR1 protein expression is significantly higher in Type 2 compared to Type 1 (p < 0.05) and controls (p < 0.05), which was consistent with previous mRNA S1PR1. These findings support the possibility that PET S1PR1 can be used as a future imaging biomarker to distinguish these subgroups of schizophrenic patients during life with obvious implications for both patient management and the design of clinical trials to validate novel pharmacologic therapies.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Single Center Experience on Robotic Assisted First Rib Resection and Literature Review
Authors: Gkikas Andreas , Lampridis Savvas , Patrini Davide , Kestenholz Peter B. , Azenha Luis Filipe , Kocher Gregor Jan , Scarci Marco , Minervini Fabrizio
Published: March 2022

Background

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a pathological condition caused by a narrowing between the clavicle and first rib leading to a compression of the neurovascular bundle to the upper extremity. The incidence of TOS is probably nowadays underestimated because the diagnosis could be very challenging without a thorough clinical examination along with appropriate clinical testing. Beside traditional supra-, infraclavicular or transaxillary approaches, the robotic assisted first rib resection has been gaining importance in the last few years.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of all patients who underwent robotic assisted first rib resection due to TOS at Lucerne Cantonal Hospital and then we performed a narrative review of the English literature using PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Scopus.

Results

Between June 2020 and November 2021, eleven robotic assisted first rib resections were performed due to TOS at Lucerne Cantonal Hospital. Median length of stay was 2 days (Standard Deviation: +/– 0.67 days). Median surgery time was 180 min (Standard Deviation: +/– 36.5). No intra-operative complications were reported.

Conclusions

Robotic assisted first rib resection could represent a safe and feasible option in expert hands for the treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome.
An Efficient Sampling-Based Path Planning for the Lunar Rover with Autonomous Target Seeking
Authors: Chen Gang , You Hong , Huang Zeyuan , Fei Junting , Wang Yifan , Liu Chuankai
Published: March 2022

This paper presents an efficient path planning method for the lunar rover to improve the autonomy and exploration ability in the complex and unstructured lunar surface environment. Firstly, the safe zone for the rover’s motion is defined, based on which a detecting point selection strategy is proposed to choose target positions that meet the rover’s constraints. Secondly, an improved sampling-based path planning method is proposed to get a safe path for the rover efficiently. Thirdly, a map extension strategy for the unstructured and continually varying environment is included to update the roadmap, which takes advantage of the historical planning information. Finally, the proposed method is tested in a complex lunar surface environment. Numerical results show that the appropriate detecting positions can be selected autonomously, while a safe path to the selected detecting position can be obtained with high efficiency and quality compared with the Probabilistic Roadmap (PRM) and A* search algorithm.
Correction-Efficiency-Coefficient-Based Trajectory Optimization for Two-Dimensional Trajectory Correction Projectile
Authors: Zhang Dejian , Zhang Jian , Jiao Zhigang , Ni Qingjie , Guo Qiuping
Published: March 2022

Based on the lift-to-drag ratio of a two-dimensional trajectory correction projectile, in this paper, a novel correction efficiency coefficient model has been proposed for the trajectory optimization of a two-dimensional trajectory correction projectile, and research on the influence a correction efficiency coefficient has on the flight parameters of correction trajectory is carried out. A series of results are obtained through theoretical analysis and simulation calculations, indicating that, the smaller the value of the correction efficiency coefficient is, the stronger the correction ability of the projectile reserves. The trajectory and canard geometry of the correction section of the two-dimensional trajectory correction projectile are optimized by the Gauss pseudo-spectral method and correction efficiency coefficient, and, after taking the correction efficiency coefficient into account, the projectile can accurately hit the target and effectively eliminate the swing phenomenon of the projectile’s lateral trajectory. Meanwhile, a stable roll control command is obtained. When the diameter aspect ratio of the canard is 0.4, both the flight state quantity of the optimized projectile and the roll control command are more stable, and, when the canard shape is trapezoidal, the correction efficiency coefficient is smaller, the result of trajectory optimization is more stable, and the stability of the output roll control command is better. The research results of this paper can provide certain references for both the designs of the two-dimensional trajectory correction projectile’s trajectory and the canard geometry.
A Novel Route for Double-Layered Encapsulation of Streptomyces fulvissimus Uts22 by Alginate–Arabic Gum for Controlling of Pythium aphanidermatum in Cucumber
Authors: Saberi Riseh Roohallah , Moradi Pour Mojde , Ait Barka Essaid
Published: March 2022

Damping-off disease due to Pythium aphanidermatum is one of the most harmful diseases of cucumber. One of the critical issues in the field of biological control is the establishment of a link between the beneficial bacteria screened in the laboratory and its industrial application. Therefore, when developing biocontrol agents, it is necessary to study the optimization of mass production conditions and to select a suitable carrier for their final formulation. In this study, an attempt was made to provide a suitable formulation for a Streptomyces fulvissimus Uts22 strain based on alginate–Arabic gum and nanoparticles (SiO2 and TiO2) with a layer-by-layer technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies showed that when Arabic gum was added to the composition, an electrostatic interaction occurred between alginate and Arabic gum. The scanning electron microscope image of beads show a cubic shape and good dispersion of microcapsules. The encapsulation efficiency in the prepared formulation was reported to be 94%. The maximum release of bacteria from the capsule was recorded on the 35th day of storage, about 109 CFU/gr. The greenhouse experiments showed that encapsulated bacteria resulted in a 95% reduction in damping-off disease of cucumber and showed more potential effects on increasing plant growth traits than free bacteria. This encapsulation strategy can be considered as a suitable alternative for future applications in the agricultural field.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity in the Extract of Defatted Hermetia illucens Fed Organic Waste Feed Containing Fermented Effective Microorganisms
Authors: Lee Kyu-Shik , Yun Eun-Young , Goo Tae-Won
Published: March 2022

Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly) larvae (HIL) are considered useful industrial insects for the production of feed for livestock, eco-friendly fertilizer from organic wastes, and biodiesel. Therefore, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity in the extract of crude-oil-extracted crushed HIL powder prepared from HIL fed organic waste containing fermented effective micro-organisms for biodiesel production. The result showed that antimicrobial activity was not fully induced in HIL fed L. casei-containing feed. In contrast, increased antimicrobial activity was observed in defatted HIL extract prepared from crude-oil-extracted crushed HIL powder. We found that the extract effectively inhibited the growth of pathogens and antimicrobial-peptide-resistant bacteria, such as three kinds of Salmonella species, and Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, Serratia marcescens, and Pseudomonas tolaasii, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 200–1000 µg/100 µL. Furthermore, no cytotoxicity to CaCO-2 human intestinal cells was observed in the extract. We also found that the production fee of extract equivalent to the antimicrobial activity of melittin was approximately 25-fold less than the production fee of melittin. Therefore, the results demonstrate that crude-oil-extracted crushed HIL powder prepared from HIL fed organic waste containing fermented effective micro-organisms for biodiesel production should be used as the feedstock for synthetic, preservative-free livestock feed and food additives. Taken together, the present study supports the usefulness of HIL as an eco-friendly feedstock in the biodiesel, agricultural, food, and feed industries.
Synthesis Monitoring, Characterization and Cleanup of Ag-Polydopamine Nanoparticles Used as Antibacterial Agents with Field-Flow Fractionation
Authors: Marassi Valentina , Casolari Sonia , Panzavolta Silvia , Bonvicini Francesca , Gentilomi Giovanna Angela , Giordani Stefano , Zattoni Andrea , Reschiglian Pierluigi , Roda Barbara
Published: March 2022

Advances in nanotechnology have opened up new horizons in nanomedicine through the synthesis of new composite nanomaterials able to tackle the growing drug resistance in bacterial strains. Among these, nanosilver antimicrobials sow promise for use in the treatment of bacterial infections. The use of polydopamine (PDA) as a biocompatible carrier for nanosilver is appealing; however, the synthesis and functionalization steps used to obtain Ag-PDA nanoparticles (NPs) are complex and require time-consuming cleanup processes. Post-synthesis treatment can also hinder the stability and applicability of the material, and dry, offline characterization is time-consuming and unrepresentative of real conditions. The optimization of Ag-PDA preparation and purification together with well-defined characterization are fundamental goals for the safe development of these new nanomaterials. In this paper, we show the use of field-flow fractionation with multi-angle light scattering and spectrophotometric detection to improve the synthesis and quality control of the production of Ag-PDA NPs. An ad hoc method was able to monitor particle growth in a TLC-like fashion; characterize the species obtained; and provide purified, isolated Ag-PDA nanoparticles, which proved to be biologically active as antibacterial agents, while achieving a short analysis time and being based on the use of green, cost-effective carriers such as water.
Use of Antimicrobials for Bloodstream Infections in the Intensive Care Unit, a Clinically Oriented Review
Authors: Tabah Alexis , Lipman Jeffrey , Barbier François , Buetti Niccolò , Timsit Jean-François ,   on behalf of the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Critically Ill Patients—ESGCIP
Published: March 2022

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) in critically ill patients are associated with significant mortality. For patients with septic shock, antibiotics should be administered within the hour. Probabilistic treatment should be targeted to the most likely pathogens, considering the source and risk factors for bacterial resistance including local epidemiology. Source control is a critical component of the management. Sending blood cultures (BCs) and other specimens before antibiotic administration, without delaying them, is key to microbiological diagnosis and subsequent opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship. Molecular rapid diagnostic testing may provide faster identification of pathogens and specific resistance patterns from the initial positive BC. Results allow for antibiotic optimisation, targeting the causative pathogen with escalation or de-escalation as required. Through this clinically oriented narrative review, we provide expert commentary for empirical and targeted antibiotic choice, including a review of the evidence and recommendations for the treatments of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing, AmpC-hyperproducing and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales; carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii; and Staphylococcus aureus. In order to improve clinical outcomes, dosing recommendations and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics specific to ICU patients must be followed, alongside therapeutic drug monitoring.
Lycopene Inhibits IL-6 Expression by Upregulating NQO1 and HO-1 via Activation of Nrf2 in Ethanol/Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Pancreatic Acinar Cells
Authors: Lee Jaeeun , Lim Joo Weon , Kim Hyeyoung
Published: March 2022

In alcoholic pancreatitis, alcohol increases gut permeability, which increases the penetration of endotoxins, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS). LPS act as clinically significant triggers to increase pancreatic damage in alcoholic pancreatitis. Ethanol or LPS treatment increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in pancreatic acinar cells. ROS induce inflammatory cytokine production in pancreatic acinar cells, leading to pancreatic inflammation. The nuclear erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway is activated as a cytoprotective response to oxidative stress, and induces the expression of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Lycopene exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in various cells. We previously showed that lycopene inhibits NADPH oxidase to reduce ROS and IL-6 levels, and zymogene activation in ethanol or palmitoleic acid-treated pancreatic acinar cells. In this study, we examined whether lycopene inhibits IL-6 expression by activating the Nrf2/NQO1-HO-1 pathway, and reducing intracellular and mitochondrial ROS levels, in ethanol and LPS-treated pancreatic AR42J cells. Lycopene increased the phosphorylated and nuclear-translocated Nrf2 levels by decreasing the amount of Nrf2 sequestered in the cytoplasm via a complex formation with Kelch-like ECH1-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Using exogenous inhibitors targeting Nrf2 and HO-1, we showed that the upregulation of activated Nrf2 and HO-1 results in lycopene-induced suppression of IL-6 expression and ROS production. The consumption of lycopene-rich foods may prevent the development of ethanol and LPS-associated pancreatic inflammation by activating Nrf2-mediated expression of NQO1 and HO-1, thereby decreasing ROS-mediated IL-6 expression in pancreatic acinar cells.
A Rule-Based Grapheme-to-Phoneme Conversion System
Authors: Kłosowski Piotr
Published: March 2022

This article presents a rule-based grapheme-to-phoneme conversion method and algorithm for Polish. It should be noted that the fundamental grapheme-to-phoneme conversion rules have been developed by Maria Steffen-Batóg and presented in her set of monographs dedicated to the automatic grapheme-to-phoneme conversion of texts in Polish. The author used previously developed rules and independently developed the grapheme-to-phoneme conversion algorithm.The algorithm has been implemented as a software application called TransFon, which allows the user to convert any text in Polish orthography to corresponding strings of phonemes, in phonemic transcription. Using TransFon, a phonemic Polish language corpus was created out of an orthographic corpus. The phonemic language corpusallows statistical analysis of the Polish language, as well as the development of phoneme- and word-based language models for automatic speech recognition using statistical methods. The developed phonemic language corpus opens up further opportunities for research to improve automatic speech recognition in Polish. The development of statistical methods for speech recognition and language modelling requires access to large language corpora, including phonemic corpora. The method presented here enables the creation of such corpora.
On the Geochemistry of Major and Trace Elements Distribution in Sediments and Soils of Zarafshon River Valley, Western Tajikistan
Authors: Abdushukurov Djamshed A. , Abdusamadzoda Daler , Duliu Octavian G. , Zinicovscaia Inga , Nekhoroshkov Pavel S.
Published: March 2022

To assess the geochemical features of sedimentary material of Zarafshon river, (Western Tajikistan) catchment basin, the mass fractions of 38 major and trace elements were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) in 2 × 116 paired samples of sediments and soils collected along the Zarafshon River and its main tributaries from the sources to Tajik—Uzbek border. At each collecting location, the distance between sediments and soils’ sampling was no greater than 10 m allowing the studying of the interrelation between sediments and soils. This evidenced a significant similarity between paired soils and sediments’ samples, including the potentially contaminating elements As, Sb and Hg, whose mass fractions in some places were significantly higher than for the Upper Continental Crust (UCC) and North American Shale Composite (NASC), suggesting a common provenience. At the same time, the distribution of major, as well as of incompatible trace elements, Sc, Zr, REE, Th, and U, in spite of geological diversity of the Zarafshon river catchment basin, suggest a possible felsic origin of investigated material.
Calculation of View Factors for Building Simulations with an Open-Source Raytracing Tool
Authors: Subramaniam Sarith , Hoffmann Sabine , Thyageswaran Sridhar , Ward Greg
Published: March 2022

Longwave radiative heat transfer is a key determinant of energy consumption in buildings and view factor calculations are therefore required for the detailed simulation of heat transfer between buildings and their environment as well as for heat exchange within rooms. Typically, these calculations are either derived through analytical means or performed as a part of the simulation process. This paper describes the methodology for employing RADIANCE, a command-line open-source raytracing software, for performing view factor calculations. Since it was introduced in the late-1980s, RADIANCE has been almost exclusively employed as the back-end engine for lighting simulations. We discuss the theoretical basis for calculating view factors through Monte Carlo calculations with RADIANCE and propose a corresponding workflow. The results generated through RADIANCE are validated by comparing them with analytical solutions. The fundamental methodology proposed in this paper can be scaled up to calculate view factors for more complex, practical scenarios. Furthermore, the portability, multi-processing functionality and cross-platform compatibility offered by RADIANCE can also be employed in the calculation of view factors.