bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current understanding of breast milk component composition in women who gave birth prematurely and at term
Authors:   Veltischev Research and Clinical Institute for Pediatrics of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation, Khavkin A.I. ,   Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russian Federation, Novikova V.P. ,   Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, Tsepilova M.O. ,   Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, Polyakova K.D. ,   Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

To date, there have been sufficient data and information on the role of breast milk in nutrition, functional development of the newborn and the formation of immune responses. However, the influence of various factors on the component composition of breast milk remains poorly understood. This review presents data on the qualitative and quantitative changes in various organic and inorganic compounds in breast milk depending on the degree of prematurity of the newborn. In preterm birth and early onset of lactation, activation of the sialic acid production system may result in increased production of sialylated oligosaccharides involved in nervous system development. There are also contradictions in the information concerning the antioxidant content in breast milk. Some reports suggest that the milk of women who gave birth prematurely contains more antioxidants than that of women who gave birth at term. In contrast, other studies demonstrate a lower overall antioxidant function of breast milk in the early stages of lactation. Epidermal growth factor plays a significant role in providing protection against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury, hemorrhagic shock, and necrotizing enterocolitis. This article reviews domestic and foreign literature for the period 2012–2022 and aims to systematize the information on the composition of breast milk in women who gave birth at term and prematurely. Key words: breast milk, composition, preterm infants, full-term infants
Sugars and sweeteners in children’s diets
Authors:   Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, Moscow, Russian Federation, Pyrieva E.A. ,   Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, Netunaeva E.A. ,   Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, Moscow, Russian Federation, Gurchenkova M.A. ,   Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

Obesity is one of the most significant non-communicable diseases of our time. Among the key causes of its development is the stereotype of modern human diet with its inherent excessive intake of “critical” nutrients, in particular simple carbohydrates. The possibility of reducing the consumption of added sugars by replacing them with non-nutritive sweeteners is discussed, including in the organization of child nutrition. The interest in non-nutritive sweeteners stems from their lack of energy value and glycemic index while being able to provide a sweet taste. This article presents a review of the literature on the use of sweeteners in the diet of children and adolescents. The current classification of sweeteners, their physical and chemical properties, data of clinical studies on the effectiveness of using non-nutritive sweeteners in the diet of children and adolescents, including their influence on eating behavior, metabolism, and body weight dynamics, are presented. Nowadays most authors consider it inappropriate to include non-nutritive sweeteners in the diet of healthy children, which is reflected in domestic and international recommendations. The efficacy and safety of using non-nutritive sweeteners in children’s diets require further controlled scientific studies involving large groups of children Key words: obesity, sweeteners, children, body weight
Intramural esophageal dissection, a rare complication of eosinophilic esophagitis
Authors:   St. Mary Magdalene Children’s City Hospital No 2, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, Babaeva U.M.K. , Pavelets N.K. ,   St. Mary Magdalene Children’s City Hospital No 2, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, Kornienko E.A. ,   Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is characterized clinically by typical endoscopic features and the presence of more than 15 eosinophils visible per high-power field in esophageal mucosal biopsy samples. Due to deep chronic eosinophilic inflammation, it can lead to complications, such as esophageal stenosis and rarely perforation. Intramural esophageal dissection (IED) is a previously undescribed complication of EoE in children. This article presents a clinical case of IED in a 15-year-old boy with clinical debut as sudden epigastric pain and nausea against the background of acute respiratory viral infection. Endoscopy, computed tomography, and X-ray examination revealed a double-barrel esophagus with two cavities, the esophagus itself and a blind diverticulum (pouch or “pocket”), in which granulation tissue and active inflammation with many neutrophils were detected. Initial histological assessment showed no significant eosinophilic infiltration in the esophagus. After 6 months, endoscopy revealed characteristic signs of EoE: longitudinal grooves and erosions, transverse rings, narrowing of the esophageal lumen. In the middle third, the picture of double-barrel esophagus remained unchanged, but without signs of acute detachment and with a dense septum between two esophageal cavities. Histologically, the infiltrate contained more than 50 eosinophils per high-power field. The diagnosis of EoE complicated by IED was established. A strict hypoallergenic diet and an oral gel budesonide were prescribed. Endoscopic dissection of the esophageal septum was performed, its patency was restored. In 2 months, during a re-examination after a course of pharmacotherapy and diet, there were no complaints, radiological evaluation of esophageal patency showed no abnormalities. Endoscopically, the esophagus was freely passable, there was a small fold at the surgical site, longitudinal grooves and small erosions in the lower third maintained. Histologically, the number of eosinophils decreased significantly. The therapy was continued. This clinical case demonstrates the possibility of IED development as a complication of EoE. The course of EoE can be asymptomatic, while IED can serve as the first manifestation of the disease. The endoscopic presentation of double-barrel esophagus is a consequence of dissection. The combination of a hypoallergenic diet, topical steroids, and endoscopic septectomy is effective in the treatment of EoE with IED. Key words: eosinophilic esophagitis, intramural esophageal dissection, double-barrel esophagus
Enrichment of gluten-free cereal bars based on expanded grain with functional ingredients of secondary products processed from black currant berries
Authors:   Scientific Research Institute of Food-Concentrate Industry and Special Food Technology, Branch of the Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, Moscow Region, Russian Federation, Urubkov S.A. , Myasishcheva N.V. ,   Russian Biotechnological University (BIOTECH University), Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

Objective. To study the influence of functional components of the chemical composition of secondary products processed from black currant berries on the nutritional value of gluten-free cereal bars based on expanded grain and to establish the possibility of satisfying the daily requirements of vitamin C, bioflavonoids, dietary fiber, including pectin, in children when using them. Materials and methods. The objects of the study were expanded grains of millet, rice, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, as well as the powder obtained from black currant pomace. When studying the content of substances that determine the nutritional and biological value of black currant pomace powder, standard research methods were used. The nutritional value of gluten-free cereal bars was estimated by the calculation method. Results. The chemical composition of black currant pomace powder was studied. It was found that it contains a large amount of ascorbic acid (139.2 mg/100g) and bioflavonoids: anthocyanins (1381.1 mg/100 g), leuco-anthocyanins (864.9 mg/100 g), and catechins (739.4 mg/100 g). It is characterized by a high ratio of sugars and acids (4), as well as a high content of pectin substances and fiber (11.5 and 10.7%, respectively). The calculation of nutritional value showed that the addition of black currant pomace powder in the recipe of gluten-free cereal bars in an amount of 3.5% or more at the consumption of 100 g of the finished product can cover the daily requirements of children in bioflavonoids and dietary fiber, and an amount from 7.0% of the recipe allows to get a product enriched with vitamin C. Conclusion. The calculations of daily requirements performed in this study indicate the prospects of using black currant pomace powder as an enriching additive in specialized products for children over 3 years of age with gluten intolerance. Key words: gluten-free foods, children, cereal bars, gluten intolerance, expanded grain, black currant powder, biologically active substances
Patient and Surgical Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection in Lower-Extremity Oncological Endoprosthetic Reconstruction
Authors: Slawaska-Eng David , Gazendam Aaron M. , Kendal Joseph , Schneider Patricia , Becker Ricardo G. , Freitas Joao Paulo , Bernthal Nicholas , Ghert Michelle ,   on behalf of the PARITY Investigators
Published: July 2023

Background:

The specific risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) in orthopaedic oncology patients undergoing endoprosthetic reconstruction have not previously been evaluated in a large prospective cohort. In the current study, we aimed to define patient- and procedure-specific risk factors for SSI in patients who underwent surgical excision and endoprosthetic reconstruction for lower-extremity bone or soft-tissue tumors using the prospectively collected data of the Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery (PARITY) trial.

Methods:

PARITY was a multicenter, blinded, randomized controlled trial with a parallel 2-arm design that aimed to determine the effect of a long duration (5 days) versus short duration (24 hours) of postoperative prophylactic antibiotics on the rate of SSI in patients undergoing surgical excision and endoprosthetic reconstruction of the femur or tibia. In this secondary analysis of the PARITY data, a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was constructed to explore predictors of SSI within 1 year postoperatively.

Results:

A total of 96 (15.9%) of the 604 patients experienced an SSI. Of the 23 variables analyzed in the univariate analysis, 4 variables achieved significance: preoperative diagnosis, operative time, volume of muscle excised, and hospital length of stay (LOS). However, only hospital LOS was found to be independently predictive of SSI in the multivariate regression analysis (hazard ratio per day = 1.03; 95% confidence interval = 1.01 to 1.05; p < 0.001). An omnibus test of model coefficients demonstrated that the model showed significant improvement over the null model (χ2 = 78.04; p < 0.001). No multicollinearity was found.

Conclusions:

This secondary analysis of the PARITY study data found that the only independent risk factor for SSI on multivariate analysis was hospital LOS. It may therefore be reasonable for clinicians to consider streamlined discharge plans for orthopaedic oncology patients to potentially reduce the risk of SSI.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Central Adjudication Committee and Clinical Site Investigator Agreement on Outcomes in the PARITY Trial
Authors: Slawaska-Eng David , Giglio Victoria , Gazendam Aaron M. , Schneider Patricia , Bernthal Nicholas , Ghert Michelle ,   on behalf of the PARITY Investigators
Published: July 2023

Background:

The detection of a surgical site infection (SSI) in patients with metal implants requires a high degree of clinical acumen. The inherent subjectivity of SSI diagnosis poses a challenge in the design of surgical trials because this subjectivity raises concern for outcome assessment bias. Central Adjudication Committees (CACs) are often utilized to minimize the variability in outcome assessment. Little research has been done to determine the reliability of outcome assessment in trials utilizing a CAC. In the present study, we determined the agreement between the study CAC and the clinical site investigators for the primary and secondary outcome assessments.

Methods:

The Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery (PARITY) trial was a multicenter, blinded, parallel 2-arm, randomized controlled trial that aimed to determine the effect of a 5-day versus 1-day postoperative prophylactic antibiotic regimen on the rate of SSI in patients undergoing surgical excision of tumors in the femur or tibia. The blinded PARITY CAC adjudicated all primary and secondary outcomes identified during the 1-year study follow-up. In the present secondary analysis, the Cohen kappa statistic was utilized to determine the level of agreement.

Results:

The primary outcome of SSI diagnosis demonstrated a substantial level of agreement between the CAC and the site investigators (0.699; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.595 to 0.803]). Categorization of the SSI (i.e., superficial, deep, or organ space) showed moderate agreement (0.470; 95% CI, 0.382 to 0.558). Secondary outcomes such as the types of reoperations and the indication for reoperation typically showed substantial to almost perfect agreement, whereas antibiotic-related complications showed fair agreement (0.241; 95% CI, 0.000 to 0.474).

Conclusions:

Although there was a substantial level of agreement between the PARITY CAC and site investigators on the diagnosis of an SSI, as well as typically at least substantial agreement on the causes and types of reoperations, there was less agreement regarding the type of SSI and the occurrence of an antibiotic-related complication. Therefore, the CAC appears to have provided value when adjudicating the depth of infection and when determining the causality of medical complications associated with antibiotics.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
MRI Parameters of 3D FLAIR T2 Imaging Technique for Visualization of the Brain Lymphatic Signals
Authors: Albayram Mehmet Sait , Albayram Onder
Published: July 2023

Meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLVs) have been described in animal studies, but limited comparable data is available in human studies. Non-contrast 3D T2-Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging relies on protein-rich lymphatic fluid internal signals rather than contrast media. Here, we outline our non-contrast 3D FLAIR MR method permitting visualization of dorsal-along the venous sinuses and ventral lymphatic structures-flow around perineural/peridural spaces of cranial nerves, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) - interstitial fluid (ISF) drainage around nerves in the human brain in detail.
Trauma-Informed Care Practices to Support Caregivers of Children with Severe Illness: Protocol for A Systematic Review
Authors: Jibb Lindsay Anne , Pomeroy Beverley Claire , Carriere Carmen , Hashemi Elham , Zaffino Isabella , Panesar Prabdeep , Hwang Kyobin , Mitchell Mikaela , Hildenbrand Aimee , Coleman Mary , Lee Esther Joomi
Published: July 2023

Background
Family caregivers of children with life-limiting illness or chronic complex medical conditions experience significant psychological challenges related to the diagnosis, treatment, and care of their child. Trauma-informed (or trauma- and resiliency-informed) care interventions targeted at directly preventing or managing trauma-related symptoms using psychological approaches have potential to improve distress and distress-related symptoms among caregivers. The overall objective of this parent-led systematic review is to synthesize the literature on the effect of trauma-informed care services for the prevention and management of traumatic stress and related symptoms in the family caregivers of children with life-limiting or complex medical conditions.
Methods
Our systematic review will identify studies reviewing the effectiveness of trauma-informed care services for the prevention and management of traumatic stress and related symptoms in family caregivers. We will search Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, the Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, and Social Services Abstracts databases for articles describing trauma-informed care interventions for these family caregivers. All titles and abstracts will be screened independently and in duplicate with discrepancies resolved by caregivers with lived experience. The same process will be used for full-text articles. Data abstraction will also be conducted independently and in duplicate with team members who are caregivers resolving discrepancies. Data analysis will involve syntheses of study results to better understand intervention effect and related complexities.
Discussion
This family caregiver initiated- and co-lead systematic review will identify, appraise, and report on the effectiveness of trauma-informed care interventions aiming to prevent or manage traumatic stress and related symptoms in the family caregivers of children with life limiting illnesses. This review will provide needed data to inform the co-design and implementation of high-quality care services aimed at health improvements for families of children with life-limiting or chronic complex medical conditions.
Systematic review registration: PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022331536 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022331536
Efficient plunge milling cutter and process for two-dimensional cavity
Authors: Guo Minglong , Wei Zhaocheng , Wang Dong , Zhang Zhihong , He Shaolin , Li Jiasheng
Published: July 2023

Plunge milling, as a recognized high-efficiency metal cutting process, is an ideal choice for roughing machining of deep groove and cavity parts. However, due to the severe cutting load of plunge milling, especially the problem of plunge milling collision, and the lack of cavity plunge milling process, its engineering application has always been unsatisfactory. In this paper, starting from the cutter design, the inward-inclined structure of cutting edge is proposed, which can effectively avoid the sharp increase in cutting load caused by plunge milling collision, and realize in-situ cutter retraction. At the same time, the dislocation chip-separation structure of cutting edge is also proposed, which can effectively reduce the plastic deformation of cutting layer, and the maximum cutting force is reduced by about 55%. Based on the design of above high-performance plunging cutter, considering the constraints of material residue and isolated corner, the plunging milling process strategies for open cavity, semi-closed cavity and closed cavity are planned. Finally, the influence law of machining parameters on cutting force is explored. The set up series of verification experiments show that the inward-inclined structure and dislocation chip-splitting structure of plunge milling cutter are reasonable, and the process strategies and machining parameters of cavity plunge milling are feasible. Compared with the traditional layer milling, the machining efficiency is increased by about 3.3 times.
DFT and TD-DFT calculation of new aryl cyanomethylene-quinone mono-oximes-based small molecules for organic photovoltaic
Authors: lakrikh Siham , hachim mouhi eddine , Ghaleb adib
Published: July 2023

We calculated electrical characteristics of eight compounds based on aryl-cyano-methylene-quinone mono-oximes using density functional theory (DFT) with base set B3LYP/6-311G (d). Some of theoretical factors, such as energy of HOMO (EHOMO), energy of LUMO (ELUMO), and Gap energy (Egap) are highly relevant in the photovoltaic sector. On the other hand, we investigated our results by determining electronic and spectroscopic properties using TD-DFT and with base set B3LYP/6-311G (d), in order to define the wavelengths of studied molecules, tracing the visible and ultra-violet spectrum, and determine the transition states. The achieved results and developed attributes show that these molecules could be extremely efficient in the renewable energy industry.
Clinical and epidemiological features of Lyme neuroborreliosis in adults and factors associated with polyradiculitis, facial palsy and encephalitis or myelitis
Authors: Radzišauskienė Daiva , Urbonienė Jurgita , Jasionis Arminas , Klimašauskienė Aušra , Malickaitė Radvilė , Petrulionienė Agnė , Vitkauskaitė Monika , Kaubrys Gintaras
Published: July 2023

The clinical course of Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is highly variable. Delayed diagnosis and treatment still remain actual challenges. Moreover, there is a lack of studies analyzing the factors associated with different LNB syndromes. We aimed to analyze clinical and epidemiological features of LNB in hospitalized adults. A retrospective study was performed in the years 2010–2021. A total of 103 patients were involved in the study, 100 with early, and three with late LNB. Patients with early LNB most often presented polyradiculitis (75/100, (75%)), which was also the most common initial neurological syndrome. Peripheral facial palsy was diagnosed in 53/100 (53%) patients, in 16/53 (30.2%) cases both facial nerves were affected. Encephalitis or myelitis was diagnosed in 14% of patients with LNB. A total of 76/103 (73.8%) patients were discharged with residual symptoms or signs. One patient presenting encephalomyelitis died because of bacterial complications. We found that female sex and untreated erythema migrans (EM) were associated with the development of isolated polyradiculitis, the absence of EM was associated with the development of peripheral facial palsy, and a fever of ≥ 38˚C and pleocytosis of ≥ 300x106/l were associated with encephalitis or myelitis in patients with early LNB.
Assessing multiple free-roaming dog control strategies in a flexible agent-based model
Authors: Yoak A. J. , Calinger K. , Hiby E.
Published: July 2023

Management of free-roaming dog populations is required to mitigate the threat of pathogens like rabies, minimize conflict with people, wildlife, and livestock and improve dog welfare. Historically, lethal removal has been the primary management tool, but is giving way to more humane sterilization and vaccination strategies. However, the implementation of control can vary widely between locations. This work describes an agent-based stochastic model, ‘StreetDogSim’ that can be used as a planning tool to investigate the predicted impact of different strategies with variable implementation approaches and adjustable parameters to match local conditions. Here, we explore the effects of different management strategies including lethal, vaccine-only, and vaccinate and sterilize, with additional variation in their duration, intensity, and vaccine quality on important population metrics such as overall size, demographics, vaccination coverage, time until effective population suppression, and duration of suppression. Under most model parameterizations, a strategy that targets females for sterilization with vaccination outperforms all other options with respect to population control and demographic changes.
A novel chitosan-based doxepin nano-formulation for chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Authors: samiraninezhad nazafarin , Rezaee Mostafa , Gholami Ahmad , Amanati Ali , Mardani Maryam
Published: July 2023

Objectives
Considering the prevalence of oral mucositis, we aimed to use the analgesic effects of doxepin with antimicrobial and bio-adhesive nature of chitosan to fabricate a nano-formulation for treatment of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis.
Materials and Method
Nanogel was fabricated via ionic gelation and characterized. Sixty patients were randomly divided and received four different treatments for 14 days: diphenhydramine + aluminum-magnesium mouthwash (control), doxepin mouthwash (DOX MW), chitosan nanogel (CN), and doxepin/chitosan nanogel (CN + DOX). Lesions were assessed with four indices, national cancer institute (NCI), world health organization (WHO), and corld conference on clinical and research in nursing (WCCNR) and visual analogue scale (VAS) before and 3, 7, and 14 days after interventions. Kruskal Wallis test was used for pairwise comparison.
Results
CN had semisolid consistency, uniform spherical shape, an average size of 47.93 ± 21.69 nm and a zeta potential of + 1.02 ± 0.16 mV. Three days after intervention CN + DOX reduced WHO, WCCNR and VAS scores significantly more than control. Seven days after intervention CN + DOX reduced NCI and WCCNR significantly more than control; and it reduced WCCNR significantly more than CN. Fourteen days after intervention CN + DOX reduced NCI significantly more than control.
Conclusion
Chitosan-based doxepin nano-formulation might be a promising alternative for routine treatments of oral mucositis.
Leader-Follower Formation Tracking for Differential-Drive Wheeled Mobile Robots with Uncertainties and Disturbances based on Immune Fuzzy Quasi-Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Goto Willy John Nakamura , Martins Nardênio
Published: July 2023

Mobile robotics has drawn attention of researchers due to its variety of applications. In this paper, for nonholonomic differential-drive wheeled mobile robots with an embedded PD dynamic controller, a robust kinematic controller based on sliding mode theory is designed considering the trajectory tracking problem and its extension to the formation control by multiple robots using the leader-follower separation-bearing strategy. A classical sliding mode control has some drawbacks such as the chattering phenomenon and the requirement of a priori knowledge of the disturbances effects boundary for its design. Thus, this paper aims to propose the design of an approach inspired by an immune regulation mechanism, also using a simple fuzzy boundary layer method, in replacement of the discontinuous portion of the controller, adjusting its gains with no need to know the uncertainties and disturbances boundaries as well as suppressing the chattering. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is shown by simulation results and its stability is proved by the Lyapunov theorem.
Decreasing hospitalizations through geriatric hotlines: A prospective French multicenter study of people aged 75 and above
Authors: Goethals Luc , Barth Nathalie , Martinez Laure , Lacour Noémie , Tardy Magali , Bohatier Jérôme , Bonnefoy Marc , Annweiler Cédric , Dupre Caroline , Bongue Bienvenu , Celarier Thomas
Published: July 2023

Background
The Emergency unit of the hospital (Department) (ED) is the fastest and most common way for most French general practitioners (GPs) to respond to the complexity of managing older adults patients with multiple chronic diseases. In 2013, French regional health authorities proposed to set up telephone hotlines to promote interactions between GP clinics and hospitals. The main objective of our study was to analyze whether the hotlines and solutions proposed by the responding geriatrician reduced the number of hospital admissions, and more specifically the number of emergency room admissions
Methods
We conducted a multicenter observational study from April 2018 to April 2020 at seven French investigative sites. A questionnaire was completed by all hotline physicians after each call.
Results
The study population consisted of 4,137 individuals who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of the 4,137 phone calls received by the participants, 64.2% (n = 2 657) were requests for advice, and 35.8% (n = 1,480) were requests for emergency hospitalization. Of the 1,480 phone calls for emergency hospitalization, 285 calls resulted in hospital admission in the emergency room (19.3%), and 658 calls in the geriatric short stay (44.5%). Of the 2,657 calls for advice/consultation/delayed hospitalization, 9.7% were also duplicated by emergency hospital admission.
Conclusion
This study revealed the value of hotlines in guiding the care of older adults. The results showed the potential effectiveness of hotlines in preventing unnecessary hospital admissions or in identifying cases requiring hospital admission in the emergency room. Hotlines can help improve the care pathway for older adults and pave the way for future progress.
Trial registration
Registered under Clinical Trial Number NCT03959475. This study was approved and peer-reviewed by the Ethics Committee for the Protection of Persons of Sud Est V of Grenoble University Hospital Center (registered under 18-CETA-01 No.ID RCB 2018-A00609-46).
Body Mass Index and Perceived Labor Control: Could weight stigma explain differences in birth experience?
Authors: Whelan Anna R , Polnaszek Brock E , Recabo Olivia , Clark Melissa A , Lewkowtiz Adam K , Ayala Nina K
Published: July 2023

Background
Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 30 kg/m2 experience weight stigma when interacting with the healthcare system. There is limited data on how weight stigma impacts patient’s experience of obstetric care. This study aims to assess perceived control over the birth process and compare patients with BMI ≥ 30 to those with BMI < 30.
Methods
We performed a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study of term patients. Postpartum, participants completed the Labour Agentry Scale (LAS), a validated tool to assess perceived control over labor/birth. Continuous LAS scores were compared between patients with BMI < 30 and BMI ≥ 30.
Results
There was no difference in LAS between those with BMI ≥ 30 and BMI < 30. When stratified by World Health Organization (WHO) class of BMI, those with BMI ≥ 40 had a significantly lower LAS scores than those with BMI < 30 (147 vs. 163, p = 0.02), however, this finding was no longer significant after controlling for length of labor and cesarean birth.
Conclusion
Only participants with the highest BMI experienced decreased control over labor, and this finding was no longer significant after controlling for mode of delivery and length of labor. Further research is necessary into how weight stigma influences birthing people’s experience.
Accuracy of automated computer-aided risk scoring systems to estimate the risk of COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Faisal Muhammad , Mohammed Mohammed Amin , Richardson Donald , Fiori Massimo , Beatson Kevin
Published: July 2023

Background: In the UK National Health Service (NHS), the patient’s vital signs are monitored and summarised into a National Early Warning Score (NEWS) score. A set of computer-aided risk scoring systems (CARSS) was developed and validated for predicting in-hospital mortality and sepsis in unplanned admission to hospital using NEWS and routine blood tests results. We sought to assess the accuracy of these models to predict the risk of COVID-19 in unplanned admisisons during the first phase of the pandemic.
Methods: Adult (>=18 years) non-elective admissions discharged (alive/deceased) between 11-March-2020 to 13-June-2020 from two acute hospitals with an index NEWS electronically recorded within ±24 hours of admission. We identified COVID-19 admission based on ICD-10 code ‘U071’ which was determined by COVID-19 swab test results (hospital or community). We assessed the performance of CARSS (CARS_N, CARS_NB, CARM_N, CARM_NB) for predicting the risk of COVID-19 in terms of discrimination (c-statistic) and calibration (graphically).
Results: The risk of in-hospital mortality following emergency medical admission was 8.4% (500/6444) and 9.6% (620/6444) had a diagnosis of COVID-19. For predicting COVID-19 admissions, the CARS_N model had the highest discrimination 0.73 (0.71 to 0.75) and calibration slope 0.81 (0.72 to 0.89) compared to other CARSS models: CARM_N (discrimination:0.68 (0.66 to 0.70) and calibration slope 0.47 (0.41 to 0.54)), CARM_NB (discrimination:0.68 (0.65 to 0.70) and calibration slope 0.37 (0.31 to 0.43)), and CARS_NB (discrimination:0.68 (0.66 to 0.70) and calibration slope 0.56 (0.47 to 0.64)).
Conclusions: The CARS_N model is reasonably accurate for predicting the risk of COVID-19. It may be clinically useful as an early warning system at the time of admission especially to triage large numbers of unplanned hospital admissions because requires no additional data collection and is readily automated.
Overexpression of OsHSP 18.0 in rice enhance tolerance to heavy metal stress
Authors: Tseng Tong-Seung , Rajendran Senthil Kumar , Liu Yi-Hsin , Wu Shaw-Jye , Lu Chung-An , Yeh Ching-Hui
Published: July 2023

Plants synthesis multiple families of sHSPs with monomer sizes ranging from 12 to 42 kDa, are the most diverse and more abundant than in other organisms (Wu et al., 2022). In addition to heat tolerance, the sHSPs suggesting that they may play important roles other cellular processes under normal conditions (Wu et al., 2022). Over the past decades, it has been observed that the expression of certain plant sHSPs is induced by a range of stressors, including heat, salt, drought, osmotic, hormonal, heavy metal, oxidative stresses, as well as developmental signals specific to plants (Wu, et al. 2022). In addition, a multitude of investigation have involved the overexpression of various sHSPs in both homologous and heterologous plant systems, including E. coli and Yeast models (Santhanagopalan, et al. 2015; Waters and Vierling 2020). The outcomes of many of these experiments have revealed that stress protection conferred by these proteins is restricted to specific conditions and narrow range of plant growth stages. On contrast, suppression of CI or CII sHSPs in A. thaliana by RNAi showed that these sHSPs were required for recovery from a severe heat stress (10 h at 45°C) and have independent functions (McLoughlin, et al. 2016; Wu, et al. 2022). However, additional investigations are needed to uncover further applications for these proteins.
Histofarcin Skin Test and an In-Vitro Antifungal Effects of Croton Macrostachyus against Mycelial Form of Histoplasma capsulatum Variety Farciminosum isolated from Horse in Adama City, Ethiopia
Authors: Tegegne Hailehizeb , Woldegiorgis Dese
Published: July 2023

Background: Epizootic Lymphangitis (EL) is a chronic debilitating disease of equines caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum (HCF). It is one of the major equine diseases with economics and equines welfare consequences. An experimental study design was conducted from Nov, 2021 to June, 2022 to assess the histofarcin skin test and evaluate the antifungal efficacy of Croton macrostachyus against the mycelium form of HCF. The histofarcin antigen used for histofarcin skin test was prepared from field isolates of HCF, identified from clinical cases of EL in cart horses from Adama City.
Result: Then, histofarcin skin test was evaluated on 60 horses, 15 clinically infected cases, and 45 healthy horses. Each horse was injected with 0.1ml of the histofarcin skin test antigen intradermally in the middle of the neck. The thickness of the skin was measured before the injection and 24 hrs post injection using Bar Knight Mc Lintock(McLK)-P0005) caliper. The sensitivity and specificity of histofarcin skin test were 100% and 95% respectively. An in vitro growth inhibitory effect of Croton macrostachyus against the mycelia form of HCF was evaluated. Two-fold serial dilutions of the methanol extracts of the plant were prepared and assessed. A culture media with no antifungal agent and media containing ketoconazole served as a negative and positive control, respectively.
Conclusion:The results showed that Croton macrostachyus have an inhibitory effect at concentrations ranging from 2.5mg/ml–10mg/ml. Thus, the minimum inhibitory concentration of the plant extract was found to be 2.5mg/ml. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that histofarcin skin test is a potential diagnostic tool for screening EL. Also, the methanol extracts of Croton macrostachyus showed good in-vitro growth inhibitory activity against the mycelial phase of HCF. Therefore, Validation of the performance of the histofarcin skin test assessment is necessary. Also, further investigation of the effects of C. macrostachyus on the yeast form of HCF is needed in addition to Phytochemial analysis (fractionation) and evaluation of the toxicity of the plant.
Behavioral Activity and Ranging Patterns of the Endemic Gelada Monkey (Theropithecus gelada) in and Around Jer Silase Monastry in North Shoa Zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Desalegn Tamenut
Published: July 2023

The study aimed to investigate the activity, ranging patterns, and habitat use of gelada monkeys. Understanding of behavioral ecology of primates in Jer Silase Monastery is crucial to their conservation and monitoring strategies. The study was carried out from January 2021 to October 2021 by considering both dry and wet seasons and by stratifying the study area as natural forest, cliff/rocky, and farmland. The instantaneous scan sampling method was employed to collect behavioral data. The activity pattern of three selected focal groups of geladas was studied, and predominant behavioral activities recorded GPS points every 15-minute intervals from beginning 7:00 h to dusk at 18:00 hr for 12 days per month. Mann-Whitney U test was employed to compare the seasonal variation of the behavioral activity patterns of geladas in the wet and dry seasons. A chi-square test (c2) of independence was also employed to examine the gelada monkeys’ behavior differently in different habitat types. Home range and day range length were determined by using Open Jump Toolbox (MOVEAN), and statistically tested by Mann–Whitney U test. A total of 5592 individual activity records were obtained during 2312 scan sampling on 120 study days. Feeding comprised 54.52% of the total scan, followed by moving 20.67% and socialization 11.95%. Habitat utilization of the gelada monkey in the three habitat types has a statistically significant difference (χ2 = 329.13, df = 2, p = 0.004). The result of multivariate analysis demonstrated that month has a statistically significant effect on an activity time budget Roy’s Largest Root = 2.7, F = 13.2, df = 4, p < 001, partial η2 = 0.653. The highest mean monthly travel distance of the focal group over the entire course of gelada recorded at the Cliff/rocky habitat was 2817.61 ± 582.57 m during the wet season. Geladas travel a longer daily range length and cover a wider home range size in the dry season. This shows the quality of the habitat is decreasing due to livestock grazing, agricultural expansion, and charcoal production. Therefore, to minimize such effects on gelada monkeys’ appropriate conservation measures should be implemented to conserve the gelada baboon.
Thermal Effect Modeling of Axial Static Stiffness of Motorized Spindle Unit
Authors: Liu Teng , Xu Haonan , Zhang Yifan , Jiao Zi'ang , Dong Zizheng , Zhou Liang
Published: July 2023

In order to investigate the thermal variations of axial static stiffness of motorized spindle unit, a thermal modeling method of spindle axial static stiffness is established by combining the numerical simulation technology with analytical method. Firstly, based on a thermoelastic ring cylinder model and the Hertz contact theory, the analytical model of temperature rise - axial static stiffness thermal variation effect of spindle-angular contact ball bearing system is constructed; then, the spindle structural thermal model considering its coolant heat transfer is obtained by using the finite element heat-fluid-solid coupling simulation technology, to solve temperature rises of spindle bearings. Based on them, the Bushing element is used to analyze the stiffness of the bearing assembly in the thermal-structural coupling simulation modeling of motorized spindle unit, and thus to simulate the thermal variation effects of spindle axial static stiffness. Ultimately, the variation tendencies of the spindle axial static stiffness under various thermal conditions are analyzed by using this model, and the obtained results are compared with their corresponding test data. The comparisons show that: this modeling method can accurately predict the thermal variation tendencies of axial static stiffness during spindle operations. Then the temperature rise of spindle structure can cause its axial static stiffness to harden, which is associated with the thermal increase of bearing preload. The conclusions have the guiding significance for thermal balance design and optimization of spindle structure.
Soil Bacterial Community Diversity and Life Strategy during Coastal Island Slope Restoration and Forest Conversion: Changes under Aggregate Spray-Seeding Technique
Authors: Wang Zhikang , Li Chunlin , Geng Zengchao , Zhang Liangzhen , Sun Linting , Zhu Jianjun
Published: July 2023

Objective: The objective of this study is to address the research gap regarding the diversity and life strategies of organisms inhabiting soil environments formed by new restoration techniques such as aggregate spray-seeding (ASS), which currently remain unclear.
Methods: We conducted a comparison between the ASS restoration area (SRA) and the natural vegetation area (NVA), as well as the ASS forest conversion area (FCA) and the traditional afforestation area (TAA) on Triangle Island, China. Environmental DNA sequencing was employed to analyze the diversity and life strategies of soil bacterial communities during both the summer and winter seasons.
Results: The SRA and FCA showed significantly higher Chao1 index and relative abundance of r-strategy bacteria compared to NVA and TAA, along with lower DNA guanine-cytosine (GC) content. The soil bacterial communities of NVA and TAA were similar to each other, as were those of SRA and FCA. Proteobacteria and Acidobacteriota were found to be the dominant phyla in our studied soils, accounting for 67.83-76.54% of the total relative abundance. Proteobacteria had a higher relative abundance in summer, while Acidobacteriota had a higher relative abundance in winter. GC content exhibited a negative correlation (p < 0.0001) with the relative abundance of r-strategy bacteria and a positive correlation (p < 0.01) with the relative abundance of K-strategy bacteria.
Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the impact of ASS application on the diversity and life strategy of soil bacterial communities, while also confirming the correlation between bacterial GC content and life strategy. These findings provide a basis for regulating soil microbial communities in ecological restoration projects.
METTL3-mediated m6A modification of lncRNA TSPAN12 promotes metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma through SENP1-depentent deSUMOylation of EIF3I
Authors: Lu Jiong , Li Bei , Xiong Xianze , Xu Jianrong , Peng Dingzhong , Nie Guilin , Wen Ningyuan , Wang Yaoqun
Published: July 2023

In a previous study, we discovered that the lnc-TSPAN12 level was significantly elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and linked to a low chance of survival. In HCC, however, the function of lnc-TSPAN12 in modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis is still poorly understood. This study demonstrated that lnc-TSPAN12 positively modulated migration, invasion, and EMT of HCC cells in vitro and exacerbated hepatic metastasis in patient-derived tumour xenograft metastatic models in vivo. The modification of N6-methyladenosine that is driven by METTL3 is essential because it is involved in the upregulation of lnc-TSPAN12, which contributes to the stability of lnc-TSPAN12. Mechanistically, lnc-TSPAN12 exhibits direct physical interactions with EIF3I and SENP1, and it also assumes the role of a scaffold to help enhance the SENP1-EIF3I interaction. This in turn inhibits the SUMOylation of EIF3I and the degradation of ubiquitin, eventually activating the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway to stimulate EMT and metastasis of HCC. Our results shed light on the lnc-TSPAN12 regulation mechanism in HCC metastasis and identify the lnc-TSPAN12-EIF3I/SENP1 axis as a novel treatment target for HCC.
Dynamical Properties of Two Diffusion Sir Epidemic Model with Markovian Switching
Authors: Milunovic Milica
Published: July 2023

In this paper we consider a stochastic SIR epidemic model with treatment, nonlinear incidence rate and regime switching. For our model, we first prove the existence and uniqueness of the global positive solution. Then, we provide conditions under which the disease prevails in the population, as well as the sufficient conditions for the extinction of the disease. We close the paper by presenting numerical simulations to verify our theoretical results. For that purpose we use real-life data for Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and Covid-19 pandemic in Pakistan.
AMS Mathematics Subject Classification (2010): 60H10, 92D25, 93E15
On curves whose curvature depends on their position in different plane geometries
Authors: Pacheco Rui , Santos Susana C.
Published: July 2023

We consider the problem of finding a plane curve when its curvature is prescribed in terms of its position. A unified contact geometric approach covering different plane geometries is proposed, according to which the solutions of the problem under consideration correspond to certain Legendre curves on a contact $3$-dimensional manifold arising naturally from the prescription. We will consider in detail the Euclidean, Lorentzian, isotropic and equi-centro-affine plane geometries.
Loss of function NOG variant causes radiounlar synostosis
Authors: Shen Fang , Luo Zhenqing , Zheng Yu , Deng Mei , Tu Ming , Zhao Liu , Zhu Guanghui , Wang Hua , Zhu Yimin , Yang Yongjia
Published: July 2023

Background: Several NOG variants have been reported in patients with congenital joint fusion syndromes. Radioulnar synostosis (RUS) is the most common joint malformation of upper limbs. This study aims to explore NOG mutations in RUS.
Methods:
Exome and Sanger sequencing data were used to identify NOGvariants in 325 patients with RUS. Parental relationship was determined by STR mapping. Pathogenicity was evaluated for variants with interest. HeLa and U-2OS cells were cultured in vitro with the transfection of flag-tagged NOG-WT, NOG-Q221X, and control clones. Gene expression, protein levels, and cellular localization were determined using RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence.
Results:
A de novo NOG variant, i.e., c .661C>T/p.Q221X, was identified on a patient with RUS. Compared with WT, c.661C>T/p.Q221X showed a significantly decreased mRNA expression in HeLa and U-2OS cells transfected with the plasmids. In mutant status, the NOG protein was undetectable in Western blot assay. Cell immunofluorescence confirmed that the Q221X mutant protein was undetectable.
Conclusion:
This study confirmed that mutant NOG is a rare cause of human RUS. Patients with RUS in clinic should be evaluated for NOG variants.