bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes em parada cardiorrespiratória: uma revisão integrativa
Authors: Bastarrica Elisiane Gonçalves , Santos Fernanda dos , Conte Magali , Baldo Ana Paula Vendruscolo
Published: December 2020

A parada cardiorespiratória se define como a interrupção súbita e contínua dos batimentos cardíacos seguido da suspensão da respiração, levando o paciente a inconsciência, apnéia, ausência de resposta aos estímulos e inexistência de pulsações palpáveis. Objetivou-se conhecer o perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes em parada cardiorespiratória (PCR). Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, com levantamento bibliográfico por meio das palavras-chave consultadas no DECS: Parada Cardíaca, Serviços Médicos de Emergência e Perfil de Saúde, nas bases de dados Scielo e LILACS, no mês de setembro de 2019. Selecionaram oito artigos para análise. Resultados: A maioria dos pacientes são do sexo masculino, raça branca; a idade das vítimas variou de 16 a 101 anos e tiveram como causa mais frequente a insuficiência respiratória e o ritmo inicial cardíaco mais comum foi Atividade Elétrica Sem Pulso. Como considerações finais, compreende-se que saber as características dos pacientes é primordial na adoção de medidas preventivas e reconhecimento precoce de fatores predisponentes que podem levar a uma PCR.
A magyar oltóanyaggyártás története
Authors: Ócsai Lajos
Published: December 2020

A közlemény bemutatja a magyar oltóanyaggyártás történetét, helyenként összekapcsolva a védőoltással megelőzhető fertőző betegségek elleni küzdelem folyamatával, aláhúzva azt a tényt, hogy az életkorhoz kötött kötelező védőoltási rend fenntartásához az elmúlt több mint 140 év alatt minden kormány tevőlegesen hozzájárult. Az írás a himlőnyirok-termeléstől, a Phy­laxiánál kezdődő diftériaszérum-termelés megindításától az Országos Köz­egész­ség­ügyi Intézet (OKI) megalakulásán át az ott folyó oltóanyag-termelésig, majd a Humán önálló vállalattá alakulásán át annak meg­szűnéséig igyekszik bemutatni az elért eredményeket. Az OKI oltóanyag-termelésével, az influenza elleni oltóanyag-előállítással kapcsolatos tevékenységével részletesebben is foglalkozik, mivel ez az 1960–1970-es években nemzetközi téren is kiemelkedő volt. A Humán Oltóanyag-termelő és Kutató Intézet tevékenységéből kiemelkedik a Di-Per-Te oltóanyag előállítása, melynek tetanuszkomponense ma is tovább él egy multinacionális oltóanyag-gyártó cég termékeiben.
A glaucomaellátás alakulása Magyarországon. Együtt járt-e harminc év technikai fejlődése az ellátás javulásával?
Authors: Holló Gábor
Published: December 2020

Az összefoglaló írás a magyarországi glaucomaellátás utóbbi harminc évének eredményeit és kudarcait tekinti át. Teszi ezt annak alkalmából, hogy a Lege Artis Me­di­cinae folyóirat három évtizede indult út­jára, és a glaucomatémájú közlemények megjelentetésével már a kezdetektől segítette az ellátás fejlődéséről szóló eredmények bemutatását. Harminc év alatt átalakult a glaucoma patomechanizmusára vo­natkozó szemlélet, elérhetővé váltak a kor­szerű automata küszöbperimetriás berendezések, létrejött a kvantitatív retinalis képalkotás, megjelentek a korszerű szemnyomáscsökkentő szemcseppek, valamint a fix kombinációs és a konzerválószer-mentes cseppkészítmények, és sokat fejlődött a glau­coma mikrosebészete is. Azonban az eredmények konvertálása a hazai rutingyakorlatba még további erőfeszítést igényel a szemorvosoktól.
Ludwig’s Angina: Case series with description of the ultrasonographic features of the emergency conditions
Authors: Delantoni Antigoni , Sarafopoulos Apostolos , Tsiropoulos Gavriil , Deniz Ahsen , Orhan Kaan
Published: December 2020

Ludwig’s Angina (LA) is a rare but rapidly evolving form of toxic cellulitis with heavy clinical symptoms and the potential of a rapid spread to adjacent cervical triangles. possible expansion.
Although the diagnosis of Ludwig's angina is more clinical, ultrasound is a necessary complementary examination to delineate the extent of the inflammation and to highlight its most common complications, such as obstruction of the airway, abscess formation, osteomyelitis and vascular clots which are indications for more immediate treatment. The use of ultrasound for evaluating the extent of the condition is not often reported (and it is reported as isolated case reports) in the literature which allows for a high end and detailed estimation of the infection and its surrounding tissues. This case series describe the USG features examination of and highlights the importance of USG imaging of spreading infections caused by dentomaxillofacial pathologies.
When your breath dyes away
Authors: Nızamı Mohammed Ismaıl
Published: December 2020

Introduction
The use of hair dye for deliberate self-harm is seen in many parts of the world. Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is the main constituent of hair dye formulations and is found to be highly toxic. The other constituents are resorcinol, propylene glycol, sodium ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid, preservatives and perfume. Clinical features of PPD poisoning include severe cervicofacial odema, chocolate colored urine, oliguria and shock. Management is mainly supportive and there are no specific antidotes.
Case report
A young lady was brought to ED with complains of sudden onset swelling of chin, neck and tongue. She was sitting upright with hoarseness of voice. She had edema over her chin and lower half of face extending to the neck. The tongue was hard and edematous. As her symptoms worsened she asked for a piece of paper to write and wrote “VASOMOL”, which is a brand name for the hair dye containing paraphenelyenediamine.
Conclusion
The difficult airway management is an essential skill needed for the emergency physician. Hair dye poisoning has been known to cause severe angioneurotic odema. Ours is a case of PPD poisoning which presented with life threatening airway odema. We followed the ABCD assessment and on determining the need for airway control, we planned a surgical airway immediately.
Por que educamos?
Authors: KOBELINSKI MICHEL , Grein Everton
Published: December 2020

Editorial e carta aos leitores!
THE ROLE OF POSITIVE AFFECT MEDIATORS ON PERSON ORGANIZATION FIT AND JOB SATISFACTION
Authors: Rumangkit Stefanus , Pratama Yan Aditiya
Published: December 2020

This study was to investigate the role of positive affect on the effect of person-organization fit and employment. This study used a quantitative approach. 135 employees who worked in PT. Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) Tarahan, Bandar Lampung was chosen as the respondent in this study. Measurement of the person-organization fit variable was measured by an instrument developed by Kristof (1996). Job satisfaction was measured using the Michigan organization assessment questionnaire (Bowling & Hammond, 2008). Positive affect was measured using the positive & negative affect schedule (PANAS) developed by Watson et al (1988). Data processing and hypothesis testing used moderating regression analysis. The findings in this investigation are: first, P-O fit had a positive and significant effect on employee job satisfaction, second, positive affect did not moderate the relationship between P-O fit and job satisfaction. This was indicated by the interaction variables that are smaller than the significance value.
Intelligent Predictive Maintenance and Remote Monitoring Framework for Industrial Equipment Based on Mixed Reality
Authors: Mourtzis Dimitris , Angelopoulos John , Panopoulos Nikos
Published: December 2020

The currently applied maintenance strategies, including Reactive and Preventive maintenance can be considered obsolete. The constant improvements in Information and Communication Technologies as well as in Digital Technologies along with the increase of computational power, have facilitated the development of new Artificial Intelligence algorithms to integrate cognition in computational systems. This trend is posing a great challenge for engineers, as such developments will enable the creation of robust systems that can monitor the current status of the machines and by extension to predict unforeseeable situations. Furthermore, Smart Computers will be capable of examining all possible scenarios and suggest viable solutions in a fraction of time compared to humans. Therefore, in this paper, the modelling, design and development of a Predictive Maintenance and Remote Monitoring system are proposed, based on the utilization of Artificial Intelligence algorithms for data acquisition, fusion, and post-processing. In addition to that, the proposed framework will integrate a Mixed Reality application for the intuitive visualization of the data, that will ultimately facilitate production and maintenance engineers to monitor the condition of the machines, and most importantly to get an accurate prediction of the oncoming failures.
Gut Microbiota Participates in Antithyroid Drug Induced Liver Injury Through the Lipopolysaccharide Related Signaling Pathway
Authors: Sun Jiayu , Zhao Fuya , Lin Baiqiang , Feng Jing , Wu Xin , Liu Yang , Zhao Lei , Zhu Biqiang , Wei Yunwei
Published: December 2020

Background: Drugs can alter the gut microbiota structure, and gut microbiota dysbiosis in turn is correlated with drug side effects through the intestinal endotoxemia hypothesis. Whether antithyroid drugs (including methimazole and propylthiouracil) cause gut microbiota dysbiosis and whether the gut microbiota is correlated with antithyroid drugs induced liver injury is unknown.

Methods: Initial Graves’ disease patients were randomly divided into the methimazole group (n = 20) and the propylthiouracil group (n = 20) and were followed up every 2 weeks; 50 healthy controls were also included. The structure and function of gut microbiota were compared from the cross sectional and longitudinal levels. The correlation between the gut microbiota and clinical parameters was also determined. In addition, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allotted into six groups, including four drug groups, which received daily doses of methimazole (1.5 mg/kg/day; 2.5 mg/kg/day) or propylthiouracil (7.5 mg/kg/day; 12.5 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage, and two control groups received the vehicle. In addition to the indexes mentioned above, intestinal barrier-related indexes were also performed.

Results: Cross sectional and longitudinal comparison results from both clinical trials and animal studies indicate that antithyroid drugs altered gut microbiota structure; and the liver function related indexes all increased which correlated with gut microbiota. In addition, lipopolysaccharide-related pathways and the lipopolysaccharide concentration in feces and serum all increased after antithyroid drugs administration. These results consistent with the destroyed intestinal barrier in animal study after antithyroid drugs administration.

Conclusion: We verified that antithyroid drugs altered gut microbiota structure and that the gut microbiota may in turn be correlated with antithyroid drugs-induced liver injury through the intestinal endotoxemia hypothesis.
Temperature Shift Between Vineyards Modulates Berry Phenology and Primary Metabolism in a Varietal Collection of Wine Grapevine
Authors: Gashu Kelem , Sikron Persi Noga , Drori Elyashiv , Harcavi Eran , Agam Nurit , Bustan Amnon , Fait Aaron
Published: December 2020

Global climate change and the expected increase in temperature are altering the relationship between geography and grapevine (V. vinifera) varietal performance, and the implications of which are yet to be fully understood. We investigated berry phenology and biochemistry of 30 cultivars, 20 red and 10 white, across three seasons (2017–2019) in response to a consistent average temperature difference of 1.5°C during the growing season between two experimental sites. The experiments were conducted at Ramat Negev (RN) and Ramon (MR) vineyards, located in the Negev desert, Israel. A significant interaction between vineyard location, season, and variety affected phenology and berry indices. The warmer RN site was generally associated with an advanced phenological course for the white cultivars, which reached harvest up to 2 weeks earlier than at the MR site. The white cultivars also showed stronger correlation between non-consecutive phenological stages than did the red ones. In contrast, harvest time of red cultivars considerably varied according to seasons and sites. Warmer conditions extended fruit developmental phases, causing berry shriveling and cluster collapse in a few cultivars such as Pinot Noir, Ruby Cabernet, and Tempranillo. Analyses of organic acid content suggested differences between red and white cultivars in the content of malate, tartrate, and citrate in response to the temperature difference between sites. However, generally, cultivars at lower temperatures exhibited lower concentrations of pulp organic acids at véraison, but acid degradation until harvest was reduced, compared to the significant pace of acid decline at the warmer site. Sugars showed the greatest differences between sites in both white and red berries at véraison, but differences were seasonal dependent. At harvest, cultivars of both groups exhibited significant variation in hexose/sucrose ratio, and the averages of which varied from 1.6 to 2.9. Hexose/sucrose ratio was significantly higher among the red cultivars at the warmer RN, while this tendency was very slight among white cultivars. White cultivars seem to harbor a considerable degree of resilience due to a combination of earlier and shorter ripening phase, which avoids most of the summer heat. Taken together, our study demonstrates that the extensive genetic capacity ofV. viniferabears significant potential and plasticity to withstand the temperature increase associated with climate change.
Mediation of a GDSL Esterase/Lipase in Carotenoid Esterification in Tritordeum Suggests a Common Mechanism of Carotenoid Esterification in Triticeae Species
Authors: Requena-Ramírez María Dolores , Atienza Sergio G. , Hornero-Méndez Dámaso , Rodríguez-Suárez Cristina
Published: December 2020

Carotenoids are essential in human diet, so that the development of programs toward carotenoid enhancement has been promoted in several crops. The cereal tritordeum, the amphiploid derived from the cross between Hordeum chilense Roem. et Schulz. and durum wheat has a remarkable carotenoid content in the endosperm. Besides, a high proportion of these carotenoids are esterified with fatty acids. The identification of the gene(s) responsible for xanthophyll esterification would be useful for breeding as esterified carotenoids show an increased ability to accumulate within plant cells and have a higher stability during post-harvest storage. In this work, we analyzed five genes identified as candidates for coding the xanthophyll acyltransferase (XAT) enzyme responsible for lutein esterification in H. chilense genome. All these genes were expressed during grain development in tritordeum, but only HORCH7HG021460 was highly upregulated. Sequence analysis of HORCH7HG021460 revealed a G-to-T transversion, causing a Glycine to Cysteine substitution in the protein of H290 (the only accession not producing quantifiable amounts of lutein esters, hereinafter referred as zero-ester) of H. chilense compared to the esterifying genotypes. An allele-specific marker was designed for the SNP detection in the H. chilense diversity panel. From the 93 accessions, only H290 showed the T allele and the zero-ester phenotype. Furthermore, HORCH7HG021460 is the orthologue of XAT-7D, which encodes a XAT enzyme responsible for carotenoid esterification in wheat. Thus, HORCH7HG021460 (XAT-7Hch) is a strong candidate for lutein esterification in H. chilense and tritordeum, suggesting a common mechanism of carotenoid esterification in Triticeae species. The transference of XAT-7Hch to wheat may be useful for the enhancement of lutein esters in biofortification programs.
Effects of Sociality Level on Companion Dog Training through Food Reinforcement
Authors: Kang Ok-Deuk
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sociality level in dogs using food reinforcement. The companion dogs living mostly inside (IS) and those living mostly outside (OS) groups were further classified into high sociality (HS) and low sociality (LS) groups using a social test. The data were analyzed by observing videos of the dogs and recording nine categories of sociality. Passive; activity; and communication tasks were measured in terms of the time the dog first contacted the trainer; the time it took for the dog to approach within 1 m of the trainer, and the time the dog remained in contact. The IS and OS groups showed no significant differences in any category; except for close to trainer within 1 m of the active phase. However, in a comparison between the overall HS and LS groups; significant positive changes were observed in all items except for the first contact time to the trainer of the passive and active phase. This is an important result of the sociality level; as positive results can be predicted not only in a dog’s ability to adapt to the environment but also in the communication and training exchanges between dogs and humans
Developing Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches to Bacterial Infections for a New Era: Implications of Globalization
Authors: Fernández Lucía , Cima-Cabal María Dolores , Duarte Ana Catarina , Rodriguez Ana , García Pilar , García-Suárez María del Mar
Published: December 2020

In just a few months, the current coronavirus pandemic has exposed the need for a more global approach to human health. Indeed, the quick spread of infectious diseases and their unpredictable consequences, in terms of human lives and economic losses, will require a change in our strategy, both at the clinical and the research level. Ultimately, we should be ready to fight against infectious diseases affecting a huge number of people in different parts of the world. This new scenario will require rapid, inexpensive diagnostic systems, applicable anywhere in the world and, preferably, without the need for specialized personnel. Also, treatments for these diseases must be versatile, easily scalable, cheap, and easy to apply. All this will only be possible with joint support of the governments, which will have to make the requirements for the approval of new therapies more flexible. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical sector must commit to prioritizing products of global interest over the most profitable ones. Extreme circumstances demand a vehement response, and any profit losses may well pay dividends going forward. Here, we summarize the developing technologies destined to face the current and future health challenges derived from infectious diseases and discuss which ones have more possibilities of being implemented.
Current Trends in Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Filin Ivan Y. , Solovyeva Valeriya V. , Kitaeva Kristina V. , Rutland Catrin S. , Rizvanov Albert A.
Published: December 2020

The search for an effective drug to treat oncological diseases, which have become the main scourge of mankind, has generated a lot of methods for studying this affliction. It has also become a serious challenge for scientists and clinicians who have needed to invent new ways of overcoming the problems encountered during treatments, and have also made important discoveries pertaining to fundamental issues relating to the emergence and development of malignant neoplasms. Understanding the basics of the human immune system interactions with tumor cells has enabled new cancer immunotherapy strategies. The initial successes observed in immunotherapy led to new methods of treating cancer and attracted the attention of the scientific and clinical communities due to the prospects of these methods. Nevertheless, there are still many problems that prevent immunotherapy from calling itself an effective drug in the fight against malignant neoplasms. This review examines the current state of affairs for each immunotherapy method, the effectiveness of the strategies under study, as well as possible ways to overcome the problems that have arisen and increase their therapeutic potentials.
Validation of the Particle-Based Multi-Analyte Technology for Detection of Anti-PhosphatidylSerine/Prothrombin Antibodies
Authors: Radin Massimo , Cecchi Irene , Foddai Silvia Grazietta , Rubini Elena , Barinotti Alice , Ramirez Carlos , Seaman Andrea , Roccatello Dario , Mahler Michael , Sciascia Savino
Published: December 2020

Among “extra-criteria” antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies, anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin (aPS/PT) antibodies, are considered a part of risk assessment strategies when investigating patients suspected of having antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). aPL detection is currently performed by solid-phase assays to identify anti-cardiolipin (aCL), anti-β2glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) and aPS/PT antibodies, but new techniques are emerging. Among these, particle-based multi-analyte technology (PMAT), which allows the full automation and simultaneous digital detection of autoantibodies and proteins, including IgG, IgA and IgM isotypes of aCL, aβ2GPI and aPS/PT. The aim of this study was to investigate the agreement of aPS/PT testing between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the PMAT platform. A total of 94 patients were enrolled in the study, including 71 patients with confirmed APS and 23 “aPL carriers”. aPS/PT IgG showed a moderate binomial agreement between ELISA and PMAT (k = 0.57, 95% CI 0.45–0.75), and aPS/PT IgM showed a moderate agreement (k = 0.60, 95% CI 0.45–0.75). Moreover, when considering the continuous agreement, both aPS/PT IgG and IgM showed a statistically significant correlation between ELISA and PMAT (Spearman’s correlation = 0.69, p < 0.001 and 0.72, p < 0.001, respectively). This study demonstrates that PMAT technology is a reliable method for aPS/PT IgG and IgM testing when compared to the available commercial ELISA kit.
Adolescent Water Safety Behaviors, Skills, Training and Their Association with Risk-Taking Behaviors and Risk and Protective Factors
Authors: Sakamoto Isabell , Stempski Sarah , Srinivasan Vijay , Le Tien , Bennett Elizabeth , Quan Linda
Published: December 2020

Background: Drowning remains the third leading cause of unintentional injury death for adolescents in the United States. Aims: This study described adolescent swimming lessons, behaviors (life jacket wear while boating) and comfort (swimming in deep water) and their association with protective and risk factors and risk-taking behaviors reported by Washington State students in Grades 8, 10, 12, primarily comprised of youth ages 13 to 18 years. Methods: This study used the 2014 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey (HYS), a publicly available dataset. Results: Most students reported having had swimming lessons, using life jackets, and comfort in deep water. Differences reflected racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities: being White or Caucasian, speaking English at home and higher maternal education. Lowest rates of comfort in deep water were among Hispanics or Latino/Latinas followed by Blacks or African Americans. Greater life jacket wear while boating was reported by females, those in lower grades and negatively associated with alcohol consumption, sexual activity and texting while driving. Having had swimming lessons was associated with fewer risk-taking behaviors. Conclusions: The HYS was useful to benchmark and identify factors associated with drowning risk among adolescents. It suggests a need to reframe approaches to promote water safety to adolescents and their families. Multivariate analysis of this data could identify the key determinants amongst the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities noted and provide stronger estimation of risk-taking and protective behaviors.
New Variations on the Theme of Multidimensional Geriatric Assessment
Authors: Wieland G. Darryl
Published: December 2020

Geriatric assessment—broadly defined—has become foundational to systems of care for frail elderly people at risk for functional decline, death, intensification of services, and long-term institutionalization [...]
Psychometric Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Derriford Appearance Scale-24 (DAS-24) for People Living with HIV/AIDS
Authors: Martins Marcos Alberto , Neves Angela Nogueira , Moss Tim , Martins Walter Henrique , Pereira Gerson Vilhena , Pessôa Karina Viviani de Oliveira , Silva Mariliza Henrique da , de Abreu Luiz Carlos
Published: December 2020

The changes in appearance of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) interferes with how people around them react to their body, how social interactions take place, and how each person perceives and accepts their body. The definition of itself can be severely challenged when the body changes as a result of illness and the person does not look healthier anymore. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) are an especially vulnerable group when it comes to “distress” and the psychosocial impact of appearance, yet the assessment of body image changes in these people was subjective in Brazil. The aim of this paper was to assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24) for a sample of Brazilians living with HIV/AIDS. A sample of 400 patients were recruited from an HIV/AIDS ambulatory, aged between 18 and 78 years, of both sexes. The psychometric properties of DAS-24 were investigated while using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), with unweighted least square estimation and listwise deletion for missing data. The adjustment of three structural models previously established for DAS-24 (single-factor, two-factor, and three-factor) was investigated. Evidences of construct validity—convergent and discriminant—and internal consistency—Cronbach’s alpha and construct reliability—were also generated for the measure model. The results showed that the one-factor model had the best adjustment, after eliminating items 8, 17, and 20, and accepting the covariance of errors between items 4 and 10; 9 and 23; 11 and 14; and, 14 and 22. Additionally, validity and reliability evidence were satisfactory for the model. The Brazilian Portuguese version of DAS-24 seems to be a psychometrically sound scale for measuring body image distress for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA).
Beneficial Effects of Physical Activity on Subjects with Neurodegenerative Disease
Authors: Vizzi Laura , Padua Elvira , D’Amico Agata Grazia , Tancredi Virginia , D’Arcangelo Giovanna , Cariati Ida , Scimeca Manuel , Maugeri Grazia , D’Agata Velia , Montorsi Michela
Published: December 2020

Studies on the effectiveness of physical exercise to treat and/or prevent mental disorders are essential and particularly appropriate, given the rapid growth of the elderly population and the consequent increase in the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases. The onset of neurodegenerative diseases is subtle, and progression is irreversible, as there is still no cure capable of stopping them permanently. Therefore, we should not underestimate these diseases and should immediately begin to combine the treatment with physical activity adapted to specific needs. Indeed, it is well known that physical activity has positive effects on mobility, autonomy, and functional capacity, improving not only cognitive functions, but also reducing the risk of developing dementia. Despite several studies in this field, to date there are no specific and effective protocols that promote physical exercise in people with dementia. Based on this evidence, the aim of the present work was to verify whether an adapted physical exercise regimen could promote the maintenance of psychomotor functions in elderly subjects and, therefore, delay the irreversible effects of combinations of dementia and other pathologies associated with aging. Our results clearly show that exercise is very effective in improving psychomotor functions and delaying the progress of neurodegenerative diseases in humans, since we observed that the subjects maintained their cognitive skills after 8 months of physical activity, moreover, two patients presented an amelioration. Based on the results obtained, we recommend that the motor practice, in any chosen form, be considered an integral part of prevention programs based on an active lifestyle in older people. Future studies will be necessary to establish how long lasting the benefits of a specific physical activity are and whether they are enough to delay cognitive decline.
PC945, a Novel Inhaled Antifungal Agent, for the Treatment of Respiratory Fungal Infections
Authors: Murray Alison , Cass Lindsey , Ito Kazuhiro , Pagani Nicole , Armstrong-James Darius , Dalal Paras , Reed Anna , Strong Pete
Published: December 2020

Disease due to pulmonary Aspergillus infection remains a significant unmet need, particularly in immunocompromised patients, patients in critical care and those with underlying chronic lung diseases. To date, treatment using inhaled antifungal agents has been limited to repurposing available systemic medicines. PC945 is a novel triazole antifungal agent, a potent inhibitor of CYP51, purpose-designed to be administered via inhalation for high local lung concentrations and limited systemic exposure. In preclinical testing, PC945 is potent versus Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp. and showed two remarkable properties in preclinical studies, in vitro and in vivo. The antifungal effects against Aspergillus fumigatus accumulate on repeat dosing and improved efficacy has been demonstrated when PC945 is dosed in combination with systemic anti-fungal agents of multiple classes. Resistance to PC945 has been induced in Aspergillus fumigatus in vitro, resulting in a strain which remained susceptible to other antifungal triazoles. In healthy volunteers and asthmatics, nebulised PC945 was well tolerated, with limited systemic exposure and an apparently long lung residency time. In two lung transplant patients, PC945 treated an invasive pulmonary Aspergillus infection that had been unresponsive to multiple antifungal agents (systemic ± inhaled) without systemic side effects or detected drug–drug interactions.
Forecasting Spatially-Distributed Urban Traffic Volumes via Multi-Target LSTM-Based Neural Network Regressor
Authors: Crivellari Alessandro , Beinat Euro
Published: December 2020

Monitoring the distribution of vehicles across the city is of great importance for urban traffic control. In particular, information on the number of vehicles entering and leaving a city, or moving between urban areas, gives a valuable estimate on potential bottlenecks and congestions. The possibility of predicting such flows in advance is even more beneficial, allowing for timely traffic management strategies and targeted congestion warnings. Our work is inserted in the context of short-term forecasting, aiming to predict rapid changes and sudden variations in the traffic volume, beyond the general trend. Moreover, it concurrently targets multiple locations in the city, providing an instant prediction outcome comprising the future distribution of vehicles across several urban locations. Specifically, we propose a multi-target deep learning regressor for simultaneous predictions of traffic volumes, in multiple entry and exit points among city neighborhoods. The experiment focuses on an hourly forecasting of the amount of vehicles accessing and moving between New York City neighborhoods through the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bridges and tunnels. By leveraging a single training process for all location points, and an instant one-step volume inference for every location at each time update, our sequential modeling approach is able to grasp rapid variations in the time series and process the collective information of all entry and exit points, whose distinct predicted values are outputted at once. The multi-target model, based on long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network layers, was tested on a real-world dataset, achieving an average prediction error of 7% and demonstrating its feasibility for short-term spatially-distributed urban traffic forecasting.
Consistent Flag Codes
Authors: Alonso-González Clementa , Navarro-Pérez Miguel Ángel
Published: December 2020

In this paper we study flag codes on Fqn, being Fq the finite field with q elements. Special attention is given to the connection between the parameters and properties of a flag code and the ones of a family of constant dimension codes naturally associated to it (the projected codes). More precisely, we focus on consistent flag codes, that is, flag codes whose distance and size are completely determined by their projected codes. We explore some aspects of this family of codes and present examples of them by generalizing the concepts of equidistant and sunflower subspace code to the flag codes setting. Finally, we present a decoding algorithm for consistent flag codes that fully exploits the consistency condition.
CT Urography Findings of Upper Urinary Tract Carcinoma and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review
Authors: Martingano Paola , Cavallaro Marco F. M. , Bozzato Alessandro M. , Baratella Elisa , Cova Maria A.
Published: December 2020

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the fourth most frequent tumor in Western countries and upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), affecting pyelocaliceal cavities and ureter, accounts for 5–10% of all UCs. Computed tomography urography (CTU) is now considered the imaging modality of choice for diagnosis and staging of UTUC, guiding disease management. Although its specificity is very high, both benign and malignant diseases could mimic UTUCs and therefore have to be well-known to avoid misdiagnosis. We describe CTU findings of upper urinary tract carcinoma, features that influence disease management, and possible differential diagnosis.
Correction: Moxley, R.A., et al. Intimate Attachment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to Urinary Bladder Epithelium in the Gnotobiotic Piglet Model. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 263
Authors: Moxley Rodney A. , Bargar Tom W. , Kachman Stephen D. , Baker Diane R. , Francis David H.
Published: December 2020

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
Detection of Oxazolidinone Resistance Genes and Characterization of Genetic Environments in Enterococci of Swine Origin, Italy
Authors: Fioriti Simona , Morroni Gianluca , Coccitto Sonia Nina , Brenciani Andrea , Antonelli Alberto , Di Pilato Vincenzo , Baccani Ilaria , Pollini Simona , Cucco Lucilla , Morelli Alessandra , Paniccià Marta , Magistrali Chiara Francesca , Rossolini Gian Maria , Giovanetti Eleonora
Published: December 2020

One hundred forty-five florfenicol-resistant enterococci, isolated from swine fecal samples collected from 76 pig farms, were investigated for the presence of optrA, cfr, and poxtA genes by PCR. Thirty florfenicol-resistant Enterococcus isolates had at least one linezolid resistance gene. optrA was found to be the most widespread linezolid resistance gene (23/30), while cfr and poxtA were detected in 6/30 and 7/30 enterococcal isolates, respectively. WGS analysis also showed the presence of the cfr(D) gene in Enterococcus faecalis (n = 2 isolates) and in Enterococcus avium (n = 1 isolate). The linezolid resistance genes hybridized both on chromosome and plasmids ranging from ~25 to ~240 kb. Twelve isolates were able to transfer linezolid resistance genes to enterococci recipient. WGS analysis displayed a great variability of optrA genetic contexts identical or related to transposons (Tn6628 and Tn6674), plasmids (pE035 and pWo27-9), and chromosomal regions. cfr environments showed identities with Tn6644-like transposon and a region from p12-2300 plasmid; cfr(D) genetic contexts were related to the corresponding region of the plasmid 4 of Enterococcus faecium E8014; poxtA was always found on Tn6657. Circular forms were obtained only for optrA- and poxtA-carrying genetic contexts. Clonality analysis revealed the presence of E. faecalis (ST16, ST27, ST476, and ST585) and E. faecium (ST21) clones previously isolated from humans. These results demonstrate a dissemination of linezolid resistance genes in enterococci of swine origin in Central Italy and confirm the spread of linezolid resistance in animal settings.
Cyclic RGD and isoDGR Integrin Ligands Containing cis-2-amino-1-cyclopentanecarboxylic (cis-β-ACPC) Scaffolds
Authors: Panzeri Silvia , Arosio Daniela , Gazzola Silvia , Belvisi Laura , Civera Monica , Potenza Donatella , Vasile Francesca , Kemker Isabell , Ertl Thomas , Sewald Norbert , Reiser Oliver , Piarulli Umberto
Published: December 2020

Integrin ligands containing the tripeptide sequences Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and iso-Asp-Gly- Arg (isoDGR) were actively investigated as inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis and directing unit in tumor-targeting drug conjugates. Reported herein is the synthesis, of two RGD and one isoDGR cyclic peptidomimetics containing (1S,2R) and (1R,2S) cis-2-amino-1-cyclopentanecarboxylic acid (cis-β-ACPC), using a mixed solid phase/solution phase synthetic protocol. The three ligands were examined in vitro in competitive binding assays to the purified αvβ3 and α5β1 receptors using biotinylated vitronectin (αvβ3) and fibronectin (α5β1) as natural displaced ligands. The IC50 values of the ligands ranged from nanomolar (the two RGD ligands) to micromolar (the isoDGR ligand) with a pronounced selectivity for αvβ3 over α5β1. In vitro cell adhesion assays were also performed using the human skin melanoma cell line WM115 (rich in integrin αvβ3). The two RGD ligands showed IC50 values in the same micromolar range as the reference compound (cyclo[RGDfV]), while for the isoDGR derivative an IC50 value could not be measured for the cell adhesion assay. A conformational analysis of the free RGD and isoDGR ligands by NMR (VT-NMR and NOESY experiments) and computational studies (MC/EM and MD), followed by docking simulations performed in the αVβ3 integrin active site, provided a rationale for the behavior of these ligands toward the receptor.
Docking Prediction, Antifungal Activity, Anti-Biofilm Effects on Candida spp., and Toxicity against Human Cells of Cinnamaldehyde
Authors: da Nóbrega Alves Danielle , Monteiro Alex France Messias , Andrade Patrícia Néris , Lazarini Josy Goldoni , Abílio Gisely Maria Freire , Guerra Felipe Queiroga Sarmento , Scotti Marcus Tullius , Scotti Luciana , Rosalen Pedro Luiz , Castro Ricardo Dias de
Published: December 2020

Objective: This study evaluated the antifungal activity of cinnamaldehyde on Candida spp. In vitro and in situ assays were carried out to test cinnamaldehyde for its anti-Candida effects, antibiofilm activity, effects on fungal micromorphology, antioxidant activity, and toxicity on keratinocytes and human erythrocytes. Statistical analysis was performed considering α = 5%. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of cinnamaldehyde ranged from 18.91 μM to 37.83 μM. MIC values did not change in the presence of 0.8 M sorbitol, whereas an 8-fold increase was observed in the presence of ergosterol, suggesting that cinnamaldehyde may act on the cell membrane, which was subsequently confirmed by docking analysis. The action of cinnamaldehyde likely includes binding to enzymes involved in the formation of the cytoplasmic membrane in yeast cells. Cinnamaldehyde-treated microcultures showed impaired cellular development, with an expression of rare pseudo-hyphae and absence of chlamydoconidia. Cinnamaldehyde reduced biofilm adherence by 64.52% to 33.75% (p < 0.0001) at low concentrations (378.3–151.3 µM). Cinnamaldehyde did not show antioxidant properties. Conclusions: Cinnamaldehyde showed fungicidal activity through a mechanism of action likely related to ergosterol complexation; it was non-cytotoxic to keratinocytes and human erythrocytes and showed no antioxidant activity.
Exo⇔Endo Isomerism, MEP/DFT, XRD/HSA-Interactions of 2,5-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde: Thermal, 1BNA-Docking, Optical, and TD-DFT Studies
Authors: Al-Zaqri Nabil , Suleiman Mohammed , Al-Ali Anas , Alkanad Khaled , Kumara Karthik , Lokanath Neartur K. , Zarrouk Abdelkader , Alsalme Ali , Alharthi Fahad A. , Al-Taleb Afnan , Alsyahi Amjad , Warad Ismail
Published: December 2020

The exo⇔endo isomerization of 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde was theoretically studied by density functional theory (DFT) to examine its favored conformers via sp2–sp2 single rotation. Both isomers were docked against 1BNA DNA to elucidate their binding ability, and the DFT-computed structural parameters results were matched with the X-ray diffraction (XRD) crystallographic parameters. XRD analysis showed that the exo-isomer was structurally favored and was also considered as the kinetically preferred isomer, while several hydrogen-bonding interactions detected in the crystal lattice by XRD were in good agreement with the Hirshfeld surface analysis calculations. The molecular electrostatic potential, Mulliken and natural population analysis charges, frontier molecular orbitals (HOMO/LUMO), and global reactivity descriptors quantum parameters were also determined at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The computed electronic calculations, i.e., TD-SCF/DFT, B3LYP-IR, NMR-DB, and GIAO-NMR, were compared to the experimental UV–Vis., optical energy gap, FTIR, and 1H-NMR, respectively. The thermal behavior of 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde was also evaluated in an open atmosphere by a thermogravimetric–derivative thermogravimetric analysis, indicating its stability up to 95 °C.
Performance Enhancement and the Spirit of the Dance. Non Zero Sum
Authors: Rodríguez López Blanca
Published: December 2020

The current anti-doping policy in sports has enormous costs in economic, social, and human terms. As these costs are likely to become even bigger with the advent of bioenhancing technologies, in this paper I analyze the reasons for this policy. In order to clarify this issue, I compare sports with dance, an activity that has many similarities with sports but where there are no bans on performance enhancers. Considering the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) criteria for banning a substance, we argue that two of them, the potential to enhance performance and the risk for health, are similar in dance and sports, thus I claim that the difference had to be in the so-called “spirit” of sports and dance. After looking into this matter and analyzing the special case of dancesport, I conclude that the main difference can be found in the competitive character of sports and the subsequent concern about competitive justice.
Study on the Effects of Physical Properties of Tenera Palm Kernel during Drying and Its Moisture Sorption Isotherms
Authors: Habibiasr Mina , Mokhtar Mohd Noriznan , Ibrahim Mohd Nordin , Md Yunos Khairul Faezah , Ibrahim Nuzul Amri
Published: December 2020

A study on the effect of the physical properties and moisture sorption isotherm of palm kernels constitutes the critical criteria in evaluating the drying performance. The drying was evaluated as a function of moisture content (MC) in the range of 0.31–0.02 kg/kg (d.b.). Whereas, the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of palm kernels (whole kernel and ground kernel) was determined experimentally using the standard gravimetric method at different temperatures (50 °C to 80 °C), over a range of relative humidity (RH) from 10% to 81%. Palm kernel length, width, and thickness decrease from 16.08 ± 2.09 mm to 14.17 ± 2.30 mm, 12.06 ± 1.40 mm to 11.24 ± 1.08 mm, and 10.01 ± 1.27 mm to 9.18 ± 1.04 mm, respectively, when MC decreased. Bulk density, surface area, and specific surface area decreased as the MC decreased, while porosity and true density were increased. EMC of palm kernels (whole kernel and ground kernel) decreased with an increase in temperature at constant RH. Modified Oswin and modified Halsey models were found to be the best for predicting desorption moisture isotherms for whole and ground palm kernel, respectively. Therefore, the study of the effect of drying on physical aspects as well as moisture sorption isotherms is important to further analyze the drying performance of Tenera palm kernel (e.g., equipment design and energy requirement).
Recent Trends in Pretreatment of Food before Freeze-Drying
Authors: Dziki Dariusz
Published: December 2020

Drying is among the most important processes and the most energy-consuming techniques in the food industry. Dried food has many applications and extended shelf life. Unlike the majority of conventional drying methods, lyophilization, also known as freeze-drying (FD), involves freezing the food, usually under low pressure, and removing water by ice sublimation. Freeze-dried materials are especially recommended for the production of spices, coffee, dried snacks from fruits and vegetables and food for military or space shuttles, as well as for the preparation of food powders and microencapsulation of food ingredients. Although the FD process allows obtaining dried products of the highest quality, it is very energy- and time consuming. Thus, different methods of pretreatment are used for not only accelerating the drying process but also retaining the physical properties and bioactive compounds in the lyophilized food. This article reviews the influence of various pretreatment methods such as size reduction, blanching, osmotic dehydration and application of pulsed electric field, high hydrostatic pressure or ultrasound on the physicochemical properties of freeze-dried food and drying rate.
Women’s Knowledge and Awareness of the Effect of Age on Fertility in Kazakhstan
Authors: Sarría-Santamera Antonio , Bapayeva Gauri , Utepova Gulnara , Krstic Jelena , Terzic Sanja , Aimagambetova Gulzhanat , Shauyen Fariza , Terzic Milan
Published: December 2020

An accurate understanding of reproductive facts is essential for appropriate decision making regarding whether, when, and how to conceive. The objective of this study was to investigate women’s knowledge of how age affects fertility and their knowledge about the effectiveness for assisted reproductive technologies for treating fertility. A cross-sectional study was conducted including women seeking fertility treatment at the University Medical Center, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan in 2018–2019. Patients were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, and knowledge and awareness about the implications of aging for fertility (advanced maternal age (AMA)) and pregnancy outcomes using fertility treatments (assisted reproductive technologies ((ART)) and the sum of both scores total knowledge score (TKS). TKS mean was 7.7 (SD = 2.1), AMA was 5.0 (SD = 1.5), and ART was 2.7 (SD = 1.5). No socio-demographic factors correlated with lower knowledge. Fertility knowledge was found to be low. No differences were found associated with socio-economic level, although they were identified in women with certain types of infertility and a history of gynecological problems. Delaying childbearing based on incorrect perceptions of female fertility could lead to involuntary childlessness. Health education regarding fertility has to be part of broader health promotion programs to enhance awareness of the effect of age on fertility.