bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simvastatin Reduces Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Effects beyond Its Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Pecoraro Michela , Marzocco Stefania , Belvedere Raffaella , Petrella Antonello , Franceschelli Silvia , Popolo Ada
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to evaluate if Simvastatin can reduce, and/or prevent, Doxorubicin (Doxo)-induced cardiotoxicity. H9c2 cells were treated with Simvastatin (10 µM) for 4 h and then Doxo (1 µM) was added, and the effects on oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, and apoptosis were evaluated after 20 h. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of Simvastatin and Doxo co-treatment on Connexin 43 (Cx43) expression and localization, since this transmembrane protein forming gap junctions is widely involved in cardioprotection. Cytofluorimetric analysis showed that Simvastatin co-treatment significantly reduced Doxo-induced cytosolic and mitochondrial ROS overproduction, apoptosis, and cytochrome c release. Spectrofluorimetric analysis performed by means of Fura2 showed that Simvastatin co-treatment reduced calcium levels stored in mitochondria and restored cytosolic calcium storage. Western blot, immunofluorescence, and cytofluorimetric analyses showed that Simvastatin co-treatment significantly reduced Doxo-induced mitochondrial Cx43 over-expression and significantly increased the membrane levels of Cx43 phosphorylated on Ser368. We hypothesized that the reduced expression of mitochondrial Cx43 could justify the reduced levels of calcium stored in mitochondria and the consequent induction of apoptosis observed in Simvastatin co-treated cells. Moreover, the increased membrane levels of Cx43 phosphorylated on Ser368, which is responsible for the closed conformational state of the gap junction, let us to hypothesize that Simvastatin leads to cell-to-cell communication interruption to block the propagation of Doxo-induced harmful stimuli. Based on these results, we can conclude that Simvastatin could be a good adjuvant in Doxo anticancer therapy. Indeed, we confirmed its antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity, and, above all, we highlighted that Simvastatin interferes with expression and cellular localization of Cx43 that is widely involved in cardioprotection.
Severe Asthmatic Responses: The Impact of TSLP
Authors: Theofani Efthymia , Tsitsopoulou Aikaterini , Morianos Ioannis , Semitekolou Maria
Published: April 2023

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the lower respiratory system and includes several categories of patients with varying features or phenotypes. Patients with severe asthma (SA) represent a group of asthmatics that are poorly responsive to medium-to-high doses of inhaled corticosteroids and additional controllers, thus leading in some cases to life-threatening disease exacerbations. To elaborate on SA heterogeneity, the concept of asthma endotypes has been developed, with the latter being characterized as T2-high or low, depending on the type of inflammation implicated in disease pathogenesis. As SA patients exhibit curtailed responses to standard-of-care treatment, biologic therapies are prescribed as adjunctive treatments. To date, several biologics that target specific downstream effector molecules involved in disease pathophysiology have displayed superior efficacy only in patients with T2-high, eosinophilic inflammation, suggesting that upstream mediators of the inflammatory cascade could constitute an attractive therapeutic approach for difficult-to-treat asthma. One such appealing therapeutic target is thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an epithelial-derived cytokine with critical functions in allergic diseases, including asthma. Numerous studies in both humans and mice have provided major insights pertinent to the role of TSLP in the initiation and propagation of asthmatic responses. Undoubtedly, the magnitude of TSLP in asthma pathogenesis is highlighted by the fact that the FDA recently approved tezepelumab (Tezspire), a human monoclonal antibody that targets TSLP, for SA treatment. Nevertheless, further research focusing on the biology and mode of function of TSLP in SA will considerably advance disease management.
Energy-Efficient Parallel Computing: Challenges to Scaling
Authors: Lastovetsky Alexey , Manumachu Ravi Reddy
Published: April 2023

The energy consumption of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) presents a new grand technological challenge. The two main approaches to tackle the challenge include the development of energy-efficient hardware and software. The development of energy-efficient software employing application-level energy optimization techniques has become an important category owing to the paradigm shift in the composition of digital platforms from single-core processors to heterogeneous platforms integrating multicore CPUs and graphics processing units (GPUs). In this work, we present an overview of application-level bi-objective optimization methods for energy and performance that address two fundamental challenges, non-linearity and heterogeneity, inherent in modern high-performance computing (HPC) platforms. Applying the methods requires energy profiles of the application’s computational kernels executing on the different compute devices of the HPC platform. Therefore, we summarize the research innovations in the three mainstream component-level energy measurement methods and present their accuracy and performance tradeoffs. Finally, scaling the optimization methods for energy and performance is crucial to achieving energy efficiency objectives and meeting quality-of-service requirements in modern HPC platforms and cloud computing infrastructures. We introduce the building blocks needed to achieve this scaling and conclude with the challenges to scaling. Briefly, two significant challenges are described, namely fast optimization methods and accurate component-level energy runtime measurements, especially for components running on accelerators.
Evaluating the Effect of Irradiation on the Densities of Two RNA Viruses in Glossina morsitans morsitans
Authors: Mirieri Caroline K. , Abd-Alla Adly M.M. , Ros Vera I.D. , van Oers Monique M.
Published: April 2023

Tsetse flies are cyclic vectors of Trypanosoma parasites, which cause debilitating diseases in humans and animals. To decrease the disease burden, the number of flies is reduced using the sterile insect technique (SIT), where male flies are sterilized through irradiation and released into the field. This procedure requires the mass rearing of high-quality male flies able to compete with wild male flies for mating with wild females. Recently, two RNA viruses, an iflavirus and a negevirus, were discovered in mass-reared Glossina morsitans morsitans and named GmmIV and GmmNegeV, respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the densities of these viruses in tsetse flies are affected by the irradiation treatment. Therefore, we exposed tsetse pupae to various doses (0–150 Gy) of ionizing radiation, either in air (normoxia) or without air (hypoxia), for which oxygen was displaced by nitrogen. Pupae and/or emerging flies were collected immediately afterwards, and at three days post irradiation, virus densities were quantified through RT-qPCR. Generally, the results show that irradiation exposure had no significant impact on the densities of GmmIV and GmmNegeV, suggesting that the viruses are relatively radiation-resistant, even at higher doses. However, sampling over a longer period after irradiation would be needed to verify that densities of these insect viruses are not changed by the sterilisation treatment.
Ovarian Cancer and Parkinson’s Disease: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Guo Jian-Zeng , Xiao Qian , Wu Lang , Chen Fa , Yin Jia-Li , Qin Xue , Gong Ting-Ting , Wu Qi-Jun
Published: April 2023

(1) Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) represent a huge public health burden. The relationship of these two diseases is suggested in the literature while not fully understood. To better understand this relationship, we conducted a bidirectional Mendelian ran-domization analysis using genetic markers as a proxy. (2) Methods: Utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with PD risk, we assessed the association between genetically predicted PD and OC risk, overall and by histotypes, using summary statistics from previously conducted genome-wide association studies of OC within the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. Similarly, we assessed the association between genetically predicted OC and PD risk. The inverse variance weighted method was used as the main method to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations of interest. (3) Results: There was no significant association between genetically predicted PD and OC risk: OR = 0.95 (95% CI: 0.88–1.03), or between genetically predicted OC and PD risk: OR = 0.80 (95% CI: 0.61–1.06). On the other hand, when examined by histotypes, a suggestive inverse association was observed between genetically predicted high grade serous OC and PD risk: OR = 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84–0.99). (4) Conclusions: Overall, our study did not observe a strong genetic association between PD and OC, but the observed potential association between high grade serous OC and reduced PD risk warrants further investigation.
Oral Sodium Chloride in the Prevention of Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Elderly Outpatients: The PNIC-Na Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial
Authors: Suárez Carantoña Cecilia , Escobar Cervantes Carlos , Fabregate Martín , López Rodríguez Mónica , Bara Ledesma Nuria , Soto Pérez-Olivares Javier , Ruiz Ortega Raúl Antonio , López Castellanos Genoveva , Olavarría Delgado Andreina , Blázquez Sánchez Javier , Gómez del Olmo Vicente , Moralejo Martín Myriam , Pumares Álvarez María Belén , Sánchez Gallego María de la Concepción , Llàcer Pau , Liaño Fernando , Manzano Luis
Published: April 2023

Objective: We aimed to test the non-inferiority of oral versus intravenous hydration in the incidence of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) in elderly outpatients undergoing a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) scan. Methods: PNIC-Na (NCT03476460) is a phase-2, single-center, randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial. We included outpatients undergoing a CE-CT scan, >65 years having at least one risk factor for CA-AKI, such as diabetes, heart failure, or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30–59 mL/min/1.73 m². Participants were randomized (1:1) to oral sodium-chloride capsules or intravenous hydration. The primary outcome was an increase in serum creatinine >0.3 mg/dL or a reduction in eGFR >25% within 48 h. The non-inferiority margin was set at 5%. Results: A total of 271 subjects (mean age 74 years, 66% male) were randomized, and 252 were considered for the main analysis (per-protocol). A total of 123 received oral hydration and 129 intravenous. CA-AKI occurred in 9 (3.6%) of 252 patients and 5/123 (4.1%) in the oral-hydration group vs. 4/129 (3.1%) in the intravenous-hydration group. The absolute difference between the groups was 1.0% (95% CI −4.8% to 7.0%), and the upper limit of the 95% CI exceeded the pre-established non-inferiority margin. No major safety concerns were observed. Conclusion: The incidence of CA-AKI was lower than expected. Although both regimens showed similar incidences of CA-AKI, the non-inferiority was not shown.
Sex-Related Differences in Outpatient Healthcare of Acute Coronary Syndrome: Evidence from an Italian Real-World Investigation
Authors: Ronco Raffaella , Rea Federico , Filippelli Amelia , Maggioni Aldo Pietro , Corrao Giovanni
Published: April 2023

At the time of first acute coronary syndrome (ACS) hospital admission, women are generally older and have more comorbidities than men, which may explain differences in their short-term prognosis. However, few studies have focused on differences in the out-of-hospital management of men and women. This study investigated (i) the risk of clinical outcomes, (ii) the use of out-of-hospital healthcare and (iii) the effects of clinical recommendations on outcomes in men vs. women. A total of 90,779 residents of the Lombardy Region (Italy) were hospitalized for ACS from 2011 to 2015. Exposure to prescribed drugs, diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests, and cardiac rehabilitation in the first year after ACS hospitalization were recorded. To evaluate whether sex can modify the relationship between clinical recommendations and outcomes, adjusted Cox models were separately fitted for men and women. Women were exposed to fewer treatments, required fewer outpatient services than men and had a lower risk of long-term clinical events. The stratified analysis showed an association between adherence to clinical recommendations and a lower risk of clinical outcomes in both sexes. Since improved adherence to clinical recommendations seems to be beneficial for both sexes, tight out-of-hospital healthcare control should be recommended to achieve favourable clinical benefits.
Peptide-Based Hydrogels: Template Materials for Tissue Engineering
Authors: Binaymotlagh Roya , Chronopoulou Laura , Palocci Cleofe
Published: April 2023

Tissue and organ regeneration are challenging issues, yet they represent the frontier of current research in the biomedical field. Currently, a major problem is the lack of ideal scaffold materials’ definition. As well known, peptide hydrogels have attracted increasing attention in recent years thanks to significant properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, good mechanical stability, and tissue-like elasticity. Such properties make them excellent candidates for 3D scaffold materials. In this review, the first aim is to describe the main features of a peptide hydrogel in order to be considered as a 3D scaffold, focusing in particular on mechanical properties, as well as on biodegradability and bioactivity. Then, some recent applications of peptide hydrogels in tissue engineering, including soft and hard tissues, will be discussed to analyze the most relevant research trends in this field.
Hyperspectral Characteristic Band Selection and Estimation Content of Soil Petroleum Hydrocarbon Based on GARF-PLSR
Authors: Shi Pengfei , Jiang Qigang , Li Zhilian
Published: April 2023

With continuous improvements in oil production, the environmental problems caused by oil exploitation are becoming increasingly serious. Rapid and accurate estimation of soil petroleum hydrocarbon content is of great significance to the investigation and restoration of environments in oil-producing areas. In this study, the content of petroleum hydrocarbon and the hyperspectral data of soil samples collected from an oil-producing area were measured. For the hyperspectral data, spectral transforms, including continuum removal (CR), first- and second-order differential (CR-FD, CR-SD), and Napierian logarithm (CR-LN), were applied to eliminate background noise. At present, there are some shortcomings in the method of feature band selection, such as large quantity, time of calculation, and unclear importance of each feature band obtained. Meanwhile, redundant bands easily exist in the feature set, which seriously affects the accuracy of the inversion algorithm. In order to solve the above problems, a new method (GARF) for hyperspectral characteristic band selection was proposed. It combined the advantage that the grouping search algorithm can effectively reduce the calculation time with the advantage that the point-by-point search algorithm can determine the importance of each band, which provided a clearer direction for further spectroscopic research. The 17 selected bands were used as the input data of partial least squares regression (PLSR) and K-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithms to estimate soil petroleum hydrocarbon content, and the leave-one-out method was used for cross-validation. The root mean squared error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) of the estimation result were 3.52 and 0.90, which implemented a high accuracy with only 8.37% of the entire bands. The results showed that compared with the traditional characteristic band selection methods, GARF can effectively reduce the redundant bands and screen out the optimal characteristic bands in the hyperspectral data of soil petroleum hydrocarbon with the method of importance assessment, which retained the physical meaning. It provided a new idea for the research of other substances in soil.
Effects of Water Velocity on Growth, Physiology and Intestinal Structure of Coral Trout (Plectropomus leopardus)
Authors: Qian Zhenjia , Xu Jincheng , Liu Andong , Shan Jianjun , Zhang Chenglin , Liu Huang
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different water velocities on the growth performance, blood physiology, and digestive capacity of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) in a Recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). One hundred and twenty healthy, uniformly sized coral trout (body mass (92.01 ± 8.04) g; body length (15.40 ± 0.65) cm) were randomly assigned to three flow velocity groups (1 bl/s, 2 bl/s, and 2.5 bl/s) and one control group (0 bl/s). The results show that the weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) of coral trout in the 2.5 bl/s water flow velocity group were significantly lower than those in the control group and 1 bl/s water flow velocity group (p < 0.05), while their feed coefficient (FC) values were significantly higher than those of the control group and 1 bl/s water flow velocity group (p < 0.05). The blood glucose (GLU) concentration of coral trout in the 2 bl/s water flow velocity group and the 2.5 bl/s water flow velocity group significantly decreased compared to those in the control group (p < 0.05), while the lactic acid (LD) concentration increased. As the cortisol (COR) concentration and lipase (LPS) enzyme activity of coral trout did not significantly change (p > 0.05), the α- AMS enzyme activity significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Under 2.5 bl/s water flow velocity, the intestinal structure of coral trout changed, and the number of goblet cells decreased. High-water flow velocities affect the physiological homeostasis and intestinal digestion of coral trout, resulting in a decrease in their growth performance, indicating that coral trout is more sensitive to high-water flow velocities. In actual RAS aquaculture, the flow rate should be controlled within 1 bl/s.
Species of the Colletotrichum spp., the Causal Agents of Leaf Spot on European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Authors: Qiao Yu-Hang , Zhang Chen-Ning , Li Min , Li Huan , Mao Yun-Fei , Chen Feng-Mao
Published: April 2023

European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) is widely planted in landscaping. In October 2021 and August 2022, leaf spot was observed on C. betulus in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. To identify the causal agent of anthracnose disease on C. betulus, 23 isolates were obtained from the symptomatic leaves. Based on ITS sequences and colony morphology, these isolates were divided into four Colletotrichum groups. Koch’s postulates of four Colletotrichum species showed similar symptoms observed in the field. Combining the morphological characteristics and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene, Apn2-Mat1-2 intergenic spacer (ApMat) gene, the calmodulin (CAL) gene, glyceraldehyde3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene, Glutamine synthetase (GS) gene, and beta-tubulin 2 (TUB2) genes, the four Colletotrichum groups were identified as C. gloeosporioides, C. fructicola, C. aenigma, and C. siamense. This study is the first report of four Colletotrichum species causing leaf spot on European hornbeam in China, and it provides clear pathogen information for the further evaluation of the disease control strategies.
Overweight/Obesity Increases the Risk of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt in Cirrhotic Patients
Authors: Gu Lihong , Yin Xiaochun , Cheng Yang , Wang Xixuan , Zhang Ming , Zou Xiaoping , Wang Lei , Zhuge Yuzheng , Zhang Feng
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on the prevalence of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) after the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure in decompensated cirrhotic patients. A retrospective observational cohort study of 145 cirrhotic patients receiving TIPS was carried out in our department from 2017 to 2020. The relationships between BMI and clinical outcomes including OHE, as well as risk factors of developing post-TIPS OHE, were analyzed. BMI was categorized as normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 23.0 kg/m2), underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), and overweight/obese (BMI ≥ 23.0 kg/m2). Among the 145 patients, 52 (35.9%) were overweight/obese and 50 (34%) had post-TIPS OHE. Overweight/obese patients more frequently had OHE compared with normal weight patients (OR: 2.754, 95% CI: 1.236–6.140; p = 0.013). Overweight/obesity (p = 0.013) and older age (p = 0.030) were independent risk factors for post-TIPS OHE according to the logistic regression analysis. Kaplan–Meier curve analysis suggested that overweight/obese patients had the highest cumulative incidence of OHE (log-rank p = 0.0118). In conclusion, overweight/obesity and older age may raise the risk of post-TIPS OHE in cirrhotic patients.
Mediation Effects of Social Cognition on the Relationship between Neurocognition and Social Functioning in Major Depressive Disorder and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Uchino Takashi , Okubo Ryo , Takubo Youji , Aoki Akiko , Wada Izumi , Hashimoto Naoki , Ikezawa Satoru , Nemoto Takahiro
Published: April 2023

Background: In schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), social cognition mediates the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning. Although people with major depressive disorder (MDD) also exhibit cognitive impairments, which are often prolonged, little is known about the role of social cognition in MDD. Methods: Using data obtained through an internet survey, 210 patients with SSD or MDD were selected using propensity score matching based on their demographics and illness duration. Social cognition, neurocognition, and social functioning were evaluated using the Self-Assessment of Social Cognition Impairments, Perceived Deficits Questionnaire, and Social Functioning Scale, respectively. The mediation effects of social cognition on the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning were examined in each group. Invariances of the mediation model across the two groups were then analyzed. Results: The SSD and MDD groups had mean ages of 44.49 and 45.35 years, contained 42.0% and 42.8% women, and had mean illness durations of 10.76 and 10.45 years, respectively. In both groups, social cognition had significant mediation effects. Configural, measurement, and structural invariances across the groups were established. Conclusion: The role of social cognition in patients with MDD was similar to that in SSD. Social cognition could be a common endophenotype for various psychiatric disorders.
The Composition of Small Extracellular Vesicles (sEVs) in the Blood Plasma of Colorectal Cancer Patients Reflects the Presence of Metabolic Syndrome and Correlates with Angiogenesis and the Effectiveness of Thermoradiation Therapy
Authors: Yunusova Natalia V. , Svarovsky Dmitry A. , Konovalov Artem I. , Kostromitsky Dmitry N. , Startseva Zhanna A. , Cheremisina Olga V. , Afanas’ev Sergey G. , Kondakova Irina V. , Grigor’eva Alina E. , Vtorushin Sergey V. , Sereda Elena E. , Usova Anna V. , Tamkovich Svetlana N.
Published: April 2023

The majority of colorectal cancer patients (CRCPs) develop tumors on the background of “metabolically healthy obesity” or metabolic syndrome. The aim of the work was to study the levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs) on the surface of blood plasma CD9-positive and FABP4-positive small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from CRCPs depending on metabolic status and tumor angiogenesis, as well as to evaluate the sEVs markers as predictors of the effectiveness of thermoradiotherapy. In CRCPs, compared with patients with colorectal polyps (CPPs), the proportion of triple positive EVs and EVs with the MMP9+MMP2-TIMP1+ phenotype increased significantly among FABP4-positive EVs (adipocyte-derived EVs), which in general may indicate the overexpression of MMP9 and TIMP1 by adipocytes or adipose tissue macrophages in CRCPs. The results obtained have prospects for use as markers to clarify cancer risk in CPPs. One can assume that for CRCPs with metabolic syndrome or metabolically healthy obesity, it is the FABP4+MMP9+MMP2-TIMP1- population of circulating sEVs that is the most optimal biomarker reflecting tumor angiogenesis. Determining this population in the blood will be useful in monitoring patients after treatment for the early detection of tumor progression. CD9+MMP9+MMP2-TIMP1- and MMP9+MMP2-TIMP1+ subpopulations of circulating sEVs are the most promising predictors of the efficacy of thermoradiation therapy because their levels at baseline differ significantly in CRCPs with different tumor responses.
Eosinopenia as a Prognostic Biomarker for Noninvasive Ventilation Use in COPD Exacerbations
Authors: Bartziokas Konstantinos , Papathanasiou Evgenia , Papaioannou Andriana I. , Papanikolaou Ilias , Antonakis Emmanouil , Makou Ioanna , Hillas Georgios , Karampitsakos Theodoros , Papaioannou Ourania , Dimakou Katerina , Apollonatou Vasiliki , Verykokou Galateia , Papiris Spyros , Bakakos Petros , Loukides Stelios , Kostikas Konstantinos
Published: April 2023

Background: In recent years, blood eosinophils have been evaluated as a surrogate biomarker for eosinophilic airway inflammation and as a prognostic indicator of the outcomes of hospitalized COPD subjects. During an exacerbation of COPD, eosinopenia has been proposed as a prognostic marker of adverse outcomes. Objectives: The aim of the present post hoc analysis was to elucidate the effectiveness of blood eosinophils for predicting the need of NIV in subjects with COPD exacerbation. Methods: Consecutive subjects admitted to a hospital for COPD exacerbation were included in the analysis. The eosinophil count from the first complete blood count was used to designate the eosinophil groups. The relationship between the clinical characteristics and blood eosinophil counts, as dichotomized using 150 cells/μL, was evaluated. Results Subjects with blood eosinophil number < 150 k/μL had a more severe disease on admission compared to subjects with ≥150 k/μL, regarding pH 7.400 (7.36, 7.44) vs. 7.42 (7.38, 7.45), p = 0.008, PO2/FiO2 levels 238.1 (189.8, 278.6) vs. 276.2 (238.2, 305.6), p < 0.001, CRP (mg/L) levels 7.3 (3.1, 19.9) vs. 3.5 (0.7, 7.8), p < 0.001 and required a longer hospital stay (days) 10.0 (8.0, 14.0) vs. 5.0 (3.0, 7.0) p < 0.001 respectively. The number of blood eosinophils correlated with the levels of CRP upon admission (p < 0.001, r = −0.334), with arterial pH upon admission (p < 0.030, r = 0.121), with PO2/FiO2 (p < 0.001, r = −0.248), and with duration of hospital stay (p < 0.001, r = −0.589). In the multinomial logistic regression analysis, blood eosinophil count < 150 k/μL was an independent predictor of the use of NIV during hospital stay. Conclusion: During COPD exacerbation, low blood eosinophil levels upon admission are related to more severe disease and can be used as a predictor of the need of NIV. Further prospective studies are needed to identify the use of blood eosinophil levels as a predictor of unfavorable outcomes.
Nasal Cytology on 241 Children: From Birth to the First 3 Years of Life and Association with Common Airways Diseases
Authors: Rosso Cecilia , Turati Federica , Saibene Alberto , Verduci Elvira , Fuccillo Emanuela , Tavilla Maria , Magnani Mauro , Banderali Giuseppe , Ferraroni Monica , De Corso Eugenio , Felisati Giovanni , Pipolo Carlotta
Published: April 2023

Background: Nasal cytology at birth and in the pediatric age is barely investigated regarding its association with the onset of common pediatric diseases. Methods: We enrolled 241 newborns within their first 24 h of life, studying their nasal cellular composition and repeating this at 1 and 3 years of life. We collected anamneses of perinatal factors and external factors (parental smoking, passive smoking, breastfeeding), and the prevalence of otitis, rhinosinusitis, bronchitis, asthma, and allergy at all timepoints. Results: 204 children completed the study. At birth, there was a prevalence of ciliated cells and rare neutrophils. At 1 and 3 years, ciliated cells started reducing in favor of muciparous cells and neutrophils. We found that caesarian delivery and nasogastric tube usage for choanal patency are significantly related to a certain cellular nasal composition. Additionally, development of upper respiratory tract infections, AOM (acute otitis media) and allergy correlates with specific cytological compositions which may predict those pathologies. Conclusions: Our study is the first to show the normal nasal mucosa cellular composition and development in the first 3 years of life in a large cohort. Nasal cytology may be a tool for early risk assessment in the occurrence of upper airway disease.
Sustainability Consequences of Making Land Change Decisions Based on Current Climatology in the Brazilian Cerrados
Authors: Silva Daniel S. , Arima Eugenio Y.
Published: April 2023

Brazil is one of the largest suppliers of commodities in the world, partly due to the agricultural expansion in the Brazilian savannas (also known as Cerrado) that began in the 1970s. However, as areas with better soil and climate for agriculture become scarce, farmers have been advancing to the ecotone between the savanna and xeric shrubland, where precipitation is less reliable for rainfed agriculture. The expected increase in temperature will lead to extended drought periods, with negative consequences for surface and groundwater resources. This study explores the hazards associated with making land-use decisions based on current climatology in regions where projected increases in temperature and reductions in water availability are anticipated to pose significant challenges to rainfed agriculture in the Brazilian Cerrado biome. We modeled future farmland expansion and how that matches with future climate change predictions (2016–2046). According to our estimates, at least 129 thousand km2 of cropland and 418 thousand km2 of pastures will be added in places with projected higher annual temperatures ranging from 26–30 °C. This is equivalent to ~60% of the current agricultural areas, and a novel agro-climatology will emerge for the Cerrado biome. Therefore, we discuss the agro-environmental policies that are pushing and pulling farmland expansion in the Cerrado. For instance, payments for environmental services could support the conservation of native vegetation on private land in regions with the highest temperature increases and deforestation risks. Moreover, in areas with expected reduced water yields, such as in the western Cerrado, the protection of riparian vegetation and strict regulation of water use could mitigate future risks to agriculture.
Leading or Constraining? Development of New-Type Urbanization under Economic Growth Targets
Authors: Deng Boxi , Zhong Fanglei
Published: April 2023

As an overarching goal, economic growth targets have a strong leading and constraining effect on the behavior of local governments. China’s new-type urbanization strategy emphasizes balanced development across population, economic, social, space, ecological and income-gap dimensions and relies on multifaceted government policies. Therefore, setting reasonable economic growth targets has an important impact on the process of new-type urbanization. This paper uses panel data from 30 provinces between 2005 and 2020 to empirically examine the impact of economic growth targets on the new-type urbanization process. The results reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth targets and new-type urbanization, with public expenditure and land finance acting as a mediator and a moderator through fiscal expenditure. The mechanisms of influence are as follows: economic growth target—infrastructure construction, regional innovation, energy structure, and financial development—population development, economic quality, ecological civilization, and income gap—new-type urbanization. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the inverted U-shaped relationship is significantly present in the western and central regions of China and before 2014. This paper not only clearly illustrates the institutional mechanism of urbanization in China but also highlights its government-led and “land-for-security” approach, which has important implications for urbanization in other regions of the world.
Classification of Rural Relative Poverty Groups and Measurement of the Influence of Land Elements: A Questionnaire-Based Analysis of 23 Poor Counties in China
Authors: Huang Keming , Xia Fangzhou
Published: April 2023

In 2021, China achieved an all-round victory in the fight against poverty and completed the task of eliminating absolute poverty. However, relative poverty will still exist for a long time. According to the degree of relative poverty, this paper divided rural population into four groups, incapability group, vulnerable group, marginal group and non-relative poverty group, to further explore the differences in specific land elements requirements among different groups. Firstly, ten factors were selected as evaluation indexes, including per capita household income, education level, poverty registration situation, employment situation, critical disease situation, natural disaster frequency situation, etc. By extracting 100 relative poverty group evaluation units as samples, the authors established a decision tree for rural relative poverty group evaluation based on an improved ID3 algorithm. Secondly, we quantified the effect of different land elements. Considering the resource, asset and capital function of land, this paper constructed an ordered logistic model with four groups as classification variables. The result showed that: (1) a better condition of land resource endowment leads to a lower degree of rural relative poverty; however, over-reliance on land increases the risk of relative poverty; (2) except for cultivation income and land transfer income, asset value and capital value of rural land are not evident. Suggestions are put forward: use land elements to build a long-term mechanism for rural relative poverty alleviation; improve the quantity, quality and spatial endowment of rural land resources; optimize the rural land property rights and land acquisition system; realize the market-based mechanism for rural land transfer; and implement the policy of Increase and Decrease Connection of Urban and Rural Construction Land.
Dynamics of Mountain Urbanisation: Evidence from the Trans-Himalayan Town of Kargil, Ladakh, India
Authors: Hussain Altaf , Schmidt Susanne , Nüsser Marcus
Published: April 2023

Small and medium-sized towns in the high mountain regions of South Asia are characterised by rapid and mostly unplanned urbanisation processes, regularly resulting in an increased risk of urban agglomerations being exposed to natural hazards. After the administrative capital of Leh, Kargil town is the second-largest urban centre in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. This article discusses the development and dynamics of the Trans-Himalayan town in terms of its historical development, expansion and population; land use and land cover (LULC) change; and the specific role of tourism. Based on a multi-temporal approach using high-resolution satellite images, statistical data and field surveys, the urban landscape dynamics of Kargil town are analysed. The total population of this town increased almost tenfold from 1681 in 1961 to 16,338 in 2011, which resulted in an increase in the urban population from 3.7% to 11.6%, while the population of the entire Kargil district only tripled from 45,064 to 140,802 over the same period. Migration from rural villages to Kargil town has been a major cause for the construction and growth of new residential colonies and settlements. The built-up area increased more than ninefold from 0.25 km2 (1.3%) to 2.30 km2 (11.7%) between 1965 and 2020. During the same period, irrigated land and hygrophilous vegetation increased considerably from 4.51 km2 (23.0%) to 8.56 km2 (43.6%) due to the construction of new water channels. Similarly, the barren area decreased significantly from 14.88 km2 (75.8%) to 8.78 km2 (44.7%) between 1965 and 2020. Moreover, the massive increase in tourist arrivals has led to the construction of more hotels, guesthouses and travel agencies. These key factors play a significant role in the emergence, growth and development of this high-mountain town.
Native and Dryland Pasture Seed Mixes Impact Revegetation 12 Years after Pipeline Construction in Southern Alberta
Authors: Ostermann D. Kelly , Dhar Amalesh , Naeth M. Anne
Published: April 2023

Activities associated with agriculture, grazing, and the energy industry have altered large tracts of native rangeland in North America. Pipelining causes intense local disturbance by removal of vegetation and alterations to soil horizons. Following a disturbance, reclamation is required to return the land to equivalent land capability. Revegetation is usually by seeding native and/or agronomic (non-native, dominant) species. This study investigated the long-term effects of native and dryland pasture (91% non-native species) seed mixes, grazing, and right-of-way (RoW) treatments on revegetation of native rangeland in southeastern Alberta. Native seed mixes were more successful at enhancing seeded vegetation cover than dryland pasture seed mixes. Grazing had a significant impact only on the survival of non-native grasses. The seed mix did not significantly affect total, native, non-native, annual, or perennial forb cover. Total forb cover was significantly higher on the trench with the dryland pasture seed mix than all other RoW treatments (storage, work). This long-term study suggests that native seed mixes can result in successful revegetation of reclamation following pipeline construction.
Land Use Simulation and Landscape Ecological Risk Assessment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Sun Nansha , Chen Qiong , Liu Fenggui , Zhou Qiang , He Wenxin , Guo Yuanyuan
Published: April 2023

The land use and land cover pattern of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is an important basis for the structure and function of the QTP ecological barrier. It is of great significance to simulate the land use pattern and landscape ecological risk of the QTP under future scenarios for the construction of the QTP barrier area and to promote the sustainable use of land resources. The QTP was selected as the study area. Based on the spatial pattern of land use in 2010 and 2020, the PLUS model was used to predict the land use patterns of the QTP in 2030 under the two scenarios of natural development and ecological conservation. The landscape ecological risk index was constructed to evaluate the past, present, and future landscape ecological risk of the QTP. The natural break point method was used to divide the landscape ecological risk index into five levels: lower ecological risk, low ecological risk, medium ecological risk, high ecological risk, and higher ecological risk. The results showed that: (1) Under the natural development scenario, the area of cropland, forestland, grassland, and unused land decreased continuously, while the areas of water and built-up land increased gradually. Under the ecological conservation scenario, the areas of forestland and grassland increased by 130 km2 and 2293 km2, respectively, compared with the natural development scenario. (2) Under the natural development scenario, the overall ecological risk of the QTP increased from 2010 to 2030, which showed that the proportions of lower ecological risk area decreased, while the proportion of medium and high ecological risk area increased. Under the ecological conservation scenario, compared with the natural development scenario, the area of lower, low, and high ecological risk increased by 4044 km2, 2484 km2, and 6401 km2, respectively, while the areas of medium and higher ecological risk decreased by 6333 km2 and 6597 km2, respectively.
Thrombolysis Outcomes in Acute Ischaemic Stroke Patients with Pre-Existing Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Ramnarine Isabela V. P. , Rasheed Omar W. , Laud Peter J. , Majid Arshad , Harkness Kirsty A. , Bell Simon M.
Published: April 2023

Background: Thrombolysis treatment for ischaemic stroke in patients with pre-existing disabilities, including cognitive impairment, remains controversial. Previous studies have suggested functional outcomes post-thrombolysis are worse in patients with cognitive impairment. This study aimed to compare and explore factors contributing to thrombolysis outcomes, including haemorrhagic complications, in cognitively and non-cognitively impaired patients with ischaemic stroke. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 428 ischaemic stroke patients who were thrombolysed between January 2016 and February 2021 was performed. Cognitive impairment was defined as a diagnosis of dementia, mild cognitive impairment, or clinical evidence of the condition. The outcome measures included morbidity (using NIHSS and mRS), haemorrhagic complications, and mortality, and were analysed using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The analysis of the cohort revealed that 62 patients were cognitively impaired. When compared to those without cognitive impairment, this group showed worse functional status at discharge (mRS 4 vs. 3, p < 0.001) and a higher probability of dying within 90 days (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.85–6.01, p < 0.001). A higher risk of a fatal ICH post-thrombolysis was observed in the cognitively impaired patients, and, after controlling for covariates, cognitive impairment remained a significant predictor of a fatal haemorrhage (OR 4.79, 95% CI 1.24–18.45, p = 0.023). Conclusions: Cognitively impaired ischaemic stroke patients experience increased morbidity, mortality, and haemorrhagic complications following thrombolytic therapy. However cognitive status is not independently predictive of most outcome measures. Further work is required to elucidate contributing factors to the poor outcomes observed in these patients and help guide thrombolysis decision-making in clinical practice.
Pathophysiological Effects of Contemporary Lifestyle on Evolutionary-Conserved Survival Mechanisms in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Parker Jim
Published: April 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is increasingly being characterized as an evolutionary mismatch disorder that presents with a complex mixture of metabolic and endocrine symptoms. The Evolutionary Model proposes that PCOS arises from a collection of inherited polymorphisms that have been consistently demonstrated in a variety of ethnic groups and races. In utero developmental programming of susceptible genomic variants are thought to predispose the offspring to develop PCOS. Postnatal exposure to lifestyle and environmental risk factors results in epigenetic activation of developmentally programmed genes and disturbance of the hallmarks of health. The resulting pathophysiological changes represent the consequences of poor-quality diet, sedentary behaviour, endocrine disrupting chemicals, stress, circadian disruption, and other lifestyle factors. Emerging evidence suggests that lifestyle-induced gastrointestinal dysbiosis plays a central role in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Lifestyle and environmental exposures initiate changes that result in disturbance of the gastrointestinal microbiome (dysbiosis), immune dysregulation (chronic inflammation), altered metabolism (insulin resistance), endocrine and reproductive imbalance (hyperandrogenism), and central nervous system dysfunction (neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous system). PCOS can be a progressive metabolic condition that leads to obesity, gestational diabetes, type two diabetes, metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This review explores the mechanisms that underpin the evolutionary mismatch between ancient survival pathways and contemporary lifestyle factors involved in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of PCOS.
Cationic Nano-Lipidic Carrier Mediated Ocular Delivery of Triamcinolone Acetonide: A Preclinical Investigation in the Management of Uveitis
Authors: Nirbhavane Pradip , Moksha Laxmi , Sharma Gajanand , Velpandian Thirumurthy , Singh Bhupinder , Katare O. P.
Published: April 2023

The current study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of a novel nano-lipoidal eye drop formulation of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for the topical treatment of uveitis. The triamcinolone acetonide-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (cTA-NLC) were developed by employing ‘hot microemulsion method’ using biocompatible lipids, which exhibited a sustained release nature and enhanced efficacy when evaluated in vitro. The in vivo efficacy of this developed formulation was tested on Wistar rats, and a single-dose pharmacokinetic study was conducted in rabbits. The eyes of animals were examined for any signs of inflammation using the ‘Slit-lamp microscopic’ method. The aqueous humor collected from the sacrificed rats was tested for total protein count and cell count. The total protein count was determined using BSA assay method, while the total cell count was determined by Neubaur’s hemocytometer method. The results showed that the cTA-NLC formulation had negligible signs of inflammation, with a clinical score of uveitis 0.82 ± 0.166, which is much less than control/untreated (3.80 ± 0.3) and free drug suspension (2.66 ± 0.405). The total cell count was also found to be significantly low for cTA-NLC (8.73 ± 1.79 × 105) as compared to control (52.4 ± 7.71 × 105) and free drug suspension (30.13 ± 3.021 × 105). Conclusively, the animal studies conducted showed that our developed formulation holds the potential for effective management of uveitis.
Effect of Third-Particle Material and Contact Mode on Tribology Contact Characteristics at Interface
Authors: Horng Jeng-Haur , Yu Chia-Chun , Chen Yang-Yuan
Published: April 2023

A moving pair with two-body contact is the ideal situation assumed in previous analyses. However, all moving pairs are in a three-body contact state at the start of operation or immediately after the start of operation, such as bearings, ball-screws, gears and engines. This work studies the influence of wear particles (SUJ2), environmental particles (SiO2 and Al2O3) and nano-additives (CuO) on the tribological contact characteristics under different particle concentrations, particle sizes, surface roughnesses and contact modes. The three-body microcontact analysis revealed that the differences in the real contact area, particle contact area and separation of the four-particle materials in the three-body s–s and p–s contact modes are rather small. Under the three-body hybrid contact mode, the difference is relatively large and the sequence of the real contact area value obtained due to the elastic modulus for the four-particle material at this interface is Al2O3 > SUJ2 > CuO > SiO2. The order of the other two contact characteristics is reversed. The difference increases as the particle size or particle concentration increases. The order of the critical load required to transform three kinds of contact modes is SiO2 > CuO > SUJ2 > Al2O3. On the nearly initial three-body hybrid contact mode, the plastic contact area ratio at the interface first increases to a critical value and then decreases as the load increases because the original plastic contact spot area and contact spot number increases with the increase in load. At the same time, the elasto-plastic contact area ratio decreases to a low value and then increases. The elastic contact area ratio at the interface decreases as the load increases. Among the four third-particle materials, the experimental results and theoretical predictions show that the environmental particles, Al2O3, cause the maximum friction and wear observed at the interface.