bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rab11A depletion in microglia-derived extracellular vesicle proteome upon beta-amyloid treatment
Authors: Mignogna Giuseppina , Fabrizi Cinzia , Correani Virginia , Giorgi Alessandra , Maras Bruno
Published: July 2022

Microglia, the macrophage-like glial cells, behave as sentinels against exogenous pathogens invading the neural tissue. Their commitment is not only confined to the defensive function, but they also perform balancing trophic activities such as neuronal postnatal development, remodelling and pruning of synapses. Likewise, microglia-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can play strategic roles in maintaining health brain by modulating neuronal activity and by controlling neurite outgrowth as well as innate immune response. Nevertheless, strong evidence also points to their role in the development of neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we explored EV protein content released by BV2 microglial cells in resting state and after stimulation with beta-amyloid peptides (Ab), mimicking conditions occurring in AD. In the resting BV2 cells, we extended the list of proteins present in mouse microglia EV cargo with respect to those reported in Vesiclepedia exosome database while, in amyloid-triggered microglia, we highlighted a pronounced drop in EV protein content. Focusing on Rab11A, a key factor in the recycling routes of amyloid species, we observed a dramatic decrease of this protein in Aβ-treated microglia EV cargo with respect to the EVs from the untreated sample. This decrease might affect the delivery of Rab11A to neurons thus increasing the harmful amyloid burden in neuronal cells that eventually may lead to their death. We tentatively proposed that alterations observed in EVs derived from Aβ-treated microglia may represent molecular features that, among other, shape the disease-associated microglia phenotype, a recently proposed subset of microglial population, present in neurodegenerative pathologies.
Glucose withdrawal-induced Chinese hamster ovary cells apoptosis and its potential role in process robustness assessment
Authors: Guo Meijin , Xiao Shang , Li Qiang , Jiang Jinlong , Huo Chengxiao , Chen Hao
Published: July 2022

Establishing a robust process has always been one of the main goals of cell culture process development. To achieve this goal, glucose needs to be maintained at a low concentration to reduce lactate production, the main metabolic by-product. Keeping glucose low for long periods of time is a big challenge which can lead to glucose withdrawal. This study found that prolonged glucose withdrawal led to CHO cells apoptosis and the tolerance time of CHO cells to glucose withdrawal differed with the process conditions and the culture phases. A robust cell culture process allowed CHO cells to tolerate glucose withdrawal longer time, suggesting that the robustness of the process may be judged by the time duration for which CHO cells tolerated glucose withdrawal. Currently, assessment of process robustness is often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and material-intensive by process characterization studies. Therefore a simple and time-saving method is highly needed for the biopharmaceutical industry. The aim of this study was to investigate glucose withdrawal-induced apoptosis and develop a simple and time saving strategy for assessing the robustness of cell culture processes. The strategy we present may be used to expedite the assessment of process robustness to obtain a robust cell culture process for other biologics.
Adaptation of the Tuning Parameter in General Bayesian Inference with Robust Divergence
Authors: Yonekura Shouto , Sugasawa Shonosuke
Published: July 2022

We introduce a novel methodology for robust Bayesian estimation with robust divergence (e.g., density power divergence or γ-divergence), indexed by tuning parameters. It is well known that the posterior density induced by robust divergence gives highly robust estimators against outliers if the tuning parameter is appropriately and carefully chosen. In a Bayesian framework, one way to find the optimal tuning parameter would be using evidence (marginal likelihood). However, we theoretically and numerically illustrate that evidence induced by the density power divergence does not work to select the optimal tuning parameter since robust divergence is not regarded as a statistical model. To overcome the problems, we treat the exponential of robust divergence as an unnormalisable statistical model, and we estimate the tuning parameter via minimizing the Hyvarinen score. We also provide adaptive computational methods based on sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) samplers, which enables us to obtain the optimal tuning parameter and samples from posterior distributions simultaneously. The empirical performance of the proposed method through simulations and an application to real data is also provided.
Partnership Quality and Maternal Depressive Symptoms across the perinatal Period: A prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Schwarze Cornelia E. , Lerche Veronika , Pauen Sabina , Wallwiener Stephanie
Published: July 2022

Purpose. Maternal depression during pregnancy and postpartum is a frequent mental disorder exerting detrimental effects on affected mothers and their infants. A dysfunctional partner relationship during this critical period is recognized as a risk factor for maternal depressiveness. However, the causal relation between partnership quality and perinatal maternal depression has been sparsely studied so far. The current study aims to longitudinally assess relationship quality from pregnancy to postpartum and to test a potential association with maternal perinatal symptoms of depression.Methods. Differing from previous studies, partnership quality and symptoms of depression have been assessed prospectively and longitudinally in a sample of 353 women from the second trimester of pregnancy until six months postpartum. Cross-lagged panel models were applied to investigate the causal relationship between partnership quality and perinatal maternal depressive symptoms.Results. Relationship quality decreased significantly during the transition to parenthood with the steepest decline in tenderness. We found a significant association of relationship quality and maternal symptoms of depression. However, cross-lagged panel models did not confirm the discovered association as causal.Conclusions. The results outline that the transition to parenthood is associated with major changes in the couple’s relationship. However, the cause-and-effect associations may be more complex as previously assumed. Our findings emphasize the importance of providing early prevention and intervention for peripartum women and their partners to improve relationship quality and to prevent adverse outcome for the family.
Process Development and Optimization of Wastewater Derived Integrated Biorefinery for Production of Bio-Based Energy Carriers Employing Spirodela polyrhiza
Authors: Riaz Fatima , Ali Sidra , Perveen Saleha , Irfan Muhammad , Ali Mahwish , Khan Samiullah , Shah Aamer Ali , Ahmed Safia , Jamal Asif , Badshah Malik
Published: July 2022

The excesssive use of agrochemicals to fulfill the high demand of agricultural products has been imposing numerous negative impacts on the environment for decades worldwide. Untreated wastewater with high chemical load and unutilized nutrients of fertilizers and pesticides released from agricultural farms results in contamination and intoxication of clean water bodies. Giant duckweed specifically Spirodela polyrhiza specie has shown the potential to efficiently uptake nutrients from nutrient rich waters thus, it can be employed cost-effective approach for phytoremediation of agricultural runoff. S. polyrhiza biomass also serves as an alternative feedstock for the production of biofuels which is another precedence of using this method. In this study, the potential of S. polyrhiza for removing nitrogen and phosphates from the agricultural runoff was determined by growing it in the agricultural runoff under lab conditions. Upto 70% and 78% removal of nitrogen and phosphates respectively was achieved during the treatment of agricultural runoff by Spirodela polyrhiza. The starch content of Spirodela polyrhiza was elevated 58% during 10–12 days of nutrient starvation at the end of the agricultural runoff treatment process. The biomass obtained was pretreated with dilute acid that liberated 96.4% glucose from the starch-rich biomass. This glucose was used as a substrate for the fermentation process carried out by Saccharomyces cerevisiae QG1 MK788210 yeast strain which yielded 99% volumetric conversion of glucose into bioethanol. The remaining fermentation vinnasse was anaerobically digested and 589 Nml/g VS biogas yield was obtained. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study that develops a lab-scale bioprocess in terms of integrated wastewater derived S. polyrhiza biorefinery.
Helicobacter pylori Infection Eradication on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yu Ying-ying , Tong Yu-ling , Wu Ling-yan , Yu Xin-yan
Published: July 2022

Previous studies have found that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of H. pylori eradication treatment on NAFLD patients. Two hundred NAFLD patients who tested positive for H. pylori infection were randomized into the H. pylori eradication treatment group or the control group. Metabolic and inflammatory parameters and FibroScan were measured in all subjects at baseline and 1 year after treatment. At 1 year after treatment, the decrease in metabolic indicators, such as fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides, body mass index and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) value, were more obvious in the treatment group. Moreover, the inflammatory indicators white blood count (WBC) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and the inflammatory factors Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and Tumor necrosis facter-α(TNF-α) were also significantly decreased. H. pylori eradication can further reduce the metabolic indices of NAFLD and the degree of liver steatosis. H. pylori infection may participate in the occurrence and development of NAFLD through its influence on inflammatory factors. Thus, checking for the presence of H. pylori infection in patients at risk of NAFLD may be beneficial.
Activated carbon nanofiber nanoparticles incorporated electrospun polycaprolactone scaffolds to promote fibroblast behaviors for application to skin tissue engineering
Authors: Choi Sangmun , Raja Iruthayapandi Selestin , Selvaraj Aravindha Raja , Kang Moon Sung , Hyon Suong-Hyu , Han Dong-Wook , Park Jong-Chul
Published: July 2022

The most widely used one-dimensional (1D) carbonaceous nanomaterials in tissue engineering are carbon nanotubes, either single or multiwalled. Other forms of 1D nanomaterials, such as carbon nanowires and carbon nanofibers, have been less explored for biomedical applications. Herein, we synthesized 1D activated carbon nanofiber nanoparticles (ACNF NPs) from the polyacrylonitrile electrospun nanofibers by continuous processes like stabilization, alkali treatment, calcination and grinding. Two different sets of ACNF NPs-containing electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber mats, viz. surface-modified NPs-deposited mats (ACNF@PCL) and NPs-incorporated mats (ACNF-PCL), were prepared to examine their potential as skin tissue engineering scaffolds. We studied physicochemical characterizations such as Raman and X-ray diffraction spectra to confirm the prepared ACNF NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showed that ACNF NPs are sized 280 ± 100 nm by diameter and 565-3322 nm by length. The NPs concentrated above 30 µg/mL were found to exhibit toxicity with <70 % viability of NIH3T3 fibroblasts on 48 h. The ACNF-PCL nanofiber mats displayed better cell proliferation profile showing significant changes compared to PCL and ACNF@PCL mats on days 1, 3, and 5. Hence, we concluded that ACNF-PCL mats with less concentration of ACNF NPs have more potential to support cellular growth, ensuring its possible impact on skin tissue regeneration.
Optimization on Video Super Resolution using Predictive Analytics with Machine Learning Concepts
Authors: S Safinaz , Rekha K Bhanu
Published: July 2022

For particular image super-resolution, HR image is assessed by discovering natural image priors and self-similarity surrounded by image and for video super resolution. Similarly, spatial information through positions and temporal information through frames could be used to develop specifics for LR frame. Objective: So far several research works has been carried out in this area of research and this current research aims to develop an effective hybrid RNN-ACO algorithm for enhancing the video super resolution. Data description: To examine the performance metrics, the research is carried out in PYTHON tool which shows the accuracy of proposed approach. Deployment of hybrid RNN-ACO model to improve the video super resolution framework will be implemented and the evaluation parameters such as F-Score, Precision, Recall, Fscore, accuracy, resolution level, Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), IFC, VII, and FII will be analysed and compared for individual RNN and ACO and combined RNN-ACO model.
Influence of perioperative fluid balance on clinical outcomes after hepatic resection in patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction
Authors: Shin Jungho , Suh Suk-Won
Published: July 2022

BackgroundMaintenance of low central venous pressure (CVP) during hepatic resection to minimize intraoperative blood loss requires compensative administration of large amounts of fluid after its completion. However, this fluid challenge may influence on the postoperative outcomes of patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) who cannot tolerate volume adjustment.MethodsA total of 206 patients with who underwent hepatic resection between March 2015 and February 2021 were evaluated. LVDD was defined according to the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging 2016 recommendations as LVDD (group A, n = 39), or normal LV diastolic function and indeterminate decision (group B, n = 153).ResultsCVP at the end of surgery was significantly higher in group A than in group B (6.35 ± 3.45 vs. 5.12 ± 2.80, P = 0.025). Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI, 10.3% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.004) and pleural effusion or edema (51.3% vs. 30.1%, P = 0.013) were more common in group A than in group B. Further, creatinine levels from postoperative day 1 to day 7 were significantly higher and daily urine outputs at postoperative day 1 (P = 0.038) and day 2 (P = 0.025) were significantly lower in group A than in group B. LVDD was the only significant risk factor for postoperative AKI after hepatic resection (odds ratio, 10.181; 95% confidence interval, 1.570-66.011, P = 0.015).ConclusionThe rates of renal dysfunction and pulmonary complications after hepatic resection are higher in patients with LVDD than in those with normal LV diastolic function. Thus, these patients require delicate fluid management.
The Causal Relationship Between White Blood Cells Counts and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Pan Guo-Qiang , Yang Chun-Cheng , Shang Xiao-Ling , Dong Zhao-Ru , Li Tao
Published: July 2022

Background
Studies have reported that 90% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arise and progress on the background of chronic inflammation. The presence of infiltrating inflammatory cells is associated with tumor initiation, progression and clinical response to treatment. Whether white blood cells (WBC) subtypes counts increase or decrease the occurrence of HCC remains unclear.
Methods
In this study, we made a Mendelian randomization (MR) study with the validation of two datasets. The summary data for WBC counts were extracted from a recent large GWAS of the European ancestry individuals. We obtained GWAS data which related to HCC from UK Biobank (UKB). We performed univariable and multivariable MR analysis to identify whether genetic evidence of risk factors was significantly associated with HCC risks.
Results
In discovery dataset, multivariable MR analysis revealed that among the 8 traits of WBC counts, sum basophil neutrophil counts had an independent causal effect on occurrence of HCC. Sum basophil neutrophil counts: (OR = 0.437, P = 0.003, CI: 0.252–0.757). Similarly, in validation dataset, it was also observed that sum basophil neutrophil counts was the independent risk factor for HCC. Sum basophil neutrophil counts: (OR = 0.574, P = 0.021, CI: 0.358–0.920).
Conclusion
In European population, genetically-predicted the lower sum basophil neutrophil counts might be an independent risk factor of HCC.
WITHDRAWN: Effects of wall heat conduction properties on the methanol reforming process characteristics of microchannel reactors for hydrogen production
Authors: Chen Junjie
Published: July 2022

This study relates to a thermochemical process for producing hydrogen by the catalytic endothermic reaction of methanol with steam in a thermally integrated microchannel reforming reactor. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are conducted to better understand the consumption, generation, and exchange of thermal energy between endothermic and exothermic processes in the reactor. The effects of wall heat conduction properties on the methanol reforming process characteristics of microchannel reactors for hydrogen production are investigated. Particular emphasis is placed on the dependence of heat transfer characteristics on wall heat conduction properties in various situations, with an attempt to improve the distribution of thermal energy for use in microchannel reforming reaction systems for hydrogen production. The results indicate that the reactor design suffers from a fundamental limitation resulting from the flow configuration in which a reacting stream flows parallel to a heat transfer surface through which the majority of heat is transferred perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow. The thermal conductivity of the channel walls is fundamentally important. Materials with high thermal conductivity are preferred for the channel walls. Thermally conductive ceramics and metals are well-suited. Wall materials with poor heat conduction properties degrade the reactor performance. Balancing the heat requirements of an endothermic reaction with heat generated by an exothermic reaction flowing parallel to and on the opposite side of a separating plate is extraordinarily difficult. Along the flow length of the plate that divides exothermic and endothermic reactions, the heat flux through the plate that is perpendicular to fluid flow will vary due to temperature and reaction rate differences along the flow length of the plate.
Watermelon Planting Decisions with Multiple Risks: A Simulation Analysis
Authors: Athearn Kevin , Burani-Arouca Marina , Dufault Nicholas , Fraisse Clyde , Freeman Joshua , Hochmuth Robert , Sanchez Tatiana , Borisova Tatiana , Pittman Tyler , Harlow Luke
Published: July 2022

Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] growers choose transplanting dates every year considering multiple risk factors. Earlier harvests linked to earlier planting typically find more favorable markets, but earlier planting has higher risk of freeze damage. Research also indicates that risk of fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum) is higher during cooler weather, adding to the risk of planting earlier. Thus, growers need to balance market risk (e.g., getting a low price) and production risk (e.g., lower harvest or higher cost due to freezing temperatures or disease) in selecting a planting date. The objective of this analysis is to examine the effect of planting date on the distribution of potential economic returns and evaluate whether late planting could be a favorable risk-management strategy. Probability distributions are estimated for key risk factors based on input from watermelon growers, published price data, historical freeze data, experiment station trials, and expert discussions. The distribution of economic returns is then simulated for three planting windows (early, middle, and late) using simulation software. Results demonstrate planting date risk–return tradeoffs and indicate that late planting is unlikely to be preferable to middle planting, even when risk of fusarium wilt is high.
The Return of the Singularities: Applications of the Smeared Null Energy Condition
Authors: Freivogel Ben , Kontou Eleni-Alexandra , Krommydas Dimitrios
Published: July 2022

The classic singularity theorems of General Relativity rely on energy conditions that can be violated in semiclassical gravity.
Here, we provide motivation for an energy condition obeyed by semiclassical gravity: the smeared null energy condition (SNEC), a proposed bound on the weighted average of the null energy along a finite portion of a null geodesic. We then prove a semiclassical singularity theorem using SNEC as an assumption. This theorem extends the Penrose theorem to semiclassical gravity. We also apply our bound to evaporating black holes and the traversable wormhole of Maldacena-Milekhin-Popov, and comment on the relationship of our results to other proposed semiclassical singularity theorems.
Motivations and barriers to embracing augmented reality: An exploratory study with Vietnamese retailers
Authors: Ninh Nguyen Hai
Published: July 2022

The most crucial key to successfully approaching customers is enhancing the interaction experience between customers and retailers. This study explores the motivations for adopting augmented reality (AR) in retailing small and medium-sized retailers in Vietnam. A structured questionnaire was delivered to a total sample of 302 Vietnamese retailers and got 215 clean and valid responses. The survey was conducted both online and offline for ten months, from February 2021 to December 2021. The chosen surveyors are retailing managers and owners of retailing firms. These firms sell fashion products, technology gadgets, and household products. The data were statistically analyzed using Smart PLS software and the partial least equation structural model. The findings indicate three direct, positive, and significant factors that influence the retailer’s AR adoption, including (1) organizational attitude toward AR, (2) organizational innovativeness, and (3) competition pressure in which organizational attitude toward AR and organization innovativeness are two critical motivational drivers. The competition pressure has been identified as the challenge barrier. The cost barriers affect organizational attitude toward AR but do not significantly influence AR adoption. Along with theoretical contributions, this paper also gave some theoretical and practical implications for retailers who have the intention to adopt AR and integrate AR into their current retailing system.
A new method of amblyopia treatment in children with unstable central and eccentric fixation using biofeedback
Authors: Tarutta E. P. , Khubieva R. R. , Milash S. V. , Apaev A. V. , Aklaeva N. A. , Zolnikova I. V.
Published: July 2022

Purpose.  To develop a new method of amblyopia treatment in children with unstable central and eccentric fixation by centralizing visual fixation and increasing retinal photosensitivity in the macular region using biofeedback.

   Material and methods.  The study included 27 patients (27 eyes) with amblyopia of various origins, aged 5 to 17 (averagely 9.15 ± 3.19 years), who were able to perform training sessions on the MP-3 Nidek microperimeter (Japan). In addition to standard examination, all patients underwent binocular status assessment using a four-point test, macular electroretinography, microperimetry, optical coherence tomography (OCT). The treatment, carried out on the microperimeter using visual (flickering checkerboard pattern) and sound signal biofeedback, consisted of 10—15 sessions, 10—12 minutes each. All patients were examined before treatment cycle, immediately upon the end of the cycle, and also 1 and 3 months after it.  

   Results.  Preliminary results showed an increase in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from 0.41 ± 0.24 to 0.68 ± 0.27 (33.9 %), the photosensitivity of the retina in the fovea increased from 27.07 ± 3.90 to 29.8 ± 3.3 dB (10 %), fixation density in the central region from 59.80 ± 31.08 to 72.05 ± 34.5 %(20.4 %) with its amplitude decreased by more than two times. After treatment, unstable central fixation changed to stable central fixation in all cases. With eccentric fixation, the fixation point shifted closer to the central region, and fixation characteristics improved in 75 % of cases. The obtained results retained throughout the observation period which lasted up to 3 months.

   Conclusion.  The proposed new treatment method of amblyopia with impaired fixation of various degrees proved to be effective and safe and can be recommended for use in pediatric patients.
Clinical and morphological aspects of the development of secondary ophthalmic hypertension in uveal melanoma
Authors: Grishina E. E. , Setdikova G. R. , Kim I. D. , Bogatyrev A. M. , Loskutov I. A. , Eremeeva E. R.
Published: July 2022

Ophthalmic hypertension is mostly associated with medium- or large-sized melanomas. The pathogenesis of persistent IOP elevation in uveal melanoma is not fully understood at present.

   Purpose. To analyze the clinical and morphological mechanisms of the development of secondary ophthalmic hypertension in patients with uveal melanoma.

   Material and methods. The case histories of 26 patients with T3N0M0-T4N0M0 uveal melanoma were analyzed retrospectively from 2015 to 2019. The main group included 18 patients with secondary monolateral IOP elevation while the control group was composed of 8 patients with normal IOP. Tumors in both groups were comparable in size. All patients underwent eradication treatment (enucleation/exenteration). Enucleated eys were histologically examined.

   Results. Pronounced pathological changes of the iridocorneal angle, iris and ciliary body were found morphologically in all specimens with elevated IOP. The following dominating mechanisms ofophthalmic hypertension were detected: iris and anterior chamber angle neovascularization; tumor-associated chronic uveitis; obstruction of trabecular meshwork by cellular elements (pigment-rich macrophages, blood cells, inflammatory cells); fibrosis and deformation of trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal; closed angle glaucoma with lens-iris diaphragm shift; tumor invasion into the angle.

   Conclusions. Investigation of morphological changes in patients with UM and found resemblances with already studied non-tumor forms of glaucoma may help find previously undetectable receptors for the development of targeted anti-tumor drugs.
Acute retinal necrosis in a patient with one seeing eye and reactivated herpesviral infection. A case report
Authors: Neroev V. V. , Zaytseva O. V. , Shvetzova N. E. , Ilyukhin P. A. , Milash S. V. , Myshko I. V.
Published: July 2022

We present a brief description of acute retinal necrosis, a rare and severe condition that is accompanied by a rapid development of inflammatory and occlusive events in the retinal vasculature preceding peripheral necrotizing retinitis. Despite successful etiotropic conservative therapy, the disease is complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy with a high risk of retinal detachment, leading to irreversible loss of sight. We present a clinical case of acute retinal necrosis in a patient with one seeing eye who experienced a reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection, discussing the treatment details and result.
Smart contact lenses and anterior chamber electronic implants: prospects of application in ophthalmology
Authors: Shamaev D. M. , Zayats V. V. , Iomdina E. N. , Luzhnov P. V. , Nikitin O. I.
Published: July 2022

Systemic and ophthalmological diseases are on the rise the world over, which is, to a large extent, caused by life expectancy growth. Therefore, early diagnosis, screening and monitoringpossibilities of human health parameters is becoming more and more important. Contact lenses, due to being fitted on the eye’s surface, are constantly wetted by tear fluid, and due to present-day microelectronics achievements may be used as a convenient technical means for locating a variety of sensors. The existing prototypes of electronic contact lenses (ECL) are able to monitor intraocular pressure (IOP), levels of glucose, hormones and other biomarkers that reflect the presence of ophthalmic and systemic diseases. The review discusses the publications focused on prototyping results and first laboratory tests. As of today, only one developed device is available for clinical practice (IOP monitoring), others are at different stages of research but have all potentials for being used widely.
Remote functional and anatomical results of idiopathic macular hole surgery performed without postsurgical vitreous cavity tamponade
Authors: Kleymenov A. Yu. , Kazaykin V. N. , Lizunov A. V.
Published: July 2022

Purpose. To assess remote results of our method of macular hole (MH) surgery without postsurgical vitreous cavity tamponade.

   Material and methods. 34 eyes of34 patients were operated for full-thickness MH 100 to 932 (558.5 ± 50.9) microns in diameter with no vitreous cavity tamponade. Before surgery, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.02 to 0.25 (0.11±0.02). The operation included 3-port 25—27 G vitrectomy, separation of posterior hyaloid membrane, staining and removal of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) with subsequent ex­change of salt solution for air. The hole edges were passively (without touching the retina) pulled towards the center using an extrusion cannula through air supplied into the vitreous cavity under the pressure of 20—25 mm Hg. After that, 0.05 to 0.1 ml of platelet rich plasma (PRP) of the patient was applied to macular hole zone. In 2 minutes, a fibrin film was formed at the place of application which was pressed to the retina by injecting 0.5 ml of Perfluororganic Compound liquid (PFCL) into the vitreous cavity. PFCL was exposed for 3 minutes, whereupon it was passively aspirated. The operation was completed by air exchanged for salt solution. High specific weight of PFCL facilitated a tight adhe­sion of fibrin film to the retina. The follow-up period was 1 to 20 months (7.9±0.8 on average).

   Results. After the surgery, complete closure of the macular hole was achieved in 32 of 34 cases (94.1%). No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. Postsurgical BCVA improved to 0.3—0,7(0.50 ± 0.05). At the initial stage of the study, a recurrence ofMH took place in two cases associated with partial mechanical displacement of the fibrin film by the cannula during PFCL removal.

   Conclusions. The proposed method of macular hole surgery avoiding postoperative vitreous cavity tamponade with gas or another vitreous substitute is effective, speeds up the rehabilitation and may be used in routine clinical practice, especially in patients with the only seeing eye, those with a transparent lens, those who need to take a plane or rise at great heights soon after the surgery, as well as those at risk of increased IOP or unable to sustain a forced head position even for a short time span.
Optimization of diagnostics of retinopathy of prematurity stages based on the integration of clinical data using the Key to Diagnosis I software
Authors: Pererva O. A. , Kovalevskaya M. A.
Published: July 2022

Despite the improvement of algorithms of preterm infants’ management, methods for predicting, diagnosing and treating ROP remains a vital issue.

   Purpose:  to improve the diagnostics of retinopathy of prematurity based on the assessment of vascular system configuration, using Key to Diagnosis I software.

   Material and methods.  279 patients with ROP were divided into 6 groups: group 1 included 152 patients (304 eyes) with stage I; group 2 — 45patients (90 eyes) with stage II; group 3 — 8patients (12 eyes) with stage III; group 4 — 7 patients (8 eyes) with stage IVA; group 5 — 7 patients (14 eyes) with posterior aggressive ROP; control group 6 — 60patients (120 eyes) diagnosed with immature retina who have no ROP signs. 28 eyes were analyzed using wide-field imaging, while 400 eyes were analyzed by separate images. The presence o f“mute” zones, macula localization, traction index of the macular zone (Tm), zone and span of pathological changes, fractal dimension (Df) and complexity of vascular system (СVS) were assessed on automatically created wide-field images, obtained by Ret-Cam Shuttle.

   Results.  We revealed strong correlation between Df and stages (p = 0.85, p = 0.01); moderate negative correlation of Тm and stages (p = 0.62, p = 0.01), except for posterior aggressive ROP; strong positive correlation between CVS and stages ( p  = 0.91, p = 0.001). Diagnostic modules of the software have been developed to create wide-field fundus imaging in infants, localize the macula as a marker for morphometry, and isolate the vascular system using deep convolutional neural networks.  

   Conclusions.  The developed algorithm for multivari­ate analysis of the retinal vascular system reduces the risks of subjective assessment of retinal changes.
Imagined Ethnography and Cultural Strategies: A Study of Easterine Kire’s Sky is My Father and Don’t Run, My Love
Authors:   Department of English, Faculty of Arts Benares Hindu University, Varanasi, India., Kumar Shiv
Published: July 2022

Stuart Hall, in his 1983 lectures states, “people have to have a language to speak about where they are and what other possible futures are available to them….These futures may not be real; if you try to concretize them immediately, you may find there is nothing there. But what is there, what is real, is the possibility of being someone else, of being in some other social space from the one in which you have already been placed.” (Hall, 2016, p.205) The literature from Northeast India puts forward the issue of systematic erasure and structural exclusion [institutionalized through legal mechanisms like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.] from the mainstream national imagination and literary space. Easterine Kire’s primary agenda is to revitalize cultural practices that have been facing “historical elision.” (Sarkar, 1997, p.359) This elision threatens the poly-ethnic, culturally vibrant, and tribal cultures by constructing and presenting the northeastern region of India as a conflict-ridden space. Situated within this ontology of existence, reality, and becoming, Easterine Kire’s Don’t Run, My Love (2017) and Sky is My Father: A Naga Village Remembered (2018) revive and revitalize the folktales and cultural practices to assert the cultural economy of the Naga tribes. Her writings represent a politically conscious positionality of the characters, context, and the plot to assert the culturally constituted identity through the revival of vibrant cultural practices and tribal epistemologies.
The Politics of Cultural Homogenization and Territorialization: Representation of Northeast in Tinkle’s WingStar Series
Authors:   Dept of English and Cultural Studies, Christ University, Bengaluru, India, Abraham Renu Elizabeth
Published: July 2022

Tinkle, the children’s magazine in English in India has been instrumental in shaping the imagination of the young urban Indian child ever since its inception in 1980. No other magazine has the readership and reach that Tinkle enjoys with a circulation of more than 3 lakh. The fact that Tinkle has survived unlike many other magazines in India for 40 odd years is testimony (marketing strategies aside) of its reach and popularity. Tinkle, ever since the days of its founder-editor Anant Pai, has been instrumental in constructing “imagined communities” of national identities for children in India over the decades since the 1970s ever since the Amar Chitra Kathas. One such attempt in constructing children’s imaginaries is the addition of a series Wing Star in 2015, scripted by Sean D’mello and inked by Vineet Nair that features Mapui Kawlim, a 13-year-old superhero from Aizwal, Mizoram. While it is empowering that a national mainstream popular magazine for children would feature a female superhero from among the less represented Northeastern states, what is problematic, according to this study, is the manner in which there has been a conscious erasure of all markers of her ethnicity by appropriating her into the larger mainstream homogenised pan-Indian identity of a young female superhero with no specific markers to represent the culture she belongs to. This study will attempt to read this ‘sanitised’ representation of a Northeastern superhero in the light of the idea of cultural appropriation and deterritorialization and reterritorialization posited by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari that looks at the erasure of specific ethnic and other identities markers. This study will also engage with the implications of how ‘sanitised’ representations like this in popular narratives would construct and homogenise the imaginaries of the children of a country as they would grow up with erroneous notions of cultural ethnicities and diversity within the country adding to the problematics of marginalisation and hegemonic nationalities.
Performance of carbendazim removal using constructed wetlands for the Ethiopian floriculture industry
Authors: Wehbe Stan , Zewge Feleke , Inagaki Yoshihiko , Sievert Wolfram , Uday Kumar N.T. , Deshpande Akshay
Published: July 2022

Carbendazim is a pesticide commonly used in Ethiopian flower farms and has harmful effects on aquatic, invertebrate, and mammalian life. Previous studies have explored ways to remedy carbendazim toxicity; however, the use of constructed wetland (CW) systems for carbendazim removal from farm water runoff has not been explored in depth. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a CW system for carbendazim removal from wastewater runoff. A two-stage pilot CW was built and tested for its efficacy of carbendazim removal under saturated conditions and varying hydraulic loading rates. The influent was pumped into the first vertical-flow mesocosm. The drained water was then pumped into the second mesocosm. The collected effluent was tested for carbendazim removal. Carbendazim removal efficiencies up to 91.80% (with a hydraulic loading rate of 100 Ld−1 and influent carbendazim concentration of 10 μg L−1) were observed. Statistical analysis indicated that the removal of carbendazim was not correlated with the initial carbendazim concentration but was negatively correlated with the hydraulic loading rate used. Two pesticide removal mechanisms were briefly probed to determine their participation in carbendazim removal. Substrate sorption accounted for 18% of total carbendazim removal; furthermore, plant uptake also played an active role.
Life insurance as a tool to increase the welfare of the russian population
Authors: Baburina Natalya A. , Ivanova Nadezhda V.
Published: July 2022

Life insurance has been the driving force behind the development of the Russian insurance market in recent years. The types of life insurance that are significant insurers in Russia include not only insurance protection for the population, but also compliance with the requirements for increasing financial resources, and thus high economic indicators of human welfare. The article provides a statistical analysis of the development of insurance in Russia on a special rise, which showed a progressive increase in insurance premiums and international agreements to identify risks. Also, it was found that the predominant types are accumulative and investment life insurance, which allow not only to provide insurance protection, but also implement accumulative and investment functions. At the same time, a significant territorial differentiation of insurance premiums for life insurance in Russia and a low level of its penetration were determined.

The work systematized the studies of economists devoted to the indication of the determinants of the development of life insurance. An attempt was made to estimate the determinants according to Russian data. The authors built econometric models that allowed to determine the main factors influencing the development of life insurance as a way to strengthen the financial position of an individual in Russia.

As a result of the study, it was revealed that at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the determinants of demand are both social and economic factors. The stable regressors, significant in all constructed models, were the gross regional product per capita, the average monthly accrued wages, the female population and the number of unemployed. Also significant in some models were the population size and the level of education of the able-bodied population.
Circular Economy Education – Challenges for Poland in the Context of Good Practices
Authors: Klimska Agnieszka
Published: July 2022

The article describes the circular economy (CE) model within the context of the idea of sustainable development, primarily in relation to the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The main goal of the article is to show and evaluate the activities that are carried out in Poland regarding the implementation of the CE model in business and assess the development of circular economy education. On their basis, it can be concluded that actions for CE are being undertaken in Poland more and more often. However, the pace of their introduction is not satisfactory. Education is one of the key tools determining the success of the implementation of the circular economy model into practice. While circular economy education is developing in many European countries, there are not many initiatives in this area in Poland. In response to this, some possible directions for popularizing CE through education were recommended at the end of the article.
The recent fluvial fan of Lorca (Murcia) and its transition to the Guadalentín River: geological controls during the latest Pleistocene-Holocene
Authors: García-Mondéjar Joaquín , Martínez Rodríguez Andrés , Ponce García Juana
Published: July 2022

The fluvial fan of Lorca (Murcia) (AFL acronym in Spanish), located in the Guadalentín depression to the SE of the city, is approximately 11.5 km long, 9 km wide and 19 m maximum thick, and is presently cut by the Guadalentín river. Data from 17 excavations in the city and its surroundings revealed the presence of silts and channelized sands and gravels in the proximal fan, and tabular silts and clays in both the mid and distal fan. The age of the unit is latest  Pleistocene - Holocene and the age of its excavation early Holocene. Incision of the fan head stopped more than 5000 years ago, when the Guadalentín river reached approximately 13 m below the fan surface at the fan apex, and three main erosional terraces were formed. The fan was formed during the change from glacial to interglacial conditions by subsidence in the basin, enhanced by sedimentary loading and compaction of the pre-fan series. Transition from fan to river is attributed to downthrow of the Guadalentín depression to NE of Lorca. This is demonstrated by fan thickness distribution, fan-base and internal beds tilting, palaeocurrents shift, erosional meander formation, tectonic activity in both Alhama de Murcia fault and Guadalentín river blind fault, and headward erosion in Viznaga rambla. The end of the last endorheism in Lorca in early Holocene, and in the rest of Guadalentín depression during the late Holocene, suggests transpression and transtension effects increased by unloading processes in adjacent areas, and probably flexion by loading in the Mediterranean platform after Pleistocene ice melting.
The beginning of Military Geology in Spain
Authors: Durán López Antonio
Published: July 2022

The beginning of Military Geology dates back, according to historians of this science, when Napoleon recruited four geologists for his campaign from Egypt at the end of the 18th century. However, the first writings on this subject will not appear until the next century. Despite the fact that in Spain this science has never developed, it was the Spanish military man and enlightened Juan Sánchez Cisneros, the author in 1819 of the first work that deals with this matter in a specific way. The work of Sánchez Cisneros has been studied in some publications and in some thesis but never as the initiator of the science of Military Geology; a discipline that has been widely studied in all developed countries, in which a large amount of literature on this subject has been produced. In this lines it is proposed that the founder of Military Geology in Spain was Juan Sánchez Cisneros and that his book Elementos sublimes de geografía física aplicados a la ciencia de campaña was the first work of this discipline in Europe.
Territorial imbalances associated with mining activity in Calimaya, State of Mexico
Authors: Valencia García Eduardo Alberto , Ordaz Hernández Alexis , Baró Suárez José Emilio , Carrasco Gallegos Brisa Violeta
Published: July 2022

Mining is an industrial activity which greatest impact on the ecosystem usually occurs at the end of the exploitation stage, if the mining project has not included a final stage of restoration of the work, it is important to give the affected space proper follow-up. This work focuses on diagnosing the territorial imbalances associated with the mining activity in Calimaya, an area exposed to open pit mining for approximately 30 years. The methodology considers social, legal, cultural, physical and economic aspects, in order to understand the dynamics of the factors present in the study area. General mining cartographic data for the Calimaya area in the State of Mexico, reference images and the application of remote sensing techniques were used for the diagnosis. In the geographic space studied, the main environmental problems were revealed, derived from the uncontrolled open-pit mining activity of stone products. Likewise, actions to mitigate the negative effects derived from this activity are proposed in the research.
The large synforms of the Mesozoic in the Valencia Gulf and the Messinian in the Cadiz Gulf
Authors: Martínez del Olmo Wenceslao
Published: July 2022

Two seismic programs allow to interpret two local and notable synform geometries, which as far as we know have not been described in the numerous bibliographic references that can be consulted in their areas of existence: Mesozoic of the Gulf of Valencia and Messinian of the Gulf of Cadiz. Since they were not drilled by any well, the conclusions of this work have to be taken as interpretations derived from the seismic images and the very different lithostratigraphic and structural contexts of both areas. 1) The Gulf of Valencia syncline is characterized by a thick (6500-7500 m) paraconformity set of materials deposited between the salt of the Triassic and the regional discordance of the Lower Miocene, which by its thicknesses and location is attributed to the southern extension of the Iberian Mountain Range. 2) The Gulf of Cadiz syncline is attributed to an inter-olistostromic sub-basin filled with facies equivalent to the so-called limestones and shales of Carmona, which are covered by a mild erosive discordance of the Upper Messinian-Lower Pliocene age. Both examples suggest that two very different structural and stratigraphic contexts lead to the creation of large sub-basins with synformal geometry.
ELEMENTOS PARA LA DISCUSIÓN SOBRE LAS CLÁUSULAS BÁSICAS DEL DEBIDO PROCESO
Authors:   Universidad Diego Portales, Riego Cristian
Published: July 2022

EL texto presenta un conjunto de antecedentes acerca de las distintas vías por las cuales en los años recientes ha llegado a la legislación chilena un conjunto muy importante de cláusulas del debido proceso. El autor repasa las constituciones chilenas, el proceso de reformas judiciales y el derecho internacional de los Derechos Humanos como las vías más importantes por medio de las cuales el debido proceso se ha hecho presente en el país, identificando algunos contenidos y algunas características de esas diversas fuentes, las que pueden servir para una mejor comprensión de las garantías y su aplicación.