bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testis and Epididymis – Unusual Sites of Metastatic Gastric Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Ji Junjie , Guan Fengju , Yao Yu , Sun Lijiang , Zhang Guiming
Published: May 2022

Background: Although gastric cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, cases of gastric cancer metastasis to the male reproductive system are rare. Here, we report a case involving testicular and epididymal gastric cancer metastases.Case presentation: The case involved a 75-year-old Chinese man who complained of experiencing palpable painful masses in the right scrotum for 6 months. The patient had undergone distal gastrectomy with chemotherapy for pT3N3aMx poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma 9 months before. Physical examination revealed a moderate right hydrocele and painful masses in the right testis and epididymis. Serum tumor biomarkers were all normal except for elevated beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels. Computed tomography urography and B-ultrasound imaging revealed a moderate right hydrocele and mixed solid-cystic masses in the right testicular and epididymal area. Thus, the patient underwent right radical orchiectomy. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin pan and caudal related homeodomain transcription 2. Metastatic, poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma of the testis and epididymis was confirmed by pathology. The patient continued to undergo chemotherapy at the department of oncology in our hospital. Mesenteric lymph node metastases were found at the postoperative 1-month follow-up.Conclusion: Palpable, painful scrotal masses of unknown cause, a history of gastric cancer, and imaging features may indicate testicular and epididymal metastatic gastric cancer, which should be accurately differentiated from primary testicular neoplasms.
New Statistical Perspectives on Bath's Law and Aftershock Productivity
Authors: Grimm Christian , Rupprecht Teresa , Johnson Kendra , Hainzl Sebastian , Küchenhoff Helmut , Käser Martin , Pagani Marco
Published: May 2022

The well-established Bath's law states that the average magnitude difference between a mainshock and its strongest aftershock is roughly 1.2, independently of the size of the mainshock. The main challenge in calculating this value is the bias introduced by missing data points when the strongest aftershock is below the observed cut-off magnitude. Ignoring missing values leads to a systematic error, because the data points removed are those with particularly large magnitude differences $\Delta M$. The error is minimized, if we restrict the statistics to mainshocks at least two magnitude units above the cut-off, but then the sample size is strongly reduced. This work provides an innovative approach for modelling $\Delta M$ by adapting methods for time-to-event data, which often suffers from incomplete observation (censoring). In doing so, we adequately account for unobserved values and estimate a fully parametric distribution of the magnitude differences $\Delta M$ for $M>6$ mainshocks. Results show that magnitude differences are best modeled by the Gompertz distribution, and that larger $\Delta M$ are expected at increasing depths and higher heat flows. A simulation experiment suggests that $\Delta M$ is mainly driven by the number and the magnitude distribution of aftershocks. Therefore, in a second study, we modelled the variation of aftershock productivity in a stochastically declustered local catalog for New Zealand, using a generalized additive model approach. Results confirm that aftershock counts can be better modelled by a Negative Binomial than a Poisson distribution. Interestingly, there is indication that triggered earthquakes trigger themselves two to three times more aftershocks than comparable background events. This effect can either be an indicator for incorrect trigger pair assignments as a result of the declustering approach, or it may represent an actual effect due to a higher prevalent energy level in the tectonic system during on-going earthquake sequences. If confirmed, this effect must be carefully considered in forward simulations of earthquake sequences, as otherwise there is a risk of substantially underestimating cluster sizes and consequently overestimating $\Delta M$.
A self-inactivating system for AAV-mediated in vivo base editing
Authors: Zuo Yuanbojiao , Wang Peipei , Gao Yandi , Zhang Chen , Zhou Yuan , Li Haiwen , Chen Zhiheng , yang zuocheng , Xu Jie , Zhang Jifeng , Chen Y. , Han Renzhi
Published: May 2022

DNA base editors have been harnessed as an exciting therapeutic platform for human diseases and are rapidly progressing into human clinical trials. However, persistent expression of base editors delivered via adeno-associated virus (AAV) poses concerns with specificity and immunogenicity. Here we develop self-inactivating base editor (siBE) systems with a negative feedback loop where one guide RNA (gRNA) targets the gene of interest and the other targets the deaminase domain itself. We demonstrate that siBE confers efficient on-target editing with time-dependent self-inactivation and increased editing specificity. For the in vivo utilization, we further employ the intein split approach to package siBE targeting mouse Angptl3 into AAV9. Systemic delivery of AAV9-siBE confer efficient editing of Angptl3 in liver, resulting in reduced serum levels of ANGPTL3, triglyceride and total cholesterol, with the active base editor undetectable at 8 weeks after administration. These self-inactivating base editing systems are highly promising for future therapeutic applications.
Vitamin D receptor gene ApaI polymorphism and susceptibility to osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: A meta-analysis from 22 Studies. Running title: VDR ApaI gene polymorphism and Osteoporosis
Authors: Wang Boyuan , Zhang Xili , Chu Liwei , Yang Chenfei , Nie Ruixin
Published: May 2022

Objective: The ApaI polymorphism (G>T, rs7975232) of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is located at the 3’-untranslated end, which does not alter the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein but influences gene expression, regulating mRNA stability[1, 2]. Although the role of ApaI in the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis has been widely researched, the current results have yielded conﬂacts. Therefore, we performed an updated pooled analysis to provide comprehensive data on the association between VDR ApaI polymorphism and postmenopausal osteoporosis risk. Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, Weipu, CNKI, and Wanfang databases were searched for eligible studies from the database establishment to August 2021. Articles on the relationship between VDR gene ApaI polymorphism and osteoporosis were searched from the database. Case-control studies containing available genotype frequencies of A/a were chosen. The Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scales (NOS) standard was used to evaluate the quality of the literatures that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The odds ratio (OR) value with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used to assess the strength of this association. According to the heterogeneity, the fixed-effect model or random-effect model was used to combine the effect amount.Results: 22 studies assessed the relationship between ApaI polymorphism and the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. The comprehensive analyses showed no significant association for ApaI polymorphism with postmenopausal osteoporosis in the overall population, equally valid for Asian and Caucasian subgroups with any genetic model.Conclusion: The present meta-analysis suggests that the VDR ApaI genotype may not affect the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Asians and Caucasians. This is the latest period meta-analysis for the associations between VDR ApaI polymorphism and postmenopausal osteoporosis, as far as we know.
Inhibition of key digestive enzymes related to diabetes and protection of β-cell and liver- kidney functions by Hypnea spinella sulfated polysaccharide in diabetic rats
Authors: Gara Amel Ben , Hammami Nadia , Chaaben Rim , Feki Abdelfattah El , Pattie Francesco Paolo , Belghith Karima , Dahech Imen
Published: May 2022

The present study investigates the protective effects of sulfated polysaccharide isolated from Hypnea spinella alga (HSSP) on alloxan-induced stress oxidant, hepatic dysfunction and histological changes in male rats liver, pancreas and kidney. The chemical characterization of HSSP using various assays such as FIR, XRD and GC-MS spectroscopy. Our results showed that HSSP reduced the activity of α-amylase in serum, pancreas and intestine, as well as a reduction of blood glucose level. In addition, HSSP enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced lipid peroxidation in the hepatic, pancreatic and renal antioxidant enzymes and improved the liver-kidney dysfunction parameters by decreasing of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine, albumin and urea rates in plasma. Moreover, HSSP treatment in diabetic rats protects against alloxan induced pancreatic β-cells and hepatic cells damages.
Trend Prediction of Carbon Peak in China’s Animal Husbandry Based on the Empirical Analysis of 31 Provinces in China
Authors: Cheng Ming , Yao Wenjie
Published: May 2022

Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2008 to 2020, this paper examines the affecting factors of carbon emissions from animal husbandry from aspects of environmental technology, economic structure, economic scale and population size, and calculates the peaking time and amount of the carbon emissions in China’s animal husbandry by predicting the carbon emissions in different scenarios. The results show that: (1) According to the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, with other affecting factors predetermined , there is an inverted U-shaped curvilinear relationship between carbon emissions from China’s animal husbandry and GDP per capita, with a GDP per capita of RMB 180,000 at the turning point; (2) Most provinces in China are expected to achieve carbon peak in animal husbandry by 2030, and the country is expected to reach peak carbon emissions in animal husbandry by 2026; (3) Policy interventions should primarily target environmental technologies and strive to reduce carbon emissions per unit animal husbandry output value by 1.2% per year after 2020 so that China’s animal husbandry can achieve carbon peak in 2026. The conclusion of this paper is of great significance for optimizing the carbon peak and carbon neutral strategy and promoting the sustainable development of animal husbandry in China.
Lifelong Matrix Completion With Sparsity-number
Authors: ramazanli ilqar
Published: May 2022

Adaptive matrix completion has been at the center of compressed sensing research for a long time. Adaptivity interacts with the problem both in multi-phase and single-phase settings. One of the modern ideas in adaptive matrix completion is related to sparsity-number. It has shown that the sparsest vector of column and row space carries crucial information regarding low-rank exact completion. However, currently, the proposed method requires many phases going over columns of the matrix. Therefore, in this paper, we suggest an algorithm that studies how to recover the column space in a single phase using the idea of sparsest vectors. Moreover, we extend our method to make it robust to sparse noise in some columns. We provide experimental evidence to illustrate the performance of our algorithm.
Experimental Study Aimed to Identify Volatile Biomarkers of Bovine Tuberculosis in Cows Emitted through the Breath, Skin and Feces
Authors: Brebu Mihai , Simion Violeta Elena , Andronie Viorel , Jaimes-Mogollón Aylen Lisset , Beleño-Sáenz Kelvin Jesús , Ionescu Florina , Welearegay Tesfalem Geremariam , Suschinel Raluca , de Lema Jose Bruno , Ionescu Radu
Published: May 2022

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious disease with significant impact on animal health, public health and international trade. Standard bTB screening in live cattle consists in injecting tuberculin and measuring the swelling at the place of injection few days later. This procedure is expensive, time-consuming, logistically challenging, and is not conclusive before performing confirmatory tests and additional analysis. The analysis of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by non-invasive biological samples can provide an alternative diagnostic approach suitable for bTB screening. In the present study, we analyzed VOC samples emitted through the breath, feces and skin of 18 cows diagnosed with bTB from three farms from Romania, as well as of 27 negative cows for bTB from the same farms. Analytical studies employing gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry revealed 80 VOCs emitted through the breath, 200 VOCs released by feces, and 80 VOCs emitted through the skin. Statistical analysis of these compounds allowed the identification of 3 tentative breath VOC biomarkers, 9 tentative feces VOC biomarkers, and 3 tentative skin VOC biomarkers. The possible pathway of these volatile biomarkers is discussed.
Carbonic anhydrase IX-targeted chemodynamic & photodynamic cancer stem cell therapy
Authors: Jung Hyo Sung , Koo Seyoung , Won Miae , An Seeun , Park Haebeen , Sessler Jonathan , Han Jiyou , Kim Jong Seung
Published: May 2022

Chemoresistance originating from cancer stem cells (CSCs) is a major cause of cancer treatment failure and highlights the need to develop CSC-targeting therapies. Although enormous progress in both photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has been made in recent decades, the efficacy of these modalities against CSC remains limited. Here, we report a new generation photosensitizer, CA9-BPS-Cu(II), a system that combines three subunits within a single molecule, namely a copper catalyst for CDT, a boron dipyrromethene photosensitizer for PDT, and acetazolamide for CSC targeting via carbonic anhydrase-9 (CA9) binding. A therapeutic effect in MDA-MB-231 cells was observed that is ascribed to elevated oxidative stress mediated by a combined CDT/PDT effect, as well as through copper-catalyzed glutathione oxidation. The CSC targeting ability of CA9-BPS-Cu(II) was evident from its specific affinity for CD133-positive MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, its efficacy was successfully demonstrated in a xenograft mouse tumor model.
Genome-wide identification, structural analysis and expression profiles of SRS gene family in quinoa
Authors: Zhu Xiaolin , Wang Baoqiang , Wang Xian , Wei Xiaohong
Published: May 2022

Background
In response to various abiotic stressors, many SRS genes linked to several physiological and developmental processes. However, comprehensive analysis of this gene family is lacking for quinoa.
objective
The objective of this study was to identify the SRS gene family in Quinoa and to investigate its role in abiotic stress.
Methods
Bioinformatics for SRS family identification and characterization, the responses of CqSRS genes to NaCl (100 mmol/L), ABA (200 umol/L), low temperature (4℃) and drought were detected by qRT-PCR.
Results
10 SRS genes were identified in quinoa, and they were distributed on 9 chromosomes, and there were 4 pairs of duplicated genes. The number of amino acids encoded ranged from 143 to 370, and the isoelectric point ranged from 4.81 to 8.90. The secondary structure was mainly composed of random coil(Cc). Most of the SRS gene encoding proteins were located in the cytoplasm (5 CqSRS). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CqSRS gene was divided into three evolutionary groups, and the gene structure showed that the number of exons of CqSRS was between 2–5. Promoter analysis revealed that there are a total of 44 elements related to plant hormone response elements, light response elements, stress response elements and tissue-specific expression in the upstream regin of the gene. Protein interaction showed that all 10 CqSRS proteins appeared in the known protein interaction network diagram in Arabidopsis. Expression profile analysis showed that CqSRS genes had different expression patterns, and some genes had tissue-specific expression. qRT-PCR showed that all SRS family genes responded to ABA, NaCl, drought and low-temperature treatments, but the expression levels of different CqSRS genes were significantly different under various stresses.
Conclusion
This study lays a foundation for further analyzed the function of CqSRS family genes.
Directions and risks of legal rights enforcement by territorial communities after the opening of the agricultural land market in Ukraine
Authors: Ladyka Volodymyr , Kurylo Mykola , Bozkurt Kutluhan , Klochko Alyona , Zapara Svitlana
Published: May 2022

The need for state management of the land market is stipulated with the necessity for rational use of agricultural land and preservation of its fertility. This study aims to identify the risks that have arisen with opening the land market in Ukraine. Moreover, it develops effective measures to minimize such risks, designed to enforce the legal right of amalgamated territorial communities to acquire ownership of agricultural land. The comparative law method was used in a sample analysis of legal precedents on liability for offenses in land relations, as well as the regulations that establish liability for offenses in this field and certain provisions of the legal precedents of the European Court of Human Rights. Following the study, proposals were formulated intending to improve land management in favor of the decentralized model and enforce the legal rights of amalgamated territorial communities due to the opening of the land market in Ukraine. An innovative strategy is proposed for the functioning of land relations, aimed to improve the process of their regulation in the land market performance, and its components are outlined. Implementation of the proposed strategy for the functioning of land relations will improve the transfer mechanisms of agricultural land to the amalgamated territorial communities. It will also mitigate the identified risks in the land market performance in Ukraine.
The impact of green organizational identity on green innovation at Jordanian food and beverage companies
Authors: Al-Zu’bi Hasan , Albloush Ahmad
Published: May 2022

Integrating environmental objectives into an organization’s mission and strategies improves the organization’s image as a socially responsible organization and helps it take a leading position of advantage. Due to the increasing pressures towards sustainability and environmental policies, organizations are making efforts in this direction. This study is aimed at identifying the impact of green organizational identity (GOI) on green innovation (GI). Data were collected from 168 employees working in food and beverage industry companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. SPSS was employed to analyze the data and test the hypothesis. The study finds a significant positive effect of GOI on GI product and GI process. The study recommends that companies show interest in GOI for their role in raising GI levels. Due to cultural differences between countries that limit the generalizability of the study results, it is recommended to conduct another study in Western culture to determine their applicability.
Grafen-Si3N4 Takviyeli Hidroksiapatit Nanokompozitlerin Mekanik ve Yapısal Özellikleri
Authors: ÖZEN Mustafa , DAŞ Ruken , AÇIKGÖZ Abuzer , AKTAŞ Bülent , DEMİRCAN Gökhan , HANÇER Levent Nazim , BALAK Mehmet Vehbi
Published: May 2022

Hidroksiapatitin (HA) kemik ve dişlerin inorganik yapısına benzerlik gösterdiği bilinmektedir. Fakat düşük mekanik özelliklere sahip olduğu için saf haldeki HA’nın kemik-diş implantlarında kullanımı sınırlıdır. Bu sorunun üstesinden gelmek için çeşitli biyo seramikler kullanılarak kompozit oluşturulabilir. Bu çalışmada HA’ya farklı miktarlarda grafen ve sabit miktarda Si3N4 takviye edilmesiyle yüksek mekanik dayanıma sahip ve biyouyumlu yeni bir kompozit malzeme üretilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Farklı miktarlarda takviye oranlarına sahip 5 farklı Hidroksiapatit- Silisyum Nitrür- Grafen biyokompozitler tek eksenli pres yardımıyla pellet haline getirilmiş ve nihai mukavemeti kazanması içinde 1100 °C sıcaklıkta 2 saat sinterlenmiştir. Numunelerin yoğunlukları Arşimet prensibine göre belirlenmiş, mikro yapısı taramalı elektron mikroskobu (SEM) ile analiz edilmiştir ve oluşan fazlar XRD analizi ile tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca numunelerin sertlikleri Microvickers ile ölçülmüştür. Yapılan çalışmalar sonucunda HA’ya grafen ve Si3N4 takviye edilmesiyle sertlik ve yoğunluk değerlerinin arttığı tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca SEM görüntülerinde kırılma tokluğunu arttıran mekanizmalar gözlemlenmiştir.
Salud mental positiva: entre el bienestar y el desarrollo de capacidades
Authors: Muñóz Arroyave Cristobal Ovidio , Cardona Arango Doris , Restrepo-Ochoa Diego Alveiro , Calvo Ana Carolina
Published: May 2022

Los esfuerzos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud por trascender los modelos biomédicos y comportamentales para la explicación de la salud han resaltado el bienestar como elemento clave en esta tarea. La inclusión del concepto de bienestar en las definiciones de salud mental ha provocado, en muchas ocasiones, la utilización de ambos conceptos como sinónimos, sin embargo, difícilmente el bienestar por sí solo puede dar cuenta de la salud mental de una persona. Este artículo de reflexión tiene como objetivo presentar el concepto de capacidad desde el campo del desarrollo humano, como respuesta a las limitaciones que presentan los modelos de bienestar, y los aportes que tendría su utilización en la construcción de una definición de salud mental a partir del enfoque socioeconómico y en la consolidación de una estrategia de promoción de la salud mental.
Comparación del rendimiento de pruebas cognitivas en pacientes con Enfermedad de Parkinson con y sin estimulación cerebral profunda
Authors: Martínez-Martínez Adriana , López-López Wilson , Acevedo-Triana Cesar
Published: May 2022

Los pacientes diagnosticados con Enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) presentan alteraciones motoras concomitantes a otras alteraciones de tipo cognitivo, conductual o emocional. Una de las alternativas al tratamiento farmacológico es la estimulación cerebral profunda (ECP). Existen reportes de alteraciones en el rendimiento de tareas cognitivas tras procedimiento de ECP, lo que podría sugerir que el procedimiento es responsable de estos cambios cognitivos. El objetivo del estudio fue comparar los resultados del rendimiento en pruebas cognitivas de pacientes con EP de dos grupos (con ECP y sin ECP). Se recolectaron los resultados de 47 pacientes (n = 16 ECP; n = 31 sin ECP) durante los años de 2011 hasta 2015. Dentro de las funciones y variables evaluadas se encuentran: categorización visual, flexibilidad cognitiva, solución de problemas, atención selectiva, velocidad de procesamiento, inhibición conductual y calidad de vida. En general, no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los grupos en las funciones evaluadas. En el grupo de participantes con ECP, se encontró mayor cantidad de correlaciones entre las pruebas de semejanzas y las de dígitos inversos, listas de palabras, búsqueda de símbolos y las subpruebas del Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Así mismo, en los pacientes con ECP se presentó una percepción menor de calidad de vida asociada al tiempo de la enfermedad en comparación con el grupo sin ECP. En conclusión, estos resultados son congruentes con estudios similares de evaluación neuropsicológica y se discute el papel del tratamiento de estimulación en los pacientes, los cuales no siempre tienen un impacto positivo sobre la calidad de vida percibida.
Nordic contributions to stochastic methods in hydrology
Authors: Rosbjerg Dan , Engeland Kolbjørn , Førland Eirik , Haghighi Ali Torabi , Mehr Ali Danandeh , Olsson Jonas
Published: May 2022

The paper presents prominent Nordic contributions to stochastic methods in hydrology and water resources during the previous 50 years. The development in methods from analysis of stationary and independent hydrological events to include non-stationarity, risk analysis, big data, operational research and climate change impacts is hereby demonstrated. The paper is divided into four main sections covering flood frequency and drought analyses, assessment of rainfall extremes, stochastic approaches to water resources management and approaches to climate change and adaptation efforts. It is intended as a review paper referring to a rich selection of internationally published papers authored by Nordic hydrologists or hydrologists from abroad working in a Nordic country or in cooperation with Nordic hydrologists. Emerging trends in needs and methodologies are highlighted in the conclusions.
Inter-comparison of past and projected climatic trends in Puerto Rico: 1950–2100
Authors: Jury Mark R.
Published: May 2022

Past and projected climatic trends in Puerto Rico in the period 1950–2100 are evaluated by detection of slope and fit in smoothed time series and by the mapping of local and regional trends using 5- to 50-km resolution products. New outcomes include second-order upward trends for evaporation and sea surface height. At a regional scale, Hadley Cell overturning is drying the mid-troposphere, inducing a northerly tendency for trade winds. The past rainfall trend (1950–2020) has increased ∼10% on the Atlantic-facing seaboard. Warming seas (+.02 °C/year) and rising vegetation fraction induce more evaporation that is deepening the moist boundary layer and sustaining thermal orographic precipitation over the island. Historical trends and model projections show a decrease in rainfall in spring and an increase in autumn, attributable to the retreat of the jet stream and the influence of transpiration, respectively. Outcomes reveal competition between small- and large-scale processes, and an island-wide water balance sustained by diurnal cycling. Adapting to the rising sea level makes pro-active coastal management a necessity.

HIGHLIGHTS Past and future climate changes are similar. Dataset and model resolution of <50 km help to quantify climate change for small islands. New research suggests that second-order trends are replacing linear trends. Impacts due to sea level rise and coastal erosion require management.
Vaginal cytology in mares in the different stages of the estral cycle associated with the seasons of the year
Authors: Andreta Joice Maria Bazerla , Silva Luiz Henrique Garcia da , Belotto Matheus Runyan , Mansano Cleber Fernando Menegasso , Netto Halim Atique , Peres Anelise Ribeiro
Published: May 2022

The reproductive biotechnologies directly assist in the development of different methods of reproductive evaluation. The objective of this study was to develop a new method to determine the estrous cycle phase in equine females through vaginal cytology throughout the seasons, as well as to establish an estimate of inflammatory cells present in the vagina. Six mares were evaluated at different ages without a defined breed and reproductive activity and were subjected to ultrasound evaluation of the reproductive system and cytological analysis of the vaginal region. In the summer, there was a predominance of keratinized epithelial cells in the estrus and intermediate in the diestrus. In the autumn, there was a predominance of keratinized cells in estrus and parabasal cells in estrus and diestrus. In anestrus (winter), a greater number of parabasal cells was identified in relation to the other cell types. In estrus (spring), there was a predominance of parabasal and intermediate cells. Conversely, in diestrus, parabasals were found in greater numbers. The evaluation of inflammatory cells of the vaginal epithelium of mares showed greater activity in the summer; however, there are no reference values for healthy animals in the literature, and it is necessary to conduct studies on the subject. It is concluded that there is an influence of cyclicity on the vaginal epithelium of the equine species, varying according to the season. Additionally, vaginal cytological evaluation is an important complementary tool in the diagnosis of vaginitis in mares, requiring further research on the subject.
Effects of environmental enrichment on behavioral expression of pumas (Puma concolor) under human care
Authors: Leszczynski Maria Luisa Dias , Piccoli Ronaldo José , Souza Carolina Fucks de , Oliveira Vanilce de , Guirro Erica Cristina Bueno do Prado
Published: May 2022

The maintenance of pumas under human care imposes different conditions from those found in the natural environment, which may result in stress and impaired welfare. The objective was to evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment on the welfare of four jaguar specimens (Puma concolor), kept under human care. The enrichment techniques addressed were food, sensory, and mixed (physical-cognitive) enrichment. The research was divided into three phases: Phase 1, pre-enrichment; Phase 2, application of enrichment; and Phase 3, post-enrichment. The observation of the activities was performed using the focal animal method, and the behaviors were recorded to compose an ethogram. The sampling effort totaled 96 hours, with a 24-hour observation time for each specimen. During phases 2 and 3, the animals showed increased expression of natural behaviors, increased exploration and interaction with the enclosure, as well as, with other individuals. In addition, the applied activities provided cognitive challenges and reduced the animals’ idle time. Although puma 4 showed stereotyped behavior, during the three phases of this study, this individual was healthy and active. Thus, the results demonstrate the beneficial effects of environmental enrichment on the well-being of pumas held in captivity.
Economic and production aspects of milking management in dairy farming
Authors: Soutelino Maria Eduarda Marques , Valle Matheus Dias , Feres Catharine Porto , Ramos Luiz Filipe Cabral de Souza , Chenard Marina Galindo , Cunha Isabelle Magalhães da , Aguiar Júnior Marcos Antônio , Helayel Michel Abdalla
Published: May 2022

The Brazilian dairy sector is important for the world agricultural production; however, it presents problems in production efficiency and milk quality, since the occurrence of mastitis in the herds can reach 47%. The present study analyzed data from a rural property with 100 lactating cows in a semi-intensive breeding system, which did not adopt adequate hygiene management for milking processes. Corrective measures were proposed, such as daily strip cup test, biweekly California Mastitis Test, formation of a new milking line, and daily pre dipping and post dipping and cleaning of teat cups. Milk samples from 10 animals with positive clinical mastitis, 10 animals with positive subclinical mastitis, and from the cooling tank were collected at one day before and 90 days after the implementation of the proposed measures and sent to a laboratory for analysis of somatic cell counting (SCC) and total bacteria counting (TBC). An increase of 17% in milk production and decreases of 64% and 40% in clinical and subclinical mastitis, respectively, were found after 90 days, with a consequent decrease in SCC and TBC. The milking duration after this period denoted an adaptation of the employees to the new procedures. The production financial yield was calculated based on the implementation costs of the adopted adequations and increases in milk production, representing a profitability increase of 10.4%. The implemented adequations were efficient for the control of mastitis and increase in milk yield and quality, resulting in a positive economic return.
Pain Management with Topical Aceclofenac Nanosuspension In-Vitro/In-
Vivo and Proof of Concept Studies
Authors: Kakkar Vandita , Nagpal Shaina , Kumari Parina , Saini Komal
Published: May 2022

Introduction:

Pain is one of the most common medical conditions and affects more than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. Current pain treatments mainly rely on NSAIDs analgesics and remain unsatisfactory. Due to associated adverse effects such as gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding and low solubility limits its uses.

Objective:

The present research focus on advance in the field of pain treatment by topical delivery of NSAIDs (aceclofenac) drugs via enhancing its solubility and diminishing related side effects.

Materials and Methods:

ACE-nanosuspension (ACE-NS) prepared by anti-solvent precipitation technique was characterized for particle size, PDI, zeta-potential, total drug content, DSC, FTIR, P-XRD and FESEM. Further spreadabilty, ex-vivo occlusivity, in-vitro release, ex-vivo skin permeation and retention and stability studies were performed. Dermal irritation and histopathological examinations were conducted in accordance to OECD guidelines. Proof of concept studies were accomplished using radiant tail flick and paw-licking animal model.

Results:

ACE-NS showed particle size of 148 ±15 nm with PDI: 0.170, zeta potential: 21.2 mV and total drug content of 86±0.23% respectively. DSC, FT-IR, P-XRD and FESEM studies revealed the thermal behavior, compatibility, solid state characterization and morphology of ACE-NS. ACE-NS loaded ointment showed a spreadability ratio of 0.23 and a drug content of 84±1.15%. In-vitro release of ACE from nano-ACE-ointment (88.07%) was higher than marketed formulation (70.55%) and free drug ointment (70.45%) after 24 hours. Release profile of nano-ACE-ointment fitted best for Higuchi model with r2 = 0.94 and n = 0.45 and its permeation flux was 9.2312 ± 0.8430 mg/cm2/h, which was significantly higher (p ≤0.05) than ACE marketed gel (2.6158 ± 0.4352 mg/cm2/h). Cutaneous irritation and histological studies revealed no inflammatory skin lesions post treatment with ACE-NS. Furthermore, ACE-NS-ointment showed better analgesic effect than marketed formulation in both radiant tail flick model (2.87 times) and paw-licking (2.73 times) animal model.

Conclusion:

Studies highlighted the potential of topical nano-ACE-ointment for pain management.
Anticancer Activity of Secondary Metabolites Present in Plants of Hot
Arid Region of India
Authors: Kataria Sudhir Kumar , Vashishth Divya , Yadav Poonam , Bhardwaj Monika , Yadav Mansi , Kadyan Pooja
Published: May 2022

Cancer a death havoc is increasing at an alarming pace globally. There is a need to explore novel chemicals having anticancerous potential for its treatment with minimal side effects. Natural compounds obtained from plants have less toxic properties and can be proved as a better medication against this lethal disease. Thus, the secondary metabolites having anticancer properties found in plants, fruits, and vegetables are being persistently evaluated for research in cancer treatment like anticancer drugs- vinblastine, vincristine and taxol which are derived from plants. This review summarizes the anticancer properties of chemical repertoires of plants inhabiting the hot arid regions present in India against various cancer cell lines like HepG2, MCF7, PC3, HT116 etc. The mechanism of action of flavonoids in the induction of apoptosis through suppression/promotion of various factors including Ras-ERK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways and genes mainly such as Bax, Bcl-2, p53 involved in the proliferation of cancer cells play emphatically in combating the extent of the disease by promoting apoptosis in cancer cells. The insight about the reported mechanisms will open further avenues of the anticancer potential of novel secondary metabolites.
Alsó végtagi gipszrögzítés hatása a spasticus gyermekek csontsűrűségére
Authors: Szijártó Annamária , Horváth Nikoletta , Domos Gyula , Kiss Sándor , Somogyi Péter , Szőke György , Terebessy Tamás
Published: May 2022

Az Infantilis Cerebralis Paresis leggyakoribb, spasticus megjelenési formájában gyakorta fordulnak elő műtétet igénylő alsó végtagi contracturák és csípőízületi problémák, amelyek legkifejezettebben az ágyhoz kötött, tetraplég gyermekeket érintik. A korrekciós műtéteket követő, átlagosan 4–6 hétig tartó gipszrögzítés utáni rehabilitáció és gyógytorna során nem gyakran, de szövődményként előfordulhat supracondylaris femurtörés. Ez a spasticus gyerekekben egyébként fennálló csökkent csontsűrűséggel és az immobilizáció miatt feltételezhetően tovább csökkenő csontdenzitással magyarázható. Jelen vizsgálat célja a fentiek miatt az alsó végtagi műtéten és gipszrögzítésen átesett 16 spasticus gyermek műtét előtti és posztoperatív gipszrögzítés utáni csont ásványianyag-tartalmának összehasonlítása volt. A lumbalis gerinc, a proximalis femur és a distalis femur területének osteodensitométerrel történő mérése, majd a lumbalis gerinc adataiból a Z–score érték meghatározása történt. A gipszrögzítés előtti és utáni értékeket összehasonlítva a lumbalis gerinc és a proximalis femur esetében jelentős változást nem észleltek, a femur distalis metaphysealis régiójában azonban a szerzők a csontsűrűség szignifikáns csökkenését mérték. A Z–score értékek a vizsgált gyerekeknél nagy szórás mellett a kronológiai korhoz viszonyított alacsony csonttömeget igazoltak. A szerzők által a distalis femuron megfigyelt csontsűrűség csökkenés miatt a csonttörési rizikó fokozott az ortopédiai műtétet követő gipszrögzítés utáni rehabilitációs időszakban. Mindezen okok miatt a gipszlevételt követően fokozatos remobilizáció és óvatos gyógytorna ajánlott. Eredményeink felvetik továbbá, hogy tetraplég, ágyhoz kötött ICP-s gyermekek esetében szükség lehet a csontsűrűség rendszeres mérésére és az esetleges osteopenia, illetve osteoporosis kezelésére, különösen a tervezett gipszrögzítéssel járó ortopéd műtétek előtt.
Combnyakcsavarozás DHLS szintézissel
Authors: Kádas István , Kocsis András , Hangody László , Vásárhelyi Gábor , Kádas Dániel
Published: May 2022

A medialis combnyaktörések operatív kezeléséről napjainkban is vita folyik. Nincs egységes álláspont, osteosynthesis vagy protézis a jobban célravezető módszer? Friss törés esetében jelenleg a dislocatio típusától függően döntünk. Garden I–II-es töréseknél osteosynthesis, míg Garden IV-es töréseknél protézis a választott megoldás. A Garden III-as törés esetében mindkét út járható. Az osteosynthesisben a Manninger és munkacsoportja által kidolgozott, kettős kanülált csavarozást alkalmazzuk, az AO csavarozás mellett. Ez utóbbi kritériuma a jó csontszerkezet, ezért csak fiatal felnőtteknél jön szóba. A cikk szerzői, az osteosynthesis egy új formáját fejlesztették ki, a dinamikus HLS (HeadLessScrew) csavarozást. A csavar két fő részből áll, összeszerelt állapotban kompressziós hatást fejt ki. 27 betegnél végezték el a műtétet, majd az eredményeket a Manninger és munkacsoportja által kidolgozott módszer szerint értékelték. Eddigi tapasztalataik bizakodásra adnak okot. Nőtt a stabilitás, kevesebb lett a szövődmény.
PENGARUH PERBEDAAN UKURAN GILINGAN TERHADAP SEDUHAN KOPI ARABIKA BATUMIRAH DENGAN TEKNIK VIETNAM DRIP
Authors:   Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Allmond Yani Molly , Efrina Efrina ,   Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Ridawati Ridawati ,   Universitas Negeri Jakarta
Published: May 2022

Ukuran gilingan biji dan teknik penyeduhan kopi merupakan penentu kualitas seduhan kopi. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh perbedaan ukuran gilingan (grind size) terhadap kualitas seduhan kopi arabika batumirah dengan teknik vietnam drip. Pada penelitian ini dilakukan metode eksperimen untuk menentukan hasil seduhan yang berkualitas paling baik dari seduhan kopi arabika batumirah teknik vietnam drip dengan jenis ukuran biji kopi gilingan kasar, sedang dan halus. Penelitian dilakukan dengan mengidentifikasi alat vietnam drip, menentukan suhu air, uji coba seduhan dengan rasio 1:10, 1:12 dan 1:15 dan dilanjutkan dengan uji coba organoleptik dengan tiga jenis ukuran gilingan berbeda kepada 30 panelis yang meliputi aspek aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body dan balance. Dari uji organoleptik diperoleh hasil bahwa perbedaan ukuran gilingan berpengaruh terhadap kualitas seduhan kopi arabika batumirah pada aspek acidity, body dan balance.
TEST LEVELS OF LYCOPENE AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN NATURALLY FERMENTED TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM)
Authors:   Akademi Farmasi Putera Indonesia Malang, In Oktavia Anggraeni , Septiana Adinda Sari Bella ,   Akademi Analis Farmasi dan Makanan Putra Indonesia Malang, Vira Savitrie Vellanie ,   Akademi Analis Farmasi dan Makanan Putra Indonesia Malang
Published: May 2022

The natural fermentation method for tomatoes is an alternative to avoid rotting tomatoes and increase their selling value. Fermentation is also able to increase the secondary metabolites. Tomatoes contain lycopene as an antioxidant. The aim of the study was to calculate lycopene levels and antioxidant activity in naturally fermented tomatoes. Research method: total lycopene levels were measured using a UV-Vis 472 nm spectrophotometer. Antioxidant levels were measured using the DPPH method (1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picryl Hydrazil). The results showed that the lycopene content of fresh tomatoes was 0.05149mg/100mL while naturally fermented tomatoes were 0.1254 mg/100mL. Antioxidant levels in fresh tomatoes were based on the IC50 value, which was 57.93 mg/L, while the IC50 for fermented tomatoes was 45.82 mg. /L. The conclusion of this study was the levels of lycopene in naturally fermented tomatoes were higher and the levels of antioxidants in naturally fermented tomatoes were higher than in fresh tomatoes.
KARAKTERISTIK NUGGET JAMUR TIRAM PUTIH DENGAN VARIASI RASIO SERA MOCAF DAN TAPIOKA
Authors:   Universitas Jember, Ketut Leseni Ni , Yuwana Nugraha ,   Universitas Jember
Published: May 2022

Nugget merupakan produk olahan berbahan daging hewani yang dapat diubah menjadi olahan berbasis nabati dengan bahan utama jamur tiram (kandungan protein 10.50–30.40%). Kekurangan dari jamur tiram ketika digunakan sebagai bahan baku utama berupa kelebihan kadar air (86.00–87.50%) yang dapat diatasi menggunakan campuran sera mocaf (bahan tidak lolos ayakan 100 mesh dari produksi MOCAF) dan tapioka. Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan satu faktor berupa formulasi sera mocaf : tapioka, digunakan dalam penelitian ini untuk variasi sampel sebanyak 5 jenis dengan 3x pengulangan. Variasi sera mocaf banding tapioka diketahui memberikan pengaruh yang signifikan (ANOVA 95%) terhadap nilai tekstur (6.27-864 g/mm), kadar air (52.70-54.47%), kadar protein (3.66-5.96%), dan kadar serat kasar (1.14-6.02%). Peninjauan dari segi penerimaan konsumen/organoleptik berada pada rentang skala netral sampai suka. Nugget jamur dengan variasi penambahan 75% sera mocaf dan 25% tapioka menjadi sampel dengan formulasi terbaik yang paling disukai secara keseluruhan oleh konsumen.
Use of Measuring Creatinine Kinase in Detection of Emerging Catatonia: Literature Review and Case Series Report
Authors:   Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, Jaradeh Mark , deBettencourt Mark ,   Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, Yap Edgar ,   Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, Patel Yesha ,   Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, Alcantara April ,   Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, Stasieluk Conrad ,   Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, Meresh Edwin S. ,   Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153
Published: May 2022

Catatonia, particularly malignant catatonia (MC), continues to manifest in severe sequalae such as hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis, cardiovascular collapse and failure, and even death as, although identification of the syndrome has significantly improved once its developed, several precarious factors continue to inhibit prompt and efficacious treatment. In this context, we evaluated the cases of six patients who were treated at our center for eventual MC manifestation with the aim of elucidating a pre-MC sensitive presentation pattern, common finding, or other granular data point that may have predictive value for MC. Patient chart review and granular data comparison revealed an association between creatine kinase (CK) level trends and catatonia diagnosis. Data were uniformly transformed for percent change to establish overall trends and subsequently analyzed for correlative strength via nonlinear regression. When comparing the inter-sample percent change of CK level to time, a moderate correlation was found (R2 = 0.3784). Analysis of nonlinear regression modeling using least squares for appropriateness of fit using runs test suggested minimal deviation from the model (p = 0.1566). In conclusion, in patients presenting with features that cause a suspicion of catatonia, CK level measurements may be implemented and utilized to more promptly make the diagnosis and begin potentially life-saving treatment or avoid life-threatening treatment.
Acceptability of an In-home Multimodal Sensor Platform for Parkinson Disease: Nonrandomized Qualitative Study
Authors: Morgan Catherine , Tonkin Emma L , Craddock Ian , Whone Alan L
Published: May 2022

Background

Parkinson disease (PD) symptoms are complex, gradually progressive, and fluctuate hour by hour. Home-based technological sensors are being investigated to measure symptoms and track disease progression. A smart home sensor platform, with cameras and wearable devices, could be a useful tool to use to get a fuller picture of what someone’s symptoms are like. High-resolution video can capture the ground truth of symptoms and activities. There is a paucity of information about the acceptability of such sensors in PD.

Objective

The primary objective of our study was to explore the acceptability of living with a multimodal sensor platform in a naturalistic setting in PD. Two subobjectives are to identify any suggested limitations and to explore the sensors’ impact on participant behaviors.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted with an inductive approach using semistructured interviews with a cohort of PD and control participants who lived freely for several days in a home-like environment while continuously being sensed.

Results

This study of 24 participants (12 with PD) found that it is broadly acceptable to use multimodal sensors including wrist-worn wearables, cameras, and other ambient sensors passively in free-living in PD. The sensor that was found to be the least acceptable was the wearable device. Suggested limitations on the platform for home deployment included camera-free time and space. Behavior changes were noted by the study participants, which may have related to being passively sensed. Recording high-resolution video in the home setting for limited periods of time was felt to be acceptable to all participants.

Conclusions

The results broaden the knowledge of what types of sensors are acceptable for use in research in PD and what potential limitations on these sensors should be considered in future work. The participants’ reported behavior change in this study should inform future similar research design to take this factor into account. Collaborative research study design, involving people living with PD at every stage, is important to ensure that the technology is acceptable and that the data outcomes produced are ecologically valid and accurate.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041303