bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Demographic, morphologic, hormonal and metabolic factors associated with the rate of improvement from equine hyperinsulinaemia-associated laminitis
Authors: Sillence Martin , Meier Alexandra , de Laat Melody , Klee Rebecca , Reiche Dania
Published: January 2022

Background

Although several studies have investigated factors associated with the onset and occurrence of hyperinsulinaemia-associated laminitis (HAL), few have examined the factors associated with the rate of improvement during recovery from an acute bout of the disease. This observational study sought to discover if a range of demographic, morphologic, hormonal and metabolic variables are associated with the improvement rate from HAL in 37 naturally-occurring cases identified by 16 clinics across Germany. Each case was evaluated for laminitis severity on the day of inclusion in the trial (d 0), then after 4, 9, 14, 25 and 42 d. The horses were managed according to best clinical practice including restricting exercise and prescribing a diet of hay-only, for a minimum of 9 d. Blood samples were also collected during each evaluation, except on d 9, and analysed for glucose, insulin, ACTH and leptin.

Results

Based on individual clinical laminitis scores plotted against time, most horses improved markedly within 2 weeks, with a ‘fast group’ (n = 27) having a median (interquartile range) score on a 12-point scale of 0 (0–2) by d 14. However, there was a clear disparity within the total cohort, as ~ 1 in 4 horses demonstrated much slower improvement, with a median score of 5 (4–7) by d 14, or a marked relapse thereafter (‘slow group’, n = 10). Horses in the slow improvement group were younger (12.5 (8.8–16.3) vs 17 (14–24) yr; P = 0.008), but were not more likely to be heavier, male, very fat, to have presented with a previous history of laminitis or elevated ACTH concentrations, or to be receiving pergolide treatment. Of the hormonal and metabolic parameters measured, glucose and insulin concentrations were within the normal range following transition to the hay-only diet, but were higher in the group that failed to improve quickly, with a small but significant difference being evident on d 4, 14 and 25 for glucose (11 to 16%; P < 0.05), and a larger difference for insulin on d 14 and 25 (51 to 55%; P < 0.05). There was no difference between the groups in ACTH or leptin concentrations throughout the study. The main limitations of this study were the small number of slow-improvement horses and an inability to control or measure certain variables, such as feed quality.

Conclusions

Young age and a modest increase in blood glucose and insulin concentrations are associated with delayed laminitis improvement.
Effects of swab pool size and transport medium on the detection and isolation of avian influenza viruses in ostriches
Authors: Pieterse Reneé , Strydom Christine , Abolnik Celia
Published: January 2022

Background

Rigorous testing is a prerequisite to prove freedom of notifiable influenza A virus infections in commercially farmed ostriches, as is the isolation and identification of circulating strains. Pooling 5 ostrich tracheal swabs in a 50 % v/v phosphate-buffered saline (PBS): glycerol transport medium (without antibiotics) is the current standard practice to increase reverse transcription real time PCR (RT-rtPCR) testing throughput and simultaneously reduce the test costs. In this study we investigated whether doubling ostrich tracheal swabs to 10 per pool would affect the sensitivity of detection of H5N8 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and H7N1 low pathogenicity avian influenza virus (LPAIV) by quantitative RT-rtPCR, and we also compared the effect of a protein-rich, brain heart infusion broth (BHI) virus transport media containing broad spectrum antimicrobials (VTM) on the efficacy of isolating the H5N8 and H7N1 viruses from ostrich tracheas, since the historical isolation success rate from these birds has been poor.

Results

Increasing the ostrich swabs from 5 to 10 per pool in 3 mls of transport medium had no detrimental effect on the sensitivity of the RT-rtPCR assay in detecting H5N8 HPAIV or H7N1 LPAIV; and doubling of the swab pool size even seemed to improve the sensitivity of virus detection at levels that were statistically significant (p less than or equal to 0.05) in medium and low doses of spiked H5N8 HPAIV and at high levels of spiked H7N1 LPAIV. On virus isolation, more samples were positive when swabs were stored in a protein-rich viral transport medium supplemented with antimicrobials in PBS: glycerol (10/18 vs. 7/18 for H5N8 HPAI); although the differences were not statistically significant, overall higher virus titres were detected (106.7 – 103.0 vs. 106.6 - 103.1 EID50 for H5N8 HPAIV and 105.5 - 101.4 vs. 105.1 – 101.3 EID50 for H7N1 LPAIV); and fewer passages were required with less filtration for both H5N8 HPAI and H7N1 LPAI strains.

Conclusion

Ostrich tracheal swab pool size could be increased from 5 to 10 in 3mls of VTM with no loss in sensitivity of the RT-rtPCR assay in detecting HPAI or LPAI viruses, and HPAI virus could be isolated from a greater proportion of swabs stored in VTM compared to PBS: glycerol without antibiotics.
MUC5B regulates goblet cell differentiation and reduces inflammation in a murine COPD model
Authors: Huang Xuan , Guan Weijie , Xiang Bin , Wang Wei , Xie Yanqing , Zheng Jinping
Published: January 2022

Background

Airway mucus hypersecretion is one of the important pathological features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MUC5B is the main mucin expressed in the airways of COPD patients and has been indicated to play an important role in airway defense. However, the specific biological function of MUC5B in COPD and the possible mechanism are not clear.

Methods

We established a COPD model with 24-week-old MUC5B−/− mice exposed to cigarette smoke and tested our hypothesis through lung function tests, HE and PAS staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blot, q-PCR and ELISA.

Results

Compared with MUC5B+/+ mice, MUC5B−/− mice had worse general condition and lung function, increased inflammatory infiltration, reduced goblet cell differentiation as indicated by decreased PAS staining (PAS grade: 1.8 ± 0.24 vs. 0.6 ± 0.16), reduced MUC5AC expression (ELISA: 0.30 ± 0.01 vs. 0.17 ± 0.01 mg/ml, q-PCR: 9.4 ± 1.7 vs. 4.1 ± 0.1 fold, IHC score: 3.1 ± 0.9 vs. 1.6 ± 0.7), increased macrophage secretion of inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-6) and expression of downstream pathway factors (ERK1/2 and NF-κB), decreased expression of SPDEF and STAT6, and increased expression of FOXA2.

Conclusion

The protective effect of MUC5B in the development of COPD was mediated by the promotion of goblet cell differentiation and the inhibition of inflammation. The role of MUC5B in regulating inflammation was related to macrophage function, and goblet cell differentiation was promoted by the induced expression of STAT6 and SPDEF. This study describes a mechanism of mucus hypersecretion and identifies MUC5B as a new target for the treatment of mucus hypersecretion.
Fertility trends and comparisons in a historical cohort of US women with primary infertility
Authors: Sadecki Emily , Weaver Amy , Zhao Yulian , Stewart Elizabeth A. , Ainsworth Alessandra J.
Published: January 2022

Background

There is growing interest in long-term outcomes following infertility and infertility treatment. However, there are few detailed longitudinal cohorts available for this work. This study aimed to assemble a historical cohort of women with primary infertility and age-matched controls to evaluate fertility trends, sequelae, and sociodemographic differences. Described here are cohort group characteristics and associated reproductive trends over time.

Methods

A population-based historical cohort was created using the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) record-linkage system (Olmsted County, MN). The cohort included women aged 18–50 with a diagnosis of primary infertility between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1999. As part of a case–control study, we identified 1:1 age-matched female controls from the same community and era.

Results

A total of 1001 women with primary infertility and 1001 age-matched controls were identified. The women with primary infertility were significantly more likely to be married, college educated, use barrier contraception, and non-smokers compared to age-matched controls. The incidence of primary infertility increased from 14 to 20 per 10,000 person years from 1980–1985 to 1995–1999. Ovulatory dysfunction and unexplained infertility were the most common causes of primary infertility and clomiphene was the most widely used fertility medication. Rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF) increased from 1.8% during 1980–1985 to 26.0% during 1995–1999.

Conclusion

Women with primary infertility were found to have unique sociodemographic characteristics compared to age-matched control women, which is consistent with previous research. The incidence of diagnosed primary infertility increased from 1980 to 1999, as did use of IVF.
Validation of an obstetric fistula screening questionnaire: a case–control study with clinical examination
Authors: Chen Chi Chiung Grace , Long Annelise , Rwabizi Denis , Mbabazi Gerard , Ndizeye Ntwali , Dushimiyimana Blaise , Ngoga Eugene
Published: January 2022

Background

Obstetric fistula (OF) is a significant cause of maternal morbidity in lower resource settings where women experience obstructed labor without timely access to skilled obstetric care. The true prevalence of OF is unknown; however, it is estimated to affect 2 to 3.5 million women globally. The Demographic and Health Surveys’ (DHS) Fistula Module includes the OF symptom questions most frequently used for prevalence estimates, but these questions have not been validated. The aim of this study is to validate a symptom-based screening questionnaire for OF, including a question in the DHS’ Fistula Module.

Methods

With an international panel of fistula surgeons, we developed and face-validated a screening questionnaire that assessed for symptoms of lower urinary tract fistula (LUTF) and lower gastrointestinal tract fistula (LGTF), as well as urinary and fecal incontinence (UI, FI). We evaluated the discriminative ability of the questionnaire using a case–control study design in a 1:2:2 ratio: cases were parous women with fistula confirmed on examination, controls included parous women without fistula on examination, with and without UI symptoms. All women underwent screening for fistula symptoms and a physical examination, with examiners blinded to screening results.

Results

Of the 367 Rwandan women who completed the questionnaires and underwent clinical examination, 59 women had LUTFs and 34 had LGTFs, 274 women were classified as controls with and without symptoms of UI. All LUTF screening questions performed well, including the DHS fistula question. The combination of two LUTF screening questions had the highest sensitivity (100%; 95% CI 94%, 100%), specificity (96%; 95% CI 93%, 98%), and area under the curve (AUC) (0.98). The combination of a LGTF screening question and FI question demonstrated the highest sensitivity (97%; 95% CI 85%, 100%), specificity (98%; 95% CI 95%, 99%) and AUC (0.98).

Conclusions

Our OF screening questionnaire, including the DHS fistula question, demonstrated high sensitivities, specificities, and AUC.
The ongoing impact of Covid-19 pandemic on children with medical complexity: the experience of an Italian pediatric palliative care network
Authors: Grigoletto Veronica , Nardin Bianca , Taucar Valentina , Barbi Egidio , De Zen Lucia
Published: January 2022

Background

Italy was the first European country to experience a massive outbreak of Sars-coV-2 in March 2020. Severe measures were introduced to face the pandemic, significantly impacting all healthcare services, including pediatric palliative care (PPC) networks. We investigated how the Covid-19 pandemic modified the provision of PPC services in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. Both the acute and long-term impacts on the families were addressed.

Methods

We administered a retrospective three-sections online questionnaire to the eligible families assisted by our regional PPC network. Inclusion criteria were: child needing specialistic PPC, adequate knowledge of the Italian language, being in charge of the PPC regional network of Friuli Venezia Giulia from February 1, 2020. The three sections examined the same issues in different periods: the pre-covid period (until February 29, 2020), the lockdown period (March 1, 2020, to April 30, 2020), and the post-lockdown period (May 2021).

Results

Twelve patients were included. During the lockdown period, 54.6% of children had to stop physiotherapy sessions, while, among those who continued, 80.0% experienced a reduction in the sessions’ frequency. In the post-lockdown period, 45.5% of children did not have physiotherapy as often as before the pandemic onset. Overall, the access to medical visits during the lockdown and after its end was significantly reduced (p = 0.01).

The level of support perceived by the families descended from grade 3 (intermediate) in the pre-covid period to 2 (low) during the lockdown (p < 0.05) and returned to grade 3 in the post-lockdown period.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic and the related restrictions impacted the families and caused a transitory contraction of the perceived support. The most significant change was reduced access to medical visits and physiotherapy, which lasted over a year after the start of the pandemic.
Techno-economic assessment for the production of algal fuels and value-added products: opportunities for high-protein microalgae conversion
Authors: Wiatrowski Matthew , Klein Bruno C. , Davis Ryan W. , Quiroz-Arita Carlos , Tan Eric C. D. , Hunt Ryan W. , Davis Ryan E.
Published: January 2022

Background

Microalgae possess numerous advantages for use as a feedstock in producing renewable fuels and products, with techno-economic analysis (TEA) frequently used to highlight the economic potential and technical challenges of utilizing this biomass in a biorefinery context. However, many historical TEA studies have focused on the conversion of biomass with elevated levels of carbohydrates and lipids and lower levels of protein, incurring substantial burdens on the ability to achieve high cultivation productivity rates relative to nutrient-replete, high-protein biomass. Given a strong dependence of algal biomass production costs on cultivation productivity, further TEA assessment is needed to understand the economic potential for utilizing potentially lower-cost but lower-quality, high-protein microalgae for biorefinery conversion.

Results

In this work, we conduct rigorous TEA modeling to assess the economic viability of two conceptual technology pathways for processing proteinaceous algae into a suite of fuels and products. One approach, termed mild oxidative treatment and upgrading (MOTU), makes use of a series of thermo-catalytic operations to upgrade solubilized proteins and carbohydrates to hydrocarbon fuels, while another alternative focuses on the biological conversion of those substrates to oxygenated fuels in the form of mixed alcohols (MA). Both pathways rely on the production of polyurethanes from unsaturated fatty acids and valorization of unconverted solids for use as a material for synthesizing bioplastics. The assessment found similar, albeit slightly higher fuel yields and lower costs for the MA pathway, translating to a residual solids selling price of $899/ton for MA versus $1033/ton for MOTU as would be required to support a $2.50/gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE) fuel selling price. A variation of the MA pathway including subsequent upgrading of the mixed alcohols to hydrocarbon fuels (MAU) reflected a required solids selling price of $975/ton.

Conclusion

The slight advantages observed for the MA pathway are partially attributed to a boundary that stops at oxygenated fuels versus fungible drop-in hydrocarbon fuels through a more complex MOTU configuration, with more comparable results obtained for the MAU scenario. In either case, it was shown that an integrated algal biorefinery can be economical through optimal strategies to utilize and valorize all fractions of the biomass.
Immune milieu and microbiome of the distal urethra in Ugandan men: impact of penile circumcision and implications for HIV susceptibility
Authors: Galiwango Ronald M. , Park Daniel E. , Huibner Sanja , Onos Abigail , Aziz Maliha , Roach Kelsey , Anok Aggrey , Nnamutete James , Isabirye Yahaya , Wasswa John Bosco , Male Deo , Kigozi Godfrey , Tobian Aaron A. R. , Prodger Jessica L. , Liu Cindy M. , Kaul Rupert
Published: January 2022

Background

Coronal sulcus (CS) anaerobe abundance and IL-8 levels are linked to HIV acquisition, and are dramatically reduced after penile circumcision (PC). The distal urethra may be the site of some HIV acquisition before PC, and presumably most acquisition post PC. We describe the immune milieu and microbiome of the distal urethra in uncircumcised Ugandan men, and define the impact of PC. Participants consisted of HIV-negative, genital symptom-free adult Ugandan men undergoing PC (n= 51). Urethral and coronal sulcus swabs were collected at baseline and at 6- and 12-months post-PC. Soluble immune factors were quantified by multiplex ELISA, and bacterial abundance assessed by 16S rRNA qPCR and sequencing.

Results

At baseline, the urethra was enriched compared to the CS for most cytokines (including IL-8 and MIP-1β) and soluble E-cadherin (sE-cadherin, an epithelial disruption marker), although CS levels of IL-1α and IL-1β were higher. Baseline total bacterial abundance was ≥ 20-fold higher in the CS than the urethra (median 27,100 vs. 1200 gene copies/swab,p= 0.001), and anaerobes comprised 58% of CS bacteria vs. 42% of urethral bacteria. PC did not alter urethral IL-8 (median 806 at baseline vs. 1130 pg/ml at 12 months;p= 0.062) and urethral sE-cadherin increased (113,223 vs. 158,385 pg/ml,p= 0.009), despite five- and sevenfold drops in total bacterial and anaerobe abundance after PC, respectively. However, PC dramatically reduced CS levels of sE-cadherin (15,843 vs. 837 pg/ml,p< 0.001) and most cytokines (IL-8; 34 vs. 3 pg/ml,p< 0.001), while reducing total bacterial and anaerobe abundance by 13-fold and 60-fold, respectively (bothP≤ 0.004).

Conclusions

The urethra is immunologically rich with characteristics of an HIV-susceptible tissue site. However, PC had no impact on urethral immunology and may have reduced epithelial integrity, despite modest reductions in total bacteria and anaerobes, suggesting that HIV protection from PC is not mediated via immune or microbiome alterations in the urethra.
Effects of foot progression angle on kinematics and kinetics of a cutting movement
Authors: Nishizawa Kohei , Hashimoto Takeshi , Hakukawa Satoshi , Nagura Takeo , Otani Toshiro , Harato Kengo
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Foot progression angle is a key factor for biomechanical knee load, which is associated with noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during sports-specific tasks. The purpose of the present study was to assess the biomechanics of trunk, pelvis, and lower extremities during a cutting maneuver under different foot progression angles.

Methods

Nineteen male collegiate athletes (ages 18–24) participated in the present study. Cutting motion was analyzed using eight infrared cameras (250 Hz), two force plates (1250 Hz), and 44 reflective markers. Subjects performed 45-degree side cutting maneuvers under three foot progression angles, including 20 degrees (toe-out: TO), 0 degrees (neutral: TN), and − 20 degrees (toe-in: TI). Peak values of each biomechanical parameters in trunk, pelvis, hip, and knee within a first 40% stance phase and each parameter at the timing of the peak vertical ground reaction force were assessed. A statistical analysis was performed to compare data among the three-foot progression angles using the Friedman test.

Results

Peak angles of knee abduction, tibial internal rotation, hip internal rotation, and hip adduction were significantly greater for TI position than for TO position (p < 0.01). Peak moments of knee abduction and tibial internal rotation under TI position were also significantly larger than TO position (p < 0.01). Moreover, greater peak pelvis-trunk rotation was found for TI position than for TN and TO positions (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

From the present study, TI position could lead to an increased risk of ACL injury during a pre-planned cut maneuver, compared to TO position.
Return to Play in Long-Standing Adductor-Related Groin Pain: A Delphi Study Among Experts
Authors: Vergani Luca , Cuniberti Marco , Zanovello Massimo , Maffei Daniele , Farooq Abdulaziz , Eirale Cristiano
Published: January 2022

Background

Groin pain is a very common injury in multidirectional sports such as soccer, ice hockey, rugby and Australian football. Long-standing adductor-related groin pain is a persistent clinical condition and a frequent complaint in athletes involved in sports that require multiplanar movement patterns (change of direction, high-speed sprinting and kicking). To date, the lack of rehabilitation guidelines and return-to-play criteria makes this clinical entity difficult to manage. The aim of the present Delphi was to suggest, based on opinion and practical experience of a panel of experts, potential criteria that could be taken into consideration by clinicians in the RTP decision-making process in athletes suffering from long-standing adductor-related groin pain.

Methods

Thirty two out of 40 experts participated to a 3-Round Delphi questionnaire. In round 1, open-ended and closed questions about 9 different sections (palpation, flexibility, strength, patient-reported outcome measures, imaging, intersegmental control, performance tests, sport-specific skills, training load) were proposed to investigate return to play evaluation criteria used by each expert. Responses were analysed and coded to produce round 2 questionnaire that investigated only the sections and the items that reached the cut-off value (≥ 70%). Round 3 questionnaire was based on sections and items that reached cut-off value in previous rounds and experts rated their agreement for return to play criteria with a 5-point Likert Scale. Descriptive statistics enabled interpretation of consensus.

Results

High participation rate (80%) and response rate across the 3 rounds (100%) were recorded. 6 sections reached positive consensus in round 1, 1 section reached negative consensus. In round 2 positive consensus was confirmed only for 3 sections and negative consensus for 1 section. In round 3, positive agreement was established for strength (3 items), performance tests (3 items) and sport-specific skills (2 items) sections. Negative consensus was confirmed for imaging section.

Conclusion

Experts agreed that strength, performance tests and sport-specific skills can be used to support RTP decision, while imaging cannot be used. These findings could be useful in assisting clinicians in the RTP decision making.
Regional uptakes from early-frame amyloid PET and 18F-FDG PET scans are comparable independent of disease state
Authors: Myoraku Alison , Klein Gregory , Landau Susan , Tosun Duygu ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with amyloid-beta (Aβ) tracers and 2-[18F] fluoro-2-Deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) is extensively employed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) studies as biomarkers of AD pathology and neurodegeneration. To reduce cost and additional burdens to the patient, early-frame uptake during Aβ PET scanning has been proposed as a surrogate measure of regional glucose metabolism. Considering the disease state specific impact of AD on neurovascular coupling, we investigated to what extent the information captured in the early frames of an Aβ-PET (18F-florbetapir or 18F-florbetaben) scan is comparable to that of a 18F-FDG PET scan, independent of disease state.

Method

A partial correlation was performed on early-frame 18F-florbetapir and 18F-FDG regional data from 100 participants. In a secondary analysis, we compared 92 18F-florbetapir and 21 18F-florbetaben early-frame Aβ scans from cognitively unimpaired and mild cognitive impairment participants to ascertain if regional early-frame information was similar across different Aβ-PET radioligands.

Results

The partial correlation of early-frame 18F-florbetapir with 18F-FDG was significant in all 84 brain ROIs, with correlation values ranging from 0.61 to 0.94. There were no significant differences between early-frame 18F-florbetapir and 18F-florbetaben images.

Conclusion

Overall, we find that the regional uptake measurements from early-frame 18F-florbetapir are strongly correlated with regional glucose metabolism as measured in ground-truth 18F-FDG PET scans, regardless of disease state. Future studies should focus on longitudinal early-frame amyloid PET imaging studies to further assess the value of early-frame imaging as a marker of brain metabolic decline.
Spectrum of MEFV gene mutations in 4,256 familial Mediterranean fever patients from Iran: a comprehensive systematic review
Authors: Alibakhshi Reza , Mohammadi Aboozar , Ghadiri Keyghobad , Khamooshian Sahand , Kazeminia Mohsen , Moradi Keivan
Published: January 2022

Background

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), known as a disease with a high prevalence rate among Armenian, Turkish, Jewish, and Arab descent populations, occurs as a result of pathogenic variants in mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene. The aim of this study was to review the spectrum and frequency ofMEFVgene mutations reported among Iranian FMF patients.

Methods

After performing a systematic review of the literature and implementation of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 articles published between 2004 and 2020, involving 4,256 Iranian FMF patients, were included.

Results

A total of 38 differentMEFVgene mutations were identified. The most common mutations among Iranian FMF patients were: p.M694V (c.2080A > G) (20.27%), p.E148Q (c.442G > C) (10.27%), p.V726A (c.2177T > C) (8.24%), p.M680I (both c.2040G > C and c.2040G > A) (7.20%), p.R761H (c.2282G > A) (2.1%), and p.M694I (c.2082G > A) (2. 1%). The frequencies of these mutations were significantly different in different parts of the country.

Conclusions

The ranks and frequencies of p.M694V, p.E148Q, p.V726A, p.M680I, and p.M694I in our population were closer to those observed in the Mediterranean countries, especially in the Middle Eastern Arab populations. Although some comprehensive studies have been performed on Azeri Turkish patients living in northwestern Iran, studies in other areas, especially in eastern Iran, have been very limited. One reason for this observation could be due to the low frequency of FMF patients in those areas. Regardless of the reason for this, the exact spectrum and frequency ofMEFVgene mutations in Iranian FMF patients remain unclear. Therefore, comprehensive future studies in different parts of the country are recommended.
CD5 expression by human ejaculated spermatozoa
Authors: Sereshki Nasrin , Rafiee Mitra , Alipour Razieh , Wilkinson David , Ahmadipanah Vahid
Published: January 2022

Background

A complex of effector and predominant regulatory immune responses are induced in the female reproductive tract (FRT) due to insemination that is necessary to achieve pregnancy. The expression of immune regulatory molecules by spermatozoa indicates the significance of the interaction between spermatozoa and immune cells recruited to the FRT in the preparation of appropriate immunity for pregnancy occurrence. One of the immune regulatory molecules is CD5 whose expression by spermatozoa has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the expression of CD5 on the surface of human spermatozoa. Semen samples were collected from 30 healthy men with normal semen status. CD5 expression on purified spermatozoa was evaluated by flow cytometry methods.

Results

The results showed the mean ± SD percentage of CD5 positive spermatozoa was 49.41 ± 8.73.

Conclusion

CD5 is expressed on spermatozoa.
Airway management for one lung ventilation during COVID-19 pandemic: a survey within Italian anesthesiologists
Authors: Rispoli Marco , Piccioni Federico , Di Giacinto Ida , Cortese Gerardo , Falcetta Stefano , Massullo Domenico , Fiorelli Silvia , Zdravkovic Ivana , Coccia Cecilia , Rosboch Giulio , Corcione Antonio , Sorbello Massimiliano
Published: January 2022

Background

Airway management for thoracic surgery represents a high risk setting for SARS-CoV-2 infection diffusion due to complex and invasive airway instrumentation and techniques.

Results

An 18-item questionnaire was submitted to the 56 members of the Thoracic subcommittee of the SIAARTI Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Research Group to provide a snapshot of current situation and national variability of devices and procedures for airway management during the COVID-19 pandemic. The response rate was 64%. Eighty-three percent of anesthetists declared that they modified their airway management strategies. The Hospital Management considered necessary to provide a complete level 3 personal protective equipment for thoracic anesthetists only in 47% of cases. Double-lumen tube and bronchial blocker were preferred by 53% and 22% of responders to achieve one-lung ventilation respectively. Over 90% of responders considered the videolaryngoscope with separate screen and rapid sequence induction/intubation useful to minimize the infection risk. Thirty-nine percent of participants considered mandatory the bronchoscopic check of airway devices. Vivasight-DL was considered comfortable by more than 50% of responders while protective box and plastic drape were judged as uncomfortable by most of anesthetists.

Conclusions

The survey reveals many changes in the clinical practice due to SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. A certain diffusion of new devices such as the VivaSight-DL and barrier enclosure systems emerged too. Finally, we found that most of Italian hospitals did not recognize thoracic anesthesia as a high-risk specialty for risk of virus diffusion.
Use of Biosimilar Medications in Oncology
Authors: Nahleh Zeina , Lyman Gary H. , Schilsky Richard L. , Peterson Douglas E. , Tagawa Scott T. , Chavez-MacGregor Mariana , Rumble R. Bryan , Gupta Shilpi
Published: January 2022

PURPOSE:

The increased number and expanded utilization of biosimilars raise important considerations for their safe and appropriate use in oncology practice. This report provides an update on currently approved oncology biosimilars and identifies current knowledge gaps in the management of patients with cancer.

METHODS:

An Expert Panel was convened to review the medical literature and to provide a practical summary of currently approved biosimilar therapeutics for cancer treatment or supportive care in the United States.

RESULTS:

A total of 17 cancer or cancer-related biosimilar products have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since 2015. Despite years of clinical experience with oncology biosimilars, variance in their use persists. ASCO supports that biosimilars and reference products are considered equally efficacious for the purpose of inclusion in ASCO clinical practice guideline recommendations.

CONCLUSION:

The use of biosimilars might provide competitive, lower-cost alternatives to biologics used in cancer care, and specific mention in ASCO guidelines and other evidence products is supported where appropriate.
Role of ZBTB38 Genotype and Expression in Growth and Response to Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Treatment
Authors: Parsons Samuel , Stevens Adam , Whatmore Andrew , Clayton Peter E , Murray Philip G
Published: January 2022

Context

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ZBTB38 have been associated with idiopathic short stature (ISS) and adult height.

Objective

This study sought to (a) characterize the phenotype of ISS patients and their response to recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) by ZBTB38 SNP genotype; (b) describe the relationship of ZBTB38 expression with normal growth; and (c) describe the in vitro effects of ZBTB38 knockdown on cell proliferation and MCM10 expression.

Methods

The genotype-phenotype relationship of rs6764769 and rs724016 were explored in 261 ISS patients and effects of genotype on response to rhGH were assessed in 93 patients treated with rhGH. The relationship between age and ZBTB38 expression was assessed in 87 normal children and young adults. Knockdown of ZBTB38 in SiHA cells was achieved with siRNAs and cell proliferation assessed with a WST-8 assay.

Results

We found that rs6764769 and rs724016 are in linkage disequilibrium. The rs724016 GG genotype was associated with lower birth length (P = 0.01) and a lower change in height SDS over the first year of treatment (P = 0.02). ZBTB38 expression was positively correlated with age (P < 0.001). siRNA-mediated knockdown of ZBTB38 resulted in increased cell proliferation at 72 and 96 hours posttransfection but did not alter expression of MCM10.

Conclusions

SNPs within ZBTB38 associated with ISS are linked to higher birth size within a cohort of ISS patients and a better response to rhGH therapy while ZBTB38 expression is positively related to age.
Human balance control in 3D running based on virtual pivot point concept
Authors: Firouzi Vahid , Bahrami Fariba , Sharbafi Maziar A.
Published: January 2022

Balance control is one of the crucial challenges in bipedal locomotion. Humans need to maintain their trunk upright while the body behaves like an inverted pendulum which is inherently unstable. As an alternative, the virtual pivot point (VPP) concept introduced a new virtual pendulum model to the human balance control paradigm by analyzing the ground reaction forces (GRFs) in the body coordinate frame. This paper presents novel VPP-based analyses of the postural stability of human running in 3D space. We demonstrate the relationship between the VPP position and the gait speed. The experimental results suggest different control strategies in frontal and sagittal planes. The GRFs intersect below the center of mass in the sagittal plane and above the center of mass in the frontal plane. These VPP locations are found for the sagittal and frontal planes at all running speeds. We introduced a 3D VPP-based model which can replicate the kinematic and kinetic behavior of human running. The similarity between the experimental and simulation results indicates the ability of the VPP concept to predict human balance control in running and support its applicability for gait assistance.
Government plans in the 2016 and 2021 Peruvian presidential elections: A natural language processing analysis of the health chapters
Authors: Carrillo-Larco Rodrigo M. , Castillo-Cara Manuel , Lovón-Melgarejo Jesús
Published: January 2022

Background: While clinical medicine has exploded, electronic health records for Natural Language Processing (NLP) analyses, public health, and health policy research have not yet adopted these algorithms. We aimed to dissect the health chapters of the government plans of the 2016 and 2021 Peruvian presidential elections, and to compare different NLP algorithms.

Methods: From the government plans (18 in 2016; 19 in 2021) we extracted each sentence from the health chapters. We used five NLP algorithms to extract keywords and phrases from each plan: Term Frequency–Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF), Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), TextRank, Keywords Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (KeyBERT), and Rapid Automatic Keywords Extraction (Rake).

Results: In 2016 we analysed 630 sentences, whereas in 2021 there were 1,685 sentences. The TF-IDF algorithm showed that in 2016, 22 terms appeared with a frequency of 0.05 or greater, while in 2021 27 terms met this criterion. The LDA algorithm defined two groups. The first included terms related to things the population would receive (e.g., ’insurance’), while the second included terms about the health system (e.g., ’capacity’). In 2021, most of the government plans belonged to the second group. The TextRank analysis provided keywords showing that ’universal health coverage’ appeared frequently in 2016, while in 2021 keywords about the COVID-19 pandemic were often found. The KeyBERT algorithm provided keywords based on the context of the text. These keywords identified some underlying characteristics of the political party (e.g., political spectrum such as left-wing). The Rake algorithm delivered phrases, in which we found ’universal health coverage’ in 2016 and 2021.

Conclusion: The NLP analysis could be used to inform on the underlying priorities in each government plan. NLP analysis could also be included in research of health policies and politics during general elections and provide informative summaries for the general population.
Iron supplementation of breastfed Gambian infants from 6 weeks to 6 months of age: protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Stelle Isabella , Bah Mamadou , Silverio Sergio A. , Verhoef Hans , Comma Ebrima , Prentice Andrew M. , Moore Sophie E. , Cerami Carla
Published: January 2022

Background: A recent analysis showed that plasma iron concentrations decline rapidly from birth in Gambian infants, irrespective of sex or birthweight, to concentrations well below normal expected values for iron-replete children older than two months of age (typically >10 μmol/L). The development and function of neural and immune cells may thus be compromised before the minimum age at which children should receive iron supplementation as per World Health Organisation recommendations.

Methods: This study is a two-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised superiority trial. Infants will be randomised to receive iron drops (7.5mg/day of iron as ferrous sulphate) or placebo daily for 98 days, to test the impact on serum iron concentrations in healthy, breastfed infants (n = 100) aged 6-10 weeks at enrolment. Participants will be visited daily and supplemented by the field team. Daily health and weekly breastfeeding questionnaires will be administered. Anthropometry, and venous blood and faecal samples will be collected at enrolment and after 98 days of supplementation with serum iron as the primary endpoint. Low birthweight (less than 2.5kg at birth) and infants born prematurely (< 37 weeks) will not be excluded. Formula-fed and infants with any illness will be excluded. An additional study exploring maternal stakeholder perspectives of the intervention will be conducted by means of maternal interviews and four focus group discussions with local stakeholders.

Discussion: Most breast-fed Gambian infants have very low circulating iron levels by five months of age. This study will introduce iron supplements much earlier in infancy than has previously been attempted in a low-income setting with the primary aim of increasing serum iron concentration.

Trial registration: Clincaltrials.gov (NCT04751994); 12th February 2021
Comportamiento de compra y actitud ante el greenwashing. Estudio comparativo entre consumidores de territorios con diferente desarrollo económico
Authors: Gutiérrez-Aragón Óscar , Gassiot-Melian Ariadna , Nebot-López Alba
Published: January 2022

El comportamiento de compra de los consumidores es una de las actitudes sociales que más interés suscita en las investigaciones sobre comunicación y marketing. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo realizar un análisis comparativo de este tipo de comportamiento en dos territorios, cuyo desarrollo económico es sustancialmente diferente, en cuanto a la aceptación por los consumidores de prácticas poco respetuosas con el medio ambiente porparte de las empresas (p. e. el greenwashing). Así, partiendo del estudio realizado en Colombia, se ha replicado su metodología y se ha llevado a cabo una encuesta similar a consumidores de Cataluña, con el fin de comparar los resultados y analizar la influencia de diferentes variables y aspectos determinantes en la decisión de compra de los consumidores de ambos territorios. El estudio concluye que los consumidores colombianos presentan un 10.5 % menos de respeto ambiental en su comportamiento de compra en comparación con los catalanes.
Commentary on “Visualization in Operations Management Research”: Incorporating Statistical Thinking into Visualization Practices for Decision Making in Operational Management
Authors: Tanaka Emi , Leung Jessica Wai Yin , Cook Dianne
Published: January 2022

Supplemental Material: The software that supports this study and helped produce the figures are available within the paper at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijds.2021.0008 or are supplied at https://emitanaka.org/supp-visOM/ , or the same version at Code Ocean available here http://doi.org/10.24433/CO.2743770.v1 .

Data Ethics Statement: The data used for the plots are synthetic data supplied by Basole et al. (2021) .
Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy Misdiagnosed as Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Agostinho Pereira Marcia , Monjardino Lobão Madalena , Mesquita Antonio , Martins Miguel , Ribeiro Rita
Published: January 2022

We present the case of a 53-year-old woman of Portuguese ancestry with a diagnosis of progressive systemic sclerosis (SSc), proposed for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Clinical re-evaluation when assessing eligibility for the procedure led to the alternative diagnosis of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). We discuss the clinical presentations of FAP and SSc, focusing on their overlapping and distinguishing features. We emphasize the need for a high level of suspicion in order to establish an early diagnosis of FAP in the absence of a family history, and provide prognostic and genetic counselling.
Dear Elisabeth, Reine, Jeanne, Madeleine Françoise, Marie-Marguerite, and Geneviève,
Authors: Gelbart Nina Rattner
Published: January 2022

There. Now I’ve told the reader what I am trying to do in this book. Next I will tell all of you. I address you collectively here because part of my plan is to introduce you to each other, for although two of you were intimately linked there is no evidence that the rest of you were acquainted. But you should have been....
Mathematician and Philosopher
Authors: Gelbart Nina Rattner
Published: January 2022

This chapter traces the early life of mathematician and philosopher Elisabeth Ferrand. It documents her interest in the sciences from an early age as well as her accomplishment as a mathematician, in which she won the respect of various members of the Bernoulli dynasty in Basel. A professed Newtonian before Mme Du Châtelet, she had also been taught by her longtime friend Lévesque de Pouilly, who was readily acknowledged by Voltaire as the man who introduced Newton's thoughts into France. The chapter also discusses Ferrand's support for Newton and how she became an early believer in the law of attraction. In a portrait by Quentin de La Tour she chose to be depicted “meditating on Newton.” For Ferrand, as the chapter reveals, being a Newtonian meant appreciating elegant reasoning, understanding math and maybe even calculus (although this is not certain), accepting the law of attraction, and embracing an orderly, lawful view of nature. Ultimately, the chapter presents Ferrand's study, as an epistemologist, about human cognition by analyzing separately what each of the five senses contributed to it.
Dear Elisabeth,
Authors: Gelbart Nina Rattner
Published: January 2022

You seem to have lived and breathed math since girlhood, tutored first by a game theorist who would have taught you probability theory. Do you realize how fortunate you were to have had such an opportunity in your youth? How modern that was? Many young girls today are discouraged, by parents and teachers alike, from doing math and science because those are said to be difficult “masculine” fields. You were launched early, then known in 1733 as ...
Dear Jeanne,
Authors: Gelbart Nina Rattner
Published: January 2022

Mostly, I wonder what really happened once Bougainville left you and Philibert off on Isle de France. Did he desert you? Did he expose you? Or was your story perhaps not spread about, making it possible to remain in disguise as if nothing had happened and to continue as his manservant? Hard to believe you would have agreed to prolong such painful sartorial constraints. Yet given your zeal for science you might have, and even taken a new name, hiding in plain sight to accompany him on further adventures, like the trip to the volcano on Isle Bourbon. On the other hand, when he dedicated an interesting shrub to you he seemed nostalgic, writing that your plant name had significance “autrefois,” which suggests that you were in his past. But then what did you do? It was falsely reported that you married the owner of a forge on Isle de France; someone else spoke of your “personal papers” ending up in Strasbourg. Writers write the damnedest things....
Dear Marie-Marguerite,
Authors: Gelbart Nina Rattner
Published: January 2022

I visit your ghost in several places as I stroll around the 5th arrondissement. You had two addresses on the rue de l’Estrapade behind and south of what is now the Pantheon, the first on the corner of the rue des Poules, today rue Laromiguière—although there’s some ambiguity because the building adjoins the one next to it on the corner of the parallel rue Tournefort. Of course there is a plaque about Diderot having lived there, but no mention of you. The courtyards of those back-to-back buildings, where you did your experimental work in a glass enclosure, are filled now with trees and garbage can depots but back then that space was all yours. It was the scene of your hundreds of dissections, a research lab. Your neighbors evidently tolerated these unusual efforts, the constant traffic of bodies in and out, and the crowds lining up to see your exhibit. You must have had exceptional people skills to placate everyone around you, but they probably recognized the deep reverence with which you approached your work....
Dear Geneviève,
Authors: Gelbart Nina Rattner
Published: January 2022

I have been walking by your haunts for decades without even knowing it, because the Archives Nationales where I do much of my research are right in the middle of the neighborhood you inhabited your whole life: rue Pecquay where you lived when first married, various addresses on what is now the rue des Archives, including the stunning Hôtel de Guénégaud mansion that is today the Fondation de la Chasse. You died on what was then called the rue du Chaume, were buried at the church of Notre Dame des Blancs-Manteaux. All of these locations are within a few short blocks of each other, narrow streets that I have rushed through on the way to get a seat in the ...
Cultural activism against inequalities: the experience of Quaderni Urbani in Bologna
Authors: La Terr Alessio
Published: January 2022

The chapter presents the story of Quaderni Urbani, a “cultural activism” project carried out by a group of young activists participating in a political squat (centro sociale) named Làbas and based in the city of Bologna (Italy). The chapter, written by one of the activists involved in the project, discusses how Quaderni Urbani has sought to combine cultural commitment with social conflict by organising independent, accessible, countercultural events (i.e. open workshops, thematic readings and collaboration with independent artists) inspired by the values of anti-fascism, anti-racism, and anti-sexism. Reading the experience of Quaderni Urbani through the lenses of Frankfurt School’s critical theory and Bourdieu and Passeron’s analysis of culture as reproduction, the chapter analyses how Quaderni Urbani has attempted to transform art and culture in ways that will foster social change and question hegemonic thinking.
Frontrunners Against Inequality: the stories of Darpan and Barwago
Authors: Gautam Darpan Raj , Hussein Barwago Jama
Published: January 2022

Darpan Raj Gautam and Barwaqo Jamma Husein share their experiences with their participation in the project “Part of the Community”, organised by the Danish NGO, MS Action Aid Denmark. The aim was to establish a forum for young people in the club to help them gain influence and democratic experiences. Based on the method ‘Journey mapping’ Gautam and Hussain share their personal experiences and visions of being engaged in change processes and political activities that can challenge young people’s experiences of inequality related to living in deprived neighborhoods.