bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aspiration syndromes and associated lung injury: incidence, pathophysiology and management
Authors: Košutová P , Mikolka P
Published: March 2022

Aspiration is a common condition affecting healthy or sick patients which could create an acute or chronic inflammatory reaction in the lungs. Aspiration syndromes could be categorized according to a content entering the respiratory system into bacterial aspiration pneumonia with the gastric or oropharyngeal bacteria entering, aspiration chemical pneumonitis with bacteria-freegastric acid aspiration, or aspiration of a foreign body which causes an acute pulmonary emergency. There are differences in the clinical presentation of volume-dependent aspirations (microaspiration and macroaspiration): the higher is the volume of aspiration, the greater is the injury to the patient and more serious are the health consequences (with 70 % mortality rate for hospitalized patients). Aspiration syndromes can affect both the airways and pulmonary parenchyma, leading to acute lung injury, increased hospitalization rate and worse outcomes in critically ill patients. Impaired alveolar-capillary permeability, oedema formation, neutrophilic inflammatory response and pulmonary surfactant inactivation lead to reduced lung compliance and loss of aerated lung tissue and give rise to hypoxemia and respiratory failure. This review discusses the effect of aspiration events on the pulmonary tissue. The main focus is to distinguish the differences between bacterial and chemical pneumonia, their clinical presentation and symptoms, risk factors of developing the changes, possibilities of diagnostics and management as well as prevention of aspirations. Because of a risk of serious lung damage after the aspiration, pathophysiology and processes leading to lung tissue injury are discussed in detail. Data sources represent a systematic literature search using relevant medical subject headings.
Pancreatic stellate cells - rising stars in pancreatic pathologies
Authors: Hrabák P , Kalousová M , Krechler T , Zima T
Published: March 2022

Pluripotent pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) receive growing
interest in past decades. Two types of PSCs are recognized –
vitamin A accumulating quiescent PSCs and activated PSCs- the
main producents of extracellular matrix in pancreatic tissue. PSCs
plays important role in pathogenesis of pancreatic fibrosis in
pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis. PSCs are intensively
studied as potential therapeutical target because of their
important role in developing desmoplastic stroma in pancreatic
cancer. There also exists evidence that PSC are involved in other
pathologies like type-2 diabetes mellitus. This article brings brief
characteristics of PSCs and recent advances in research of these
cells.
Antibody-Mediated Rejection of Renal Allografts: Diagnostic Pitfalls and Challenges
Authors: Novotná M , Kment M , Viklický O
Published: March 2022

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is a major obstacle to the long-term success in kidney transplantation. Diagnosis of ABMR is determined according to the internationally recognized Banff criteria. However, a significant proportion of patients does not meet all the defined criteria, and the outcome of such cases remains poorly understood. The histology of ABMR frequently lacks sensitivity and specificity. More importantly, mixed forms of ABMR and T cell-mediated rejection as well as findings of nonspecific injury are common in clinical settings. Donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) are detectable only in half of the ABMR cases by histology. Prognostic role of non-HLA antibodies against various endothelial proteins has been discussed. Antibody independent NK cell activation reflecting killer-cells’ inhibitory receptor incompatibility is suggested in microvascular inflammation in DSA negative patients. Molecular assessment of ABMR has been prioritized to overcome high interobserver variability and improve diagnostics in mixed forms of rejections and in DSA negative cases. Finally, donor-derived cell-free DNA detected in a recipient’s peripheral blood sample has been proposed as a noninvasive marker for diagnosis of graft rejection, and thus might serve as a liquid biopsy in the near future. Despite all achievements, diagnosing ABMR in kidney allografts remains to be a challenge in a significant number of cases.
Parental overnutrition by carbohydrates in developmental origins of metabolic syndrome
Authors: Šeda O
Published: March 2022

interplay of genomic component and the exposome. Parental diet has been shown to affect offspring metabolic health via multiple epigenetic mechanisms. Excess carbohydrate intake is one of the driving forces of the obesity and metabolic syndrome pandemics. This review summarizes the evidence for the effects of maternal carbohydrate (fructose, sucrose, glucose) overnutrition on the modulation of metabolic syndrome components in the offspring. Despite substantial discrepancies in experimental design, common effects of maternal carbohydrate overnutrition include increased body weight and hepatic lipid content of the "programmed" offspring. However, the administration of sucrose to several rat models leads to apparently favorable metabolic outcomes. Moreover, there is evidence for the role of genomic background in modulating the metabolic programming effect in the form of nutri-epigenomic interaction. Comprehensive, robust studies are needed to resolve the temporal, sex-specific, genetic, epigenetic and nutritional aspects of parental overnutrition in the intergenerational and transgenerational pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.
Recording the dynamic polarisation gratings in pure nematic liquid crystal
Authors: Slussarenko Sergei S. , Melnikova Elena A. , Tolstik Alexei L.
Published: March 2022

We report on experimental realisation of polarisation dynamic gratings recording in pure nematic liquid crystal. This work is devoted to the experimental implementation of writing polarisation dynamic gratings in a pure nematic liquid crystal. The registration mechanism is based on the photorefractive effect in a cell filled with a pure nematic crystal under the action of an applied constant electric field. This phenomenon does not require the presence of photoexcited charge carriers in the liquid crystal and is explained by the extremely high anisotropy of the liquid crystal. The article provides an elementary theoretical model of this process. The dependences of the grating writing process on the spatial frequency of the interference field and the intensity of the recording beams are investigated. It was found that the spatial grating does not coincide with the interference field – the response of the medium is non-local. However, we do not associate this property with that in photorefractive crystals. In our case, a mechanism of purely geometric mismatch is more likely due to the peculiarity of the recording mechanism. One of the fundamental properties of the described processes is their independence from the wavelength of the recording radiation, which confirms the model of the recording mechanism we have chosen.
Determination of the Bessel light beam cone parameter by Fourier analysis of the diametral distribution of the intensity
Authors: Ryzhevich Anatol A. , Balykin Igor V.
Published: March 2022

Power spectral density (PSD) of the intensity distribution of an ideal Bessel light beam (BLB) expressions are obtained. It is shown that the PSD of the intensity distribution of an ideal BLB is limited and the upper boundary of the PSD is equal to the doubled cone parameter (the product of the wave number and the sine of the half angle of the cone of wave vectors), and the number of zeros in the PSD of an ideal BLB located in the interval from zero frequency to the upper boundary of the spectrum, is equal to the order of the beam. A technique is proposed for estimating the cone parameter of BLBs by analysing the PSD estimates of diametral distributions – one-dimensional intensity distributions obtained in the transverse plane of the beam along a line passing through the beam axis from transverse two-dimensional BLB intensity distributions recorded in the form of digital computer images. The influence of clipping (the end of the distribution at the boundary of the sensitive sensor), Gaussian and cosine modulations of the diametral distribution on the shape of the spectrum and, in case of clipping, the error in the cone parameter estimation using the proposed method is investigated. The technique is tested on the example of the analysis of experimental BLBs of different orders (BLBm, m = 0, 1, 2). The proposed technique can be used to assess the quality parameters of the BLB. The results of the analysis of the influence of cosine modulation on the shape of the PSD can be used to assess the magnitude of the rounding of the apex of the axicon forming the BLB for control the quality of the axicon manufacturing.
Determination of the parameters of two-beam laser splitting of silicate glasses using regression and neural network models
Authors: Nikitjuk Yuri V. , Serdyukov Anatoly N. , Aushev Igor Y.
Published: March 2022

The current work takes the results of the numerical experiment implemented in the Ansys finite element analysis program to create the neural network and regression models of two-beam laser splitting of silicate glasses. The regression models of two-beam laser glass cutting have been obtained in the DesignXplorer module of Ansys Workbench using a face-centered version of the central composite design. The processing speed, the parameters of laser beams, the glass plate thickness, and the distance between the laser radiation and the refrigerant affected zones were used as variable factors. The maximum temperatures and thermoelastic tensile stresses in the laser processing area were used as responses. The artificial neural networks have been constructed and trained using the TensorFlow package. The results of determining the maximum temperatures and thermoelastic stresses in the laser treatment area using the neural network and regression models have been compared.
Crystal growth and f – f transition intensities analysis of praseodymium ions in yttrium-aluminum orthoborates
Authors: Demesh Maxim P. , Gorbachenya Konstantin N. , Kisel Viktor E. , Volkova Elena A. , Maltsev Viktor V. , Koporulina Elizaveta V. , Kornienko Alexey A. , Dunina Elena B. , Kuleshov Nikolay V.
Published: March 2022

A Pr3+ : YAl3(BO3)4 crystal with sizes of  20 × 10 × 10 mm was grown from high-temperature solution and its structural and spectroscopic properties were investigated. The distribution coefficient of praseodymium ranged from 0.6 to 0.8, that yield to the Pr3+ ion concentration of 1.1 ⋅1020 cm–3. Visible and infrared groundstate absorption (3H4) was measurement in dependence on the polarisation. The absorption spectra of the Pr3+ : YAl3(BO3)4 exhibit pronounced polarisation anisotropy. The modified Judd – Offelt theory was applied to evaluate the transitions intensities in absorption and emission, branching ratios and radiative lifetimes of the metastable levels 3P0 and 1D2.
Analytical diagonalisation of the Hamiltonian of the quantum Rabi model in the Coulomb gauge
Authors: Leonau Aliaksandr U. , Feranchuk Ilya D.
Published: March 2022

In the present paper we investigate the approximate analytical diagonalisation of the Hamiltonian of the quantum Rabi model written in the Coulomb gauge and taking into account the gauge invariance of the system. It is shown that the Hamiltonian of the model can be diagonalised with high accuracy on the basis of a unitary operator of the gauge transformation utilising a simple basis set of state vectors. It is essential that the obtained approximate expressions do not depend on the variational parameters and are valid within the whole range of the parameter values. The zeroth-order approximation and uniformly available approximation are derived for the eigenstates of the system, and their comparison with the results of the numerical simulation is elaborated. The second-order correction to the zeroth-order approximation is deduced and its contribution to the energy of the system is estimated. The obtained results could be useful for description of the evolution of the quantum Rabi model as well as for investigation of systems of two-level atoms in the resonant quantum field.
Transport properties of two-component radium – halogen dilute gas media
Authors: Meniailava Darya N. , Shundalau Maksim B. , Han Yong-Chang
Published: March 2022

Based on state-of-the-art ab initio potential energy functions and classical kinetic theory, some transport properties (diffusion, viscosity and thermal conductivity coefficients) of two-component dilute gas media of radium and halogen (F, Cl, Br, I) atoms were predicted as functions of the translation temperature up to 3000 K. Calculations were performed by sequential analytical and (or) numerical computations of deflection angle, cross-section and collision integrals. A detailed methodology for the calculation of the transport properties using the Morse potential was developed. Some numerical difficulties arising due to the singularity of the integrands and discontinuous character of the variable of integration are considered. The dependence of transport properties on isotope mass is also shown. Possible errors introduced by using the model Morse potential function instead of the real potential for the interaction between atoms are estimated. These data can be useful for the planning of the experiments on the direct laser cooling of the monohalides of alkaline earth metals.
Hydrogen-phase naklep as a result of single isothermal hydride transformations
Authors: Zhirov Gregory I. , Goltsova Mariya V.
Published: March 2022

Hydrogen treatment of metallic materials is a promising area of controlled hydrogen action on metals and alloys in order to impart special properties to them. In this work, the changes in the mechanical properties of palladium during single hydride transformations, which are initiated in the initially non-nakleped palladium hydride, have been experimentally studied. Were investigated wire palladium samples with a purity of 99.98 %, a diameter of 0.5 mm and a length of 165 mm. Samples for research were preliminarily subjected to hydrogen treatment, and then mechanical tests were carried out. The mechanical properties of non-nakleped palladium hydride are presented. Hydrogen-phase naklep of palladium during hydrogen treatment has been studied. It is shown that palladium hydride is a plastic material with low strength characteristics. During the reverse hydride transformation, the hydrogen phase naklep of palladium develops. Experimental facts of the appearance of hydrogen-phase naklep during the interaction of hydrogen with other metals and alloys are discussed.
The structure of rapidly solidified foil of Al – Bi alloys
Authors: Shepelevich Vasili G.
Published: March 2022

The results of study of the microstructure and texture of aluminum alloys, containing 0.12 and 0.25 at. % Bi, obtained with high-speed solidification, are presented (melt cooling rate liquid – not less 105 K /s). Texture (111) aluminum is formed in the rapidly solidified foils of investigated alloys and it is conserved under annealing at 523 K during 2 h. The average chord of bismuth sections does not exceed 0.05 µm. As the crystallisation front moves from surface A contacted with crystalliser to the surface B, the average size of dispersed bismuth particles increases. Foils of the alloys dissolve in water at room temperature actively forming hydrogen bubbles in vessel with water, white powder of aluminum oxide in an amorphous state and bismuth precipitations. Isotermical annealing of foils at 573 K for 5 h causes a change in distribution of chords in size groups and increases their average value. After the annealing bismuth particles are localised on low- and high-angle boundaries. The rapidly solidified foils of Al – Bi system can be used to produced hydrogen, aluminum oxide powder and create technical devices using hydrogen.
Charging properties of thin gate dielectrics, obtained by the method of rapid thermal processing
Authors: Kovalchuk Natalya S. , Marudo Yuliya A. , Omelchenko Anna A. , Pilipenka Uladzimir A. , Saladukha Vitali A. , Demidovich Sergey A. , Kolos Vladimir V. , Anishchik Victor M. , Filipenia Viktar A. , Shestovski Dmitry V.
Published: March 2022

The charge properties of thin dielectrics, obtained by rapid thermal processing (RTP), and their interfaces with silicon for MOS transistors are investigated. The production of insulator layers was carried out by a two- or three-stage RTP with photon processing regimes similar for each stage (duration – 12 s, maximum temperature – 1250 °C). After the third stage of RTP in a nitrogen atmosphere of the gate oxides, obtained by a two-stage process in oxygen atmosphere, the defects responsible for local charge centers are partially eliminated. There is also an increase in the relative value of the surface potential by an average of 100 relative units. The elimination of defects is a consequence of the rearrangement of the structure of the dielectric, its interface with silicon, and the diffusion of oxygen and silicon atoms along the interface of the insulator layer. For samples obtained by a two-stage RTP in an oxygen atmosphere and subjected to the third stage of processing in a forming gas, there is an almost complete elimination of local charge centers and an increase in the relative value of the surface potential by an average of 300 relative units. In this case, in addition to the processes occurring during the treatment of SiO2 by the RTP method in an nitrogen atmosphere, the liquidation of charge centers is a consequence of the passivation of defects by hydrogen atoms.
Method for studying the photostability of solar cells based on organic-inorganic perovskites using a confocal spectrometer
Authors: Mahon Natallia S. , Korolik Olga V. , Mazanik Alexander V.
Published: March 2022

A method for studying photosensitive structures using the example of studying the photodegradation and dark recovery of organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells is present. The method is based on the use of a confocal spectrometer to measure Raman spectra, photo- and electroluminescence spectra and kinetics, the kinetics of the short-circuit current and the open-circuit voltage under local exposure to monochromatic radiation. Raman spectra make it possible to establish the presence or absence of secondary phases, the formation of which is possible in photosensitive layers under the influence of light. The photoluminescence spectra enable to reveal the single-phase nature of the object under study. Mapping the intensity and position of the center of mass of the photoluminescence band in the plane of the object makes it possible to judge the spatial arrangement of the centers of non-radiative recombination of charge carriers, the distribution of the regions with the highest and lowest efficiency of the extraction of charge carriers by transport-acceptor layers and the spatial homogeneity of the chemical composition. Comparison of the electroluminescence spectra before and after light exposure allows revealing the formation of non-radiative recombination centers in the photoabsorbing layer and at interfaces with the transport layers. Analysis of the kinetics of changes in the parameters of the photoluminescence band obtained by measuring the short-circuit current and the open-circuit voltage makes it possible to establish the dominant photoinduced processes leading to a change in the intensity of the photoluminescence band.
Estimation of the contribution of scattered ionising radiation to the dosimeter readings during measurements inside a low-background chamber
Authors: Zaharadniuk Aleksei A. , Lukashevich Roman V.
Published: March 2022

The article evaluates the contribution of ionising gamma radiation scattered by structural materials when measuring the dose rate in a low-background chamber. The contribution of scattered radiation to the total dose rate was estimated using Monte Carlo simulations. A model of a low-background camera and a BDKG-05K dosimeter was created in the computer program Fluka. In addition, a model of a point source of 137Cs gamma radiation was placed in the low-background chamber. The fraction of scattered radiation was calculated by comparing the dosimeter readings when measuring the dose rate inside the low-background chamber with the reference model (the dosimeter model is placed together with the source in a vacuum, as a result, scattered radiation is completely absent). The calculation was carried out for two positions of the dosimeter relative to the source (30 and 100 cm). It was found that the contribution of scattered radiation to the dose rate reaches 38 % (distance from the source to the detector is 100 cm). To minimise the contribution of scattered radiation to the readings of the dosimeter, a design in the form of a collimator, inside which the source is located, was considered. Additionally, the work investigated the dependence of the dose rate formed by the scattered radiation on the design features of the collimator. It was found that the use of a collimator makes it possible to reduce the contribution of scattered radiation to 3 %. The aim of the work was to calculate the optimal design of the collimator, in which the contribution of scattered radiation to the total dose rate will be minimal. The results of the work will be used to create a prototype of a low-background camera and an optimised collimator.
Intellectual Disability Through Gaming: Operationalizing Accessibility, Participation, and Inclusion
Authors: Sousa Carla , Neves José Carlos , Damásio Manuel José
Published: March 2022

Nowadays, the potential of games to promote well-being and social inclusion is already widely documented by research. Yet, how this potential can reach out to underrepresented communities, namely those with very specific accessibility needs, ensuring their participation is still somewhat unexplored. The present article discusses accessibility, participation, and inclusion as three pillars to address the relationship between gaming and Intellectual Disability (ID). Through this approach, more participatory models of game development and research are proposed, including the operationalization of the social model of disability and the relevance of the context. Therefore, it proposes concrete models, where accessibility is part of the creative process, to better include the voice of the player with ID into gameplay, and ensure a final media object that, more than accessible, narratively represents the experience of having this disability.
Weight Loss Outcomes With Telemedicine During COVID-19
Authors: Tchang Beverly G. , Morrison Chenel , Kim Joon Tae , Ahmed Farheen , Chan Karina M. , Alonso Laura C. , Aronne Louis J. , Shukla Alpana P.
Published: March 2022

Background

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was rapidly implemented to maintain patient care during quarantine. However, there is little data on how this transition may have impacted weight loss outcomes and interventions among patients with overweight or obesity.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of adults who established care for medically managed obesity at the Weill Cornell Comprehensive Weight Control Center during September-November 2019 and May-July 2020 and who completed 6 months of follow-up. Weight loss outcomes and weight management interventions were explored and stratified by patient-provider interaction: in-person visits only, in-person and video visits, and video visits only.

Results

Of 499 charts eligible for review, 245 (49%) returned for their 6-month follow-up visit and were included for analysis. Of 245 patients, 69 had in-person visits only (“in-person”), 85 started in-person and later switched to video visits (“hybrid”), and 91 had video visits only (“video”). All cohorts were predominantly white and female. Median ages were 56, 49, and 49 years; baseline median weights were 98.9, 96.8, and 93.0 kg; and baseline median BMIs were 35.3, 34.4, and 34.0 kg/m2 for in-person, hybrid, and video cohorts, respectively. The median percent weight changes over 6 months were not significantly different among cohorts: -4.3% [-8.5, -1.5] in the in-person cohort, -5.6% [-8.7, -2.2] in the hybrid group, and -5.8% [-9.7, -2.4] in the video cohort. The percent of patients who achieved ≥5% weight loss were also similar: 46.4%, 55.3%, and 59.3%, respectively. The median number of visits in the video cohort was more than in the in-person or hybrid groups (5 vs. 4). Median number of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) prescribed was similar among groups. The most common AOMs were metformin (all cohorts) followed by semaglutide 1.0 mg (in-person and video) or topiramate (hybrid).

Conclusion

Patients on anti-obesity medications who were followed for 6 months via video or video plus in-person visits (hybrid) experienced clinically significant weight loss. Median number of AOMs were similar among groups, and the most common AOMs were metformin, semaglutide 1.0 mg, and topiramate. More investigation is required to compare telemedicine models with in-person care.
Female Representation: Australian Diabetes and Endocrinology Societies
Authors: Raven Lisa M. , McCormack Ann I.
Published: March 2022

Background

Endocrinology has one of the highest proportions of female specialists and trainees, however females have traditionally been underrepresented in leadership positions and as speakers at scientific meetings.

Hypothesis

Females would represent less than half of invited speakers (plenary, symposium sessions) at endocrinology conferences and in leadership positions of endocrinology societies.

Method

An audit of Australian diabetes and endocrinology societies and their respective annual scientific meetings between 2016 – 2020. Analysis of the gender of conference speakers across oral, symposium and plenary sessions, session chairs, program organising committees and society committees.

Results

A total of 1638 speakers (females 856, 52.3%) across 550.4 hours (females 273.6, 49.7%) of presentations at the conferences were identified. Among plenary sessions of all 3 societies there were more male (61%) than female speakers. A total of 608 session chairs were identified, with 313 (51.5%) females. The majority of organising committee members (n=116) were female (56%), however the representation across each organising committee varied. There was a low proportion of society female council members (39% female).

Conclusion

There was an equal representation of females and males as conference speakers and session chairs. However, there was an underrepresentation of women in more prestigious roles of plenary speakers and society council members. We implore conscious efforts to address this disparity.
Novel Lethal Clostridial Infection in Florida Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris): Cause of the 2013 Unusual Mortality Event in the Indian River Lagoon
Authors: Landsberg Jan H. , Tabuchi Maki , Rotstein David S. , Subramaniam Kuttichantran , Rodrigues Thais C. S. , Waltzek Thomas B. , Stacy Nicole I. , Wilson Patrick W. , Kiryu Yasunari , Uzal Francisco A. , de Wit Martine
Published: March 2022

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) on Florida’s east coast is a biologically diverse estuary and an important habitat to the threatened Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). An unusual mortality event (UME) was declared by the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events in 2013 after a marked increase in manatee deaths in the IRL of an unknown cause. This UME followed a dramatic reduction of seagrass coverage in the IRL due to chronic non-toxic phytoplankton blooms, with a resultant ecosystem shift to mixed macroalgal dominance. At least 199 manatee deaths fitting the UME case definition were documented in and adjacent to the IRL during 2012–2019; mortality was highest in 2013, when 111 of these deaths were documented. The case definition included carcasses in good nutritional condition, with multiorgan congestion or wet lungs consistent with drowning without trauma. The gastrointestinal compartments of manatee carcasses were filled with diverse macroalga species, and the contents were notably more fluid than usual. Gross intestinal findings included blebbing to segmental thickening of the wall. Microscopic lesions were primarily intestinal, including necrosis, edema, hemorrhage, mucosa-associated lymphoid changes, and inflammation, sometimes associated with Gram-positive bacterial rods. A multidisciplinary approach of environmental and carcass sampling found no causative evidence through tests for micro- and macroalgal biotoxins, trace metals, general toxin screening, or vitreum biochemistry. Microbiological, cytological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analyses of Clostridiales from intestinal samples identified Clostridioides difficile toxin A, toxins A/B and toxin A gene; Paeniclostridium sordellii lethal gene (and other potential virulence factors from a sequenced strain); and Clostridium perfringens alpha and epsilon toxin genes. The results from this 8 year-long investigation are indicative that the cause of death in this manatee UME was associated with clostridial infection, initiated by a shift to a predominantly macroalgal diet.
Evaluation of Physicochemical Characteristics of Coastal Waters of Nellore, Southeast Coast of India, by a Multivariate Statistical Approach
Authors: Ratnam Krupa , Jha Dilip Kumar , Prashanthi Devi M. , Dharani Gopal
Published: March 2022

The Swarnamukhi river estuary (SRE), and the surrounding sea in Nellore, southeast coast of India, is one of the least studied marine environments, notably for physicochemical characteristics. Seawater samples were collected from five stations every month from 2014 to 2017 to assess physicochemical characteristics. The open sea (OS) station was significantly different from the inner stations, according to non-metric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. The variability was shown by strong factor loadings of atmospheric temperature (0.87), water temperature (0.84), biochemical oxygen demand (0.77), ammonia (0.85), and total nitrogen (0.78). Furthermore, one-way ANOVA and box-whisker plots facilitated simplifying and corroborating multivariate results that showed high concentration in the inner stations. Based on the N/P and Si/N ratios, nitrate and silicate were the key limiting factors in this study. The findings are critical for establishing reference conditions for comparison studies with other comparable ecosystems in the tropical region for better environmental conservation and management.
Therapeutic Effect of Exosomes Derived From Stem Cells in Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review Based on Animal Studies
Authors: Zhang Cangyu , Deng Rongrong , Zhang Guangzhi , He Xuegang , Chen Haiwei , Chen Bao , Wan Lin , Kang Xuewen
Published: March 2022

Objective

A systematic review of the role of stem cell-derived exosomes in repairing spinal cord injury (SCI) and the existing problems in animal experiments to provide a reference for better animal experiments and clinical studies in the future.

Method

Three electronic databases, namely PubMed, Web of Science, and Ovid-Embase were searched. The studies were retrieved from inception to October 2021. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the methodological quality based on the inclusion criteria.

Results and Discussion

Thirty-two studies were incorporated into the final analyses. Exosomes derived from stem cells could not only significantly improve the motor function of animals with SCI, but also significantly increase the expression of anti-inflammatory factors IL-4 and IL-10 and anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, while significantly lowering the pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β and TNF-α and the expression of the apoptotic protein BAX. However, the mechanism of exosome-mediated SCI repair, as well as the best source and dosage remain unknown. In addition, there are still some issues with the design, implementation, and reporting of animal experiments in the included studies. Therefore, future research should further standardize the implementation and reporting of animal studies and fully explore the best strategies for exosomes to repair SCI so as to promote the translation of preclinical research results to clinical research better and faster.
Getting Into the Brain: The Intranasal Approach to Enhance the Delivery of Nerve Growth Factor and Its Painless Derivative in Alzheimer’s Disease and Down Syndrome
Authors: Capsoni Simona , Cattaneo Antonino
Published: March 2022

The neurotrophin Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) holds a great potential as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of neurological diseases. However, its safe and effective delivery to the brain is limited by the fact that NGF needs to be selectively targeted to the brain, to avoid severe side effects such as pain and to bypass the blood brain barrier. In this perspective, we will summarize the different approaches that have been used, or are currently applied, to deliver NGF to the brain, during preclinical and clinical trials to develop NGF as a therapeutic drug for Alzheimer’s disease. We will focus on the intranasal delivery of NGF, an approach that is used to deliver proteins to the brain in a non-invasive, safe, and effective manner minimizing systemic exposure. We will also describe the main experimental facts related to the effective intranasal delivery of a mutant form of NGF [painless NGF, human nerve growth factor painless (hNGFp)] in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and compare it to other ways to deliver NGF to the brain. We will also report new data on the application of intranasal delivery of hNGFp in Down Syndrome mouse model. These new data extend the therapeutic potential of hNGFp for the treatment of the dementia that is progressively associated to Down Syndrome. In conclusion, we will show how this approach can be a promising strategy and a potential solution for other unmet medical needs of safely and effectively delivering this neuroprotective neurotrophin to the brain.
Seed Germination and Seed Bank Dynamics of Eruca sativa (Brassicaceae): A Weed on the Northeastern Edge of Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Jia Cun-Zhi , Wang Jing-Jing , Chen Da-Li , Hu Xiao-Wen
Published: March 2022

As a versatile cruciferous species, Eruca sativa is widely cultivated, but in some areas, it has become an invasive weed. There are few studies on its seed dormancy and soil seed bank. This research examined seed dormancy, germination, and dynamics of the soil seed bank of E. sativa, with a view to provide support for its prevention and control. We tested the effects of temperature, light, storage, water, and salinity stress on seed germination and burial depth on seedling emergence of E. sativa. Dynamics of the soil seed bank were determined with a 24 month in situ seed-burial study. Seeds of E. sativa can germinate in a temperature range of 5–35°C; moreover, they exhibited non-deep physiological dormancy (NDPD) at maturity, which can be broken by dry storage or exposure to low temperature in winter. Germination of E. sativa seeds was sensitive to water and salinity stress, and most seeds did not germinate at -0.3 MPa. When buried in soil in the field, seeds exhibited an annual dormancy/non-dormancy cycle and formed at least a short-term persistent soil seed bank. Seeds buried deeper than 5 cm can hardly emerge. Seeds of E. sativa have a wide germination temperature range and exhibited dormancy cycling, which promotes the formation of a persistent soil seed bank and enables it to better adapt to the harsh low-temperature climate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. No-tillage would be a good management strategy for this species.
Burned-Out: Middle School Teachers After One Year of Online Remote Teaching During COVID-19
Authors: Gutentag Tony , Asterhan Christa S. C.
Published: March 2022

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers around the globe had been forced to move their teaching to full-time online, remote teaching. In this study, we aimed at understanding teacher burnout during COVID-19. We conducted a survey among 399 teachers at the peak of a prolonged physical school closure. Teachers reported experiencing more burnout during (vs. before) the COVID-19 pandemic. Contributing factors to this burnout were high family work conflict and low online teaching proficiency. Burnout was associated with lower work-related wellbeing: Lower work commitment, and higher turnover intentions. It was also associated with lower psychological wellbeing: More depressive and anxiety symptoms, and lower subjective wellbeing. Approach (but not avoid) coping strategies served as a protective factor against the burnout-turnover intentions association. We conclude with recommendations on how to mitigate teacher burnout, thereby contributing to teacher wellbeing.
Trait Emotional Intelligence in Surgeons
Authors: Petrides K. V. , Perazzo Matheus F. , Pérez-Díaz Pablo A. , Jeffrey Steve , Richardson Helen C. , Sevdalis Nick , Ahmad Noweed
Published: March 2022

Trait emotional intelligence (trait EI or trait emotional self-efficacy) concerns people’s perceptions of their emotional functioning. Two studies investigated this construct in surgeons and comparison occupations. We hypothesized that trait EI profiles would differ both within surgical specialties as well as between them and other professions. Study 1 (N = 122) compared the trait EI profiles of four different surgical specialties (General, Orthopedic, Head and Neck, and Miscellaneous surgical specialties). There were no significant differences amongst these specialties or between consultant surgeons and trainees in these specialties. Accordingly, the surgical data were combined into a single target sample (N = 462) that was compared against samples of engineers, executives and senior managers, lawyers, junior military managers, nurses, and salespeople. Surgeons scored significantly higher on global trait EI than junior military managers, but lower than executives and senior managers, salespeople, and nurses. There were no significant differences vis-à-vis engineers or lawyers. A MANOVA confirmed a similar pattern of differences in the four trait EI factors (Wellbeing, Self-control, Sociability, and Emotionality). Global trait EI scores correlated strongly with single-question measures of job satisfaction (r = 0.47) and job performance (r = 0.46) in the surgical sample. These findings suggest that interventions to optimize the trait EI profiles of surgeons can be helpful in relation to job satisfaction, job performance, and overall psychological wellbeing.
Biomechanical Features of Backstroke to Breaststroke Transition Techniques in Age-Group Swimmers
Authors: Chainok Phornpot , de Jesus Karla , Mourão Luis , Fonseca Pedro Filipe Pereira , Zacca Rodrigo , Fernandes Ricardo J. , Vilas-Boas João Paulo
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to identify the biomechanical features of backstroke to breaststroke transition techniques (open, somersault, bucket, and crossover) in age-group swimmers. Eighteen preadolescent swimmers (12.2 ± 0.4 years old and 3–4 Tanner stages) underwent 4 weeks of systematic contextual interference training, comprising 16 sessions (40 min·session−1). Soon after, experimental testing was conducted where swimmers randomly performed 12 × 15 m maximal turns (composed of 7.5 m turn-in and 7.5 m turn-out of the wall segments), three in each transition technique. Kinematical, kinetic, and hydrodynamic variables were assessed with a dual-media motion capture system (12 land and 11 underwater cameras), triaxial underwater force plates, and inverse dynamics. Variables were grouped in turn-in (approach and rotation) and turn-out (wall contact, gliding, and pull-out) phases, with factor analysis used to select the variables entering on multiple regressions. For the turn-in phase, 86, 77, 89, and 87% of the variance for open, somersault, bucket, and crossover turning techniques, respectively, was accounted by the 7.5 and 2.5 m times, mean stroke length, and rotation time. For the turn-out phase, first gliding distance and time, second gliding depth, turn-out time, and dominating peak_Z push-off force accounted for 93% in open turn, while wall contact time, first gliding distance, breakout distance and time, turn-out time, dominating peak_Y push-off force, and second gliding drag coefficient accounted for 92% in a somersault turn. The foot plant index, push-off velocity, second gliding distance, and turn-out time accounted for 92% in bucket turn while breakout and turn-out time, non-dominating peak_Y and peak_Z push-off force, first and second gliding drag force and second gliding drag coefficient accounted for 90% in crossover turn, respectively. The findings in this study were novel and provided relevant biomechanical contribution, focusing on the key kinematic–temporal determinant during turn-in, rotation, and push-off efficacy, and the kinetic and hydrodynamic during turn-out, which would lead to improved backstroke to breaststroke transition techniques in 11–13 years-old age-group swimmers.
Hyperforin and Myrtucommulone Derivatives Act as Natural Modulators of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells
Authors: Knauthe Aneliya , Mittag Sonnhild , Bloch Laura , Albring Kai Frederik , Schmidt Martin , Werz Oliver , Huber Otmar
Published: March 2022

The therapeutic activities of natural plant extracts have been well known for centuries. Many of them, in addition to antiviral and antibiotic effects, turned out to have anti-tumor activities by targeting different signaling pathways. The canonical Wnt pathway represents a major tumorigenic pathway deregulated in numerous tumor entities, including colon cancer. Here, we investigated the acylphloroglucinols hyperforin (HF) from St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) and myrtucommulone A (MC A) from myrtle (Myrtus communis) and semi-synthetic derivatives thereof (HM 177, HM 297, HM298) for their effects on Wnt/β-catenin signaling. None of these substances revealed major cytotoxicity on STF293 embryonic kidney and HCT116 colon carcinoma cells at concentrations up to 10 μM. At this concentration, HF and HM 177 showed the strongest effect on cell proliferation, whereas MC A and HM 177 most prominently inhibited anchorage-independent growth of HCT116 cells. Western blot analyses of active β-catenin and β-catenin/TCF reporter gene assays in STF293 cells revealed inhibitory activities of HF, MC A and HM 177. In line with this, the expression of endogenous Wnt target genes, Axin and Sp5, in HCT116 cells was significantly reduced. Our data suggest that the acylphloroglucinols hyperforin, myrtucommulone A and its derivative HM 177 represent potential new therapeutic agents to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colon cancer.
Melatonin Signaling Pathways Implicated in Metabolic Processes in Human Granulosa Cells (KGN)
Authors: Asma Arjoune , Marc-André Sirard
Published: March 2022

Female reproduction depends on the metabolic status, especially during the period of folliculogenesis. Even though it is believed that melatonin can improve oocyte competence, there is still limited knowledge of how it can modulate metabolic processes during folliculogenesis and which signaling pathways are involved in regulating gene expression. To investigate the effects of melatonin on metabolic signals during the antral stage of follicular development, human granulosa-like tumor cells (KGN) were treated with melatonin or forskolin, and gene expression was analyzed with RNA-seq technology. Following appropriate normalization and the application of a fold change cut-off of 1.5 (FC 1.5, p ≤ 0.05), 1009 and 922 genes were identified as differentially expressed in response to melatonin and forskolin, respectively. Analysis of major upstream regulators suggested that melatonin may activate PKB/mTOR signaling pathways to program the metabolism of KGN cells to support slower growth and differentiation and to prevent follicular atresia. Similarly, PKA activation through stimulation of cAMP synthesis with FSK seemed to exert the same effects as melatonin in reducing follicular growth and regulating differentiation. This study suggests that melatonin may act through PKA and PKB simultaneously in human granulosa cells to prevent follicular atresia and early luteinization at the antral stage.
Biochemical Basis of Xylooligosaccharide Utilisation by Gut Bacteria
Authors: Singh Ravindra Pal , Bhaiyya Raja , Thakur Raksha , Niharika Jayashree , Singh Chandrajeet , Latousakis Dimitrios , Saalbach Gerhard , Nepogodiev Sergey A. , Singh Praveen , Sharma Sukesh Chander , Sengupta Shantanu , Juge Nathalie , Field Robert A.
Published: March 2022

Xylan is one of the major structural components of the plant cell wall. Xylan present in the human diet reaches the large intestine undigested and becomes a substrate to species of the gut microbiota. Here, we characterised the capacity of Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Blautia producta strains to utilise xylan derivatives. We showed that L. reuteri ATCC 53608 and B. producta ATCC 27340 produced β-D-xylosidases, enabling growth on xylooligosaccharide (XOS). The recombinant enzymes were highly active on artificial (p-nitrophenyl β-D-xylopyranoside) and natural (xylobiose, xylotriose, and xylotetraose) substrates, and showed transxylosylation activity and tolerance to xylose inhibition. The enzymes belong to glycoside hydrolase family 120 with Asp as nucleophile and Glu as proton donor, as shown by homology modelling and confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. In silico analysis revealed that these enzymes were part of a gene cluster in L. reuteri but not in Blautia strains, and quantitative proteomics identified other enzymes and transporters involved in B. producta XOS utilisation. Based on these findings, we proposed a model for an XOS metabolism pathway in L. reuteri and B. producta strains. Together with phylogenetic analyses, the data also revealed the extended xylanolytic potential of the gut microbiota.
An Experimental Model of Neuro–Immune Interactions in the Eye: Corneal Sensory Nerves and Resident Dendritic Cells
Authors: Frutos-Rincón Laura , Gómez-Sánchez José Antonio , Íñigo-Portugués Almudena , Acosta M. Carmen , Gallar Juana
Published: March 2022

The cornea is an avascular connective tissue that is crucial, not only as the primary barrier of the eye but also as a proper transparent refractive structure. Corneal transparency is necessary for vision and is the result of several factors, including its highly organized structure, the physiology of its few cellular components, the lack of myelinated nerves (although it is extremely innervated), the tightly controlled hydration state, and the absence of blood and lymphatic vessels in healthy conditions, among others. The avascular, immune-privileged tissue of the cornea is an ideal model to study the interactions between its well-characterized and dense sensory nerves (easily accessible for both focal electrophysiological recording and morphological studies) and the low number of resident immune cell types, distinguished from those cells migrating from blood vessels. This paper presents an overview of the corneal structure and innervation, the resident dendritic cell (DC) subpopulations present in the cornea, their distribution in relation to corneal nerves, and their role in ocular inflammatory diseases. A mouse model in which sensory axons are constitutively labeled with tdTomato and DCs with green fluorescent protein (GFP) allows further analysis of the neuro-immune crosstalk under inflammatory and steady-state conditions of the eye.