bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First two years of reimbursed enzyme replacement therapy in the treatment of Fabry disease in Poland
Authors: Nowicki Michał , Komar Monika , Kusztal Mariusz , Mizia-Stec Katarzyna , Liberek Tomasz , Małyszko Jolanta , Muras-Szwedziak Katarzyna , Pawlaczyk Krzysztof , Podolec Piotr , Sławek Jarosław
Published: October 2021

Fabry disease (FD) is an ultra-rare genetic lysosomal storage disease caused by pathologic gene variants resulting in insufficient expression of α-galactosidase A. This enzyme deficiency leads to accumulation of globotriaosylceramide and globotriaosylsphingosine in plasma and in different cells throughout the body, causing major cardiovascular, renal, and nervous system complications. Until 2018, reimbursed enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for FD was available in all European Union countries except Poland.

            We present the preliminary results of the first two years of reimbursed ERT in Poland. We obtained data from the seven largest academic centers in Katowice, Cracow, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Warsaw, and Łódź. The questionnaire included the following data: number of patients treated, number of patients qualified for ERT, and patient characteristics.

            All centers returned completed questionnaires that included data for a total of 71 patients (28 men and 43 women) as of June 2021. Thirty-five patients with the diagnosis of FD confirmed by genetic testing (22 men and 13 women) had already qualified for reimbursed ERT. Mean (SD) age at the commencement of the ERT program was 39.6 (15.5) years (range 18-79 years). Mean time from the first clinical symptoms reported by the patients to the FD diagnosis was 21.1 (8.9) years, and the mean time from the final diagnosis of FD to the beginning of ERT was 4.7 (4.6) years.

            FD is still underdiagnosed in Poland. To identify undiagnosed FD patients and to ensure that patients in Poland benefit fully from ERT, implementation of an effective nationwide screening strategy and close cooperation with a network of rare disease centers is advised.
Effectiveness of acute L-arginine supplementation on physical performance in strength training: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pasa Camila , Godinho de Oliveira Ruberlei , da Rosa Lima Thiago , Jalousie Kommers Michelle , Régia Ferreira Viana Figueiredo Karla , Christiane Rezende Fett Waléria , Alexandre Fett Carlos
Published: October 2021

Background: The oral administration of L-arginine has been related to improved physical performance due to a likely reduction in muscle fatigue, resulting from the vasodilator effect of nitric oxide on skeletal muscle. However, there is no precise and quantitative analysis of the information in the literature. The main objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of L-arginine supplementation on physical performance in strength training with a systematic review and meta-analysis. We hypothesized that L-arginine supplementation would improve performance capacity and the effects involved in strength training.

Methods: The study period was from 2010 to 2020. The inclusion process established articles with well-designed human experiments that included only L-arginine supplementation (without any additional compounds) testing the effects of L-arginine supplementation on sports performance related to strength training; identical experimental conditions in placebo or control group; and publications in the last ten years (until December 31, 2020). Three studies were included that compared L-arginine supplementation with placebo in anaerobic performance tests. Test analysis supplementation with other supplements was removed and there was no gender, age, and ethnicity level.

Results: There was no significant heterogeneity (p>0.05) in the analysis of the three selected articles and the effects of L-arginine supplementation in muscular endurance; performance had a mean of 0.26 (95% CI = -0.129; 0.649; p = 0.190), peak torque with a mean of -0.002 (95% CI = -0.531; 0.527; p = 0. 99) of the third series of exercises and, furthermore, when comparing the integrated effect (resistance rate with the peak torque) there was no difference with a mean of 0.168 (95% CI = -0.145; 0.481; p = 0.292).

Conclusions: Acute L-arginine supplementation provides no ergogenic effect on strength training performance.
A protocol for a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines for the antenatal management of dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy
Authors: O'Connor Caroline , Leitao Sara , O'Donoghue Keelin
Published: October 2021

Overview: The protocol outlines the process designed to systematically review clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), addressing the antenatal management of dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies.

Background: CPGs are statements that include recommendations intended to optimise patient care, that are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options. CPGs are typically created by scientific institutes, organisations and professional societies, and high-quality CPGs are fundamental to improve patient outcomes, standardise clinical practice and improve the quality of care. While CPGs are designed to improve the quality of care, to achieve this, the identification and appraisal of current international CPGs is required. Because twin pregnancies are identified as high-risk pregnancies, a systematic review of the CPGs in this field is a useful first step for establishing the required high level of care.

Aim: The aim of the systematic review is to identify, appraise and examine published CPGs for the antenatal management of DCDA twin pregnancies, within high-income countries. 

Methods: We will identify published CPGs addressing any aspect of antenatal management of care in DCDA twin pregnancies, appraise the quality of the identified CPGs using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation version 2 (AGREE II) the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation – Recommendations excellence (AGREE-REX) instruments and examining the recommendations from the identified CPGs. Ultimately, this protocol aspires to clearly define the process for a reproducible systematic review of CPGs within a high-income country, addressing any aspect of antenatal management of DCDA twin pregnancies.

PROSPERO registration: CRD42021248586 (24/06/2021)
Exploring experiences of supports for suicide bereavement in Ireland: protocol for a national survey
Authors: O'Connell Selena , Ruane-McAteer Eimear , Daly Caroline , O’Connor Clíodhna , Tuomey Fiona , McDonnell Laura , Arensman Ella , Andriessen Karl , Griffin Eve
Published: October 2021

Background

A suicide death impacts upon the wellbeing of close family members and friends but has also been shown to affect many people outside of this immediate circle. This will be the first large-scale national study of adults bereaved or affected by suicide in Ireland, using a cross-sectional online survey. The overarching aim will be to gain insight into the experiences of supports received by people bereaved or affected by suicide and to identify the barriers to engagement following their loss.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey will be conducted among adults in Ireland who have been bereaved or affected by suicide. This project will seek to represent people with different demographics and backgrounds in the Irish population using a multifaceted approach to survey recruitment. A range of validated measures will be used to examine participants’ current wellbeing and grief experience. A combination of closed and open-ended questions will provide participants the opportunity to share their individual experiences, the services and supports available to them, and barriers and enablers to accessing supports.

Results

Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-squared tests will be used to compare subgroups within categorical data items, and multivariable regression models will be used to examine differences in psychosocial and physical wellbeing across key groups. Qualitative content analysis will be used for qualitative responses to open-ended questions.

Conclusions

The survey will provide an in-depth understanding of the psychosocial and mental health impacts of suicide bereavement in Ireland; insight into the range of informal and formal supports accessed; and will identify unmet needs and challenges of accessing appropriate and timely supports. The findings will inform current national actions aimed at ensuring the standardisation and quality of the services and supports for those bereaved or affected by suicide.
FLEXGRID – A novel smart grid architecture that facilitates high-RES penetration through innovative flexibility markets towards efficient stakeholder interaction
Authors: Efthymiopoulos Nikolaos , Makris Prodromos , Tsaousoglou Georgios , Steriotis Konstantinos , Vergados Dimitrios J. , Khaksari Alireza , Herre Lars , Lacort Victor , Martinez German , Lorente Elena Leal , Gehrcke Robert , Bagherpour Matin , Milzer Gesa , Pellerin Bryan , Farrukh Farhan , Thoma Malte , Tadin Tonci , Baka Maria-Iro , Papadimitriou Christina , Kyprianou Andreas , Georghiou George E. , Pandzic Hrvoje , Badanjak Domagoj , Chatzivasileiadis Spyros , Prat Eléa , Calin Mihai , Esterl Tara , Pröstl Andrén Filip , Varvarigos Emmanouel
Published: October 2021

The FLEXGRID project develops a digital platform designed to offer Digital Energy Services (DESs) that facilitate energy sector stakeholders (i.e. Distribution System Operators - DSOs, Transmission System Operators - TSOs, market operators, Renewable Energy Sources - RES producers, retailers, flexibility aggregators) towards: i) automating and optimizing the planning and operation/management of their systems/assets, and ii) interacting in a dynamic and efficient way with their environment (electricity system) and the rest of the stakeholders. In this way, FLEXGRID envisages secure, sustainable, competitive, and affordable smart grids. A key objective is the incentivization of large-scale bottom-up investments in Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) through innovative smart grid management. Towards this goal, FLEXGRID develops innovative data models and energy market architectures (with high liquidity and efficiency) that effectively manage smart grids through an advanced TSO-DSO interaction as well as interactions between Transmission Network and Distribution Network level energy markets. Consequently, and through intelligence that exploits the innovation of the proposed market architecture, FLEXGRID develops investment tools able to examine in depth the emerging energy ecosystem and allow in this way: i) the financial sustainability of DER investors, and ii) the market liquidity/efficiency through advanced exploitation of DERs and intelligent network upgrades.
Global Convergence of Stochastic Gradient Hamiltonian Monte Carlo for Nonconvex Stochastic Optimization: Nonasymptotic Performance Bounds and Momentum-Based Acceleration
Authors: Gao Xuefeng , Gürbüzbalaban Mert , Zhu Lingjiong
Published: October 2021

Nonconvex Stochastic Optimization

Nonconvex stochastic optimization problems arise in many machine learning problems, including deep learning. The stochastic gradient Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (SGHMC) is a variant of stochastic gradients with a momentum method in which a controlled and properly scaled Gaussian noise is added to the stochastic gradients to steer the iterates toward a global minimum. SGHMC has shown empirical success in practice for solving nonconvex stochastic optimization problems. In “Global convergence of stochastic gradient Hamiltonian Monte Carlo for nonconvex stochastic optimization: Nonasymptotic performance bounds and momentum-based acceleration,” Gao, Gürbüzbalaban, and Zhu provide, for the first time, the finite-time performance bounds for the global convergence of SGHMC in the context of both population and empirical risk minimization problems and show that acceleration with momentum is possible in the context of global nonconvex stochastic optimization.
Low-consumption photoacoustic method to measure liquid viscosity
Authors: Zhou Yingying , Liu Chao , Huang Xiazi , Qian Xiang , Wang Lidai , Lai Puxiang
Published: October 2021

Viscosity measurement is important in many areas of biomedicine and industry. Traditional viscometers are usually time-consuming and require huge sample volumes. Microfluidic viscometry may overcome the challenge of large sample consumption but suffers from a long process time and a complicated structure design and interaction. Here, we present a photoacoustic method that measures the liquid viscosity in a simple microfluidic-based tube. This new viscosity measurement method embraces fast detection speed and low fluid consumption, offering a new tool for efficient and convenient liquid viscosity measurement in a broad range of applications.
Spectral density of light waves on scattering from a collection of semisoft boundary particles
Authors: Dai Qihang , Jiang Zhenfei , Wang Hange , Ji Xiaoling , Wang Tao
Published: October 2021

The scattering behavior of light waves from a collection of semisoft boundary particles is discussed. It is shown that the structural characteristics of the medium, i.e., the location of the particles, the effective width of each particle, and the boundary property of each particle, may play an important role in the distribution of the far-zone scattered spectral density. This result may have potential applications in the manipulation of scattered fields and in the measurement of structural characteristics of particulate media.
Regularized phase shift estimation in X-ray grating interferometry
Authors: Harasse Sébastien , Kajiwara Kentaro , Datekyu Masanari , Liang Xiaoyu , Yashiro Wataru
Published: October 2021

A method for the estimation of the phase shift from beam deflection measurements in one direction is proposed in the context of X-ray grating interferometry. The common approach, which consists in simply integrating the measurements along this direction, produces typical line artifacts due to noise and missing information. Therefore, an algorithmic method is proposed, based on independence of measurement noise to differential phase and on the prior knowledge that the unmeasured phase derivatives are normally distributed over the field of view. This is shown to be equivalent to a Tikhonov regularization by a difference operator. A computationally tractable formulation of the optimal solution is derived. The method is demonstrated on experimental data and quantitatively evaluated by numerical simulations.
Can a meditation app help my sleep? A cross-sectional survey of Calm users
Authors: Huberty Jennifer , Puzia Megan E. , Larkey Linda , Vranceanu Ana-Maria , Irwin Michael R.
Published: October 2021

Use of mindfulness mobile apps has become popular, however, there is little information about subscribers’ perceptions of app content and its impact on sleep and mental health. The purpose of this study was to survey subscribers to Calm, a popular mindfulness meditation app, to explore perceived improvements in sleep and mental health, evaluate what components of the app were associated with improvements in sleep and mental health, and determine whether improvements differed based on sleep quality. Calm subscribers who had used a sleep-related component in the last 90 days completed a Web-based investigator-developed survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The survey included questions about using Calm for sleep, sleep disturbances, mental health diagnoses (i.e., anxiety, depression, PTSD) and perceived impacts of the app. Participants reported on the extent to which they felt that using Calm had improved their sleep and mental health. Most participants reported sleep disturbance, and almost half reported a mental health diagnosis. The majority of participants reported that using Calm helped them fall asleep, stay asleep, and get restful sleep. All sleep components were associated with perceived improvements in sleep disturbance. Severity of sleep disturbance moderated relationships between using Calm components and reporting improved sleep. Among subscribers with mental health diagnoses, most reported that Calm helped improve symptoms. Perceived improvement in anxiety and depression was associated with using Calm’s meditation components but not Sleep Stories or music/soundscapes. Severity of sleep disturbance did not moderate relationships between using Calm components and reporting mental health improvements. Given the accessibility of app-based meditation, research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of meditation apps to improve sleep disturbance. While some sleep content may be helpful for sleep, more research is needed to test what specific content affects mental health.
Grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and regulatory focus at work in relation to strengths use and deficit correction in the workplace
Authors: Sanecka Elżbieta
Published: October 2021

Extant research has shown that grandiose narcissism predicts a wide range of work-related outcomes. However, despite differentiating in the social-personality literature besides grandiose narcissism also its vulnerable form, there is little organizational research that would include both expressions of narcissism, in particular with regard to positive organizational behaviors, including strengths use and deficit correction in the workplace. In addition, the role of dark-side personality traits, such as narcissism, in predicting strengths use and deficit correction in the workplace, in particular in regard to motivational factors, seems understudied. Accordingly, this study adds to the literature on narcissism in the organizational context by investigating the direct effects of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and motivational orientation in the form of regulatory focus at work on strengths use and deficit correction in the workplace. Based on a sample of 446 working adults from the Polish population, it was found that grandiose narcissism positively predicted both strengths use and deficit correction. In turn, vulnerable narcissism was unrelated to strengths use and deficit correction. Furthermore, drawing on the distal-proximal model of work-specific regulatory focus, it also tested whether regulatory focus at work has the incremental validity over grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in predicting strengths use and deficit correction. The hierarchical regression analyses indicated that both promotion and prevention focus were positively associated with strengths use and deficit correction, predicting them beyond grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. The theoretical and practical implications of this study in the context of narcissism in the workplace and positive organizational scholarship are discussed.
Prospective observational study of nutritional/immunologic indices as predictive biomarkers for the response to anti-PD-1 drugs in non-small cell lung cancer (ICI-PREDICT study)
Authors: Takamori Shinkichi , Ohba Taro , Shimokawa Mototsugu , Matsubara Taichi , Haratake Naoki , Miura Naoko , Toyozawa Ryo , Yamaguchi Masafumi , Seto Takashi , Takenoyama Mitsuhiro
Published: October 2021

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) have markedly improved the prognosis of many patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the relationship between the patient’s nutritional/immunologic status and the outcomes of ICI treatment remains unclear. In previous retrospective studies, we reported that the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, skeletal muscle area, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were independent predictors of the response of NSCLC patients to anti-PD-1 drugs. The aim of this prospective multi-center study is to investigate the clinical impact of pre-treatment nutritional/immunologic indices and early post-treatment changes in the indices on treatment outcomes in advanced NSCLC. The main inclusion criteria are: (1) stage IV NSCLC, or stage III NSCLC not applicable for definitive chemoradiotherapy; (2) treatment with ICIs (monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy) as first-line therapy; and (3) available data on PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. A total of 300 patients will be enrolled prospectively. Enrollment will begin in 2020 and the final analyses will be completed by 2025.
The role of littoral cliffs in the niche delimitation on a microendemic plant facing climate change
Authors: Ferreira Miguel R. , Almeida Alice Maria , Quintela-Sabarís Celestino , Roque Natália , Fernandez Paulo , Ribeiro Maria Margarida
Published: October 2021

Obligate coastline taxa generally occupy very limited areas, especially when there is a close affinity with a specific coast type. Climate change can be a meaningful threat for them, reducing suitable habitat or forcing migration events.Cistus ladanifersubsp.sulcatusis an endemic plant of Portugal, known to occur only in the top of its south-western coast’s prominent cliffs. In spite of being included in the annexes II and IV of the European Habitats Directive of Natura 2000 Network, this taxon is still understudied, especially regarding the effects of climate change on its distribution. To overcome such gap, Maxent was used to model the current distribution ofC.ladanifersubsp.sulcatusand project its future distribution considering different General Circulation Models, periods (2050 and 2070) and Representation Concentration Pathways (4.5 and 8.5). The results suggested an extensive range contraction in the future, and extinction is a possible scenario. The proximity to littoral cliffs is crucial for this plant’s occurrence, but these formations are irregularly distributed along the coast, hindering range expansions, further inhibited by a small dispersal capacity.Cistusladanifersubsp.sulcatuswill probably remain confined to south-western Portugal in the future, where it will continue to face relevant threats like human activity, reinforcing the need for its conservation.
Stratifying the early radiologic trajectory in dyspneic patients with COVID-19 pneumonia
Authors: Kim Jin Young , Jung Keum Ji , Yoo Seung-Jin , Yoon Soon Ho
Published: October 2021

Objective

This study aimed to stratify the early pneumonia trajectory on chest radiographs and compare patient characteristics in dyspneic patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Materials and methods

We retrospectively included 139 COVID-19 patients with dyspnea (87 men, 62.7±16.3 years) and serial chest radiographs from January to September 2020. Radiographic pneumonia extent was quantified as a percentage using a previously-developed deep learning algorithm. A group-based trajectory model was used to categorize the pneumonia trajectory after symptom onset during hospitalization. Clinical findings, and outcomes were compared, and Cox regression was performed for survival analysis.

Results

Radiographic pneumonia trajectories were categorized into four groups. Group 1 (n = 83, 59.7%) had negligible pneumonia, and group 2 (n = 29, 20.9%) had mild pneumonia. Group 3 (n = 13, 9.4%) and group 4 (n = 14, 10.1%) showed similar considerable pneumonia extents at baseline, but group 3 had decreasing pneumonia extent at 1–2 weeks, while group 4 had increasing pneumonia extent. Intensive care unit admission and mortality were significantly more frequent in groups 3 and 4 than in groups 1 and 2 (P < .05). Groups 3 and 4 shared similar clinical and laboratory findings, but thrombocytopenia (<150×103/μL) was exclusively observed in group 4 (P = .016). When compared to groups 1 and 2, group 4 (hazard ratio, 63.3; 95% confidence interval, 7.9–504.9) had a two-fold higher risk for mortality than group 3 (hazard ratio, 31.2; 95% confidence interval, 3.5–280.2), and this elevated risk was maintained after adjusting confounders.

Conclusion

Monitoring the early radiologic trajectory beyond baseline further prognosticated at-risk COVID-19 patients, who potentially had thrombo-inflammatory responses.
Judicial judgment and media sensation of violence against medical staff in China: A fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA)
Authors: Xu Jian , Cao Yongrong , Wang Yangyang , Qiao Qingquan
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Violence against medical staff has been prevalent in China over the past two decades. Although Chinese authorities have released many laws and regulations to protect medical staff from violence since 2011, the legal approach alone is unlikely to resolve this complex issue. In particular, several cases of violence against medical staff in China have caused great media sensation.

Method

This paper proposes an integrated model that combines the environmental stimuli theory, broken windows theory, and rational choice theory. It adopts the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to untangle the causal relationship between violence against medical staff, media sensation, and judicial judgment. We examined reports of medical violence on media and news websites from January 1, 2010, to January 31, 2020, and selected 50 cases with detailed information for this study.

Results

The results show that each condition is not sufficient for the absence ofjudicial judgment, but when combined, they are conducive to the outcome. The conditions ofhospital level,medical cost, andmedia sensationplay important roles. The providers, patients, and environmental factors are indicators of inadequate or lack ofjudicial judgment, which corresponds to previous expectations.

Conclusions

The integrated model greatly enriches the extant theories and literature, and also yields implications for preventing violence against medical staff in China. We suggest that sustainable and innovative healthcare reform should be initiated. For example, public hospitals should remain the cornerstone of national public health security. Medical staff in public hospitals must be regarded as “civil servants”. Therefore, the current legal system should be improved. The media should objectively report events concerning medical staff and improve public healthcare knowledge.
Numerical Algebra, Matrix Theory, Differential-Algebraic Equations, and Control Theory
Authors: Benner Peter
Published: October 2021

The conference "
Numerical Algebra, Matrix Theory, Differential-Algebraic Equations, and Control Theory
" brought together about 160 experts in the mathematical research fields mentioned in its title. These research areas are strongly related and they often occur in the same real-world application. Main areas where such applications emerge are computational engineering and sciences, but increasingly also social sciences and economics.The conference was dedicated to Volker Mehrmann on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Volker Mehrmann is a leading expert in the areas of the conference, and in a unique manner unifies expertise in the mathematical fields providing the title of this conference.

Besides 24 invited and 16 contributed talks, the scientific program of the conference included a Poster Session, starting with a Poster Blitz, providing the participants with the opportunity to advertise their posters in a 1-minute presentation. This collection shows some of the posters presented there.
Ejaculate quality indicators of men with asthenozoospermia and asthenoteratozoospermia by treatment of obesity with liraglutide
Authors: Bobkov D. N. , Rozhivanov R. V. , Vityazeva I. I.
Published: October 2021

Background: Considering the influence of visceral obesity on male infertility, the investigation of ejaculate quality indicators under obesity treatment is relevant.

Objective: Evaluation of ejaculate quality indicators by obesity treatment with liraglutide in andrologically healthy men with infertility and post-pubertal visceral obesity.

Methods: Infertile men with post-pubertal alimentary visceral obesity were included in a pilot observational prospective study. All patients were given recommendations for body weight loss (hypocaloric diet, daily aerobic physical activity) as well as an average daily dose of liraglutide 2.4 [2.4; 3.0] mg. Evaluation of waist circumference, antioxidant activity of ejaculate, spermogram was carried out initially and after 6 months. The differences were considered statistically significant at p <0.005.

Results: The body weight decrease was -11.7 [12.4; 11.0]%, the waist circumference decrease was 8 [12; 7] cm. In dynamics, increased content of living sperm in ejaculate from 92 [90; 95]% to 95 [92; 98]%, morphologically normal forms from 5 [3; 6]% to 6 [3; 8]%, mobility of A + B from 25 [15; 36] to 35 [19; 52]%, seminal antioxidant capacity, a decrease in reactive oxygen forms in the neat ejaculate were statistically significant. Increasing the sperm count in 1 ml and decreasing reactive oxygen forms in the washed ejaculate did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion: Ejaculate quality indicators improved by the complex obesity therapy with liraglutide in young andrologically healthy men with postpubertal visceral obesity.
Metabolic features of young patients with primary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Bibik E. E. , Dobreva E. A. , Ajnetdinova A. R. , Eremkina A. K. , Mokrysheva N. G.
Published: October 2021

Background: The main components of mineral metabolism can influence non-classical target organs such as adipose tissue, pancreas, vascular wall. The «metabolic» effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and other participants of phosphorus-calcium metabolism in the hyperfunction of parathyroid glands remain unclear. The study of disorders of carbohydrate, fat and other types of metabolism in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) will help to develop effective measures for prophylaxis and treatment of the patients in order to improve the quality and life span of the population.

Aim: To study the main parameters of metabolism in young patients with an active stage of PHPT before surgical treatment.

Materials and methods: A one-stage comparative study of young patients with PHPT and healthy volunteers matched by sex, age and body mass index (BMI) was carried out. The participants underwent a comprehensive biochemical and hormonal examination, a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and a bioimpedance analysis of the body composition.

Results: 21 patients with PHPT and 18 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Patients with PHPT have higher level of serum triglycerides (p=0.003) without statistically differences of the main carbohydrate and purine parameters comparing with the control group. Visceral obesity were revealed in 42.9% of patients, including those with a normal BMI. Insulin resistance in the PHPT group was noted in 52.4% of cases, while the M-index was statistically lower than in the control subgroup (p=0.008), despite of the comparable body composition of the participants. The M-index showed a positive correlation with blood phosphorus level (p=0.010) only in the general group. Statistically positive correlations of PTH, albumin-corrected calcium and osteocalcin with triglyceride levels, calcium with fasting glycaemia, and PTH with uric acid levels were determined.

Conclusion: PHPT is associated with insulin resistance in patients that is the main risk factor for the development of serious carbohydrate and fat disorders. The positive correlation of PTH and blood calcium levels with triglycerides, as well as the tendency to hypertriglyceridemia comparing with healthy volunteers, suggest the disease effect on the development of dyslipidemia.
Modeling Hyperhemispherical Points and Calibrating a Dual-Fish-Eye System for Close-Range Applications
Authors: Castanheiro Letícia Ferrari , Tommaselli Antonio Maria Garcia , Berveglieri Adilson , Campos Mariana Batista , Junior José Marcato
Published: October 2021

Omnidirectional systems composed of two hyperhemispherical lenses (dual-fish-eye systems) are gaining popularity, but only a few works have studied suitable models for hyperhemispherical lenses and dual-fish-eye calibration. In addition, the effects of using points in the hyperhemispherical
field of view in photogrammetric procedures have not been addressed. This article presents a comparative analysis of the fish-eye models (equidistant, equisolid-angle, stereographic, and orthogonal) for hyperhemispherical-lens and dual-fish-eye calibration techniques. The effects of adding
points beyond 180° field of view in dual-fish-eye calibration using stability constraints of relative orientation parameters are also assessed. The experiments were performed with the Ricoh Theta dual-fish-eye system, which is composed of fish-eye lenses with a field of view of approximately
190° each. The equisolid-angle model presented the best results in the simultaneous calibration experiments. An accuracy of approximately one pixel in the object space units was achieved, showing the potential of the proposed approach for close-range applications.
Evaluación de la mineralización del nitrógeno en un suelo ácido bajo fertilización inorgánica y orgánica
Authors: Torres Lozada Luz Karime , Escobar Medina Duvan , Soto Paz Jonathan , Daza Torres Martha Constanza , Torres Lozada Patricia
Published: October 2021

Contexto: El incremento poblacional y la demanda de alimentos generan mayores demandas en la productividad, lo que estimula el uso de fertilizantes inorgánicos como una práctica habitual en los sistemas agrícolas, generando potenciales riesgos de contaminación por lixiviación de nutrientes, además de altos costos que pueden afectar la rentabilidad de los sistemas productivos. La aplicación de materiales orgánicos procedentes del compostaje de sustratos orgánicos es una fuente de fertilización común en sistemas de producción limpia, orgánica y con menores costos.
Método: En este estudio se evaluó el efecto de la fertilización con una enmienda orgánica (EO) procedente del compostaje de biorresiduos de origen municipal (BOM) mezclados con cachaza, sobre la mineralización del nitrógeno (Nmineralizado) de un suelo ácido, evaluando seis tratamientos (tres controles: T1: 100% suelo; T2: 100% EO; T3: 100% urea-fertilización inorgánica: F) y 3 proporciones EO ( %): F ( %) (T4: 50-50, T5: 75-25, T6: 25-75) en un periodo de incubación de 16 semanas.
Resultados: Se aplicaron los modelos de mineralización de Stanford y Smith, Broadbent, Lineal y Polinomial-Exponencial, encontrándose que T4 permitió alcanzar un aporte de Nmineralizado (12.546,39 mg/kg), el cual es un valor muy cercano al resultado obtenido por fertilización inorgánica (T3: 13.931,05 mg/kg); los modelos de Broadbent (R2 >0,98) y Lineal (R2 >0,90) alcanzaron los mejores ajustes.
Conclusiones: Esta estrategia de reemplazo parcial del fertilizante inorgánico puede lograr hasta un 50% de reemplazo del fertilizante inorgánico.
Minimum vertex augmentation
Authors: Zhao Jianwen , Tao Yufei
Published: October 2021

This paper introduces a class of graph problems named
minimum vertex augmentation
(MVA). Given an input graph
G
where each vertex carries a binary color 0 or 1, we want to flip the colors of the fewest 0-vertices such that the subgraph induced by all the (original and new) 1-vertices satisfies a user-defined predicate π. In other words, the goal is to minimally augment the subset of 1-vertices to uphold the property π. Different formulations of π instantiate the framework into concrete problems at the core of numerous applications. We first describe a suite of techniques for solving MVA problems with strong performance guarantees, and then present a generic algorithmic paradigm that a user can instantiate to deal with ad-hoc MVA problems. The effectiveness and efficiency of our solutions are verified with an extensive experimental evaluation.
High-sensitivity cardiac troponins in pediatric population
Authors: Clerico Aldo , Aimo Alberto , Cantinotti Massimiliano
Published: October 2021

Apparently healthy children often complain of chest pain, especially after physical exercise. Cardiac biomarker levels are often measured, but the clinical relevance of these assays in children is still debated, even when a cardiac disease is present. Coronary artery disease is exceedingly rare in children, but elevated circulating levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and T (cTnT) in an acute setting may help detect heart failure due to an unknown cardiac disorder, or worsening heart failure, particularly in combination with other biomarkers such as B-type natriuretic peptides. However, the interpretation of biomarkers is often challenging, especially when institutions transition from conventional cTn assays to high-sensitivity (hs-cTn) methods, as well demonstrated in the emergency setting for adult patients. From a clinical perspective, the lack of established reference values in the pediatric age is the main problem limiting the use of hs-cTn methods for the diagnosis and managements of cardiac diseases in infants, children and adolescents. This review aims to discuss the possibility to use hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT to detect cardiac disease and to explore age-related differences in biomarker levels in the pediatric age. We start from some analytical and pathophysiological considerations related to hs-cTn assays. Then, after a systematic literature search, we discuss the current evidence and possible limitations of hs-cTn assay as indicators of cardiac disease in the most frequently cardiac disease in pediatric setting.
The effect of long-term ketogenic diet on serum adiponectin and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in mice
Authors: Widiatmaja Deandra M. , Lutvyani Alif , Sari Desi R. , Kurniasari Hamidah , Meiliana Ismi D. , Fasitasari Minidian , Yamaoka Yoshio , Rejeki Purwo S.
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Noncommunicable disease (NCD) including obesity, cancer, and diabetes has become particular concern worldwide due to its morbidity and mortality which keep increasing annually. Adiponectin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are known to be substances that are involved in the development of NCD. Several diet regimens have been developed to treat NCD, one of which is the ketogenic diet (KD). This study aimed to analyze the long-term KD effect on serum adiponectin and IGF-1 levels in mice.

Methods

This study was a real experimental with post-test only controls group design. The subjects were 14 male mice (2–3 months, 20–30 g) were randomly divided into two groups, K1 (n=7, standard diet) and K2 (n=7, KD with a composition of 60% fat, 30% protein, and 10% fiber). All subjects were given diet intervention for 8 weeksad libitum. Serum adiponectin and IGF levels were measured in post-intervention using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Distribution of normality was analyzed by the Shapiro–Wilk Test, mean difference using Independent T-Test, and linear correlation using Pearson’s Correlation Test. Data analysis was performed using Statistic Package for Social Science Version 16.

Results

Serum adiponectin levels in K1 (0.080 ± 0.012) pg/mL and K2 (0.099 ± 0.005) pg/mL, with p=0.003. Serum IGF-1 levels in K1 (133.535 ± 25.702) ng/mL and K2 (109.987 ± 27.118) ng/mL, with p=0.121. Coefficient correlation between serum adiponectin and serum IGF-1 levels [r]=−0.401, with p=0.155.

Conclusions

Long-term KD increases serum adiponectin levels and has no effect on serum IGF-1 levels. There was no significant correlation between serum adiponectin and serum IGF-1 levels.
Leaf paste of Telfairia occidentalis favourably modulates deleterious effects associated with exposure to diethylnitrosamine in male Wistar rats
Authors: Owumi Solomon E. , Olugbami Jeremiah O. , Akinnifesi Andrew O. , Odunola Oyeronke A.
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is found in workplaces, processed meats, tobacco smoke, whiskey, etc. It is capable of forming DNA-adducts. Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis [To]) is a medicinal plant, and its herbal preparations have been employed variously in ethnomedicine. Furthermore, it has been reported to possess anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the possible mitigating effect of the leaf paste of To on DEN-induced deleterious effects in male Wistar rats.

Methods

Forty-five rats weighing between 100 and 150 g were equally divided into nine groups and treated thus: Group 1 (negative control), Group 2 (0.05 mg/kg carboxymethyl cellulose [CMC] daily), Group 3 (positive control, 25 mg/kg bw DEN administered intraperitoneally thrice per week), Group 4 (25 mg/kg bw quercetin [QUE] daily alone), Groups 5 and 6 (100 and 200 mg/kg bw To daily, respectively), Group 7 (25 mg/kg bw DEN and QUE), Groups 8 and 9 (25 mg/kg bw DEN with 100 and 200 mg/kg bw To, respectively). Blood glucose levels, liver damage biomarkers (aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and gamma-glutamyltransferase [γ-GT]), frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (mPCEs), and liver histology were assessed.

Results

DEN significantly (p<0.05) increased blood glucose levels, activities of ALT, AST and γ-GT, and frequency of mPCEs. Histologically, DEN caused a severe architectural anarchy. However, the intervention groups demonstrated the remarkable protective properties of To by ameliorating the adverse effects caused by DEN.

Conclusions

Taken together, the leaf paste of To is capable of mitigating DEN-induced hepatotoxicity and clastogenicity in male Wistar rats.
A corpus-based study of grammatical post-metaphorical expressions
Authors: Zhou Jiangping , Gao Yanmei
Published: October 2021

In Systemic Functional Linguistics, meanings in semantic stratum could be realized by congruent/premetaphorical, metaphorical, or demetaphorical/post-metaphorical expressions in lexico-grammatical stratum. This paper, evidenced from the Corpus of Historical American English (COHA), explores the specific pathway from metaphorical expressions to post-metaphorical ones guided by principles of Context-first and AS IF and the principle of double functionality. The findings show that grammatical postmetaphorization is mainly realized by post-metaphor of ideation and that of modality. The former finds its expressions from common nouns to proper nouns (e.g. from security to Security), or from uncountable nouns to countable nouns (e.g. from security to securities), and the latter is evidenced by expressions shifting from explicit objective orientation to its explicit subjective counterpart (e.g. from it is possible that to it might be possible that), or by modal probability of I think type shifting from clausal initial position to clausal medial or final position (e.g. I think in the medial or final position of the clause).
A systemic functional analysis of the “ngp1 + vgp + ngp2 + ngp3” construction in English
Authors: Huang Guowen , Zhao Ruihua
Published: October 2021

The literature to date features two very different approaches to the study of syntax, the formal or structure-based approach and the functional or semantics-based approach, both of which have advantages and disadvantages. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the “ngp1 + vgp + ngp2 + ngp3” construction in English by identifying the relationship between the clausal elements in terms of clause types. The theoretical support is Systemic Functional Linguistics which is semantics-based and which regards form/structure as the realization of meaning/semantics. Specifically, the paper discusses the issue by keeping in mind questions such as “What kind of process is it?”, “How many participants can/must be involved in the process?”, and “What roles can/must those participants play?”. By analyzing three pairs of clauses that share the same “ngp1 + vgp + ngp2 + ngp3” structure, it is found that the clause types SVOO, SOVA, SVOC, and SVO all exhibit the same “ngp1 + vgp + ngp2 + ngp3” structure. The identification of the clause types is conducted by examining the Process in the Transitivity system of the clause. The implication of the present study is that a functional-syntactic analysis should start from meaning and consider how the meaning is realized and that although syntactic analysis at the level of form is necessary, the focus of a good functional-syntactic analysis should be based on semantic analysis at the level of meaning.
Towards a Critical Reconstruction of Modern Refugee Subjectivity: Overcoming the Threat–Victim Bipolarity with Judith Butler and Giorgio Agamben
Authors: Polychroniou Ariadni
Published: October 2021

The accurate illustration of the contemporary refugee subject has presented an unprecedented theoretical, epistemological and methodological challenge to all fields of academic research. Seeking for alternative philosophical modalities capable of liberating refugee representation from the suffocating threat–victim bipolarity, this article critically investigates Giorgio Agamben and Judith Butler’s theoretical perspectives on refugee subjectivity. Section 1 systematises the dominant tropes of refugee representation either as dehumanised threats or depoliticised victims. Section 2 introduces the readers to Giorgio Agamben’s emblematic homo sacer as a potentially fertile reconceptualisation of refugee subjectivity. In this context, Judith Butler’s critique on the Agambenian bare life is presented in two core pillars. Following one Butlerian claim, we trace the Agambenian inadequacy to successfully overcome the contemporary threat–victim mode of refugee representation in the absence of an empowering theoretical account of the homo sacer’s agentic and resisting capacities. In Section 4, we explore Judith Butler’s main argument regarding the constitutively political character of vulnerable refugee existence. By designating the Butlerian constellation of vulnerability and agency as an invigorating alternative perspective on modern refugee representation, we finally argue that Butler’s epistemological framework provides a more agonistic and nuanced theorisation of refugee subjectivity than Agamben.
Composition of rainfall in the coastal zone of the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation (based on data from 2019)
Authors: Topchaya Victoria Yu , Kotova Ekaterina I.
Published: October 2021

The paper presents the results of a study conducted in 2019 in which 29 rainfall water samples were collected and analyzed. The concentration of insoluble particles in rainwater was determined, and analysis of the material composition was performed by scanning electron microscopy. The content of Al, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cr, Co, As, Sr, Cd, Mo, Ba, Be, V, and Pb was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on a quadrupole spectrometer Agilent7500a at the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of RAS. The highest concentrations of insoluble particles (6.5–12.2 mg/L) with the domination of the anthropogenic components in the rainwater were revealed in the samples of the summer-autumn period, while the lowest ones (1.1–3.9 mg/L), with a predominance of biogenic and mineral components were detected in the spring period. A group of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, and Ni) of anthropogenic origin was identified by calculating the enrichment factor (EF).