bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A rapid response and treatment service for care homes: a case study
Authors: Waldon Mandy
Published: December 2020

Rapid response services provide opportunities for older people living with frailty to remain in their own homes during an episode of deteriorating health. The government has announced additional funding to increase capacity and responsiveness for these services through the Ageing Well programme as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. Older people living with frailty are particularly at risk of the adverse effects of a hospital admission and evidence is emerging of the benefits of enhanced healthcare support to allow them to remain in their own home. The Hospital at Home model offers short-term, targeted interventions at acute hospital level care that can provide a truly person-centred experience within the home. This article describes a Rapid Response and Treatment service for older people living in care homes in Berkshire West and shares Sid's story to demonstrate how such a service is delivered. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented additional challenges and opportunities that highlight the ongoing need for the development of services that will support older people to prioritise what matters to them most.
¿Pueden las empresas estatales cubanas pagar mayores
salarios?
Authors: Aguila Ricardo González , Zipitría Leandro
Published: December 2020

En el documento se explora el porqué de los bajos salarios pagados por empresas
estatales cubanas. Además de deficiencias institucionales y estructurales que
limitan el aumento de la eficiencia, productividad y competitividad empresarial,
identificamos en la multiplicidad de tipos de cambio y en particular en la
sobrevaloración del tipo de cambio oficial, así como en la distribución primaria
del producto en la empresa, restricciones centrales que necesitan ser abordadas
integralmente con vistas a fortalecer la capacidad de la empresa estatal cubana
de pagar mayores salarios. Se proponen algunas transformaciones institucionales
que deberían acompañar a este proceso de fortalecimiento.
Effect of Exergaming on Physical Fitness, Functional Mobility, and Cognitive Functioning in Adults With Down Syndrome
Authors: Perrot Alexandra , Maillot Pauline , Le Foulon Agnès , Rebillat Anne-Sophie
Published: December 2020

This study examined whether exergames could improve physical, functional, and cognitive functions in people with Down syndrome. Twelve adults with DS, aged over 35 (M = 50.35, SD = 7.45), were randomly assigned to a Wii-based program (n = 6) or a control group (n = 6), and completed physical (Chair Stand Test, 6-Minute Walk Test), functional (TUG, TUDS), and cognitive tests (Corsi, Barrage tests). The experimental group completed a 12-week Wii-based program. There was high intervention adherence and, compared with the control group, greater improvements were observed in the Wii-based exercise intervention group in physical fitness and functional outcomes (p < .05), with no changes in cognitive outcomes.
Monte Carlo simulation and maximum-likelihood analysis of single-molecule recycling in a nanochannel
Authors: Wang Bo , Davis Lloyd M.
Published: December 2020

Prolonged observation of a single molecule in solution using a confocal microscope is possible by flowing solution through a nanochannel and reversing the flow a fixed delay after each passage so that the molecule passes back and forth through the laser focus. In this paper, Monte Carlo simulations are used to provide insight on capabilities and limitations of the single-molecule recycling procedure. Various computational methods for using photon detection times to estimate the times of passage of the molecule through the laser focus, based on matched digital filters and maximum-likelihood (ML) analysis, are compared using simulations. A new ML-based methodology is developed for estimating the single molecule diffusivity, and the uncertainty in the estimate, from the variation in the intervals between times of passage. Simulations show that with recycling ∼200 times, it should be possible to resolve molecules with diffusivities that differ by a factor of ∼1.3, which is smaller than that resolvable in ligand-binding measurements by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Also, it is found that the mean number of times a molecule is recycled can be extended by adjusting the delay between flow reversals to accommodate the diffusional motion of statistical outliers.
Design of a high uniform collimation illumination system for near field measurement
Authors: Dong Yao , Mingfei Xu , Tao Lv , Chunhui Yan , Lingtong Meng , Wei Huang
Published: December 2020

In this paper, focusing on the needs of near-field measurement lighting, a lighting system with high collimation and uniformity is designed, using filament high-heat illuminant as radiation source. The general design idea of dividing the illumination system into “collimating optical cavity” and “homogenizing optical cavity” is put forward. The design process of “collimating optical cavity” is given, and two different structural forms of “homogenizing optical cavity” are analyzed and the design results are given. The lighting effect is obtained by using simulation software, and the established parameters are achieved.
Delineating reef fish trophic guilds with global gut content data synthesis and phylogeny
Authors: Parravicini Valeriano , Casey Jordan M. , Schiettekatte Nina M. D. , Brandl Simon J. , Pozas-Schacre Chloé , Carlot Jérémy , Edgar Graham J. , Graham Nicholas A. J. , Harmelin-Vivien Mireille , Kulbicki Michel , Strona Giovanni , Stuart-Smith Rick D.
Published: December 2020

Understanding species’ roles in food webs requires an accurate assessment of their trophic niche. However, it is challenging to delineate potential trophic interactions across an ecosystem, and a paucity of empirical information often leads to inconsistent definitions of trophic guilds based on expert opinion, especially when applied to hyperdiverse ecosystems. Using coral reef fishes as a model group, we show that experts disagree on the assignment of broad trophic guilds for more than 20% of species, which hampers comparability across studies. Here, we propose a quantitative, unbiased, and reproducible approach to define trophic guilds and apply recent advances in machine learning to predict probabilities of pairwise trophic interactions with high accuracy. We synthesize data from community-wide gut content analyses of tropical coral reef fishes worldwide, resulting in diet information from 13,961 individuals belonging to 615 reef fish. We then use network analysis to identify 8 trophic guilds and Bayesian phylogenetic modeling to show that trophic guilds can be predicted based on phylogeny and maximum body size. Finally, we use machine learning to test whether pairwise trophic interactions can be predicted with accuracy. Our models achieved a misclassification error of less than 5%, indicating that our approach results in a quantitative and reproducible trophic categorization scheme, as well as high-resolution probabilities of trophic interactions. By applying our framework to the most diverse vertebrate consumer group, we show that it can be applied to other organismal groups to advance reproducibility in trait-based ecology. Our work thus provides a viable approach to account for the complexity of predator–prey interactions in highly diverse ecosystems.
Convergent evolution of diverse Bacillus anthracis outbreak strains toward altered surface oligosaccharides that modulate anthrax pathogenesis
Authors: Norris Michael H. , Kirpich Alexander , Bluhm Andrew P. , Zincke Diansy , Hadfield Ted , Ponciano Jose Miguel , Blackburn Jason K.
Published: December 2020

Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming gram-positive bacterium, causes anthrax. The external surface of the exosporium is coated with glycosylated proteins. The sugar additions are capped with the unique monosaccharide anthrose. The West African Group (WAG) B. anthracis have mutations rendering them anthrose deficient. Through genome sequencing, we identified 2 different large chromosomal deletions within the anthrose biosynthetic operon of B. anthracis strains from Chile and Poland. In silico analysis identified an anthrose-deficient strain in the anthrax outbreak among European heroin users. Anthrose-deficient strains are no longer restricted to West Africa so the role of anthrose in physiology and pathogenesis was investigated in B. anthracis Sterne. Loss of anthrose delayed spore germination and enhanced sporulation. Spores without anthrose were phagocytized at higher rates than spores with anthrose, indicating that anthrose may serve an antiphagocytic function on the spore surface. The anthrose mutant had half the LD50 and decreased time to death (TTD) of wild type and complement B. anthracis Sterne in the A/J mouse model. Following infection, anthrose mutant bacteria were more abundant in the spleen, indicating enhanced dissemination of Sterne anthrose mutant. At low sample sizes in the A/J mouse model, the mortality of ΔantC-infected mice challenged by intranasal or subcutaneous routes was 20% greater than wild type. Competitive index (CI) studies indicated that spores without anthrose disseminated to organs more extensively than a complemented mutant. Death process modeling using mouse mortality dynamics suggested that larger sample sizes would lead to significantly higher deaths in anthrose-negative infected animals. The model was tested by infecting Galleria mellonella with spores and confirmed the anthrose mutant was significantly more lethal. Vaccination studies in the A/J mouse model showed that the human vaccine protected against high-dose challenges of the nonencapsulated Sterne-based anthrose mutant. This work begins to identify the physiologic and pathogenic consequences of convergent anthrose mutations in B. anthracis.
Optimal adjustment of the human circadian clock in the real world
Authors: Christensen Samuel , Huang Yitong , Walch Olivia J. , Forger Daniel B.
Published: December 2020

Which suggestions for behavioral modifications, based on mathematical models, are most likely to be followed in the real world? We address this question in the context of human circadian rhythms. Jet lag is a consequence of the misalignment of the body’s internal circadian (~24-hour) clock during an adjustment to a new schedule. Light is the clock’s primary synchronizer. Previous research has used mathematical models to compute light schedules that shift the circadian clock to a new time zone as quickly as possible. How users adjust their behavior when provided with these optimal schedules remains an open question. Here, we report data collected by wearables from more than 100 travelers as they cross time zones using a smartphone app, Entrain. We find that people rarely follow the optimal schedules generated through mathematical modeling entirely, but travelers who better followed the optimal schedules reported more positive moods after their trips. Using the data collected, we improve the optimal schedule predictions to accommodate real-world constraints. We also develop a scheduling algorithm that allows for the computation of approximately optimal schedules "on-the-fly" in response to disruptions. User burnout may not be critically important as long as the first parts of a schedule are followed. These results represent a crucial improvement in making the theoretical results of past work viable for practical use and show how theoretical predictions based on known human physiology can be efficiently used in real-world settings.
Crosstalk and ultrasensitivity in protein degradation pathways
Authors: Mallela Abhishek , Nariya Maulik K. , Deeds Eric J.
Published: December 2020

Protein turnover is vital to cellular homeostasis. Many proteins are degraded efficiently only after they have been post-translationally “tagged” with a polyubiquitin chain. Ubiquitylation is a form of Post-Translational Modification (PTM): addition of a ubiquitin to the chain is catalyzed by E3 ligases, and removal of ubiquitin is catalyzed by a De-UBiquitylating enzyme (DUB). Nearly four decades ago, Goldbeter and Koshland discovered that reversible PTM cycles function like on-off switches when the substrates are at saturating concentrations. Although this finding has had profound implications for the understanding of switch-like behavior in biochemical networks, the general behavior of PTM cycles subject to synthesis and degradation has not been studied. Using a mathematical modeling approach, we found that simply introducing protein turnover to a standard modification cycle has profound effects, including significantly reducing the switch-like nature of the response. Our findings suggest that many classic results on PTM cycles may not holdin vivowhere protein turnover is ubiquitous. We also found that proteins sharing an E3 ligase can have closely related changes in their expression levels. These results imply that it may be difficult to interpret experimental results obtained from either overexpressing or knocking down protein levels, since changes in protein expression can be coupled via E3 ligase crosstalk. Understanding crosstalk and competition for E3 ligases will be key in ultimately developing a global picture of protein homeostasis.
OpenSim Moco: Musculoskeletal optimal control
Authors: Dembia Christopher L. , Bianco Nicholas A. , Falisse Antoine , Hicks Jennifer L. , Delp Scott L.
Published: December 2020

Musculoskeletal simulations are used in many different applications, ranging from the design of wearable robots that interact with humans to the analysis of patients with impaired movement. Here, we introduce OpenSim Moco, a software toolkit for optimizing the motion and control of musculoskeletal models built in the OpenSim modeling and simulation package. OpenSim Moco uses the direct collocation method, which is often faster and can handle more diverse problems than other methods for musculoskeletal simulation. Moco frees researchers from implementing direct collocation themselves—which typically requires extensive technical expertise—and allows them to focus on their scientific questions. The software can handle a wide range of problems that interest biomechanists, including motion tracking, motion prediction, parameter optimization, model fitting, electromyography-driven simulation, and device design. Moco is the first musculoskeletal direct collocation tool to handle kinematic constraints, which enable modeling of kinematic loops (e.g., cycling models) and complex anatomy (e.g., patellar motion). To show the abilities of Moco, we first solved for muscle activity that produced an observed walking motion while minimizing squared muscle excitations and knee joint loading. Next, we predicted how muscle weakness may cause deviations from a normal walking motion. Lastly, we predicted a squat-to-stand motion and optimized the stiffness of an assistive device placed at the knee. We designed Moco to be easy to use, customizable, and extensible, thereby accelerating the use of simulations to understand the movement of humans and other animals.
Gaming experience affects the interpretation of ambiguous words
Authors: Eligio Rachel B. , Kaschak Michael P.
Published: December 2020

Rodd et al. (2016) report that recreational rowers’ acquisition of sport-related terminology affected their interpretation of words that have both rowing-related and non-rowing-related meanings (e.g., crab). The extent to which the rowing- and non-rowing-related meanings were accessible to the participants depended on experiential factors, such as how long the participant had been a rower, and how long it had been since they last rowed. We present two experiments that attempt to replicate these findings with another group of hobbyists, namely video game players. Experiment 1 examined the differences in word meaning choice between gamers and non-gamers. Participation in video-gaming lead to participants generating more gaming-related word meanings in a word association task. Experiment 2 further examined the effects of video gaming experience on the lexical representation of gaming-related words. Participants who had spent more years as gamers were more likely to produce gaming-related word meanings in a word association task. The effect of time spent gaming was no longer significant when we took into account whether the participant engaged with video-game related media (such as YouTube channels or gaming-related message boards). This finding helps us to refine our understanding of the results reported by Rodd et al. (2016), suggesting that it may not be the time spent in an activity that affects the interpretation of ambiguous words, but rather the specific exposure to activity-related vocabulary.
The sexual behaviours of adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years involved with the juvenile justice system in Australia: A community-based survey
Authors: Yap Lorraine , Jones Jocelyn , Donovan Basil , Nathan Sally , Sullivan Elizabeth , Davison Sophie , Heffernan Ed , Richards Alun , Meurk Carla , Steele Megan , Fisher Christopher , Ton Bianca , Butler Tony
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To overcome key knowledge gaps in relation to justice involved and vulnerable young people and their sexual health and to compare this group with their peers from other youth health surveys in Australia to determine the extent of the issues.

Methods

Young people, aged between 14 and 17 years, who had ever been or were currently involved with the criminal justice system were purposively sampled. The survey was anonymous and delivered using Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI).

Results

A total of 465 justice involved MeH-JOSH young people, aged between 14 and 17 years, participated in the study: 44% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) and 37% not attending school. Of the total valid responses, 76% (n = 348) reported having ever had sex, with sexual initiation at a median age of 14 years. We compared these data with their peers in other Australian surveys and found that young people in our study had a higher engagement in sex and start having sex at a younger age, reporting more sexual partners at all ages.

Conclusions

The sexual behaviours of young people involved in the justice system in this study suggest they may be at a greater risk for sexually transmissible infections than their age-matched peers in the general population. Policymakers should elevate them to a priority population for targeting sexual health services and health promotion.
Food security and livelihoods of post-resettlement households around Kanha National Park
Authors: Neelakantan Amrita , DeFries Ruth , Fanzo Jessica
Published: December 2020

Globally, conservation efforts have moved millions of people out of protected areas since the 1970s, yet quantitative studies on post-resettlement well-being remain a challenge due to poor documentation. Since 2008, the Indian forest department records demographic and financial details at the household level under standardized guidelines for resettlement. Here, we examine the food security of approximately 600 households’ post-resettlement from Kanha National Park (KNP) in central India between 2009 and 2014. We compare food security of resettled households with host community households with a total of 3519 household surveys, conducted over three seasons within one year. We measure food security using food consumption scores (FCSs), coping strategies index (CSI) and household hunger scale (HHS). Food insecurity is widespread in the landscape, with over 80% of households reporting poor or borderline FCSs year-round. Additionally, we recorded food insecurity increases in monsoon for all households regardless of resettlement status. Results indicate that resettled households are comparable to their host community neighbors in FCS and all households use mild coping strategies to combat food insecurity. While widespread, food insecurity in the KNP landscape is not acute with very few (<10) reports of severe hunger (as measured by the HHS). Almost all foods are market bought (>90%) and sometimes supplemented by gathering locally prevalent greens or from kitchen gardens (forest dependency for food was negligible). Accruing assets and diversifying incomes from non-labor avenues would alleviate food insecurity for all households. The patterns of market dependence and food security associated with diversified stable incomes around protected areas is in contrast with many studies but is likely to occur in similar human-dominated landscapes.
Environmental regulation and financial performance of Chinese listed companies
Authors: Zhou Bing , Wu Jing , Guo Sidai , Hu Mingxia , Wang Jing
Published: December 2020

Objective

The answer to this article lies in: Does the financial activities of physical enterprises have an adverse impact on their main business? Is it conducive to the sustainable development of the national economy? However, when most scholars study the impact of environmental regulations on companies performance, they have not classified companies performance. This article will study the relationship between environmental regulations and performance levels based on the classification of companies performance, and then divide the nature of industry pollution, companies location and nature of property for in-depth research.

Methods

First, this article uses a random effect variable-intercept model to measure companies financial performance and non-financial performance. Then, the variables are divided into two variable groups: light pollution and heavy pollution according to the nature of industry pollution. Next, the companies are divided into three variable groups: the eastern region, the central region, and the western region. Finally, the company is divided into two variable groups: state-owned and non-state-owned according to the nature of property.

Conclusions

The study found that: (1) Environmental regulations have inhibited companies financial activities. And the inhibitory effect of environmental regulations on the financial performance of enterprises is more obvious in the heavily polluting industries and enterprises in central and eastern regions. (2) Environmental regulations and companies non-financial performance are also negatively related, environmental regulations have also inhibited the non-financial performance of companies, this effect is more pronounced in heavily polluting industries and enterprises in western regions. (3) Income crowding effect brought by China's environmental regulations is greater than the income compensation effect brought by stimulating technological innovation.
Effects of acute wearable resistance loading on overground running lower body kinematics
Authors: Trounson Karl M. , Busch Aglaja , French Collier Neil , Robertson Sam
Published: December 2020

Field-based sports require athletes to run sub-maximally over significant distances, often while contending with dynamic perturbations to preferred coordination patterns. The ability to adapt movement to maintain performance under such perturbations appears to be trainable through exposure to task variability, which encourages movement variability. The aim of the present study was to investigate the extent to which various wearable resistance loading magnitudes alter coordination and induce movement variability during running. To investigate this, 14 participants (three female and 11 male) performed 10 sub-maximal velocity shuttle runs with either no weight, 1%, 3%, or 5% of body weight attached to the lower limbs. Sagittal plane lower limb joint kinematics from one complete stride cycle in each run were assessed using functional data analysis techniques, both across the participant group and within-individuals. At the group-level, decreases in ankle plantarflexion following toe-off were evident in the 3% and 5% conditions, while increased knee flexion occurred during weight acceptance in the 5% condition compared with unloaded running. At the individual-level, between-run joint angle profiles varied, with six participants exhibiting increased joint angle variability in one or more loading conditions compared with unloaded running. Loading of 5% decreased between-run ankle joint variability among two individuals, likely in accordance with the need to manage increased system load or the novelty of the task. In terms of joint coordination, the most considerable alterations to coordination occurred in the 5% loading condition at the hip-knee joint pair, however, only a minority of participants exhibited this tendency. Coaches should prescribe wearable resistance individually to perturb preferred coordination patterns and encourage movement variability without loading to the extent that movement options become limited.
The prevalence and correlates of the double burden of malnutrition among women in Ghana
Authors: Kushitor Sandra Boatemaa , Owusu Lily , Kushitor Mawuli Kobla
Published: December 2020

Anaemia and underweight or overweight/obesity are major public health problems driving maternal and child mortality in low- and middle-income countries. While the burden of these conditions is recognised, the evidence for the co-occurrence of these conditions is fragmented and mixed, especially at the individual level. Further, many studies have focused on families and communities. The different pathways for the occurrence of anaemia and BMI challenges indicate that an individual can potentially live with both conditions and suffer the complications. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with the co-occurrence of anaemia and BMI challenges among a cohort of women in Ghana. Data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey were used. The sample size was 4 337 women aged 15–49 years who were not pregnant during the survey. Women who suffered simultaneously from underweight or overweight/obesity and anaemia were considered as having the double burden of malnutrition. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and logistic regression in STATA. One-fifth of the participants were overweight (21%), 4% were underweight and about one-tenth were obese (12%). The prevalence of anaemia was 41%. Only one in three women had normal weight and was not anaemic (34%). About 14% of the women experienced the double burden of malnutrition. Being overweight and anaemic (57%) was the most common form of this double burden. Age, marital status, parity, and wealth were t key risk factors associated with the double burden of malnutrition. The findings from this study show that women experience multiple nutritional challenges concurrently and that only a few women had healthy nutritional status. This information is particularly important and can be introduced into health education programmes to help address misconceptions about body weight and health.
Genome-wide association analysis of Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia) resistance in Dn4 derived wheat lines evaluated in South Africa
Authors: Kisten Lavinia , Tolmay Vicki L. , Mathew Isack , Sydenham Scott L. , Venter Eduard
Published: December 2020

Russian wheat aphid (RWA;Diuraphis noxiaKurdjumov) resistance on the 1D chromosome of wheat has been the subject of intensive research. Conversely, the deployment of theDn4derived RWA resistant varieties diminished in recent years due to the overcoming of the resistance it imparts in the United States of America. However, this resistance has not been deployed in South Africa despite reports thatDn4containing genotypes exhibited varying levels of resistance against the South African RWA biotypes. It is possible that there may be certain genetic differences within breeding lines or cultivars that influence the expression of resistance. The aim of this study was to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with resistance to South African RWA biotypes. A panel of thirty-two wheat lines were phenotyped for RWA resistance using four South African RWA biotypes and a total of 181 samples were genotyped using the Illumina 9K SNP wheat chip. A genome wide association study using 7598 polymorphic SNPs showed that the population was clustered into two distinct subpopulations. Twenty-seven marker trait associations (MTA) were identified with an average linkage disequilibrium of 0.38 at 10 Mbp. Four of these markers were highly significant and three correlated with previously reported quantitative trait loci linked to RWA resistance in wheat. Twenty putative genes were annotated using the IWGSC RefSeq, three of which are linked to plant defence responses. This study identified novel chromosomal regions that contribute to RWA resistance and contributes to unravelling the complex genetics that control RWA resistance in wheat.
Echocardiographic parameters according to insulin dose in young patients affected by type 1 diabetes
Authors: Zoppini Giacomo , Bergamini Corinna , Trombetta Maddalena , Mantovani Alessandro , Targher Giovanni , Toffalini Anna , Bittante Cristina , Bonora Enzo
Published: December 2020

Insulin dose has been found to associate to several cardiometabolic risk factors in type 1 diabetes. Changes over time in body weight and composition may partly explain this association. However, no data are available on the relationship between insulin dose and echocardiographic parameters of both systolic and diastolic function in type 1 diabetes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine systolic and diastolic echocardiographic parameters in relation to insulin dose in young patients with type 1 diabetes. The study was carried out on 93 consecutive outpatients with type 1 diabetes with a mean age of 32.8 ± 9.8 years. All patients were examined with a transthoracic echocardiography. Clinical and laboratory data were collected. The median value of daily insulin dose was used to categorized patients in two groups: high and low insulin dose group. Patients belonging to the high insulin dose group showed higher levels of cardiometabolic risk factors such as BMI, triglycerides and TG/HDL cholesterol ratio. Indexes of both systolic and diastolic function were similar in both groups except isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT), that was significantly prolonged in patients of the high insulin group (94.4 ± 15.0 vs 86.7 ± 13.1 ms, p = 0.008). In the multivariate regression analysis, insulin dose was positively and significantly associated with IVRT. In this study we report an association between insulin dose and impaired active diastolic myocardial relaxation. Future studies are needed to further explore this observation.
Consistent patterns in 16S and 18S microbial diversity from the shells of the common and widespread red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta)
Authors: Parks Matthew , Kedy Cameron , Skalla Casey
Published: December 2020

Microbial communities associated with freshwater aquatic habitats and resident species are both critical to and indicative of ecosystem status and organismal health. External surfaces of turtle shells readily accumulate microbial growth and could carry representation of habitat-wide microbial diversity, since they are in regular contact with multiple elements of freshwater environments. Yet, microbial diversity residing on freshwater turtle shells is poorly understood. We applied 16S and 18S metabarcoding to characterize microbiota associated with external shell surfaces of 20 red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) turtles collected from varied habitats in central and western Oklahoma, and ranging to southeast Iowa. Shell-associated microbial communities were highly diverse, with samples dominated by Bacteroidia and alpha-/gamma-proteobacteria, and ciliophoran alveolates. Alpha diversity was lower on turtle shells compared to shallow-water-associated environmental samples, likely resulting from basking-drying behavior and seasonal scute shedding, while alpha diversity was higher on carapace than plastron surfaces. Beta diversity of turtle shells was similarly differentiated from environmental samples, although sampling site was consistently a significant factor. Deinococcus-Thermus bacteria and ciliophoran alveolates were recovered with significantly higher abundance on turtle shells versus environmental samples, while bacterial taxa known to include human-pathogenic species were variably more abundant between shell and environmental samples. Microbial communities from a single, shared-site collection of the ecologically similar river cooter (P.concinna) largely overlapped with those ofT.scripta. These data add to a foundation for further characterization of turtle shell microbial communities across species and habitats, with implications for freshwater habitat assessment, microbial ecology and wildlife conservation efforts.
Designing to enhance experiences through mobile-based applications for gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Phillips Miranda , Page Lindsay , Straker Karla , Nusem Erez
Published: December 2020

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the fastest growing type of diabetes in Australia, with the needs, barriers and challenges of women managing GDM being well recognized in the literature. Despite these recent advances in knowledge, mobile-based offerings designed to assist women with their management do not holistically address users’ needs. This study therefore aims to answer how the features and functionalities of a mobile-based application could be designed to better address GDM patient needs. We undertook a co-design session with four GDM stakeholders and identified eleven overarching issues across four main themes that encapsulate the requirements of women with GDM: (1) tracking and monitoring, (2) physical activity, (3) community support and (4) dietary interventions. The results were synthesized into key design considerations for the future design of mobile applications in the GDM context. These considerations include unobtrusive care, support through connection, increasing capability and personalization of information. Each consideration is accompanied by design recommendations for features and functionalities to be implemented in future app developments.
Retrospective Review of Microbial Ecological Processes to understand Environmental Biotechnology
Authors: Ahmad Waheed , . Tazeen , Farooq Andleeb , Irfan Maham , Abbasi Nawal Naveed
Published: December 2020

We—Waheed Ahmad, Andleeb Farooq, Tazeen, Maham Irfan and Nawal Naveed Abbasi— have made an attempt to explain the Retrospective review of microbial ecological processes to understand environmental biotechnology. The fields of environmental biotechnology and microbial ecology are two blossoming fields that have greatly benefited from the advancements in biology, engineering, computing and materials. Although both of the fields are traditionally varied, but the future of both the disciplines are linked to one another. Both the fields, together, provide and promise so much to help society, face and eradicate an environmental problems and challenges, sustainability, human health and security. Moreover, we have also talked about the microbial ecological processes to better understand environmental biotechnology, potential applications of these processes towards our own environment and the future perspective that where this technology is accelerating and heading towards, and what more methods and processes will be witnessed in near future to successfully eradicate and degrade the pollutants and contaminants from the environment through the interaction between microbial communities and their environment for a better, secure and sustainable ecosystem.
Relación entre las características de la Composición Corporal y el Rendimiento Físico en atletas hombres de karate: Un estudio observacional
Authors: Ojeda-Aravena Alex , Herrera-Valenzuela Tomás , García-García José Manuel
Published: December 2020

Introducción: El propósito de este estudio fue examinar la relación entre las características de la composición corporal y los componentes del rendimiento físico en atletas de karate hombres juveniles de Chile. Material y métodos: Diseño observacional con 18 atletas hombres juveniles que compiten habitualmente en diferentes categorías de edad en competencias regionales y nacionales. Se evaluó la masa corporal (MC), la masa grasa (MG), % masa grasa (% MG), masa muscular (MM), el salto Squat jump (SJ), el countermovement jump (CMJ), la velocidad lineal en 0-5 m, el cambio de dirección (COD) y la prueba 20meters shuttle run (20MSR). Resultados: La muestra presentó las siguientes características: 16,4 (3,5) años; 167,3 (7,3) cm; 69,5 (11,8) kg; 3 (1) años de experiencia. Entre los principales hallazgos de este estudio en términos de promedio se documentó un incremento de la MC y la MM a medida que avanza la edad. La MG fluctuó y se documentó una menor MG y %MG en la categoría 6-17 años. En términos del RF en SJ, CMJ, COD, se observó un rendimiento superior en la categoría 16-17 años. Además, se documentaron relaciones significativas (p <0,05) entre la MG y SJ (r = -0,49), CMJ (r = -0,55) y 10-M (r = 0,53). Así también entre el% MG y SJ (r = -0,61), CMJ (r = - 0,64). En tanto relaciones moderadas a bajas se documentaron entre la MM y las variables analizadas. Conclusiones: Los datos del presente estudio que la masa grasa y el % de masa grasa se relacionarán más que la masa muscular y la masa corporal con el rendimiento físico en atletas de karate juveniles. Los técnicos podrían considerar estrategias para disminuir la masa grasa y mantener la masa muscular para optimizar el rendimiento en atletas de karate.
A series of clinical cases of familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia syndrome
Authors: Krupinova Ju. A. , Almaskhanova A. A. , Eremkina A. K. , Bibik E. E. , Vasilyev E. V. , Mokrysheva N. G.
Published: December 2020

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) - rare disease with predominantly autosomal dominant inheritance. FHH typically develops due to a heterozygous inactivating mutation in the calcium-sensitive receptor gene (CASR), less commonly due to heterozygous mutations in GNA11 and AP2S1. CASR mutations lead to an increase in the threshold for calcium sensitivity, which requires a higher concentration in serum to reduce the release of PTH. These changes are accompanied by an increase of calcium and magnesium reabsorption in the proximal tubules, which leads to hypercalcemia and hypocalciuria. Basically, FHH may be asymptomatic or accompanied by mild hypercalcemia. FHH doesn't require surgical treatment, unlike primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), therefore, differential diagnosis of these two conditions is extremely important. In addition, immediate relatives of a proband with FHH also require the exclusion of disease inheritance. We analyzed a series of clinical cases with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of FHH. Our clinical cases indicate a variety of clinical manifestations and the difficulties of differential diagnosis with PHPT.
Autoantibodies, immunoglobulins and cytokine profile in patients with graves' disease and Graves' orbitopathy
Authors: Sviridenko N. Yu. , Bessmertnaya E. G. , Belovalova I. M. , Mikheenkov A. A. , Sheremeta M. S. , Nikankina L. V. , Malysheva N. M.
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND: Graves' Orbitopathy (GO) — also known as Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) — is an autoimmune condition in the modern sense. It is closely associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases. Cytokine-mediated mechanisms play a critical part in immunopathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases including GO. Investigating cytokine profiles as well as antibodies to tissue-specific antigens is essential for explaining GO pathogenesis and developing future therapeutic strategies.AIMS: The study examines serum levels of cytokines, autoantibodies and immunoglobulins IgG and IgG4 as mediators of autoimmune inflammation in patients with GO and Graves' Disease (GD).MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 52 patients (104 orbits) aged 25-70 years (mean age 48,8±12,3) in the active phase of GO and GD verified with the international diagnostic standards. These patients did not get any treatment for GO before. The control group consisted of 14 individuals (28 orbits) aged 30-68 years without known autoimmune disease.Serum levels of IgG, IgG4,TNFα, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-13, sIL-6R, sTNFα- RI и TNFα- R2 IL-2R, TGFβ1, TGF β3, antibodies to TSH-receptor, free T4, free T3 and TSH were measured. A diagnostic ultrasound exam of thyroid gland, multislice computed tomography (MSCT) / magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of orbits were performed.RESULTS: Mean duration of GO prior to being admitted to the centre was 8,8±1,5 months (range: 1 — 48 months). According to the degree of thyrotoxicosis compensation: 24 patients were clinically euthyroid, TSH 3,3±0,7 mU/L, free T4 11,9±0,59 pmol/L, free T3 3,97±0,1 pmol/L; 28 patients were considered to have subclinical thyrotoxicosis: TSH 0,03±0,01 mU/L, free T4 14,2±1,0 pmol/L, free T3 5,77±0,49 pmol/L. Serum levels of sTNFα-R2 (p=0,041, p≤0,05), sIL-2R (p=0,020, p≤0,05), TGFβ1 (p=0,000, p≤0,001) were significantly higher in patients with GO compared to the control group. Serum levels of sTNFRα2 (p=0,038, p<0,05) and TGFβ1 (P=0,011, p≤0,05) were positively correlated with the duration of GO. The positive correlations between the serum level of sIL-6R (p=0,034, p≤0,05) and the severity of GO as well as between the serum level of sTNFα- R 1 (P=0,012, p≤0,05) and activity of GO were observed. 54% of patients had elevated concentration level of IgG4 in IgG ( >5%).CONCLUSION: High levels of soluble cytokine receptors sTNFα-R2 and sIL-2R and cytokine TGFβ1 in patients with long-standing untreated GO and GD being euthyroid or having subclinical thyrotoxicosis indicate activation of regulatory T cells aimed at suppressing autoimmune processes. High concentration level of IgG4 in IgG and cytokine TGFβ1 can determine the development of fibrotic changes in the orbital tissues. A decrease in the concentration of cytokine TGFβ1 can indicate an unfavorable course of the disease GO.
Artificial intelligence for diagnosis of vertebral compression fractures using a morphometric analysis model, based on convolutional neural networks
Authors: Petraikin A. V. , Belaya Zh. E. , Kiseleva A. N. , Artyukova Z. R. , Belyaev M. G. , Kondratenko V. A. , Pisov M. E. , Solovev A. V. , Smorchkova A. K. , Abuladze L. R. , Kieva I. N. , Fedanov V. A. , Iassin L. R. , Semenov D. S. , Kudryavtsev N. D. , Shchelykalina S. P. , Zinchenko V. V. , Akhmad E. S. , Sergunova K. A. , Gombolevsky V. A. , Nisovstova L. A. , Vladzymyrskyy A. V. , Morozov S. P.
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND: Pathological low-energy (LE) vertebral compression fractures (VFs) are common complications of osteoporosis and predictors of subsequent LE fractures. In 84% of cases, VFs are not reported on chest CT (CCT), which calls for the development of an artificial intelligence-based (AI) assistant that would help radiology specialists to improve the diagnosis of osteoporosis complications and prevent new LE fractures.AIMS: To develop an AI model for automated diagnosis of compression fractures of the thoracic spine based on chest CT images.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2019 and May 2020 the authors performed a retrospective sampling study of ССТ images. The 160 of results were selected and anonymized. The data was labeled by seven readers. Using the morphometric analysis, the investigators received the following metric data: ventral, medial and dorsal dimensions. This was followed by a semiquantitative assessment of VFs degree. The data was used to develop the Comprise-G AI mode based on CNN, which subsequently measured the size of the vertebral bodies and then calculates the compression degree. The model was evaluated with the ROC curve analysis and by calculating sensitivity and specificity values.RESULTS: Formed data consist of 160 patients (a training group - 100 patients; a test group - 60 patients). The total of 2,066 vertebrae was annotated. When detecting Grade 2 and 3 maximum VFs in patients the Comprise-G model demonstrated sensitivity - 90,7%, specificity - 90,7%, AUC ROC - 0.974 on the 5-FOLD cross-validation data of the training dataset; on the test data - sensitivity - 83,2%, specificity - 90,0%, AUC ROC - 0.956; in vertebrae demonstrated sensitivity - 91,5%, specificity - 95,2%, AUC ROC - 0.981 on the cross-validation data; for the test data sensitivity - 79,3%, specificity - 98,7%, AUC ROC - 0.978.CONCLUSIONS: The Comprise-G model demonstrated high diagnostic capabilities in detecting the VFs on CCT images and can be recommended for further validation.
Case of diagnostics of a rare form of glycogen disease
Authors: Atanesyan R. A. , Vorontsova M. V. , Vdovina T. M. , Klimov L. Ya. , Andreeva E. I. , Saneeva G. A. , Arakelyan R. I.
Published: December 2020

Differential diagnosis of hypoglycemic syndrome remains an urgent problem in Pediatrics. In this article, a case of glycogen storage disease (BNG) type 0 is described in the boy, which is undoubtedly a rare pathology, which makes it difficult to diagnose this form of glycogenosis. In this description, the case of type 0 BNG is caused by a mutation in the GYS2 gene encoding the hepatic isoform of glycogen synthase. This form of the disease is usually asymptomatic in infancy. However, it can be suspected in the case when the refusal of night feeding causes certain difficulties due to the hungry ketotic hypoglycemia that occurs in the child. The first clinical symptoms appear in early childhood with the inclusion of a more varied diet in the child, increasing the intervals between meals. Symptoms of the disease are primarily caused by hypoglycemia. It should be noted that, despite the low levels of glycemia, most children do not have any mental development disorders, since the increase in the level of ketone bodies in the blood plasma provides the brain with an alternative source of energy.
Evaluation of chronic hypoparathyroidism course according to the Database of Endocrinology Research Centre
Authors: Kovaleva E. V. , Ajnetdinova A. R. , Eremkina A. K. , Mokrysheva N. G.
Published: December 2020

BACKGRAUND: Currently high frequency of thyroid or parathyroid surgery is associated with significant increased incidence of hypoparathyroidism. Evaluation of the epidemiological and clinical features of chronic hypoparathyroidism is necessary to predict social-significant complications and to improve the quality of medical care.

AIMS: To estimate clinical and demographic features, different regimens and efficacy of conventional therapy in patients with chronic postsurgical and nonsurgical hypoparathyroidism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional, observational, continuous study was carried out based on Database of patients with chronic postsurgical and nonsurgical hypoparathyroidism of Endocrinology Research Centre, Moscow. 293 patients from 61 regions of the Russian Federation were included in this study. Statistical analysis was done on June 2020. The descriptive statistics are presented by medians (Ме) and the first and third quartiles (Q1; Q3) and by absolute and relative frequencies.

RESULTS: Hypoparathyroidism was most often recorded in women (85%) at the age of 43 [32; 52] years, after thyroid surgery. Less than a half of the study group had target indicators of serum calcium and phosphate levels (31% and 47%, respectively) despite ongoing treatment. A complex instrumental examination for the disease complications was performed in 58% of cases (n = 169). Among them, kidney disorders were detected in 38%, visual disturbance in 14%, brain calcification in 10%, arrhythmias in 4% and neuropsychiatric symptoms in 6%. Conventional therapy with calcium supplements and activated vitamin D analogues was noted in 75% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of large databases of patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism is a necessary tool for determining of optimal clinical and therapeutic approaches, as well as prognostic markers of disease complications.