bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modulation of narrowband and broadband gamma connectivity in retinal degeneration mice according to electrical stimulation pulse width
Authors: Agadagba Stephen Kugbere , Chan Leanne Lai Hang
Published: January 2021

Brain connectivity involves the structural, functional and effective communication between neurons across brain regions and is expressed in neuronal oscillations. Previous research has reported the evidence of two types of gamma oscillations namely the broadband gamma (30 Hz - 90 Hz) and narrowband gamma (55 Hz - 70 Hz) oscillations which have been implicated in excitatory and inhibitory network transmission. There is presently no systematic investigation of the relationship between electrical stimulation pulse width and narrow or broadband gamma oscillations in visual-deficient mice. In the current study, we set out to bridge this gap in knowledge by exploring the modulation of brain connectivity indices in broadband gamma and narrowband gamma oscillations in response to varying electrical stimulation pulse width in retinal degeneration (rd) mice. The results revealed that a low pulse width (0.5 ms/phase) strongly enhances coherence and directional connectivity of broadband and narrowband gamma oscillations in contra visual cortex and contra prefrontal cortex of rd mice. This study serves a crucial role in the design and utilisation of visual prostheses by contributing to the understanding of information transmission between different brain regions under retinal electrical stimulation in visual-deficit population.
Green energy recovery by blending treated biogas into town gas pipeline networks
Authors: Cheung Mario Ho Tak
Published: January 2021

Biogas can be converted into treated biogas or synthetic natural gas, which can be blended into town gas pipeline network at a designed mixing ratio. Specific gravity and calorific value of biogas are adjusted to satisfy gas safety and quality standard. Carbon dioxide pressure swing adsorption is selected and applied for specific gravity reduction and calorific value enrichment. 95% nitrogen, defined according to the flammability plot, is mixed with biogas for tuning the calorific value at the end of the process end. Gas interchangeability of the gas mixture of treated biogas and town gas was predicted by using maximum combustion potential (MCP) chart and their maximum mixing ratio for safe use was indicated. Gas interchangeability of the gas mixture was tested to confirm the prediction. The South East New Territories Processing Facilities were designed and built according to the above principle, and has been in operation to convert biogas into synthetic natural gas successfully since 2017.
Comportamento sexual de mulheres em processo de transexualização frente ao sexo seguro: Revisão integrativa
Authors: Fernandes Sabrina Emylle Torres , Alves Nemório Rodrigues , Pessoa Marina Saraiva de Araújo , Lima Kélita Mirelle Oliveira , Melo Priscila de Oliveira Cabral , Guedes Tatiane Gomes
Published: January 2021

Objetivo: Analisar as evidências científicas relacionadas ao comportamento sexual de mulheres em processo de transexualização frente ao sexo seguro. Método: Revisão integrativa da literatura, realizada nas bases de dados PUBMED, Web of Science, Lilacs, Scopus e CINAHL, para responder à questão norteadora: Quais os comportamentos sexuais de mulheres em processo de transexualização frente ao sexo seguro encontrados na literatura científica? As buscas ocorreram entre agosto e novembro de 2020, utilizando os descritores “transexualidade/ transsexualism”; “mulheres/woman”; “comportamento sexual/sexual behavior”; “sexo seguro/safe sex” e “saúde sexual/sexual health”. Após a busca com os cruzamentos desses descritores, identificou-se 2.915 artigos. Ao aplicar os critérios de elegibilidade, foram selecionados dez estudos, avaliados quanto ao rigor metodológico e nível de evidência. Na extração dos dados empregou-se um instrumento validado e adaptado. Resultados: Dentre todas as estratégias de sexo seguro identificadas nos estudos, a prevenção das Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis – IST’s por meio de ações de educação em saúde foram as mais expressivas no contexto do comportamento sexual das mulheres trans. Conclusão: Essa pesquisa possibilitou entender que as mulheres trans reconhecem a importância do sexo seguro, porém frequentemente possuem comportamentos que colocam em risco sua saúde sexual. Os fatores associados à baixa adesão do sexo seguro dessas mulheres estão relacionados a fragilidade do setor sociocultural, educacional e da saúde.
O processo de pacificação nas favelas cariocas: Elementos para uma crítica
Authors: Maricato Paloma Henriques
Published: January 2021

O presente artigo é resultado do interesse em analisar como é pensada a segurança pública no Estado do Rio de Janeiro a partir da implantação das Unidades de Polícia Pacificadora (UPPs) em 2008, marcado por uma “nova forma” de intervenção policial nos espaços populares. Tem como objetivo analisar o impacto das UPPs nos espaços favelados, marcado pelo aumento do poder punitivo e da aceitação da sociedade no recrudescimento de políticas autoritárias, historicamente marcado pela militarização da segurança pública nos territórios populares. A partir do aprofundamento das leituras e a análise do desenvolvimento dessa “nova proposta” de segurança pública observa-se que as UPPs são assinaladas pela ocupação militarizada das favelas e disciplinamento dos corpos. Além disso, busca compreender o fenômeno da violência nesses espaços e a necessidade aparente de um agente externo que fiscalize e regule as ações dessa população. Foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos metodológicos: levantamento e leitura sobre o tema, artigos de jornais e revistas de grande circulação e especializadas.
Estado e Terceiro Setor: Um caso de complementação ou substituição?
Authors: Moreira Raquel da Silva
Published: January 2021

O presente artigo é fruto de estudo que visa refletir sobre a resposta do Estado neoliberal frente às demandas por políticas sociais, e como ocorre a transferência de responsabilidade para a sociedade civil em prover ações para efetivar direitos sociais. A sociedade civil por sua vez vem se organizando e profissionalizando para responder tal demanda, ainda que de forma pontual e seletiva. Diante desse cenário ficam as inquietações: como o Estado tem assumido a responsabilidade de prover políticas públicas na área social? As instituições do terceiro setor conseguem cumprir integralmente a função que lhe é transferida? A pesquisa foi realizada por levantamento e estudo de bibliografias nas áreas de políticas sociais, estado neoliberal e terceiro setor. Tal estudo foi basilar para análise da atuação de instituições da sociedade civil com programas sociais em suas frentes de trabalho. O estudo nos revela que a responsabilidade do Estado na provisão de políticas sociais é transferida à sociedade civil sob uma roupagem de papel complementar, mas na prática o que ocorre é a terceirização de papéis, já que para os neoliberais a intervenção estatal deve ser mínima na área social.
Programas multiprofissionais de tratamento da obesidade com metas de perda de peso definidas: uma revisão sistemática da literatura
Authors: Pereira Igor Alisson Spagnol , Martins Fernando Malentaqui , Westphal Greice , Castilho Mario Moreira , Nardo Junior Nelson
Published: January 2021

Introdução: O aumento do sobrepeso, obesidade e obesidade severa no mundo representam um grande desafio de saúde pública tanto em termos de prevenção quanto de tratamento da obesidade e das doenças crônicas associadas. Objetivo: Esta revisão analisa os trabalhos multiprofissionais cujas metas incluam a perda de peso de, pelo menos, 5% usadas em programas que visam a mudança de comportamento em pessoas adultas com IMC acima de 30kg/m2 bem como seus desfechos clínicos. Métodos: Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática nas bases de dados Pubmed e Embase com os descritores “multi-professional”, “treatment”, “primary care” e “obesity”, nas duas bases foram utilizados os filtros “ensaio clínico”, “estudos randomizados” e “adultos maiores de 18 anos”, os trabalhos selecionados deveriam ter avaliado programas de intervenção presencial, com meta de perda de peso estabelecida e resultados da intervenção. Resultados: Ambas as bases resultaram em 241 artigos, sendo 148 na Pubmed e 93 na Embase. Desse total 82 artigos foram selecionados para leitura na íntegra e após a análise quatro manuscritos foram selecionados, sendo que um manuscrito era duplicado restando três artigos para revisão. Os estudos analisados foram realizados em países desenvolvidos (EUA, Reino Unido e Suíça). Conclusão: Os resultados da revisão sistemática indicam a efetividade desse tipo de programa em estudos de média e longa duração. Também revelam a necessidade de mais estudos científicos devido à escassez de intervenções presenciais com metas de perda de peso em adultos com IMC acima de 30kg/m2 e que diferenciem os resultados dos grupos intervenção e controle.
Mastectomia como prevenção para o câncer de mama
Authors: Andrade Walber Barbosa de , Guerra Maria de Fátima Santana de Souza , Araujo Ana Mara Borges , Souza Jaciara Pinheiro de , Porto Murilo de Jesus , Nascimento Maciel Borges , Santana Welde Natan Borges de , Santos Gilvania Piedade , Santana Antero Fontes de , Silva Sandra Regina Santana
Published: January 2021

A descoberta da possibilidade de se prevê o desenvolvimento do câncer de mama tornou-se possível, assim uma mulher pode realizar um exame genético e descobrir qual a sua probabilidade de desenvolver um câncer de mama, no entanto, a descoberta da probabilidade não quer dizer que a mastectomia é indicada. Neste tocante o trabalho tem como objetivo esclarecer informações sobre o uso da mastectomia como prevenção para o câncer de mama. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de caráter narrativo descritiva com abordagem qualitativa, de análise literária através dos bancos de dados: bibliotecas virtuais (SciELO – Scientifi c Electronic Library Online (http//www.scielo.org/ index.php); LILACS (Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde); BVS - Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (http//www.base. bvs.br/index.php); livros de referência; sites confiáveis. Não houve restrição de ano para as publicações selecionadas que envolviam a temática estudada. Mediante levantamento bibliográfico, conclui-se que a mastectomia profilática é uma boa opção para o combate ao câncer de mama, porém não pode ser aplicada como uma receita que cabe a todos, restringindo-se, no geral, aos casos que haja mutação nos genes supressores de tumor
BRCA1, BRCA2 e que se tenha histórico familiar de câncer de mama. Vale ressaltar, que o rastreamento genético ainda não é algo acessível a grande massa da população. É concreto que a experiência da mastectomia varia de acordo com cada mulher, envolvendo, no geral, sentimentos de medo, angústia e baixa autoestima, pois remete a retirada do símbolo da feminilidade, a mama.
Resolving community metabolism of eelgrass Zostera marina meadows by benthic flume-chambers and eddy covariance in dynamic coastal environments
Authors: Camillini N , Attard KM , Eyre BD , Glud RN
Published: January 2021

Sediment resuspension is a common process in dynamic coastal settings, but its implications for remineralization and carbon turnover in seagrass meadows are poorly understood. Here, we assessed eelgrass Zostera marina metabolism in the Baltic Sea (SW Finland) using benthic flume-chambers and aquatic eddy covariance to critically evaluate the drivers of benthic O2 exchange during dynamic flow conditions. During quiescent weather conditions, the 2 methods resolved similar metabolic rates and net ecosystem autotrophy (±11% of each other). However, elevated flow speeds and sediment resuspension halfway through the study induced a 5-fold increase in the O2 uptake rates measured by eddy covariance, whereas chamber fluxes remained relatively unchanged. Following particle resettlement, instruments were redeployed and the benthic O2 uptake resolved by both techniques was just ~30% of the values measured before resuspension. Laboratory investigations revealed sediment resuspension could potentially increase benthic O2 uptake up to 6fold, mainly due to the reoxidation of reduced compounds (e.g. FeSx). This process was fully captured by the eddy O2 fluxes, but not by the chamber incubation. Consequently, the chamber and eddy net ecosystem metabolism amounted to -17 and -824 mmol C m-2, respectively, throughout the study period. The rapid reoxidation and long-term effects of resuspension on benthic O2 dynamics highlight the importance of fully capturing dynamic conditions when assessing the overall carbon turnover in coastal habitats. Future studies on the biogeochemical functioning of coastal environments should aim to capture the natural frequency and duration of resuspension events.
Ecological enhancement of breakwater upgrades: size and type of rocks used influence benthic communities
Authors: Mamo LT , Coleman MA , Kelaher BP
Published: January 2021

Existing coastal breakwaters are ageing and will need to be upgraded to withstand additional forces associated with rising sea levels and storms. Structural upgrades can affect taxa living on or adjacent to breakwaters. These impacts can be mitigated by ecological engineering of breakwaters, which can enhance habitat quality without losing their primary purpose of protection. A recently upgraded breakwater at Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia was eco-engineered to use boulder fields to mitigate impacts on a critically endangered alga (Nereia lophocladia) living on and adjacent to the infrastructure. Over a year, we assessed the effect of different rock sizes (small versus large), types (greywacke versus granite) and orientations (top versus bottom) on the composition and diversity of benthic taxa. N. lophocladia has yet to recruit to the eco-engineered habitat; however, we found rock size, type and orientation significantly influenced overall benthic assemblage composition, at least at one of the sites. Furthermore, the bottom of the rocks had a higher taxonomic diversity than the top side, and assemblages on native greywacke rocks were more diverse than those on granite, but only at one of the two sites. Overall, the magnitude of differences in benthic assemblage structure and diversity showed substantial temporal and spatial variation, with no clear temporal trends or successional patterns. Our results indicate that the ecological outcomes of coastal protection infrastructure upgrades could be improved by including native rocks of a range of different sizes in multiple patches and layers.
Competition with odd-year pink salmon in the ocean affects natural populations of chum salmon from Washington
Authors: Litz MNC , Agha M , Dufault AM , Claiborne AM , Losee JP , Anderson AJ
Published: January 2021

Over the last 5 decades, natural populations of pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and chum (O. keta) salmon were the most abundant salmon species returning to Washington, USA. Pink salmon predominantly returned in odd years, and chum salmon stocks that interacted with pink salmon exhibited strong even- and odd-year variations in abundance, size, age-at-maturity, and productivity (recruits-per-spawner). We investigated the effects of competition between pink and chum salmon originating from Washington during different life-history phases. Overall, chum salmon returns were 34% lower in pink salmon (odd) years compared to non-pink salmon (even) years. Chum salmon productivity tended to be below average for odd broods, especially along the Washington coast where there are no pink salmon populations, suggesting that competition during overlapping marine periods established their distinct even- and odd-year patterns. We evaluated long-term trends in chum (and pink) salmon productivity using correlation and time series analysis and examined the influence of ocean indicators on those trends. In general, chum salmon productivity increased between brood years 1968 and 1989 and was positively related to summertime Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), but declined between brood years 1990 and 2012 and was negatively related to the PDO. Pink salmon productivity had no directional trend, but exhibited declines over the last decade and was negatively related to the PDO over the entire time series. Chum salmon productivity was also negatively related to pink salmon abundance, supporting the conclusion that ocean conditions and competition accounted for brood-year differences in chum salmon age-at-maturity and lower returns in odd versus even years.
Nursing ethics education in Brunei Darussalam – Where are we today?
Authors: Zolkefli Yusrita
Published: January 2021

N/A
Az angiotenzinreceptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) kezelés lehetősége hypertoniában
Authors: Kékes Ede
Published: January 2021

A natriureticus peptid (NP) egy fontos endokrin, autokrin és parakrin rendszer, amely állandó interakcióban van a RAAS-sal és a szimpatikus idegrendszerrel annak érdekében, hogy a cardiorenalis homeosztázis folyamatosan biztosított legyen. Kóros körülmények között – amennyiben a szívben nyomás/volumen terhelés alakul ki vagy változik az értónus, illetve megbomlik a nátrium-víz háztartás egyensúlya – az NP-rendszer elindítja a szervezet védekezőmechanizmusát. A neutrális endopeptidáz (NEP) inaktiválja a vasodilatator NP-ken túl a bradikinint, másrészt a vasoconstrictor hatású angiotenzin-II-t és endothelin-I-et is. Ebből az ismeretből indult ki a gondolat, hogy a NEP-hatás gátlása (NEPg) potenciális kedvező lehetőséget nyújt a szívelégtelenség és a hypertonia kezelésében, csak az angiotenzin-II-serkentő hatást szükséges blokkolni. Hosszas keresés után jutottak el egy kettős hatású molekulához, amelyben érvényesült a NEP-gátlás (szakubitril) és az angiotenzin-II AT1- receptor-antagonista valzartán (ARNI) kedvező hatása. Számos klinikai vizsgálat igazolta, hogy az ARNI önmagában és más antihipertenzív szerekkel kombinálva szignifikánsan csökkenti az SBP-t és a DBP-t hypertoniás betegekben. Hatása izolált szisztolés hypertoniában és krónikus vesebetegségben is érvényesül. ACEinhibitorral együtt adni nem szabad. Az eddigi klinikai tapasztalatok alapján jogos remény van, hogy a közeljövőben az ARNI-t is besorolják az alkalmazható antihipertenzív szerek közé.
¿Quo Vadis COVID-19?
Authors: Cabezas César
Published: January 2021

La crisis sanitaria, política, económica y social causada por el nuevo coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causante de la COVID-19, marca un hito histórico para la humanidad en el último siglo. Casi todos los países del mundo están siendo afectados de manera indistinta, aquellos desarrollados y otros en vías de desarrollo con un impacto diferenciado, dejando no solo secuelas de muerte a su paso, sino además desentrañando serias limitaciones de los sistemas sanitarios de los países, siendo aún mayor en los países con marcadas deficiencias e inequidades.
COVID-19 y odontología
Authors: Perona-Miguel de Priego Guido Alberto
Published: January 2021

Este artículo tiene como propósito brindar información a los profesionales de la salud y especialmente a los cirujanos dentistas sobre los cambios que se están realizando para la atención odontológica relacionados con la pandemia COVID-19.
Nunca es tarde para beneficiarse con el tratamiento para disminuir los lípidos
Authors: Calderón-Velasco Rolando
Published: January 2021

En un grupo de habitantes entre 20 y 100 años que no tomaban estatinas o que tuvieran diabetes. En esta población, la elevada concentración del LDL estuvo relacionada con aumentado riesgo de infarto del miocardio y enfermedad cardiovascular ateromatosa en aquellos mayores de 70 años fue menor que en los individuos jóvenes.
Progression and Outcomes of Non-dysfunctional Bicuspid Aortic Valve: Longitudinal Data From a Large Korean Bicuspid Aortic Valve Registry
Authors: Song Shinjeong , Seo Jiwon , Cho Iksung , Hong Geu-Ru , Ha Jong-Won , Shim Chi Young
Published: January 2021

Background: Using echocardiographic surveillance, many patients are diagnosed with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) without significant valve dysfunction. Limited data are available regarding the progression and outcomes of non-dysfunctional BAV.

Methods and Results: We investigated 1,307 BAV patients (984 male, mean age 56 years) diagnosed from Jan 2003 through Dec 2018 in a single tertiary center. Seven hundred sixty-one patients underwent follow-up echocardiography at ≥1 year post-diagnosis. Non-dysfunctional BAV was defined as BAV without moderate aortic stenosis (AS) or aortic regurgitation (AR). The presence of aortopathy was defined as an ascending aorta diameter >37mm. Progression to significant BAV dysfunction, progression to severe aortopathy (ascending aorta diameter ≥45mm), and incidence of valve or aorta operation were analyzed. One hundred eighty-seven (25%) patients showed non-dysfunctional BAV. Among them, 104 (56%) had mild AS or AR, and 81 (43%) had aortopathy at indexed echocardiography. At 6.0 ± 3.8 years post-diagnosis, 56 (29%) progressed to dysfunctional BAV, 28 (15%) progressed to severe aortopathy, 22 (12%) underwent valve operation, and 19 (10%) experienced aorta operation. Eighty-nine percent of patients with normal BAV function and 61% of patients with mild AS or AR maintained non-dysfunctional BAV. More patients with aortopathy progressed to severe aortopathy (35 vs. 0% without aortopathy, p < 0.001), with a higher incidence of aorta operation (21 vs. 2%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: In patients with non-dysfunctional BAV, initial BAV function and degree of aorta dilatation might be important for progression and outcomes. Patients without any dysfunction or aortopathy tend to maintain good structure and function for 6 years.
The Effect of Nebivolol on Office Blood Pressure of Blacks Residing in Sub-Saharan Africa (A Pilot Study)
Authors: Ojji Dike , Ale Boni Maxime , Shedul Lamkur , Umuerri Ejiroghene , Ejim Emmanuel , Alikor Chizindu , Agunyenwa Charles , Njideofor Uche , Eze Helen , Ansa Victor
Published: January 2021

Introduction: There is substantial clinical evidence that monotherapy with beta-blockers are less effective in reducing blood pressure among hypertensive Black patients compared to Whites. The highly selective beta-1 agents like nebivolol and bisoprolol have, however, been reported to be effective in reducing blood pressure in African Americans. However, results in African Americans cannot be extrapolated to native Africans because of genetic admixture and gene-environment interaction. There is, therefore, the need for us to generate data that are applicable to Africans residing in sub-Saharan Africa. We therefore decided to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of highly selective beta-1 agent nebivolol in hypertensive Black patients residing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Materials and Methods: The nebivolol study was a multicenter, prospective, observational program among hypertensive patients with 4- and 8-week follow up which was conducted in 5 cities in Nigeria of Abuja, Calabar, Enugu, Oghara, and Port Harcourt. Dosages of nebivolol used in keeping with local prescribing information were 5 and 10 mg once daily each. The effectiveness of treatment was assessed by change from baseline in mean office systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and the proportion of patients achieving the therapeutic goal of <140/90 mmHg. Safety and tolerability of this medication were also assessed.

Results: We report the results of the 140 patients studied. The mean age and body mass index were 46.9 ± 7.3 years and 22.3 ± 5.8 kg/m2, respectively, and 57.1% were female. Nebivolol reduced SBP and DBP by 7.6 and 6.6 mmHg, respectively, in 4 weeks, and by 11.1 and 8.0 mm Hg, respectively, in 8 weeks. Blood pressure control was achieved in 54.8% of the patients in 4 weeks and increased to 60.4% in 8 weeks. There was no change in metabolic profile between randomization and at 8 weeks, and erectile dysfunction occurred in 1.3% of the study population.

Conclusions: Nebivolol 5 and 10 mg appear efficacious in Nigerian Africans with no negative metabolic effect and minimal side effect profile.

Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, Study Identification: NCT 03598673.
Interdecadal Change of the Winter-Spring Tropospheric Temperature Over Asia and its Impact on the South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset
Authors: You Junli , Jian Maoqiu , Gao Si , Cai Jingjiu
Published: January 2021

The interdecadal change of the winter-spring tropospheric temperature over Asia and its impact on the South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) onset are investigated in this study. The SCSSM onset experiences a significant advance around the mid-1990s, which is attributed to the positive interdecadal anomaly of meridional temperature gradient in the mid-upper troposphere in May over the South China Sea monsoon region. This positive interdecadal anomaly can be traced back to the previous winter and spring, mainly associated with the mid-upper tropospheric warming in the East Asian subtropics. During the interdecadal anomalous seasonal evolution of the East Asian subtropical mid-upper tropospheric temperature, advection of the warm temperature anomaly by climatological mean wind overtakes the effects of anomalous adiabatic cooling and diabatic cooling, leading to a net interdecadal seasonal warming in winter. In spring, the adiabatic heating caused by the interdecadal anomalous subsidence flow cannot offset the effects of interdecadal anomalous cold advection and diabatic cooling, resulting in a net interdecadal seasonal cooling. However, the interdecadal seasonal cooling in spring is not strong enough to offset the interdecadal seasonal warming in winter, preserving an interdecadal mid-upper tropospheric warming over the subtropical East Asia in late spring. This interdecadal warming provides a favorable condition for the interdecadal advance of the SCSSM onset. Both observational analyses and numerical experiments suggest that the interdecadal change of atmospheric thermodynamic processes in winter−spring is related to the interdecadal warming in the tropical western Pacific. The enhanced convection and condensation heating over the regions from the South China Sea to the Philippines, forced by the tropical western Pacific warming, stimulates an anomalous anticyclone in the upper troposphere and warming in the whole troposphere over the subtropical East Asia.
Progesterone's Effects on Cognitive Performance of Male Mice Are Independent of Progestin Receptors but Relate to Increases in GABAA Activity in the Hippocampus and Cortex
Authors: Frye Cheryl A. , Lembo Vincent F. , Walf Alicia A.
Published: January 2021

Progestogens' (e.g., progesterone and its neuroactive metabolite, allopregnanolone), cognitive effects and mechanisms among males are not well-understood. We hypothesized if progestogen's effects on cognitive performance are through its metabolite allopregnanolone, and not actions via binding to traditional progestin receptors (PRs), then progesterone administration would enhance performance in tasks mediated by the hippocampus and cortex, coincident with increasing allopregnanolone concentrations, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and/or muscimol binding of PR knock out (PRKO) and wild-type PR replete mice. Experiment 1: Progesterone (4 mg/kg, subcutaneously (SC; n = 12/grp), or oil vehicle control, was administered to gonadally-intact adult male mice PRKO mice and their wild-type counterparts and cognitive behaviors in object recognition, T-maze and water maze was examined. Progesterone, compared to vehicle, when administered post-training increased time investigating novel objects by the PRKO and wild-type mice in the object recognition task. In the T-maze task, progesterone administration to wild-type and PRKO mice had significantly greater number of spontaneous alternations compared to their vehicle-administered counterparts. In the water maze task, PRKO mice administered vehicle spent significantly fewer seconds in the quadrant associated with the escape platform on testing compared to all other groups. Experiment 2: Progesterone administered to wild-type and PRKO mice increased plasma progesterone and allopregnanolone levels (n = 5/group). PRKO mice had higher allopregnanolone levels in plasma and hippocampus, but not cortex, when administered progesterone and compared to wild-type mice. Experiment 3: Assessment of PR binding revealed progesterone administered wild-type mice had significantly greater levels of PRs in the hippocampus and cortex, compared to all other groups (n = 5/group). Wild-type mice administered progesterone, but not vehicle, had increased BDNF levels in the hippocampus, but not the cortex, compared to PRKOs. Wild-type as well as PRKO mice administered progesterone experienced significant increases in maximal GABAA agonist, muscimol, binding in hippocampus and cortex, compared to their vehicle-administered counterparts. Thus, adult male mice can be responsive to progesterone for cognitive performance, and such effects may be independent of PRs trophic actions of BDNF levels in the hippocampus and/or increases in GABAA activity in the hippocampus and cortex.
Ecological Factors Mediate Immunity and Parasitic Co-Infection in Sea Fan Octocorals
Authors: Tracy Allison M. , Weil Ernesto , Burge Colleen A.
Published: January 2021

The interplay among environment, demography, and host-parasite interactions is a challenging frontier. In the ocean, fundamental changes are occurring due to anthropogenic pressures, including increased disease outbreaks on coral reefs. These outbreaks include multiple parasites, calling into question how host immunity functions in this complex milieu. Our work investigates the interplay of factors influencing co-infection in the Caribbean sea fan octocoral, Gorgonia ventalina, using metrics of the innate immune response: cellular immunity and expression of candidate immune genes. We used existing copepod infections and live pathogen inoculation with the Aspergillus sydowii fungus, detecting increased expression of the immune recognition gene Tachylectin 5A (T5A) in response to both parasites. Cellular immunity increased by 8.16% in copepod infections compared to controls and single Aspergillus infections. We also detected activation of cellular immunity in reef populations, with a 13.6% increase during copepod infections. Cellular immunity was similar in the field and in the lab, increasing with copepod infections and not the fungus. Amoebocyte density and the expression of T5A and a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) gene were also positively correlated across all treatments and colonies, irrespective of parasitic infection. We then assessed the scaling of immune metrics to population-level disease patterns and found random co-occurrence of copepods and fungus across 15 reefs in Puerto Rico. The results suggest immune activation by parasites may not alter parasite co-occurrence if factors other than immunity prevail in structuring parasite infection. We assessed non-immune factors in the field and found that sea fan colony size predicted infection by the copepod parasite. Moreover, the effect of infection on immunity was small relative to that of site differences and live coral cover, and similar to the effect of reproductive status. While additional immune data would shed light on the extent of this pattern, ecological factors may play a larger role than immunity in controlling parasite patterns in the wild. Parsing the effects of immunity and ecological factors in octocoral co-infection shows how disease depends on more than one host and one parasite and explores the application of co-infection research to a colonial marine organism.
Quantitative Bio-Imaging Tools to Dissect the Interplay of Membrane and Cytoskeletal Actin Dynamics in Immune Cells
Authors: Schneider Falk , Colin-York Huw , Fritzsche Marco
Published: January 2021

Cellular function is reliant on the dynamic interplay between the plasma membrane and the actin cytoskeleton. This critical relationship is of particular importance in immune cells, where both the cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane work in concert to organize and potentiate immune signaling events. Despite their importance, there remains a critical gap in understanding how these respective dynamics are coupled, and how this coupling in turn may influence immune cell function from the bottom up. In this review, we highlight recent optical technologies that could provide strategies to investigate the simultaneous dynamics of both the cytoskeleton and membrane as well as their interplay, focusing on current and future applications in immune cells. We provide a guide of the spatio-temporal scale of each technique as well as highlighting novel probes and labels that have the potential to provide insights into membrane and cytoskeletal dynamics. The quantitative biophysical tools presented here provide a new and exciting route to uncover the relationship between plasma membrane and cytoskeletal dynamics that underlies immune cell function.
In Vitro Tests for Assessing the Neutralizing Ability of Snake Antivenoms: Toward the 3Rs Principles
Authors: Gutiérrez José María , Vargas Mariángela , Segura Álvaro , Herrera María , Villalta Mauren , Solano Gabriela , Sánchez Andrés , Herrera Cristina , León Guillermo
Published: January 2021

There is an urgent need to strengthen the implementation of the 3Rs principle (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in the use of experimental animals in toxinological research and in the assessment of the neutralizing efficacy of snake antivenoms. This is a challenging task owing to the inherent complexity of snake venoms. The state of the art on this topic is hereby reviewed, with emphasis on the studies in which a correlation has been observed between in vivo toxicity tests and in vitro surrogate assays, particularly in the study of lethal activity of venoms and its neutralization. Correlations have been described with some venoms-antivenoms when using: (a) enzyme immunoassays, (b) hemagglutination, (c) enzyme assays (proteinase, phospholipase A2), (d) in vitro coagulant effect on plasma, (e) cell culture assays for cytotoxicity, (f) functional assays for assessing neurotoxicity in vitro, (g) use of hens’ eggs, and (h) antivenomics. Additionally, the routine introduction of analgesia in these assays and the design of more ‘humane’ protocols for the lethality test are being pursued. It is expected that the next years will witness a growing awareness of the relevance of the 3Rs principles in antivenom testing, and that new in vitro alternatives and more ‘humane’ experimental designs will emerge in this field.
Adhesion of Teeth
Authors: Zhao Zhilong , Wang Qihui , Zhao Jing , Zhao Bo , Ma Zhangyu , Zhang Congxiao
Published: January 2021

Dental bonding materials are widely used in dentistry and there are several available kinds. However, in recent years, there has been no further research into dental bonding materials, with most dentists focusing on dental implants and orthodontics. In this paper, we systematically review the technology of tooth bonding in recent years and summarize the existing literature for potential innovation and direction of future research. First, the theoretical research on dental assembly materials and bonding mechanism was reviewed. Then, we reviewed the bonding of teeth, the bonding of metal alloy prosthesis, and the measurement of bond strength. Finally, the future development of dental bonding technology was evaluated. It is hoped that more dentists will be able to treat patients and update research on bonding materials in the field of teeth bonding to bring a new era to the restoration of teeth in the future.
Caeca Microbial Variation in Broiler Chickens as a Result of Dietary Combinations Using Two Cereal Types, Supplementation of Crude Protein and Sodium Butyrate
Authors: Borda-Molina Daniel , Mátis Gábor , Mackei Máté , Neogrády Zsuzsanna , Huber Korinna , Seifert Jana , Camarinha-Silva Amélia
Published: January 2021

The intestinal microbiome can influence the efficiency and the health status of its host’s digestive system. Indigestible non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) serve as substrates for bacterial fermentation, resulting in short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. In broiler’s nutrition, dietary crude protein (CP) and butyrate’s presence is of particular interest for its impact on intestinal health and growth performance. In this study, we evaluated the effect on the microbial ecology of the ceca of dietary supplementations, varying the cereal type (maize and wheat), adequate levels of CP and supplementation of sodium butyrate on broiler chickens with 21 days. The overall structure of bacterial communities was statistically affected by cereal type, CP, and sodium butyrate (p= 0.001). Wheat in the diet promoted the presence of Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae andBacteroides xylanisolvens, which can degrade complex carbohydrates. Maize positively affected the abundance ofBacteroides vulgatus. The addition of CP promoted the family Rikenellaceae, while sodium butyrate as feed supplement was positively related to the family Lachnospiraceae. Functional predictions showed an effect of the cereal type and a statistical significance across all supplementations and their corresponding interactions. The composition of diets affected the overall structure of broilers’ intestinal microbiota. The source of NSP as a substrate for bacterial fermentation had a stronger stimulus on bacterial communities than CP content or supplementation of butyrate.
Translational Control by Ribosome Pausing in Bacteria: How a Non-uniform Pace of Translation Affects Protein Production and Folding
Authors: Samatova Ekaterina , Daberger Jan , Liutkute Marija , Rodnina Marina V.
Published: January 2021

Protein homeostasis of bacterial cells is maintained by coordinated processes of protein production, folding, and degradation. Translational efficiency of a given mRNA depends on how often the ribosomes initiate synthesis of a new polypeptide and how quickly they read the coding sequence to produce a full-length protein. The pace of ribosomes along the mRNA is not uniform: periods of rapid synthesis are separated by pauses. Here, we summarize recent evidence on how ribosome pausing affects translational efficiency and protein folding. We discuss the factors that slow down translation elongation and affect the quality of the newly synthesized protein. Ribosome pausing emerges as important factor contributing to the regulatory programs that ensure the quality of the proteome and integrate the cellular and environmental cues into regulatory circuits of the cell.
Lymphocyte and NK Cell Counts Can Predict Sepsis-Associated Delirium in Elderly Patients
Authors: Li Dongkai , Zhang Jiahui , Bai Guangxu , Chen Jianwei , Cheng Wei , Cui Na
Published: January 2021

Background: Sepsis-associated delirium (SAD) is prevalent in elderly patients and is recognized as brain dysfunction associated with increased inflammatory response in the central nervous system during sepsis. Neuroinflammation was demonstrated to be part of its mechanism and we aimed to validate the role of immunity imbalance in a combined retrospective and prospective cohort study.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study analyzing the association between SAD and lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood, alongside a prospective trial evaluating the quantitative changes in lymphocyte subsets and their predictive value for early diagnosis of SAD.

Results: In the retrospective study, among 1,010 enrolled adult patients (age ≥65 years), 297 patients were diagnosed with delirium during intensive care unit (ICU) stay and lymphocyte counts at ICU admission in the SAD group were significantly higher than in non-delirious counterparts (1.09 ± 0.32 vs. 0.82 ± 0.24, respectively, p = 0.001). In the prospective study, lymphocyte counts [0.83 (0.56, 1.15) vs. 0.72 (0.40, 1.06) × 109/L, p = 0.020] and natural killer (NK) cell counts [96 (68, 118) vs. 56 (26, 92) cells/μl, p = 0.024] were significantly higher in the SAD group. The area under the curve value of NK cell count was 0.895 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.857, 0.933] and of lymphocyte count was 0.728 (95% CI: 0.662, 0.795). An NK cell count cut-off value of 87 cells/ml in septic patients at ICU admission was predictive of delirium with a sensitivity of 80.2% and specificity of 80.8%.

Conclusions: We found that lymphocyte and NK cell counts were significantly higher in senior patients with SAD and that NK cell count may be valuable for the prediction of SAD within elderly patient cohorts.
Multi-Feature Input Deep Forest for EEG-Based Emotion Recognition
Authors: Fang Yinfeng , Yang Haiyang , Zhang Xuguang , Liu Han , Tao Bo
Published: January 2021

Due to the rapid development of human–computer interaction, affective computing has attracted more and more attention in recent years. In emotion recognition, Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals are easier to be recorded than other physiological experiments and are not easily camouflaged. Because of the high dimensional nature of EEG data and the diversity of human emotions, it is difficult to extract effective EEG features and recognize the emotion patterns. This paper proposes a multi-feature deep forest (MFDF) model to identify human emotions. The EEG signals are firstly divided into several EEG frequency bands and then extract the power spectral density (PSD) and differential entropy (DE) from each frequency band and the original signal as features. A five-class emotion model is used to mark five emotions, including neutral, angry, sad, happy, and pleasant. With either original features or dimension reduced features as input, the deep forest is constructed to classify the five emotions. These experiments are conducted on a public dataset for emotion analysis using physiological signals (DEAP). The experimental results are compared with traditional classifiers, including K Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The MFDF achieves the average recognition accuracy of 71.05%, which is 3.40%, 8.54%, and 19.53% higher than RF, KNN, and SVM, respectively. Besides, the accuracies with the input of features after dimension reduction and raw EEG signal are only 51.30 and 26.71%, respectively. The result of this study shows that the method can effectively contribute to EEG-based emotion classification tasks.
Correlated Sensory and Sympathetic Innervation Between the Acupoint BL23 and Kidney in the Rat
Authors: Zhang Zhiyun , Xu Dongsheng , Wang Jia , Cui Jingjing , Wu Shuang , Zou Ling , Shen Yi , Jing Xianghong , Bai Wanzhu
Published: January 2021

Objective: To investigate the sensory and sympathetic innervations associated with both acupoint “Shenshu” (BL23) and kidney in the rat for insight into the neuronal correlation between the Back-Shu Point and its corresponding visceral organ.

Methods: The BL23 and kidney were selected as the representative acupoint and visceral organ in this study, in which their local nerve fibers were examined by using double fluorescent immunohistochemistry with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Meanwhile, their neuronal correlation in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), spinal cord, and sympathetic (paravertebral) chain were investigated using a double fluorescent neural tracing technique with Alexa Fluor 488 and 594 conjugates with cholera toxin subunit B (AF488/594-CTB).

Results: The local tissue of acupoint BL23 and the fibrous capsule of kidney distributed abundantly with CGRP- and TH-positive nerve fibers, corresponding to their sensory and sympathetic innervation. On the other hand, the sensory neurons associated with acupoint BL23 and kidney were labeled with AF488/594-CTB and distributed from thoracic (T) 11 to lumbar (L) 3 DRGs and from T10 to L2 DRGs, respectively, in which some of them in T12-T13 DRGs were simultaneously labeled with both AF488/594-CTB. Also, postganglionic neurons associated with both acupoint BL23 and kidney were found in the sympathetic chain at the same spinal segments but separately labeled with AF488-CTB and AF594-CTB.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the neural characteristics of the acupoint BL23 and kidney in the rat from the perspective of neurochemistry and neural pathways, providing an example for understanding the neuronal correlation between the Back-Shu Points and their corresponding visceral organs. These results suggest that the stimulation of the Back-Shu Points may regulate the activities of the target-organs via the periphery sensory and sympathetic pathways.
Hesperidin Interacts With CREB-BDNF Signaling Pathway to Suppress Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Convulsions in Zebrafish
Authors: Sharma Pallavi , Kumari Savita , Sharma Jatin , Purohit Rituraj , Singh Damanpreet
Published: January 2021

Hesperidin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavanone 7-rhamnoglucoside) is a β-7-rutinoside of hesperetin (4′-methoxy-3′,5,7-trihydroxyflavanone), abundantly found in citrus fruits and known to interact with various cellular pathways to show a variety of pharmacological effects. The present study was envisaged to understand the anticonvulsant effect of hesperidin in a zebrafish model of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced convulsions, with the support of in silico docking. Healthy zebrafish larvae were preincubated with hesperidin (1, 5, and 10 µM) for 1 h, before PTZ exposure. Hesperidin treatment significantly increased the seizure latency and minimized PTZ-induced hyperactive responses. A significant reduction in c-fos expression further supported the suppression of neuronal excitation following hesperidin incubation in the larvae exposed to PTZ. The treatment also modulated larval bdnf expression and reduced the expression of il-10. The results of in vivo studies were further supported by in silico docking analysis, which showed the affinity of hesperidin for the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor, Interleukin 10 and the TrkB receptor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The results concluded that hesperidin suppresses PTZ-mediated seizure in zebrafish larvae through interaction with the central CREB–BDNF pathway.
A Review of Authenticity and Authentication of Commercial Ginseng Herbal Medicines and Food Supplements
Authors: Ichim Mihael Cristin , de Boer Hugo J.
Published: January 2021

Ginseng traditional medicines and food supplements are the globally top selling herbal products. Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolius and Panax notoginseng are the main commercial ginseng species in herbal medicine. Prices of ginseng products vary widely based on the species, quality, and purity of the used ginseng, and this provides a strong driver for intentional adulteration. Our systematic literature search has reviewed the authenticity results of 507 ginseng-containing commercial herbal products sold in 12 countries scattered across six continents. The analysis of the botanical and chemical identity of all these products shows that 76% are authentic while 24% were reported as adulterated. The number of commercial products as well as the percentage of adulteration varies significantly between continents, being highest in South America (100%) and Australia (75%), and lower in Europe (35%), North America (23%), Asia (21%) and Africa (0%). At a national level, from the five countries for which more than 10 products have been successfully authenticated, the highest percentage of adulterated ginseng products were purchased from Taiwan (49%), followed by Italy (37%), China (21%), and USA (12%), while all products bought in South Korea were reported to be authentic. In most cases, labeled Panax species were substituted with other Panax species, but substitution of ginseng root, the medicinally recommended plant part, with leaves, stems or flowers was also reported. Efficient and practical authentication using biomarkers to distinguish the main ginseng varieties and secondary metabolite spectra for age determination are essential to combat adulteration in the global marketplace.