bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SDF‐1‐edited human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells stimulate angiogenesis in treating hindlimb ischaemia
Authors: Zhang Hong Zhe , Han Seongho , Kim Sung‐Whan
Published: May 2022

Although stem cells have extensively been studied as a novel vehicle for tissue repair, their sustained efficacy remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to investigate the angiogenic potency over time of stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) gene‐edited amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (AMM/S) in a hindlimb ischaemia model. An SDF‐1 transgene was inserted into the AMM cell genome via transcription activator‐like effector nuclease (TALEN) mediated knock‐in, and cell migration, Matrigel tube formation, and in vivo Matrigel plug assays were performed. AMM/S were also transplanted into hindlimb ischaemia model mice. Blood perfusion, therapeutic potential, histology, capillary density and in vivo angiogenic assays were performed. AMM/S exhibited high expression of the SDF‐1 gene, and robustly promoted migration, proliferation and microvascular formation. AMM/S transplantation significantly increased blood perfusion and limb loss prevention compared with AMM. AMM/S also significantly inhibited increased capillary density and expression of angiogenic factors in the ischaemic hindlimb. Our study demonstrated that AMM/S provides a significant therapeutic effect in ischaemic hindlimbs by enhancing angiogenesis.
A retrospective study of needs and interventions among patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 in Denmark referred to rehabilitation in the period 2000–2019
Authors: Allergodt Kristin , Handberg Charlotte , Frost Asger , Werlauff Ulla
Published: May 2022

Rationale, Aims and Objectives

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a progressive multisystem disorder that requires a special focus on the delivery of health and rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to identify the needs and interventions in patients with DM1 referred to a national rehabilitation hospital and to illustrate the needs and interventions in relation to predefined subgroups of disease classification.

Method

Electronic medical records from the period 2000−2019 of a randomized sample of patients with DM1 (N = 193) were reviewed to identify rehabilitation needs and interventions. The sample was classified into four subgroups of disease classifications. The number of identified needs and interventions were presented as medians and range, and differences between subgroups were illustrated by Kruskal−Wallis one‐way analysis of variance. The needs were categorized using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Results

A total of 2099 needs and 2103 interventions were registered. The most frequent needs werecoordination of healthcare services(480) andemployment and income(363), while the most frequent interventions werecounselling(835) andfollow‐up(386). Patients with congenital DM1 had the most needs and interventions per person. In relation to the ICF, the most registered needs wereenvironmental factors(880) andactivity and participation(848).

Conclusion

All subgroups of patients with DM1 had a substantial number of needs and interventions related to coordinating and navigating within the healthcare system. The subgroup of patients with congenital DM1 had the most needs and interventions compared to the other subgroups.
Factors influencing fatigue in UK nurses working in respiratory clinical areas during the second wave of the Covid‐19 pandemic: An online survey
Authors: Roberts Nicola J. , McAloney‐Kocaman Kareena , Lippiett Kate , Ray Emma , Welch Lindsay , Kelly Carol A.
Published: May 2022

Aims and objectives

This study explores UK nurses' experiences of working in a respiratory clinical area during the COVID‐19 pandemic over winter 2020.

Background

During the first wave of the pandemic, nurses working in respiratory clinical areas experienced significant levels of anxiety and depression. As the pandemic has progressed, levels of fatigue in nurses have not been assessed.

Methods

A cross‐sectional e‐survey was distributed via professional respiratory societies and social media. The survey included Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9, depression), a resilience scale (RS‐14) and Chalder mental and physical fatigue tools. The STROBE checklist was followed as guidance to write the manuscript.

Results

Despite reporting anxiety and depression, few nurses reported having time off work with stress, most were maintaining training and felt prepared for COVID challenges in their current role. Nurses reported concerns over safety and patient feedback was both positive and negative. A quarter of respondents reported wanting to leave nursing. Nurses experiencing greater physical fatigue reported higher levels of anxiety and depression.

Conclusions

Nurses working in respiratory clinical areas were closely involved in caring for COVID‐19 patients. Nurses continued to experience similar levels of anxiety and depression to those found in the first wave and reported symptoms of fatigue (physical and mental). A significant proportion of respondents reported considering leaving nursing. Retention of nurses is vital to ensure the safe functioning of already overstretched health services. Nurses would benefit from regular mental health check‐ups to ensure they are fit to practice and receive the support they need to work effectively.

Relevance to clinical practice

A high proportion of nurses working in respiratory clinical areas have been identified as experiencing fatigue in addition to continued levels of anxiety, depression over winter 2020. Interventions need to be implemented to help provide mental health support and improve workplace conditions to minimise PTSD and burnout.
Development of a live coding method to assess infant/toddler food acceptance
Authors: Moding Kameron J. , Bonvecchio Arenas Anabelle , Rawlinson Cloe , Okronipa Harriet , Pacheco‐Miranda Selene , Boenig Rebecca , Flesher Abigail E. , Johnson Susan L.
Published: May 2022

Validated measures predicting infant consumption of nutrient supplements or fortified foods are essential for the success of nutritional interventions to improve undernutrition. Behavioural coding of food acceptance is one promising approach, though the required time and resources are limiting. The overarching goal of the present study was to adapt a video coding (VC) protocol for use as a live coding (LC) method to assess infant food acceptance in naturalistic settings. Infants (n = 59; ages 7–24 months) were fed a small‐quantity lipid‐based nutrient supplement (SQ‐LNS) mixed with a familiar food by caregivers in the State of Morelos, Mexico. Trained coders used a VC scheme to rate infant acceptance of each spoon offer using a 4‐point scale. The VC scheme was subsequently adapted for use as an LC method to be used in participant homes and a video live coding (VLC) method to monitor reliability. Reliability and validity of the LC method were tested in a subsample of dyads (n = 20). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated that the inter‐rater reliability between coders using the LC method was moderate or good when compared to VC methods (ICCs = 0.75 and 0.87). Live coded acceptance scores were also moderately associated with consumption of the SQ‐LNS (ρ = 0.50, p = 0.03). The LC scheme demonstrated initial reliability and validity as an assessment of infant food acceptance. Since VC is both resource and time‐intensive, the LC scheme may be useful for assessing infant food acceptance in resource‐limited settings.
Magnitude, trends and drivers of the coexistence of maternal overweight/obesity and childhood undernutrition in Ethiopia: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys (2005–2016)
Authors: Pradeilles Rebecca , Irache Ana , Norris Tom , Chitekwe Stanley , Laillou Arnaud , Baye Kaleab
Published: May 2022

Ethiopia faces a rising problem of overweight and obesity alongside a high prevalence of undernutrition; a double burden of malnutrition (DBM). This study aimed to quantify the magnitude and trends of household‐level DBM—defined as the coexistence of maternal overweight/obesity and child undernutrition (i.e., stunting or anaemia)—in Ethiopia between 2005, 2011 and 2016 and understand the potential drivers influencing DBM and the change in DBM over time. Data come from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys. National and regional prevalence estimates of the DBM were calculated (n = 13,107). Equiplots were produced to display inequalities in the distribution of DBM. Factors associated with DBM were explored using pooled multivariable logistic regression analyses for 2005, 2011 and 2016 (n = 9358). These were also included in a logistic regression decomposition analysis to understand their contribution to the change in DBM between 2005 and 2016 (n = 5285). The prevalence of household‐level DBM at the national level was low, with a modest increase from 2.4% in 2005% to 3.5% in 2016. This masks important within‐country variability, with substantially higher prevalence in Addis Ababa (22.8%). Factors positively associated with DBM were maternal age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04 [1.02, 1.06]), urban residence (OR = 3.12 [2.24, 4.36]), wealth (OR = 1.14 [1.06, 1.24]) and the number of children <5 in the household (OR = 1.30 [1.12, 1.49]). Overall, 70.5% of the increase in DBM between 2005 and 2016 was attributed to increased wealth, urban residence and region. Double‐duty actions that address multiple forms of malnutrition are urgently needed in urban settings.
Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis: A review of animal models induced by surgical interventions
Authors: Zhou Jiahao , Ren Rong , Li Zhen , Zhu Songsong , Jiang Nan
Published: May 2022

Objectives

The pathological mechanism of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) is still unclear. Animal models induced by surgical interventions are one of the most ideal tools to imitate human pathological conditions. This review aims to define the similarities and differences of different surgical animal models.

Methods

Articles of TMJOA surgical animal models were collected including anterior disc displacement, disc perforation, and discectomy. We analyzed their experiments strategies based on comparing preoperative selection, intraoperative methodology, and postoperative manifestations.

Results

No matter which surgical intervention is selected, abnormal stress forces the whole joint to remodel its structure so that it could adapt to functional requirements, resulting in TMJOA eventually. However, anterior disc displacement needs more than 16 weeks to obtain typical manifestations, where the methodology is complicated. The course of perforation and discectomy is around 12–16 weeks, but they could cause excessive damage to the TMJ structure.

Conclusions

All surgical interventions can cause TMJOA, but the extent of pathology varies from each other. This review will assist future experiments to better understand the pathogenesis of TMJOA and choose the most appropriate model.
Paced P‐wave duration as a significant predictor for atrial high‐rate episodes in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices
Authors: Campal José M. Rubio , Arjona Alberto Sánchez , Talavera Camila S. García , Calero Loreto Bravo , Rivera Carla Lázaro , Cortegana Francisco Díaz , Tuñón José , Baranchuk Adrián M.
Published: May 2022

Background

Atrial pacing (AP) can unmask or aggravate a preexisting interatrial block (IAB). The aim of our study was to determine whether AP is associated with the development of atrial high‐rate episodes (AHRE) during follow‐up.

Methods

Patients with dual‐chamber cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), no previous documented atrial fibrillation, and with a 6‐month minimum follow‐up were included. In all patients, sinus and paced P‐wave duration were measured. AHRE was defined as an episode of atrial rate ≥225 bpm with a minimum duration of 5 min, excluding those documented during the first 3 months after implantation.

Results

A total of 220 patients were included (75 ± 10 years, 61% male). After a mean follow‐up of 59 ± 25 months, 46% of patients presented AHRE. Mean paced P‐wave duration was significantly longer than the sinus P‐wave duration (154 ± 27 vs. 115 ± 18 ms; p < .001). Sinus and paced P‐waves were significantly longer in those who developed AHRE (sinus: 119 ± 20 vs. 112 ± 16; p = .006; paced: 161 ± 29 vs. 148 ± 23; p < .001). A paced P‐wave ≥160 ms was the best predictor of AHRE, especially those lasting >24 h (odds ratio [OR] 4.2 [95% confidence interval (CI)] [1.6–11.4]; p = .004).

Conclusions

AP significantly prolongs P‐wave duration and is associated with further development of AHRE. A paced P‐wave ≥160 ms is a strong predictor of AHRE and should be taken into consideration as a new definition of IAB in the presence of AP.
Supplementation with kaempferol relieves oxidative stress and enhances development of early bovine embryos in vitro
Authors: Zhao Baobao , Ding Xinyi , Wang Xiaoyan , Sun Yu , Gao Song , Song Xuexiao , Zhang Bihan , Zhang Yong , Wang Yongsheng
Published: May 2022

Oxidative stress (OS) has been considered the principle cause of developmental failure of early embryos cultured in vitro; therefore, the addition of antioxidants is very important for improving in vitro culture (IVC) systems. Various antioxidants have been tested for IVC systems, but most have exhibited some side effects. Kaempferol (3,5,7‐trihydroxy‐2‐[4‐hydroxyphenyl]‐4 h‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐one, KAE) is a flavonoid with strong antioxidant activity and no obvious side effects. This study explored the effect of KAE on antioxidant capacity and developmental competence of bovine embryos after fertilization. KAE was added to bovine IVC medium and significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in 2‐, 4‐ and 8‐cell stage embryos and increased blastocyst formation. In addition, the level of H3K9ac was increased, the apoptotic index was reduced and total cell numbers and trophectoderm cell numbers in day 7 blastocysts were increased significantly in KAE‐treated embryos compared to control. Expression of the apoptotic gene, Bcl‐2, was higher in blastocysts after KAE treatment, while expression of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress genes, Bip and HDAC1, and the pro‐apoptotic gene, Bax, were significantly lower in the KAE group. Thus, KAE significantly reduced ROS damage and improved development of IVC bovine embryos.
Geographical distribution of SARS‐CoV‐2 amino acids mutations and the concomitant evolution of seven distinct clades in non‐human hosts
Authors: Magateshvaren Saras Murali Aadhitya , Patro L. Ponoop Prasad , Uttamrao Patil Pranita , Rathinavelan Thenmalarchelvi
Published: May 2022

Since its first emergence in December 2019, the world has witnessed the eruption of mutations in the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome that have led to increased viral transmissibility and pathogenicity due to sustained local viral transmission. Zooanthroponotic and zoonotic transmissions have further raised concerns as they could result in the emergence of viral variants with a novel antigenicity and transmissibility that could jeopardize the vaccine efficacy. To understand the viral evolution during such transmissions, 1016 whole‐genome sequences (deposited in GISAID as of March 7, 2022) (from 18 countries) corresponding to mink, cat, deer, dog, hyena, tiger, lion, gorilla, Syrian hamster, leopard cat, fishing cat, bear cat, coati, ferret, snow leopard and green monkey have been analysed here. Intriguingly, phyloproteome analysis indicate that Nsp2:R218C, Nsp2:D268‐(deletion), Spike:D614G, Nsp12:P323L, Nsp2:A192V, ORF3a protein:Q57H, N protein:R203K and N protein:G204R/L, Spike:A222V, ORF10 protein:V30L and N protein:A220V are moderate or high recurring and clade decisive mutations, leading to 6 primary clades during the early stage of pandemic. Most interestingly, the human evolved delta variant having a combination of 26 (clade decisive) mutations defines the seventh clade and transmits to non‐human hosts across the globe without exhibiting any country‐specific mutation(s). Nonetheless, Spike:D614G and Nsp12:P323L together with (i)N protein:R203K,N protein:G204R/L,Spike:V70‐, Spike:H69‐, Nsp12:T739I, and Nsp1:M85‐, (ii)Nsp2:A192V, Nsp3:D178Y, (iii)Nsp2:T85I, N protein:P67S and ORF3a protein:Q57H and (iv)Spike:A222V, ORF10 protein:V30L, N protein:A220V and Spike:F486I are specific to Denmark, Netherlands, USA and Latvia respectively and, (v)Nsp2:D268‐ and Nsp13:R292C that are devoid of Spike:D614G and Nsp12:P323L is specific to Netherlands. SARS‐CoV‐2 variants consisting of these mutations are also seen in the human SARS‐CoV‐2 sequences from the same country. Independent country‐specific SARS‐CoV‐2 variant evolution further indicates distinct epidemiological dynamics during zooanthroponotic and zoonotic transmissions. Thus, the results presented here indicate the need for the surveillance of viral evolution in non‐human hosts also during the future pandemic.
Numerical Investigation on the Effect of Cylindrical Combustion Chamber Diameter-to-Depth Ratio on the Performance of Stoichiometric Natural Gas Engine With Exhaust Gas Recirculation
Authors: Qian Yejian , Wei Xiaofei , Hua Yang , Meng Shun
Published: May 2022

In this study, three cylindrical combustion chambers with different diameter-to-depth ratios were designed to accelerate the flame propagation and enhance the combustion ratio of CH4 in a stoichiometric natural gas engine with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The effects of the diameter-to-depth ratio on the combustion and emission and the interaction between the flow field distribution and flame propagation were investigated numerically. The results showed that the value of the swirl ratio and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) near the top dead center (TDC) could be increased continuously with a smaller diameter-to-depth ratio, which was conducive to promoting the uniform flame spread in the radial direction and enhanced the combustion efficiency. The peaks of pressure, heat release rate (HRR), and temperature dramatically increased by using the cylindrical chamber with a higher swirl ratio and higher TKE in the stoichiometric natural gas engines, thereby allowing more fuel energy to be released near the TDC in the chamber. The cylindrical chamber with the diameter-to-depth ratio of 2.36 displayed a higher peak value of combustion pressure and temperature, smaller CH4 and CO emissions, but more NOx emission, compared to other chambers. Moreover, the raised bottom bulge of the piston distorted the flame front, which accelerated the flame speed in the vertical direction. The CA50 was therefore advanced to the TDC. Thus, the cylindrical chamber with the increased squish area and the raised bottom bulge was conducive for the stoichiometric natural gas engine with EGR.
Titanium alkalinization improves response of osteoblasts to zoledronic acid
Authors: Vila Real Rodrigo Paes , Pansani Taisa Nogueira , Cardoso Lais Medeiros , de Souza Costa Carlos Alberto , Basso Fernanda Gonçalves
Published: May 2022

This investigation is aimed to determine the effect of the modification of titanium surface with NaOH on the metabolism of osteoblasts treated with zoledronic acid (ZA). Machined and NaOH-treated titanium disks were used. Surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Human osteoblasts were seeded onto the disks. After 24 h, cells were treated with ZA at 5 μM for 7 days. At this point, cell viability, collagen synthesis, total protein production, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineral nodule deposition were assessed. The results of surface roughness were descriptively and statistically analyzed (t-Student), while the XPS results were qualitatively described. Cell metabolism data were analyzed by the analysis of variance two-way and Tukey tests at a 5% significance level. The results demonstrated that NaOH-treatment increased surface roughness (p < .05) and confirmed the presence of sodium titanate and a pH switch on the NaOH-treated disks. This modification also resulted in higher cell viability, collagen synthesis, total protein production, and alkaline phosphatase by osteoblasts when compared to cells seeded onto machined disks (p < 0.05). In the presence of ZA, all cellular metabolism and differentiation parameters were significantly reduced for cells seeded on both surfaces (p < 0.05); however, the cells seeded onto modified surfaces showed higher values for these parameters, except for mineral nodule deposition (p < 0.05). NaOH modification improved cell adhesion and metabolism of osteogenic cells even in the presence of ZA. The surface modification of titanium with NaOH solution may be an interesting strategy to improve metabolism and differentiation of osteoblasts and accelerate osseointegration process, mainly for tissues exposed to ZA.
Robust unsupervised Tursiops aduncus whistle-event detection using gammatone multi-channel Savitzky–Golay based whistle enhancement
Authors: Li Lei , Qiao Gang , Qing Xin , Zhang Huaying , Liu Xinyu , Liu Songzuo
Published: May 2022

Detecting whistle events is essential when studying the population density and behavior of cetaceans. After eight months of passive acoustic monitoring in Xiamen, we obtained long calls from two Tursiops aduncus individuals. In this paper, we propose an algorithm with an unbiased gammatone multi-channel Savitzky–Golay for smoothing dynamic continuous background noise and interference from long click trains. The algorithm uses the method of least squares to perform a local polynomial regression on the time–frequency representation of multi-frequency resolution call measurements, which can effectively retain the whistle profiles while filtering out noise and interference. We prove that it is better at separating out whistles and has lower computational complexity than other smoothing methods. In order to further extract whistle features in enhanced spectrograms, we also propose a set of multi-scale and multi-directional moving filter banks for various whistle durations and contour shapes. The final binary adaptive decisions at frame level for whistle events are obtained from the histograms of multi-scale and multi-directional spectrograms. Finally, we explore the entire data set and find that the proposed scheme achieves the highest frame-level F1-scores when detecting T. aduncus whistles than the baseline schemes, with an improvement of more than 6%.
Adapted Physical Educators’ Experiences With School Administration and Marginalization
Authors: McNamara Scott W.T. , Richards Kevin Andrew , Trad Alyssa M. , Abdallah Sarena , Hill Lauren
Published: May 2022

Background: While preliminary research has indicated that adapted physical education (APE) teachers experience marginalization, little research has examined how specific relationships factor into these experiences. Purpose: This study sought to examine APE teachers’ experiences and perceptions of school administrators. Methodology: Occupational socialization theory was used to guide semistructured interviews with 24 APE teachers about their relationship with administrators. Results: A collaborative approach to qualitative data analysis was used to construct four themes: (a) APE teachers are socialized to be marginal and settle for inadequate support; (b) negative impressions of general physical education led to a similar outlook on APE; (c) administrators focus on compliance with mandates over quality practice in APE; and (d) support depends on administrative effort, and many administrators look uncomfortable in the gym. Conclusion: Although these findings shed light on the complex, and often absent, relationship between APE teachers and their administrators, still additional research is needed.
Microglia-mediated degradation of perineuronal nets promotes pain
Authors: Tansley Shannon , Gu Ning , Guzmán Alba Ureña , Cai Weihua , Wong Calvin , Lister Kevin C. , Muñoz-Pino Einer , Yousefpour Noosha , Roome R. Brian , Heal Jordyn , Wu Neil , Castonguay Annie , Lean Graham , Muir Elizabeth M. , Kania Artur , Prager-Khoutorsky Masha , Zhang Ji , Gkogkas Christos G. , Fawcett James W. , Diatchenko Luda , Ribeiro-da-Silva Alfredo , De Koninck Yves , Mogil Jeffrey S. , Khoutorsky Arkady
Published: May 2022

Activation of microglia in the spinal cord dorsal horn after peripheral nerve injury contributes to the development of pain hypersensitivity. How activated microglia selectively enhance the activity of spinal nociceptive circuits is not well understood. We discovered that after peripheral nerve injury, microglia degrade extracellular matrix structures, perineuronal nets (PNNs), in lamina I of the spinal cord dorsal horn. Lamina I PNNs selectively enwrap spinoparabrachial projection neurons, which integrate nociceptive information in the spinal cord and convey it to supraspinal brain regions to induce pain sensation. Degradation of PNNs by microglia enhances the activity of projection neurons and induces pain-related behaviors. Thus, nerve injury–induced degradation of PNNs is a mechanism by which microglia selectively augment the output of spinal nociceptive circuits and cause pain hypersensitivity.
A transient, closed-loop network of wireless, body-integrated devices for autonomous electrotherapy
Authors: Choi Yeon Sik , Jeong Hyoyoung , Yin Rose T. , Avila Raudel , Pfenniger Anna , Yoo Jaeyoung , Lee Jong Yoon , Tzavelis Andreas , Lee Young Joong , Chen Sheena W. , Knight Helen S. , Kim Seungyeob , Ahn Hak-Young , Wickerson Grace , Vázquez-Guardado Abraham , Higbee-Dempsey Elizabeth , Russo Bender A. , Napolitano Michael A. , Holleran Timothy J. , Razzak Leen Abdul , Miniovich Alana N. , Lee Geumbee , Geist Beth , Kim Brandon , Han Shuling , Brennan Jaclyn A. , Aras Kedar , Kwak Sung Soo , Kim Joohee , Waters Emily Alexandria , Yang Xiangxing , Burrell Amy , San Chun Keum , Liu Claire , Wu Changsheng , Rwei Alina Y. , Spann Alisha N. , Banks Anthony , Johnson David , Zhang Zheng Jenny , Haney Chad R. , Jin Sung Hun , Sahakian Alan Varteres , Huang Yonggang , Trachiotis Gregory D. , Knight Bradley P. , Arora Rishi K. , Efimov Igor R. , Rogers John A.
Published: May 2022

Temporary postoperative cardiac pacing requires devices with percutaneous leads and external wired power and control systems. This hardware introduces risks for infection, limitations on patient mobility, and requirements for surgical extraction procedures. Bioresorbable pacemakers mitigate some of these disadvantages, but they demand pairing with external, wired systems and secondary mechanisms for control. We present a transient closed-loop system that combines a time-synchronized, wireless network of skin-integrated devices with an advanced bioresorbable pacemaker to control cardiac rhythms, track cardiopulmonary status, provide multihaptic feedback, and enable transient operation with minimal patient burden. The result provides a range of autonomous, rate-adaptive cardiac pacing capabilities, as demonstrated in rat, canine, and human heart studies. This work establishes an engineering framework for closed-loop temporary electrotherapy using wirelessly linked, body-integrated bioelectronic devices.
Local barriers configure systemic communications between the host and microbiota
Authors: Lu Qiuhe , Stappenbeck Thaddeus S.
Published: May 2022

Associations between the dynamic community of microbes (the microbiota) and the host they colonize appear to be vital for ensuring host health. Microbe-host communication is actively maintained across physiological barriers of various body sites and is mediated by a range of bidirectional secreted proteins and small molecules. So far, a range of “omics” methods have succeeded in revealing the multiplicity of associations between members of a microbiota and a wide range of host processes and diseases. Although these advances point to possibilities for treating disease, there has not been much translational success thus far. We know little about which organisms are key contributors to host health, the importance of strain differences, and the activities of much of the chemical “soup” that is produced by the microbiota. Adding to this complexity are emerging hints of the role of interkingdom interactions between bacteria, phages, protozoa, and/or fungi in regulating the microbiota-host interactions. Functional approaches, although experimentally challenging, could be the next step to unlocking the power of the microbiota.
Modulating brain function with microbiota
Authors: Foster Jane A.
Published: May 2022

Microbial metabolites identified in animal models and human neurological diseases could be therapeutic targets
Microbiota–brain axis: Context and causality
Authors: Cryan John F. , Mazmanian Sarkis K.
Published: May 2022

Gut bacteria influence the brain and behavior, but causation in humans remains unclear
Draft Genome Sequences of 18 Streptococcus Strains Isolated from Live Dietary Supplements and Cultured Food Products
Authors: Barnaba Tammy J. , Gangiredla Jayanthi , Mammel Mark K. , Lacher David W. , Tartera Carmen
Published: May 2022

We present the genome sequences of 18
Streptococcus
isolates from 8 different dietary supplements and 9 cultured food products. Strains from this species naturally colonize the human mouth and upper respiratory tract. Studies have shown that
S. thermophilus
and
S. salivarius
strains confer oral health benefits to their host with little to no risk of pathogenic infection.
LcCCL28-25, Derived from Piscine Chemokine, Exhibits Antimicrobial Activity against Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Authors: Su Juanjuan , Li Haimeng , Hu Jingyang , Wang Danni , Zhang Fengchao , Fu Zheng , Han Feng
Published: May 2022

The primary function of chemokines has been described as recruiting and activating leukocytes to participate in the immune response. Some chemokines are also broad-spectrum antibacterial proteins in mammals.
Gestational diabetes mellitus and adverse pregnancy outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ye Wenrui , Luo Cong , Huang Jing , Li Chenglong , Liu Zhixiong , Liu Fangkun
Published: May 2022

Objective

To investigate the association between gestational diabetes mellitus and adverse outcomes of pregnancy after adjustment for at least minimal confounding factors.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, from 1 January 1990 to 1 November 2021.

Review methods

Cohort studies and control arms of trials reporting complications of pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus were eligible for inclusion. Based on the use of insulin, studies were divided into three subgroups: no insulin use (patients never used insulin during the course of the disease), insulin use (different proportions of patients were treated with insulin), and insulin use not reported. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the status of the country (developed or developing), quality of the study, diagnostic criteria, and screening method. Meta-regression models were applied based on the proportion of patients who had received insulin.

Results

156 studies with 7 506 061 pregnancies were included, and 50 (32.1%) showed a low or medium risk of bias. In studies with no insulin use, when adjusted for confounders, women with gestational diabetes mellitus had increased odds of caesarean section (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.32), preterm delivery (1.51, 1.26 to 1.80), low one minute Apgar score (1.43, 1.01 to 2.03), macrosomia (1.70, 1.23 to 2.36), and infant born large for gestational age (1.57, 1.25 to 1.97). In studies with insulin use, when adjusted for confounders, the odds of having an infant large for gestational age (odds ratio 1.61, 1.09 to 2.37), or with respiratory distress syndrome (1.57, 1.19 to 2.08) or neonatal jaundice (1.28, 1.02 to 1.62), or requiring admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (2.29, 1.59 to 3.31), were higher in women with gestational diabetes mellitus than in those without diabetes. No clear evidence was found for differences in the odds of instrumental delivery, shoulder dystocia, postpartum haemorrhage, stillbirth, neonatal death, low five minute Apgar score, low birth weight, and small for gestational age between women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus after adjusting for confounders. Country status, adjustment for body mass index, and screening methods significantly contributed to heterogeneity between studies for several adverse outcomes of pregnancy.

Conclusions

When adjusted for confounders, gestational diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with pregnancy complications. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the adverse outcomes of pregnancy related to gestational diabetes mellitus. Future primary studies should routinely consider adjusting for a more complete set of prognostic factors.

Review registration

PROSPERO CRD42021265837.
Maximal aerobic capacity is associated with lifting capacity, but not with self-reported functioning measures in patients with primary chronic low back pain: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Vermue Daniël J , Dol Max V , Ansuategui Echeita Jone , Dekker Rienk , Schiphorst Preuper Henrica R , Reneman Michiel F
Published: May 2022

Objective

Maximal exercise testing is considered the gold standard to assess V̇O2max. However, maximal exercise testing was previously deemed unfeasible and unsafe in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients. Consequently, most previous studies on aerobic capacity and functioning in patients with CLBP were performed with submaximal testing protocols. A recent study demonstrated the safety, feasibility and tolerance of maximal exercise testing in patients with CLBP. Therefore, the relation between aerobic capacity and functioning should be reevaluated. This cross-sectional study aims to determine the relationship between maximal aerobic capacity and four measures of functioning: lifting capacity, work ability, pain-related disability and physical functioning in patients with CLBP.

Methods

The maximal aerobic capacity of patients with CLBP was assessed with a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test. Functioning was measured with a floor-to-waist lifting capacity test and three questionnaires: Work Ability Score, Pain Disability Index and Physical Functioning subscale of RAND-36. The associations between maximal aerobic capacity and each of the functioning measures were analysed with multiple linear regression analyses while controlling for potential confounders.

Results

Data of n=74 patients with CLBP were analysed. After controlling for potential confounders, maximal aerobic capacity was moderately associated with lifting capacity (β=0.32, p=0.006), but not with any of the other functioning measures (β=−0.08 to 0.12, p>0.288).

Conclusion

A higher level of maximal aerobic capacity is moderately associated with a higher lifting capacity, but not with self-reported work ability, pain-related disability and physical functioning.
Domestic violence and injuries: prevalence and patterns—a pilot database study to identify suspected cases in a UK major trauma centre
Authors: Garbett Hollie , Carter Ben , Gregory Alison , Cramer Helen , Lewis Natalia V , Morgan Karen , Thompson Julian , Feder Gene , Braude Philip
Published: May 2022

Background

Victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) present to secondary care with isolated injuries to the head, limb or face. In the UK, there are no published studies looking at the relationship of significant traumatic injuries in adults and the relationship to DVA.

The primary objective was to assess the feasibility of using a tailored search method to identify cases of suspected DVA in the national audit database for trauma. The secondary objective was to assess the association of DVA with clinical characteristics.

Methods

We undertook a single-centre retrospective observational cohort pilot study. Data were analysed from the local Trauma and Audit Research Network (TARN) database. The ‘Scene Description’ field in the database was searched using a tailored search strategy. Feasibility was evaluated with notes review and assessed by the PPV and prevalence. Secondary objectives used a logistic regression in Excel.

Results

This method of identifying suspected cases of DVA from the TARN database is feasible. The PPV was 100%, and the prevalence of suspected DVA in the study period was 3.6 per 1000 trauma discharges. Of those who had experienced DVA, 52.7% were male, median age 43 (IQR: 33–52) and mortality 5.5%. Subgroup analysis of older people demonstrated longer hospital stay (p=0.17) and greater likelihood of admission to intensive care (OR 2.60, 95% CI 0.48 to 14.24).

Conclusion

We have created a feasible methodology to identify suspected DVA-related injuries within the TARN database. Future work is needed to further understand this relationship on a national level.
Glueball–glueball scattering and the glueballonium
Authors: Giacosa Francesco , Pilloni Alessandro , Trotti Enrico
Published: May 2022

The scalar glueball G is the lightest particle of the Yang–Mills sector of QCD, with a lattice predicted mass of about $$m_{G}\simeq 1.7\,{\mathrm{GeV}}$$

m
G

≃
1.7

GeV

. It is natural to investigate glueball-glueball scattering and the possible emergence of a bound state, that we call glueballonium. We perform this study in the context of a widely used dilaton potential, that depends on a single dimensionful parameter $$\Lambda _G$$

Λ
G

. We consider a unitarization prescription that allows us to predict the lowest partial waves in the elastic window. These quantities can be in principle calculated on the lattice, thus offering possibility for testing the validity of the dilaton potential and an independent determination of its parameter. Moreover, we also show that a stable glueballonium exists if $$\Lambda _{G}$$

Λ
G

is small enough. In particular, for $$\Lambda _{G}$$

Λ
G

compatible with the expectations from the gluon condensate, the glueballonium has a mass of about $$3.4\,{\mathrm{GeV}}$$

3.4

GeV

.
Deflection of light by magnetars in the generalized Born–Infeld electrodynamics
Authors: Kim Jin Young
Published: May 2022

We study the deflection of light by a magnetic dipole field in the generalized Born–Infeld electrodynamics. Using the effective index of refraction and the trajectory equation based on geometric optics, we compute the weak bending angle of light passing on the equator of the magnetic dipole. In the limit where the classical Born–Infeld parameter is infinite, the bending angle agree with the one computed from the Euler–Heisenberg Lagrangian. We also compute the bending angle using the geodesic equation of the effective metric induced by a massive object with magnetic dipole. In the massless limit the bending angle agrees with the computation using the trajectory equation. We apply the result to magnetars to estimate the order of magnitude for the bending angle.
BIRTH ORDER, GENDER AND THE PARENTAL INVESTMENT GAP AMONG CHILDREN
Authors: SAKATA KEI , MCKENZIE COLIN , KUREISHI WATARU , WAKABAYASHI MIDORI
Published: May 2022

Using panel data from the 2001 cohort of the Japanese Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the 21st Century, this paper examines whether financial investments in children differ by child’s birth order and gender. This study is one of a few studies that use information on actual expenditures on the child under study to infer birth order and gender effects rather than using child outcomes such as educational attainment and health. Moreover, we examine specific types of expenditure on children such as expenditure on regular schooling, extra-curricular activities, extra-educational activities, and pocket money. It is found that in Japan, parents spend more money on (a) their first-born child; (b) their male children when they are of preschool age; and (c) their female children when they are of school age. In contrast, parents’ spending on education-related activities outside regular schools is higher for their first-born child and for girls. However, this gender effect is limited to three children families. Spending on extra-curricular activities and regular schooling is higher for girls and for first-born children. Interestingly, girls receive more pocket money than boys, whereas a first-born child receives less pocket money compared to a later-born child of the same age. With a few exceptions, overall, we observe mostly first-born preference and more of a ‘daughter preference’ than ‘son preference’ in parental investments among Japanese children.
Time-frequency analysis of venous pulsatile flow and sigmoid sinus vascular wall displacement causing pulsatile tinnitus using time series and magnitude squared coherence methods
Authors: Hsieh Yue-Lin , Hsieh Yue-Da , Wang Wuqing
Published: May 2022

Displacement of the sigmoid sinus vascular wall and intrasinus blood flow motion is known to cause pulsatile tinnitus (PT) in patients with sigmoid plate dehiscence. To investigate the source of sound that causes PT, this study sought to determine the correlation between in vivo displacement of the vascular wall and intrasinus flow hemodynamics. A confocal laser displacement sensor and color-coded Doppler ultrasound system were implemented on a participant diagnosed with venous PT. The displacement and Doppler velocity data were analyzed using time series and magnitude squared coherence methods. The median and peak displacement values of the vascular wall were 6.7 [Formula: see text]m and 11.7 [Formula: see text]m, respectively. The major frequency range of vascular displacement was below 4 Hz. The portmanteau test was rejected for different values of m. The cross-correlation of the two processes was not zero, indicating the existence of cross-correlation. The peak magnitude squared coherence of the two gauged signals was 0.3 at 7.143 Hz. The displacement of the sigmoid sinus vascular wall was temporally correlated with the intrasinus flow, although the major frequency range of the induced vascular displacement fell below the human hearing threshold. Therefore, the hydroacoustic and vibroacoustic sounds induced by the fluid–structure interaction between the vascular and osseous structures overweighed the displacement of the vascular wall at the focal dehiscence area in PT production.
Automatic Identification of High-Impact Bug Report by Product and Test Code Quality
Authors: Ding Jianshu , Fan Guisheng , Yu Huiqun , Huang Zijie
Published: May 2022

Bug reports are submitted by the software stakeholders to foster the location and elimination of bugs. However, in large-scale software systems, it may be impossible to track and solve every bug, and thus developers should pay more attention to High-Impact Bugs (HIBs). Previous studies analyzed textual descriptions to automatically identify HIBs, but they ignored the quality of code, which may also indicate the cause of HIBs. To address this issue, we integrate the features reflecting the quality of production (i.e. CK metrics) and test code (i.e. test smells) into our textual similarity based model to identify HIBs. Our model outperforms the compared baseline by up to 39% in terms of AUC-ROC and 64% in terms of F-Measure. Then, we explain the behavior of our model by using SHAP to calculate the importance of each feature, and we apply case studies to empirically demonstrate the relationship between the most important features and HIB. The results show that several test smells (e.g. Assertion Roulette, Conditional Test Logic, Duplicate Assert, Sleepy Test) and product metrics (e.g. NOC, LCC, PF, and ProF) have important contributions to HIB identification.
DEPOSITION ANGLE DEPENDENCE OF TANTALUM OXIDE NANOLAYERS ON THE STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES AS A FUNCTION OF THICKNESS
Authors: DARGHLOU SOMAYEH JALILPOUR , KANGARLOU HALEH , RAZZAZI VAHEDEH
Published: May 2022

Tantalum oxide nanolayers with different thicknesses (30, 60, 90 and 120 nm) were deposited on glass substrates at a deposition angle of 60∘ under high vacuum condition at room temperature by using electron gun evaporation method. The morphological, structural and optical properties of tantalum oxide nanolayers are investigated by XRD, FESEM, EDX, AFM and spectrophotometer. Kramers–Kronig relations are used to calculate the optical parameters. Optical results show that the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, the real part of the refractive index and bandgap energy have increased with increasing film thickness.
Differential Transformation Method for Free Vibration Analysis of Rotating Timoshenko Beams with Elastic Boundary Conditions
Authors: Xu Hang , Wang Yan Qing
Published: May 2022

This study proposes an efficient method for free vibration analysis of rotating beams under elastic boundary conditions. The existing literature widely used the Rayleigh–Ritz (R–R) method to study the free vibration of beams under elastic boundary conditions, but the computational efficiency of this method is not satisfactory. In view of this, we introduce the differential transformation method (DTM) to solve this problem. The influence of the Coriolis force on the natural frequency of rotating beams is considered. The artificial spring attachment technique is implemented to represent the elastic boundary constraints. Based on the Timoshenko beam theory, governing equations and general boundary conditions of rotating beams are obtained by using Hamilton’s principle. The accuracy, computational efficiency, and convergence of the present method are in contrast with those of the R–R method. The results show that the present method has a higher accuracy and efficiency than the R–R method.
On the distance compatibility in product of signed graphs
Authors: Shijin T. V. , Soorya P. , Hameed K. Shahul , Germina K. A.
Published: May 2022

A signed graph [Formula: see text] is an ordered pair [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is the underlying graph of [Formula: see text] with a signature function [Formula: see text]. Notions of signed distance and distance-compatible signed graphs were introduced recently. We characterize distance compatibility in the case of a connected signed graph. Also, we provide characterizations for distance compatibility in the case of the Cartesian product, two lexicographic products and the tensor product of signed graphs.
Peptide Core Containing Polymer–Polyoxometalate Hybrid as Novel Antifungal Agent
Authors: Biswas Subharanjan , Priya Datta Lakshmi , Kumar Das Tapan
Published: May 2022

Engineering the molecular assembly at biomolecular interface is one of the prevailing techniques in synthetic biology to derive novel supramolecular structures. In this study, we have biofunctionalized polyoxometalates with peptide-based cationic polymer. Surface functionalization of polyoxometalates (POMs) results in derivation of self-assembled polymer–POM nanocomposites with novel antifungal activity. Electron rich POM triggers the morphological alteration in molecularly enriched [Formula: see text]-sheet peptide polymer promoting the evolution of nanorods. Due to the inherited biocidal properties of the cationic polymer and the POM, the nanorods exhibit enhanced antifungal activity highlighting the significance of combinatorial systems in advanced drug therapeutics.