bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hanseníase: Relação entre o diagnóstico precoce, número de lesões dermatológicas e grau de incapacidade no momento do diagnóstico no estado de Sergipe entre 2010 e 2020
Authors: Xavier Lara Fernanda Feitosa , Silva Rômulo Rodrigues de Souza , Xavier Bruno Manoel Feitosa , Vieira Caroline Cordeiro , Franco Magaly Ribeiro , Resende Maria Suzana de Abreu Barros
Published: May 2022

A Hanseníase é um relevante problema de saúde pública, sendo uma doença que gera além de estigmas, grandes impactos na vida social do indivíduo, por ser uma doença infectocontagiosa com poder de gerar incapacidades físicas. Objetivo: Traçar o perfil epidemiológico dos casos de Hanseníase visando apontar o número de lesões hansênicas, os nervos afetados e o diagnóstico precoce da doença. Métodos: Estudo transversal, descritivo e quantitativo. Foram consultadas informações disponíveis sobre Hanseníase no Sistema de Informações de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN), relativas ao período entre 2010 e 2020. As variáveis do estudo foram divididas em número de notificações da doença, relacionadas ao: sexo, faixa etária, grau de sequelas, apresentação clínica, grau de incapacidade e número de lesões cutâneas. Resultados: Foi observado no estudo que a frequência de casos notificados se manteve constante ao longo dos anos, com maior prevalência do sexo masculino e de pacientes de meia-idade. No mais houve um predomínio para a forma clínica mais suscetível às reações hansênicas, a hanseníase Dimorfa e com número de lesões maior que cinco. Sobre o grau de incapacidade observou-se que a prevalência é maior em pacientes com grau 0. Conclusão: A prevalência da Hanseníase ainda é elevada e o diagnóstico precoce e instituição rápida do tratamento são primordiais para reduzir a taxa de mortalidade e as complicações acarretadas pela doença.
Investigation on the Controllable Synthesis of Colorized and Magnetic Polystyrene Beads With Millimeter Size via In Situ Suspension Polymerization
Authors: Yan Juntao , Wu Hua , Huang Pan , Wang Yourong , Shu Bowang , Li Xiaofang , Ding Deng , Sun Ya , Wang Chunlei , Wu Jian , Sun Linbing
Published: May 2022

A series of colorized and magnetic polystyrene/Fe3O4 (PS/Fe3O4) composite beads with millimeter size are successfully synthesized by introducing hydrophobic Fe3O4via in situ suspension polymerization of styrene for the first time. Effects of the hydrophobic Fe3O4 content, stirring speed, and surfactant dosage on the macromorphology and particle size of PS/Fe3O4 beads are systematically investigated to realize the controllable synthesis. Moreover, three kinds of hydrophobic pigments are also employed to synthesize colorized polystyrene, which demonstrates the versatility, simplicity, and wide applicability of the proposed method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and element mapping (EM) images demonstrated that the hydrophobic Fe3O4 is well dispersed in the polystyrene matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that the resultant PS/Fe3O4 beads possess a better thermal stability than neat PS. PS/Fe3O4 beads have a promising application in the fields of colorized extruded PS board, colorized expanded PS foam particle, and board.
Visual Sensing of β-Glucosidase From Intestinal Fungus in the Generation of Cytotoxic Icarisid II
Authors: Wang Gang , Yan Fei , Wang Yufei , Liu Yingping , Cui Jingnan , Yu Zhenlong , Feng Lei , James Tony D. , Wang Chao , Kong Ying
Published: May 2022

β-Glucosidase (β-Glc) is an enzyme capable of the selective hydrolysis of the β-glycosidic bond of glycosides and glycans containing glucose. β-Glc expressed by intestinal microbiota has attracted increasing levels of interest, due to their important roles for the metabolism of exogenous substances in the gut. Using the 2-((6-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-xanthen-4-yl)methylene)malononitrile fluorophore (DXM-OH, λem 636 nm) and the recognition group β-Glucose, an enzymatic activatable turn-on fluorescent probe (DXM-Glc) was developed for the selective and sensitive sensing of β-Glc. In addition, DXM-Glc could be used to sense endogenous β-Glc in living fungal cells. Using DXM-Glc, Pichia terricola M2 was identified as a functional intestinal fungus with β-Glc expression. P. terricola M2 could transform the flavone glycoside Icariin to Icariside Ⅱ efficiently, which confirmed the metabolism of glycosides in the gut mediated by fungi. Furthermore, Icariside Ⅱ could inhibit the proliferation of human endometrial cancer cells (RL 95-2 and ishikawa) significantly, suggesting the metabolic activation of Icariin by intestinal fungi in vivo. Therefore, DXM-Glc as a probe for β-Glc provided a novel technique for the investigation of the metabolism of bioactive substances by intestinal microbiota.
The Stability and Collapse of Lava Domes: Insight From Photogrammetry and Slope Stability Models Applied to Sinabung Volcano (Indonesia)
Authors: Carr Brett B. , Lev Einat , Vanderkluysen Loÿc , Moyer Danielle , Marliyani Gayatri Indah , Clarke Amanda B.
Published: May 2022

Lava domes form by the effusive eruption of high-viscosity lava and are inherently unstable and prone to collapse, representing a significant volcanic hazard. Many processes contribute to instability in lava domes and can generally be grouped into two categories: active and passive. Active collapses are driven directly by lava effusion. In contrast, passive collapses are not correlated with effusion rate, and thus represent a hazard that is more difficult to assess and forecast. We demonstrate a new workflow for assessing and forecasting passive dome collapse by examining a case study at Sinabung Volcano (North Sumatra, Indonesia). We captured visual images from the ground in 2014 and from unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) in 2018 and used structure-from-motion photogrammetry to generate digital elevation models (DEMs) of Sinabung’s evolving lava dome. By comparing our DEMs to a pre-eruption DEM, we estimate volume changes associated with the eruption. As of June 2018, the total erupted volume since the eruption began is 162 × 106 m3. Between 2014 and 2018, 10 × 106 m3 of material collapsed from the lava flow due to passive processes. We evaluate lava dome stability using the Scoops3D numerical model and the DEMs. We assess the passive collapse hazard and analyze the effect of lava material properties on dome stability. Scoops3D is able to hindcast the location and volume of passive collapses at Sinabung that occurred during 2014 and 2015, and we use the same material properties to demonstrate that significant portions of the erupted lava potentially remain unstable and prone to collapse as of late 2018, despite a pause in effusive activity earlier that year. This workflow offers a means of quantitatively assessing passive collapse hazards at active or recently active volcanoes.
Exploring the Immune Infiltration Landscape and M2 Macrophage-Related Biomarkers of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Meng Zhishang , Chen Yanzhu , Wu Wenyi , Yan Bin , Meng Yongan , Liang Youling , Yao Xiaoxi , Luo Jing
Published: May 2022

Backgrounds

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), especially proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), is the major cause of irreversible blindness in the working-age population. Increasing evidence indicates that immune cells and the inflammatory microenvironment play an important role during PDR development. Herein, we aim to explore the immune landscape of PDR and then identify potential biomarkers correlated with specific infiltrating immune cells.

Methods

We mined and re-analyzed PDR-related datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Using the cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithm, we investigated the infiltration of 22 types of immune cells in all selected samples; analyses of differences and correlations between infiltrating cells were used to reveal the immune landscape of PDR. Thereafter, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential expression analysis were applied to identify the hub genes on M2 macrophages that may affect PDR progression.

Results

Significant differences were found between infiltration levels of immune cells in fibrovascular membranes (FVMs) from PDR and normal retinas. The percentages of follicular helper T cells, M1 macrophages, and M2 macrophages were increased significantly in FVMs. Integrative analysis combining the differential expression and co-expression revealed the M2 macrophage-related hub genes in PDR. Among these, COL5A2, CALD1, COL6A3, CORO1C, and CALU showed increased expression in FVM and may be potential biomarkers for PDR.

Conclusions

Our findings provide novel insights into the immune mechanisms involved in PDR. COL5A2, CALD1, COL6A3, CORO1C, and CALU are M2 macrophage-related biomarkers, further study of these genes could inform novel ideas and basis for the understanding of disease progression and targeted treatment of PDR.
Identification of a Novel Canonical Splice Site Variant TSC2 c.2967-1G>T That is Not Associated With Tuberous Sclerosis Pathogenesis
Authors: Duan Jing , Ye Yuanzhen , Hu Zhanqi , Zhao Xia , Liao Jianxiang , Chen Li
Published: May 2022

Tuberous sclerosis, also known as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), is an autosomal dominant defect characterized by hamartomas in multiple organ systems. Inactivating variants cause this defect in either the TSC1 gene or the TSC2 gene, leading to hamartin or tuberin protein dysfunction, thus resulting in TSC. The diagnostic criteria for TSC suggest that it can be diagnosed by identifying a heterozygous pathogenic variant of TSC1 or TSC2, even in the absence of clinical signs. In a 4-year-old girl, we identified a splicing variant (NM_000548.4: c.2967-1G>T) that she inherited from her father. Neither the girl (patient) nor her father showed typical features of TSC. This variant is located in a NAGNAG acceptor, which can produce mRNA isoforms that differ by a three-nucleotide indel. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of the patient and both parents’ blood RNA samples suggested two different splicing patterns, and these two splicing patterns differed in the presence or absence of the first codon of exon 27, thus providing two splicing products designated as isoforms A and B, respectively. Furthermore, the proportions of these two patterns varied between the patient and either parent. A minigene assay further confirmed that the c.2967-1G>T variant led to the absence of isoform A (including the first codon of exon 27). The finding of our study demonstrates this variant, c.2967-1G>T, disrupts the balance of an alternative splice event which involves the use of two tandem alternatives acceptors and is not associated with typical symptoms of tuberous sclerosis. Our finding is of importance for genetic counseling and suggests that we need to be vigilant to avoid misdiagnosis when we encounter such a site.
An Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Approach to Guide Therapy in C3 Glomerulopathy
Authors: Schmidt Tilman , Afonso Sara , Perie Luce , Heidenreich Karin , Wulf Sonia , Krebs Christian F. , Zipfel Peter F. , Wiech Thorsten
Published: May 2022

Since the re-classification of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis the new disease entity C3 glomerulopathy is diagnosed if C3 deposition is clearly dominant over immunoglobulins in immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence. Although this new definition is more orientated at the pathophysiology as mediated by activity of the alternative complement pathway C3 glomerulopathy remains a heterogenous group of disorders. Genetic or autoimmune causes are associated in several but not in all patients with this disease. However, prognosis is poorly predictable, and clinicians cannot directly identify patients that might benefit from therapy. Moreover, therapy may range from supportive care alone, unspecific immune suppression, plasma treatment, or plasma exchange to complement inhibition. The current biopsy based diagnostic approaches sometimes combined with complement profiling are not sufficient to guide clinicians neither (i) whether to treat an individual patient, nor (ii) to choose the best therapy. With this perspective, we propose an interdisciplinary diagnostic approach, including detailed analysis of the kidney biopsy for morphological alterations and immunohistochemical staining, for genetic analyses of complement genes, complement activation patterning in plasma, and furthermore for applying novel approaches for convertase typing and complement profiling directly in renal tissue. Such a combined diagnostic approach was used here for a 42-year-old female patient with a novel mutation in the Factor H gene, C3 glomerulopathy and signs of chronic endothelial damage. We present here an approach that might in future help to guide therapy of renal diseases with relevant complement activation, especially since diverse new anti-complement agents are under clinical investigation.
From Insect Bites to a Skin Autoimmune Disease: A Conceivable Pathway to Endemic Pemphigus Foliaceus
Authors: Li Ning , Aoki Valeria , Liu Zhi , Prisayanh Phillip , Valenzuela Jesus G. , Diaz Luis A.
Published: May 2022

In the endemic variants of pemphigus foliaceus (PF), in Brazil and Tunisia, patients generate pathogenic IgG4 anti-desmoglein 1 autoantibodies. Additionally, these patients possess antibodies against salivary proteins from sand flies that react with Dsg1, which may lead to skin disease in susceptible individuals living in endemic areas. This minireview focuses on recent studies highlighting the possible role of salivary proteins from Lutzomyia longipalpis (L. longipalpis) in EPF from Brazil and Phlebotomus papatasi (P. papatasi) in EPF from Tunisia. We will briefly discuss the potential mechanisms of molecular mimicry and epitope spreading in the initiation and development of endemic PF (EPF) in Brazil and Tunisia.
Design and Additive Construction of a Video-Laryngoscope for Endotracheal Intubation of Adult Patients
Authors: Matehuala-Morán Iván , Pino Pérez Axel Yael , Fuentes-Alvarez Ruben , Beltrán Fernández Juan Alfonso , Hernandez-Gilsoul Thierry , Saldaña Villaseñor Pedro Alejandro , Rojas-Vega Lorena , Ramírez Cadena Miguel de Jesús , Alfaro-Ponce Mariel
Published: May 2022

As a result of the pandemic, cases requiring endotracheal intubation have increased to support breathing through mechanical ventilation; this procedure is necessary when a patient cannot breathe on their own due to respiratory failure. For it, the laryngoscope is used. Even when using a laryngoscope, it is possible to injure the patient due to poor visibility at intubation. As a solution, some video-laryngoscopes present many advantages, such as reducing injuries, lowering the number of attempts to secure the airway and the image’s quality, and easy recognition of laryngeal structures. However, this type of device is not accessible to many health institutions due to the price. Therefore, this study proposes the design of a video-laryngoscope in the Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) software and constructed by additive manufacturing. For this design, the identification of the needs of the medical personnel in the anesthesiology and emergency medicine departments from the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ) was taken into account. The design specifications provided by the users were used to create a proposal solution at the conceptual design level. The material and camera for the prototype instrumentation are presented with the model’s geometric parameters. Subsequently, virtual modeling of the device was carried out, and rapid prototypes were built to validate the performance of the design proposal. The final device was constructed by Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) using Nylon 12 as a construction material. Finally, the device was evaluated using airway simulators with the support of medical specialists to determine its functionality.
Similar Carcass Surface Microbiota Observed Following Primary Processing of Different Pig Batches
Authors: Braley Charlotte , Fravalo Philippe , Gaucher Marie-Lou , Larivière-Gauthier Guillaume , Shedleur-Bourguignon Fanie , Longpré Jessie , Thibodeau Alexandre
Published: May 2022

Bacterial contamination during meat processing is a concern for both food safety and for the shelf life of pork meat products. The gut microbiota of meat-producing animals is one of the most important sources of surface contamination of processed carcasses. This microbiota is recognized to vary between pigs from different farms and could thus be reflected on the bacterial contamination of carcasses at time of processing. In this study, the microbiota of 26 carcasses of pigs originating from different farms (i.e., batches) were compared to determine if an association could be observed between carcass surface microbiota (top and bottom) and the origin of slaughtered animals. The microbiota of the top and bottom carcass surface areas was analyzed by culturing classical indicator microorganisms (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteria, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, and lactic bacteria), by the detection of Salmonella, and by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Culture results showed higher Enterobacteria, E. coli, and lactic bacteria counts for the bottom areas of the carcasses (neck/chest/shoulder) when compared to the top areas. Salmonella was not detected in any samples. Globally, 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed a similar composition and diversity between the top and bottom carcass areas. Despite the presence of some genera associated with fecal contamination such as Terrisporobacter, Escherichia-Shigella, Turicibacter, Clostridium sensustricto1, and Streptococcus on the carcass surface, sequencing analysis suggested that there was no difference between the different batches of samples from the top and bottom areas of the carcasses. The primary processing therefore appears to cause a uniformization of the carcass global surface microbiota, with some specific bacteria being different depending on the carcass area sampled.
Deciphering the Virus Signal Within the Marine Dissolved Organic Matter Pool
Authors: Heinrichs Mara E. , Heyerhoff Benedikt , Arslan-Gatz Berin S. , Seidel Michael , Niggemann Jutta , Engelen Bert
Published: May 2022

Viruses are ubiquitously distributed in the marine environment, influencing microbial population dynamics and biogeochemical cycles on a large scale. Due to their small size, they fall into the oceanographic size-class definition of dissolved organic matter (DOM; <0.7 μm). The purpose of our study was to investigate if there is a detectable imprint of virus particles in natural DOM following standard sample preparation and molecular analysis routines using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). Therefore, we tested if a molecular signature deriving from virus particles can be detected in the DOM fingerprint of a bacterial culture upon prophage induction and of seawater containing the natural microbial community. Interestingly, the virus-mediated lysate of the infected bacterial culture differed from the cell material of a physically disrupted control culture in its molecular composition. Overall, a small subset of DOM compounds correlated significantly with virus abundances in the bacterial culture setup, accounting for <1% of the detected molecular formulae and <2% of the total signal intensity of the DOM dataset. These were phosphorus- and nitrogen-containing compounds and they were partially also detected in DOM samples from other studies that included high virus abundances. While some of these formulae matched with typical biomolecules that are constituents of viruses, others matched with bacterial cell wall components. Thus, the identified DOM molecular formulae were probably not solely derived from virus particles but were partially also derived from processes such as the virus-mediated bacterial cell lysis. Our results indicate that a virus-derived DOM signature is part of the natural DOM and barely detectable within the analytical window of ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry when a high natural background is present.
Spatio-Temporally Efficient Coding Assigns Functions to Hierarchical Structures of the Visual System
Authors: Sihn Duho , Kim Sung-Phil
Published: May 2022

Hierarchical structures constitute a wide array of brain areas, including the visual system. One of the important questions regarding visual hierarchical structures is to identify computational principles for assigning functions that represent the external world to hierarchical structures of the visual system. Given that visual hierarchical structures contain both bottom-up and top-down pathways, the derived principles should encompass these bidirectional pathways. However, existing principles such as predictive coding do not provide an effective principle for bidirectional pathways. Therefore, we propose a novel computational principle for visual hierarchical structures as spatio-temporally efficient coding underscored by the efficient use of given resources in both neural activity space and processing time. This coding principle optimises bidirectional information transmissions over hierarchical structures by simultaneously minimising temporal differences in neural responses and maximising entropy in neural representations. Simulations demonstrated that the proposed spatio-temporally efficient coding was able to assign the function of appropriate neural representations of natural visual scenes to visual hierarchical structures. Furthermore, spatio-temporally efficient coding was able to predict well-known phenomena, including deviations in neural responses to unlearned inputs and bias in preferred orientations. Our proposed spatio-temporally efficient coding may facilitate deeper mechanistic understanding of the computational processes of hierarchical brain structures.
Cognitive and Mood Profiles Among Patients With Stiff Person Syndrome Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Chan Carol K. , Pimentel Maldonado Daniela A. , Wang Yujie , Obando Danielle , Hughes Abbey J. , Newsome Scott D.
Published: May 2022

An emerging body of evidence suggests that changes in cognitive and emotional function are common aspects of stiff person spectrum disorders (SPSD). We sought to examine the pattern of cognitive impairment and psychiatric symptoms in SPSD.

Methods

A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for patients seen at the Johns Hopkins Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) center from 1997 to January 1st, 2020. Individuals who had received formal cognitive testing as part of routine clinical care for patient-reported cognitive changes were included. Demographics, prevalence of cognitive impairment, psychoactive medication use, and clinically significant psychiatric symptoms were described.

Results

Out of 205 patients screened, 20 completed cognitive testing (75% female, mean age 47.4 years). The most common domains of impairment were verbal learning and recall memory (n = 14, 70%), verbal fluency (n = 10, 50%), processing speed (n = 8, 40%), and attention (n = 8, 40%). 9/11 patients assessed for depression reported clinically significant symptoms, and 4/9 patients assessed for anxiety reported clinically significant symptoms.

Conclusions

Screening for cognitive impairment in SPSD should utilize testing that assesses verbal learning and recall, phonemic verbal fluency, attention, and processing speed. Moreover, it is important to evaluate for co-existing depression and anxiety symptoms, as these are common in SPSD.
The Role of Photodynamic Therapy in Triggering Cell Death and Facilitating Antitumor Immunology
Authors: Tan Liuchang , Shen Xiaoxiao , He Zhiqiang , Lu Yuangang
Published: May 2022

Cancer is a major threat to human health because of its high mortality, easy recurrence, strong invasion, and metastasis. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising minimally invasive treatment for tumor. Compared with traditional treatment methods, PDT is less invasive and does not easily damage normal tissues. Most of the effects of this treatment are due to the direct effects of singlet oxygen together with reactive oxygen species. PDT can provide the source of active oxygen for the Fenton reaction, which enhances ferroptosis and also improves the efficacy of PDT in antitumor therapy. Additionally, in contrast to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, PDT has the effect of stimulating the immune response, which can effectively induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) and stimulate immunity. PDT is an ideal minimally invasive treatment method for tumors. In this paper, according to the characteristics of anti-tumor immunity of PDT, some tumor treatment strategies of PDT combined with anti-tumor immunotherapy are reviewed.
Respiratory Prediction Based on Multi-Scale Temporal Convolutional Network for Tracking Thoracic Tumor Movement
Authors: Shi Lijuan , Han Shuai , Zhao Jian , Kuang Zhejun , Jing Weipeng , Cui Yuqing , Zhu Zhanpeng
Published: May 2022

Radiotherapy is one of the important treatments for malignant tumors. The precision of radiotherapy is affected by the respiratory motion of human body, so real-time motion tracking for thoracoabdominal tumors is of great significance to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy. This paper aims to establish a highly precise and efficient prediction model, thus proposing to apply a depth prediction model composed of multi-scale enhanced convolution neural network and temporal convolutional network based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) in respiratory prediction with different delay times. First, to enhance the precision, the unstable original sequence is decomposed into several intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) by EMD, and then, a depth prediction model of parallel enhanced convolution structure and temporal convolutional network with the characteristics specific to IMFs is built, and finally training on the respiratory motion dataset of 103 patients with malignant tumors is conducted. The prediction precision and time efficiency of the model are compared at different levels with those of the other three depth prediction models so as to evaluate the performance of the model. The result shows that the respiratory motion prediction model determined in this paper has superior prediction performance under different lengths of input data and delay time, and, furthermore, the network update time is shortened by about 60%. The method proposed in this paper will greatly improve the precision of radiotherapy and shorten the radiotherapy time, which is of great application value.
Amygdalar Functional Connectivity Differences Associated With Reduced Pain Intensity in Pediatric Peripheral Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Verriotis Madeleine , Sorger Clarissa , Peters Judy , Ayoub Lizbeth J. , Seunarine Kiran K. , Clark Chris A. , Walker Suellen M. , Moayedi Massieh
Published: May 2022

Background

There is evidence of altered corticolimbic circuitry in adults with chronic pain, but relatively little is known of functional brain mechanisms in adolescents with neuropathic pain (NeuP). Pediatric NeuP is etiologically and phenotypically different from NeuP in adults, highlighting the need for pediatric-focused research. The amygdala is a key limbic region with important roles in the emotional-affective dimension of pain and in pain modulation.

Objective

To investigate amygdalar resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in adolescents with NeuP.

Methods

This cross-sectional observational cohort study compared resting state functional MRI scans in adolescents aged 11–18 years with clinical features of chronic peripheral NeuP (n = 17), recruited from a tertiary clinic, relative to healthy adolescents (n = 17). We performed seed-to-voxel whole-brain rsFC analysis of the bilateral amygdalae. Next, we performed post hoc exploratory correlations with clinical variables to further explain rsFC differences.

Results

Adolescents with NeuP had stronger negative rsFC between right amygdala and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and stronger positive rsFC between right amygdala and left angular gyrus (AG), compared to controls (PFDR<0.025). Furthermore, lower pain intensity correlated with stronger negative amygdala-dlPFC rsFC in males (r = 0.67, P = 0.034, n = 10), and with stronger positive amygdala-AG rsFC in females (r = −0.90, P = 0.006, n = 7). These amygdalar rsFC differences may thus be pain inhibitory.

Conclusions

Consistent with the considerable affective and cognitive factors reported in a larger cohort, there are rsFC differences in limbic pain modulatory circuits in adolescents with NeuP. Findings also highlight the need for assessing sex-dependent brain mechanisms in future studies, where possible.
Corporate Business Strategy and Tax Avoidance Culture: Moderating Role of Gender Diversity in an Emerging Economy
Authors: Zhang Xiaochen , Husnain Muhammad , Yang Hailan , Ullah Saif , Abbas Jaffar , Zhang Ruilian
Published: May 2022

Tax payments stimulate business enterprises to choose tax management through tax avoidance activities, which is the legal practice to reduce the amount of tax payable. In developing economies, taxation is considered more critical for budget and revenues of a country. This paper investigates whether various business strategies influence corporate tax avoidance decisions of firms by adopting business strategies. Besides, it explores how gender diversity can ease this relationship. This study has chosen a sample of organizations from non-financial sector in Pakistan. The time frame is 5 years, including once a year. The present model employed a generalized moment method (GMM) and tested the proposed hypothesis to draw the results. The study has taken the size, leverage, and business profitability as control variables of firms. The study outcomes by using the GMM method demonstrate that the presence of female directors reduces tax avoidance behavior in prospector companies. This study provides insight into future research for stakeholders, government officials, tax authorities, and policymakers. The findings offer valuable recommendations and practical insights and implications. The findings provide future directions for research to test different frameworks to attain beneficial results to promote the responsibility of tax payment culture.
Football and Dementia: Understanding the Link
Authors: Neal James , Hutchings Paul B. , Phelps Ceri , Williams Donald
Published: May 2022

Football, also known as soccer or association football, is popular but has a potential link with dementia developing in retired players. The FA and soccer regulators in the USA have imposed guidelines limiting players exposure to heading, despite controversy whether this dementia is caused by heading the ball, a form of mild repetitive head injury (RHI), over many years. Substantial data exist showing that many ex-North American Football players develop a specific neurodegenerative disease: chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the neuropathological disorder of boxers. In the United Kingdom evidence for the neuropathological basis of footballers' dementia has been slow to emerge. A 2017 study revealed that in six ex-soccer players four had CTE with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and two had AD. A 2019 study showed that ex-footballers were 3.5 times more likely to die from dementia or other neuro-degenerative diseases than matched controls. We argue that in childhood and adolescence the brain is vulnerable to heading, predicated on its disproportionate size and developmental immaturity. RHI in young individuals is associated with early neuroinflammation, a potential trigger for promoting neurodegeneration in later life. Evidence is available to support the guidelines limiting heading for players of all ages, while professional and non-players should be included in prospective studies to investigate the link between soccer and dementia.
The Status and Prescription Patterns of Opioid Utilization in a Large Comprehensive Teaching Hospital in China According to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification/Defined Daily Dose Methodology
Authors: Fang Ting , Zhang Xiaojie , Hao Wei , Deng Qijian
Published: May 2022

Background

Few studies have analyzed opioid consumption and the average daily dose and duration for different patients in hospital settings in China. The aim of this study was to measure the status of and trends in prescribed opioids and the prescribing patterns at the Second Xiangya Hospital.

Methods

The data were obtained from the prescribed medicine database of the inpatient department. We included patients who were >18 years old and received any level of opioid analgesic between 2012 and 2017. The international Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification/Defined Daily Dose (ATC/DDD) methodology was used to standardize the consumption rates. All opioid units were converted into morphine equivalents (MEs) to analyze the specific opioid usage.

Results

The consumption of prescribed opioids increased from 3.16 to 3.74 DDD/100 bed-days (+18.3%) from 2012 to 2017. Both cancer and noncancer patients had similar administration routes and median daily dosages in MEs, but cancer patients had longer treatment durations (median: 5 days vs. 1 day, respectively). The median average daily dose and treatment duration for all patients were 15 MEs/day and 2 days, respectively, for oral administration, 100 MEs/day and 1 day for parenteral administration, and 47.14 MEs/day and 5 days for both oral and parenteral administration.

Conclusion

Although there was a tendency toward an increase in opioid consumption, the overall level of consumption in the Second Xiangya Hospital remained relatively low. Thus, it is urgently necessary to increase the availability of opioids and alter prescription habits for them in order adopt the current concept of pain management developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Effect of Different Formulations of Praziquantel in Reducing Worms in the Prepatent Period of Schistosomiasis in Murine Models
Authors: Paulino Érica Tex , Ribeiro de Lima Monique , Viçosa Alessandra Lifsitch , Silva Cleber Hooper da , Salomon Claudio Javier , Real Daniel Andrés , Leonardi Dario , Mello Silva Clélia Christina , Moraes Neto Antonio Henrique Almeida de
Published: May 2022

Schistosomiasis is a widely distributed parasitic disease and one of the most important neglected tropical diseases globally, for which Praziquantel® (PZQ) is the only available treatment. In this context, tests with new PZQ formulations become relevant for disease control. This study evaluated the effects of PZQ treatment in the prepatent phase of schistosomiasis using two formulations: nanoencapsulated (PZQ-NANO) and active pharmaceutical ingredient (PZQ-API). Five experimental groups were established, for which the following serological parameters were evaluated: ALT, AST, ALP, and TP. Animals treated with PZQ-API at 15 and 30 days post-infection showed decreased eggs per gram of feces (EPG) compared to untreated infected animals. The same animals showed reductions of 63.6 and 65.1%, respectively, at 60 days post-infection. Animals treated with PZQ-NANO experienced no significant changes in EPG at any time of observation. Animals treated with either PZQ-API or PZQ-NANO had higher ALT and AST levels in the patent period (60 and 90 days post-infection). Treatment with PZQ, either API or NANO, at 15 days post-infection reduced AST, ALT, and TP levels. It is concluded that prepatent treatment with PZQ-API can reduce the parasite load of infected animals and that treatment at 15 days post-infection can prevent increased serum levels of ALT, AST, and TP.
Are Vegan Alternatives to Meat Products Healthy? A Study on Nutrients and Main Ingredients of Products Commercialized in Brazil
Authors: Romão Bernardo , Botelho Raquel Braz Assunção , Nakano Eduardo Yoshio , Raposo António , Han Heesup , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro , Ariza-Montes Antonio , Zandonadi Renata Puppin
Published: May 2022

Proteins are essential components in human nutrition, and animal products are usually the primary sources of human ingestion. However, the number of adherents to vegetarian and vegan diets has grown significantly, highlighting the need for alternatives to replace animal proteins. Meat substitutes aim to mimic the nutritional value and sensory characteristics of meat. However, studies suggest differences in their composition. This study is the first to evaluate Brazilian meat substitutes' nutritional quality and ingredients. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was performed in three steps: (i) Sample mapping of products commercialized nationwide; (ii) Ingredients and nutritional data collection and classification; (iii) Statistical analysis. One hundred twenty-five meat substitutes were included and described. The primary protein sources were soy, gluten, and pea protein ingredients. Vegan meat substitutes presented similar energy and protein values, with few exceptions among samples, with vegan canned fish alternatives presenting less protein than their counterparts. Overall vegan products did not differ regarding sodium levels but showed high amounts to compose a lunch or dinner meal. Vegan meat substitutes showed higher carbohydrates, dietary fiber concentrations, and few differences regarding total and saturated fat. Vegan meat substitutes may contribute to the adherence and maintenance of vegan and vegetarian diets. However, future studies about the implemented ingredients are needed.
Case Report and Preliminary Exploration: Protection of Supraclavicular Nerve Branches during Internal Fixation of Clavicular Fractures through Preoperative Ultrasound Localization
Authors: Wang Yulin , Huang Jiapeng , Li Jianjun , Zhou Jinfeng , Zheng Qiang , Chen Zhixue , Wei Penghui , Tang Wenxi
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Protecting the supraclavicular nerve during internal fixation of clavicular fractures can reduce numbness in its innervation area after surgery. Previous methods for supraclavicular nerve protection are empirical, time-consuming, and approximate. In this report, we verified the feasibility of using ultrasound for percutaneous localization of the terminal branches of the supraclavicular nerve and the feasibility of an ultrasound-guided skin flap reserve technique for nerve protection.

Case Presentations

A high-frequency linear array probe was used in three cases to trace the supraclavicular nerve from its origin at the superficial cervical plexus on the surface of the clavicle. In the first case, the feasibility of percutaneous ultrasound localization of the terminal branches of the supraclavicular nerve was determined by performing an ultrasound-guided nerve block. In the second case, the feasibility of this method was determined by directly isolating this nerve under direct vision. In the third case, after the ultrasound localization, the nerves were protected by intraoperative skin retention. In the first case, skin anesthesia of the innervation area of the intermediate branch of the supraclavicular nerve was achieved. In the second case, the part of the nerve that crosses the surface of the clavicle was quickly found and successfully protected, and no obvious abnormal skin sensations were noted after the operation. In the third case, there was no abnormal sensation in most of the associated skin except for the innervation area of the lateral branch of the supraclavicular nerve.

Conclusions

The medial and intermediate branches of the supraclavicular nerve could be located over the skin by ultrasound, and this could be helpful in quickly isolating these nerves intraoperatively. Retaining the corresponding skin can protect the function of these nerve branches and effectively reduce the area of skin numbness after surgery.
Chronometric Administration of Cyclophosphamide and a Double-Stranded DNA-Mix at Interstrand Crosslinks Repair Timing, Called “Karanahan” Therapy, Is Highly Efficient in a Weakly Immunogenic Lewis Carcinoma Model
Authors: Ruzanova Vera , Proskurina Anastasia , Efremov Yaroslav , Kirikovich Svetlana , Ritter Genrikh , Levites Evgenii , Dolgova Evgenia , Potter Ekaterina , Babaeva Oksana , Sidorov Sergey , Taranov Oleg , Ostanin Alexandr , Chernykh Elena , Bogachev Sergey
Published: May 2022

Background and Aims: A new technology based on the chronometric administration of cyclophosphamide and complex composite double-stranded DNA-based compound, which is scheduled in strict dependence on interstrand crosslinks repair timing, and named “Karanahan”, has been developed. Being applied, this technology results in the eradication of tumor-initiating stem cells and full-scale apoptosis of committed tumor cells. In the present study, the efficacy of this novel approach has been estimated in the model of Lewis carcinoma.

Methods: To determine the basic indicative parameters for the approach, the duration of DNA repair in tumor cells, as well as their distribution along the cell cycle, have been assessed. Injections were done into one or both tumors in femoral region of the engrafted mice in accordance with the developed regimen. Four series of experiments were carried out at different periods of time. The content of poorly differentiated CD34+/TAMRA+ cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood has been determined. Immunostaining followed by the flow cytometry was used to analyze the subpopulations of immune cells.

Results: The high antitumor efficacy of the new technology against the developed experimental Lewis carcinoma was shown. It was found that the therapy efficacy depended on the number of tumor growth sites, seasonal and annual peculiarities. In some experiments, a long-term remission has been reached in 70% of animals with a single tumor and in 60% with two tumors. In mice with two developed grafts, mobilization capabilities of both poorly differentiated hematopoietic cells of the host and tumor stem-like cells decrease significantly. Being applied, this new technology was shown to activate a specific immune response. There is an increase in the number of NK cell populations in the blood, tumor, and spleen, killer T cells and T helper cells in the tumor and spleen, CD11b+Ly-6C+ and CD11b+Ly-6G+ cells in the tumor. A population of mature dendritic cells is found in the tumor.

Conclusion: The performed experiments indicate the efficacy of the Karanahan approach against incurable Lewis carcinoma. Thus, the discussed therapy is a new approach for treating experimental neoplasms, which has a potential as a personalized anti-tumor therapeutic approach in humans.
Costs in the Year Following Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation: Relationships With Renal Function and Graft Failure
Authors: Cooper Matthew , Schnitzler Mark , Nilubol Chanigan , Wang Weiying , Wu Zheng , Nordyke Robert J.
Published: May 2022

Relationships between renal function and medical costs for deceased donor kidney transplant recipients are not fully quantified post-transplant. We describe these relationships with renal function measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and graft failure. The United States Renal Data System identified adults receiving single-organ deceased donor kidneys 2012–2015. Inpatient, outpatient, other facility costs and eGFRs at discharge, 6 and 12 months were included. A time-history of costs was constructed for graft failures and monthly costs in the first year post-transplant were compared to those without failure. The cohort of 24,021 deceased donor recipients had a 2.4% graft failure rate in the first year. Total medical costs exhibit strong trends with eGFR. Recipients with 6-month eGFRs of 30–59 ml/min/1.73m2 have total costs 48% lower than those <30 ml/min/1.73m2. For recipients with graft failure monthly costs begin to rise 3–4 months prior to failure, with incremental costs of over $38,000 during the month of failure. Mean annual total incremental costs of graft failure are over $150,000. Total costs post-transplant are strongly correlated with eGFR. Graft failure in the first year is an expensive, months-long process. Further reductions in early graft failures could yield significant human and economic benefits.
A Case Study of a Digital Data Platform for the Agricultural Sector: A Valuable Decision Support System for Small Farmers
Authors: Borrero Juan D. , Mariscal Jesús
Published: May 2022

New players are entering the new and important digital data market for agriculture, increasing power asymmetries and reinforcing their competitive advantages. Although the farmer remains at the heart of agricultural data collection, to date, only a few farmers participate in data platforms. Despite this, more and more decision support systems (DSSs) tools are used in agriculture, and digital platforms as data aggregators could be useful technologies for helping farmers make better decisions. However, as these systems develop, the efficiency of these platforms becomes more challenging (sharing, ownership, governance, and transparency). In this paper, we conduct a case study for an accessible and scalable digital data platform that is focused on adding value to smallholders. The case study research is based on meta-governance theory and multidimensional multilayered digital platform architecture, to determine platform governance and a data development model for the Andalusian (Spain) fruit and vegetable sector. With the information obtained from the agents of this sector, a digital platform called farmdata was designed, which connects to several regional and national, and public and private databases, aggregating data and providing tools for decision making. Results from the interviews reflect the farmer’s interests in participating in a centralized cloud data platform, preferably one that is managed by a university, but also with attention being paid toward security and transparency, as well as providing added value. As for future directions, we propose further research on how the benefits should be distributed among end users, as well as for the study of a distributed model through blockchain.
Analysis and Experiment on the Impact of Various Hook Angle Factors on Spindle Picking Performance
Authors: Wang Lei , Yin Chenghai , Zhang Longchang , Zhang Hongwen , Li Haiyang
Published: May 2022

As the core component of the cotton picker, the structural characteristics of the spindle directly affect not only its picking performance but also different components of the cotton picker. Therefore, in order to reveal the influence of different angle parameters of hook teeth on the performance of the spindle and the optimal hook tooth angle parameters, this study analyzes the working principle of the picking mechanism of the cotton picker and establishes the force balance equation for the process of picking cotton from the spindle. By analyzing the structural characteristics of the spindle, the best section shape of the spindle head is the equilateral triangle section. The spindle with different angle parameters was made by a metal 3D printer, and the testbed for the dynamic picking performance of the spindle was constructed. The single-factor test was carried out with tooth groove angle before the tooth angle and tooth inclination angle as experimental factors, and the rejection rate of seed cotton, picking time, and picking force as evaluation indexes. The results showed that the tooth groove angle and the tooth inclination angle were negatively correlated with the rejection rate of seed cotton (P < 0.01), and the tooth inclination angle was positively correlated with the picking time (p < 0.01). Further analysis shows that in order to reduce the ejection rate of seed cotton and reduce the picking time, the selection range of the tooth inclination angle should be 55~65°, and the large the tooth groove angle should be selected. Finally, the optimum hook angle parameters are determined as follows: tooth groove angle is 70° before the tooth angle is 89°, and the tooth inclination angle is 65°. The results are of practical significance to optimize the structure of picking hook tooth to improve the picking performance of the spindle and high efficiency of the cotton picker.