bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polycystic liver disease with lethal abdominal wall rupture: a case report
Authors: Akuzawa Daichi , Uchida Yoichiro , Ishimura Takuya , Kakita Hiroko , Endo Tomomi , Matsuzaki Naomi , Terajima Hiroaki , Tsukamoto Tatsuo
Published: August 2021

Background

Polycystic liver disease is a clinical feature of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, and it can sometimes cause health damage more serious than polycystic kidney. Dialysis therapy can be used for renal failure, but liver transplantation is the only method available for liver failure. Thus, giant and multiple hepatic cysts may affect mortality. However, liver transplantation is not indicated in many cases because of the preserved liver function.

Case presentation

A 54-year-old Japanese woman with polycystic liver disease was transferred back to our hospital for abdominal pain caused by liver cyst infection with abdominal wall herniation. She had been diagnosed with polycystic liver disease associated with sporadic autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease 25 years earlier. Although she had several surgical interventions to reduce her liver volume, including right hepatic lobectomy and fenestration for liver cysts in another hospital, she needed further repair of the recurrent incisional herniation with patch graft surgery using fascia lata to cover the herniation site. However, new herniation sites reemerged in the fragile abdominal wall area around the patch, and therefore, she reduced the recurrent abdominal wall herniation by herself. Recurrent intestinal obstructions were luckily released by fasting with decompression treatment via nasogastric tube insertion, but multiple skin ulcers around the enlarged hernia sac gradually developed, and ascites was extremely difficult to control with any medication. At final admission, her abdominal wall was even more prominent, causing shortness of breath, and it spontaneously ruptured many times, which was accompanied by discharge of around 5 liters of ascites each time. She died from sepsis caused by drug-resistant Enterococcus.

Conclusions

We report a case of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease with ruptured abdominal wall resulting from a hepatic cyst enlargement despite multiple laparotomy operations. Throughout the entire disease course, her liver volume increased rapidly, and her quality of life was severely impaired, but she could not undergo liver transplantation after readmission to our hospital. We will discuss the therapeutic strategy for this patient, including the timing and indication for liver transplantation.
Coincidental light chain induced proximal tubulopathy with lupus nephritis: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Hamza Wael Mostafa , AlEssa Ahmed Mohammed
Published: August 2021

Background

We report a case of light chain proximal tubulopathy associated with lupus nephritis in a patient known to have systemic lupus erythematosus. The kidney can be injured in several ways in any of these disorders. Light chain proximal tubulopathy is a rare form of renal tubular injury that may occur in and complicate plasma cell dyscrasia, characterized by cytoplasmic inclusions of the monoclonal light chain within proximal tubular cells. Lupus nephritis is a common form of renal injury as it occurs in about 25–50% of adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Case presentation

We present a 57-year-old African patient known to have systemic lupus erythematosus and hypertension presented with a new complaint of microscopic hematuria. A renal biopsy was performed and revealed lupus nephritis class II concurrently associated with light chain induced proximal tubulopathy. A subsequent bone marrow biopsy was performed, which revealed multiple myeloma.

Conclusions

We report a case of coincidental lupus nephritis and proximal tubulopathy featuring a combined constellation of rare histopathological features that might add to the relationship between systemic lupus and paraproteinemia.
Key residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2Ab for oligomerization and pore-formation activity
Authors: Pan Zhi-Zhen , Xu Lian , Liu Bo , Chen Qing-Xi , Zhu Yu-Jing
Published: July 2021

As a pore-forming toxin, activation, oligomerization and pore-formation were both required for the mode of action of Cry toxins. Previous results revealed that the helices α4–α5 of Domain I were involved in the oligomerization of Cry2Ab, however, the key residues for Cry2Ab aggregation remained ambiguous. In present studies, we built 20 Cry2Ab alanine mutants site-directed in the helices α4–α5 of Domain I and demonstrated that mutants N151A, T152A, F157A, L183A, L185A and I188A could reduce the assembly of the 250 kDa oligomers, suggesting that these mutation residues might be essential for Cry2Ab oligomerization. As expected, all of these variants showed lower insecticidal activity against P. xylostella. Furthermore, we found that the pore-forming activities of these mutants also decreased when compared to wild-type Cry2Ab. Taken together, our data identified key residues for Cry2Ab oligomerization and emphasized that oligomerization was closely related to the insecticidal activity and pore-forming activity of Cry2Ab.
Effects of low lead exposure on sperm quality and sperm DNA methylation in adult men
Authors: Zhang Tiancheng , Ru Yan Fei , Wu Bin , Dong Haiyan , Chen Liang , Zheng Jufen , Li Jianhui , Wang Xin , Wang Zhikai , Wang Xuemei , Shen Xiaorong , Wu Jun , Qian Jun , Miao Maohua , Gu Yihua , Shi Huijuan
Published: August 2021

Instruction

Lead (Pb) exposure is a risk factor for male infertility, but the epigenetic changes in sperm DNAattributable to lead exposure is poorly defined.

Methods

In this study, we investigated whether low Pb exposure (<  10 µg/dL) affects the sperm quality. Blood, urine, and semen samples of 297 men of childbearing age were analyzed for all relevant parameters. Based on the blood Pb level (BLL), participants were allocated to RL (0–2.5 µg/dL), RM (2.5–5 µg/dL), and RH (5–10 µg/dL) groups. The 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine patterns in the sperm DNA were identified using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation and hydroxymethylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing.

Results

The non-progressive motility (NP) was significantly increased and associated with global hypomethylation of sperm DNA in the RH group compared with the RL group, indicating that aberrant sperm methylation due to low Pb exposure is possibly associated with reduced sperm motility. The hypomethylated promoter regions were primarily enriched in the calcium (Ca) homeostasis pathway. Further, the interaction between Ca and Pb was associated with sperm rapid progressive motility and asthenospermia risk, although no significant methylation abnormality was observed in those with BLL  <  5 µg/dL. When BLL was  >  5 µg/dL or when predicting NP, no significant Pb–Ca interaction was observed.

Discussion

Overall, our results indicate that aberrant DNA methylation of the Ca homeostasis pathway, induced by low Pb exposure, is the potential cause for reduced sperm velocity.
Predictive performance of dynamic arterial elastance for arterial pressure response to fluid expansion in mechanically ventilated hypotensive adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Zhou Xiaoyang , Pan Weihao , Chen Bixin , Xu Zhaojun , Pan Jianneng
Published: July 2021

Background

Dynamic arterial elastance (Eadyn) has been extensively considered as a functional parameter of arterial load. However, conflicting evidence has been obtained on the ability of Eadyn to predict mean arterial pressure (MAP) changes after fluid expansion. This meta-analysis sought to assess the predictive performance of Eadyn for the MAP response to fluid expansion in mechanically ventilated hypotensive patients.

Methods

We systematically searched electronic databases through November 28, 2020, to retrieve studies that evaluated the association between Eadyn and fluid expansion-induced MAP increases in mechanically ventilated hypotensive adults. Given the diverse threshold value of Eadyn among the studies, we only reported the area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUHSROC) as the primary measure of diagnostic accuracy.

Results

Eight observational studies that included 323 patients with 361 fluid expansions met the eligibility criteria. The results showed that Eadyn was a good predictor of MAP increases in response to fluid expansion, with an AUHSROC of 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89 to 0.94]. Six studies reported the cut-off value of Eadyn, which ranged from 0.65 to 0.89. The cut-off value of Eadyn was nearly conically symmetrical, most data were centred between 0.7 and 0.8, and the mean and median values were 0.77 and 0.75, respectively. The subgroup analyses indicated that the AUHSROC was slightly higher in the intensive care unit (ICU) patients (0.96; 95% CI 0.94 to 0.98) but lower in the surgical patients in the operating room (0.72; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.75). The results indicated that the fluid type and measurement technique might not affect the diagnostic accuracy of Eadyn. Moreover, the AUHSROC for the sensitivity analysis of prospective studies was comparable to that in the primary analysis.

Conclusions

Eadyn exhibits good performance for predicting MAP increases in response to fluid expansion in mechanically ventilated hypotensive adults, especially in the ICU setting.
N2O emission and its influencing factors in subtropical streams, China
Authors: Zhao Binjie , Zhang Quanfa
Published: August 2021

Background

Rivers and streams are one of the primary sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) which is an important greenhouse gas with great global warming potential. Yet, over the past century, human activities have dramatically increased reactive nitrogen loadings into and consequently led to increased N2O emission from the river ecosystems. Here, we carried out a study in two subtropical rivers, i.e., Jinshui River and Qi River with slight and intense human disturbance in their respective catchments in China. The study intended to explore spatial variability and seasonality in N2O emissions, and the relative importance of physicochemical variables, nitrification and denitrification potentials, and functional genes abundance influencing N2O emissions.

Results

N2O concentration, N2O saturation, and N2O flux of Jinshui River peaked in high flow season. N2O concentration, N2O saturations, and N2O flux in Qi River and downstream of Jinshui River were significantly higher than that in other areas in normal and low flow seasons. N2O concentration was positively correlated with water temperature, water NO3−, and DOC, negatively correlated with water NH4+ and DOC/NO3− (the ratio of dissolved organic carbon to NO3− in water), and positively correlated with potential nitrification rate in high flow season, but not correlated with functional genes abundance. Both rivers had lower N2O saturation and flux than many freshwater systems, and their EFr-5 (N2O emission factor for river) was lower than the recommended values of IPCC.

Conclusions

While the two rivers were moderate sources of N2O and N2O emissions in river systems were normally elevated in the summer, areas with intense human disturbance had higher N2O concentration, N2O saturations, and N2O flux than those with slight human disturbance. Physicochemical variables were good indicators of N2O emissions in the river ecosystems.
Rural households’ livelihood vulnerability to climate variability and extremes: a livelihood zone-based approach in the Northeastern Highlands of Ethiopia
Authors: Mekonen Abebe Arega , Berlie Arega Bazezew
Published: August 2021

Background

The adverse effects of climate variability and extremes exert increasing pressure on rural farm households whose livelihoods are dependent on nature. However, integrated and area-specific vulnerability assessments in Ethiopia in general and the study area, in particular, are scarce and insufficient for policy implications. Therefore, this study aims to quantify, map, classify, and prioritize the level of vulnerability in terms of the components of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity in the Northeastern Highlands of Ethiopia. The study area is divided into six livelihood zones, namely, Abay-Beshilo Basin (ABB), South Wollo and Oromia eastern lowland sorghum and cattle (SWS), Chefa Valley (CHV),Meher-Belg,Belg, andMeher.A total of 361 sample households were selected using proportional probability sampling techniques. Survey questionnaire, key informant interview, and focus group discussions were used to collect the necessary data. Rainfall and temperature data were also used. Following the IPCC’s climate change vulnerability assessment approach, the climate vulnerability index (CVI) framework of Sullivan and Meigh’s model was used to assess the relative vulnerability of livelihoods of rural households. Twenty-four vulnerability indicators were identified for exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity components. In this regard, Iyengar and Sudarshan’s unequal weighting system was applied to assign a weight to indicators.

Results

The results revealed thatBelgandMeherwere found to be the highest exposure livelihood zones to vulnerability with an aggregated value of 0.71. Equally, SWS, ABB,Belg, and CHV livelihood zones showed moderate level of sensitivity to vulnerability with an aggregated value between 0.45 and 0.60. The study noted that livelihood zone ofBelg(0.75) was found to be at high level of livelihood vulnerability. ABB (0.57) and CHV (0.45) were at a moderate level of livelihood vulnerability whileMeher-Belg(0.22) was the least vulnerable livelihood zone due to a high level of adaptive capacity such as infrastructure, asset accumulation, and social networks.

Conclusion

It was identified that disparities of livelihood vulnerability levels of rural households were detected across the study livelihood zones due to differences in the interaction of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity components. The highest levels of exposure and sensitivity combined with low level of adaptive capacity have increased households’ livelihood vulnerability. More importantly, the biophysical and socioeconomic sensitivity to livelihood vulnerability were exacerbated by slope/topography, soil erodibility, and population pressure. Therefore, designing livelihood zone-based identifiable adaptation strategies are essential to reduce the exposure and sensitivity of crop-livestock mixed agricultural systems to climate calamity.
A case report of brain abscess caused by Nocardia farcinica
Authors: Song Jiangqin , Dong Lian , Ding Yan , Zhou Junyang
Published: August 2021

Background

Brain abscess due to the Nocardia genus is rarely reported and it is usually found in immunocompromised patients. Treatment of Nocardia brain abscess is troublesome and requires consideration of the severity of the underlying systemic disease. The difficulties in identifying the bacterium and the frequent delay in initiating adequate therapy often influence the prognosis of patients.

Case presentation

Here, we report a rare case of brain abscess caused by Nocardia farcinica. The patient’s medical history was complicated: he was hospitalized several times, but no pathogens were found. At last, bacteria were found in the culture of brain abscess puncture fluid; the colony was identified as Nocardia farcinica by mass spectrometry. Targeted antibiotic treatment was implemented, brain abscess tended to alleviate, but the patient eventually developed fungal pneumonia and died of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Conclusion

Brain abscess caused by Nocardia farcinica can appear in non-immunocompromised individuals. Early diagnosis, reasonable surgical intervention, and targeted antibiotic treatment are critical for Nocardia brain abscess treatment. In the treatment of Nocardia brain abscess, attention should paid be to the changes in patients’ immunity and infection with other pathogens, especially fungi, avoided.
TLR7/8 signalling affects X-sperm motility via the GSK3 α/β-hexokinase pathway for the efficient production of sexed dairy goat embryos
Authors: Ren Fa , Xi Huaming , Ren Yijie , Li Yu , Wen Fei , Xian Ming , Zhao Mengjie , Zhu Dawei , Wang Liqiang , Lei Anmin , Hu Jianhong
Published: August 2021

Background

Goat milk is very similar to human milk in terms of its abundant nutrients and ease of digestion. To derive greater economic benefit, farmers require more female offspring (does); however, the buck-to-doe offspring sex ratio is approximately 50%. At present, artificial insemination after the separation of X/Y sperm using flow cytometry is the primary means of controlling the sex of livestock offspring. However, flow cytometry has not been successfully utilised for the separation of X/Y sperm aimed at sexing control in dairy goats.

Results

In this study, a novel, simple goat sperm sexing technology that activates the toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8), thereby inhibiting X-sperm motility, was investigated. Our results showed that the TLR7/8 coding goat X-chromosome was expressed in approximately 50% of round spermatids in the testis and sperm, as measured from cross-sections of the epididymis and ejaculate, respectively. Importantly, TLR7/8 was located at the tail of the X-sperm. Upon TLR7/8 activation, phosphorylated forms of glycogen synthase kinase α/β (GSK3 α/β) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) were detected in the X-sperm, causing reduced mitochondrial activity, ATP levels, and sperm motility. High-motility Y-sperm segregated to the upper layer and the low-motility X-sperm, to the lower layer. Following in vitro fertilisation using the TLR7/8-activated sperm from the lower layer, 80.52 ± 6.75% of the embryos were XX females. The TLR7/8-activated sperm were subsequently used for in vivo embryo production via the superovulatory response; nine embryos were collected from the uterus of two does that conceived. Eight of these were XX embryos, and one was an XY embryo.

Conclusions

Our study reveals a novel TLR7/8 signalling mechanism that affects X-sperm motility via the GSK3 α/β-hexokinase pathway; this technique could be used to facilitate the efficient production of sexed dairy goat embryos.
Feasibility, tolerance and effects of adding impact loading exercise to pulmonary rehabilitation in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial
Authors: Cecins Erin , Hill Kylie , Taaffe Dennis R. , Manners David , Hill Anne-Marie , Newton Robert U. , Galvão Daniel A. , Cavalheri Vinicius
Published: August 2021

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disorder linked with a multitude of extra pulmonary manifestations (also known as treatable traits), including low bone mineral density (BMD). To date, no specific guidelines exist for the management of BMD in this population. Impact loading exercise has been identified as an intervention that improves or maintains BMD in other populations. However, the feasibility of and tolerance to impact loading exercise has not been tested in people with COPD. The aim of the proposed study will be to investigate the feasibility and tolerance of adding impact loading exercise to a standard pulmonary rehabilitation programme (PRP) in people with COPD and report its effects on bone health, balance and falls risk.

Methods

This is a protocol for a pilot feasibility and tolerance randomised controlled trial (RCT). Fifty-eight people with COPD will be randomly allocated, on a 1:1 ratio, to either the experimental or control group. Initially, participants in both groups will complete a standard 8-week (twice-weekly) PRP followed by a 32-week period of maintenance exercises. Over the initial 8-week period, participants allocated to the experimental group will also undertake targeted lower limb resistance exercises and commence a programme of impact loading exercises (e.g. bounding and drop jumps). On completion of the initial 8-week PRP, in addition to the standard maintenance exercises, participants in the experimental group will continue with home-based impact loading exercises, four times a week, for the extra 32 weeks. The primary outcome of this study is feasibility of and tolerance to impact loading exercises. Feasibility will be measured using data collected pertaining to recruitment, withdrawal and completion. Adherence to the exercises will be collected using exercise logs. Tolerance to the exercises will be determined using outcomes to assess pain, recording any adverse effects such as a fall and feedback from the participants in semi-structured interviews on completing of the trial. The effects of the 40-week experimental intervention on bone health, balance and falls risk will be reported.

Discussion

This pilot RCT will test the feasibility and tolerance of an intervention that has never been trialed in people with COPD. It will also provide initial information regarding the size of the effect this intervention has on outcomes such as BMD, balance and falls risk. These data will be critical when designing a definitive RCT to advance this area of research.

Trial registration

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): 12620001085965 (20/10/2020)
The dimensionality of phonological awareness among Brazilian Portuguese-speaking children: a longitudinal study
Authors: Justi Cláudia Nascimento Guaraldo , Henriques Flávia Guimarães , dos Reis Justi Francis Ricardo
Published: August 2021

Phonological awareness is one of the most important predictors of reading. However, there is still controversy concerning its dimensionality. This study evaluated the dimensionality of phonological awareness among Brazilian Portuguese-speaking children. A total of 212 children performed six phonological awareness tasks in the last year of kindergarten. Of those children, 177 performed the same tasks when they were in the first grade. The phonological awareness measures differed in both their cognitive demand (detection, blending, segmentation, and elision) and the phonological unit involved (rhyme, syllable, and phoneme). Confirmatory factor analyzes were employed to test several models of phonological awareness dimensionality. The results indicated that the best model was an oblique model of phonological units with two correlated latent factors: phonemic awareness and supraphonemic awareness. This model presented the best fit to the data both in kindergarten and in the first grade. In addition, supraphonemic awareness in the kindergarten predicted phoneme awareness in the first grade; however, phonemic awareness in the kindergarten did not predict supraphonemic awareness in the first grade. These results are compatible with phonological awareness developing from larger phonological units (e.g., syllables) to small phonological units (e.g., phonemes) and the reciprocal relationship between phonological awareness and reading. From a theoretical point of view, these results also suggest that phonological awareness is a one-dimensional construct that can be evaluated by tests employing different phonological units (e.g., syllables, rhymes, phonemes).
Graphene saturable absorbers applications in fiber lasers
Authors: Peng Xi , Yan Yixin
Published: August 2021

Two-dimensional materials are widely used in a variety of fields, such as medical treatment, industrial preparation, machining, etc. In this review, we have made a detailed description of the development of fiber lasers as well as the evolution of two-dimensional materials, especially graphene. In addition, we describe the optical properties of graphene and its preparations, for instance, chemical exfoliatio, liquid phase exfoliation, electrochemical technique, chemical vapor deposition, supercritical fluid exfoliation, and thermal exfoliation. Meanwhile, we also summarized several types of graphene saturable absorbers like all fiber, D-shaped, and optical deposition. Furthermore, we summarize the optical applications of fiber lasers based on graphene. Finally, we also take a look at the future perspectives of graphene and discuss the future applications of graphene in the field of optics. It is note worth that future fiber lasers will use more heterostructures or gas-solid mixtures to prepare saturable absorbers.
Crocodile blood supplementation protects vascular function in diabetic mice
Authors: Chook Chui Yiu Bamboo , Chen Francis M. , Tse Gary , Leung Fung Ping , Wong Wing Tak
Published: August 2021

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality in diabetic patients due to the heightened oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory state in vascular tissues. Effective approaches targeting cardiovascular health for diabetic patients are urgently needed. Crocodile blood, an emerging dietary supplement, was suggested to have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro, which have yet to be proven in animal models. This study thereby aimed to evaluate whether crocodile blood can protect vascular function in diabetic mice against oxidation and inflammation. Diabetic db/db mice and their counterparts db/m+ mice were treated daily with crocodile blood soluble fraction (CBSF) or vehicle via oral gavage for 4 weeks before their aortae were harvested for endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) quantification using wire myograph, which is a well-established functional study for vascular function indication. Organ culture experiments culturing mouse aortae from C57BL/6 J mice with or without IL-1β and CBSF were done to evaluate the direct effect of CBSF on endothelial function. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in mouse aortae were assessed by dihydroethidium (DHE) staining with inflammatory markers in endothelial cells quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). CBSF significantly improved deteriorated EDR in db/db diabetic mice through both diet supplementation and direct culture, with suppression of ROS level in mouse aortae. CBSF also maintained EDR and reduced ROS levels in mouse aortae against the presence of pro-inflammatory IL-1β. Under the pro-inflammatory state induced by IL-1β, gene expressions of inflammatory cytokines were downregulated, while the protective transcripts UCP2 and SIRT6 were upregulated in endothelial cells. Our study suggests a novel beneficial effect of crocodile blood on vascular function in diabetic mice and that supplementation of diet with crocodile blood may act as a complementary approach to protect against vascular diseases through anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation in diabetic patients.

Graphical abstract
The value of intra-operative ultrasonography on safety margin and outcome during liver resection and radio-frequency ablation in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma patients
Authors: Mogahed Mohamed , Zytoon Ashraf Anas , Abdel Haleem Ahmed , Imam ElSayed , Ghanem Nashwa , Abdellatif Wessam M.
Published: August 2021

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important health issue worldwide. Liver resection is the optimal management for early compensated HCC patients, but the majority of HCC patients are not candidates for resection. Several nonsurgical treatment modalities such as radio-frequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation (MWA), trans-arterial chemoembolization, and immune therapy have been established. Intra-operative ultrasound (IOUS) is essential for accurate staging and secures both resection and RFA. We aimed to detect the value of using IOUS on safety margin and outcome during liver resection and RFA in the management of HCC patients. In the current study, 76 HCC patients, 58 males and 18 females, were included. Patients' age ranged from 49 to 69 years. Patients were divided into two groups: 52 open surgery liver resections (open resection group) and 24 laparoscopic-assisted RFA guided with laparoscopic IOUS (LARFA group). The open resection group was further subdivided into 32 cases for whom IOUS was performed and 20 patients studied retrospectively without IOUS. Surgical decisions were based on preoperative ultrasonography, computed tomography, and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We determined the size, number of lesions, and location by IOUS and compared them with preoperative imaging. Histopathology was done for resected lesions and follow-up CT for all patients.

Results

In the open resection group, the 32 cases of 52 for whom IOUS was performed, all had free surgical margin (100%) while 18 of 20 patients studied retrospectively without IOUS had free surgical margin (90%). Patients operated guided by IOUS had less morbidity and mortality with less operative time and hospital stay. In the LARFA group (24 patients with 37 lesions), the one-month follow-up showed complete ablation for all lesions in the 24 patients, while 12-month follow-up proved two cases of recurrence.

Conclusions

IOUS is a cornerstone in liver surgery. It improves outcomes with less morbidity and mortality and helps to achieve free surgical margin. Using IOUS allows the performance of radical but conservative hepatic resection.
Coupled hypergraph maps and chaotic cluster synchronization
Authors: Böhle T. , Kuehn C. , Mulas R. , Jost J.
Published: August 2021

Coupled map lattices (CMLs) are prototypical dynamical systems on networks/graphs. They exhibit complex patterns generated via the interplay of diffusive/Laplacian coupling and nonlinear reactions modelled by a single iterated map at each node; the maps are often taken as unimodal, e.g., logistic or tent maps. In this letter, we propose a class of higher-order coupled dynamical systems involving the hypergraph Laplacian, which we call coupled hypergraph maps (CHMs). By combining linearized (in-)stability analysis of synchronized states, hypergraph spectral theory, and numerical methods, we detect robust regions of chaotic cluster synchronization occurring in parameter space upon varying coupling strength and the main bifurcation parameter of the unimodal map. Furthermore, we find key differences between Laplacian and hypergraph Laplacian coupling and detect various other classes of periodic and quasi-periodic patterns. The results show the high complexity of coupled graph maps and indicate that they might be an excellent universal model class to understand the similarities and differences between dynamics on classical graphs and dynamics on hypergraphs.
Quantitative developmental biology in vitro using micropatterning
Authors: Blin Guillaume
Published: August 2021

Micropatterning encompasses a set of methods aimed at precisely controlling the spatial distribution of molecules onto the surface of materials. Biologists have borrowed the idea and adapted these methods, originally developed for electronics, to impose physical constraints on biological systems with the aim of addressing fundamental questions across biological scales from molecules to multicellular systems. Here, I approach this topic from a developmental biologist's perspective focusing specifically on how and why micropatterning has gained in popularity within the developmental biology community in recent years. Overall, this Primer provides a concise overview of how micropatterns are used to study developmental processes and emphasises how micropatterns are a useful addition to the developmental biologist’s toolbox.
Single-cell morphometrics reveals ancestral principles of notochord development
Authors: Andrews Toby G. R. , Pönisch Wolfram , Paluch Ewa K. , Steventon Benjamin J. , Benito-Gutierrez Elia
Published: August 2021

Embryonic tissues are shaped by the dynamic behaviours of their constituent cells. To understand such cell behaviours and how they evolved, new approaches are needed to map out morphogenesis across different organisms. Here, we apply a quantitative approach to learn how the notochord forms during the development of amphioxus: a basally branching chordate. Using a single-cell morphometrics pipeline, we quantify the geometries of thousands of amphioxus notochord cells, and project them into a common mathematical space, termed morphospace. In morphospace, notochord cells disperse into branching trajectories of cell shape change, revealing a dynamic interplay between cell shape change and growth that collectively contributes to tissue elongation. By spatially mapping these trajectories, we identify conspicuous regional variation, both in developmental timing and trajectory topology. Finally, we show experimentally that, unlike ascidians but like vertebrates, posterior cell division is required in amphioxus to generate full notochord length, thereby suggesting this might be an ancestral chordate trait that is secondarily lost in ascidians. Altogether, our novel approach reveals that an unexpectedly complex scheme of notochord morphogenesis might have been present in the first chordates.

This article has an associated ‘The people behind the papers’ interview.
Characterization of cellulose-degrading microbiota from the eastern subterranean termite and soil
Authors: Xie Xianfa , Anderson Alonzo B. , Wran Latoya J. , Serrano Myrna G. , Buck Gregory A.
Published: August 2021

Background: While there have been a lot of studies on the termite gut microbiota, there has been very little research directly on the cellulose-degrading microbiota in termites or their soil environment. This study addresses this problem by profiling cellulose-degrading bacteria and archaea in the selective cellulose cultures of two samples of the eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) and one soil sample collected at the same location as one of the termite samples.

Methods: All the cultures were examined for cell concentration and remaining cellulose after the culture was completed. The 16S rRNA pyrotag sequencing method was used to identify the prokaryotic microbiota for the three cultures and one termite colony without culture. The MOTHUR, SSU-ALIGN, RDPTools, phyloseq, and other R packages were used for sequence and statistical analyses.

Results: Biochemical analyses of the cultures suggested high efficiency of cellulose degradation. Comparative analyses between the cultured and uncultured termite gut microbiota revealed a significant difference. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were found to be the two most abundant phyla of cellulose-degrading bacteria from the three cultures, but different classes within each phylum dominated the different samples. Shared and sample-specific cellulose-degrading taxa, including a core set of taxa across all the cultures, were identified.

Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the importance of using selective cellulose culture to study the cellulose-degrading microbial community. It also revealed that the cellulose-degrading microbiota in the eastern subterranean termite is significantly influenced by the microbiota in the surrounding soil environment. Biochemical analyses showed that the microbial communities enriched from all the selective cultures were efficient in degrading cellulose, and a core set of bacteria have been identified as targets for further functional analyses.
Translation, validity and reliability of the Danish version of the Adolescent Insomnia Questionnaire
Authors: Andreucci Alessandro , Lund Straszek Christian , Skovdal Rathleff Michael , Guldhammer Clara , de la Vega Rocio , Palermo Tonya M.
Published: August 2021

Background: The Adolescent Insomnia Questionnaire (AIQ), English version, is the only validated screening measure developed specifically to identify insomnia symptoms in adolescents. To date, no specific screening tool for adolescent insomnia is present in Danish language. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the AIQ in a sample of Danish adolescents.

Methods: The AIQ underwent a process of forward-backward translation and pilot testing. Subsequently, data were collected at baseline and two-week follow-up from adolescents aged 11-19, who completed both the AIQ and an available adult measure of insomnia (the Athens Insomnia Scale, AIS). The internal consistency, test-retest reliability and convergent validity were assessed. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the latent factors underlying the questionnaire.

Results: At baseline 185 adolescents (18% males and 82% females, mean age 16.0 years) and 102 (55.1%) at two-week follow-up completed the questionnaires. The AIQ showed excellent internal consistency for the total score (Cronbach's a: 0.88) and good convergent validity with the AIS total score (Pearson’s correlation value= 0.86, P<0.001). The test-retest reliability at two weeks was very satisfactory (ICC coefficient = 0.89; 95% CI 0.84, 0.92). Results from the exploratory factor analysis identified a three-model solution corresponding to the same three-model solution identified within the original development sample.

Conclusions: The Danish version of the AIQ demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability and validity, which supports its use as a screening tool for the identification of insomnia symptoms in adolescents, including Danish-speaking adolescents.
Development of a framework for the implementation of synchronous e-mental health: a protocol for a realist synthesis of systematic reviews
Authors: Villarreal-Zegarra David , Alarcon-Ruiz Christoper A. , Melendez-Torres G.J. , Torres-Puente Roberto , Ambrosio-Melgarejo Juan , Romero-Cabrera Alejandra B. , Navarro-Flores Alba , Albitres-Flores Leonardo , Lindo-Cavero Ana , Huarcaya-Victoria Jeff
Published: August 2021

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been necessary to deliver mental health care using technologies (e-mental health). But there have been difficulties in its application. Quantitative systematic reviews such as meta-analysis doesn’t allow us to fully identify and properly describe this subject. Thus, our study has two main objectives: a) "to determine what evidence is available for synchronous e-mental health implementation"; and b) "to develop a framework informed by a realist analysis for the implementation of synchronous e-mental health".

Methods: We will search MEDLINE, EBM Reviews, PsycINFO, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CINAHL Complete, and Web of Science databases from 1st January 2015 to September 2020, with no language restriction. A systematic review with a narrative description and a realist synthesis will be conducted. Primary studies relating to adults with common mental health problems using any type of mobile mental health intervention that includes a synchronic component and communication with a mental health professional will be included. For the analysis, we will make a realist synthesis of the systematic reviews, using a grounded theory approach with an emergent approach to synthesize the information, prioritizing the systematic reviews with a lower risk of bias in the AMSTAR-2 tool. The realist synthesis will be based on the interpretation, integration, and inference of the evaluated elements and the generation of hypotheses to better understand the implementation process of synchronous e-mental health. Finally, we will present the overall assessment in a Summary of Qualitative Findings table.

Conclusion:Our results will allow a better understanding of the facilitator and limitations in implementing e-mental health.
THE CURRENT STATE OF GRAIN PRODUCTION IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Authors: Fayzrakhmanov Dzhaudat , Valiev Ayrat , Ziganshin Bulat , Subaeva Asiya , Zalaltdinov Marat
Published: August 2021

The level of providing the population with livestock products at the expense of their own production largely depends on the development of grain production, which is an important strategic component of the country's food security. Achieving this goal is possible only with the stable functioning of the entire agricultural sector, the main direction of which is to increase the volume of grain production and increase the economic efficiency of its organization and management. Grain farming is the basis of agricultural production, which has a decisive influence on the development of all its branches.

In connection with the above, the analysis of the state of grain production in the Russian Federation in the conditions of transition to export-oriented production becomes relevant. In this connection, the analysis of the sown areas of grain and leguminous crops in farms of all categories, in the context of the main categories of farms of the Russian Federation, was carried out. In addition, a study of the yield of grain and leguminous crops in the context of the main categories of farms of the Russian Federation was conducted, all this allowed us to state that the intensive development of grain production for the period from 2016 to 2020. it became possible due to a change in the structure of sown areas, an increase in the yield of grain and leguminous crops. Thus, in the main category of grain producers, the gross harvest increased by 8.1 %, amounting to 93.2 thousand tons. in peasant (farm) farms, the volume of grain production increased by 17.7 % or from 33.47 to 39.41 million tons. In the households of the population, the gross grain harvest was distinguished by a downward trend – from 1023 thousand tons to 858 thousand tons, or by 16.1 % compared to the level of the base year
METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING THE MAIN INDICATORS OF THE TEMPERATURE AND DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COOLING SYSTEM OF AN ENERGY VEHICLE DURING OPERATION
Authors: Parlyuk Ekaterina , Bol'shakov Nikolay
Published: August 2021

The efficiency of internal combustion engines of energy facilities operating in the conditions of enterprises of the agro-industrial complex depends on the stability of the thermal regime of the engine. Its provision is entrusted to the cooling system, in this article which is a radiator with a polyurethane core. The temperature regime of the engine operation affecting a number of factors is given and described - these are design parameters (design features of the radiator and the features of the working process of the radiator, taking into account the operating conditions of the tractor) and operational, which take into account the operating mode of the tractor and natural and climatic conditions. According to the research results during the operation of the tractor in steady conditions, the temperature of the coolant in the system is stable, respectively, the temperature field of the air flow at the inlet and outlet of the radiator with a polyurethane core also stabilizes. To take them into account, the coefficient of thermal properties of the radiator is introduced, which depends on the external and internal temperature-dynamic effects of the environment, and a diagram is constructed that shows the dependence of the temperature of the coolant flowing in the radiator on the generated load of the tractor during operation in the field. At the same time, the temperature-dynamic characteristic of the tractor does not depend on the design features of the engine, but on the power developed by the engine. Therefore, the heat removed from the engine into the coolant is calculated by us through the engine power. Based on this, the characteristic of the thermal balance of the engine and the heat transfer of the radiator during the operation of the tractor at full load are considered, taking into account the change in gears within the speed limits, a graph of the thermal balance of the engine and radiator versus speed is built. Based on the calculations, it was concluded that the use of the characteristics of the traction-dynamic balance of the tractor can serve as the basis for the general analysis and calculated and experimental operating modes of the automotive polymer radiator and the cooling system as a whole, taking into account the loads, climatic conditions and operating parameters of the cooling system
THEORETICAL RESEARCH ROLLER FOR SMALL TILLAGE MACHINE
Authors: Yunusov Gubeydulla , Aleshkin Aleksey , Ziganshin Bulat , Haliullin Damir
Published: August 2021

The efficiency of the agricultural sector, and in particular the production of crop products, to a greater extent depends on the cost of the products obtained, which can be reduced, taking into account the factors affecting the technical, economic and operational indicators. Every year, the demand for small-sized tillage equipment, which is a real assistant for gardeners when working on their backyard plots, is growing. But in order to increase the functionality of the equipment and the quality of soil preparation for sowing, it is necessary to conduct research on the possibility of using various additional working bodies for the walk-behind tractor. The aim of the research is to develop and study the design of an active roller for a walk-behind tractor, which allows high-quality preparation of the soil for sowing. To solve the set tasks, the mechanical system of a slatted-spiral roller for a walk-behind tractor is considered. The number of degrees of freedom, the kinematic connection and the position of the mechanical system in the inertial frame of reference associated with the walk-behind tractor have been determined. Taking into account some assumptions, neglecting the small values of some variables, on the basis of the Lagrange equation of the second kind, a differential equation of motion for generalized coordinates is compiled. To solve the differential equation of motion, the kinetic energy of the system is calculated, which is determined as the sum of the kinetic energies of the frame and the roller. The expression for determining the kinetic energy of the system depends on the axial and centrifugal moments of inertia, mass, angular and linear speeds of the frame and roller. The expressions obtained make it possible to substantiate the main rational design and technological parameters of a slatted-spiral roller for a walk-behind tractor
The role of TGF-β2 in cartilage development and diseases
Authors: Duan Mengmeng , Wang Qingxuan , Liu Yang , Xie Jing
Published: August 2021

Transforming growth factor-beta2 (TGF-β2) is recognized as a versatile cytokine that plays a vital role in regulation of joint development, homeostasis, and diseases, but its role as a biological mechanism is understood far less than that of its counterpart, TGF-β1. Cartilage as a load-resisting structure in vertebrates however displays a fragile performance when any tissue disturbance occurs, due to its lack of blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics. Recent reports have indicated that TGF-β2 is involved in the physiological processes of chondrocytes such as proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis, and the pathological progress of cartilage such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). TGF-β2 also shows its potent capacity in the repair of cartilage defects by recruiting autologous mesenchymal stem cells and promoting secretion of other growth factor clusters. In addition, some pioneering studies have already considered it as a potential target in the treatment of OA and RA. This article aims to summarize the current progress of TGF-β2 in cartilage development and diseases, which might provide new cues for remodelling of cartilage defect and intervention of cartilage diseases.
The inverse non-stationary problem of identification of defects in an elastic rod
Authors: FEDOTENKOV Grigory V. , MAKAREVSKII Dmitry I. , VAHTEROVA Yana A. , THANG Trah Quyet
Published: August 2021

Non-stationary inverse problems of deformed solid mechanics are among the most underexplored due to, inter alia, increasing dimension of non-stationary problems per unit as compared with stationary and static problems, as well as necessity to consider the initial conditions. In the context of the continuing progress of the aviation and aerospace industries, the question arises about technical condition monitoring of aircraft for the purposes of their safe operation. A large proportion of an aircraft structure consists of beam and rod elements exposed to various man-made and natural effects which cause defects inaccessible for visual inspection and required to be identified well in advance. It is well known that defects (such as cracks, cavities, rigid and elastic inclusions) are concentrators of stresses and largely cause processes, which lead to the destruction of elastic bodies. Therefore, the problem of identification of such defects and their parameters, i.e. the problem of identification, represents a great practical interest. Mathematically, the problem of identification represents a non-linear inverse problem. The development of methods of solving such problems is currently a live fundamental research issue.