bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges and Enablers for Smartphone Use by Persons With Vision Loss During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Report of Two Case Studies
Authors: Senjam Suraj Singh , Primo Susan A.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Studies have reported that knowledge and skills to operate smartphones among people with profound visual loss are limited especially in low- to middle-income countries as many important functions of smartphones are unknown to them. This report presents smartphone use, its challenges, and enablers in two persons with profound visual impairment while executing their daily routine and instrumental living activities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case selection and interview

During the lockdown period, we provided tele (vision) rehabilitation service. From the list of the callers, we purposely selected two callers with significant visual impairment, one woman and one man, to allow us to gather rich information related to smartphone use, enablers, and challenges faced during the usage. A semistructured interview was done to obtain insights into the information. The selection criteria were (1) continuous smartphone use independently for more than 5 years; (2) graduation-level education or higher; and (3) no additional disabilities.

Discussion

We found substantial use of smartphones in executing their daily and instrumental daily living activities by these two participants. The extent of the use of mainstream apps for various tasks was almost equivalent to what we observed among sighted persons. The most important enabling factors were the presence of a screen reader “TalkBack” on Android phones and data connection of the mobile, followed by the ability to assess multiple languages using the text-to-speech feature. A supportive environment from peers or family members is important for the beginner. Poor battery backup, frequent unwanted ads or pop-ups while using the phone, not readable contents with a screen reader, e.g., CAPTCHA, and slow or unresponsiveness of the screen reader were frequent challenges faced by them. Both cases reported that around 80% of daily solutions were helped by using a smartphone.

Conclusions

The current advances in accessible technology of smartphones enable an individual with profound visual loss to use them almost equivalently as a sighted person. To reduce the gap in digital inclusion, people with visual impairment should be encouraged to use the smartphone for their daily solutions with attention to proper training.
A Case Report of Histoplasma-Associated Empyema Treated With Intravenous Injection and Local Thoracic Irrigation of Amphotericin B Plus Medical Thoracoscopy
Authors: Cui Ning , Wang Lijun , Zhao Jingming
Published: July 2022

Cases of empyema associated with Histoplasma infection are rarely reported. Here, we discuss a case of Histoplasma-associated empyema successfully treated with amphotericin B intravenous and pleural infusion therapy and multiple medical thoracoscopies. A 57-year-old Chinese woman with preexisting diabetes mellitus and gastric cancer had massive left-sided pleural effusion diagnosed by chest computed tomography. Her pleural effusion was purulent through pleural catheter drainage, and the culture of the pleural fluid showed Escherichia coli and Streptococcus constellation. Histopathology of the thoracoscopic pleural biopsy after hexamine silver and PAS staining supported Histoplasma infection. The patient was treated with intravenous injection and local thoracic irrigation of amphotericin B and continuous oral administration of itraconazole. At the same time, the patient received thoracic cannulation, daily thoracic lavage and thoracoscopy for purulent and necrotic tissue removal three times during hospitalization. The patient's pleural effusion and necrotic tissue in the pleural cavity were significantly reduced in a short time, and the clinical symptoms were significantly improved. After discharge, the patient recovered well and had no obvious complications or sequelae. Intravenous injection and local thoracic irrigation of amphotericin B are safe and effective drug therapies to treat fungal-associated empyema such as Histoplasma. Medical thoracoscopy effectively shortens the recovery time of empyema, improving the prognosis and reducing complications.
Risk Assessment of Chlorothalonil as a Probable Human Carcinogen on Selected Vegetables in an Eastern China Province
Authors: Sun Chen-Xi , Liu Bing , Wang Wen-Bo , Yuan Xue-Xia , Wu Yuan-Juan
Published: July 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to provide an assessment of chlorothalonil's possible carcinogenic risk posed to the public. In combination and comparison with the non-carcinogenic risk, the results hopefully could provide useful insights, early warning, and references for policy formulation.

Methods

This study firstly investigated the occurrence of chlorothalonil on selected key vegetables for different scenarios, and then conducted an exposure assessment with officially published data. Lastly, both the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk of chlorothalonil were calculated by using Monte-Carlo simulation.

Results

Even though mean non-carcinogenic risks of chlorothalonil for all scenarios were below threshold value, the mean carcinogenic risks for maximum-risk scenario and most-likely risk scenario were mostly above threshold value. High probabilities of exceedance of threshold value existed for carcinogenic risk under all scenarios.

Conclusion

Potential threat to public health existed for conventionally ‘safe' pesticide if considering the possible carcinogenicity. Extra caution should be taken and the potential carcinogenic effects should be included into consideration for better protection of public health during the policy formulation process.
Modeling the Intention and Adoption of Wearable Fitness Devices: A Study Using SEM-PLS Analysis
Authors: Yang Qing , Al Mamun Abdullah , Hayat Naeem , Jingzu Gao , Hoque Mohammad Enamul , Salameh Anas A.
Published: July 2022

Wearable fitness devices (WFDs) are prevalent personal technology that empowers the users' management and supervision of their personal health. The current study explored the impact of health consciousness, health motivation, perceived cost, compatibility, usefulness, and perceived technology accuracy with the intention to use the WFDs. Furthermore, the users' conspicuous consumption and intention promote the usage of WFDs. A cross-sectional and quantitative research design was utilized for the current study, followed by data collection through social media and a final analysis with 1,071 samples data. The data analysis was accomplished with the partial least square regression structural equation modeling. The findings of this study revealed that the users' level of health consciousness, perceived compatibility, usefulness, perceived cost, and technology accuracy significantly influenced the intention to use WFDs. However, the conspicuous consumption and intention indicated the support for the usage behavior of the WFDs. This behavior significantly moderated the relationship between the intention and usage behavior for the WFDs. This study contributed to the theoretical realm for prompting the intention to use the WFDs with personal protection motivation that depicts the coping strategy and technology level attributes that form the intention to use WFDs. The WFDs manufacturers should therefore focus on developing WFDs features that harness usage behavior among the adults. Developing the personal responsibility to reduce the burden of the healthcare system and taking care of personal health could promote the usage of the WFDs.
The Association Between Spicy Food Intake and Risk of Hyperuricemia Among Chinese Adults
Authors: Luo Qinwen , Ding Rui , Chen Liling , Bu Xiaoqing , Xiao Meng , Liu Xiang , Wu Yunyun , Xu Jingru , Tang Wenge , Qiu Jingfu , Ding Xianbin , Tang Xiaojun
Published: July 2022

Hyperuricemia is associated with substantial health and economic burden all over the world. Dietary habits are an important influencing factor of hyperuricemia. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between spicy food intake and hyperuricemia based on a large population. A total of 22,125 individuals aged 30–79 were enrolled in China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC), Chongqing region. Spicy food intake information was collected by a standardized questionnaire. The association between spicy food intake and hyperuricemia was estimated by multivariable logistic regression models and multiple linear regression models. Additionally, we explored these relations in subgroups stratified by sex and age. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses were conducted to verify the stability of current findings. After controlling for potential confounders, compared with participants who never consumed spicy food and consumed less hot, participants who ate 3–5 days per week and very hot had the highest risk of hyperuricemia; the ORs (95% CIs) were 1.28 (1.09, 1.5) and 1.22 (0.92, 1.63), respectively. Additionally, the corresponding ORs (95% CIs) for each level increment in the frequency and degree of pungency in spicy food intake were 1.04 (1.01, 1.07) (P trend = 0.009) and 1.15 (1.04, 1.26) (P trend = 0.004). Further in sex-stratified and age-stratified analysis, similar positive associations were observed among men and those aged 30–59, but no significant association was found among women and those aged 60–79. In the linear regression models, 3–5 days per week and moderate pungency in spicy food intake were associated with 5.21 μmol/L (95% CI: 1.72, 8.70) and 4.69 μmol/L (95% CI: 1.93, 7.45) higher serum urate level. Results in further subgroup analysis were generally consistent with the logistic regression models. This study suggests that spicy food intake may be a risk factor for hyperuricemia, especially in men and younger people, and more studies are warranted to verify the causal associations.
How a Developing Country Faces COVID-19 Rehabilitation: The Chilean Experience
Authors: Torres-Castro Rodrigo , Neculhueque-Zapata Ximena , Hrzic-Miranda Katherina , Gutiérrez-Arias Ruvistay , Valenzuela-Suazo Raúl , Castro-Acuña Cristobal , Ríos-Quevedo Marianela , Águila-Villanueva Camilo , Seron Pamela
Published: July 2022

The coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has been one of the most significant challenges to public health in recent decades. The heterogeneity of government responses and the varying preparedness of health systems has determined that the pandemic's impact differs from country to country. Chile is no stranger to the challenges posed by rehabilitation in a developing country. We aimed to describe the approach to rehabilitation during the pandemic in Chile in the public health system since rehabilitation is considered a relevant health strategy from the prevention to management of complications, mitigation of sequelae, or new complications associated with COVID-19. For this, a descriptive study was conducted on the rehabilitation strategies implemented by Chile to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis includes the context of the Chilean health system and the matrix of access to rehabilitation services in COVID-19. The Health Ministry (MINSAL) rehabilitation strategy includes five central axes: approaches, specific lines, transversal lines, intervention, and funding. Additionally, the policies were based and supported by the WHO recommendations. Intensive care unit beds were increased approximately 68%, and the primary care response was the reconversion of function depending on the epidemiological context. During the 2021–2022 period, the estimated number of people diagnosed with a post-COVID-19 condition was 80,528. With this, we can conclude that a developing country has managed to coordinate a rehabilitation policy for people with COVID-19 by generating a structure of the different health system levels. However, the effectiveness of this policy will need to be evaluated in the future.
The Effect of Thunder-Fire Moxibustion on Lumbar Disc Herniation: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zhang Jiale , Zhai Xu , Wang Xue , Wang Liuqing , Tong Hongxuan , Xian Tiancai , Shao Lexuan
Published: July 2022

Background

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common disease seen in orthopedics; it is caused by nucleus pulposus herniation. Its clinical manifestations are low back pain, radiating pain of the lower limbs, and cauda equina symptoms that seriously affect patients' quality of life. At present, oral analgesics are commonly used in the treatment of LDH; but they can produce gastrointestinal reactions and other side effects. Thunder-fire moxibustion is a method that is widely used in China to treat pain syndromes. This study aimed to design a randomized controlled trial to explore the effectiveness and safety of thunder-fire moxibustion in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.

Methods

Ninety patients will be enrolled and randomly divided into one of two groups: the thunder-fire moxibustion group and the acetaminophen group. The thunder-fire moxibustion group will be treated with moxa sticks at BL25, GV3, BL23, and GV4; and after 15 min of local whirling moxibustion, the contralateral acupoints will be treated with moxibustion for 15 min. The study period will include two 10-day courses of treatment, for a total study duration of 20 days. The acetaminophen group participants will take one acetaminophen sustained-release tablet twice a day for the duration of the study period. In contrast, the thunder-fire moxibustion group participants will be treated with thunder-fire moxibustion every other day for 30 min. The primary outcome will be the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score. Visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) will be used as the secondary outcome measures. Adverse events (AEs) will also be recorded. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, the end of the first and second courses of treatment.

Discussion

This study will determine whether thunder-fire moxibustion is more effective and safer than acetaminophen in the treatment of patients with LDH.

Trial Registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn), ChiCTR2000036079.
Development of Tests for Arm Coordination Impairment in Paralympic Classification
Authors: Altmann Viola C. , Hendriks Nadine , Lammens Eline A. , Janssen Mariska
Published: July 2022

Background

In Paralympic sport, classification of impairment with the ability to detect misrepresentation of abilities is mandatory. In wheelchair rugby, there is currently no objective method to classify arm coordination impairment. In previous research, sufficient correlation between the spiral test (ST) and activity in wheelchair rugby was found in athletes with coordination impairment. However, the ST depends on maximum voluntary effort.

Purpose

To assess if the ST is an objective test for arm coordination impairment, in which maximum voluntary effort can be distinguished from intentional misrepresentation. The aims of this study were to (1) assess the test-retest reliability of the ST and (2) assess if Fitts's law is applicable to the ST.

Methods

Nineteen volunteers without impairments performed two sessions with three STs per arm. The STs were projected and measured on a tablet and had three different indices of difficulty based on differences in spiral width. The time to complete the spiral was measured and a penalty time was added for each time the borderline of the spiral was touched (3 s) or crossed (5 s).

Results

Test-retest reliability was assessed using a Bland-Altman analysis and showed limits of agreement that were wider than the margins of 2SD from the group mean. Repeated measurement correlation coefficients between the index of difficulty according to Fitts's law and the movement time were > 0.95 (p-value < 0.001) for both test and retest. A post-hoc optimisation of penalty times revealed an optimum penalty time of 2.0 s for the dominant arm and 2.5 for the non-dominant arm for any contact with the margins of the spiral.

Conclusions

The ST has sufficient test-retest reliability and Fitts's law is applicable. Therefore, it is a promising option for classification of arm coordination impairment with the option to distinguish intentional misrepresentation from maximum voluntary effort.
Detection and Molecular Characterization of Porcine Parvovirus 7 in Eastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
Authors: Wen Shubo , Song Yang , Lv Xiangyu , Meng Xiaogang , Liu Kai , Yang Jingfeng , Diao Fengying , He Jinfei , Huo Xiaowei , Chen Zeliang , Zhai Jingbo
Published: July 2022

Porcine parvoviruses (PPV) and porcine circoviruses type 2 (PCV2) are widespread in the pig population. Recently, it was suggested that PPV7 may stimulate PCV2 and PCV3 replication. The present study aimed to make detection and molecular characterization of PPV7 for the first time in eastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Twenty-seven of ninety-four samples (28.72%) and five in eight pig farms were PPV7 positive. Further detection showed that the co-infection rate of PPV7 and PCV2 was 20.21% (19/94), and 9.59% (9/94) for PPV7 and PCV3. In addition, the positive rate of PPV7 in PCV2 positive samples was higher than that in PCV2 negative samples, supporting that PCV2 could act as a co-factor for PPV7 infection. In total, four PPV7 strains were sequenced and designated as NM-14, NM-19, NM-4, and NM-40. The amplified genome sequence of NM-14 and NM-40 were 3,999nt in length, while NM-19 and NM-4 were 3,996nt with a three nucleotides deletion at 3,097–3,099, resulting in an amino acid deletion in the Cap protein. Phylogenetic analysis based on the capsid amino acid (aa) sequences showed that 52 PPV7 strains were divided into two clades, and the four PPV7 strains in this study were all clustered in clade 1. The genome and capsid amino acid sequence of the four PPV7 strains identified in this study shared 80.0–96.9% and 85.9–100% similarity with that of 48 PPV7 reference strains selected in NCBI. Simplot analysis revealed that NM-19 and NM-4 strains were probably produced by recombination of two PPV7 strains from China. The amino acid sequence alignment analysis of capsid revealed that the four PPV7 strains detected in Inner Mongolia had multiple amino acid mutations in the 6 B cell linear epitopes compared with the reference strains, suggesting that the four PPV7 strains may have different characteristics in receptor binding and immunogenicity. In summary, this paper reported the PPV7 infection and molecular characterization in the eastern of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for the first time, which is helpful to understand the molecular epidemic characteristics of PPV7.
Transformacja energetyczna w Polsce – perspektywa sieciowej analizy dyskursu programów partii politycznych oraz społecznej percepcji zmian sektora energetycznego
Authors: Herudziński Tomasz , Swacha Piotr
Published: July 2022

The aim of the article is to define the attitude of Polish parliamentary political parties towards the method of energy production, as well as to present the social perception of changes in the energy sector. The structural connections between parties, based on their energy concepts, were presented by the so called “affiliation networks”. Discourse Network Analysis, used in the study, also allowed to identify the most frequently co-occurring concepts expressed by different parties over the past fifteen years (coal, natural gas and renewable energy sources). As a result of the analysis, differences in the parties` approach to the energy issues were determined (among others: division between Law and Justice and Civic Platform since 2011; support for the exclusion of coal as an energy source made by Left and Civic Coalition in the year 2019). In order to present social attitudes towards the energy transformation data created by the Public Opinion Research Centre were used. According to the data, the main concern revealed by Poles regarding the energy transformation process is the possible rising cost of the energy.
Reforma zasadniczego podziału terytorialnego oraz struktury samorządu gminnego w Królestwie Norwegii
Authors: Osiński Joachim , Zawiślińska Izabela
Published: July 2022

The aim of the article is to analyse the assumptions and results of the reform of the basic territorial division of the state carried out in Norway in 2016–2020, creating a new structure of municipal and regional self-government with a simultaneous change in some of the tasks carried out at both levels. The analysis is based on the assumptions and categories of neo-institutional methodology. The main thesis of the article is contained in the statement that the process of structural consolidation of local government units is theoretically and practically inevitable, because it is carried out in order to optimise the implementation of public services and increase the welfare of local communities. Its pragmatic and efficient execution with the participation of local communities is necessary to follow the contemporary stage of socio-economic and political development.
Иcтoчники избирательногo правa в избранных государствах Центральнoй Азии: Узбекистанe, Кыргызстанeи, Туркменистанe
Authors: Szukalski Jerzy
Published: July 2022

The publication discusses the current problems of the sources of electoral law in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. In the indicated countries, the basic sources of electoral law are their constitutions and statutes, which are a development of constitutional norms. Of great importance in the field of electoral law are also acts of international law, the parties to which are the above-indicated states. At the statutory level, Central Asian countries have developed two models of regulation of electoral law norms: the model of dispersed regulation, in which the provisions of electoral law to representative bodies were regulated in separate acts, and the model of concentrated regulation, expressed in one normative act – the electoral code. In each of these countries the system of sources of electoral law is generally consistent in terms of normative technics and axiological values with similar regulations in developed democratic countries.
Zmiany w funkcjonowaniu administracji publicznej w Polsce w czasie epidemii COVID-19
Authors: Słobodzian Beata
Published: July 2022

The dynamics of the epidemic development (a sudden increase in the number of cases from March 2020) forced the necessity to take appropriate actions, launch mechanisms and procedures, the primary goal of which was to counteract infections. One of the greatest challenges has been the reorganization of the state administration. In Poland, numerous solutions were adopted to enable the functioning of the administration in specific conditions. One of such solutions was the possibility of working outside the usual place (outside the office building) – remotely (so-called remote work).
U.S. Election 2020: Intentions to Participate in Political Crowdfunding during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Baber Hasnan , Kusumarani Riri , Yang Hongwei (Chris)
Published: July 2022

Participation in the political process is the fundamental right and responsibility of a citizen. Online political participation has gained popularity as it is convenient and effective. Political crowdfunding helps political candidates and parties pledge funds, usually small, from a large population and seek support through marketing campaigns during elections. In November 2020, when there were presidential elections in the US and the world was facing a global pandemic from COVID-19, political crowdfunding was a helpful method to communicate the political agenda and seek funding. The study aims to examine the intentions of US citizens to participate in political crowdfunding amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The study will integrate two models—the theory of planned behavior and civic voluntarism model—to check intentions and, in addition, the influence of COVID-19. The data were collected from 529 respondents from the US before the elections. The data were analyzed through a partial least squared structural equation modeling technique with SmartPLS 3.2. The results suggested that political efficacy and online community engagement have a positive influence on the intention to participate in political crowdfunding. Further, all three factors of TPB have a significant positive influence on intention. The perceived threat variable of COVID-19 does impact the attitude towards political crowdfunding. The study will be helpful for crowdfunding platforms and political contenders to examine the factors that can help them to seek maximum funds from the public and, at the same time, examine the effectiveness of their political communications.
Interaction of Carbon, Titanium, and Boron in Micro-Alloy Steels and Its Effect on Hot Ductility
Authors: Komenda Jacek , Luo Chunhui , Lönnqvist Johan
Published: July 2022

Varying contents of carbon, titanium and boron were used in the base steel composition of 0.30 wt% Si, 2.0 wt% Mn, 0.006 wt% S, 0.03 wt% Nb, and 30–35 ppm N. Hot ductility tests were performed with Gleeble-3800, after the steel sample was in-situ melted, solidified, and cooled to the test temperature. Investigation was completed with thermodynamic and kinetic simulations. The best results were obtained for steels containing 58–100 ppm B and 35 ppm Ti. They showed very good hot ductility of 80–50% RA within the temperature range between 1250 °C and 800 °C. It was shown that titanium and boron were effective in improving the hot ductility. Titanium protected boron from binding into BN and was low enough to prevent excessive (Ti,Nb) carbonitride precipitation, which both could decrease hot ductility. Boron that precipitated along austenite grain boundaries as iron boride Fe2B was very beneficial for the hot ductility of steel.
Dualities and Asymptotic Mixtures Using Functional-Order Differentiation
Authors: Alexopoulos Aris
Published: July 2022

New definitions for fractional integro-differential operators are presented and referred to as delayed fractional operators. It is shown that delayed fractional derivatives give rise to the notion of functional order differentiation. Functional differentiation can be used to establish dualities and asymptotic mixtures between unrelated theories, something that conventional fractional or integer operators cannot do. In this paper, dualities and asymptotic mixtures are established between arbitrary functions, probability densities, the Gibbs–Shannon entropy and Hellinger distance, as well as higher-dimensional particle geometries in quantum mechanics.
Aptamer-Based Biosensors for the Colorimetric Detection of Blood Biomarkers: Paving the Way to Clinical Laboratory Testing
Authors: Davydova Anna , Vorobyeva Mariya
Published: July 2022

Clinical diagnostics for human diseases rely largely on enzyme immunoassays for the detection of blood biomarkers. Nevertheless, antibody-based test systems have a number of shortcomings that have stimulated a search for alternative diagnostic assays. Oligonucleotide aptamers are now considered as promising molecular recognizing elements for biosensors (aptasensors) due to their high affinity and specificity of target binding. At the moment, a huge variety of aptasensors have been engineered for the detection of various analytes, especially disease biomarkers. However, despite their great potential and excellent characteristics in model systems, only a few of these aptamer-based assays have been translated into practice as diagnostic kits. Here, we will review the current progress in the engineering of aptamer-based colorimetric assays as the most suitable format for clinical lab diagnostics. In particular, we will focus on aptasensors for the detection of blood biomarkers of cardiovascular, malignant, and neurodegenerative diseases along with common inflammation biomarkers. We will also analyze the main obstacles that have to be overcome before aptamer test systems can become tantamount to ELISA for clinical diagnosis purposes.
The Chemokine CCL4 Stimulates Angiopoietin-2 Expression and Angiogenesis via the MEK/ERK/STAT3 Pathway in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Lu Chien-Chi , Tsai Hsiao-Chi , Yang Dong-Ying , Wang Shih-Wei , Tsai Ming-Hsui , Hua Chun-Hung , Chen Kwei-Jing , Chen Michael Yuan-Chien , Lien Ming-Yu , Tang Chih-Hsin
Published: July 2022

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignant tumor with a poor prognosis and is a major public health burden in Taiwan. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, promotes tumor proliferation, maintenance, and metastasis. Angiopoietin 2 (Angpt2), a mitogen with a strong angiogenic effect, is highly specific to endothelial cells and a key player in angiogenesis. The inflammatory chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4) is also important in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer. In this study, an analysis of records from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database found higher CCL4 expression in oral cancer tissue than in normal healthy tissue. CCL4 treatment of oral cancer cells upregulated Angpt2 expression and stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation. Transfection of oral cancer cells with MEK, ERK, and STAT3 inhibitors and their small interfering RNAs inhibited CCL4-induced promotion of Angpt2 expression and angiogenesis. In a mouse model of OSCC, CCL4-treated cells promoted neovascularization in implanted Matrigel plugs, whereas inhibiting CCL4 expression suppressed Angpt2 expression and angiogenesis. CCL4 shows promise as a new molecular therapeutic target for inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis in OSCC.
Small Demyelination of the Cortex May Be a Potential Marker for the Right-to-Left Shunt of the Heart
Authors: Huo Junyan , Wan Mengxia , Li Nan , Wang Juan , Cai Xiao , Fan Dongsheng , Fu Yu
Published: July 2022

Migraine is a common clinical primary headache with unclear aetiology. In recent years, studies have shown that migraine is related to right-to-left shunts (RLS), and some patients with migraine have white matter lesions. However, the relationship among the three is unclear. To explore the characteristics of white matter lesions (WMLs) in migraine patients with right-to-left shunts and to predict the presence of right-to-left shunts through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics in patients with migraine, we conducted a retrospective study. We enrolled 214 patients who were diagnosed with migraines in an outpatient clinic from January 2019 to December 2021. All of them had completed contrast transcranial Doppler ultrasound (cTCD) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. Through the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 201 patients were finally included. The patients were grouped according to the presence of WMLs and were compared by age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, RLS, and other characteristic data. We observed the MRI fluid attenuation inversion recovery sequence (FLAIR) image and compared the differences in WMLs between the RLS-positive group and the RLS-negative group. There were 71 cases and 130 cases of migraine with and without WMLs, respectively. A statistically significant difference in near-cortical WMLs with RLS in migraine patients was observed (p = 0.007). Logistic regression analysis was adjusted by age, sex, duration of migraine, and severity. Migraine with aura and family history identified the RLS status as the sole determinant for the presence of near-cortical WMLs (OR = 2.69; 95%CI 1.386–5.219; p = 0.003). Near-cortical white matter lesions in migraine patients are related to RLS, especially in the blood supply area of the anterior cerebral artery. This small demyelination of the near-cortical WMLs may be a potential marker for the right-to-left shunt of the heart. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography may help finding more RLS in migraineurs with near-cortical WMLs.
Effects of Audiovisual Interactions on Working Memory Task Performance—Interference or Facilitation
Authors: He Yang , Guo Zhihua , Wang Xinlu , Sun Kewei , Lin Xinxin , Wang Xiuchao , Li Fengzhan , Guo Yaning , Feng Tingwei , Zhang Junpeng , Li Congchong , Tian Wenqing , Liu Xufeng , Wu Shengjun
Published: July 2022

(1) Background: The combined n-back + Go/NoGo paradigm was used to investigate whether audiovisual interactions interfere with or facilitate WM. (2) Methods: College students were randomly assigned to perform the working memory task based on either a single (visual or auditory) or dual (audiovisual) stimulus. Reaction times, accuracy, and WM performance were compared across the two groups to investigate effects of audiovisual interactions. (3) Results: With low cognitive load (2-back), auditory stimuli had no effect on visual working memory, whereas visual stimuli had a small effect on auditory working memory. With high cognitive load (3-back), auditory stimuli interfered (large effect size) with visual WM, and visual stimuli interfered (medium effect size) with auditory WM. (4) Conclusions: Audiovisual effects on WM follow the resource competition theory, and the cognitive load of a visual stimulus is dominated by competition; vision always interferes with audition, and audition conditionally interferes with vision. With increased visual cognitive load, competitive effects of audiovisual interactions were more obvious than those with auditory stimuli. Compared with visual stimuli, audiovisual stimuli showed significant interference only when visual cognitive load was high. With low visual cognitive load, the two stimulus components neither facilitated nor interfered with the other in accordance with a speed–accuracy trade-off.
Young Adult E-Cigarette and Combustible Tobacco Users Attitudes, Substance Use Behaviors, Mental Health, and Neurocognitive Performance
Authors: Wade Natasha E. , Courtney Kelly E. , Doran Neal , Baca Rachel , Aguinaldo Laika D. , Thompson Courtney , Finegan Jamie , Jacobus Joanna
Published: July 2022

Nicotine and tobacco product (NTP) use has escalated, largely due to the advent of e-cigarettes. The NTP administration method (i.e., combustible cigarette, e-cigarette) may be an important differentiator. We assessed young adult substance use history, nicotine attitudes, mental health, and neurocognition by the NTP use method. Emerging adults (16–22 year olds) were divided into combustible NTP users (Combustible+ = 79, had used any combustible NTP in the last 6 months), non-combustible users (E-Cig = 43, had used non-combustible NTP, in the past 6 months), and NTP Naïve (n = 79; had not used NTP in the past 6 months) based on past 6-month NTP use patterns. Participants completed self-report and objective neurocognition measures. Analysis of covariance assessed mental health and neurocognition by group, controlling for confounds and correcting for multiple comparisons. Nicotine groups reported more favorable attitudes toward combustible cigarette and e-cigarette use, with taste as the primary reason for e-cigarette use. Combustible+ reported more nicotine dependence and craving. Substance use differed by group, with Combustible+ using the most NTP, alcohol, and cannabis. Nicotine groups reported higher depression and stress symptoms; male Combustible+ reported higher depression symptoms than other same-gender groups. Groups did not differ on neurocognition, though cannabis use was associated with inaccurate emotional Stroop responses. Overall, research suggests that young adult combustible users are likely qualitatively different from non-combustible users. Understanding the unique characteristics related to NTP product use will help guide intervention and prevention development.
In Early Breast Cancer, the Ratios of Neutrophils, Platelets and Monocytes to Lymphocytes Significantly Correlate with the Presence of Subsets of Circulating Tumor Cells but Not with Disseminated Tumor Cells
Authors: Kasimir-Bauer Sabine , Karaaslan Ebru , Hars Olaf , Hoffmann Oliver , Kimmig Rainer
Published: July 2022

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) crosstalk with different blood cells before a few of them settle down as disseminated tumor cells (DTCs). We evaluated the correlation between CTC subtypes, DTCs and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) for better prognostication of 171 early staged diagnosed breast cancer (BC) patients. —Clinical data and blood values before treatment were retrospectively recorded, representing the 75% percentile, resulting in 3.13 for NLR, 222.3 for PLR and 0.39 for MLR, respectively. DTCs were analyzed by immunocytochemistry using the pan-cytokeratin antibodyA45-B/B3. CTCs were determined applying the AdnaTests BreastCancerDetect and EMT (Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition) Detect. —Reduced lymphocyte (p = 0.007) and monocyte counts (p = 0.012), an elevated NLR (p = 0.003) and PLR (p = 0.001) significantly correlated with the presence of epithelial CTCs while a reduced MLR was related to EMT-CTCs (p = 0.045). PLR (p = 0.029) and MLR (p = 0.041) significantly related to lymph node involvement and monocyte counts significantly correlated with OS (p = 0.034). No correlations were found for NLR, PLR and MLR with DTCs, however, DTC-positive patients, harboring a lower PLR, had a significant shorter OS (p = 0.043). —Pro-inflammatory markers are closely related to different CTC subsets. This knowledge might improve risk prognostication of these patients.
Cell-Specific Immune Regulation by Glucocorticoids in Murine Models of Infection and Inflammation
Authors: Rocamora-Reverte Lourdes , Villunger Andreas , Wiegers G. Jan
Published: July 2022

Glucocorticoids (GC) are highly potent negative regulators of immune and inflammatory responses. Effects of GC are primarily mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) which is expressed by all cell types of the immune system. It is, therefore, difficult to elucidate how endogenous GC mediate their effects on immune responses that involve multiple cellular interactions between various immune cell subsets. This review focuses on endogenous GC targeting specific cells of the immune system in various animal models of infection and inflammation. Without the timed release of these hormones, animals infected with various microbes or challenged in inflammatory disease models succumb as a consequence of overshooting immune and inflammatory responses. A clearer picture is emerging that endogenous GC thereby act in a cell-specific and disease model-dependent manner, justifying the need to develop techniques that target GC to individual immune cell types for improved clinical application.
Use of Ethylamine, Diethylamine and Triethylamine in the Synthesis of Zn,Al Layered Double Hydroxides
Authors: Misol Alexander , Jiménez Alejandro , Labajos Francisco M.
Published: July 2022

Amines with two carbon atoms in the organic chain [ethylamine (EA), diethylamine (DEA), triethylamine (TEA)] have been used as precipitant agents to obtain a hydrotalcite-like compound with Zn (II) and Al (III) as layered cations and with nitrate anions in the interlayered region to balance the charge. This Layered Double Hydroxide was prepared following the coprecipitation method, and the effect on the crystal and particle sizes was studied. Also, the effect of submitting the obtained solids to hydrothermal post-synthesis treatment by conventional heating and microwave assisted heating were studied. The obtained solids were exhaustively characterized using several instrumental techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, Thermal Analysis (DTA and TG), Chemical Analysis, Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), determination of Particle Size Distribution and BET-Surface area. Well crystallized solids were obtained showing two possible LDH phases, depending on the orientation of the interlayer anion with respect to the brucite-like layers. The results indicated that there is a certain influence of the amine, when used as a precipitating agent, and as a consequence of the degree of substitution, on the crystallinity and particle size of the final solid obtained. The LDHs obtained using TEA exhibited higher crystallinity, which was improved after a long hydrothermal treatment by conventional heating. Regarding the shape of the particles, the formation of aggregates in the former solid was detected, which could be easily disintegrated using ultrasound treatments, producing solid powder with high crystallinity and small particle size, with homogeneous size distribution.
Ultrasonic-Assisted Deposition Method for Creating Conductive Wrinkles on PDMS Surfaces
Authors: Wang Juanjuan , Li Lele , Liu Enping , Han Xue , Lu Conghua
Published: July 2022

Harnessing surface wrinkle surfaces in various functional devices has been a hot topic. However, rapidly creating wrinkled surfaces on elastomers of arbitrary shape (especially curved surfaces) is still a great challenge. In this work, an ultrasonic-assisted deposition method has been proposed to achieve nanomodification of the robust layer (e.g., carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) with a labyrinth wrinkle pattern on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber, sheet, and porous sponge. It is found that the swelling effect of the dispersion and the ultrasonic treatment play vital roles in the surface wrinkling. As a demonstration, the conductive wrinkled CNTs@PDMS fibers were assembled as stretchable strain sensors. The initial conductivity and the strain-sensing performances could be well tuned by simply adjusting the ultrasonic treatment time. The wrinkled CNTs@PDMS fiber strain sensor exhibited remarkable stretchability (ca. 300%) and good sensitivity, which can be applied in various human motion detection, voice recognition, and air-flow monitoring. It is also expected that the facile ultrasonic-assisted deposition method for surface wrinkling can be extended to fabricate various smart devices with promoted performances.
Evolution of a Polydisperse Ensemble of Spherical Particles in a Metastable Medium with Allowance for Heat and Mass Exchange with the Environment
Authors: Alexandrov Dmitri V. , Ivanov Alexander A. , Nizovtseva Irina G. , Lippmann Stephanie , Alexandrova Irina V. , Makoveeva Eugenya V.
Published: July 2022

Motivated by a wide range of applications in various fields of physics and materials science, we consider a generalized approach to the evolution of a polydisperse ensemble of spherical particles in metastable media. An integrodifferential system of governing equations, consisting of a kinetic equation for the particle-size distribution function (Fokker–Planck type equation) and a balance equation for the temperature (concentration) of a metastable medium, is formulated. The kinetic equation takes into account fluctuations in the growth/reduction rates of individual particles, the velocity of particles in a spatial direction, the withdrawal of particles of a given size from the metastable medium, and their source/sink term. The heat (mass) balance equation takes into account the growth/reduction of particles in a metastable system as well as heat (mass) exchange with the environment. A generalized system of equations describes various physical and chemical processes of phase transformations, such as the growth and dissolution of crystals, the evaporation of droplets, the boiling of liquids and the combustion of a polydisperse fuel. The ways of analytical solution of the formulated integrodifferential system of equations based on the saddle-point technique and the separation of variables method are considered. The theory can be applied when describing the evolution of an ensemble of particles at the initial and intermediate stages of phase transformation when the distances between the particles are large enough, and interactions between them can be neglected.
Genomically Silent Refractory Gastric Cancer in a Young Patient Exhibits Overexpression of CXCL5
Authors: Hernandez Jonathan , Turner Michael A. , Bali Prerna , Hosseini Mojgan , Bouvet Michael , Kelly Kaitlyn , Obonyo Marygorret
Published: July 2022

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with more than one million new cases and approximately 841,000 deaths annually worldwide. We report a case of a young patient (25 years old) with an aggressive form of gastric cancer. The patient had previously been treated for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which is a main risk factor for developing gastric cancer. Genetic testing showed an E-cadherin (CDH1) germline mutation of unknown significance. After eight cycles of chemotherapy, a positron emission tomography (PET) scan showed disease progression with an enlarging hypermetabolic right adnexal mass suspicious for metastatic disease. Tumor pathology demonstrated invasive and poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma. The analysis of the tumor biopsy indicated the very high expression of a chemokine, C-X-C motif chemokine 5 (CXCL5). The combination of H. pylori infection with an existence of a rare CDH1 mutation could have contributed to this aggressive gastric cancer.
Implementation of Chronic Care Model for Diabetes Self-Management: A Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Ansari Rashid M. , Harris Mark F. , Hosseinzadeh Hassan , Zwar Nicholas
Published: July 2022

Objective: The main aim of this study was to implement the Chronic Care Model (CCM) for the self-management of type 2 diabetes in primary health care settings of rural areas of Pakistan and identify its effectiveness and develop strategies for overcoming its challenges. The two core elements of the Chronic Care Model: patient Self-Management Support (SMS) and Delivery System Design (DSD), were implemented to improve the quality of life and risk behaviour of type 2 diabetes patients in the middle-aged population of rural Pakistan. Methods: Thirty patients with type 2 diabetes and 20 healthcare professionals were included in this study consisting of 10 general practitioners and 10 nurses recruited from various clinics (medical centres) of Al-Rehman Hospital in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The quantitative content analysis method was used to identify the frequency of the most recurring statements. A t-test was performed to see the mean difference of HbA1c at baseline after 3-months and 6-months follow-up between male and female patients with diabetes. The hypothesis was tested to identify that diabetes self-management has a gendered dimension in rural areas of Pakistan. Results: The quantitative analysis demonstrated that diabetes self-management has a gendered dimension in the rural areas of Pakistan as the mean difference of HbA1c after a 6-month intervention of the two components of the chronic care model between male and female patients of diabetes was 0.83 (p = 0.039) with 95% CI (−0.05; −1.61). The mean difference in BMI after the intervention of 6 months between males and females was significant (p < 0.05). The mean difference was 4.97 kg/m2, p = 0.040 with 95% CI (−0.24; −9.69). The results have shown that the two components of CCM were effective and improved clinical outcomes for diabetes patients of the rural areas of Pakistan. Conclusions: The application of the two Chronic Care Model’s components provided a viable structure for diabetes self-management education and assistance. As a result, developing systems that incorporate long-term diabetes self-management education has an effect on the health care system’s outcomes.