bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who Suffers From Pharmaceutical Poverty and What Are Their Needs? Evidence From a Spanish Region
Authors: Rubio-Valera Maria , Marqués-Ercilla Silvia , Peñarrubia-María M Teresa , Urbanos-Garrido Rosa M. , Borrell Carme , Bosch Jordi , Sánchez-Viñas Alba , Aznar-Lou Ignacio
Published: April 2021

Background: Pharmaceutical poverty occurs when a patient cannot afford the cost of prescribed medication and/or medical products. Nonprofit organizations are covering the cost of medication to those patients in some contexts. The aim of the study was to describe the population of beneficiaries of the PB, a nongovernmental organization based on the primary healthcare system, which provides free-of-charge access to medicines and their utilization pattern of medicines and healthcare products.

Methods: This was an observational study using PB beneficiary data collected between November 2017 and December 2018 in Catalonia. The Catalan Health Service provided information from the general population. A descriptive analysis of the beneficiaries’ characteristics was conducted and compared to the general population.

Results: The beneficiaries (N = 1,206) were mainly adults with a low level of education, unemployed, with functional disability, and with ≥1 child. Compared with the general population, the beneficiaries were older, had a lower level of education, showed a higher prevalence of functional disability, were less likely to be Spanish, and were more likely to be divorced and unemployed. The beneficiaries were polymedicated, and most were using medication related to the nervous (79%), musculoskeletal (68%), and cardiovascular system (56%) and alimentary tract and metabolism (68%). Almost 19% of beneficiaries used healthcare products. Female beneficiaries were older and more likely to be divorced or widowed, employed, and with children. Compared to men, women were more likely to use medicines for pain and mental disorders. The pediatric group used medications for severe, chronic conditions (heart diseases, autoimmune diseases, conduct disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

Conclusion: Patients with severe, chronic, and disabling conditions are affected by pharmaceutical poverty. While the system of copayment remains unchanged, family physicians and pediatricians should explore economic barriers to treatment and direct their patients to resources that help to cover the cost of treatment.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Olaparib Maintenance Treatment for Germline BRCA-Mutated Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Li Na , Zheng Huanrui , Huang Yanlei , Zheng Bin , Cai Hongfu , Liu Maobai
Published: April 2021

Background: The PARP inhibitor olaparib has been shown to have clinical efficacy in patients with a germline BRCA mutation and ovarian or breast cancer. However, the high treatment cost associated with this drug limits its viability as a clinical treatment option. This work aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of olaparib as a maintenance treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer from the perspective of the United States and China healthcare systems and provides valuable suggestions for clinical decision making.

Method: A three-state Markov model (progression-free, progressed disease, death) was constructed using TreeAge Pro 2020 software to evaluate the economic value of olaparib vs. placebo maintenance treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer based on the clinical data derived from phase III randomized controlled trial (POLO, ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02184195). Total costs, quality-adjusted life years and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were used as economic indicators for this analysis. A 5-years horizon and 5%/year discount rates were used. One-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) were performed to assess the model uncertainty.

Results: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of the use of olaparib vs. placebo in China and the United States were $6,694/QALY and $13327/QALY, respectively. All ICERs were far below the thresholds of $30829 in China and $50000 in the United States. Sensitivity analysis confirmed a stable economic advantage in the use of olaparib vs. placebo as maintenance therapy in China and the United States.

Conclusion: Olaparib was estimated to be more cost effective than placebo for the maintenance therapy of patients with a germline BRCA mutation and pancreatic cancer in China and the United States at thresholds of $30829 and $50000 per QALY, respectively.
Selective HDAC8 Inhibition Attenuates Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy and Fibrosis via p38 MAPK Pathway
Authors: Zhao Tingwei , Kee Hae Jin , Bai Liyan , Kim Moon-Ki , Kee Seung-Jung , Jeong Myung Ho
Published: April 2021

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) expression and enzymatic activity are dysregulated in cardiovascular diseases. Among Class I HDACs, HDAC2 has been reported to play a key role in cardiac hypertrophy; however, the exact function of HDAC8 remains unknown. Here we investigated the role of HDAC8 in cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis using the isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy model system.Isoproterenol-infused mice were injected with the HDAC8 selective inhibitor PCI34051 (30 mg kg−1 body weight). Enlarged hearts were assessed by HW/BW ratio, cross-sectional area, and echocardiography. RT-PCR, western blotting, histological analysis, and cell size measurements were performed. To elucidate the role of HDAC8 in cardiac hypertrophy, HDAC8 knockdown and HDAC8 overexpression were also used. Isoproterenol induced HDAC8 mRNA and protein expression in mice and H9c2 cells, while PCI34051 treatment decreased cardiac hypertrophy in isoproterenol-treated mice and H9c2 cells. PCI34051 treatment also reduced the expression of cardiac hypertrophic markers (Nppa, Nppb, and Myh7), transcription factors (Sp1, Gata4, and Gata6), and fibrosis markers (collagen type I, fibronectin, and Ctgf) in isoproterenol-treated mice. HDAC8 overexpression stimulated cardiac hypertrophy in cells, whereas HDAC8 knockdown reversed those effects. HDAC8 selective inhibitor and HDAC8 knockdown reduced the isoproterenol-induced activation of p38 MAPK, whereas HDAC8 overexpression promoted p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Furthermore, p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 significantly decreased the levels of p38 MAPK phosphorylation, as well as ANP and BNP protein expression, induced by HDAC8 overexpression.Here we show that inhibition of HDAC8 activity or expression suppresses cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. These findings suggest that HDAC8 could be a promising target to treat cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis by regulating p38 MAPK.
Are Rank Orders Mentally Represented by Spatial Arrays?
Authors: von Hecker Ulrich , Klauer Karl Christoph
Published: April 2021

The present contribution argues that transitive reasoning, as exemplified in paradigms of linear order construction in mental space, is associated with spatial effects. Starting from robust findings from the early 70s, research so far has widely discussed the symbolic distance effect (SDE). This effect shows that after studying pairs of relations, e.g., “A > B,” “B > C,” and “D > E,” participants are more correct, and faster in correct responding, the wider the “distance” between two elements within the chain A > B > C > D > E. The SDE has often been given spatial interpretations, but alternatively, non-spatial models of the effect are also viable on the empirical basis so far, which means the question about spatial contributions to the construction of analog representations of rank orders is still open. We suggest here that laterality effects can add the necessary additional information to support the idea of spatial processes. We introduce anchoring effects in terms of showing response advantages for congruent versus incongruent pairings of presentation location on a screen on the one hand, and the hypothetical spatial arrangement of the order in mental space, on the other hand. We report pertinent findings and discuss anchoring paradigms with respect to their internal validity as well as their being rooted in basic mechanisms of trained reading/writing direction.
Case Report: Defining Applicant Attributes to Be Prioritized in the Selection of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Subspecialty Residents at the University of Toronto
Authors: Kulkarni Chetana A. , Rasasingham Raj , Woods Nicole N. , Gorman Daniel A. , Szatmari Peter , Hanson Mark D.
Published: April 2021

Background/Objectives: The child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) subspecialty training program at the University of Toronto was among the first fully accredited CAP programs in Canada. As one of Canada's largest CAP subspecialty programs, we attract many excellent applicants annually. While objectivity and transparency in the selection of candidates have been valued, it was unclear which applicant attributes should be prioritized. This quality improvement project was undertaken to identify the key applicant attributes that should be prioritized for admission to the program.

Materials/Methods: An initial list of attributes was compiled by project team members and feedback solicited. Through iterative design, this list was categorized into “end products,” “branding attributes” and “generic attributes.” The “end products” were removed as these represented outputs of training rather than attributes on which applicant selection should be based. Subsequent steps involved only the “branding” and “generic” attributes. A consensus-building exercise led to the creation of two short-lists of five attributes within each category. Finally, a paired-comparison forced choice methodology was used to determine the ranking of these attributes in order of importance when assessing applicants.

Results: The final lists of “generic” and “branding” attributes developed through a consensus-building exercise are presented in rank order based on the paired-comparison methodology. The overall response rate for the forced choice electronic survey was 49% of faculty and learners.

Conclusions/Discussion: This project used an iterative process of consensus building & pairwise comparison to prioritize key attributes for assessing trainee selection to the program. Going forward, these attributes will be incorporated into the file review and interview portions of our admissions process. In addition to emphasizing these priority attributes in admissions, there are implications for other aspects of the program including curriculum and faculty development, as well as guiding the overall mission and vision for the Division. A similar process could be undertaken by other training programs seeking to identify priority attributes for admission to their programs.
Dynamics of the Spiral-Arm Corotation and Its Observable Footprints in the Solar Neighborhood
Authors: Barros Douglas A. , Pérez-Villegas Angeles , Michtchenko Tatiana A. , Lépine Jacques R. D.
Published: April 2021

This article discusses the effects of the spiral-arm corotation on the stellar dynamics in the Solar Neighborhood (SN). All our results presented here rely on: (1) observational evidence that the Sun lies near the corotation circle, where stars rotate with the same angular velocity as the spiral-arm pattern; the corotation circle establishes domains of the corotation resonance (CR) in the Galactic disk; (2) dynamical constraints that put the spiral-arm potential as the dominant perturbation in the SN, comparing with the effects of the central bar in the SN; (3) a long-lived nature of the spiral structure, promoting a state of dynamical relaxing and phase-mixing of the stellar orbits in response to the spiral perturbation. With an analytical model for the Galactic potential, composed of an axisymmetric background deduced from the observed rotation curve, and perturbed by a four-armed spiral pattern, numerical simulations of stellar orbits are performed to delineate the domains of regular and chaotic motions shaped by the resonances. Such studies show that stars can be trapped inside the stable zones of the spiral CR, and this orbital trapping mechanism could explain the dynamical origin of the Local arm of the Milky Way (MW). The spiral CR and the near high-order epicyclic resonances influence the velocity distribution in the SN, creating the observable structures such as moving groups and their radially extended counterpart known as diagonal ridges. The Sun and most of the SN stars evolve inside a stable zone of the spiral CR, never crossing the main spiral-arm structure, but oscillating in the region between the Sagittarius-Carina and Perseus arms. This orbital behavior of the Sun brings insights to our understanding of questions concerning the solar system evolution, the Earth environment changes, and the preservation of life on Earth.
Exploring the Opinions of Irish Dairy Farmers Regarding Male Dairy Calves
Authors: Maher James W. , Clarke AnneMarie , Byrne Andrew W. , Doyle Rob , Blake Martin , Barrett Damien
Published: April 2021

Background: There has been very little previous research in Ireland on the farmers' opinions regarding calf welfare issues. Calf welfare, particularly for male dairy calves, has assumed greater importance in Ireland in recent years due, in part, to an increase in the number of dairy cattle over the past decade. The objective of this study was to explore dairy farmers' views on a broad range of issues related to the expansion in the dairy herd.

Methods: A survey was developed to capture the views of farmers regarding male dairy calves. The majority of questions were quantitative, and a final open-ended question collected qualitative data. The survey was distributed to ~2,900 dairy farmers via text message and 881 responses were received.

Results: The sample was composed almost entirely of dairy farmers, although ~20% also had a beef enterprise on their farm. Fifty eight percent of the farmers were concerned with the increase in the number of male dairy calves in recent years. The EU's abolition of milk quotas, the profitability of dairy farming compared to other farm types, and guidance from farm advisors were the three highest ranked drivers behind the increase in the number of male dairy calves. The three highest ranked options for managing the number of male dairy calves were to increase exports, encourage greater use of sexed semen, and improve the beef merit of these calves. Eighty five percent of respondents stated that individual farmers had responsibility for making changes to the number of male dairy calves. The main themes arising from analysis of the responses to the open-ended question, seeking any additional comments, were breed, beef price, live exports, and sexed semen.

Conclusions: Dairy farmers recognized the responsibility they have for making changes in respect of male dairy calves, and many demonstrated a willingness to make changes in this regard. The important role of other stakeholders, particularly suckler (system where reared from calf to beef) farmers, in rearing male dairy calves for beef production was also recognized. However, the issues of who bears the risks and costs associated with greater integration will have to be carefully considered.
Evaluating the Potential Benefit of a Combined Weight Loss Program in Dogs and Their Owners
Authors: Niese J. Rebecca , Mepham Tierney , Nielen Mirjam , Monninkhof Evelyn M. , Kroese Floor M. , de Ridder Denise T. D. , Corbee Ronald J.
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Little has been published on the psychological bond between the owner and the pet, and how this might influence shared habits that could lead to overweight and obesity. Another factor that could improve the effectiveness of a weight loss plan, is that the owner would see the dog as a weight loss partner and therefore this could increase the motivation to follow the assigned diet and exercise guidelines.

Objective: The aim of this research was to evaluate the potential mutual effects of weight loss programs for both dogs and dog owners.

Methods: Two studies were conducted: In the human-centered trial, 60 dog owners were enrolled, who signed up to receive dietary and exercise recommendations to lose weight themselves during an 8 week period, from which 29 were randomly assigned to also get recommendations for their dog. For the dog-centered trial, we selected 13 dog owners that wanted their dog to lose weight during a 6 week period, from which 7 were randomly assigned to also get recommendations for themselves. The average weight loss over the time period was recorded. A questionnaire was used to evaluate diet and exercise habits, as well as information about the relationship between the dog and owner.

Results: The average human weight loss was 2.6% in the owner+dog group (n = 29) and 2.3% in the owner only group (n = 31; p > 0.05). Forty percent (24/60) of the dogs in the human-centered trial were overweight. The overweight dogs in the owner+dog group (n = 12/29) lost 3.7% of their body weight, compared to 1.2% in the overweight dogs from the owner only group (n = 12/31; p > 0.05). In the dog-centered trial, the 7 dogs in the dog+owner group lost 8.0% of their body weight, vs. 8.3% in the six dogs in the dog only group (p > 0.05). The owners in the dog+owner group lost 2.5% of their body weight, compared to 0.5% in the dog only group (p > 0.05). In both trials owners' perceived responsibility for both their own and their dogs' weight significantly increased. In addition, habit strength regarding unhealthy feeding and exercise behaviors in relation to the dogs decreased, and self-efficacy in relation to providing the dog with healthy food and exercise increased.

Conclusion: Active weight loss in either dog owner or dog, seemed to lead to passive weight loss in the other, especially when some tools or guidelines were provided. These findings support mutual benefits of weight loss programs for dogs and dog owners, and support future weight loss programs to be a One Health approach.
Changes of Physicochemical Properties of Starch Syrups Recommended for Winter Feeding of Honeybees during Storage
Authors: Szczęsna Teresa , Waś Ewa , Semkiw Piotr , Skubida Piotr , Jaśkiewicz Katarzyna , Witek Monika
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of storage temperature and time on physicochemical parameters of starch syrups recommended for the winter feeding of bee colonies. The studies included commercially available three starch syrups and an inverted saccharose syrup that were stored at different temperatures: ca. 20 °C, 10–14 °C, and ca. 4 °C. Physicochemical parameters of fresh syrups (immediately after purchase) and syrups after 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 months of storage at the abovementioned temperatures were measured. It was observed that the rate of unfavorable changes in chemical composition of starch syrups and the inverted saccharose syrup, mainly the changes in the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content, depended on the type of a syrup and storage conditions (temperature, time). Properties of tested starch syrups intended for winter feeding of bees stored at ca. 20 °C maintained unchanged for up to 6 months, whereas the same syrups stored at lower temperatures (10–14 °C) maintained unchanged physicochemical parameters for about 12 months. In higher temperatures, the HMF content increased. To date, the influence of this compound on bees has not been thoroughly investigated.
Heterosis and Combining Ability Analysis of Fruit Yield, Early Maturity, and Quality in Tomato
Authors: Liu Zengbing , Jiang Jingbin , Ren Ai , Xu Xiangyang , Zhang He , Zhao Tingting , Jiang Xiuming , Sun Yaoguang , Li Jingfu , Yang Huanhuan
Published: April 2021

Heterosis and combining ability are two important considerations in the utilization of heterosis, which can be used to generate excellent hybrid resource candidates and is very important in conventional hybrid breeding. In this study, the combining ability, heritability, and heterosis of eight major agronomic traits were analyzed in 10 tomato parents and 45 crosses between them. As well as TY-301, a recognized and official excellent variety that is currently selling well on the market was used as a control to conduct a control heterosis analysis, with the goal of selecting ideal parents with high combining ability and new hybrids with commodity value, high yield, early maturity, and high quality. The results showed that both additive and nonadditive genetic effects are involved in the expression of the traits and that the additive genetic effect is dominant in trait inheritance. Although general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) were not correlated, and the strength of heterosis depends on SCA, the sum of the parental GCA values (GCAsum) did predict heterosis for some traits with higher predictive accuracy than did SCA. Compared with heterosis, GCAsum can better predict hybrid performance. Finally, the parent 17,969 was the breeding material with the best comprehensive trait performance, especially in yield. We screened a high-yielding candidate combination 17,927 × 17,969 and a precocious and good taste candidate combination 17,666 × 17,927. This information may play an important role in the selection of superior parents and hybrid combinations based on combining ability and heterosis analysis.
Diving in Nose First: The Influence of Unfamiliar Search Scale and Environmental Context on the Search Performance of Volunteer Conservation Detection Dog–Handler Teams
Authors: Rutter Nicholas J. , Howell Tiffani J. , Stukas Arthur A. , Pascoe Jack H. , Bennett Pauleen C.
Published: April 2021

Conservation detection dogs (CDDs) are trained to locate biological material from plants and animals of interest to conservation efforts and are often more effective and economical than other detection methods. However, the financial costs of developing and appropriately caring for CDDs can nonetheless prohibit their use, particularly by smaller conservation organizations. Training skilled volunteers to work with suitable pet dogs may help address this constraint. We sought to further develop the skills of 13 volunteer dog–handler teams that were trained in a previous study to detect myrrh essential oil in controlled laboratory conditions. We assessed search sensitivity, search effort, search precision and false-alert instances through progressive training stages increasing in size and environmental complexity. First, teams searched various-sized areas before and after 12 weeks of search training on a sports-field. Next, teams searched various-sized areas before and after seven weeks of training in bushland. Overall, search sensitivity decreased by approximately 20% in each unfamiliar context, compared to performance in familiar contexts. However, sensitivity typically improved from baseline performance by 10–20% after a period of training. Six teams found at least 78% of targets after training in bushland, yet sensitivity ranged from 29% to 86% between teams. We maintain that the foundational skills developed previously were necessary to prepare volunteer teams for field surveys involving conservation related targets. However, our results highlight the need to also train volunteer CDD teams in search scale and environmental contexts similar to their intended working conditions.
Antibacterial Activity of Some Molecules Added to Rabbit Semen Extender as Alternative to Antibiotics
Authors: Viudes-de-Castro María Pilar , Marco-Jimenez Francisco , Vicente José S. , Marin Clara
Published: April 2021

Although great attention is paid to hygiene during semen collection and processing, bacteria are commonly found in the semen of healthy fertile males of different species. As the storage of extended semen might facilitate bacterial growth, extenders are commonly supplemented with antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), bestatin and chitosan-based nanoparticles added to rabbit semen extender and their effect on reproductive performance under field conditions. Four different extenders were tested, supplemented with antibiotics (TCG+AB), with EDTA and bestatin (EB), with EDTA, bestatin and chitosan-based nanoparticles (QEB) or without antibiotics (TCG-AB). Extended semen was cooled at 15 °C for three days. Cooled samples were examined for bacterial growth and semen quality every 24 h for 3 days. The enterobacteria count increased considerably during storage at 72 h in semen extended with TCG+AB and TCG-AB, while extenders EB and QEB showed a bacteriostatic effect over time. After 24, 48 and 72 h, quality characteristics were retained in all groups, with no significant motility differences, either in acrosome integrity, membrane functionality or the viability of spermatozoa. Additionally, bacterial concentration present in fresh semen did not affect reproductive performance. In conclusion, EDTA and bestatin exerted a potent bacteriostatic effect over time and could be used as an alternative to conventional antibiotics in rabbit semen extenders.
Clinical Impact of Revised Ciprofloxacin Breakpoint in Patients with Urinary Tract Infections by Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Park Ga Eun , Ko Jae-Hoon , Cho Sun Young , Huh Hee Jae , Baek Jin Yang , Ko Kwan Soo , Kang Cheol-In , Chung Doo Ryeon , Peck Kyong Ran
Published: April 2021

In 2018, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) revised ciprofloxacin (CIP)-susceptible breakpoint for Enterobacteriaceae from ≤1 μg/mL to ≤0.25 μg/mL, based on pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) analysis. However, clinical data supporting the lowered CIP breakpoint are insufficient. This retrospective cohort study evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients with bacteremic urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by Enterobacteriaceae, which were previously CIP-susceptible and changed to non-susceptible. Bacteremic UTIs caused by Enterobacteriaceae with CIP minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≤ 1 μg/mL were screened, and then patients treated with CIP as a definitive treatment were finally included. Patients in CIP-non-susceptible group (MIC = 0.5 or 1 μg/mL) were compared with patients in CIP-susceptible group (MIC ≤ 0.25 μg/mL). Primary endpoints were recurrence of UTIs within 4 weeks and 90 days. A total of 334 patients were evaluated, including 282 of CIP-susceptible and 52 of CIP-non-susceptible. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between two groups. In multivariate analysis, CIP non-susceptibility was not associated with recurrence of UTIs. CIP non-susceptibility based on a revised CIP breakpoint, which was formerly susceptible, was not associated with poor clinical outcomes in bacteremic UTI patients were treated with CIP, similar to those of the susceptible group. Further evaluation is needed to guide the selection of definitive antibiotics for UTIs.
Training and Inference of Optical Neural Networks with Noise and Low-Bits Control
Authors: Zhang Danni , Zhang Yejin , Zhang Ye , Su Yanmei , Yi Junkai , Wang Pengfei , Wang Ruiting , Luo Guangzhen , Zhou Xuliang , Pan Jiaoqing
Published: April 2021

Optical neural networks (ONNs) are getting more and more attention due to their advantages such as high-speed and low power consumption. However, in a non-ideal environment, the noise and low-bits control may heavily lead to a decrease in the accuracy of ONNs. Since there is AD/DA conversion in a simulated neural network, it needs to be quantified in the model. In this paper, we propose a quantitative method to adapt ONN to a non-ideal environment with fixed-point transmission, based on the new chip structure we designed previously. An MNIST hand-written data set was used to test and simulate the model we established. The experimental results showed that the quantization-noise model we established has a good performance, for which the accuracy was up to about 96%. Compared with the electrical method, the proposed quantization method can effectively solve the non-ideal ONN problem.
Framework for Social Media Analysis Based on Hashtag Research
Authors: Pilař Ladislav , Kvasničková Stanislavská Lucie , Kvasnička Roman , Bouda Petr , Pitrová Jana
Published: April 2021

Social networks have become a common part of many people’s daily lives. Users spend more and more time on these platforms and create an active and passive digital footprint through their interaction with other subjects. These data have high research potential in many fields, because understanding people’s communication on social media is essential to understanding their attitudes, experiences and behaviours. Social media analysis is a relatively new subject. There is still a need to develop methods and tools for researchers to help solve typical problems associated with this area. A researcher will be able to focus on the subject of research entirely. This article describes the Social Media Analysis based on Hashtag Research (SMAHR) framework, which uses social network analysis methods to explore social media communication through a network of hashtags. The results show that social media analysis based on hashtags provides information applicable to theoretical research and practical strategic marketing and management applications.
Pulpal Response to the Combined Use of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate and Iloprost for Direct Pulp Capping
Authors: Almeshari AlAnoud , Khounganian Rita , Mahdi Wael , Aljarbou Fahd , Bhandi Shilpa , Alsubait Sara
Published: April 2021

Purpose: The present study aims to assess the combined effects of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and iloprost when used as a pulp capping material on pulpal inflammation and tertiary dentin formation compared with MTA and iloprost alone in rat molar teeth. Methods: Eighty maxillary first molar rat teeth were exposed and capped with iloprost solution, MTA, or MTA mixed with iloprost (MTA-iloprost). The cavities were then filled with resin-modified glass ionomer. The cavity was restored with glass ionomer without the use of pulp capping agent in the control group. The rats were sacrificed after one and four weeks. Block sections of the molar specimens were prepared and subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining for evaluation. Statistical analysis was done using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by Dunnett’s test. Results: At week one, the control group showed significantly more severe pulpal inflammatory reactions than the iloprost (p = 0.00), MTA (p = 0.04), and MTA-iloprost (p = 0.00) groups. Hard tissue formation was commonly found in the iloprost, MTA, and MTA-iloprost groups. After four weeks, pulpal tissue degeneration was observed in the control group. Complete hard tissue barriers were found in 50%, 72.7%, and 77.8% of the specimens in iloprost, MTA, and MTA-iloprost groups, respectively, with no significant differences among the experimental groups. The dentinal tubule patterns were mostly regular in the MTA-iloprost group and irregular in the iloprost and MTA groups. Conclusions: The application of iloprost, MTA, and MTA-iloprost as a pulp capping material resulted in similar pulpal responses in the mechanically exposed pulp of rat molars. Therefore, mixing MTA with iloprost might not be clinically significant.
Prediction of Peak Particle Velocity Caused by Blasting through the Combinations of Boosted-CHAID and SVM Models with Various Kernels
Authors: Zeng Jie , Roussis Panayiotis C. , Mohammed Ahmed Salih , Maraveas Chrysanthos , Fatemi Seyed Alireza , Armaghani Danial Jahed , Asteris Panagiotis G.
Published: April 2021

This research examines the feasibility of hybridizing boosted Chi-Squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) with different kernels of support vector machine (SVM) techniques for the prediction of the peak particle velocity (PPV) induced by quarry blasting. To achieve this objective, a boosting-CHAID technique was applied to a big experimental database comprising six input variables. The technique identified four input parameters (distance from blast-face, stemming length, powder factor, and maximum charge per delay) as the most significant parameters affecting the prediction accuracy and utilized them to propose the SVM models with various kernels. The kernel types used in this study include radial basis function, polynomial, sigmoid, and linear. Several criteria, including mean absolute error (MAE), correlation coefficient (R), and gains, were calculated to evaluate the developed models’ accuracy and applicability. In addition, a simple ranking system was used to evaluate the models’ performance systematically. The performance of the R and MAE index of the radial basis function kernel of SVM in training and testing phases, respectively, confirm the high capability of this SVM kernel in predicting PPV values. This study successfully demonstrates that a combination of boosting-CHAID and SVM models can identify and predict with a high level of accuracy the most effective parameters affecting PPV values.
The Impact of Additive Manufacturing on the Flexibility of a Manufacturing Supply Chain
Authors: Alogla Ageel Abdulaziz , Baumers Martin , Tuck Christopher , Elmadih Waiel
Published: April 2021

There is an increasing need for supply chains that can rapidly respond to fluctuating demands and can provide customised products. This supply chain design requires the development of flexibility as a critical capability. To this end, firms are considering Additive Manufacturing (AM) as one strategic option that could enable such a capability. This paper develops a conceptual model that maps AM characteristics relevant to flexibility against key market disruption scenarios. Following the development of this model, a case study is undertaken to indicate the impact of adopting AM on supply chain flexibility from four major flexibility-related aspects: volume, mix, delivery, and new product introduction. An inter-process comparison is implemented in this case study using data collected from a manufacturing company that produces pipe fittings using Injection Moulding (IM). The supply chain employing IM in this case study shows greater volume and delivery flexibility levels (i.e., 65.68% and 92.8% for IM compared to 58.70% and 75.35% for AM, respectively) while the AM supply chain shows greater mix and new product introduction flexibility, indicated by the lower changeover time and cost of new product introduction to the system (i.e., 0.33 h and €0 for AM compared to 4.91 h and €30,000 for IM, respectively). This work will allow decision-makers to take timely decisions by providing useful information on the effect of AM adoption on supply chain flexibility in different sudden disruption scenarios such as demand uncertainty, demand variability, lead-time compression and product variety.
Time Travel to the Past of Bosnia and Herzegovina through Virtual and Augmented Reality
Authors: Rizvić Selma , Bošković Dušanka , Okanović Vensada , Kihić Ivona Ivković , Prazina Irfan , Mijatović Bojan
Published: April 2021

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) has a very picturesque past. Founded in 11th century, it has always been a crossroads of faiths and civilizations. Extended Reality (XR) technologies can finally take us to time travel into this history, enable us to experience past events and meet historical characters. In this paper, we overview the latest applications we developed that use Virtual Reality (VR) video, Virtual and Augmented Reality (AR) for interactive digital storytelling about BH history. “Nine dissidents” is the first BH VR documentary, tackling a still tricky subject of dissidents in the Socialist Yugoslavia, artists and writers falsely accused, persecuted and still forbidden. “Virtual Museum of Old Crafts” aims to present and preserve crafts intangible heritage through Virtual Reality. “Battle on Neretva VR” is recreating a famous WWII battle offering the users to experience it and meet comrade Tito, the commander of the Yugoslav Liberation Army. “Sarajevo 5D” shows the cultural monuments from Sarajevo that do not exist anymore in physical form using Augmented Reality. Through user experience studies, we measure the user immersion and edutainment of these applications and show the potential of XR for the presentation and preservation of cultural heritage.
Detoxified Spent Pot Lining from Aluminum Production as (Alumino-)Silicate Source for Composite Cement and AutoClaved Aerated Concrete
Authors: Peys Arne , Košir Mateja , Snellings Ruben , Mladenovič Ana , Horckmans Liesbeth
Published: April 2021

New sources of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are needed to meet the future demand. A potential new source of SCM is spent pot lining, a residue from aluminum production. The present work showed that the refined aluminosilicate part of spent pot lining (SPL) has a moderate chemical reactivity in a cementitious system measured in the R3 calorimetry test, comparable to commercially used coal fly ash. The reaction of SPL led to the consumption of Ca(OH)2 in a cement paste beyond 7 days after mixing. At 28 and 90 days a significant contribution to strength development was therefore observed, reaching a relative strength, which is similar to composite cements with coal fly ash. At early age a retardation of the cement hydration is caused by the SPL, which should most likely be associated with the presence of trace amounts of NH3. The spent pot lining is also investigated as silica source for autoclaved aerated concrete blocks. The replacement of quartz by spent pot lining did not show an adverse effect on the strength-density relation of the lightweight blocks up to 50 wt% quartz substitution. Overall, spent pot lining can be used in small replacement volumes (30 wt%) as SCM or as replacement of quartz (50 wt%) in autoclaved aerated concrete blocks.
Effectiveness of Shock Wave Therapy versus Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injection in Diabetic Frozen Shoulder Patients’ Management: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Elerian Ahmed Ebrahim , Rodriguez-Sanz David , Abdelaziz Elsherif Abdelaziz , Dorgham Hend Adel , Al-Hamaky Dina Mohamed Ali , El Fakharany Mahmoud S. , Ewidea Mahmoud
Published: April 2021

Frozen shoulder is a major musculoskeletal illness in diabetic patients. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of shock wave and corticosteroid injection in the management of diabetic frozen shoulder patients. Fifty subjects with diabetic frozen shoulder were divided randomly into group A (the intra-articular corticosteroid injection group) and group B that received 12 sessions of shock wave therapy, while each patient in both groups received the traditional physiotherapy program. The level of pain and disability, the range of motion, as well as the glucose triad were evaluated before patient assignment to each group, during the study and at the end of the study. Compared to the pretreatment evaluations there were significant improvements of shoulder pain and disability and in shoulder flexion and abduction range of motion in both groups (p < 0.05). The shock wave group revealed a more significant improvement the intra-articular corticosteroid injection group, where p was 0.001 for shoulder pain and disability and shoulder flexion and abduction. Regarding the effect of both interventions on the glucose triad, there were significant improvements in glucose control with group B, where p was 0.001. Shock waves provide a more effective and safer treatment modality for diabetic frozen shoulder treatment than corticosteroid intra-articular injection.
A New Approach to Quantifying Bioaccumulation of Elements in Biological Processes
Authors: Proc Kinga , Bulak Piotr , Kaczor Monika , Bieganowski Andrzej
Published: April 2021

Bioaccumulation, expressed as the bioaccumulation factor (BAF), is a phenomenon widely investigated in the natural environment and at laboratory scale. However, the BAF is more suitable for ecological studies, while in small-scale experiments it has limitations, which are discussed in this article. We propose a new indicator, the bioaccumulation index (BAI). The BAI takes into account the initial load of test elements, which are added to the experimental system together with the biomass of the organism. This offers the opportunity to explore the phenomena related to the bioaccumulation and, contrary to the BAF, can also reveal the dilution of element concentration in the organism. The BAF can overestimate bioaccumulation, and in an extremal situation, when the dilution of element concentration during organism growth occurs, the BAF may produce completely opposite results to the BAI. In one of the examples presented in this work (Tschirner and Simon, 2015), the concentration of phosphorous in fly larvae was lower after the experiment than in the younger larvae before the experiment. Because the phosphorous concentration in the feed was low, the BAF indicated a high bioaccumulation of this element (BAF = 14.85). In contrast, the BAI showed element dilution, which is a more realistic situation (BAI = −0.32). By taking more data into account, the BAI seems to be more valid in determining bioaccumulation, especially in the context of entomoremediation research.
Quadruplex-Forming Motif Inserted into 3′UTR of Ty1his3-AI Retrotransposon Inhibits Retrotransposition in Yeast
Authors: Tokan Viktor , Rodriguez Lorenzo Jose Luis Rodriguez , Jedlicka Pavel , Kejnovska Iva , Hobza Roman , Kejnovsky Eduard
Published: April 2021

Guanine quadruplexes (G4s) serve as regulators of replication, recombination and gene expression. G4 motifs have been recently identified in LTR retrotransposons, but their role in the retrotransposon life-cycle is yet to be understood. Therefore, we inserted G4s into the 3′UTR of Ty1his3-AI retrotransposon and measured the frequency of retrotransposition in yeast strains BY4741, Y00509 (without Pif1 helicase) and with G4-stabilization by N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) treatment. We evaluated the impact of G4s on mRNA levels by RT-qPCR and products of reverse transcription by Southern blot analysis. We found that the presence of G4 inhibited Ty1his3-AI retrotransposition. The effect was stronger when G4s were on a transcription template strand which leads to reverse transcription interruption. Both NMM and Pif1p deficiency reduced the retrotransposition irrespective of the presence of a G4 motif in the Ty1his3-AI element. Quantity of mRNA and products of reverse transcription did not fully explain the impact of G4s on Ty1his3-AI retrotransposition indicating that G4s probably affect some other steps of the retrotransposon life-cycle (e.g., translation, VLP formation, integration). Our results suggest that G4 DNA conformation can tune the activity of mobile genetic elements that in turn contribute to shaping the eukaryotic genomes.
Self-Assembled Hybrid ZnO Nanostructures as Supports for Copper-Based Catalysts in the Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol
Authors: Omar Lama , Perret Noémie , Daniele Stephane
Published: April 2021

This study describes the use of new ZnO/PAAH hybrid nanomaterials (PAAH = polyacrylic acid) as copper catalyst supports for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol. A study of the synthesis parameters (washing process, temperatures of synthesis and calcination) of these hybrid supports has allowed us to vary their morphology and specific surface area and ultimately the sizes and dispersion of the copper nanoparticles, and to perform a general analysis of their effects on the catalytic performance of the materials. All catalysts were synthesized by the urea deposition-precipitation method (DPU) and were fully characterized to establish a structure–activity relationship. Optimization of the synthesis and catalytic conditions allowed remarkable yields/conversions of the order of 70% for selectivities in 1,2 propanediol of 90%.
The Role of Catalytic Ozonation Processes on the Elimination of DBPs and Their Precursors in Drinking Water Treatment
Authors: Beltrán Fernando J. , Rey Ana , Gimeno Olga
Published: April 2021

Formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water treatment (DWT) as a result of pathogen removal has always been an issue of special attention in the preparation of safe water. DBPs are formed by the action of oxidant-disinfectant chemicals, mainly chlorine derivatives (chlorine, hypochlorous acid, chloramines, etc.), that react with natural organic matter (NOM), mainly humic substances. DBPs are usually refractory to oxidation, mainly due to the presence of halogen compounds so that advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are a recommended option to deal with their removal. In this work, the application of catalytic ozonation processes (with and without the simultaneous presence of radiation), moderately recent AOPs, for the removal of humic substances (NOM), also called DBPs precursors, and DBPs themselves is reviewed. First, a short history about the use of disinfectants in DWT, DBPs formation discovery and alternative oxidants used is presented. Then, sections are dedicated to conventional AOPs applied to remove DBPs and their precursors to finalize with the description of principal research achievements found in the literature about application of catalytic ozonation processes. In this sense, aspects such as operating conditions, reactors used, radiation sources applied in their case, kinetics and mechanisms are reviewed.
Dysregulation of Multiple Signaling Neurodevelopmental Pathways during Embryogenesis: A Possible Cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Upadhyay Jyoti , Patra Jeevan , Tiwari Nidhi , Salankar Nilima , Ansari Mohd Nazam , Ahmad Wasim
Published: April 2021

Understanding the autistic brain and the involvement of genetic, non-genetic, and numerous signaling pathways in the etiology and pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is complex, as is evident from various studies. Apart from multiple developmental disorders of the brain, autistic subjects show a few characteristics like impairment in social communications related to repetitive, restricted, or stereotypical behavior, which suggests alterations in neuronal circuits caused by defects in various signaling pathways during embryogenesis. Most of the research studies on ASD subjects and genetic models revealed the involvement of mutated genes with alterations of numerous signaling pathways like Wnt, hedgehog, and Retinoic Acid (RA). Despite significant improvement in understanding the pathogenesis and etiology of ASD, there is an increasing awareness related to it as well as a need for more in-depth research because no effective therapy has been developed to address ASD symptoms. Therefore, identifying better therapeutic interventions like “novel drugs for ASD” and biomarkers for early detection and disease condition determination are required. This review article investigated various etiological factors as well as the signaling mechanisms and their alterations to understand ASD pathophysiology. It summarizes the mechanism of signaling pathways, their significance, and implications for ASD.
Tissue-Resident and Recruited Macrophages in Primary Tumor and Metastatic Microenvironments: Potential Targets in Cancer Therapy
Authors: Cotechini Tiziana , Atallah Aline , Grossman Arielle
Published: April 2021

Macrophages within solid tumors and metastatic sites are heterogenous populations with different developmental origins and substantially contribute to tumor progression. A number of tumor-promoting phenotypes associated with both tumor- and metastasis-associated macrophages are similar to innate programs of embryonic-derived tissue-resident macrophages. In contrast to recruited macrophages originating from marrow precursors, tissue-resident macrophages are seeded before birth and function to coordinate tissue remodeling and maintain tissue integrity and homeostasis. Both recruited and tissue-resident macrophage populations contribute to tumor growth and metastasis and are important mediators of resistance to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immune checkpoint blockade. Thus, targeting various macrophage populations and their tumor-promoting phenotypes holds therapeutic promise. Here, we discuss various macrophage populations as regulators of tumor progression, immunity, and immunotherapy. We provide an overview of macrophage targeting strategies, including therapeutics designed to induce macrophage depletion, impair recruitment, and induce repolarization. We also provide a perspective on the therapeutic potential for macrophage-specific acquisition of trained immunity as an anti-cancer agent and discuss the therapeutic potential of exploiting macrophages and their traits to reduce tumor burden.