bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations between biopsychosocial factors and transportation patterns of older adults residing in Klang Valley, Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Rosnu Nurul Syuhada , Ishak Wan Syafira , Abd Rahman Mohd Harimi , Shahar Suzana , Musselwhite Charles , Mat Ludin Arimi Fitri , Hamid Tengku Aizan , Abdul Latiff Abdul Rais , Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Aging is associated with physiological changes in multiple systems in the body and may impact the transportation choices of older adults. In this study, we examine the associations between biopsychosocial factors and the transportation choices of Malaysian older adults.

Methods

One hundred and nineteen (119) older adults, aged 60 and above, living in Klang Valley, Malaysia were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants were interviewed face-to-face to obtain sociodemographic data, health status (whether there were and, if yes, the number of comorbidities), outdoor mobility and transportation patterns, Instrumental Activity Daily Living (IADL) status and cognitive function. Participants’ physical performance (dominant handgrip strength, 10-m walk, and timed up and go tests), hearing threshold (pure tone audiometry), and vision function (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity) were measured. Transportation patterns of older adults were categorized into three groups, that is, flexible (using public transport and/or private vehicles), using only private vehicles and restricted (relying on others or walking).

Results

Further information is needed to enable such older adults as older women, those with comorbidities and poorer functional status to access transportation, especially to meet their health care needs.

Discussion

The majority (51%) of participants were in the ‘using only private vehicles’ group, followed by the ‘flexibles’ (25%) and the ‘restricted’ (24%). Factors significantly associated with the restricted transportation group were: (a) being female (AdjOR 15.39, 95% CI 0.86–23.39, p < 0.001); (b) being Malay (AdjOR 21.72, 95% CI 0.36–16.12, p < 0.001); (c) having higher number of comorbidities (AdjOR 14.01, 95% CI 0.20–13.21, p = 0.007); and (d) being dependent in IADL (AdjOR 13.48, 95% CI 0.51–1.78, p = 0.002).
Post CAR T-cell therapy outcomes and management in HSCT-naive patients: a single-center experience
Authors: Phillips Christine L. , Krupski Christa , Khoury Ruby , Dandoy Christopher E. , Nelson Adam S. , Galletta Thomas J. , Faulhaber Angela , Davies Stella M. , Rubinstein Jeremy D.
Published: May 2023

Background

Tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) is increasingly being used in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)-naive patients. Outcomes for HSCT patients following chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy demonstrate low relapse rates; however, a significant number of patients who receive tisa-cel can maintain remission without an HSCT. Multiple factors are considered when choosing whether or not to proceed with HSCT.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 31 patients who had received tisa-cel at our institution and who were transplant naive at the time of infusion. The aim was to determine the rate and timing of consolidative HSCT, factors that led to HSCT, and overall survival.

Results

Three of the 31 patients were non-responders to tisa-cel and ultimately died of disease. Twelve of the 28 responders remain alive with no evidence of disease (NED) without subsequent therapy. Of these patients, 5 of the 12 had isolated extramedullary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (CNS, n = 4; testes, n = 1) and 2 of the 12 had Down syndrome, so no transplantation was planned. In the remaining 5 of 12 patients, close monitoring for signs of relapsed ALL, using serial next-generation sequencing (NGS) minimal residual disease (MRD) and lymphocyte subpopulation measurements, was performed. Owing to continued negative findings, no HSCT was chosen. Ultimately, 43% (12 of 28) of responders proceeded to HSCT, with three receiving tisa-cel as a planned bridge to HSCT as a result of CD22 negativity and/or provider preference (two patients survived with NED); three proceeded to HSCT as a result of early loss of B-cell aplasia (BCA) (all survived with NED); and six had salvage HSCT following relapse (three patients survived with NED and one patient was alive in relapse). Three of the 28 patients died following relapse post CAR T-cell therapy without HSCT. The final patient had an isolated extramedullary soft tissue CD19+ relapse 1 year post tisa-cel treatment, and is now NED without HSCT and persistent BCA.

Conclusion

Close monitoring of NGS results and BCA, as well as consideration of the site of the disease, can spare a subset of patients HSCT with the maintenance of leukemia-free remission, while still allowing for later HSCT in others. In our cohort, only a small subset of patients was unable to proceed to HSCT following relapse post-CAR T-cell therapy.
Salt: The Rock That Flows
Authors: Fernandez Oscar , Rowan Mark G.
Published: May 2023

Salt is a substance with many uses, including as a condiment for our food. Salt is also a rock, and it can be found underground in many places around the world. What makes rock salt fascinating is that, over hundreds to millions of years, it is a rock that flows! Over long periods of time, salt behaves a bit like honey—like a thick, viscous liquid. This means it can change shape faster than other rocks and it can be squeezed to the surface like toothpaste out of a tube. Salt can also flow like ice does in glaciers. Understanding how salt changes shape is important because underground salt is often used to store useful or dangerous substances, such as petroleum or nuclear waste.
Comparison of prepartum blood parameters in dairy cows with postpartum ketosis and new risk prediction candidates
Authors: Choi Woojae , Ro Younghye , Choe Eunhui , Hong Leegon , Kim Dohee , Kim Seongdae , Yoon Ilsu , Kim Danil
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Ketosis is a predominant metabolic problem and a risk factor for several postpartum diseases. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the complete blood count (CBC), plasma biochemistry, and osteocalcin and identify significant prepartum and early postpartum values expressed in ketotic cows.

Methods

In 135 Holstein Friesian cows, 210 parturitions of 114 primiparous and 96 multiparous cows were examined. According to the plasma concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB; ≥ 1.4 mmol/L) or non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA; ≥ 0.7 mmol/L) in the postpartum period, cows were divided into healthy cows (CON) and ketotic cows (KET). Analyses of CBC and biochemistry profiles were performed from −6 to 4 weeks of parturition every 2 weeks (prepartum; BW–5, BW–3, and BW–1, postpartum; BW1 and BW3), and osteocalcin ELISA tests were performed using blood samples from −2 to 2 weeks of parturition (BW–1 and BW1).

Results

In primiparous KET (n = 114) before parturition, lower lymphocyte (Lym) in BW–5 and BW–3, lower red blood cell (RBC) in BW–5, higher mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in BW–1, and higher NEFA in BW–3 were significant compared with CON. Primiparous KET showed lower carboxylated osteocalcin (cOC) levels and a significant decrease after parturition. In multiparous KET (n = 96) before parturition, lower neutrophil (Neu) in BW–5, higher hemoglobin (HGB) in BW–5, higher MCV in BW–5 and BW–1, higher MCH in BW–5, lower total cholesterol (TC) in BW–5, higher triglyceride (TG) in BW–3, higher NEFA in BW–1, higher glucose (Glu) in BW–3, lower γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in BW–5, lower inorganic phosphate (iP) in BW–3, and higher body condition score (BCS) in BW–5 and BW–3 were significant compared with CON. Multiparous KET showed decreased cOC and uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) after parturition, which was lower than that in the CON group.

Discussion

The blood parameters expressing different values between CON and KET in prepartum or early postpartum periods are presumed to show individual nutrition and health states, liver function, and overweight status. These parameters could be valuable indicators that can be used to prevent the occurrence of ketosis and improve management practices by recognizing these differences in ketotic cows before calving.
La publicidad digital como estimulante de respuesta emocionales básicas en la audiencia
Authors: Castro-Analuiza Juan Carlos , Pazmiño-Chimbana Victoria Micaela
Published: May 2023

Los mensajes publicitarios provocan reacciones emocionales en los consumidores y se ha intentado explicar cómo funciona la publicidad dentro de los procesos afectivos emocionales y la posición central encargada de seleccionar la información en la consciencia. Estas brechas surgen cuando se examina las emociones en la publicidad, especialmente, dentro de los entornos y medios digitales publicitarios. Por tal razón, el objetivo de investigación fue indagar cuáles son las escenas de la publicidad digital de "Origen Ambateño 2022” sobre la base de las expresiones faciales de las emociones básicas que más llamaron la atención en la audiencia. Se utilizó un enfoque cuantitativo, con un nivel descriptivo y contexto Neuromarketing, mediante la herramienta AffdexMe, a estudiantes universitarios, del sexo femenino y masculino. Como principales resultados, se observa que las emociones alegría y sorpresa fueron la más significativas en las escenas, por otro lado, el estado emocional negativo más significativo fue el asco. Sin embargo, el disgusto, la ira, el miedo y la tristeza presentaron activaciones bajas entre ascensos y descensos en cada una de las escenas. La campaña de “Origen Ambateño 2022” generó más emociones positivas en comparación a las emociones negativas, y sus beneficios se reflejan en que la publicidad digital sea más recordada por la audiencia, impulse e incentive al consumo de los productos locales y visibilizar toda la capacidad productiva y riqueza territorial.
La planificación del marketing en las micros y pequeñas empresas de alimentos y bebidas
Authors: Salazar-Duque Diego Alfredo
Published: May 2023

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el nivel de diseño y ejecución del marketing estratégico, táctico y operativo en las micros y pequeñas empresas de alimentos y bebidas que se encuentran distribuidas en la provincia de Pichincha. La investigación considerada fue a partir de un estudio cuantitativo con un diseño descriptivo y transversal donde se levantó la información de 195 establecimientos de alimentos y bebidas a partir de una encuesta donde se contempló tres dimensiones fundamentales: la planificación estratégica del marketing, planificación táctica del marketing y planificación operativa del marketing. Los resultados indican que existen actividades que corresponde a la planificación operativa y táctica que son realizados ocasionalmente, rara vez o nunca, lo que puede afectar en el cumplimiento de los objetivos de marketing; siendo “la definición del presupuesto” el criterio que menos se toma en consideración dentro de un plan de marketing. Para concluir, se sostiene que, es importante para el desarrollo de un plan de marketing, tomar en cuenta el análisis, la acción y la ejecución del modelo paradigmático para el desarrollo de una planificación del marketing, tomar en cuenta el enfoque de la planificación estratégica, táctica y operativa.
Regulación emocional para padres de adolescentes: un curso de modalidad a distancia, más allá de los tiempos de crisis
Authors: Castillo-Guasch Regina , Guzmán-Cedillo Yunuen Ixchel
Published: May 2023

El objetivo del estudio fue validar e implementar un taller para promover la regulación emocional en padres de adolescentes durante los tiempos de crisis, por medio de una intervención psicoeducativa en modalidad síncrona (videollamada - meet) y asíncrona (Classroom y Moodle). Participaron 105 padres de adolescentes, 44 de ellos cumplieron los criterios de inclusión para el análisis de resultados. La secuencia didáctica compuesta por 4 sesiones fue validada por 6 jueces expertos mediante la adaptación del instrumento de Castillo-Calero (2013). también se empleó una adaptación de la escala DERS y viñetas de casos (Velasco y cols., 2019) para determinar la diferencia de grupos entre modalidades, así como antes y después del taller. Se aplicó una prueba T de Wilcoxon cuyo resultado no fue significativo. Se decidió hacer un análisis con respecto a los puntajes, altos, medios y bajos, conformando tres grupos. El primero reporta diferencias estadísticamente significativas (T=.012), demostrando mayor número de estrategias de regulación emocional, mientras los otros dos grupos no reportaron diferencias significativas en la escala global. Asimismo, se analizaron las viñetas de casos del grupo 1 (altos) en el discurso de los padres se observaron cambios. Se confirma la importancia de un diseño instruccional para construir las propuestas educativas virtuales y ampliar los estudios de las que se realicen con cuidadores, tutores o padres de familia.
Low-Dimensional Models for Aerofoil Icing Predictions
Authors: Massegur David , Clifford Declan , Da Ronch Andrea , Lombardi Riccardo , Panzeri Marco
Published: May 2023

Determining the aero-icing characteristics is key for safety assurance in aviation, but it may be a computationally expensive task. This work presents a framework for the development of low-dimensional models for application to aerofoil icing. The framework builds on: an adaptive sampling strategy to identify the local, nonlinear features across the icing envelope for continuous intermittent icing; a classic technique based on Proper Orthogonal Decomposition, and a modern Neural Network architecture. The extreme diversity in simulated ice shapes, from smooth and streamlined to rugged and irregular shapes, motivated the use of an unsupervised classification of the ice shapes. This allowed deploying the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition locally within each sub-region, sensibly improving the prediction accuracy over the global model. On the other hand, the Neural Network architecture and the convolutional auto-encoder were found insensitive to the complexity in ice shapes. A strong correlation was found to exist between the ice shape, resulting ice mass and aerodynamic performance of the iced aerofoil, both in terms of the average and variance. On average, rime ice causes a loss of maximum lift coefficient of 21.5% compared to a clean aerofoil, and the average ice thickness is 0.9% of the aerofoil chord. For glaze ice, the average loss of maximum lift coefficient is 46.5% and the average ice thickness is 2.1%. Glaze ice was also found to have three times more surface coverage than rime ice.
Risk Analysis of Airplane Upsets in Flight: An Integrated System Framework and Analysis Methodology
Authors: Lu Na , Meng Bin
Published: May 2023

Generally, airplane upsets in flight are considered a precursor to loss of control in flight (LOC-I) accidents, and unfortunately LOC-I is classified as the leading cause of fatal accidents. To further explore the risk factors, causal relationships, and coupling mechanism of airplane upsets, this study proposed a risk analysis model integrating the Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) and Bayesian Network (BN). Seventeen key risk factors leading to airplane upsets were identified through the analysis of typical accident cases and the literature. The ISM approach was used to construct the multi-level interpretative structural model of airplane upsets, which could reveal the causal relationship among various risk factors and risk propagation paths. Then, taking 286 accident/incident investigation data as training samples, a data-driven BN model was established using machine learning for dependency intensity assessment and inference analysis. The results reveal that the interaction among risk factors of fatal accidents caused by airplane upsets is more significant than that of non-fatal accidents/incidents. Risk factors such as pilot-induced oscillations/airplane-pilot coupling and non-adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/neglect of cross-validation have a significant effect on airplane upsets in flight among seventeen risk factors. Moreover, this study also identifies the most likely set of risk factors that lead to fatal accidents caused by airplane upsets. The research results have an important theoretical significance and application value for preventing airplane upsets risk.
Diabetic Nephropathy and Gaseous Modulators
Authors: Juin Subir Kumar , Ouseph Rosemary , Gondim Dibson Dibe , Jala Venkatakrishna Rao , Sen Utpal
Published: May 2023

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) remains the leading cause of vascular morbidity and mortality in diabetes patients. Despite the progress in understanding the diabetic disease process and advanced management of nephropathy, a number of patients still progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The underlying mechanism still needs to be clarified. Gaseous signaling molecules, so-called gasotransmitters, such as nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), have been shown to play an essential role in the development, progression, and ramification of DN depending on their availability and physiological actions. Although the studies on gasotransmitter regulations of DN are still emerging, the evidence revealed an aberrant level of gasotransmitters in patients with diabetes. In studies, different gasotransmitter donors have been implicated in ameliorating diabetic renal dysfunction. In this perspective, we summarized an overview of the recent advances in the physiological relevance of the gaseous molecules and their multifaceted interaction with other potential factors, such as extracellular matrix (ECM), in the severity modulation of DN. Moreover, the perspective of the present review highlights the possible therapeutic interventions of gasotransmitters in ameliorating this dreaded disease.
Fermented Whey Ewe’s Milk-Based Fruit Smoothies: Bio-Recycling and Enrichment of Phenolic Compounds and Improvement of Protein Digestibility and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Tlais Ali Zein Alabiden , Trossolo Elisabetta , Tonini Stefano , Filannino Pasquale , Gobbetti Marco , Di Cagno Raffaella
Published: May 2023

This study aimed to recycle whey milk by-products (protein source) in fruit smoothies (phenolic compounds source) through started-assisted fermentation and delivering sustainable and healthy food formulations capable of providing nutrients that are unavailable due to an unbalanced diet or incorrect eating habits. Five lactic acid bacteria strains were selected as best starters for smoothie production based on the complementarity of pro-technological (kinetics of growth and acidification) traits, exopolysaccharides and phenolics release, and antioxidant activity enhancement. Compared to raw whey milk-based fruit smoothies (Raw_WFS), fermentation led to distinct profiles of sugars (glucose, fructose, mannitol, and sucrose), organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid), ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds (gallic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, hydrocaffeic acid, quercetin, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, and ellagic acid) and especially anthocyanins (cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, peonidin, petunidin 3-glucoside). Protein and phenolics interaction enhanced the release of anthocyanins, notably under the action of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The same bacterial strains outperformed other species in terms of protein digestibility and quality. With variations among starters culture, bio-converted metabolites were most likely responsible for the increase antioxidant scavenging capacity (DPPH, ABTS, and lipid peroxidation) and the modifications in organoleptic properties (aroma and flavor).
An Exploratory Research Regarding Greek Consumers’ Behavior on Wine and Wineries’ Character
Authors: Sykalia Dionysia , Chrisostomidou Yvonni , Karabagias Ioannis K.
Published: May 2023

Given the lack of data regarding the preferences, behavior and habits of wine consumers in Greece, the purpose of the present study was to investigate consumer trends and explore the factors that affect the purchase and consumption of wine in comparison with other alcoholic beverages. For this purpose, a self-response questionnaire survey was designed through the Google platform on a sample of 994 participants. In order to analyze the collected data, statistical analysis was done. A second online questionnaire was introduced to Greek winery companies. The purpose was to examine if the wine producers follow the wine consumption trends according to the desires of the Greek wine consumers or are addressed to a more international audience. As for the wine companies’ perspectives, we wanted to collect data regarding the amount of their production and the type of wine they produce and to know about their profile (international, exports, strategies, etc.). We collected 71 responses from wineries located in different parts of Greece. For the first time in the last 10 years, there is a profile of Greek consumers’ behavior toward wine in comparison with other alcoholic beverages and knowledge of specific operational data of Greek wineries using an online questionnaire survey (e-survey).
Mesenchymal Stem Cell in Pancreatic Islet Transplantation
Authors: Barachini Serena , Biso Letizia , Kolachalam Shivakumar , Petrini Iacopo , Maggio Roberto , Scarselli Marco , Longoni Biancamaria
Published: May 2023

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a therapeutic option for achieving physiologic regulation of plasma glucose in Type 1 diabetic patients. At the same time, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated their potential in controlling graft rejection, the most fearsome complication in organ/tissue transplantation. MSCs can interact with innate and adaptive immune system cells either through direct cell-cell contact or through their secretome including exosomes. In this review, we discuss current findings regarding the graft microenvironment of pancreatic islet recipient patients and the crucial role of MSCs operation as cell managers able to control the immune system to prevent rejection and promote endogenous repair. We also discuss how challenging stressors, such as oxidative stress and impaired vasculogenesis, may jeopardize graft outcomes. In order to face these adverse conditions, we consider either hypoxia-exposure preconditioning of MSCs or human stem cells with angiogenic potential in organoids to overcome islets’ lack of vasculature. Along with the shepherding of carbon nanotubes-loaded MSCs to the transplantation site by a magnetic field, these studies look forward to exploiting MSCs stemness and their immunomodulatory properties in pancreatic islet transplantation.
Adipokines as Clinically Relevant Therapeutic Targets in Obesity
Authors: Würfel Marleen , Blüher Matthias , Stumvoll Michael , Ebert Thomas , Kovacs Peter , Tönjes Anke , Breitfeld Jana
Published: May 2023

Adipokines provide an outstanding role in the comprehensive etiology of obesity and may link adipose tissue dysfunction to further metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Although several adipokines have been identified in terms of their physiological roles, many regulatory circuits remain unclear and translation from experimental studies to clinical applications has yet to occur. Nevertheless, due to their complex metabolic properties, adipokines offer immense potential for their use both as obesity-associated biomarkers and as relevant treatment strategies for overweight, obesity and metabolic comorbidities. To provide an overview of the current clinical use of adipokines, this review summarizes clinical studies investigating the potential of various adipokines with respect to diagnostic and therapeutic treatment strategies for obesity and linked metabolic disorders. Furthermore, an overview of adipokines, for which a potential for clinical use has been demonstrated in experimental studies to date, will be presented. In particular, promising data revealed that fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-19, FGF-21 and leptin offer great potential for future clinical application in the treatment of obesity and related comorbidities. Based on data from animal studies or other clinical applications in addition to obesity, adipokines including adiponectin, vaspin, resistin, chemerin, visfatin, bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) provide potential for human clinical application.
The Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer Progression: The Emerging Role of Succinate Dehydrogenase Alterations and Succinate Accumulation
Authors: Turano Mimmo , Vicidomini Rosario , Cammarota Francesca , D’Agostino Valeria , Duraturo Francesca , Izzo Paola , Rosa Marina De
Published: May 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) stands as the third most significant contributor to cancer-related mortality worldwide. A major underlying reason is that the detection of CRC usually occurs at an advanced metastatic stage, rendering therapies ineffective. In the progression from the in situ neoplasia stage to the advanced metastatic stage, a critical molecular mechanism involved is the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This intricate transformation consists of a series of molecular changes, ultimately leading the epithelial cell to relinquish its features and acquire mesenchymal and stem-like cell characteristics. The EMT regulation involves several factors, such as transcription factors, cytokines, micro RNAs and long noncoding RNAs. Nevertheless, recent studies have illuminated an emerging link between metabolic alterations and EMT in various types of cancers, including colorectal cancers. In this review, we delved into the pivotal role played by EMT during CRC progression, with a focus on highlighting the relationship between the alterations of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, specifically those involving the succinate dehydrogenase enzyme, and the activation of the EMT program. In fact, emerging evidence supports the idea that elucidating the metabolic modifications that can either induce or inhibit tumor progression could be of immense significance for shaping new therapeutic approaches and preventative measures. We conclude that an extensive effort must be directed towards research for the standardization of drugs that specifically target proteins such as SDH and SUCNR1, but also TRAP1, PDH, ERK1/2, STAT3 and the HIF1-α catabolism.
Prognostic Value of Spot Urinary Creatinine Concentration and Its Relationship with Body Composition Parameters in HF Patients
Authors: Malinowska-Borowska Jolanta , Piecuch Małgorzata , Szlacheta Patryk , Kulik Aleksandra , Niedziela Jacek , Nowak Jolanta , Pyka Łukasz , Gąsior Mariusz , Rozentryt Piotr
Published: May 2023

Background: Low 24-h urinary excretion of creatinine in patients with heart failure (HF) is believed to reflect muscle wasting and is associated with a poor prognosis. Recently, spot urinary creatinine concentration (SUCR) has been suggested as a useful prognostic factor in selected HF cohorts. This more practical and cheaper approach has never been tested in an unselected HF population. Moreover, neither the relation between SUCR and body composition markers nor the association of SUCR with the markers of volume overload, which are known to worsen clinical outcome, has been studied so far. The aim of the study was to check the prognostic value of SUCR in HF patients after adjusting for body composition and indirect markers of volume overload. Methods: In 911 HF patients, morning SUCR was determined and body composition scanning using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was performed. Univariable and multivariable predictors of log SUCR were analyzed. All participants were divided into quartiles of SUCR. Results: In univariable analysis, SUCR weakly correlated with fat-free mass (R = 0.09, p = 0.01). Stronger correlations were shown between SUCR and loop diuretic dose (R = 0.16, p < 0.0001), NTproBNP (R = −0.15, p < 0.0001) and serum sodium (R = 0.16, p < 0.0001). During 3 years of follow-up, 353 (38.7%) patients died. Patients with lower SUCR were more frequently female, and their functional status was worse. The lowest mortality was observed in the top quartile of SUCR. In the unadjusted Cox regression analysis, the relative risk of death in all three lower quartiles of SUCR was higher by roughly 80% compared to the top SUCR quartile. Apart from lower SUCR, the significant predictors of death were age and malnutrition but not body composition. After adjustment for loop diuretic dose and percent of recommended dose of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, the difference in mortality vanished completely. Conclusions: Lower SUCR levels in HF patients are associated with a worse outcome, but this effect is not correlated with fat-free mass. Fluid overload-driven effects may link lower SUCR with higher mortality in HF.
Simple Universal Whole-Organ Resin-Embedding Protocol for Display of Anatomical Structures
Authors: Pirici Ionica , Cercelaru Liliana , Stanca Diana Iulia , Osman Andrei , Sas Lorena , Pirici Daniel , Mindrila Ion
Published: May 2023

Whole-organ plastic resin casting is a very useful method for preserving rare pathological specimens for forensic/anatomical studies and for teaching/research purposes. Many techniques have been proposed over time, but most of them use special non-commercially available resin mixtures, lengthy protocols, and are overall not easily implemented in any anatomy/pathology department that might need such a procedure for rapid organ preservation. Here, we utilized anatomical sections of the human brain, heart, kidneys, spleen, large intestine, and lungs from on-display organs that were fixed for more than 1 year in 10% neutral-buffered formalin and from a freshly processed cadaver for teaching purposes in our Human Anatomy Department, and we optimized a fast-processing protocol without the use of any clearing agents, which yields solid, clear, cylindrical resin casting blocks. The resulting protocol, which takes no longer than 4 days, proves that at least three commonly used epoxy resins from hobby shops can be utilized without any restrictions, and the use of resin or glycerin vacuum-forced impregnation even offers two choices of intrinsic contrast, depending on the nature of the preparation. A number of innovations have been included here and compared to existing publications, such as the use of a system of permanent fixation plexiglas rods that maintain the organ in the desired position and become invisible in the final block, the use of UVC sterilization of the tissue to ensure a long shelf life of the block, and the utilization of cheap cylindrical polypropylene food containers as casting molds. Altogether, we present a simple resin-embedding protocol that can be made available to any department/institution without the need for expensive materials and specially trained personnel.
Heparin-Based Hydrogel Micropatches with Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: A Promising Therapeutic Approach for Neuropathic Pain Relief
Authors: Lee HyeYeong , Tae GiYoong , Hwang SaeYeon , Wee SungWon , Ha Yoon , Lee Hye-Lan , Shin DongAh
Published: May 2023

This study explores the therapeutic efficacy of heparin-based hydrogel micropatches containing human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) in treating neuropathic pain caused by nerve damage. Our results showed that hASCs exhibited neuroregenerative and pain-relieving effects when used with heparin-based hydrogel micropatches in the neuropathic pain animal model. The use of this combination also produced enhanced cell viability and nerve regeneration. We conducted various neurological behavioral tests, dynamic plantar tests, histological examinations, and neuroelectrophysiological examinations to confirm the therapeutic effect. Our findings suggest that this approach could maximize therapeutic efficacy and improve the quality of life for patients suffering from neuropathic pain.
Clinicopathological and Molecular Insights into Gallbladder Cancer
Authors: de Reuver Philip R. , van der Post Rachel S.
Published: May 2023

Although gallbladder cancer (GBC) is rare, it is one of the few cancers with a higher mortality rate than incidence, accounting for 1 [...]
Hybrid Palliation for Hypoplastic Borderline Left Ventricle: One More Chance to Biventricular Repair
Authors: Oreto Lilia , Mandraffino Giuseppe , Calaciura Rita Emanuela , Poli Daniela , Gitto Placido , Saitta Michele Benedetto , Bellanti Ermanno , Carerj Scipione , Zito Concetta , Iorio Fiore Salvatore , Guccione Paolo , Agati Salvatore
Published: May 2023

Treatment options for hypoplastic borderline left ventricle (LV) are critically dependent on the development of the LV itself and include different types of univentricular palliation or biventricular repair performed at birth. Since hybrid palliation allows deferring major surgery to 4–6 months, in borderline cases, the decision can be postponed until the LV has expressed its growth potential. We aimed to evaluate anatomic modifications of borderline LV after hybrid palliation. We retrospectively reviewed data from 45 consecutive patients with hypoplastic LV who underwent hybrid palliation at birth between 2011 and 2015. Sixteen patients (mean weight 3.15 Kg) exhibited borderline LV and were considered for potential LV growth. After 5 months, five patients underwent univentricular palliation (Group 1), eight biventricular repairs (Group 2) and three died before surgery. Echocardiograms of Groups 1 and 2 were reviewed, comparing LV structures at birth and after 5 months. Although, at birth, all LV measurements were far below the normal limits, after 5 months, LV mass in Group 2 was almost normal, while in Group 1, no growth was evident. However, aortic root diameter and long axis ratio were significantly higher in Group 2 already at birth. Hybrid palliation can be positively considered as a “bridge-to-decision” for borderline LV. Echocardiography plays a key role in monitoring the growth of borderline LV.
Pediatric COVID-TB: A Clinical Perspective Based on the Analysis of Three Cases
Authors: Leone Fabrizio , Di Giuseppe Martina , De Luca Maia , Cursi Laura , Calo Carducci Francesca Ippolita , Krzysztofiak Andrzej , Chiurchiù Sara , Romani Lorenza , Russo Cristina , Lancella Laura , Bernardi Stefania
Published: May 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and tuberculosis (TB) are currently two major causes of death among infectious diseases. Active tuberculosis and a history of tuberculosis appear to be associated with an increased risk of COVID-19. This coinfection, named COVID-TB, was never described in previously healthy children. We report three cases of pediatric COVID-TB. We describe three girls affected by tuberculosis, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The first patient is a 5-year-old girl who was hospitalized for recurrent TB lymphadenopathy. As she never had any complications related to the concomitant infection with SARS-CoV-2, she received TB treatment. The second case is a 13-year-old patient with a history of pulmonary and splenic tuberculosis. She was admitted to the hospital due to deteriorating respiratory dynamics. She was already undergoing treatment for TB, but in the absence of improvement, she also required treatment for COVID-19. Slowly, the general condition improved until discharge. The last patient, a 10-year-old girl, was hospitalized for supraclavicular swelling. The investigations showed disseminated TB characterized by lung and bone involvement without COVID-19-related complications. She was treated with antitubercular and supportive therapy. Based on the data obtained from the adult population and our small experience, a pediatric patient with COVID-TB infection should be considered potentially at risk of worse clinical outcomes; for this reason, we suggest close observation, careful clinical management, and consideration of targeted anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies.
Obesity Risk Assessment for Spanish-Speaking Immigrant Families with Young Children in the United States: Reliability and Validity with Nutrient Values
Authors: Townsend Marilyn S. , Shilts Mical K. , Lanoue Louise , Drake Christiana , Díaz Rios L. Karina , Keim Nancy L. , Styne Dennis M. , Ontai Lenna L.
Published: May 2023

The purpose is to examine validity and reliability for an obesity risk assessment tool developed in Spanish for immigrant families with children, 3–5 years old using an 8-week cross-sectional design with data collected over 1 year at Head Start and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children [WIC]. Parent/child dyads (206) provided a child obesity risk assessment, three child modified 24 h dietary recalls, three child 36+ h activity logs and one parent food behavior checklist. Main outcome measures were convergent validity with nutrients, cup equivalents, and diet quality and three assessments of reliability that included item difficulty index, item discrimination index, and coefficient of variation. Validity was demonstrated for assessment tool, named Niños Sanos. Scales were significantly related to variables in direction hypothesized [p ≤ 0.05]: Healthy Eating Index, fruit/vegetable cup equivalents, folate, dairy cup equivalents, vitamins D, β-carotene, fiber, saturated fat, sugar, time at screen/ sleep/physical activity and parent behaviors. Three measures of reliability were acceptable. The addition of nutrient values as an analytical validation approach adds strength and consistency to previously reported Niños Sanos validation results using children’s blood biomarkers and body mass index. This tool can be used by health professionals as an assessment of obesity risk in several capacities: (1) screener for counseling in a clinic, (2) large survey, (3) guide for participant goal setting and tailoring interventions, and (4) evaluation.
Acquiring Financial Support for Children’s Sports Participation: Co-Creating a Socially Safe Environment for Parents from Low-Income Families
Authors: van Leeuwen Lonneke , Ruiter Angelique , Visser Kirsten , Lesscher Heidi M. B. , Jonker Merel
Published: May 2023

Despite the many benefits of club-organized sports participation for children, sports participation is lower among children from low-income families than among those from middle- or high-income families. Social safety experienced by parents from low-income families is an important facilitator for parents to request financial support for their children’s sports participation. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to better understand parental social (un)safety in the context of acquiring financial support for children’s sports participation and how to create a safe social environment for low-income parents to request and receive this financial support. The second aim was to describe the co-creation process, which was organized to contribute to social safety solutions. To reach these goals, we applied a participatory action research method in the form of four co-creation sessions with professionals and an expert-by-experience, as well as a group interview with parents from low-income families. The data analysis included a thematic analysis of the qualitative data. The results showed that from the perspective of parents, social safety encompassed various aspects such as understandable information, procedures based on trust, and efficient referral processes. Sport clubs were identified as the primary source of information for parents. Regarding the co-creation process, the study found that stakeholders tended to overestimate parental social safety levels. Although the stakeholders enjoyed and learned from the sessions, differences in prior knowledge and a lack of a shared perspective on the purpose of the sessions made it challenging to collaboratively create solutions. The study’s recommendations include strategies for increasing parental social safety and facilitating more effective co-creation processes. The findings of this study can be used to inform the development of interventions that contribute to a social environment in which parents from low-income families feel safe to request and receive financial support for their children’s sports participation.
Bullying in Middle School: Evidence for a Multidimensional Structure and Measurement Invariance across Gender
Authors: Sideridis Georgios , Alghamdi Mohammed H.
Published: May 2023

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the factorial structure of the bullying scale on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science (TIMSS 2019) for eighth graders and evaluate the instrument’s invariance across gender so that tests of level between males and females can be conducted. Data came from the 2019 cohort of TIMSS in Saudi Arabia. The 14-item scale was evaluated using three competing models: (a) a unidimensional structure, (b) the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) online, non-online two-factor model, and (c) the Wang et al. (2012) 4-domain bullying taxonomy. Participants were 5567 eighth graders who participated in the 2019 TIMSS study. There were 2856 females and 2711 males. The mean age was 13.9 years. Data were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Mplus 8.9. Results indicated that a 4-domain structure including verbal, physical, relational, and online bullying represented the most optimal factor structure of the 14-item bullying measure. Tests of exact measurement invariance for gender originally failed but were then satisfied using the newly recommended “alignment” methodology. Latent mean differences were salient and significant suggesting that levels of bullying across all domains were elevated in males compared to females, contrasting earlier views that different types of bullying are linked to males versus females. Results are discussed in relation to educational policy interventions.
A Flexible and General-Purpose Platform for Heterogeneous Computing
Authors: Garcia-Hernandez Jose Juan , Morales-Sandoval Miguel , Elizondo-Rodríguez Erick
Published: May 2023

In the big data era, processing large amounts of data imposes several challenges, mainly in terms of performance. Complex operations in data science, such as deep learning, large-scale simulations, and visualization applications, can consume a significant amount of computing time. Heterogeneous computing is an attractive alternative for algorithm acceleration, using not one but several different kinds of computing devices (CPUs, GPUs, or FPGAs) simultaneously. Accelerating an algorithm for a specific device under a specific framework, i.e., CUDA/GPU, provides a solution with the highest possible performance at the cost of a loss in generality and requires an experienced programmer. On the contrary, heterogeneous computing allows one to hide the details pertaining to the simultaneous use of different technologies in order to accelerate computation. However, effective heterogeneous computing implementation still requires mastering the underlying design flow. Aiming to fill this gap, in this paper we present a heterogeneous computing platform (HCP). Regarding its main features, this platform allows non-experts in heterogeneous computing to deploy, run, and evaluate high-computational-demand algorithms following a semi-automatic design flow. Given the implementation of an algorithm in C with minimal format requirements, the platform automatically generates the parallel code using a code analyzer, which is adapted to target a set of available computing devices. Thus, while an experienced heterogeneous computing programmer is not required, the process can run over the available computing devices on the platform as it is not an ad hoc solution for a specific computing device. The proposed HCP relies on the OpenCL specification for interoperability and generality. The platform was validated and evaluated in terms of generality and efficiency through a set of experiments using the algorithms of the Polybench/C suite (version 3.2) as the input. Different configurations for the platform were used, considering CPUs only, GPUs only, and a combination of both. The results revealed that the proposed HCP was able to achieve accelerations of up to 270× for specific classes of algorithms, i.e., parallel-friendly algorithms, while its use required almost no expertise in either OpenCL or heterogeneous computing from the programmer/end-user.
Deep Learning-Based Recognition of Cervical Squamous Interepithelial Lesions
Authors: An Huimin , Ding Liya , Ma Mengyuan , Huang Aihua , Gan Yi , Sheng Danli , Jiang Zhinong , Zhang Xin
Published: May 2023

Cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) are precursor lesions of cervical cancer, and their accurate diagnosis enables patients to be treated before malignancy manifests. However, the identification of SILs is usually laborious and has low diagnostic consistency due to the high similarity of pathological SIL images. Although artificial intelligence (AI), especially deep learning algorithms, has drawn a lot of attention for its good performance in cervical cytology tasks, the use of AI for cervical histology is still in its early stages. The feature extraction, representation capabilities, and use of p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) among existing models are inadequate. Therefore, in this study, we first designed a squamous epithelium segmentation algorithm and assigned the corresponding labels. Second, p16-positive area of IHC slides were extracted with Whole Image Net (WI-Net), followed by mapping the p16-positive area back to the H&E slides and generating a p16-positive mask for training. Finally, the p16-positive areas were inputted into Swin-B and ResNet-50 to classify the SILs. The dataset comprised 6171 patches from 111 patients; patches from 80% of the 90 patients were used for the training set. The accuracy of the Swin-B method for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) that we propose was 0.914 [0.889–0.928]. The ResNet-50 model for HSIL achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.935 [0.921–0.946] at the patch level, and the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.845, 0.922, and 0.829, respectively. Therefore, our model can accurately identify HSIL, assisting the pathologist in solving actual diagnostic issues and even directing the follow-up treatment of patients.
Suitability of Different Blood-Analogous Fluids in Determining the Pump Characteristics of a Ventricular Assist Device
Authors: Knüppel Finn , Thomas Inga , Wurm Frank-Hendrik , Torner Benjamin
Published: May 2023

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are implantable turbomachines that save and improve the lives of patients with severe heart failure. In the preclinical evaluation, a VAD design must be experimentally or numerically tested regarding its pump characteristics, primarily for its pressure buildup (pressure head H) since it must provide the cardiovascular system with a sufficient blood flow rate Q. Those pump characteristics are determined on a test bench. Here, a glycerol-water mixture is almost exclusively used as blood-analogous fluid, which should reflect the properties (density, viscosity) of blood as close as possible. However, glycerol water has some disadvantages, such as a higher density compared to real blood and a relatively high cost. Therefore, the study aimed to analyze six different blood analogous fluids to select the most suitable one in consideration of fluid handling, costs, and, most importantly, fluid properties (material and rheological). First, all fluids were mixed to achieve reference values of blood density and viscosity from the literature. Afterwards, the pump characteristics (pressure heads and efficiencies via the VAD) were experimentally and numerically determined and compared among each other and with literature values. Of all six investigated fluids, only the aqueous–polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG 200) solution matches exactly the desired blood properties, and the pump characteristics of this fluid are in the expected range for the analyzed operation point of the VAD. Another advantage is that the cost of the mixture is 35% lower compared to glycerol water. Additionally, we demonstrate that non-Newtonian flow behavior has little effect on the pump characteristics in our VAD.