bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Narsisistik Kişilik Bozukluğu Psikoterapisinde Aktarım ve Karşı Aktarımın İncelenmesi: Bir Gözden Geçirme
Authors: COHEN Zeynep Pınar , FARAJİ Haydeh
Published: December 2022

Bu çalışmanın amacı narsisistik kişilik bozukluğunun psikoterapisinde aktarım ve karşı aktarımın incelenmesidir. Bu amaç çerçevesinde çalışmanın belirlenen temel sorusu, narsisistik kişilik bozukluğunun psikoterapisinde aktarım ve karşı aktarım yanıtlarının psikoterapi sürecinde nasıl bir işlevi olduğu sorusudur. Narsisistik kişilik bozukluğu çerçevesinden aktarım ve karşı aktarım kavramlarının alan yazın taraması ile incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Narsisistik kişilik bozukluğu, aktarım ve karşı aktarım anahtar kelimeleri Türkçe ve İngilizce olarak psikanalitik nesne ilişkileri literatüründe aranmıştır. Çalışmada önce kişilik bozukluğu kavramına değinilecek, sonra daha özelde narsisistik kişilik bozukluğuna (NKB) bakılacak ve buradan hareketle NKB’da görülen aktarım ve karşı aktarım özelliklerine odaklanılacaktır. Aktarım ve karşı aktarımın hemen hemen her çeşit sağaltım ilişkisinde ortaya çıkmasının normal olduğu, ancak klinik ortamda psikoterapi içinde özellikli bir şekilde anlaşılması, ele alınması ve yorumlanması gerektiği görülmektedir. Narsisistik kişilik bozukluğunun/örgütlenmesinin psikoterapisinde klinisyenin, narsisistik örgütlenmeyi iyi tanıması ve özelliklerini bilmesi, psikoterapi odasındaki yaklaşımı bakımından oldukça önemlidir.Yurt dışında yapılan çalışmalar karşı aktarım yanıtlarının psikopatolojiyi tanıma ve psikoterapiyi yönlendirmede ruh sağlığı çalışanları için bir rehber oluşturabileceği noktasında kanıtlar sunmaktadır. Ülkemizde, karşı aktarım yanıtlarının psikoterapi alanında kullanılması konusunun psikanalitik çevre başta olmak üzere incelenmeye başlanan bir konu olması sebebiyle çalışmanın klinik psikoterapi alanına katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.
Effects of nitrogen addition and seasonal change on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community diversity in a poplar plantation
Authors: Peng Sili , Ban Mingjiang , Xing Wei , Ge Zhiwei , Mao Lingfeng
Published: December 2022

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play a crucial role in carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorous (P) biogeochemical cycling. Therefore, it is essential to determine the seasonal responses of the AM fungal community to N addition to understanding better the ecological processes against a background of intensified N deposition. Based on an ongoing field simulation experiment with five N addition levels (0, 5, 10, 15, and 30 gN·m−2·a−1) in a 5-year-old poplar plantation at Dongtai Forest Farm in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, eastern China, soil physicochemical properties, the root colonization rate, and the rhizosphere soil AM fungal community diversity and composition in four seasons (summer, autumn, winter, and spring) were investigated. Meanwhile, the relationships between the characteristics of the AM fungal community and soil environmental factors were analyzed. High-throughput sequencing showed that the dominant genera in the poplar plantation were Glomus (average relative abundance 87.52%), Diversispora (9.62%), and Acaulospora (1.85%). The addition of N significantly increased the root colonization rate in spring. The diversity of the AM fungal community (Chao and Shannon indexes) was primarily affected by seasonal change rather than N addition, and the diversity in summer was significantly lower than in the other three seasons. Redundancy analysis showed that soil temperature, available P, total P, and pH significantly affected the structure of the AM fungal community. It can be concluded N addition primarily influenced the root colonization rate, whereas seasonal change had a notable effect on the AM fungal community diversity. Although seasonal change and N addition greatly influenced the composition, seasonal change exerted a more substantial effect than N addition. These results will improve our understanding of the underground ecological processes in poplar plantation ecosystems.
Infiltration of meningeal macrophages into the Virchow–Robin space after ischemic stroke in rats: Correlation with activated PDGFR-β-positive adventitial fibroblasts
Authors: Riew Tae-Ryong , Hwang Ji-Won , Jin Xuyan , Kim Hong Lim , Lee Mun-Yong
Published: December 2022

Macrophages play a crucial role in wound healing and fibrosis progression after brain injury. However, a detailed analysis of their initial infiltration and interaction with fibroblasts is yet to be conducted. This study aimed to investigate the possible route for migration of meningeal macrophages into the ischemic brain and whether these macrophages closely interact with neighboring platelet-derived growth factor beta receptor (PDGFR-β)-positive adventitial fibroblasts during this process. A rat model of ischemic stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was developed. In sham-operated rats, CD206-positive meningeal macrophages were confined to the leptomeninges and the perivascular spaces, and they were not found in the cortical parenchyma. In MCAO rats, the number of CD206-positive meningeal macrophages increased both at the leptomeninges and along the vessels penetrating the cortex 1 day after reperfusion and increased progressively in the extravascular area of the cortical parenchyma by 3 days. Immunoelectron microscopy and correlative light and electron microscopy showed that in the ischemic brain, macrophages were frequently located in the Virchow–Robin space around the penetrating arterioles and ascending venules at the pial surface. This was identified by cells expressing PDGFR-β, a novel biomarker of leptomeningeal cells. Macrophages within penetrating vessels were localized in the perivascular space between smooth muscle cells and PDGFR-β-positive adventitial fibroblasts. In addition, these PDGFR-β-positive fibroblasts showed morphological and molecular characteristics similar to those of leptomeningeal cells: they had large euchromatic nuclei with prominent nucleoli and well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum; expressed nestin, vimentin, and type I collagen; and were frequently surrounded by collagen fibrils, indicating active collagen synthesis. In conclusion, the perivascular Virchow–Robin space surrounding the penetrating vessels could be an entry route of meningeal macrophages from the subarachnoid space into the ischemic cortical parenchyma, implying that activated PDGFR-β-positive adventitial fibroblasts could be involved in this process.
Adjusting ventilator settings to avoid air trapping in extremely premature infants reduces the need for tracheostomy and length of stay
Authors: Sammour Ibrahim , Conlon Steven M. , Bauer Sarah E. , Montgomery Gregory S. , Cristea A. Ioana , Rose Rebecca S.
Published: December 2022

Despite the improving understanding of how lung mechanics and tidal volume requirements evolve during the evolution of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), clinical management continues to be heterogeneous and inconsistent at many institutions. Recent reports have examined the use of high tidal-volume low respiratory rate strategies in these patients once disease has been well established to help facilitate their eventual extubation and improve their long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. In this retrospective observational research study, we describe how intentional adjustment of ventilator settings based on patient lung mechanics by an interdisciplinary BPD team improved the care of the at-risk population of infants, reduced the need for tracheostomies, as well as length of stay over a period of over 3 years. The team aimed to establish consistency in the management of these children using a high tidal volume, low-rate approach, and titrating PEEP to address the autoPEEP and bronchomalacia that is frequently observed in this patient population.
Derinat® has an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect on the model of acute lung injury in male SD rats
Authors: Palikova Yulia A. , Palikov Victor A. , Novikova Nadezhda I. , Slashcheva Gulsara A. , Rasskazova Ekaterina A. , Tukhovskaya Elena A. , Danilkovich Alexey V. , Dyachenko Igor A. , Belogurov Jr. Alexey A. , Kudriaeva Anna A. , Bugrimov Daniil Y , Krasnorutskaya Olga N. , Murashev Arkady N.
Published: December 2022

To simulate acute lung injury (ALI) in SD male rats they we administered intratracheally with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) followed by hyperventilation of the lungs (HVL), which lead to functional changes in the respiratory system and an increase in the blood serum concentration of inflammatory cytokines. LPS + HVL after 4 h lead to pronounced histological signs of lung damage. We have studied the effectiveness of Derinat® when administered intramuscularly at dose of 7.5 mg/kg for 8 days in the ALI model. Derinat® administration lead to an increase in the concentration of most of the studied cytokines in a day. In the ALI model the administration of Derinat® returned the concentration of cytokines to its original values already 48 h after LPS + HVL, and also normalized the parameters of pulmonary respiration in comparison with animals without treatment. By the eighth day after LPS + HVL, respiratory parameters and cytokine levels, as well as biochemical and hematological parameters did not differ between groups, while histological signs of residual effects of lung damage were found in all animals, and were more pronounced in Derinat® group, which may indicate stimulation of the local immune response. Thus, the administration of Derinat® stimulates the immune response, has a pronounced protective effect against cytokinemia and respiratory failure caused by ALI, has immunomodulatory effect, and also stimulates a local immune response in lung tissues. Thus, Derinat® is a promising treatment for ALI.
Potęga Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki
Authors: Łoś Robert
Published: December 2022

The modern power of the USA is based on traditional sources: the size of the territory and demographics, economy, army and soft power factors (culture, foreign policy, values, public diplomacy). The United States creates a power that has sustainable resources backed by an efficient mechanism of action and the will of the public to implement these plans. Currently, the US has enough resources, and most importantly, in the current international environment, it is able to use them to maintain an advantage over its competitors. The article presents the elements of US power that determine its advantage over other countries and the weaknesses that may limit its influence. This largely determines the research methods used (statistical and comparative). The latter method allows to determine the scale of US hegemony and what are the chances of its maintenance in the 21st century.
Geografia pandemii. Zróżnicowanie i dynamika rozprzestrzeniania się COVID-19 w Polsce (marzec 2020–marzec 2022)
Authors: Śleszyński Przemysław
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the specificity of the spread of recorded SARS-CoV-2 infections in Poland (five recorded waves, March 2020–March 2022). The data used were those of the Ministry of Health (by communes) and the team of M. Rogalski (2022) by poviats. The data was visualized on maps and charts, looking for spatio-temporal regularities. Infections were found to be more frequent in the northern part of the country and in agglomerations, but there were no correlations with population density, industrial employment or commuting, typical for the spread of infectious diseases. The article is a continuation of the author’s earlier research on the so-called first wave of the pandemic in Poland, i.e. the course of its first 100 days (Śleszyński 2020) and 6 months (Śleszyński 2021a), as well as incorporating some of the time-extended results of an expert study done for the Committee on Demographic Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Śleszyński 2021b).
Opanowywanie trwogi w martwym punkcie. Konsekwencje emancypacji politycznej dla mechanizmów władzy w Hiszpanii
Authors: Górnicka Weronika
Published: December 2022

The main problem of this article is constructed in the form of the question “How has the political emancipation of citizens affected the mechanisms of power in Spain after 2011?” and focuses on the analysis of the changes taking place in the local political order as a consequence of individuals’ aspirations to secure their own political subjectivity. The transfer of votes to the Podemos party is treated as a result of seeking a new framework for political action by the left-wing voters under the conditions defined by terror management theory as a existential terrorism of globalization.
Przeciwdziałanie skutkom pandemii COVID-19 w Polsce. Wybrane problemy i inicjatywy na rzecz osób w kryzysie bezdomności i mieszkańców domów pomocy społecznej
Authors: Ołdak Małgorzata
Published: December 2022

he COVID-19 pandemic affected both developed and developing countries, but its effects primarily affected the poor and people at risk of social and professional exclusion, e.g. people with disabilities, especially those staying in nursing homes, refugees and migrants, and finally people in crisis homelessness. The aim of the study is to discuss selected problems and examples of good practices implemented in Poland during the pandemic with regard to two target groups, i.e. people in a homelessness crisis and residents of social care homes, i.e. groups most exposed to the effects of SARS-CoV-2, including due to age, health problems and greater susceptibility to disease.
Wpływ pandemii COVID-19 na procesy migracji i sytuację migrantów – przypadek Polski
Authors: Żołędowski Cezary
Published: December 2022

The article undertakes statistical and sociological analysis of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for external migrations involving Poland. Its aim is to show the changes in the scale of migration and the socio-economic situation of migrants. The text uses the available statistical data, reports and research results. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrations turned out to be relatively small, especially in the statistical dimension. The inhibition of immigration was temporary, while the number of Polish citizens abroad decreased. The pandemic affected the socioeconomic situation of migrants more than the size of the displacements. Due to limited language competences and familiarity with Polish institutions, difficulties in accessing the labor market and social services were felt more strongly by them, especially by those staying in Poland for the shortest time and outside the labor market. The increased need for access to health care and social support has at the same time become a factor increasing legal employment of foreigners.
Retrospective Survey of Dog and Cat Endoparasites in Ireland: Antigen Detection
Authors: de Waal Theo , Aungier Sandra , Lawlor Amanda , Goddu Troy , Jones Matthew , Szlosek Donald
Published: December 2022

Endoparasites of dogs and cats, play an important role in both veterinary medicine and public health. Untreated and stray dogs and cats, in particular, play an important role in contaminating the environment with important zoonotic parasites. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in stray dogs and cats using highly sensitive and specific copro-antigen tests. Archive faecal samples from previous surveys conducted between 2016–2019 from dogs (n = 789) and cats (n = 241) were included in this study. The IDEXX Fecal Dx™ antigen panel was used for the detection of Toxocara, hookworms, Trichuris and the SNAP™ Giardia antigen assay was used for the detection of Giardia infection. Giardia duodenalis was the most common parasite (26%, n = 205) detected in the dogs, followed by ascarids (17.6%, n = 139) and hookworms (5.3%, n = 42). Trichuris vulpis was only detected in 1 dog. Ascarids (23.2%, n = 56) was the most common parasite detected in the cats, followed by Giardia (12.9%, n = 31) and hookworms (n = 7, 2.9%). No whipworms were detected in cats. Overall, there was little difference in the positivity between sexes in both dogs and cats. However, in terms of age, adolescent dogs (<3 years) and kittens (<1 year) had the highest parasite prevalence overall, with G. duodenalis and ascarids being the most prevalent. This study shows a high prevalence of parasite infection in untreated and stray dogs and cats in the greater Dublin area in Ireland. Since they live in synanthropic conditions and can roam over vast distances they can contaminate public areas and pose a risk to both humans and owned pets that utilise these spaces. It is therefore important to raise public awareness and increase the knowledge on zoonotic parasites.
miR-27a Targeting PIK3R3 Regulates the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Sheep Hair Follicle Stem Cells
Authors: Yu Mengqi , Li Lanlan , Liu Meng , Wang Lei , Gao Xiaoxiao , Zhou Lisheng , Liu Nan , He Jianning
Published: December 2022

Micro RNAs are regulatory factors in tissue development, organ formation, cell growth, apoptosis and other biological processes. In particular, several miRNAs are related to the development of hair follicles. Here, we investigated the effect of the targeting of PIK3R3 by miR-27a on the AKT/MTOR pathway and on the proliferation and apoptosis of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) in sheep. Knockdown of the expression of PIK3R3 was found to significantly inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of HFSCs. Similarly, a miR-27a mimic significantly inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of HFSCs. The miR-27a mimic was also shown to significantly inhibit the expression of PIK3R3, AKT, and MTOR and the phosphorylation of AKT and MTOR, while a miR-27a inhibitor increased the expression of these genes. The presence of an miR-27a binding site in the 3′ UTR of PIK3R3 was identified by a bioinformatics analysis, and the interaction was verified with a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The expression of PIK3R3 mRNA and protein was negatively correlated with the presence of miR-27a, which suggests that this interaction may be involved in the biological impacts on proliferation and apoptosis. Thus, this study demonstrates that miR-27a plays a potential role in the proliferation and apoptosis of sheep hair follicle stem cells by targeting PIK3R3, which can be used to design new methods to improve sheep wool.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Rare Anaerobic Bacteria
Authors: Wolf Lena Josephine , Stingu Catalina-Suzana
Published: December 2022

Anaerobes play an important role in clinically relevant infections and resistance is increasing worldwide. We tested 120 rare anaerobic isolates belonging to 16 genera for antimicrobial resistance using the agar dilution method and compared those results to the time-saving E-test method. The susceptibility data for 12 antimicrobial substances (benzylpenicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, piperacillin/tazobactam, imipenem, meropenem, cefoxitin, metronidazole, moxifloxacin, clindamycin, doxycycline, tigecycline, eravacycline) were collected. Susceptibility testing showed low resistance to β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and no resistance to carbapenems and tigecycline. We observed moderate to high rates of resistance to moxifloxacin and clindamycin which differed depending on the methodology used. The essential and categorical agreement was over 90% for ampicillin/sulbactam, meropenem, moxifloxacin, and tigecycline. For metronidazole and clindamycin, the essential agreement was below 90% but the categorical agreement was near or above 90%. Penicillin presented with the lowest categorical agreement of 86.7% and a very high very major error rate of 13.3%. The resistance rates reported in this study are concerning and show the importance of routine susceptibility testing. Further investigations are necessary to determine the reason for high error rates and how to improve susceptibility testing of fastidious anaerobes.
Bromelain Ameliorates Atherosclerosis by Activating the TFEB-Mediated Autophagy and Antioxidant Pathways
Authors: Chen Chia-Hui , Hsia Chien-Chung , Hu Po-An , Yeh Chung-Hsin , Chen Chun-Tang , Peng Cheng-Liang , Wang Chih-Hsien , Lee Tzong-Shyuan
Published: December 2022

Bromelain, a cysteine protease found in pineapple, has beneficial effects in the treatment of inflammatory diseases; however, its effects in cardiovascular pathophysiology are not fully understood. We investigated the effect of bromelain on atherosclerosis and its regulatory mechanisms in hyperlipidemia and atheroprone apolipoprotein E-null (apoe−/−) mice. Bromelain was orally administered to 16-week-old male apoe−/− mice for four weeks. Daily bromelain administration decreased hyperlipidemia and aortic inflammation, leading to atherosclerosis retardation in apoe−/− mice. Moreover, hepatic lipid accumulation was decreased by the promotion of cholesteryl ester hydrolysis and autophagy through the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/transcription factor EB (TFEB)-mediated upregulation of autophagy- and antioxidant-related proteins. Moreover, bromelain decreased oxidative stress by increasing the antioxidant capacity and protein expression of antioxidant proteins while downregulating the protein expression of NADPH oxidases and decreasing the production of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, AMPK/TFEB signaling may be crucial in bromelain-mediated anti-hyperlipidemia, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, effecting the amelioration of atherosclerosis.
Study on the Application of Elastic Wave CT Technique to Detect the Effect of Post-Grouting of Pile Foundation
Authors: Huang Shenggen , Cao Hui , Liu Jiawang , Yan Ruoyu , Zhang Han
Published: December 2022

The post-grouting technology can effectively improve the bearing capacity and reliability of foundation piles, and it is of great academic and economic significance to evaluate the effect of post-grouting. However, in general, the evaluation of the effect of post-grouting slurry on foundation piles is still relatively single, and most researchers only test the improvement of the bearing characteristics of post-grouting piles, but there are few research results on the distribution state of slurry consolidation and the range of the reinforced soil. In this paper, elastic wave CT was used to detect the bridge piles of Taizhou Bay Du Xiaipu Bridge, and elastic wave CT technology was applied to the detection of the post-grouting effect of foundation piles experimentally. The spatial distribution characteristics of the underground grouting reinforcement area were revealed from the perspective of visualization, and the influencing factors of the elastic wave inversion results were analyzed. The conclusions obtained from elastic wave CT detection were similar to those of electromagnetic wave CT, and the laws are basically consistent with the current engineering experience, reflecting the applicability of using elastic wave CT to detect the effect of post-grouting of pile foundation.
The Power Setting of Focused Ultrasound for the Palliative Treatment of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Study in an Ex Vivo Bovine Liver
Authors: Tong Shiqi , Wang Yuebing , Zhao Peng , Tao Jie , Guo Xiaoan , Yu Yaping
Published: December 2022

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation has been widely used in advanced pancreatic cancer in recent years. In numerous studies, HIFU has been shown to be safe, effective, and practicable, but there are a few HIFU-related adverse effects. The patients’ discomfort during therapy increased proportionally with increasing delivered energy and pain levels seemed to be independent of the dose of anesthetic or sedation. If the power used in therapy is too high, the temperature of the target area will rise rapidly, and the boiling and cavitation make the shape of the necrosis area difficult to control. In recent years, moderate-intensity focused ultrasound (MIFU) has also been shown to heat the tumor locally for palliative treatment. Choosing the appropriate power and effectively controlling the tissue temperature until reaching the threshold for thermal necrosis are of great significance for ensuring the safety of palliative treatment. In this study, an infrared temperature measurement experimental system was set up to measure the temperature rise at different power in an ex vivo bovine liver. It was found that when the acoustic intensity of the focused ultrasound was lower than the cavitation threshold (within the range of the MIFU), the temperature of the tissue kept rising at a steady rate and could still reach the thermal damage threshold temperature within tens of seconds. The results showed that the temperature induced by the MIFU was almost entirely dependent on the thermal effect, and the temperature of the tissue at the end of sonication was linearly related to the power. Finally, this study considered the effect of blood perfusion on the temperature for the application of focused ultrasound in the palliative treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer with the goal of providing a reference for the application of focused ultrasound in the palliative treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.
Strongly Interacting Bose Polarons in Two-Dimensional Atomic Gases and Quantum Fluids of Polaritons
Authors: Cárdenas-Castillo Luis Fernando , Camacho-Guardian Arturo
Published: December 2022

Polarons are quasiparticles relevant across many fields in physics: from condensed matter to atomic physics. Here, we study the quasiparticle properties of two-dimensional strongly interacting Bose polarons in atomic Bose–Einstein condensates and polariton gases. Our studies are based on the non-self consistent T-matrix approximation adapted to these physical systems. For the atomic case, we study the spectral and quasiparticle properties of the polaron in the presence of a magnetic Feshbach resonance. We show the presence of two polaron branches: an attractive polaron, a low-lying state that appears as a well-defined quasiparticle for weak attractive interactions, and a repulsive polaron, a metastable state that becomes the dominant branch at weak repulsive interactions. In addition, we study a polaron arising from the dressing of a single itinerant electron by a quantum fluid of polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity. We demonstrate the persistence of the two polaron branches whose properties can be controlled over a wide range of parameters by tuning the cavity mode.
Fetal Arrhythmia Detection Based on Labeling Considering Heartbeat Interval
Authors: Nakatani Sara , Yamamoto Kohei , Ohtsuki Tomoaki
Published: December 2022

Arrhythmia is one of the causes of sudden infant death, and it is very important to detect fetal arrhythmia for fetal well-being. Fetal electrocardiogram (FECG) is one of the methods to detect a heartbeat. Fetal arrhythmia can be detected based on the heartbeat detection results from FECG signals such as heartbeat intervals. However, the accuracy of arrhythmia detection easily degrades depending on the accuracy of heartbeat detection. In this paper, we propose a deep learning-based fetal arrhythmia detection method using FECG signals. Recently, arrhythmia detection methods using adult ECG signals have achieved a high arrhythmia detection accuracy based on deep learning. Motivated by this fact, in the proposed method, the acquired FECG signals are segmented, and the segments are input into a deep learning model that classifies them into normal or arrhythmia ones. Based on the classification results of multiple segments, a subject is judged as a healthy or arrhythmia subject. Each segment of the training data is divided into three categories based on the estimated heartbeat interval: (i) normal, (ii) arrhythmia, and (iii) a segment that could be both normal and arrhythmic. Only segments labeled as normal or arrhythmia are used for training a deep learning model to achieve a higher classification accuracy of the model. Through these procedures, the proposed method detects fetal arrhythmia with fewer effects of heartbeat detection results. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieves 96.2% accuracy, 100% specificity, and 100% recall, improving the values of conventional methods based on heartbeat detection and feature detection.
Prophylactic Effect of Bovine Colostrum on Intestinal Microbiota and Behavior in Wild-Type and Zonulin Transgenic Mice
Authors: Asbjornsdottir Birna , Miranda-Ribera Alba , Fiorentino Maria , Konno Takumi , Cetinbas Murat , Lan Jinggang , Sadreyev Ruslan I. , Gudmundsson Larus S. , Gottfredsson Magnus , Lauth Bertrand , Birgisdottir Bryndis Eva , Fasano Alessio
Published: December 2022

The microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA) involves bidirectional communication between intestinal microbiota and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, central nervous system (CNS), neuroendocrine/neuroimmune systems, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, and enteric nervous system (ENS). The intestinal microbiota can influence host physiology and pathology. Dysbiosis involves the loss of beneficial microbial input or signal, diversity, and expansion of pathobionts, which can lead to loss of barrier function and increased intestinal permeability (IP). Colostrum, the first milk from mammals after birth, is a natural source of nutrients and is rich in oligosaccharides, immunoglobulins, growth factors, and anti-microbial components. The aim of this study was to investigate if bovine colostrum (BC) administration might modulate intestinal microbiota and, in turn, behavior in two mouse models, wild-type (WT) and Zonulin transgenic (Ztm)—the latter of which is characterized by dysbiotic microbiota, increased intestinal permeability, and mild hyperactivity—and to compare with control mice. Bioinformatics analysis of the microbiome showed that consumption of BC was associated with increased taxonomy abundance (p = 0.001) and diversity (p = 0.004) of potentially beneficial species in WT mice and shifted dysbiotic microbial community towards eubiosis in Ztm mice (p = 0.001). BC induced an anxiolytic effect in WT female mice compared with WT female control mice (p = 0.0003), and it reduced anxiogenic behavior in Ztm female mice compared with WT female control mice (p = 0.001), as well as in Ztm male mice compared with WT BC male mice (p = 0.03). As evidenced in MGBA interactions, BC supplementation may well be applied for prophylactic approaches in the future. Further research is needed to explore human interdependencies between intestinal microbiota, including eubiosis and pathobionts, and neuroinflammation, and the potential value of BC for human use. The MGH Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee authorized the animal study (2013N000013).
COVID-19 Related Myocarditis and Myositis in a Patient with Undiagnosed Antisynthetase Syndrome
Authors: Duda-Seiman Daniel , Kundnani Nilima Rajpal , Dugaci Daniela , Man Dana Emilia , Velimirovici Dana , Dragan Simona Ruxanda
Published: December 2022

Background: The clinical presentation of SARS-CoV-2 varies from patient to patient. The most common findings noted were respiratory tract infections, of different severity grades. In some cases, multi-organ damage was noted. Due to its high potential for causing severe systemic inflammation such as myositis and myocarditis, patients should be properly investigated, which carries high chances of SARS-CoV-2 being easily missed if not investigated on time and which can result in more fatal outcomes. Case report: We present a case of COVID-19 infection in a non-vaccinated male patient, who presented to our clinic with no symptoms of respiratory involvement but with severe muscle aches. Cardiac markers and procalcitonin levels were high, and concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle, severe hypokinesia of the interventricular septum and of the antero-lateral wall, hypokinesia of the inferior and posterior wall and an ejection fraction of the left ventricle being around 34% was noted. Coronary angiography showed no lesions. Corticosteroids and antibiotics were instituted which showed improvement. A possible link to an autoimmune process was suspected, due to the presence of anti-PL-7 antibody, suggesting an antisynthetase syndrome. Conclusion: Each and every patient should be thoroughly investigated, and presently little is known in regards to this virus. Studies focusing on possible relationships between the COVID-19 and autoimmune disease can help to potentially generate better outcomes.
Microfluidic Strategies for Extracellular Vesicle Isolation: Towards Clinical Applications
Authors: Meggiolaro Alessio , Moccia Valentina , Brun Paola , Pierno Matteo , Mistura Giampaolo , Zappulli Valentina , Ferraro Davide
Published: December 2022

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are double-layered lipid membrane vesicles released by cells. Currently, EVs are attracting a lot of attention in the biological and medical fields due to their role as natural carriers of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Thus, they can transport useful genomic information from their parental cell through body fluids, promoting cell-to-cell communication even between different organs. Due to their functionality as cargo carriers and their protein expression, they can play an important role as possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various types of diseases, e.g., cancers, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases. Today, given the invaluable importance of EVs, there are some pivotal challenges to overcome in terms of their isolation. Conventional methods have some limitations: they are influenced by the starting sample, might present low throughput and low purity, and sometimes a lack of reproducibility, being operator dependent. During the past few years, several microfluidic approaches have been proposed to address these issues. In this review, we summarize the most important microfluidic-based devices for EV isolation, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages compared to existing technology, as well as the current state of the art from the perspective of the use of these devices in clinical applications.
Recent Advances in Aptasensing Strategies for Monitoring Phycotoxins: Promising for Food Safety
Authors: Zahraee Hamed , Mehrzad Atiyeh , Abnous Khalil , Chen Chih-Hsin , Khoshbin Zahra , Verdian Asma
Published: December 2022

Phycotoxins or marine toxins cause massive harm to humans, livestock, and pets. Current strategies based on ordinary methods are long time-wise and require expert operators, and are not reliable for on-site and real-time use. Therefore, it is urgent to exploit new detection methods for marine toxins with high sensitivity and specificity, low detection limits, convenience, and high efficiency. Conversely, biosensors can distinguish poisons with less response time and higher selectivity than the common strategies. Aptamer-based biosensors (aptasensors) are potent for environmental monitoring, especially for on-site and real-time determination of marine toxins and freshwater microorganisms, and with a degree of superiority over other biosensors, making them worth considering. This article reviews the designed aptasensors based on the different strategies for detecting the various phycotoxins.
Application of Soft-Clustering to Assess Consciousness in a CLIS Patient
Authors: Adama Sophie , Bogdan Martin
Published: December 2022

Completely locked-in (CLIS) patients are characterized by sufficiently intact cognitive functions, but a complete paralysis that prevents them to interact with their surroundings. On one hand, studies have shown that the ability to communicate plays an important part in these patients’ quality of life and prognosis. On the other hand, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide a means for them to communicate using their brain signals. However, one major problem for such patients is the difficulty to determine if they are conscious or not at a specific time. This work aims to combine different sets of features consisting of spectral, complexity and connectivity measures, to increase the probability of correctly estimating CLIS patients’ consciousness levels. The proposed approach was tested on data from one CLIS patient, which is particular in the sense that the experimenter was able to point out one time frame Δt during which he was undoubtedly conscious. Results showed that the method presented in this paper was able to detect increases and decreases of the patient’s consciousness levels. More specifically, increases were observed during this Δt, corroborating the assertion of the experimenter reporting that the patient was definitely conscious then. Assessing the patients’ consciousness is intended as a step prior attempting to communicate with them, in order to maximize the efficiency of BCI-based communication systems.
Can Presurgical Interhemispheric EEG Connectivity Predict Outcome in Hemispheric Surgery? A Brain Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Pepi Chiara , Mercier Mattia , Carfì Pavia Giusy , de Benedictis Alessandro , Vigevano Federico , Rossi-Espagnet Maria Camilla , Falcicchio Giovanni , Marras Carlo Efisio , Specchio Nicola , de Palma Luca
Published: December 2022

Objectives: Hemispherotomy (HT) is a surgical option for treatment of drug-resistant seizures due to hemispheric structural lesions. Factors affecting seizure outcome have not been fully clarified. In our study, we used a brain Machine Learning (ML) approach to evaluate the possible role of Inter-hemispheric EEG Connectivity (IC) in predicting post-surgical seizure outcome. Methods: We collected 21 pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy; who underwent HT in our center from 2009 to 2020; with a follow-up of at least two years. We selected 5-s windows of wakefulness and sleep pre-surgical EEG and we trained Artificial Neuronal Network (ANN) to estimate epilepsy outcome. We extracted EEG features as input data and selected the ANN with best accuracy. Results: Among 21 patients, 15 (71%) were seizure and drug-free at last follow-up. ANN showed 73.3% of accuracy, with 85% of seizure free and 40% of non-seizure free patients appropriately classified. Conclusions: The accuracy level that we reached supports the hypothesis that pre-surgical EEG features may have the potential to predict epilepsy outcome after HT. Significance: The role of pre-surgical EEG data in influencing seizure outcome after HT is still debated. We proposed a computational predictive model, with an ML approach, with a high accuracy level.
Unraveling Spatial-Spectral Dynamics of Speech Categorization Speed Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Moinuddin Kazi Ashraf , Havugimana Felix , Al-Fahad Rakib , Bidelman Gavin M. , Yeasin Mohammed
Published: December 2022

The process of categorizing sounds into distinct phonetic categories is known as categorical perception (CP). Response times (RTs) provide a measure of perceptual difficulty during labeling decisions (i.e., categorization). The RT is quasi-stochastic in nature due to individuality and variations in perceptual tasks. To identify the source of RT variation in CP, we have built models to decode the brain regions and frequency bands driving fast, medium and slow response decision speeds. In particular, we implemented a parameter optimized convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify listeners’ behavioral RTs from their neural EEG data. We adopted visual interpretation of model response using Guided-GradCAM to identify spatial-spectral correlates of RT. Our framework includes (but is not limited to): (i) a data augmentation technique designed to reduce noise and control the overall variance of EEG dataset; (ii) bandpower topomaps to learn the spatial-spectral representation using CNN; (iii) large-scale Bayesian hyper-parameter optimization to find best performing CNN model; (iv) ANOVA and posthoc analysis on Guided-GradCAM activation values to measure the effect of neural regions and frequency bands on behavioral responses. Using this framework, we observe that α−β (10–20 Hz) activity over left frontal, right prefrontal/frontal, and right cerebellar regions are correlated with RT variation. Our results indicate that attention, template matching, temporal prediction of acoustics, motor control, and decision uncertainty are the most probable factors in RT variation.
Justifying the Effective Use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) with Business Intelligence
Authors: Ma Xiaozhi , Li Xiao , Yuan Hongping , Huang Zhiming , Zhang Tongwei
Published: December 2022

Although building information modelling (BIM) is a widely acknowledged information and communication technology (ICT) in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) industry, its implementation is hindered by the hybrid practice of BIM and non-BIM information processing, and sometimes, it fails to add value to the AECO business. It is crucial to define, on a scientific base, how to ensure the effective use of BIM regarding the various conditions in which to apply BIM in AECO practices. Although several studies have investigated similar topics, very few have focused on the adoption of distinct BIM applications over the conventional practice from the perspective of business intelligence (BI) as a theoretical framework to justify the effective value of BIM use in the AECO. This study proposes a framework relying on BI principles to justify effective BIM use and explicates the contextual factors in AECO practices. The data were acquired from a three-round Delphi survey. The framework suggests that effective BIM use in AECO practices should follow the two principles of BI: achieving technical effectiveness and realizing business value. The pursuit of technical effectiveness should consider business objectives, business issues, business sustainability and regulatory eligibility, and the realization of business value involves willingness to adopt BIM, human-computer interoperability, visualization-based data quality and sources, data processing and system integration, and application maturity. This study provides a new perspective by which to address the issue of the technological iteration in the current hybrid BIM and non-BIM practice and could help to improve BIM implementation in the AECO industry.
Investigation of the Mechanical Physical Properties of Fly Ash Modified Magnesium Phosphate Cement Repair Mortar Cured at Varying Temperatures
Authors: Liu Junxia , Yuan Mengtian , Hai Ran , Yang Fei , Zhang Jingyu , Li Anbang
Published: December 2022

To meet the material requirements for repairing cracked components serving in cold temperatures, the differences in the setting hardening characteristics and physical and mechanical properties of fly ash-modified magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) repair mortar cured at 0 °C and 20 °C were comparatively studied in this paper. The results show that under the same fly ash content, the compressive strength of MPC repair mortar cured at 0 °C is lower than that cured at 20 °C, and the setting time, fluidity, flexural strength, interfacial bonding strength, strength retention rate, and linear shrinkage rate are not significantly deteriorated. The above properties of MPC repair mortar vary with the increase in the fly ash content but still, remain appropriate when the fly ash content is not higher than 15 wt%. The microstructure of MPC is obviously refined when the content of fly ash is 10 wt%. Therefore, the MPC repair mortar cured at 0 °C and 20 °C has good physical and mechanical properties. In particular, the flexural strength and interfacial bonding strength of the specimens cured at 0 °C are higher than that cured at 20 °C at all curing ages, and at the curing age of 3 days, those are 7.9 MPa and 5.4 MPa, respectively.
CK2-Mediated Phosphorylation Upregulates the Stability of USP13 and Promotes Ovarian Cancer Cell Proliferation
Authors: Kwon Juntae , Zhang Jinmin , Mok Boram , Han Cecil
Published: December 2022

Ubiquitin-specific Peptidase 13 (USP13) is a deubiquitinating enzyme that regulates the stability or function of its substrate. USP13 is highly amplified in human ovarian cancer, and elevated expression of USP13 promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis of ovarian cancer. However, there is little known about USP13 post-translational modifications and their role in ovarian cancer. Here, we found that USP13 is phosphorylated at Thr122 in ovarian cancer cells. Phosphorylated Thr122 (pT122) on endogenous USP13 was observed in most human ovarian cancer cells, and the abundance of this phosphorylation was correlated to the total level of USP13. We further demonstrated that Casein kinase 2 (CK2) directly interacts with and phosphorylates USP13 at Thr122, which promotes the stability of USP13 protein. Finally, we showed that Threonine 122 is important for cell proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. Our findings may reveal a novel regulatory mechanism for USP13, which may lead to novel therapeutic targeting of USP13 in ovarian cancer.
Phase II Trial of the Combination of Alectinib with Bevacizumab in Alectinib Refractory ALK-Positive Nonsquamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NLCTG1501)
Authors: Watanabe Satoshi , Sakai Kazuko , Matsumoto Naoya , Koshio Jun , Ishida Akira , Abe Tetsuya , Ishikawa Daisuke , Tanaka Tomohiro , Aoki Ami , Kajiwara Tomosue , Koyama Kenichi , Miura Satoru , Goto Yuka , Sekiya Tomoki , Suzuki Ryo , Kushiro Kohei , Fujisaki Toshiya , Yanagimura Naohiro , Ohtsubo Aya , Shoji Satoshi , Nozaki Koichiro , Saida Yu , Yoshizawa Hirohisa , Nishio Kazuto , Kikuchi Toshiaki
Published: December 2022

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung cancer is a rare cancer that occurs in approximately 5% of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLCs) patients. Despite the excellent efficacy of ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitor in ALK-positive NSCLCs, most patients experience resistance. We conducted a phase II study to investigate the combination of alectinib with bevacizumab in ALK-positive NSCLC patients after failure of alectinib. In this study, ALK-positive nonsquamous NSCLC patients previously treated with alectinib received bevacizumab 15 mg/kg on day 1 every 3 weeks and alectinib 600 mg/day until disease progression. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and the safety of alectinib and bevacizumab. The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and correlation of circulating tumor DNA and plasma proteins with PFS. Of the 12 patients treated, the median PFS was 3.1 months (95% CI 1.2–16.1), and the median OS was 24.1 months (95% CI 8.3-not estimable). The EML4-ALK fusion gene in circulating tumor DNA was significantly correlated with shorter PFS (1.2 months vs. 11.4 months, HR 5.2, p = 0.0153). Two patients experienced grade 3 adverse events; however, none of the patients required dose reduction. Although the primary endpoint was not met, alectinib combined with bevacizumab showed clinical efficacy in ALK-positive patients.
Remarkable Synergy When Combining EZH2 Inhibitors with YM155 Is H3K27me3-Independent
Authors: Yang Jun , Davidoff Andrew M.
Published: December 2022

Targeting multiple molecules in the same biological network may maximize therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we identified a 27-gene module that is highly expressed in solid tumors, encoding actionable targets including EZH2 and BIRC5. The combination of EZH2 inhibitors and a BIRC5 inhibitor, YM155, results in a remarkable synergistic effect. The action of EZH2 inhibitors in this process is independent of the histone methyltransferase activity of polycomb repressive complex 2. Our study reveals a potential therapeutic approach for treating solid tumors by simultaneously targeting EZH2 and BIRC5.