bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
miR-181a Ameliorates the Progression of Myasthenia Gravis by Regulating TRIM9
Authors: Wang Qiang , Liu Yunquan , Kuang Shixiang , Li Ruozhao , Weng Ning , Zhou Zhichao
Published: December 2021

Abnormally activated CD4+ T cells are considered to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis (MG). In the pathogenesis of MG, the imbalance of proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells maintains the imbalance of immune response and inflammatory microenvironment. Studies have shown that miRNA is involved in the pathogenesis of MG. In our experiment, we extracted peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from MG patients and detected the expression of miR-181a and TRIM9 in PBMCs by qRT-PCR. In vitro experiments were conducted to explore the regulatory mechanism of miR-181a on target genes and its influence on inflammatory factors related to MG disease. Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) model mice are established, and the effects of miR-181a on EAMG symptoms and inflammatory factors are explored through in vivo experiments. According to a total of 40 EAMG mice that were successfully modeled, all EAMG mice showed symptoms of muscle weakness; their diet was reduced; their weight gain was slow; and even weight loss occurred. In MG patients and EAMG mice, the expression of miR-181a was low and TRIM9 was highly expressed. Bioinformatics website and dual-luciferase report analysis of miR-181a had a targeting relationship with TRIM9, and miR-181a could target the expression of TRIM9. After upregulating miR-181a or interfering with TRIM9, serum miR-181a in EAMG mice was significantly upregulated; TRIM9 was significantly downregulated; its clinical symptoms were reduced; and the expression of inflammatory factors was reduced. The study finally learned that miR-181a can reduce the level of MG inflammatory factors by targeting the expression of TRIM9 and has the effect of improving the symptoms of MG.
Effect of Reinforcement Fiber Arrangement on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of High Silica/Phenolic Resin Insulation Layer
Authors: Hui Weihua , Wen Jinhang , Bu XiaoMin
Published: December 2021

The failure of the high silica/phenolic resin insulation layer under extreme thermal conditions has become an important reason for the trouble of solid rocket motors. A great number of studies have shown that the arrangement of reinforcement fibers is a significant factor in the failure of fiber-reinforced plastic. In this paper, the thermal and mechanical properties of the high silica/phenolic resin insulation layer with different arrangements were analyzed, and the causal relationship between the failure of the insulation layer and the arrangement of reinforcement fibers was given. Two types of heat-insulating layers with strong arrangement and weak arrangement were designed. After the SRM firing test, it is concluded that the essential reason for the failure of the insulation layer is the strength anisotropy caused by the weak arrangement of reinforcement fibers. Besides, the reinforcement fibers of strong arrangement are distributed in all directions, which compensates for the axial strength defects of the weakly arranged insulation layer.
Effect of Systematic Holistic Nursing Combined with the MDT Teaching Method in the Nursing of Neonatal Jaundice and Its Impact on the Recovery of the Newborns’ Physiological Function
Authors: Dai Jie , Xu Yan , Yin Qigai , Chen Jing , Shi Haitang , Li Yue
Published: December 2021

The application effect of systematic holistic nursing combined with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in the nursing of neonatal jaundice was explored. This study was a retrospective control study. 90 cases of neonatal jaundice admitted to our hospital (February 2020–February 2021) were equally split into group P treated with routine nursing and group Q treated with systematic holistic nursing combined with MDT. The application effect of the two nursing programs was compared and analyzed. Groups P and Q showed no statistical difference in general data (

P
>
0.05

). Compared with group P, the jaundice regression time, hospitalization time, time of first defecation, and time of meconium turning yellow of group Q were notably shorter, and the body weight and total treatment efficiency of group Q were notably higher (

P
<
0.05

). From the third day, the daily jaundice indexes between the two groups were different; that is, the indexes of group Q were notably lower compared with group P (

P
<
0.05

). The scores of environmental nursing, special nursing, basic nursing, and service attitude in group Q were notably higher compared with group P (

P
<
0.05

). In the nursing process of neonatal jaundice, the combination of systematic holistic nursing and MDT can effectively shorten the time of first defecation and meconium turning yellow, reduce jaundice indexes, promote the recovery of the physiological function, and improve the clinical efficacy and nursing quality.
Intelligent Segmentation and Recognition Method of Breast Cancer Based on Digital Image Processing Technology
Authors: Tang Xiaochen , An Yunbo , Li Congshan
Published: December 2021

With the development of digital image technology, judging diseases by medical image plays an important role in medical diagnosis. Mammography is the most effective imaging examination method for breast cancer at present. Intelligent segmentation and identification of breast cancer images and judging their size and classification by digital image processing technology can promote the development of clinical medicine. This paper introduces the preprocessing technology of breast cancer pathological image and medical image recognition technology of breast cancer. In order to improve the segmentation accuracy of image processing and optimize, the segmentation recognition ability in digital mammography was improved. Based on the technical basis of pathological image analysis of breast cancer, the architecture of intelligent segmentation and recognition system for breast cancer was constructed, and each functional module of intelligent system was introduced in detail. Based on digital image processing technology, filtering technology is used to reduce dryness and improve the clarity of the image. Public datasets INBreast and DDSM‐BCRP were used to verify system’s performance, and it was tested on the breast cancer image test set. The experiment shows that the comprehensive performance of the intelligent segmentation and recognition system can realize the segmentation and recognition of breast cancer and has higher accuracy and interpretability, which is helpful to improve the diagnosis of doctors.
Effects of Posttrial Antihypertensive Drugs on Morbidity and Mortality: Findings from 15-Year Passive Follow-Up after ALLHAT Ended
Authors: Du Xianglin L. , Simpson Lara M. , Tandy Brian C. , Bettencourt Judy , Davis Barry R.
Published: December 2021

Background. Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) ended in 2002, but it is important to study its long-term outcomes during the posttrial period by incorporating posttrial antihypertensive medication uses in the analysis. Purposes. The primary aim is to explore the patterns of antihypertensive medication use during the posttrial period from Medicare Part-D data over the 11-year period from 2007 to 2017. The secondary aim is to examine the potential effects of these posttrial antihypertensive medications on the observed mortality and morbidity benefits. Methods. This is a posttrial passive follow-up study of ALLHAT participants in 567 US centers in 1994–1998 with the last date of active in-trial follow-up on March 31, 2002, by linking with their Medicare and National Death Index data through 2017 among 8,007 subjects receiving antihypertensive drugs (3,637 for chlorthalidone, 2,189 for amlodipine, and 2,181 for lisinopril). Outcomes included posttrial antihypertensive drug use, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Results. Of 8007 subjects, 3,637 participants were initially randomized to diuretic (chlorthalidone). The majority (67.9%) of them still received diuretics in 2007, and 52.7%, 47.2%, and 44.0% received β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers (CCBs), respectively. Compared to participants who received diuretic-based antihypertensives, those who received CCB had a nonsignificantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (1.17, 0.99–1.37), whereas those who received ACE/ARB (angiotensin receptor blockers) had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (1.26, 1.09–1.45). For the combined fatal or nonfatal hospitalized events, the risk of CVD was significantly higher in patients receiving CCB (1.30, 1.04–1.61) and ACE/ARB (1.49, 1.22–1.81) as compared to patients receiving diuretics. Conclusion. After the conclusion of the ALLHAT, almost all patients switched to combination antihypertensive therapies, independently by the original drug class, and the combination therapies (mostly based on diuretics) reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular outcomes and mortality.
Study on the Automatic Basketball Shooting System Based on the Background Subtraction Method
Authors: Hu Yan , Xu Yong
Published: December 2021

There are many drawbacks such as clustering, background updating, inaccurate testing results, and low anti-interference performance in traditional moving target detection theory. In our study, a background subtraction method to automatically capture the basketball shooting trajectory was used to eliminate the drawbacks of the fixed-point shooting system such as cumbersome installation and time and manpower consumption. It also can improve the accuracy and efficiency of moving target detection. We also synthetically compared to common methods including the optical flow method and interframe difference method. Results showed that the background subtraction method has better accuracy with an accuracy rate over about 90% than the interframe subtraction method (88%) and the optimal flow method (85%) and presents excellent robustness with considering variable speed and nonrigid objects. Meanwhile, the automatic detection system for basketball shooting based on background subtraction is built by coupling background subtraction with detection characteristics. The system detection speed built is further accelerated, and the image denoising is improved. The trajectory error rate is about 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 for the background subtraction method, interframe subtraction method, and optimal flow method, respectively.
Prognosis Implication of a Novel Metabolism-Related Gene Signature in Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Chen Zhuo-Yuan , Yang Huiqin , Bu Jie , Chen Qiong , Yang Zhen , Li Hui
Published: December 2021

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is one of the most common bone cancers in adolescents and children. Growing evidence supports the view that metabolism pathways play critical roles in numerous cancers (He et al. (2020)). However, the correlation between metabolism-associated genes (MTGs) and Ewing sarcoma has not been investigated systematically. Here, based on the univariate Cox regression analysis, we get survival genes from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. Multivariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis were employed to establish the MTG signature. Comprehensive survival analyses including receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Kaplan–Meier analysis were applied to estimate the independent prognostic value of the signature. The ICGC cohort served as the validation cohort. A nomogram was constructed based on the risk score of the MTG signature and other independent clinical variables. The CIBERSORT algorithm was applied to estimate immune infiltration. In addition, we explored the correlation between MTG signature and immune checkpoints. Collectively, this work presents a novel MTG signature for prognostic prediction of Ewing sarcoma. It also suggests six genes that are potential prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets for ES.
The Key Genes Underlying Pathophysiology Association between Plaque Instability and Progression of Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Zheng Yue , Gong Yijie , Lang Yuheng , Qi Zhenchang , Hu Xiaomin , Li Tong
Published: December 2021

Young patients with type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction (MI) have higher long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. In addition, the observed increased, mildly abnormal baseline lipid levels, but not lipid variability, are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events, particularly MI. This study investigated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which might be potential targets for young patients with MI and a high-fat diet (HFD). GSE114695 and GSE69187 were downloaded and processed using the limma package. A Venn diagram was applied to identify the same DEGs, and further pathway analysis was performed using Metascape. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was then applied, and the hub genes were screened out. Pivotal miRNAs were predicted and validated using the miRNA dataset in GSE114695. To investigate the cardiac function of the screened genes, an MI mouse model, echocardiogram, and ELISA of hub genes were applied, and a correlation analysis was also performed. From aged mice fed HFD, 138 DEGs were extracted. From aged mice fed with chow, 227 DEGs were extracted. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs in aging mice fed HFD were enriched in lipid transport and lipid biosynthetic process 1 d after MI and in the MAPK signaling pathway at 1 w after MI, suggesting that HFD has less effect on aging with MI. A total of 148 DEGs were extracted from the intersection between plaques fed with HFD and chow in young mice and MI_1d, respectively, which demonstrated increased inflammatory and adaptive immune responses, in addition to myeloid leukocyte activation. A total of 183 DEGs were screened out between plaques fed with HFD vs. chow in young mice and MI_1w, respectively, which were mainly enriched in inflammatory response, cytokine production, and myeloid leukocyte activation. After validation, PAK3, CD44, CD5, SOCS3, VAV1, and PIK3CD were demonstrated to be negatively correlated with LVEF; however, P2RY1 was demonstrated to be positively correlated. This study demonstrated that the screened hub genes may be therapeutic targets for treating STEMI patients and preventing MI recurrence, especially in young MI patients with HFD or diabetes.
Diagnosis and Treatment Rules of Chronic Kidney Disease and Nursing Intervention Models of Related Mental Diseases Using Electronic Medical Records and Data Mining
Authors: Wang Yanli , Sun Yueyao , Lu Na , Feng Xuan , Gao Minglong , Zhang Lihong , Dou Yaping , Meng Fulei , Zhang Kaidi
Published: December 2021

Objective. On the basis of electronic medical records, the data mining technology was adopted to explore the law of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the intervention mode of mental health of patients. Methods. Based on the electronic medical records, the corresponding data extraction, database establishment, and data cleaning of CKD were performed. After that, the related data analysis, frequency analysis, cluster analysis, and nonparametric analysis were used to explore the laws of CKD diagnosis and treatment and nursing intervention mode of mental illness. The most common causes of CKD were chronic glomerulonephritis (43.76%), aristolochic acid nephritis (16.34%), diabetic nephritis (12.87%), and hypertensive nephritis (11.58%). The major treatment method for end-stage patients was alternative therapies, accounting for 46%. Compared with the depression score before intervention, that of the patients after the mindfulness therapy (50.99 ± 9.77 vs. 47.01 ± 9.33,

P
=
0.024
<
0.5

) and target behaviour nursing intervention (52.21 ± 8.12 vs. 48.01 ± 9.33,

P
=
0.032
<
0.05

) was obviously decreased. Conclusion. The data mining technology based on electronic records showed a good application prospect in the analysis of the diagnosis and treatment of CKD; and target behaviour nursing and mindfulness intervention were effective psychological intervention models.
Multimedia Concepts on Object Detection and Recognition with F1 Car Simulation Using Convolutional Layers
Authors: Balakrishnan Amutha , Ramana Kadiyala , Dhiman Gaurav , Ashok Gokul , Bhaskar Vidhyacharan , Sharma Ashutosh , Gaba Gurjot Singh , Masud Mehedi , Al-Amri Jehad F.
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a framework for detecting objects in images based on global features and contours. The first step is a shape matching algorithm that uses the background subtraction process. Object detection is accomplished by an examination of the oversegmentation of the image, where the space of the potential boundary of the object is examined to identify boundaries that have a direct resemblance to the prototype of the object type to be detected. Our analysis method removes edges using bilinear interpolation and reestablishes color sensors as lines and retracts background lines from the previous frame. Object contours are generated with clustered lines. The objects detected will then be recognized using the extraction technique. Here, we analyze the color and shape characteristics with which each object is capable of managing occlusion and interference. As an extension of object detection and recognition, F1 car simulation is experimented with simulation using various layers, such as layer drops, convolutionary layers, and boundary elimination, avoiding obstacles in different pathways.
Yersinia enterocolitica Prosthetic Joint Septic Arthritis Successfully Treated with Ceftriaxone
Authors: Abdullah Hafez M. , Oberoi Mansi , Abdalla Abdelmohaymin , Narayana Gowda Smitha , Ellithi Moataz
Published: December 2021

Yersinia enterocolitica is a Gram-negative coccobacillus that is known to cause gastroenteritis and symptoms mimicking appendicitis or terminal ileitis. It is also one of the culprit infections implicated in causing reactive arthritis. Rarely, it can cause musculoskeletal infections including osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and discitis. We describe the case of a 70-year-old female with multiple comorbidities who presented with left knee pain and swelling after recent gastroenteritis. She was found to have Yersinia enterocolitica septic arthritis in her left knee prosthetic joint. The patient underwent an exchange of her prosthetic material and was successfully treated with a six-week course of ceftriaxone. Our article aims to highlight a rare manifestation of Yersinia enterocolitica infection and to point out an important differential for reactive arthritis after Yersinia enterocolitica infection.
A Note on
LP
-Sasakian Manifolds with Almost Quasi-Yamabe Solitons
Authors: Yadav Sunil Kumar , Suthar D. L. , Shimelis Biniyam
Published: December 2021

We categorize almost quasi-Yamabe solitons on

LP

-Sasakian manifolds and their

CR

-submanifolds whose potential vector field is torse-forming, admitting a generalized symmetric metric connection of type

α
,
β

. Finally, a nontrivial example is provided to confirm some of our results.
Optimal Fitting Method of Nonlinear Simultaneous Equations Considering Structural Tensor Image Modeling
Authors: Zhu Shiping
Published: December 2021

For the purpose of resolving the phenomenon of network congestion in the process of many-to-one communication in multimedia networks at present, the optimal fitting method of nonlinear simultaneous equations (OFMNSEs) is applied to the multimedia transmission congestion control system in this paper. The rate control and resource scheduling are effectively combined, and a clustering network structure is used to activate the congestion control method in turn based on the cluster header and intracluster-related indexes. Finally, it can be known through the analysis of the simulation results that the OFMNSE algorithm put forward in this paper can improve the congestion issue of the multimedia network transmission process and reduce the packet loss rate of data during the transmission effectively under the condition of different relative cache sizes compared with the conventional algorithm.
Influence of Classical Massage on Biochemical Markers of Oxidative Stress in Humans: Pilot Study
Authors: Skubisz Zofia , Kupczyk Daria , Goch Aleksander , Siedlaczek Marcin , Sielski Łukasz , Niespodziński Bartłomiej , Mikołajewska Emilia , Zasada Mariusz , Augustyńska Beata
Published: December 2021

Classical massage is one of the most popular forms of conservative treatment in various diseases. Despite the wide scope of research, the mechanisms of massage are not fully known and understood. Apart from the well‐described effects on individual body systems, there are few scientific reports on the effects of massage on the human body at the subcellular level. The study was designed to assess changes in oxidative stress parameters in healthy volunteers after a single session of classical massage. 29 healthy volunteers aged 22.24 ± 3.64 participated in the study. Before and 30 minutes after the massage procedures, blood samples were taken by experienced personnel. Biochemical markers of oxidative homeostasis were assessed with highly specific methods for each parameter: oxidase ceruloplasmin, glutathione, malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S‐transferase, and superoxide dismutase. The study demonstrates that massage therapy caused statistically significant decrease in the concentration of glutathione peroxidase (red blood cells) and increase in the level of glutathione peroxidase (plasma), superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde. In contrast, statistically significant changes in the hematocrit, glutathione, NO2-/NO3-, and oxidase ceruloplasmin were not observed. The results show that complex influence of classical massage therapy on human organism may be reflected in parameters of the oxidative stress. To understand this mechanism clearly, further research is needed.
The Curing Kinetics of Multiscale [Ni(EDTA)]-2 Intercalated Zn-Al Layered Double Hydroxides: Glass Fiber–Epoxy Composite Prepreg
Authors: Darvishi Reza , Darvishi Mahdi , Moshkriz Ali
Published: December 2021

In the present research, the effect of Zn2Al layered double hydroxides (LDH) and nickel (II)-EDTA complex intercalated LDH (LDH-[Ni(EDTA)]-2) on the cure kinetics of glass fiber/epoxy prepreg (GEP) was explored using nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that LDH caused a shift in the cure temperature toward lower temperatures while accelerating the curing of epoxy prepregs. The use of LDH-[Ni(EDTA)]-2 more profoundly influenced the acceleration of the curing process. The curing kinetics of prepregs was assessed through the differential isoconversional Friedman (FR) technique and the integration method of Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS). A decrease was detected in the

E

α

value of glass fiber/LDH-[Ni(EDTA)]-2/epoxy (GELP) and glass fiber/LDH-[Ni(EDTA)]-2/epoxy (GELNiP) prepregs at small cure degrees relative to GEP, suggesting the catalytic effect of LDH or LDH-[Ni(EDTA)]-2 on the initial epoxy/amine reaction. Furthermore, LDH-[Ni(EDTA)]-2 performed better due to the catalyst role of nickel (II). Moreover, the activation energy exhibited lower reliance on the degree of conversion in the cases of GELP and GELNiP rather than pure epoxy prepregs. An autocatalytic model was used to evaluate the curing behavior of the system. Based on the results, the curing reaction of the epoxy prepreg can be described by the autocatalytic Šesták-Berggren model even after the incorporation of LDH or LDH-[Ni(EDTA)]-2. The kinetic parameters of the autocatalytic model (such as

E

α

,

A

,

m

,

n

) and the equations explaining the curing behavior of prepregs were introduced as well whose predictions were in line with the experimental findings.
Novel Chitosan Polymer Design, Synthesis Using Mentha piperita of ZnO NPs as a Catalyst: Antibacterial Evaluation against Gram-Negative Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens
Authors: Packialakshmi Ponnusamy , Gobinath Perumal , Ali Daoud , Alarifi Saud , Ravindran Balasubramani , Idhayadhulla Akbar , Surendrakumar Radhakrishnan
Published: December 2021

The goal of this research is to create a novel Schiff base of chitosan polymer derivatives 1a-1j. Nanotechnology is a promising field since it avoids the usage of hazardous chemicals while also saving time. Using the leaf extract of the pharmacologically valuable herb Mentha piperita, we described a green synthesis of ZnO NPs. Zinc oxide ions may be easily reduced into ZnO NPs using a Mentha piperita extract. ZnO NPs were employed as a phytocatalyst in this investigation to make chitosan derivatives. The synthetic procedure is straightforward, with a short reaction time and a high yield. Our newly synthesized compounds have been characterized by FTIR and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR and 13C NMR), and morphology analysis was observed by XRD, SEM, and TEM. In addition, the antibacterial activity was also evaluated against gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria. Compound 1b is extremely active against gram-negative bacteria (4.0 μg/mL, E. coli), and compound 1h is highly active against gram-positive bacteria (6.0 μg/mL, S. aureus) compared with standard erythromycin and other chitosan derivatives. As a result, compounds 1b and 1h could be a high crucial molecule in the development of antibacterial drugs.
Effect of Pretreatment on Detection of 37 Pesticide Residues in Chrysanthemum indicum
Authors: Lu Xiao-Ying , Ouyang Yan-Qin , Zeng Wei-Ya , Lin Cui-Qing , Xiao Lu-Hua , Luo Gui-Hua , Zhan Ruo-Ting , Yan Ping
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to develop a method, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, for detecting 37 pesticides in Chrysanthemum indicum (C. indicum) and investigating the decrease in the matrix-induced enhancement effect. The influence of QuEChERS extraction and matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) on the recovery and matrix effect (ME) was compared. extraction and matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) on the recovery and matrix effect (ME) was compared to decrease the ME. The cleanup sorbents, volume and type of solvent, and treatment time were optimized. The accuracy (as recovery), precision (as relative standard deviation, RSD), linearity, limit of quantitation, and limit of detection were determined. The recoveries at the three levels using mixed standard solution ranged between 76% and 120% with RSD ≤15%, and 76% and 120% with RSD ≤11% for MSPD and QuEChERS extraction, respectively. The results suggested that the ME for 21 pesticides was in the range of 80%–120% after MSPD and 15% after QuEChERS extraction. QuEChERS extraction was simpler and faster than MSPD. This methodology was applied in the analysis of 27 C. indicum samples; phorate was most frequently detected (63.0% of the sample).
Longitudinal Trends of the Annual Exposure to PM2.5 Particles in European Countries
Authors: Alikhani Faradonbeh Mahdiyeh , Mardani Gashtasb , Raeisi Shahraki Hadi
Published: December 2021

Background. PM2.5 emission is known as a major challenge to environmental health and is the cause of approximately 7 million deaths annually. This study aimed at investigating the main patterns of PM2.5 trend changes among European countries. Methods. The annual exposure to PM2.5 pollutants was retrieved from the World Bank for 41 countries during 2010 to 2017, and a latent growth model was applied to identify the main patterns using Mplus 7.4 software. Results. Monitoring the overall mean annual exposure to PM2.5 in the Europe showed a downward pattern with an annual decrease of 2.48% during the study period. Turkey had the highest PM2.5 exposure with 43.82 μg/m3 in 2010, reaching 44.31 μg/m3 in 2017. Likewise, with 7.19 μg/m3 in 2010, Finland had the lowest exposure level which decreased to 5.86 μg/m3 in 2017. Two main patterns for the mean annual PM2.5 exposure were identified via the latent growth model. Countries in the first pattern, including Turkey and Ukraine, had experienced a slow annual increase in the mean exposure of PM2.5 pollutant. Likewise, the other 39 countries belonged to the second pattern with a moderate falling trend in the mean exposure to PM2.5. Conclusion. Although the trend changes of mean annual exposure to PM2.5 in Europe were falling, Turkey and Ukraine had experienced a slow annual increase. It is advisable to take appropriate measures to curb the current raising exposure to PM2.5 in Turkey and Ukraine.
Early Detection of Circulating Tumor DNA Postoperatively Enables Discovery of Resectable Metastatic Disease in a Patient with Colon Cancer
Authors: Weinberg Benjamin A. , Winslow Emily R. , Bayasi Mohammed , Krainock Michael R. , Olshan Perry M. , Billings Paul R. , Aleshin Alexey
Published: December 2021

Currently, serum carcinoembryonic agent (CEA) along with contrast-enhanced imaging and colonoscopy are used for evaluation of recurrence of colorectal cancer. However, CEA is an unreliable and nonspecific biomarker that may fail to rise and signal relapse. Analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients offers a minimally invasive method to assess risk of relapse several months ahead of conventional clinical means. Here, we report the case of a colon adenocarcinoma with postoperative liver metastasis diagnosed early by ctDNA measurement, using a personalized NGS-mPCR assay. While ctDNA levels continued to rise, CEA levels tested negative. Metastatic relapse to the liver was promptly confirmed by PET/CT scan. The patient underwent a successful metastasectomy with curative intent. Following surgery, the patient exhibited no evidence of disease and ctDNA levels remained negative. Our case report suggests that the early detection of postoperative molecular residual disease by means of ctDNA measurement can accurately predict mCRC relapse in cases where CEA levels fail to increase. Close monitoring of ctDNA levels during the postoperative period can allow for earlier intervention and more favorable outcomes in relapsing mCRC patients.
Arquitetura moderna em madeira: a casa do arquiteto e escultor Abrão Assad
Authors: Sanquetta Felipe Taroh Inoue
Published: December 2021

Abrão Assad (1940-), arquiteto e escultor, contribuiu para o desenvolvimento da arquitetura e da arte moderna em Curitiba. Este trabalho tem como objetivo a documentação historiográfica e a realização de análise descritiva do projeto arquitetônico da residência de seu uso próprio. Concebida em 1979 por Assad, a casa está situada em um grande terreno circundado por um bosque nativo e se caracteriza pelo uso de componentes estruturais em madeira. Além da materialidade, a obra também se destaca pelo partido arquitetônico adotado, solução que remete ao sistema Dom-ino de Le Corbusier e as “casas apartamento” da Escola Paulista. O artigo se estrutura  inicialmente com uma breve descrição sobre o processo de inserção dos conceitos modernos na arquitetura de Curitiba, a biografia do arquiteto, suas referências e outros projetos realizados. Para a documentação da obra, os procedimentos adotados se apoiaram na bibliografia existente e posteriormente na elaboração do redesenho do projeto original por meio de plantas, cortes e pelo uso de isométricas/diagramas para análises. Em uma segunda parte, são apresentadas imagens ainda não publicadas e que foram cedidas pelo acervo do arquiteto.
Entre cervejas e hubs: reabilitação patrimonial em Lisboa
Authors: Costa Ana Elisia
Published: December 2021

Um projeto, ao ser assinado por um star-architect, ganha notoriedade. Espetacularizado, ele transcende o seu próprio gesto estético, comunicando e validando valores culturais e visões de mundo. Assume, assim, uma dimensão ética, cuja investigação é relevante por revelar formas de controle da cultura e da sociedade. No contexto desta reflexão, o estudo adota como objeto empírico o projeto midiatizado da Cervejaria Browers Beato (2017), desenvolvido em Lisboa, sob a chancela de Eduardo Souto de Moura. A proposta se insere num projeto maior, o Hub Criativo Beato, que visa reabilitar um complexo pós-industrial e requalificar a própria zona oriental de Lisboa. Cervejaria, Hub e cidade, portanto, articulam-se como partes indissociáveis de um mesmo discurso que merece atenção. Analisar o projeto Cervejaria-Hub, numa perspectiva estética-ética, é o objetivo desse estudo. Pesquisas de campo e bibliográfica embasam a análise do contexto, a apresentação dos projetos e a prospecção de possíveis impactos sobre os tecidos físicos e sociais envolvidos. Universais e homogeneizantes, as soluções adotadas permitem pautar a necessidade de desconstrução de discursos e práticas, em favor de um projeto “justo”.
Poesia e história em Walter Benjamin: do poetificado ao poema como mônada
Authors: Fernandes Rafael Zacca
Published: December 2021

O presente artigo pretende fornecer uma leitura de dois conceitos que estão em textos da juventude e da maturidade de Walter Benjamin e que permitem estabelecer uma relação produtiva de análise de poemas e de períodos históricos, a saber: o de “poetificado” [das Gedichtete], tal como aparece no texto sobre Friedrich Hölderlin, na primeira metade da década de 1910; e o de “mônada”, segundo a sua reformulação na fase materialista, contemporâneo à escrita do ensaio sobre Charles Baudelaire, no final da década de 1930. A hipótese sustentada aqui é que a legibilidade de uma continuidade entre os dois conceitos é possível a partir de um terceiro conceito, não descrito pelo próprio Benjamin, mas dedutível de seu trabalho, que poderíamos nomear como “inconsciente poético”.
O efêmero como confluência entre a filosofia de Jankélévitch e a poética de Laura Vinci
Authors: Hernández Jordano W.
Published: December 2021

Hoje já não se pode afirmar que um objeto de arte seja estático e permanente. O fugidio, o movimento e o tempo são assimilados pela arte e objeto passa ser efêmero também. A artista plástica Laura Vinci, em alguns de seus trabalhos, tem esses elementos como marcas características. Por outro lado, essa nova concepção artística da temporalidade encontra nítida ressonância na filosofia de Vladimir Jankélévitch. Destarte, esse artigo propõe-se a fazer um diálogo entre a poética de Vinci e o pensamento de Jankélévitch, que por meio de seu conceito de quase-nada (presque-rien) possui estreito vínculo com tema da efemeridade.
Da literatura indianista à literatura indígena: sobre a imagem, o lugar e o protagonismo indígena em termos de constituição da identidade cultural brasileira
Authors: Danner Leno Francisco , Dorrico Julie , Danner Fernando
Published: December 2021

Tematizamos a imagem, o lugar e o protagonismo do/a indígena na formação da cultura e da identidade nacionais a partir de uma contraposição entre a literatura indianista, em que o colonizador, o modelo antropológico do europeu branco e cristão, fala sobre o/a indígena, e a literatura indígena contemporânea, em que o/a próprio/a indígena fala de si mesmo/a e por si mesmo/a, a partir de suas experiências e histórias como minoria político-cultural produzida pela colonização e sustentada em termos de modernização conservadora. O que impressiona nessa discussão é exatamente o fato de que o/a indígena como antítese da civilização e como massa amorfa a ser moldada para a consecução do novo mundo justifica tanto a colonização quanto o processo contemporâneo de modernização conservadora, servindo de objeto para a legitimação de processos institucionais, de sujeitos sociopolíticos e de projetos de desenvolvimento que implicam na aniquilação do/a indígena como indígena. Em tudo isso, o mito da fusão racial, apresentado pela literatura indianista, é a grande base normativa de nossa modernização conservadora, pois, ao gerar o híbrido brasileiro como mistura e amálgama indiferenciados de todas as raças em um novo ser, que é e tem tudo de todos, apaga as fronteiras entre dominadores e dominados e, com isso, resolve de modo apolítico a história de violência da colonização, formando a grande família Brasil que, daqui para diante, não precisará mais da política, mas apenas da ordem autoritária e da obediência cega, para resolver seus problemas de família.
Frederic Jameson e o problema das alegorias nacionais do terceiro mundo
Authors: Lopes Wibsson Ribeiro
Published: December 2021

O presente artigo revisita as elaborações de Fredric Jameson sobre a Literatura do Terceiro Mundo e o debate que se seguiu às suas reflexões. Fazemos um apanhado das alterações e reparos que Jameson fez de seu pensamento ao longo das décadas de críticas e embates. Por fim, apresentamos uma hipótese de leitura das elaborações do Warwick Research Collective (Wreck) como respostas às críticas que Jameson sofreu e também como continuação de suas elaborações. Tanto o crítico estadunidense como o coletivo de pesquisadores representam com seus aportes teóricos uma via de debate para o marxismo na área dos estudos pós-coloniais dentro do campo literário, a partir da Teoria do Sistema-Mundo e da Teoria do Desenvolvimento Desigual e Combinado, contribuindo com a problemática da World-Literature.
Obesity Duration, Severity, and Distribution Trajectories and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Authors: Raffield Laura M. , Howard Annie Green , Graff Misa , Lin Dan‐Yu , Cheng Susan , Demerath Ellen , Ndumele Chiadi , Palta Priya , Rebholz Casey M. , Seidelmann Sara , Yu Bing , Gordon‐Larsen Penny , North Kari E. , Avery Christy L.
Published: December 2021

Background

Research examining the role of obesity in cardiovascular disease (CVD) often fails to adequately consider heterogeneity in obesity severity, distribution, and duration.

Methods and Results

We here use multivariate latent class mixed models in the biracial Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (N=14 514; mean age=54 years; 55% female) to associate obesity subclasses (derived from body mass index, waist circumference, self‐reported weight at age 25, tricep skinfold, and calf circumference across up to four triennial visits) with total mortality, incident CVD, and CVD risk factors. We identified four obesity subclasses, summarized by their body mass index and waist circumference slope as decline (4.1%), stable/slow decline (67.8%), moderate increase (24.6%), and rapid increase (3.6%) subclasses. Compared with participants in the stable/slow decline subclass, the decline subclass was associated with elevated mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.45, 95% CI 1.31, 1.60,
P
<0.0001) and with heart failure (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.22, 1.63,
P
<0.0001), stroke (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.22, 1.92,
P
=0.0002), and coronary heart disease (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.14, 1.63,
P
=0.0008), adjusting for baseline body mass index and CVD risk factor profile. The moderate increase latent class was not associated with any significant differences in CVD risk as compared to the stable/slow decline latent class and was associated with a lower overall risk of mortality (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.80, 0.90,
P
<0.0001), despite higher body mass index at baseline. The rapid increase latent class was associated with a higher risk of heart failure versus the stable/slow decline latent class (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.10, 1.62,
P
=0.004).

Conclusions

Consideration of heterogeneity and longitudinal changes in obesity measures is needed in clinical care for a more precision‐oriented view of CVD risk.
Growth Differentiation Factor‐15 Predicts Death and Stroke Event in Outpatients With Cardiovascular Risk Factors: The J‐HOP Study
Authors: Negishi Keita , Hoshide Satoshi , Shimpo Masahisa , Kanegae Hiroshi , Kario Kazuomi
Published: December 2021

Background

Growth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15) has emerged as a novel biomarker to predict all‐cause death in community‐dwelling individuals and patients with cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the prognostic value of GDF‐15 in outpatients with cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods and Results

GDF‐15 levels were measured in 3562 outpatients with cardiovascular risk factors in the J‐HOP (Japan Morning Surge‐Home Blood Pressure) study, a nationwide prospective study. Participants were stratified according to tertiles of GDF‐15 and followed up for all‐cause death and cardiovascular disease. During a mean follow‐up period of 6.6 years, there were 155 all‐cause deaths, 81 stroke events including cerebral infarction and intracranial hemorrhage, and 141 cardiac events including cardiac artery disease and heart failure. Patients with higher GDF‐15 levels were associated with risks of all‐cause death and stroke events (except for cardiac events) after adjustment for traditional risk factors and other prognostic biomarkers (NT‐proBNP [N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide], high‐sensitivity troponin T; all‐cause death, hazard ratio, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.26–4.48;
P
=0.007; stroke events, hazard ratio, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.31–6.56,
P
=0.009; compared with the lowest tertile). Furthermore, incorporating GDF‐15 to the predictive models for all‐cause death improved discrimination and reclassification significantly. For stroke events, GDF‐15 showed similar diagnostic accuracy to NT‐proBNP and high‐sensitivity troponin T.

Conclusions

In Japanese outpatients with cardiovascular risk factors, GDF‐15 improves risk stratification for all‐cause death when compared with NT‐proBNP and high‐sensitivity troponin T. GDF‐15 was associated with increased risks of stroke events beyond conventional risk factors and other prognostic markers; however, the predictive ability for stroke events was equivalent to NT‐proBNP and high‐sensitivity troponin T.

Registration

URL:
http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr
.; Unique identifier: UMIN000000894.
Eine gotische Inschrift in der Aya Sophia?
Authors: Quak Arend
Published: December 2021

Commentary on a Gothic (?) inscription in the Aya Sofia in Istanbul. It is more likely to be a Scandinavian inscription.
A Victory Tower Built by a Slave: The Chand Minar at Daulatabad in Deccan India
Authors: Manohar Mohit
Published: December 2021

The Chand Minar (1446) at Daulatabad Fort is one of the tallest pre-modern stone minarets in the world and has long been recognized as a major work of Indo-Islamic architecture. Yet surprisingly little is known about the building: its iconography and the reason for its construction have not been established; even its height is frequently misreported by half. The present article analyzes the building’s architecture and urban context and critically reads its inscriptions against the Tārīkh-i Firishta (ca. 1610), the main primary text for the history of the medieval Deccan. In so doing, the article demonstrates that issues of race shaped the courtly politics in the Deccan at the time of the minaret’s construction. The Chand Minar was commissioned by Parvez bin Qaranful, an African military slave, who dedicated the building to the Bahmani sultan ʿAla⁠ʾ al-Din Ahmad II (r. 1436–58). The article shows that the building commemorated the role of African and Indian officers in a 1443 military victory of the Bahmani sultanate (1347–1527) against the Vijayanagara empire (1336–1664). The construction of the Chand Minar impressed upon Ahmad II the importance of retaining in his court dark-skinned officers from India and Africa (dakkaniyān) at a time when their standing was threatened by the lighter-skinned gharībān, who had immigrated from the western Islamic regions. The article thus presents a detailed study of an important but neglected monument while shedding new light on racial factionalism in the fifteenth-century Deccan.
Images for Instruction: A Multilingual Illustrated Dictionary in Fifteenth-Century Sultanate India
Authors: Gupta Vivek
Published: December 2021

This article focuses on the Miftāḥ al-Fużalāʾ (Key of the Learned) of Muhammad ibn Muhammad Daʾud Shadiyabadi (ca. 1490). The Miftāḥ is an illustrated dictionary made in the central Indian sultanate of Malwa, based in Mandu. Although the Miftāḥ’s only illustrated copy (British Library Or 3299) contains quadruple the number of illustrations as Mandu’s famed Niʿmatnāmah (Book of Delights) and is a unicum within the arts of the Islamicate and South Asian book, it has received minimal scholarly attention. The definitions in this manuscript encompass nearly every facet of Indo-Islamicate art history. The Miftāḥ provides a vocabulary for subjects including textiles, metalwork, jewelry, arms and armor, architecture, and musical instruments. The information transmitted by the Miftāḥ is not limited to the Persian, Hindavi, Turki, and Arabic language of the text, but also includes the visual knowledge depicted in paintings. Through an analysis of this manuscript as a whole, this study proposes that the Miftāḥ’s manuscript was an object of instruction for younger members of society and utilizes wonder as a didactic tool.
Sculpted Muqarnas: The Five Capitals in the Alhambra as a Case Study for the Proportions of Western Profiles
Authors: Ferrer Pérez-Blanco Ignacio , Zufferey Marie-Pierre
Published: December 2021

In the Alhambra of the Nasrid era (1230–1492), a transformed type of capital emerged that incorporated muqarnas to materialize the transition from the column to the abacus. Although the Alhambra contains the most muqarnas compositions from the Occident (Iberian Peninsula), the present understanding of “Western” muqarnas is based upon two carpentry manuscripts from the 1630s, from different authors on each side of the Atlantic (López de Arenas and Fray Andrés de San Miguel). In this research, the proportions of the muqarnas profiles from each manuscript are studied and compared to each other to articulate the formal consequences of their differences. By sculpting four examples of muqarnas capitals in the Alhambra, this study assesses whether the results correspond to the information provided in the manuscripts. The particularities that arise from these simple muqarnas capitals shed light on the proportions of the Alhambra muqarnas, generate new profiles that are distinct from those of the manuscripts, and establish geometrical relationships that have hitherto been unclear. These observations offer a basis for future tests on other muqarnas compositions in Nasrid palaces, therefore advancing the definition of the formal language of the Alhambra muqarnas.
Seeing the Unseen: Plaster Reliefs in Middle Byzantine Constantinople
Authors: Vanni Flavia
Published: December 2021

This paper discusses the scarce, but crucial evidence for plaster reliefs in Constantinople between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries. While many plaster reliefs survived in the Balkan peninsula, there is room to confirm that they were also used in the capital. Plaster reliefs were a quick substitution for marble, but could also answer aesthetic needs and architectural conventions that continued from Late Antiquity in to Middle and Late Byzantine architecture, even with some changes.
Does COVID-19 Cause Hypertension?
Authors: Akpek Mahmut
Published: December 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak remains a major public health challenge worldwide. The present study investigated the effect of COVID-19 on blood pressure (BP) during short term follow-up. A total of 211 consecutive COVID-19 patients who were admitted to Parkhayat Kutahya hospital were retrospectively screened. Information was obtained from the electronic medical records and National health data registry. The study outcome was new onset of hypertension according to the Eight Joint National Committee and European Society of Cardiology Guidelines. Finally, 153 confirmed COVID-19 patients (mean age 46.5 ± 12.7 years) were enrolled. Both systolic (120.9 ± 7.2 vs 126.5 ± 15.0 mmHg, P <.001) and diastolic BP (78.5 ± 4.4 vs 81.8 ± 7.4 mmHg, P <.001) were significantly higher in the post COVID-19 period than on admission. New onset hypertension was observed in 18 patients at the end of 31.6 ± 5.0 days on average ( P <.001). These findings suggest that COVID-19 increases systolic and diastolic BP and may cause new onset hypertension.