bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pulsed light technology for fresh‐cut produce: A review on mechanism and inactivation kinetics of microbes and enzymes
Authors: Jaiswal Monica , Nungleppam Monica , Kumar Manibhushan , Srivastava Brijesh
Published: September 2024

Consumers are becoming more aware of the benefits of eating healthy foods like fresh‐cut produce without compromising the quality of sensory and nutritional aspects. Emerging non‐thermal technology like pulsed light (PL) is one of the most potential surface decontamination methods for fresh‐cut produce. Unlike conventional methods, PL does not cause unwanted changes in finished products like nutritional losses, color, textural changes, production of off‐flavors, etc. Its application is confined to not only surface disinfection but also enzyme inactivation. The death of microbes is due to PL's photochemical and photothermal effects. The photochemical effect is also responsible for enzyme inactivation, and Weibull or log‐linear models can explain their inactivation kinetics. Despite several advantages, PL has limitations of less effectiveness in eliminating microorganisms due to low penetration into the tissue of fresh‐cut produce, which can be overcome by applying different absorption‐enhancing agents to improve absorption capacity. Moreover, in‐package treatment can avoid the problem of recontamination of the treated products. This review provides an overview of the mechanisms and kinetics involved in the inactivation of microbes and enzymes in PL treatment. Additionally, this paper reviews the advantages and limitations of utilizing PL technology for shelf‐life enhancement of fresh‐cut produce and compiles the recent works done to enhance the efficacy of PL treatment. Furthermore, future scope and remedies to solve the existing problems of PL and for commercialization of this technique in the field of fresh produce are discussed.
Development and Validation of the Isotretinoin Hesitancy Scale for Acne Vulgaris: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Agaoglu Esra , Yılmaz Karaman Imran Gokcen , Kacar Cennet Yastıbas , Erdogan Hilal Kaya , Mutlu Talha , Karadag Ayse Serap
Published: September 2024

Background

Oral isotretinoin is the most effective systemic treatment for acne patients who fail to respond to other forms of therapies. However, hesitations and concerns regarding its side effect profile may detain the patients from treatment. This study aimed to develop and validate the Isotretinoin Hesitancy Scale (IHS) among acne patients.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted with 100 acne patients who had not used isotretinoin previously. A 22‐item scale was created based on the related literature and expert opinions. The items of the scale related to beliefs and worries about isotretinoin were formatted with response options: agree, indecisive, and disagree. In this study, construct validity was tested with exploratory factor analysis, and reliability was tested with internal consistency and split‐half reliability.

Results

The results of exploratory factor analysis indicated a three‐factor solution with a total of 14 items, explaining 57% of the total variance. The first factor (Hesitancy Related to Reversible Adverse Effects: 6 items) accounted for 30% of the variance, the second factor (Hesitancy Related to Irreversible Adverse Effects: 4 items) accounted for 16% of the variance and the third factor (Isotretinoin‐related Anxiety: 4 items) accounted 11% of the variance. The internal consistency of the three factors was calculated as 0.79, 0.78, and 0.72, respectively. The Cronbach's alpha score of the total scale was found to be 0.81, and split‐half reliability was found to be 0.87.

Conclusions

The IHS is the first scale that provides a valid and reliable assessment of isotretinoin hesitancy in acne patients. Eliminating isotretinoin hesitancy may reduce acne‐related clinical and psychosocial consequences.
Value of measuring markers of lipid metabolism in horses during an oral glucose test
Authors: Zemek Claire H. K. , Kemp Kate L. , Bertin François‐René
Published: September 2024

Background

Characterizing the lipid response to an oral glucose test (OGT) might improve our understanding of Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To describe the effects of an OGT on lipid metabolism and determine the value of measuring triglyceride and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations in hyperinsulinemic (HI) and insulin‐resistant (IR) horses.

Animals

Twenty horses including 7 HI‐IR horses, 4 HI‐non‐IR horses, and 9 non‐HI‐non‐IR horses (control).

Methods

Cross‐sectional design. Horses underwent an OGT, with blood samples collected at 0, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Insulin, glucose, triglyceride, and NEFA concentrations were measured and compared over time and between groups, with P < .05 considered significant.

Results

In all horses, the OGT had a significant effect on triglyceride concentrations (median [interquartile range]: .35 [.30‐.50] mmol/L at 0 minute vs .25 [.21‐.37] mmol/L at 120 minutes, P = .005) and on NEFA concentrations (.1 [.1‐.2] mEq/L at 0 minute vs .05 [.05‐.1] mEq/L at 120 minutes, P = .0009). However, horses with HI and IR had higher triglyceride areas under the curve (AUC, 79.46 ± 46.59 vs 33.32 ± 6.75 mmol/L*min, P = .01) as well as NEFA AUC (9.1 ± 2.9 vs 6.0 ± 6.8 mEq/L*min, P = .03) than control horses. No significant difference was detected between control and HI non‐IR horses.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Determining triglyceride and NEFA concentrations might help assess tissue insulin resistance during an OGT.
A hybrid non‐parametric ground motion model of power spectral density based on machine learning
Authors: Ding Jiawei , Lu Dagang , Cao Zhenggang
Published: September 2024

In the fields of engineering seismology and earthquake engineering, researchers have predominantly focused on ground motion models (GMMs) for intensity measures. However, there has been limited research on power spectral density GMMs (PSD‐GMMs) that characterize spectral characteristics. PSD, being structure‐independent, offers unique advantages. This study aims to construct PSD‐GMMs using non‐parametric machine learning (ML) techniques. By considering 241 different frequencies from 0.1 to 25.12 Hz and evaluating eight performance indicators, seven highly accurate and stable ML techniques are selected from 12 different ML techniques as foundational models for the PSD‐GMM. Through mixed effects regression analysis, inter‐event, intra‐event, and inter‐site standard deviations are derived. To address inherent modeling uncertainty, this study uses the ratio of the reciprocal of the standard deviation of the total residuals of the foundational models to the sum of the reciprocals of the total residuals of the seven ML GMMs as weight coefficients for constructing a hybrid non‐parametric PSD‐GMM. Utilizing this model, ground motion records can be simulated, and seismic hazard curves and uniform hazard PSD can be obtained. In summary, the hybrid non‐parametric PSD‐GMM demonstrates remarkable efficacy in simulating and predicting ground motion records and holds significant potential for guiding seismic hazard and risk analysis.
Begonia bijantiae, a new species of Begonia from Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India and notes on Begonia ovatifolia
Authors: Borah Dipankar , Taram Momang , Das Niku , Hughes Mark
Published: September 2024

Repeated expeditions conducted in Arunachal Pradesh resulted in the discovery of a unique Begonia, Begonia bijantiae D.Borah, Taram & M.Hughes, belonging to Begonia sect. Diploclinium. This species is described here based on collections made in Hunli, Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal Pradesh. Additionally, a poorly known species, Begonia ovatifolia is illustrated with first‐ever published photographs, accompanied by an expanded description based on a collection from West Kameng district of the state.
Genomes of Aegilops umbellulata provide new insights into unique structural variations and genetic diversity in the U‐genome for wheat improvement
Authors: Singh Jatinder , Gudi Santosh , Maughan Peter J. , Liu Zhaohui , Kolmer James , Wang Meinan , Chen Xianming , Rouse Matthew N. , Lasserre‐Zuber Pauline , Rimbert Héléne , Sehgal Sunish , Fiedler Jason D. , Choulet Frédéric , Acevedo Maricelis , Gupta Rajeev , Gill Upinder
Published: September 2024

Aegilops umbellulata serve as an important reservoir for novel biotic and abiotic stress tolerance for wheat improvement. However, chromosomal rearrangements and evolutionary trajectory of this species remain to be elucidated. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation into Ae. umbellulata genome by generating a high‐quality near telomere‐to‐telomere genome assembly of PI 554389 and resequencing 20 additional Ae. umbellulata genomes representing diverse geographical and phenotypic variations. Our analysis unveils complex chromosomal rearrangements, most prominently in 4U and 6U chromosomes, delineating a distinct evolutionary trajectory of Ae. umbellulata from wheat and its relatives. Furthermore, our data rectified the erroneous naming of chromosomes 4U and 6U in the past and highlighted multiple major evolutionary events that led to the present‐day U‐genome. Resequencing of diverse Ae. umbellulata accessions revealed high genetic diversity within the species, partitioning into three distinct evolutionary sub‐populations and supported by extensive phenotypic variability in resistance against several races/pathotypes of five major wheat diseases. Disease evaluations indicated the presence of several novel resistance genes in the resequenced lines for future studies. Resequencing also resulted in the identification of six new haplotypes for Lr9, the first resistance gene cloned from Ae. umbellulata. The extensive genomic and phenotypic resources presented in this study will expedite the future genetic exploration of Ae. umbellulata, facilitating efforts aimed at enhancing resiliency and productivity in wheat.
Infantile hemangioma precursor lesions on day of life 1: A Mayo Clinic retrospective case series
Authors: Jing Frank Z. , Villalpando Beija K. , Tollefson Megha M.
Published: September 2024

Background

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs), the most prevalent vascular tumors in infancy, are generally understood to be absent at birth, appearing in the initial weeks of life during their proliferative stage. While the classic presentation is recognizable, the precursor lesion of IHs may be misinterpreted as other entities, including vascular malformations.

Methods

A retrospective, single‐center study was conducted, examining neonates with photographed IH precursor lesions on day of life (DOL) 1 and matured classical IHs. The study spanned from 2017 to 2023.

Results

The case series is comprised of nine neonates all exhibiting precursor lesions on DOL 1. A comparative display of photographs featuring precursor lesions and classic IH is presented. Further tabulated information for each case includes IH locations, subsequent treatment modalities, and further diagnostic workup if necessary.

Conclusions

Improving recognition of precursor lesions increases diagnostic accuracy, decreasing unnecessary workup. This, in turn, allows dermatologists to confidently employ close follow‐up management strategies. Additionally, in cases of extensive involvement, recognition of the precursor lesion allows for expedited investigation for syndromes such as PHACE (posterior fossa malformations, hemangioma, arterial anomalies, coarctation of the aorta/cardiac defects, and eye abnormalities) and LUMBAR (lower body IH, urogential anomalies, ulceration, myelopathy, bony deformities, anorectal malformations, arterial anomalies, and renal anomalies).
Categorial versus naturalized epistemology
Authors: Zangwill Nick
Published: September 2024

How do we know what kinds of things constitute knowledge or justified belief? Naturalized epistemology is committed to denying a priori insight into the kinds of kinds that are and are not knowledge or justification makers. By contrast, it is argued here that knowledge of these matters is a priori knowledge of a special kind. Such knowledge may be called “categorial.” The dialectical give and take between categorial and naturalized epistemology is pursued, before endorsing an argument that breaks the standoff in favor of categorial epistemology. In particular, an argument is given for a certain kind of mathematical skepticism that is entirely a priori. The skeptical argument turns on categorial claims about actuality. Responses are considered before defending a method of categorial dumbfounding in certain circumstances. This yields a positive argument for the categoriality of fundamental epistemic principles. The categorial rationalist conclusions are embraced and some consequences noted.
Dynamic responses of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters to drought across diverse plant families
Authors: Zait Yotam , Shemer Or Emma , Cochavi Amnon
Published: September 2024

Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement is a quick and efficient tool for plant stress‐level detection. The use of Pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), allows the detection of the plant stress level under field conditions. Over the years, several parameters estimating different parts of the chlorophyll and photosystem response were developed to describe the plant stress level. Despite all fluorescence parameters being based on the same measurements, their relationship remains unclear, and their response to drought stress is significantly influenced by the incoming light intensity. In this study, we use six different annual plants from different families, both C3 and C4 photosynthesis types, to describe the plant response to drought through the fluorescence parameters response (NPQ, Y(NPQ), and qN). To describe the dynamic response to drought, we employed light‐response curves, adapting and fitting an equation for each curve to compare the drought response for each fluorescence parameter. The results demonstrated that the non‐photochemical quenching (NPQ) and the quantum yield of non‐photochemical quenching [Y(NPQ)] maximal values decrease when the PSII functionality (Fv/Fm) is lower than ~0.7. The basal fluorescence level ( and remained unaffected by the stress level and stayed stable across the various plants and stress levels. Our results indicate that the response of different stress parameters follows a distinct order under continuous drought. Consequently, monitoring just one parameter during long‐term stress assessments may result in biased analysis outcomes. Incorporating multiple chlorophyll fluorescence parameters offers a more accurate reflection of the plant's stress level.
The virtue of ignorance: How epistemic agency needs cognitive limitations
Authors: Rancourt Benjamin T.
Published: September 2024

The thesis defended in this article is that epistemology should treat some of our cognitive limitations not as unfortunate defects or external perturbations to be idealized away in theories of epistemic agency, but as necessary underpinnings of good reasoning. We begin with a problem regarding deliberation that calls epistemic agency into question: our reasons in support of belief are never conclusive and never rule out all doubt. Yet we must rule out all doubt to close deliberation; we must close deliberation to form a full belief; and we must form a full belief to have knowledge. The problem with the first step calls the whole into question. The solution (if we seek an alternative to rejecting traditional epistemic agency, including the existence of beliefs) is our limitations: they prevent us from considering all possible doubt, leaving a tractable space of possibilities. When these limitations are virtuous, they contribute to an effective cognitive system. Once we understand the role of our limitations, it will lead us to a deeper understanding of deliberation, belief, epistemic virtue, and epistemic agency. Limitations are as much a part of agency as, for example, logical relations are. Idealizing them away means idealizing away actual agency.
FORM: Anthropology as design
Authors: Coffey Victoria Baskin , Deger Jennifer
Published: September 2024

This essay argues for design as an expression of analytic rigour and ethical commitment. It explores what it might mean to ‘write’ in collaboration with the entities and forces from Country, ancestors, oceans, soil, honeyeaters, sound, wild bores, frogs, fire, ash, sand, trees, and echoes, to colour, code, bitrates, cameras, computers, and archives. Every design decision in ‘Epistemic attunements’ was conceptually‐motivated and informed by an anthropologically‐attuned sensibilty. It was never simply a case of making things look ‘beautiful’. The analytic force of the design propelled our intermedial arguments forward, but also sideways, down through layers, into shifts of sensation and abrupt moments of pause for specific critical effect.
Attunement: Form in motion
Authors: Tsing Anna L.
Published: September 2024

To nurture and protect even small fragments of liveability, we must get to know the lives of others, human and nonhuman. The Anthropocene collates projects of erasure, and we forget that we need companions. What might it take to bring us back into remembrance? I use the word ‘attunement’ in this essay to refer to attempts to get to know, through alignment, how others express themselves in the world. I'm particularly interested in forms of alignment that refuse Cartesian dreams of minds in contact.
The Fences: A webcomic on collective debt and ruination in Paraguay
Authors: Bernardou Enrique , Bueno David , Schuster Caroline E.
Published: September 2024

The Fences: A webcomic on collective debt and ruination in Paraguay is a production of the Australian‐Paraguayan comics studio CómicsClub comprised of anthropologist and writer Caroline E. Schuster and artists Enrique Bernardou and David Bueno. This webcomic began as an anthropological fieldwork study of climate financing ‐ that is, novel financial arrangements that address the emerging weather‐related risks to human communities of global warming, deforestation, and mass extinction. As we enter an era of ‘global weirding’ characterised by strange and extreme weather, insurance companies have welcomed the opportunity to cast themselves as financial ‘first responders,’ offering coverage for drought, floods, bushfires, and other so‐called secondary perils that cost billions of dollars annually in property damage and reconstruction costs. The webcomic tells this story through interactive sequential art. Through branching timelines and ‘what if?’ scenarios, the project recuperates a critical speculative imagination and offers alternatives to financial modes of ‘buying the future.’
Fire's habit: Elemental media and the politics of apprehension
Authors: Fisher Daniel
Published: September 2024

This article weaves together text, photography, and audio recordings drawn from long‐term ethnographic research in northern Australia to ask what fire is becoming as its everyday, urban manifestations are tethered to the diacritics of catastrophic bushfire, on the one hand, and Indigenous expertise and cultural fire, on the other. In exploring both menacing and mundane facets of urban fire in northern Australia, the article and accompanying exegesis offer ways to see and hear fire's capacities spilling beyond these enduring axes of public concern to differently animate and illuminate a city's eco‐acoustic vitality, complexity, and Indigeneity.
Characterisation of novel KIR alleles: KIR3DL3*0070105, KIR3DL3*0130202, KIR3DL1*0080104 and KIR3DL1*0010121
Authors: Sharma Gaurav , Agarwal Disha , Khadwal Alka , Malhotra Pankaj
Published: September 2024

KIR3DL3*0070105, KIR3DL3*0130202, KIR3DL1*0080104 and KIR3DL1*0010121, identified by next generation sequencing in individuals from India.
A novel HLA‐C*07 variant allele, HLA‐C*07:01:01:141, identified by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Kouniaki Diamanto , Athanassiades Theofilos , Tsirogianni Alexandra
Published: September 2024

Characterisation of the novel HLA‐C*07:01:01:141 allele in a 23‐year‐old Greek bone marrow donor.
Identification of the novel HLA‐B*56:100 allele by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Lepage Margot , Fournel Xavier , Favre‐Victoire Isabelle , Moskovtchenko Philippe , Dubois Valérie
Published: September 2024

HLA‐B*56:100 differs from HLA‐B*56:20:02 by one nucleotide substitution at codon 147.2 in exon 3.
Identification of six new HLA‐C variants with nucleotide changes in non‐coding regions
Authors: Moya‐Quiles María Rosa , Muro Manuel
Published: September 2024

Six novel HLA‐C variants with nucleotide changes in non‐coding regions: HLA‐C*04:32:01:02, ‐C*07:01:01:142, ‐C*08:04:01:05, ‐C*12:03:01:68, ‐C*12:03:01:69 and ‐C*16:01:01:41.
The novel HLA‐A*32 allele, HLA‐A*32:01:56, identified by next generation sequencing
Authors: Rhodes‐Clark Bobbie , Redding Christine
Published: September 2024

HLA‐A*32:01:56 differs from HLA‐A‐32:01:01 by a single nucleotide variation in Exon 5, codon 313.3.
Discovery of potential recombinant alleles HLA‐DRB3*02:171 and HLA‐DRB5*01:140
Authors: Hu Qian , Abu‐Khader Ahmad , Christian Danielle , Yang Guang , Berka Noureddine
Published: September 2024

Two novel alleles that appear to be generated from recombination between exons 2 and 3.
City Influence Network: Mining and Analyzing the Influence of Chinese Cities Based on Social Media
Authors: Wang Lihua , Jiang Shengyi
Published: September 2024

There have been very few studies done on measuring the influence of all prefecture‐level cities on a national scale due to the limited availability of public data, challenges in data collection, and insufficient data comprehensiveness. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by investigating this problem in China. We first collected 692,859 news articles spanning one full year from the WeChat Official Accounts of 339 cities and Taiwan Province, which served as our study area and dataset. Then, we developed a city extractor module to reduce the ambiguity of place names and constructed a city interaction network. Then, we modeled the City Influence Index (CII) and the intensity of its influence. Finally, we proposed an analytical framework that examines the relationship between CII and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), compares it with the Global Cities Index, conducts influence analysis of cities at different levels, and more. The experimental results demonstrate that our analytical framework can effectively measure the influence of cities on a national scale and uncover the implicit relationships between cities. In doing so, our study offers a new perspective for measuring city influence. Code is available at: https://github.com/vczero/CII.
Leukemia cutis as a prominent clinical sign in a dog with acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Rogato Francesco , Szladovits Balazs , Martineau Henny , Yale Andrew D. , Mitchell Jordan L. , Holmes Emma J. , Gardner Rachel H. , Guillén Alexandra
Published: September 2024

An eight‐year‐old male neutered crossbreed dog presented with erosive and ulcerative cutaneous lesions in the inguinal regions, the medial aspect of both thighs, and the stifles. Hematologic assessment revealed nonregenerative anemia, thrombocytopenia, and high numbers of neoplastic mononuclear cells with a variable degree of maturation. The mononuclear neoplastic cells, with nuclei measuring 10–20 microns in diameter, accounted for 57% of the nucleated blood cells. In addition, the blood contained increased numbers of mature neutrophils and monocytes with atypical morphology. Cytologic examination of the right popliteal lymph node found high numbers of large mononuclear cells with similar morphology to those in the peripheral blood. Flow cytometry of peripheral blood revealed expression by the mononuclear neoplastic cells of the pan‐leukocyte marker CD45 and myeloid markers CD14, MAC387, and myeloperoxidase (MPO). These results confirmed a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Computed tomography found moderate nodular hepatosplenomegaly and multifocal bi‐cavitary lymphadenopathy. Histopathologic examination of biopsies from the cutaneous lesions identified infiltration of the dermis by intermediate to large neoplastic round cells. Further treatment was declined, and the owners elected euthanasia. Postmortem examination confirmed AML involvement in the bone marrow, peripheral and intracavitary lymph nodes, heart, liver, kidney, and skin. Neoplastic cells in the bone marrow and skin showed positive immunolabeling for ionized calcium‐binding adaptor protein 1 and MPO. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ulcerative cutaneous lesions observed among the presenting clinical signs in a dog with AML and secondary leukemia cutis.
ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ MALDI-TOF-MS И МАШИННОГО ОБУЧЕНИЯ ДЛЯ SARS-COV-2 И ДРУГИХ РЕСПИРАТОРНЫХ ИНФЕКЦИЙ
Authors: Кадырова И.А. , Султанбекова А.А.
Published: September 2024

Метод времяпролетной матрично-ассистированной лазерной десорбции/ионизации (MALDI-TOF-MS) может применяться для диагностики острых респираторных инфекций (ОРИ) благодаря его доступности и высокой пропускной способности. Отсутствие специализированной пробоподготовки образцов делает эту технологию особенно привлекательной для внедрения в регионах с ограниченными ресурсами. В данной работе оценивается применимость MALDI-TOF-MS для дифференциации SARS-CoV-2 и других ОРИ в клинической лабораторной среде Казахстана.
Были собраны назофарингеальные мазки у стационарных и амбулаторных пациентов с респираторными симптомами, а также у асимптоматических контролей (AC) в 2020-2023 годах. ПЦР использовалась для дифференциации случаев SARS-CoV-2+ и ОРИ. Спектры MALDI-TOF-MS были получены для 252 образцов (115 SARS-CoV-2+, 98 ОРИ и 39 AC) без специализированной пробоподготовки образцов. В первом поданализе мы следовали опубликованному протоколу предварительной обработки пиков и машинного обучения (ML), обученного на публично доступных спектрах образцов SARS-CoV-2+ и ОРИ из Южной Америки. Во втором поданализе мы обучили модели машинного обучения (ML) на матрице интенсивности пиков, представляющей образцы из Южной Америки (SA) и Казахстана (Kaz).
Применение установленной процедуры существующего протокола MALDI-TOF-MS/ML привело к высокой степени обнаружения образцов SARS-CoV-2+ (91,0%), но низкой точности для ОРИ (48,0%) и AC (67,0%) с использованием наилучшей модели Random Forest (RF). После повторного обучения алгоритмов ML на матрице пиковой интенсивности SA-Kaz точность обнаружения с помощью SVM-R составила 88,0, 95,0 и 78% для субъектов из Казахстана SARS-CoV-2+, ОРИ и AC соответственно с ROC AUC SARS-CoV-2 против остальных 0.983 [0.958, 0.987]; высокая точность дифференциации поддерживалась для SARS-CoV-2 и ОРИ из Южной Америки.
Комбинация MALDI-TOF-MS/ML является доступным подходом для дифференциации ОРИ без специализированной пробоподготовки образцов. Внедрение MALDI-TOF-MS/ML в реальной клинической лабораторной среде потребует непрерывной оптимизации для соответствия быстро меняющемуся ландшафту ОРИ.
ДИРОФИЛЯРИОЗ В ПРАКТИКЕ ВРАЧА
Authors: Кнаус А.А. , Бигали А.Б.
Published: September 2024

В настоящее время проблема дирофиляриоза обусловлена широким распространением возбудителя в природной среде и недостаточной проводимой дегельминтизации зараженных животных. Определить реальную степень распространения заболевания среди людей по Республике Казахстан оказалось невозможным в силу отсутствия системы регистрации заболевания. Целью исследования стало изучение проблемы дирофиляриоза у человека и определение лабораторных методов диагностики данного гельминтоза в г. Караганда.
Возбудители инвазии Dirofilaria immitis являются облигатными паразитами для представителей семейств Псовых и Кошачьих. Заболевание передается трансмиссивным путем – через укусы комаров. По мнению большинства исследователей, человек является случайным и терминирующим хозяином для возбудителя, поскольку самки не достигают половой зрелости в организме человека. Однако В.П. Сергиев и его соавторы пришли к выводу, что личинки дирофилярий способны достигать половой зрелости в организме человека, и более того, самцы могут оплодотворять самок даже при небольшом числе паразитов.
Теоретически, диагностика дирофиляриоза у человека возможна путем комплексного анализа клинических данных и лабораторных исследований (иммунограмма, полимеразная цепная реакция, метод иммуноблота, методы иммуноферментного анализа) Однако в практике применяется только макроскопия –  изучение морфологических особенностей паразита во время оперативного вмешательства из удаленной ткани при ревизии или случайном разрезе пораженного участка кожи.
Нами проведен анализ диагностики дирофиляриоза в клинико-диагностических лабораториях и ветеринарных клиниках г. Караганды путем изучения перечня предоставляемых услуг и устного опроса персонала. Несмотря на то, что в Караганде успешно развиваются крупные лабораторные центры разного профиля, диагностика дирофиляриоза у человека не входит в услуги ни одной клинико-диагностической лаборатории и только 2 ветеринарные клиники (40%) определяют данного возбудителя.
Отсутствие лабораторной диагностики дирофиляриоза у человека приводит к постановке только клинического диагноза и не ведет к регистрации случаев заболевания, что в свою очередь приводит к отсутствию эпидемиологического надзора за инфекцией и ведет к ее распространению.
Для успешной борьбы с дирофиляриозом в первую очередь необходимо своевременное и специфическое диагностирование возбудителя заболевания. В связи с этим возникает необходимость подготовки специалистов с углубленным изучением дисциплины «Паразитология» для обучающихся по образовательной программе «Биомедицина» и уделить особое внимание заболеванию, вызываемое паразитом Dirofilaria.
СИНТЕЗ И ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ МАКРОПОРИСТЫХ БИОПОЛИМЕРОВ ДЛЯ ТКАНЕВОЙ ИНЖЕНЕРИИ
Authors: Құдайберген Г.Қ.
Published: September 2024

Биополимеры − это природные полимеры, полученные от животных и растений, включая широкий спектр полисахаридов и полипептидов. Чаще всего из полисахаридов используются гиалуроновую кислоту, хондроитин сульфат, гепарин, декстран, альгинат, целлюлозу, хитин и хитозан. К полипептидам относятся желатин, фиброин шелка, альбумин, эластин, кератин и уникальные полипептиды, сконструированные для определенных функций. Выбор биополимера основан на получении желаемого свойства, такие как клеточная адгезия и способность к разложению. Большая часть исследований в области полимеров сосредоточена на улучшение существующих полимеров или разработке новых биоматериалов с настраиваемыми свойствами.
3D полимеры могут быть получены с использованием различных методов, включая ковалентную сшивку, динамическую ковалентную сшивку, физическую сшивку, криополимеризацию, 3D−печать и т. д.
Полимеры могут быть образованы ковалентным сшиванием функциональных групп, присоединенных к биополимерам. Механизмы ковалентного сшивания часто требуют катализаторов или инициаторов, чтобы вызвать образование ковалентной связи. Из−за общей стабильности ковалентных связей ковалентно сшитые гидрогели обладают потенциалом оставаться стабильными в течение длительного времени как in vitro, так и in vivo. Существует множество методов образования ковалентно−сшитых гидрогелей, такие как свободнорадикальную цепную полимеризацию, «клик химию» и окисление фенольных групп.
Синтез криогелей на основе желатина, хитозана, гиалуроновой кислоты и хондроитин сульфата осуществлялся путем криополимеризации без и с использованием сшивающих агентов, а также с использование методов «клик» химии, что в свою очередь дает преимущество по сравнению с другими известными методами получения биополимеров. Подготовленные макропористые биоразлагаемые и биосовместимые высоко проницаемые материалы благодаря самосборке современных полимеров будут эффективны для восстановления межпозвонкового диска без побочных эффектов.
Изучены физико-химические свойства криогелей и гидрогелей: набухание, определение гелевой фракции, пористость, плотность и деградация. Методом ИК- и ЯМР-спектроскопии осуществлена идентификация функциональных групп синтезированных полимеров. Результаты СЭМ показали пористую структуру, характерную для криогелей. Анализ ТГ/ДТГ/ДСК кривых показали характерные пики для полимеров и определены температуры стеклования криогелей. При исследовании цитотоксичности водных вытяжек, установлено, что полимеры не обладают высокой токсичностью.
Путем экспериментов in vitro выбраны и оптимизированы методы и формы доставки клеток и полимеров в места локализации дефектов, а именно были выбраны сфероиды мезенхимальных стволовых клеток. По результатам экспериментов in vivo проведена гистопатологическая оценка заживления дефектов межпозвоночных дисков крыс.
Impacts of Material and Machine on the Variation of Additively Manufactured Cooling Channels
Authors: Altland Abbigail Y. , Corbett Thomas M. , Thole Karen A.
Published: September 2024

While additive manufacturing (AM) can reduce component development time and create unique internal cooling designs, the AM process also introduces several sources of variability, such as the selection of machine, material, and print parameters. Because of these sources, wide variations in a part's geometrical accuracy and surface roughness levels can occur, especially for small internal cooling features that are difficult to post-process. This study investigates how the selection of machine and material in the AM process influences variations in surface quality and deviations from the design intent. Two microscale cooling geometries were tested: wavy channels and diamond-shaped pin fins. Test coupons were fabricated with five different additive machines and four materials using process parameters recommended by the manufacturers. The as-built geometry was measured non-destructively with computed tomography scans. To evaluate surface roughness, the coupons were cut open and examined using a laser microscope. Three distinct roughness profiles on the coupon surfaces were captured including upskin, downskin, and channel walls built at 90 deg to the build plate. Results indicated that both material and machine contribute to producing different roughness levels and very different surface morphologies. The roughness levels on the downskin surfaces are significantly greater than on the upskin or sidewall surfaces. Geometric analysis revealed that while the hydraulic diameter of all coupons was well captured, the pin cross section varied considerably. Along with characterizing the coupon surfaces, cooling performance was investigated by experimentally measuring friction factor and heat transfer. The variations in surface morphology as a function of material and machine resulted in heat transfer fluctuating by up to 50% between coupons featuring wavy channels and 26% for coupons with pin fin arrays. Increased arithmetic mean surface roughness led to increased heat transfer and pressure drop; however, a secondary driver in the performance of the wavy channels was found to be the roughness morphology, which could be described using the surface skewness and kurtosis.
Assessment of the Relationship Between Physical Performance and Percentage Change-of-Direction Deficit in Highly Trained Female Football Players
Authors: Roso-Moliner Alberto , Mainer-Pardos Elena , Bishop Chris , Gonzalo-Skok Oliver
Published: September 2024

Purpose: Different studies indicate that female players in team sports such as soccer tend to have a lower change-of-direction (COD) deficit (CODD) than their male counterparts and that players who performed better in linear and curved sprints tended to have a worse CODD, suggesting that maximum speed does not equate to a faster COD. This study assessed how performance variables related to speed and jumping influence the variability of %CODD among adult highly trained female soccer players. Methods: Fifty-two highly trained female soccer players (age 23.1 [3.25] y; height 163.6 [5.49] cm; weight 59.7 [5.71] kg) participated in this study and performed 180COD, 40-m sprint, countermovement jump, and standing broad jump tests. Results: Significant correlations were found between 180CODL, %CODDR, %CODDL, and between-limbs standing broad jump asymmetry (r = .28–.74). A very large correlation existed between %CODDR and %CODDL (r = .91). Regression analyses indicated a strong inverse relationship between the 10-m sprint time and %CODDR and %CODDL. No predictive models were found for 180COD in either limb. Differences in performance variables such as 180CODR, 180CODL, and asymmetry %CODD were significant between the high- and low-%CODD groups, with moderate to large effect sizes. Conclusion: The present study suggests that specific physical-performance variables, particularly acceleration and unilateral horizontal jumping, are vital to improving COD in highly trained female soccer players, highlighting the need for specific training interventions.
The Impact of Physical Activity and Lifestyle on Mental Health: A Network Analysis
Authors: Martinez Victor Matheus Lopes , Martins Maiara da Silva , Capra Fernanda , Schuch Felipe Barreto , Wearick-Silva Luis Eduardo , Feoli Ana Maria Pandolfo
Published: September 2024

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between physical activity (PA), lifestyle, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online questionnaire. PA (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), lifestyle (Short Multidimensional Inventory Lifestyle Evaluation), and mental health (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21) were assessed. Mean scores were compared between groups of physically active and inactive participants, controlling for gender, education, and income. Furthermore, associations were made between the variables, and individual network analyses were carried out for each mental health domain. The sample consisted of 353 individuals (age = 33.8 [12.2], 59.2% women). Results: In network analyses, PA was indirectly related to depression and stress through the relationship with other lifestyle domains such as diet and nutrition or through stress management and social support. The same path was observed for anxiety; however, a direct partial correlation was also observed between PA and anxiety, suggesting that PA seems to intervene more directly in this aspect of mental health. Conclusion: It is concluded that PA is indirectly (via stress management, diet and nutrition, and social support) associated with depression and stress and has direct and indirect associations (via stress management and social support) with anxiety.
A versatile knee exoskeleton mitigates quadriceps fatigue in lifting, lowering, and carrying tasks
Authors: Divekar Nikhil V. , Thomas Gray C. , Yerva Avani R. , Frame Hannah B. , Gregg Robert D.
Published: September 2024

The quadriceps are particularly susceptible to fatigue during repetitive lifting, lowering, and carrying (LLC), affecting worker performance, posture, and ultimately lower-back injury risk. Although robotic exoskeletons have been developed and optimized for specific use cases like lifting-lowering, their controllers lack the versatility or customizability to target critical muscles across many fatiguing tasks. Here, we present a task-adaptive knee exoskeleton controller that automatically modulates virtual springs, dampers, and gravity and inertia compensation to assist squatting, level walking, and ramp and stairs ascent/descent. Unlike end-to-end neural networks, the controller is composed of predictable, bounded components with interpretable parameters that are amenable to data-driven optimization for biomimetic assistance and subsequent application-specific tuning, for example, maximizing quadriceps assistance over multiterrain LLC. When deployed on a backdrivable knee exoskeleton, the assistance torques holistically reduced quadriceps effort across multiterrain LLC tasks (significantly except for level walking) in 10 human users without user-specific calibration. The exoskeleton also significantly improved fatigue-induced deficits in time-based performance and posture during repetitive lifting-lowering. Last, the system facilitated seamless task transitions and garnered a high effectiveness rating postfatigue over a multiterrain circuit. These findings indicate that this versatile control framework can target critical muscles across multiple tasks, specifically mitigating quadriceps fatigue and its deleterious effects.
Serum ganciclovir drug exposure in children receiving standard ganciclovir dosing
Authors: Yang Wenyu , Irwin Adam , Weerdenburg Heather , McWhinney Brett , Cole Theresa , Lei Alice , Han Bing , Zhu Xiao , Gwee Amanda
Published: September 2024

Intravenous ganciclovir (GCV) is used for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in immunocompromised children. Although the therapeutic target for treatment is unclear, studies have shown a serum area under the concentration–time curve (AUC
24h
) ≥40 mg/L·h correlates with effective CMV prevention. This study aimed to externally validate existing GCV population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) models and develop a model if needed and evaluate the serum AUC
24h
achieved with standard GCV dosing and propose an optimized dosing strategy for immunocompromised children. Ganciclovir drug monitoring data from two pediatric hospitals were retrospectively collected, and published pediatric PopPK models were externally validated. The population AUC
24h
with standard GCV dosing (5 mg/kg twice daily) was calculated, and an optimized dosing strategy was determined using Monte Carlo simulations to achieve an AUC
24h
between 40 and 100 mg/L·h. Overall, 161 samples from 23 children with a median (range) age of 9.0 years (0.4–17.0) and weight of 28.2 kg (5.6–73.3) were analyzed. Transferability of published pediatric PopPK models was limited. Thus, a one-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination with weight and serum creatinine as covariates was developed. The median (5th–95th percentiles) steady state AUC
24h
with standard dosing was 38.3 mg/L·h (24.8–329.2) with 13 children having an AUC
24h
<40 mg/L·h, particularly those aged <4 years (8/13). An optimized simulated GCV dosing regimen, ranging from 2 to 13 mg/kg twice daily for children with normal renal function, achieved 61%–78% probability of target attainment. Standard GCV dosing likely results in inadequate drug exposure in more than half of the children, particularly those aged <4 years. An optimized dosing regimen has been proposed for clinical validation.
Engineered chimeric receptors for dissecting interferon signaling
Authors: Lin Aaron E. , Mesev Emily V. , Toettcher Jared E. , Ploss Alexander
Published: September 2024

Though interferons (IFNs) were once heralded as panaceas to numerous diseases, how cells decode varying IFN stimuli and subsequently produce (in)appropriate signaling remain unclear. Our labs recently engineered novel erythropoietin receptor-IFN chimeric receptors, and we highlight their utility in two cases uncovering differential genetic determinants of type I (IFN-α/β) and type III (IFN-λ) IFN signaling. These and other types of synthetic (cytokine) receptors could be expanded to real-time signaling dynamics and
in vivo
studies.
Broadening the aims of avian influenza surveillance according to the One Health approach
Authors: Kuiken Thijs
Published: September 2024

The ongoing outbreak of the Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/Gd) H5 lineage of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses has caused higher mortality than all other HPAI outbreaks taken together. It is unique in its spillover and adaptation to wild waterfowl, which has facilitated its spread worldwide to many other species. However, avian influenza virus (AIV) surveillance, which historically aims to protect the poultry sector, is inadequate to document the spread and impact of Gs/Gd H5 virus in wild birds and other wildlife in most countries. A positive exception is Canada’s AIV surveillance in wild birds, applied in a recent study (J. A. Giacinti, A. V. Signore, M. E. B. Jones, L. Bourque, et al., mBio 15:e03203-23, 2024,
https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.03203-23
), which aims to protect wildlife, domestic animals, and human health according to the One Health approach. It is recommended to follow this approach in other countries to fill knowledge gaps in the epidemiology of Gs/Gd H5 virus in wild birds and other wildlife and to help control and, above all, prevent future HPAI outbreaks.
On the Possibility of Multiplying the Frequency of a Gigawatt Ultrashort Microwave Pulse
Authors: Totmeninov E. M. , Konev V. Yu. , Mutylin O. O. , Pegel I. V.
Published: September 2024

It has been shown that the frequency of an ultrashort microwave pulse of a lowest axisymmetric electric mode at the interaction with a counterpropagating relativistic tubular electron beam under the cyclotron resonance conditions can be doubled due to re-emission into a mode having resonance at the second harmonic of the gyrofrequency. The conversion of the 3-cm 1-ns gigawatt microwave pulse in a circular waveguide from the TM01 mode to the TM02 mode with the doubling of the frequency, reduction of the duration to 0.22 ns, and the achievement of the peak power above the initial value has been demonstrated in a numerical experiment. The possibility of forming an intense ultrashort frontal splash of oscillations with the doubled frequency has been shown for longer initial pulses with a subnanosecond front.
Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma presenting with small bowel obstruction
Authors: Latif Joseph , Ang Zhen Hao , Holmes Merran , Wong Shing
Published: September 2024

Lung cancer is one of the most lethal solid organ malignancies. Metastasis commonly spreads to the liver, adrenal glands and bone. We report a case of a male patient who presented with an 8 week history of cramping abdominal pain and vomiting. Subsequent investigation revealed evidence of an obstructing small bowel lesion. He underwent a small bowel resection. Histopathology revealed evidence of lung adenocarcinoma as the likely primary disease. Although metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma to the small bowel is rare, early recognition may prevent potentially life-threatening sequelae including bowel perforation and peritonitis.
Efficacy of reminiscence therapy with different media on cognitive function and negative moods for older adult patients who had a stroke: protocol of a network meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Qian , Liu Li , Wang Fang , Tan Lixia , Cheng Hong , Hu Xiuying
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Stroke is a common cause of death and disability in the older adult and increases the risk and severity of cognitive impairment, which is a factor for long-term death among stroke survivors. Some studies have focused on the effects of reminiscence therapy with different media on stroke survivors. It is currently unclear which is the best medium. This protocol aims to deal with this problem by using a network meta-analysis.

Methods and analysis

Published randomised controlled trials will be included if reminiscence therapy plus usual care was applied in older adult patients who had a stroke in the experimental group and usual care was applied in the control group. Six electronic databases will be searched from their inception to August 2023, including the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, Medline and Embase. The media of reminiscence therapy may include (but not restricted to) old photos, music or movies. Outcomes will be cognitive function and negative moods. Study selection, data extraction and quality assessment will be performed independently by two reviewers. The risk of bias (RoB) of the included studies will be evaluated in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration’s RoB tool. The evidence quality will be measured based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. To compare the efficacy of reminiscence therapy with different media, standard pairwise meta-analysis and Bayesian network meta-analysis will be conducted. The probabilities of intervention for all outcomes will be ranked based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for reviewing published studies. The findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for review and publication to provide important evidence for clinicians and guideline developers to determine interventions for older adult patients who had a stroke.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42023447828.