bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between obesity and abnormal Papanicolau(Pap) smear cytology results in a resource-poor Nigerian setting
Authors: Okoro Silas Onyemaechi , Ajah Leonard Ogbonna , Nkwo Peter Onubiwe , Aniebue Uzochukwu U. , Ozumba Benjamin Chukwuma , Chigbu Chibuike Ogwuegbu
Published: June 2020

Background

Though obesity is associated with some malignancies, its association with cervical cancer is still inconclusive. This study was aimed at determining if there was an association between obesity and cervical epithelial cell abnormalities (CEA).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional comparative study of obese and non-obese women at the Cervical Cancer Screening Clinic, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu between January, 2012 and June, 2013. The participants whose body mass index (BMI) were ≥ 30 kg/m2 were classified as obese (200 women) while those whose BMI were < 30 kg/m2 were classified as non-obese (200 women) and the two groups were consecutively recruited at the ratio of 1:1. Pap smear cytology, random blood sugar (RBS) and human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) screening was done for all the participants. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 20. Categorical variables were analyzed using McNemar’s test and Chi-squared test. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on cervical epithelial cell abnormalities. The level of significance was set at ≤0.05.

Results

Among the obese women, 152(76%) had negative for intra-epithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM) while 48(24%) had cervical epithelial cell abnormalities (CEA). Also 182(91%) non-obese women had NILM while the remaining 18(9%) had CEA. The prevalence of CEA among all the study participants was 16.5%. There was an association between obesity and CEA[OR (95%CI) = 1.353(1.013–1.812); P-value = 0.04].CEA were significantly more common among women who were 40 years and above and single/separated women as well as widows (P-value = < 0.05).

Conclusion

There was an association between obesity and CEA. This underscores the need for a positive behavioural change among women in order to stem the tide of this public health problem.
Modified Pulsatillae decoction inhibits DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in vitro and in vivo via IL-6/STAT3 pathway
Authors: Huangfu Shaohua , Dou Renjie , Zhong Sixia , Guo Mengjie , Gu Chunyan , Jurczyszyn Artur , Yang Ye , Jiang Bin
Published: June 2020

Background

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colon and rectum, which is positively correlated with the occurrence of IBD-related colorectal cancer (IBD-CRC). Conventional therapies based on drugs such as corticosteroids, mesalamine, and immunosuppression have serious side effects. Pulsatillae decoction (PD) served as a classical prescription for the treatment of colitis in China, has been shown to exert prominent curative effects and good safety. Based on clinical experience and our amelioration, we added an extra herb into this classical prescription, but its therapeutic effect on UC and the underlying mechanism are still unclear.

Results

We first found the curative effect of modified PD on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-incubated NCM460 cells. Then C57BL/6 mice were administered DSS to induce UC to evaluate the therapeutic of modified PD. The results showed that modified PD alleviated the inflammatory injury, manifested in body weight, colon length, and disease activity index, with histological analysis of colon injury. Transcriptomic sequencing indicated that modified PD treatment downregulated the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway, and reduced the levels of p-NF-κB, IL-1β and NLRP3, which were confirmed by western blot.

Conclusions

Collectively, our results indict that modified PD could efficiently relieve clinical signs and inflammatory mediators of UC, providing evidence of the anti-colitis effect of modified PD, which might provide novel strategies for therapeutic intervention in UC, which may be applied to the prevention of IBD-CRC.
Parents’ and nurses’ ideal collaboration in treatment-centered and home-like care of hospitalized preschool children – a qualitative study
Authors: Sundal Hildegunn , Vatne Solfrid
Published: June 2020

Background

The hospitalization of children requires collaboration between parents and nurses in partnerships. This study examines parents’ and nurses’ experiences of ideal collaboration in treatment-centered and home-like care of hospitalized preschool children.

Methods

This qualitative study is part of a larger study of 12 parents and 17 nurses who were responsible for 11 hospitalized children. Data collection took place at a Norwegian general paediatric unit, and the data were gathered from observations of and qualitative interviews with the parents and nurses. The analysis was conducted in six steps, in alignment with Braun and Clarke.

Results

Two essential themes emerged from the analysis. (1) Treatment-centered care focuses on the following tasks in building relationships – gaining trust, securing – gaining voluntariness, distracting and comforting, and securing and gaining voluntariness. The purpose of treatment-centered care is to perform diagnostic procedures and offer treatment. (2) Home-like care, the purpose of which is to manage a child’s everyday situations in an unfamiliar environment, focuses on the following tasks: making familiar meals, maintaining normal sleeping patterns, adjusting to washing and dressing in new situations, and normalizing the time in between. From this pattern, we chose two narratives that capture the essence of ideal collaboration between parents and nurses.

Conclusion

The ideal collaboration between nurses and parents is characterized by flexibility and reciprocity, and is based on verbal and action dialogues. In treatment-centered care, parent-nurse collaboration was successful in its flow and dynamic, securing the children’s best interests. Meanwhile, the achievement of the children’s best interest within home-like care varied according to the level of collaboration, which in turn was related to the complexity of the children’s everyday situations.
Using intervention mapping to develop an occupational advice intervention to aid return to work following hip and knee replacement in the United Kingdom
Authors: Coole Carol , Baker Paul , McDaid Catriona , Drummond Avril
Published: June 2020

Background

There are increasing numbers of total hip replacements (THR) and total knee replacements (TKR) being performed in patients of working age. Providing patients undergoing TKR and THR with return to work advice might facilitate return to work. The aim of this paper is to report on the process used to systematically develop an occupational advice intervention to be delivered in hospital for those undergoing arthroplasty.

Methods

The six-step Intervention Mapping (IM) approach to development, implementation and evaluation of a theory and evidence-based interventions was followed. This paper reports on the development of the intervention covered by steps 1 to 4 of the IM process. Steps 1–3 gathered data on current practice and barriers to change using a mixed methods approach (cohort study of patients undergoing THR or TKR, stakeholder interviews, survey of practice, evidence synthesis) and provided a theoretical framework for intervention development. Step 4 used information from steps 1–3 in combination with a Delphi consensus process to develop the intervention and the associated tools and materials to facilitate its delivery.

Results

The final intervention identified included a number of core principles including: early patient identification; delivery of key information to patients and their employers; assessment and support by a member of the orthopaedic team; procedures for escalation based on patient need; mechanisms to support communication; and training and support for the clinical teams delivering care. A total of 13 patient and 20 staff performance objectives as delivery requirements, were supported by a range of tools, roles and training resources. The intervention addressed outcomes based at the individual and interpersonal levels of the ecological model.

Conclusions

Following the IM approach resulted in a structured and justified occupational intervention for delivery in secondary care for patients undergoing total hip and knee replacement. The feasibility of the intervention will subsequently be tested alongside further investigation to establish its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
Age-dependent effects of body mass index across the adult life span on the risk of dementia: a cohort study with a genetic approach
Authors: Karlsson Ida K. , Lehto Kelli , Gatz Margaret , Reynolds Chandra A. , Dahl Aslan Anna K.
Published: June 2020

Background

While a high body mass index (BMI) in midlife is associated with higher risk of dementia, high BMI in late-life may be associated with lower risk. This study combined genetic designs with longitudinal data to achieve a better understanding of this paradox.

Methods

We used longitudinal data from 22,156 individuals in the Swedish Twin Registry (STR) and 25,698 from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The STR sample had information about BMI from early adulthood through late-life, and the HRS sample from age 50 through late-life. Survival analysis was applied to investigate age-specific associations between BMI and dementia risk. To examine if the associations are influenced by genetic susceptibility to higher BMI, an interaction between BMI and a polygenic score for BMI (PGSBMI) was included in the models and results stratified into those with genetic predisposition to low, medium, and higher BMI. In the STR, co-twin control models were applied to adjust for familial factors beyond those captured by the PGSBMI.

Results

At age 35–49, 5 units higher BMI was associated with 15% (95% CI 7–24%) higher risk of dementia in the STR. There was a significant interaction (p = 0.04) between BMI and the PGSBMI, and the association present only among those with genetic predisposition to low BMI (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.08–1.78). Co-twin control analyses indicated genetic influences. After age 80, 5 units higher BMI was associated with 10–11% lower risk of dementia in both samples. There was a significant interaction between late-life BMI and the PGSBMI in the STR (p = 0.01), but not the HRS, with the inverse association present only among those with a high PGSBMI (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52–0.94). No genetic influences were evident from co-twin control models of late-life BMI.

Conclusions

Not only does the association between BMI and dementia differ depending on age at BMI measurement, but also the effect of genetic influences. In STR, the associations were only present among those with a BMI in opposite direction of their genetic predisposition, indicating that the association between BMI and dementia across the life course might be driven by environmental factors and hence likely modifiable.
Correction to: Inhibition of miR‑153 ameliorates ischemia/reperfusion‑induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis by regulating Nrf2/HO‑1 signaling in rats
Authors: Hou Wei , Zhu Xianting , Liu Juan , Ma Jiaguo
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Correction to: Navigating environmental constraints to injection preparation: the use of saliva and other alternatives to sterile water among unstably housed PWID in London
Authors: Harris Magdalena , Scott Jenny , Hope Vivian , Wright Talen , McGowan Catherine , Ciccarone Daniel
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
C-type natriuretic peptide stimulates osteoblastic proliferation and collagen-X expression but suppresses fibroblast growth factor-23 expression in vitro
Authors: Chen Wei Xia , Liu Hui Hui , Li Rui Xue , Mammadov Goshgar , Wang Jing Jing , Liu Fei Fei , Samadli Sama , Wu Yang Fang , Zhang Dong Dong , Luo Huang Huang , Hu Peng
Published: June 2020

Background

The effects of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 appear to oppose each other during the process of bone formation, whereas few studies exist on the interaction between CNP and FGF-23. The main objective of the present study is to probe whether CNP is directly responsible for the regulation of osteoblast or via antagonizing FGF-23.

Methods

Osteoblasts were cultured in the absence or presence of CNP (0, 10, and 100 pmol/L) for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, respectively.

Results

The findings of the present study indicated that: (1) CNP significantly stimulated osteoblastic proliferation and collagen (Col)-X expression; (2) both osteoblastic (osteocalcin, procollagen type I carboxy-terminal propeptide, total alkaline phosphatase and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase) and osteolytic (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen) bone turnover biomarkers were up-regulated by CNP in osteoblasts; (3) FGF-23 mRNA and protein were significantly down-regulated at 24 h by CNP in osteoblasts, but the expression of FGF receptor-1/Klotho had no significant change.

Conclusions

CNP stimulates osteoblastic proliferation and Col-X expression via the down-regulation of FGF-23 possibly in vitro. However, the specific mechanisms of the interaction between CNP and FGF-23 in osteoblasts are still unclear according to our findings. A further study on osteoblasts cultured with CNP and FGF-23 inhibitor will be undertaken in our laboratory.
Histopathology of COVID-19 pneumonia in two non-oncological, non-hospitalised cases as a reliable diagnostic benchmark
Authors: Scendoni Roberto , Marchesani Francesca , Cannovo Nunzia , Fedeli Piergiorgio , Cingolani Mariano
Published: June 2020

In lung cancer patients infected with COVID-19, pathological features are not easy to distinguish. This report presents detailed histopathological findings in two non-neoplastic subjects whose out-of-hospital deaths were caused by COVID-19 infection. These ‘pure’ cases differ in the time of presentation of symptoms, the phase of lung anatomopathological patterns (acute lung injury versus diffuse alveolar damage) and the mechanism of death. The results provide a valid diagnostic benchmark for evaluating the evolution of COVID-19 pneumonia.
The use of machine learning in rare diseases: a scoping review
Authors: Schaefer Julia , Lehne Moritz , Schepers Josef , Prasser Fabian , Thun Sylvia
Published: June 2020

Background

Emerging machine learning technologies are beginning to transform medicine and healthcare and could also improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Currently, there are no systematic reviews that investigate, from a general perspective, how machine learning is used in a rare disease context. This scoping review aims to address this gap and explores the use of machine learning in rare diseases, investigating, for example, in which rare diseases machine learning is applied, which types of algorithms and input data are used or which medical applications (e.g., diagnosis, prognosis or treatment) are studied.

Methods

Using a complex search string including generic search terms and 381 individual disease names, studies from the past 10 years (2010–2019) that applied machine learning in a rare disease context were identified on PubMed. To systematically map the research activity, eligible studies were categorized along different dimensions (e.g., rare disease group, type of algorithm, input data), and the number of studies within these categories was analyzed.

Results

Two hundred eleven studies from 32 countries investigating 74 different rare diseases were identified. Diseases with a higher prevalence appeared more often in the studies than diseases with a lower prevalence. Moreover, some rare disease groups were investigated more frequently than to be expected (e.g., rare neurologic diseases and rare systemic or rheumatologic diseases), others less frequently (e.g., rare inborn errors of metabolism and rare skin diseases). Ensemble methods (36.0%), support vector machines (32.2%) and artificial neural networks (31.8%) were the algorithms most commonly applied in the studies. Only a small proportion of studies evaluated their algorithms on an external data set (11.8%) or against a human expert (2.4%). As input data, images (32.2%), demographic data (27.0%) and “omics” data (26.5%) were used most frequently. Most studies used machine learning for diagnosis (40.8%) or prognosis (38.4%) whereas studies aiming to improve treatment were relatively scarce (4.7%). Patient numbers in the studies were small, typically ranging from 20 to 99 (35.5%).

Conclusion

Our review provides an overview of the use of machine learning in rare diseases. Mapping the current research activity, it can guide future work and help to facilitate the successful application of machine learning in rare diseases.
Antibody targeting tumor-derived soluble NKG2D ligand sMIC reprograms NK cell homeostatic survival and function and enhances melanoma response to PDL1 blockade therapy
Authors: Basher Fahmin , Dhar Payal , Wang Xin , Wainwright Derek A. , Zhang Bin , Sosman Jeffrey , Ji Zhe , Wu Jennifer D.
Published: June 2020

Background

Melanoma patients who have detectable serum soluble NKG2D ligands either at the baseline or post-treatment of PD1/PDL1 blockade exhibit poor overall survival. Among families of soluble human NKG2D ligands, the soluble human MHC I chain-related molecule (sMIC) was found to be elevated in melanoma patients and mostly associated with poor response to PD1/PDL1 blockade therapy.

Methods

In this study, we aim to investigate whether co-targeting tumor-released sMIC enhances the therapeutic outcome of PD1/PDL1 blockade therapy for melanoma. We implanted sMIC-expressing B16F10 melanoma tumors into syngeneic host and evaluated therapeutic efficacy of anti-sMIC antibody and anti-PDL1 antibody combination therapy in comparison with monotherapy. We analyzed associated effector mechanism. We also assessed sMIC/MIC prevalence in metastatic human melanoma tumors.

Results

We found that the combination therapy of the anti-PDL1 antibody with an antibody targeting sMIC significantly improved animal survival as compared to monotherapies and that the effect of combination therapy depends significantly on NK cells. We show that combination therapy significantly increased IL-2Rα (CD25) on NK cells which sensitizes NK cells to low dose IL-2 for survival. We demonstrate that sMIC negatively reprograms gene expression related to NK cell homeostatic survival and proliferation and that antibody clearing sMIC reverses the effect of sMIC and reprograms NK cell for survival. We further show that sMIC/MIC is abundantly present in metastatic human melanoma tumors.

Conclusions

Our findings provide a pre-clinical proof-of-concept and a new mechanistic understanding to underscore the significance of antibody targeting sMIC to improve therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD1/PDL1 antibody for MIC/sMIC+ metastatic melanoma patients.
COVID-19 and the re-opening of schools: a policy maker’s dilemma
Authors: Fantini Maria Pia , Reno Chiara , Biserni Giovanni Battista , Savoia Elena , Lanari Marcello
Published: June 2020

The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) broke out in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and rapidly spread across the world. In order to counter this epidemic, several countries put in place different restrictive measures, such as the school’s closure and a total lockdown. However, as the knowledge on the disease progresses, clinical evidence showed that children mainly have asymptomatic or mild disease and it has been suggested that they are also less likely to spread the virus. Moreover, the lockdown and the school closure could have negative consequences on children, affecting their social life, their education and their mental health. As many countries have already entered or are planning a phase of gradual lifting of the containment measures of social distancing, it seems plausible that the re-opening of nursery schools and primary schools could be considered a policy to be implemented at an early stage of recovery efforts, putting in place measures to do it safely, such as the maintenance of social distance, the reorganisation of classes into smaller groups, the provision of adequate sanitization of spaces, furniture and toys, the prompt identification of cases in the school environment and their tracing. Therefore, policy makers have the task of balancing pros and cons of the school re-opening strategy, taking into account psychological, educational and social consequences for children and their families. Another issue to be considered is represented by socio-economic disparities and inequalities which could be amplified by school’s closure.
Triple-negative breast cancer molecular subtyping and treatment progress
Authors: Yin Li , Duan Jiang-Jie , Bian Xiu-Wu , Yu Shi-cang
Published: June 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a specific subtype of breast cancer that does not express estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), has clinical features that include high invasiveness, high metastatic potential, proneness to relapse, and poor prognosis. Because TNBC tumors lack ER, PR, and HER2 expression, they are not sensitive to endocrine therapy or HER2 treatment, and standardized TNBC treatment regimens are still lacking. Therefore, development of new TNBC treatment strategies has become an urgent clinical need. By summarizing existing treatment regimens, therapeutic drugs, and their efficacy for different TNBC subtypes and reviewing some new preclinical studies and targeted treatment regimens for TNBC, this paper aims to provide new ideas for TNBC treatment.
Correction to: Relevance of biomarkers across different neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Ehrenberg Alexander J. , Khatun Ayesha , Coomans Emma , Betts Matthew J. , Capraro Federica , Thijssen Elisabeth H. , Senkevich Konstantin , Bharucha Tehmina , Jafarpour Mehrsa , Young Peter N. E. , Jagust William , Carter Stephen F. , Lashley Tammaryn , Grinberg Lea T. , Pereira Joana B. , Mattsson-Carlgren Niklas , Ashton Nicholas J. , Hanrieder Jörg , Zetterberg Henrik , Schöll Michael , Paterson Ross W.
Published: June 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Application of data mining technology and wireless network sensing technology in sports training index analysis
Authors: Qian Liqiu , Liu Jiatong
Published: June 2020

The conventional analysis method can provide a general analysis of sports training index, but its ability is relatively low when analyzing niche data. To solve this problem, this paper proposes data mining technology. First, the indicator parameter classification is determined, then the data mining technology is imported, the sports training analysis mechanism is established through this technology, and the construction of the index analysis model is completed. The model is used to analyze the process of niche data mining, and effective data of training indicators are obtained. Deep learning is a method of machine learning based on the representation of data. Through the coverage test, accuracy test, and immunity test, the variable parameters of the comprehensive analysis capability are determined. Further calculation of this parameter shows that the comprehensive ability of the data mining application analysis method is improved by 37.14% compared with the conventional method, which is suitable for the analysis of niche sports training indicators of different data types.
Authenticated secret key generation in delay-constrained wireless systems
Authors: Mitev Miroslav , Chorti Arsenia , Reed Martin , Musavian Leila
Published: June 2020

With the emergence of 5G low-latency applications, such as haptics and V2X, low-complexity and low-latency security mechanisms are needed. Promising lightweight mechanisms include physical unclonable functions (PUF) and secret key generation (SKG) at the physical layer, as considered in this paper. In this framework, we propose (i) a zero round trip time (0-RTT) resumption authentication protocol combining PUF and SKG processes, (ii) a novel authenticated encryption (AE) using SKG, and (iii) pipelining of the AE SKG and the encrypted data transfer in order to reduce latency. Implementing the pipelining at PHY, we investigate a parallel SKG approach for multi-carrier systems, where a subset of the subcarriers are used for SKG and the rest for data transmission. The optimal solution to this PHY resource allocation problem is identified under security, power, and delay constraints, by formulating the subcarrier scheduling as a subset-sum 0−1 knapsack optimization. A heuristic algorithm of linear complexity is proposed and shown to incur negligible loss with respect to the optimal dynamic programming solution. All of the proposed mechanisms have the potential to pave the way for a new breed of latency aware security protocols.
The global dynamics for an age-structured SLIS model with the delay
Authors: Tan Hongwu , Yang Xin , Cao Hui
Published: June 2020

This paper deals with the global dynamics for a SLIS epidemic model with infection age. In our model, we also consider the time delay in the progression from the latent individuals to becoming infectious individuals. We verify the well posedness of the model by changing it into an abstract nondensely defined Cauchy problem and find conditions for the existence of disease free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium. The theoretic analysis shows that the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable as the basic reproduction number $R_{0}$R0 is less than unity and that the endemic equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable and the system is uniformly persistent as $R_{0}$R0 is greater than unity. The numerical simulations illustrate that the endemic equilibrium may be asymptotically stable as $R_{0}>1$R0>1.
Existence of solutions for integral boundary value problems of singular Hadamard-type fractional differential equations on infinite interval
Authors: Liu Weiwei , Liu Lishan , Wu Yonghong
Published: June 2020

We consider the existence of solutions for the following Hadamard-type fractional differential equations:$$ \textstyle\begin{cases} {}^{H}D^{\alpha }u(t)+q(t)f(t,u(t), {}^{H}D^{\beta _{1}}u(t),{}^{H}D^{ \beta _{2}}u(t))=0,\quad 1< t< +\infty , \\ u(1)=0, \\ {}^{H}D^{\alpha -2}u(1)=\int ^{+\infty }_{1}g_{1}(s)u(s)\frac{ds}{s}, \\ {}^{H}D^{\alpha -1}u(+\infty )=\int ^{+\infty }_{1}g_{2}(s)u(s) \frac{ds}{s}, \end{cases} $${DαHu(t)+q(t)f(t,u(t),HDβ1u(t),HDβ2u(t))=0,1<t<+∞,u(1)=0,Dα−2Hu(1)=∫1+∞g1(s)u(s)dss,Dα−1Hu(+∞)=∫1+∞g2(s)u(s)dss,where$2<\alpha \leq 3$2<α≤3,$0<\beta _{1}\leq \alpha -2<\beta _{2}\leq \alpha -1$0<β1≤α−2<β2≤α−1,$f:J \times \mathbb{R}^{3}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$f:J×R3→Rsatisfies the q-Carathéodory condition,$q,g_{1},g_{2}:J\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{+}$q,g1,g2:J→R+are nonnegative, where$J=[1,+\infty )$J=[1,+∞). Nonlinear termfis dependent on the fractional derivative of lower order$\beta _{1}$β1,$\beta _{2}$β2, which creates additional complexity to verify the existence of solutions. The singularity occurring in our problem is associated with${}^{H}D^{\beta _{2}}u\in C(1,+\infty )$Dβ2Hu∈C(1,+∞)at the left endpoint$t=1$t=1(if$\beta _{2}<\alpha -1$β2<α−1).
Convergence analysis on inertial proportional delayed neural networks
Authors: Zhang Hong , Qian Chaofan
Published: June 2020

This article mainly explores a class of inertial proportional delayed neural networks. Abstaining reduced order strategy, a novel approach involving differential inequality technique and Lyapunov function fashion is presented to open out that all solutions of the considered system with their derivatives are convergent to zero vector, which refines some previously known research. Moreover, an example and its numerical simulations are given to display the exactness of the proposed approach.
Zinc phosphate-based nanoparticles as alternatives to zinc oxide in diet of weaned piglets
Authors: Kociova Silvia , Dolezelikova Kristyna , Horky Pavel , Skalickova Sylvie , Baholet Daria , Bozdechova Lucie , Vaclavkova Eva , Belkova Jaroslava , Nevrkla Pavel , Skladanka Jiri , Do Tomas , Zitka Ondrej , Haddad Yazan , Kopel Pavel , Zurek Ludek , Adam Vojtech , Smerkova Kristyna
Published: June 2020

Background

The high doses of zinc oxide (ZnO) administered orally to piglets for the prevention of diarrhea and increase of growth rate can contaminate pig farms and the surrounding environment. Therefore, there is a need to find a replacement of high doses of dietary ZnO with an equally effective alternative. In the present study, the effect of two formulations of zinc phosphate-based nanoparticles (ZnA and ZnC NPs) on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, antioxidant status, and intestinal and liver morphology was evaluated. A total of 100 weaned piglets were randomly divided into 10 equal groups with the base diet (control) or the base diet supplemented with ZnA, ZnC, or ZnO at concentrations 500, 1000, and 2000 mg Zn per kilogram of diet. Supplements were given to animals for 10 days. Fecal samples were collected on day 0, 5, 10 and 20. At the end of the treatment (day 10), three piglets from each group were sacrificed and analyzed.

Results

Comparing to that of control, the significantly higher piglet weight gain was observed in all piglet groups fed with ZnA (P < 0.05). Differences in the total aerobic bacteria and coliform counts in piglet feces after NPs supplementation compared to that of control and ZnO groups were also found (P < 0.05). The majority of aerobic culturable bacteria from the feces represented Escherichia (28.57–47.62%), Enterococcus (3.85–35.71%), and Streptococcus (3.70–42.31%) spp. A total of 542 Escherichia coli isolates were screened for the virulence genes STa, STb, Stx2, F4, and F18. The substantial occurrence of E. coli virulence factors was found on day 5, mainly in fimbrillary antigen and thermostable toxins, except for piglets fed by ZnC. Zn treatment decreased Zn blood levels in piglets fed with ZnO and ZnA (500 mg/kg) and increased in ZnC (2000 mg/kg) compared to that of control (P < 0.05). The antioxidant status of piglets was affected only by ZnA. While some changes in the liver and the intestinal morphology of piglets with NPs were observed, none were serious as reflected by the normal health status and increased weigh gain performance.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that ZnA NPs have a positive effect on the piglet growth performance even at the lowest concentration. The prevalence of E. coli virulence factors was lowest in pigs supplemented with ZnC. Zinc phosphate-based nanoparticles may be an effective alternative to ZnO.
Circulating level of interleukin-6 in relation to body mass indices and lipid profile in Egyptian adults with overweight and obesity
Authors: El-Mikkawy Dalia M. E. , EL-Sadek Maha A. , EL-Badawy Mohja A. , Samaha Dalia
Published: June 2020

Background

Obesity is an important feature of metabolic syndrome, and the link between them has been attributed to the state of chronic inflammatory process.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relation of circulating level of IL-6 as an inflammatory cytokine to body mass index and lipid profile in adults with overweight and obesity.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 15 adults with overweight, 45 with obesity (15 grade I, 15 grade II, and 15 grade III), and 25 average weight controls. Circulating IL-6 level and lipid profile were measured.

Results

Highly significant differences were found between study groups in different grades of obesity as regards weight, body mass index, serum triglycerides, and serum LDL-C. Circulating levels of IL6 were significantly higher in subjects with overweight and obesity. There were significantly positive correlations between circulating levels of IL6 and BMI in subjects with grade III obesity and negative correlation with serum HDL-C in subjects with grade II obesity.

Conclusion

High circulating level of IL-6 could reflect the intensity of the chronic and systemic inflammation that develops with high degrees of obesity, which might contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart diseases, both directly and by reducing HDL-C levels.
Testosterone Supplementation Rescues Spermatogenesis and In Vitro Fertilizing Ability of Sperm inKiss1Knockout Mice
Authors: Goto Teppei , Hirabayashi Masumi , Watanabe Youki , Sanbo Makoto , Tomita Koichi , Inoue Naoko , Tsukamura Hiroko , Uenoyama Yoshihisa
Published: June 2020

Restoration of spermatogenesis and fertility is a major issue to be solved in male mammals with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Kiss1 knockout (KO) male mice are postulated to be a suitable animal model to investigate if hormonal replacement rescues spermatogenesis in mammals with this severe reproductive hormone deficiency, because KO mice replicate the hypothalamic disorder causing hypogonadism. The present study investigated whether testosterone supplementation was able to restore spermatogenesis and in vitro fertilization ability in Kiss1 KO mice. To this end, spermatogenesis, in vitro fertilization ability of Kiss1 KO sperm, and preimplantation development of wild-type embryos inseminated with Kiss1 KO sperm, were examined. The newly generated Kiss1 KO male mice showed infertility with cryptorchidism. Subcutaneous testosterone supplementation for 6 weeks restored plasma and intratesticular testosterone levels, elicited testicular descent, and induced complete spermatogenesis from spermatocytes to elongated spermatids in the testis, resulting in an increase in epididymal sperm number in testosterone-supplemented Kiss1 KO male mice. Epididymal sperm derived from the testosterone-supplemented Kiss1 KO mice showed normal in vitro fertilization ability, and the fertilized eggs showed normal preimplantation development, while the males failed to impregnate females. These results suggest that the failure of spermatogenesis in Kiss1 KO mice is mainly due to a lack of testosterone production, and that Kiss1 KO sperm are capable of fertilizing eggs if the animals receive the appropriate testosterone supplementation without local kisspeptin signaling in the testis and epididymis. Thus, testosterone supplementation would restore spermatogenesis of male mammals showing hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with genetic inactivation of the KISS1/Kiss1 gene.
Developmental Programming: Sheep Granulosa and Theca Cell–Specific Transcriptional Regulation by Prenatal Testosterone
Authors: Puttabyatappa Muraly , Guo Xingzi , Dou John , Dumesic Daniel , Bakulski Kelly M , Padmanabhan Vasantha
Published: June 2020

Prenatal testosterone (T)–treated sheep, similar to polycystic ovarian syndrome women, manifest reduced cyclicity, functional hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovary (PCO) morphology. The PCO morphology results from increased follicular recruitment and persistence of antral follicles, a consequence of reduced follicular growth and atresia, and is driven by cell-specific gene expression changes that are poorly understood. Therefore, using RNA sequencing, cell-specific transcriptional changes were assessed in laser capture microdissection isolated antral follicular granulosa and theca cells from age 21 months control and prenatal T–treated (100 mg intramuscular twice weekly from gestational day 30 to 90; term: 147 days) sheep. In controls, 3494 genes were differentially expressed between cell types with cell signaling, proliferation, extracellular matrix, immune, and tissue development genes enriched in theca; and mitochondrial, chromosomal, RNA, fatty acid, and cell cycle process genes enriched in granulosa cells. Prenatal T treatment 1) increased gene expression of transforming growth factor β receptor 1 and exosome component 9, and decreased BCL6 corepressor like 1, BCL9 like, and MAPK interacting serine/threonine kinase 2 in both cells, 2) induced differential expression of 92 genes that included increased mitochondrial, ribosome biogenesis, ribonucleoprotein, and ubiquitin, and decreased cell development and extracellular matrix-related pathways in granulosa cells, and 3) induced differential expression of 56 genes that included increased noncoding RNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, and mitochondrial matrix, and decreased transcription factor pathways in theca cells. These data indicate that follicular function is affected by genes involved in transforming growth factor signaling, extracellular matrix, mitochondria, epigenetics, and apoptosis both in a common as well as a cell-specific manner and suggest possible mechanistic pathways for prenatal T treatment–induced PCO morphology in sheep.
Conjugality
Authors: Mupotsa Danai S.
Published: June 2020

The wedding is often observed as performing a narrative closure, for instance, as a ritual that acts as a rite of passage to proper sex, or proper gendered and sexuated statuses framed in the terms of heteronormativity and homonormativity. The aims of this article are to sit beside recent scholarship that examines marriage, as well as the law/legal infrastructure and language that offer conjugal rights, that is, social, economic, and legal rights, and confers statuses of personhood to those who have access to them. Bride, regardless of the specific gendered status and personhood occupied within legal, social, and economic terms here, does not (only) refer to the constituted individual who lives or experiences a gendered and sexed position and location but, rather, refers to the ritual process itself that comes to produce a range of positions, scenes, desires, practices intensities, and, finally, confusions around which the expression of liberal subjecthood, or ethnic and national identity, might emerge.
Clinical utility of fat-suppressed 3-dimensional controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration sampling perfection with application optimized contrast using different flip angle evolutions MRI of the knee in adults
Authors: Lee Seungho , Lee Guen Young , Kim Sujin , Park Yong-Beom , Lee Han-Jun
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To compare htree-dimensional CAIPIRINHA SPACE and two-dimensional turbo spin echo (2D TSE) MRI in the diagnosis of knee pathology in symptomatic adult patients.

Methods:

From February to September in 2018, 120 patients who underwent a knee MRI using both 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE and 2D TSE MRI were enrolled. The signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the 2D and 3D MRI were compared using a paired t-test. Two radiologists independently evaluated both 2D and 3D MRI images using scoring systems for the menisci, ligaments, and cartilage. Intermethod, inter- and intrareader agreements were determined using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The diagnostic performance of both methods was measured in 44 patients with arthroscopy.

Results:

The mean scan time of 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE MRI (4’ 43”) was shorter than that of 2D TSE MRI (17’ 27”). The mean SNR and CNR of 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE was higher than those of 2D TSE MRI (mean difference, 3.97 of SNR and 1.58 of CNR; p < 0.001 and p = .038, respectively). Intermethod (ICC, 0.84–1.0) and inter-reader (ICC, 0.75–0.97), and intra-reader agreements (ICC, 0.87–1.0) were good or excellent. The diagnostic accuracy of 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE sequence was equal for ligament (95.5%) and better for meniscal and cartilage evaluation (84.1% each), compared to 2D TSE MRI (79.5% each).

Conclusion:

The fat-suppressed 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE MRI maybe useful in clinical practice for the evaluation of the knee in place of the 2D conventional MRI protocol.

Advances in knowledge:

1. The 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE MRI of the knee joint may be acceptable to be used in clinical practice showing comparable imaging quality compared to conventional 2D TSE MRI.

2. Compared with arthroscopic findings as the gold-standard, the diagnostic performance of 3D CAIPIRINHA SPACE MRI was equal or better for knee joint evaluation than that of 2D TSE MRI, as well as with shorter scan time.
Non-neoplastic conditions mimicking peritoneal carcinomatosis at CT imaging
Authors: Elmohr Mohab M , Elsayes Khaled M , Pickhardt Perry J
Published: June 2020

The general appearance of peritoneal carcinomatosis at abdominal CT and other cross-sectional imaging modalities consists of varying amounts of peritoneal-based soft tissue implants (mass-forming or infiltrative), peritoneal fluid, and occasionally calcification. However, a wide variety of common and uncommon neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions can closely mimic peritoneal carcinomatosis at imaging. Neoplastic mimics of peritoneal carcinomatosis include primary peritoneal and sub peritoneal tumors, as well as peritoneal lymphomatosis and sarcomatosis.

Broad categories of non-neoplastic mimics of peritoneal carcinomatosis include tumor-like conditions, systemic processes, atypical infections, and fat-based conditions. For many entities, suggestive or specific patient information and/or CT imaging findings exist that may allow the radiologist to narrow the differential diagnosis. In this article, we review the salient clinical and cross-sectional imaging features of non-neoplastic mimics of peritoneal carcinomatosis and malignancy, with emphasis on the CT findings and the additional clues that may suggest the correct benign diagnosis.
Information technology in professional activities
Authors: Nimatulaev Magomedhan
Published: June 2020

The textbook is intended for studying of discipline "Information technologies in professional activity". Discusses key issues of forming of information society, basic notions and definitions of Informatization of various types and levels of professional activity, the analysis of information systems and technologies to solve economic and management problems.
Meets the requirements of Federal state educational standards of higher education of the last generation.
It is recommended that students enrolled in the bachelor in the direction of training "Management", as well as postgraduate and graduate students to update knowledge and skills in the application of information systems and technologies in the context of big data Analytics and managerial decision-making.
The Poetry Of Nicholas Perovskogo
Authors: Harchenko Vera
Published: June 2020

The focus of the author are the characteristics of creativity of the poet Nikolai Perovsky (1934-2007), which are considered in the triad: poetry-line verse in the whole creative process. Examines the richness of its vocabulary, the language of emotions, perception and many other components of style. Emphasizes asiaturkey and cultural mission of poetry. The question is raised about the inclusion of fragments of poetry N. Perovsky in different dictionaries. The result of the analysis is the annotated list of achievements of the poet.
For specialists in the language of artistic expression, as well as for writers, journalists, culturologists.
The risks of social adaptation of servicemen transferred to the reserve, to the conditions of civilian life in Russia and strategies to overcome them
Authors: Razov Pavel , Evenko Sergey
Published: June 2020

It analyzes the risks of social adaptation to civil life in Russia — one of the main difficulties of servicemen transferred to the reserve — as well as strategies to overcome them. The urgency of studying this problem by sociologists due to the importance of sociological understanding of specific social adaptation of discharged military personnel and caused by the process problems, because their solution depends not only social and professional well-being of the social group, but also the status of the military in Russian society, the prestige of military service, much lower in the post-Soviet period.
Designed for graduate students, researchers interested in the sociology of risk.
When to Play Your Advertisement? Optimal Insertion Policy of Behavioral Advertisement
Authors: Kumar Subodha , Tan Yinliang (Ricky) , Wei Lai
Published: June 2020

Digital advertisements offer a full spectrum of behavioral customization for timing and content capabilities. The existing research in display advertising has predominantly concentrated on the content of advertising; however, our focus is on optimizing the timing of display advertising. In practice, users are constantly adjusting their engagement with content as they process new information continuously. The recent development of emotional tracking and wearable technologies allows platforms to monitor the user’s engagement in real time. The proposed optimal policy regarding the timing of behavioral advertising is based on a threshold policy with a trigger threshold and target level. Analogous to the familiar idea of “price discrimination,” the methods we propose in this study allow the platforms to maximize their revenue by “discriminatory” customization of the timing and length of the advertisement based on the behavior of individual users. Finally, we quantify the benefits of the proposed policy by comparing it with the practically prevalent policies (i.e., preroll, midroll, and a mix of the two) through a simulation study. Our results reveal that, for a wide range of settings, the proposed policy not only significantly increases the platform’s profitability but also improves the completion rate at which consumers finish viewing the advertisement.
A Block Successive Upper-Bound Minimization Method of Multipliers for Linearly Constrained Convex Optimization
Authors: Hong Mingyi , Chang Tsung-Hui , Wang Xiangfeng , Razaviyayn Meisam , Ma Shiqian , Luo Zhi-Quan
Published: June 2020

Consider the problem of minimizing the sum of a smooth convex function and a separable nonsmooth convex function subject to linear coupling constraints. Problems of this form arise in many contemporary applications, including signal processing, wireless networking, and smart grid provisioning. Motivated by the huge size of these applications, we propose a new class of first-order primal–dual algorithms called the block successive upper-bound minimization method of multipliers (BSUM-M) to solve this family of problems. The BSUM-M updates the primal variable blocks successively by minimizing locally tight upper bounds of the augmented Lagrangian of the original problem, followed by a gradient-type update for the dual variable in closed form. We show that under certain regularity conditions, and when the primal block variables are updated in either a deterministic or a random fashion, the BSUM-M converges to a point in the set of optimal solutions. Moreover, in the absence of linear constraints and under similar conditions as in the previous result, we show that the randomized BSUM-M (which reduces to the randomized block successive upper-bound minimization method) converges at an asymptotically linear rate without relying on strong convexity.