bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Body Image and Body Exposure During Sexual Activity and Sexual Assertiveness Among Mastectomized Women with/Without Mammaplasty and Mammaplasty Volunteer Patients
Authors: Vaziri Shahram , Lotfi Kashani Farah , Karimian Masoumeh , Vaziri Arash , Nobakht Laya , Vaziri Yashar , Masoumi Roya
Published: October 2022

Background: Mastectomy can change body image and affect the sexual activities of patients. Breast reconstruction is a way to reduce the sexual damage caused by mastectomy. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare body image and body exposure during sexual activity and sexual assertiveness among mastectomized women with/without mammaplasty and patients with cancer who volunteered for mammoplasty. Methods: This causal-comparative study was performed on the statistical population of mastectomized women with/without mammaplasty and patients who volunteered for mammoplasty within the age range of 25 - 55 years in Tehran, Iran, in 2018. The sample consisted of 37 women with mastectomy, 28 mastectomized women who volunteered for mammoplasty, and 31 women who underwent mammaplasty after mastectomy. The subjects were selected through convenience sampling in Tehran. All participants were asked to complete the Assessment of Body-Image Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire, the Body Exposure during Sexual Activities Questionnaire, and the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance using version 20th of SPSS software. Results: In terms of body-image cognitive distortions, there was no difference between the three groups. The women who underwent mammaplasty had less body exposure during sexual activity than patients who volunteered for mammoplasty (P < 0.01); however, there was no difference between the mastectomized patients and patients who underwent mammaplasty. Exposure to the body or anxious attentional focus on the body during sexual activity was reported frequently less in mastectomized women than in mammaplasty volunteers (P < 0.01). The sexual assertiveness of women who underwent reconstructive surgery was more than mastectomized women and volunteer patients for reconstructive surgery (P < 0.01). The mastectomized group had more sexual assertiveness than patients who volunteered for mammoplasty (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The results support the hypothesis that the issue of body image and its relationship with different aspects of sexual function is complex and requires considering different personality traits and factors as moderators. The importance that a woman places on the breast as a symbol of femininity and sexuality is one of the aforementioned factors. The purpose of reconstruction from the patient’s point of view and the importance that a woman gives to her appearance are other components that should be considered before proceeding with mammoplasty.
The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral, Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapies to Improving the Psychological Symptoms of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Iran: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Bahmani Bahman , Mehraban Shafigh , Azkhosh Manoochehr , Khanjani Mohammad Saeed , Azimian Mojtaba
Published: October 2022

Context: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease in which the myelin lining the central nervous system is damaged and often occurs between the ages of 20 and 40. In addition to loss of motor, sensory, and cognitive function, patients with MS also experience related symptoms such as depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue, and pain. Objectives: The aim of this study was to systematically and meta-analyze the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness and acceptance and commitment (CMAC) therapies to improving the psychological symptoms of patients with multiple sclerosis in Iran. Methods: The study was conducted using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis. This study examined articles published from the beginning until November 20, 2021 in Persian and English on cognitive and behavioral interventions performed in Iran, in order to influence psychological symptoms for people with multiple sclerosis. Articles relevant to research were screened in external (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science) and internal databases (Sid, Magiran, Ganj, Irandoc, Civilica). The quality of the included RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane guideline risk of bias tool. The results were expressed in terms of mean difference (MD) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval. Data analyses were performed by RevMan5.4. Results: In the first stage of the search, 792 articles were obtained. After reviewing the titles of the articles, 701 articles were discarded due to irrelevance and duplication and 91 articles remained. Finally, 21 studies were selected by reviewing the abstracts and considering the inclusion criteria. Compared with the control group, the standardized mean difference (SMD) estimate depression was 1.60 (2.27, 0.93), for anxiety 0.49 (0.80, 0.19), for stress 0.97 (1.70, 0.23) and for fatigue 0.19 (2.75, 1.25) had a positive effect; But no significant effect on pain reduction equal to 0.49 (2.21, 1.23) was not found. Conclusions: The meta-analysis in the posttest showed that the effects of CMAC were considerable on reducing depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue, but the effects were not notable for pain mitigation. Future high quality studies with follow-up evaluations are needed to support the effects of CMAC on reducing symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis and to evaluate the interventional features that enhance and maintain the effects.
Ameliorating Effects of Silymarin-Loaded PLGA on Acetaminophen-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Mice
Authors: Karimi Samaneh , Mombeini Maryam , Abbaspour Mohammadreza , Fakhredini Fereshtesadat , Khan Luqman
Published: October 2022

Background: Silymarin (SM) has beneficial effects against numerous different types of toxicants. However, the low bioavailability of SM has limited its therapeutic effects. Objectives: This study investigated the toxic effect of nanostructured SM (NSM) in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles on nephrotoxicity induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in mice. Methods: The encapsulation of SM in PLGA was performed by the solvent evaporation method. A total of 48 NMRI mice were used in this experimental study. The mice were pretreated with SM or NSM (5 mg/kg) for 7 days, and APAP (300 mg/kg) was administrated on the 6th day. The serum levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and uric acid were measured. Histological assessment and messenger ribonucleic acid expression of BAX and BCL-2 genes were also carried out. Results: The APAP destroyed the structure of the renal tissue and significantly reduced renal weight and glomerulus diameters (P < 0.01). The APAP also caused a significant increase in the serum levels of biochemical markers (P < 0.001) and expression of the BAX/BCL-2 ratio in the renal tissue (P < 0.001). The NSM could improve the renal structure and significantly increase renal weight and glomerulus in the APAP-intoxicated mice. The NSM significantly reduced the level of the biochemical tests and the BAX/BCL-2 ratio in the APAP-treated group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The obtained data indicate that PLGA effectively enhances the nephroprotective effects of SM on nephrotoxicity induced by APAP.
Clinico-Epidemiological Aspects of Cutaneous Lesions in Injecting Drug Users Visiting an Oral Substitution Therapy Centre: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Dhillon Shaminder Singh , Kaur Tejinder , Bala Neeru , Mankaranpreet None
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Drug abuse has been taking a great toll on the health and well-being of the community for the past few decades. Substance abuse can lead to several cutaneous manifestations both direct injury by the offending drug or the practices of drug usage causing secondary damage to the skin. The early recognition of these signs is of utmost importance to prevent long-term complications.

Objectives: To study the clinical-epidemiological profile of the skin diseases in Injecting Drug Users (IDU) attending Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) center and assess the psychological impact of skin conditions in IDUs attending oral substitution therapy center.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study involved 100 IDUs enrolled from the OST center who were subjected to brief history taking and clinical and dermoscopic evaluation of skin lesions. Dermatological quality of life index (DLQI), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS), and WHO-QoL questionnaire were used to evaluate the impact of skin lesions on Psycho-social health and quality of life of IDUs.

Results: Cutaneous lesions ranged from track marks to severe ulcerations and scarring. Mucosal lesions also took a toll on several Patients. Patients had varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and mental stress.

Conclusions: Injecting Drug Abusers are prone to acquire Skin diseases due to injury caused by drugs as well as by drug practices adopted and the degree of neglect may worsen these conditions. These cutaneous lesions hamper the quality of life and cause psychosocial disturbances.
Large Scale Ranking Using Stochastic Gradient Descent
Authors: Tas Engin
Published: October 2022

A system of linear equations can represent any ranking problem that minimizes a pairwise ranking loss. We utilize a fast version of gradient descent algorithm with a near-optimal learning rate and momentum factor to solve this linear equations system iteratively. Tikhonov regularization is also integrated into this framework to avoid overfitting problems where we have very large and high dimensional but sparse data.
Bending Elasticity of Phospholipid Bilayers Containing an Amphipathic Peptide with Low Mammalian Cytotoxicity
Authors: Vitkova Victoria , Stoyanova-Ivanova Angelina , Jaber Sirine , Naydenova Emilia , Danalev Dancho
Published: October 2022

Peptide mimetics imitate natural peptides’ structure but they could be specifically designed to be more selective concerning their toxicity to mammalian cells. In most cases this specificity is due to their ability to form α-helix in amphipathic environment. In addition, the specific activity depends on the ability of final structure to penetrate cell membrane. Being responsible for the cell integrity and compartmentalization, biomembranes also play a major role in cellular processes, in which the membrane deformations are important. In the present study we probe peptide-membrane interactions for a shortened amino acid sequence KLAKLAK-NH2 of an antimicrobial peptide with apoptotic effect. The bending rigidity of model lipid bilayers is measured by flicker spectroscopy of quasispherical unilamellar vesicles monitored and analyzed in phase contrast light microscopy. At high peptide concentrations ∼ 30 μmol/L and peptide-to-lipid total molar ratios ∼ 0.90 bilayer stacking formation is observed. A reduction of the bending constant is reported at peptide-to-lipid total molar ratio ∼ 0.80. The membrane softening indicates peripheral peptide orientation at the lipid bilayer, which is considered a prerequisite for channel formation. Based on KLAKLAK-NH2 effect on the membrane bending elasticity we provide an evaluation of the peptide partition coefficient characterizing its affinity to POPC bilayers. The acquired results might be helpful in efforts to further tailor the pharmacokinetic properties of antimicrobial peptides in combination with strengthened stability towards enzymatic degradation.
In vitro Micropropagation of Helichrysum arenarium (Asteraceae) as a Tool for Introducing the Species in Agriculture
Authors: Stanilova Marina , Traykova Boryanka , Vladimirov Vladimir , Petrova Maria , Semerdjieva Ivanka , Yankova-Tsvetkova Elina
Published: October 2022

Helichrysum arenarium, known as sandy everlasting, is a perennial plant species, used in traditional medicine. In Bulgaria, it is protected by the Biodiversity Act and under a special regime of use based on the Medicinal Plants Act. Seeds from five Bulgarian populations were in vitro germinated and seedlings were sub-cultured on five media supplemented with different plant growth regulators (PGRs) and control MS medium free of PGR. The type of cytokinin turned out to be of crucial importance, as the presence of kinetin stimulated formation of rhizomes and direct organogenesis, BAP caused callogenesis, indirect organogenesis and hyperhydricity, and Meta-topolin – necrosis. Best results were obtained on medium with reduced macrosalt and sucrose concentrations as rhizomes gave rise to numerous well-developed and spontaneously rooted plantlets, up to 55 originating from a single seed. Plants were potted in soil mixture, adapted to phytotron conditions, and transferred to the greenhouse for acclimation, then planted on the ex situ collection. All plants flowered during the first summer outdoor. Nuclear DNA amount was measured by flow cytometry to check possible abnormalities of the in vitro multiplied plants. The estimated DNA amount varied in the range 1C = 0.85–0.89 pg. No deviations in the ploidy level were detected. No difference between the studied populations was found. In vitro micropropagation was shown to be an appropriate method for rapid plant multiplication of H. arenarium thus offering the opportunity for its introduction into agriculture.
The Effect of HMGB1 Protein and Its Truncated Form on the Expression of RAGE Variants in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Todorova Jordana , Petrova Maria , Pasheva Evdokia , Ugrinova Iva
Published: October 2022

HMGB1 protein is a DNA binding nuclear protein. Its properties to bind different non-B DNA conformations and also to bend linear DNA implicate the protein in many essential cellular processes as DNA replication, repair, transcription, remodelling, etc. HMGB1 plays important role outside the cell as it is passively released from necrotic cells and actively from apoptotic ones and binds its specific receptor for advanced glycation end products RAGE. HMGB1/RAGE interactin is implicated in various diseases including cancer. Different soluble RAGE forms were reported whose functional role is to serve as a decoy for the ligands and in this way to block the signalling pathway. How the ligands regulate the production of RAGE variants is a subject of great scientific interest. We studied the effect of HMGB1 and its truncated form lacking the C- terminus on the expression of full-length (flRAGE) and soluble RAGE (sRAGE) in breast cancer cell lines: MCF7 represents a hormone dependent cancer with better prognosis and MDA-MB-231 – hormone independent with substantial invasive capacity. HMGB1 stimulates the total RAGE expression in both breast cancer cells but in MCF7 the ratio changes and is in favour of the membrane fraction. The absence of the C-tail of HMGB1 provokes comparable changes in RAGE production in MCF7 cells as the whole HMGB1 molecule. In MDA-MB- 231cell line the total amount of RAGE was slightly affected but it is entirely represented by the membrane form and the soluble one is in negligible amounts.
Revision of the Species Bauhinia bulgarica Kitan. fil. (Fabaceae) Known from the Bulgarian Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene
Authors: Bozukov Vladimir
Published: October 2022

A revision of the species Bauhinia bulgarica, which was found in the fossil macroflora of Garmen (SW Bulgaria), is presented. The fossil material originates from sediments dated as Late Miocene-Early Pliocene. The new taxonomic solution is Smilax excelsa L. foss. It is accepted on the basis of the close morphological structure of the fossil leaf imprint and the leaf forms of the recent Smilax excelsa L. (Smilacaceae), which is widespread in the SE Balkan Peninsula and SW Asia.
Compact Low-dropout Linear Regulator Design in 0.13 µm CMOS Technology for IoT Based Remote Infectious Disease Monitoring System
Authors: Minhad Khairun , Bhuiyan Mohammad , Ding Tan , Hemel Mohammad , Dawi Omar , Reaz Mamun , Miraz Mahdi
Published: October 2022

With the widespread adoption of the internet of things (IoT), power management of the different electronic (i.e. IoT) devices has become a major challenge. The low-dropout linear regulator (LDO) circuit is widely used for power management applications of electronic devices. This article reports the design and simulation of a low-dropout linear regulator (LDO) circuit, powered by a 1.2 V DC power supply voltage. In order to optimise the power dissipation, low layout silicon area and lower dropout voltage, a current mirror based transistor optimised LDO circuit has been implemented. The simulation results show that the proposed LDO regulator circuit exhibits a 582 mV low-dropout voltage, 1.568 mW power dissipation, and a very compact layout silicon area of 163.84 µm 2(12.795 × 12.805 µm). The proposed LDO linear regulator archi- tecture is designed and validated in 0.13 µm TSMC CMOS process technology using Mentor Graphic EDA tools.
Modelling of Different On-chip Inductors for Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits
Authors: Muneeswaran Dhamodaran , Subramani Jegadeesan , Pandi Thanapal , Chenniappan Navaneethan , Shanmugam Meenatchi
Published: October 2022

This paper presents a typical frequency-dependent modelling of different on-chip inductors for RFICs design problems. Modern RF circuits often feature on-chip inductors required by modern circuit design. A comparison of different inductor geometrics includes a planar spiral inductor and novel multilayer inductors are analyzed. An electromagnetic model with fewer assumptions than empirical equations and higher efficiency than full-field solvers would be welcome. So would facile comparisons of different inductor structures. This paper describes recent work on the electromagnetic modelling of on-chip inductor structures, applied to the comparison of inductor geometries, including the traditional spiral inductor and a novel multilayer inductor. The electromagnetic modelling of the investigative model is also presented.
Ultrastructural Studies on Lamb Liver with Experimental Bunostomosis
Authors: Kamenov Yotko , Kanchev Kostadin , Mizinska-Boevska Yana
Published: October 2022

Ultrastructural studies were carried out on liver obtained after the appear- ance of clinical signs of bunostomosis from a group of experimentally infested lambs.

In the hepatocytes of the liver severe changes affecting the endoplasmic reticulum, especially the rough one, and the nucleic chromatin were determined.

The formation of lipid drops into the injured hepatocytes followed the way of a fat degeneration rather than of a lipid infiltration. Both the liver parenchyma and mesenchyma compounds were affected.

This is an evidence of a direct toxic pathogenic action of the etiology agent. These data add to the knowledge of the bunostomosis pathogenesis more information about the leading role of the toxic factor.
Association between the Expression of KISS1, KISS1R and MMP-9 in Invasive Breast Carcinomas
Authors: Pupaki Despina , Bachurska Svitlana , Parvanov Dimitar , Ankova Dessislava , Rashev Pavel
Published: October 2022

Metastases are the leading cause of fatal outcome in patients with breast cancer, therefore different proteins related to metastasis are widely studied for the potential to control the spread of cancer cells. It has been shown in various types of cancers that the anti-metastatic role of the KISS1/KISS1R system has been performed by suppressing metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression, but there is evidence that the relationship between KISS1/KISS1R signalling and MMP-9 in breast cancer seems to be different. The aim of the current study was to assess the association between protein expression of KISS1, KISS1R and MMP-9 using software-based measurement of staining intensity and the possible link to tumour size, grade and receptor status in invasive breast carcinomas. Standard histopathological parameters were determined by an experienced pathologist and immunohistochemical staining for KISS1, KISS1R and MMP-9 was performed on tissue samples from 54 patients. Evaluation of staining intensity was performed using ImageJ software on RGB images by two operators. Results showed significant strong positive correlation between KISS1, KISS1R and MMP-9 and strong expression of studied proteins in tumour associated stromal cells. No association was found between the expression of the studied proteins and size, receptor status or grade. Higher expression of KISS1R, however, was observed in HER2-negative compared to HER2-positive carcinomas, which might indicate an alternative pathway for stimulating pro- proliferation of tumour cells when HER2 expression is low.
Hormonal Status and Bone Health in Bulgarian Adolescents with Secondary Amenorrhoea
Authors: Hristova Diana , Sirakov Milko
Published: October 2022

A prospective study was conducted including 67 girls with secondary amenorrhoea (excluding cases with PCOS, medical disorders and steroid therapy) and 38 healthy controls. The following indicators were compared between the two groups: serum levels of LH, FSH, estradiol, Ca, P and vitamin D, z- scores for bone mineral density, osteocalcin and β-CrossLaps, and prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. The group with secondary amenorrhoea was additionally subdivided according to the main cause – alimentary deficiency, excessive physical exercise and stress-induced. LH, FSH and estradiol levels were compared between the three subgroups.

Ca, P and vitamin D levels in the studied and the control groups were not significantly different. The following indicators were significantly lower in the studied group compared to the control one: prolactin (291.74 mIU/ml and 336.24 mIU/ml), estradiol (322.43 pmol/ml and 475.45 pmol/ml) and LH (3.79 IU/L and 4.99 IU/L) levels, LH/FSH ratio (0.55 and 0.96) and z-score (−0.48 and 0.47). FSH was significantly higher in the studied group (6.90 IU/L) compared to the control one (5.44 IU/L). The serum levels of LH and estradiol were significantly lower in the subgroup with secondary stress-induced amenorrhoea (1.73 IU/L and 220.60 pmol/ml) compared to the subgroups with amenorrhoea due to alimentary deficiency (4.68 IU/L and 394.68 pmol/ml) or extreme physical exercise (3.74 IU/L and 323.91 pmol/ml).

In girls with secondary amenorrhea, the levels of osteocalcin were significantly lower compared to the ones in the control group (26.41 and 30.99 ng/ml) while β-CrossLaps levels were similar (0.34 and 0.98 ng/mL). High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was observed in both the patients with secondary amenorrhoea (71.6%) and the control group (65.8%).

Significant changes in hormone levels and bone health were observed in Bulgarian adolescent girls with secondary amenorrhoea as well as high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in both the studied and the control groups. Early diagnosis and timely interventions are needed to improve bone health in adolescents with secondary amenorrhoea.
Llamado a la implementación de la Ley 2120 de 2021 contra la comida chatarra en los tiempos del COVID-19 en Colombia
Authors: García Lina María , Contreras Adolfo
Published: November 2022

Durante dos años y medio, tanto en Colombia como en el resto del mundo, hemos enfrentado la pandemia generada por el SARS-CoV-2, agudizando los múltiples problemasde salud pública que venían cursando a manera de sindemias. Tal es el caso de las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles asociadas, entre otros factores, a los malos hábitos alimenticios, especialmente por el gran consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados y bebidas azucaradas. En julio del 2021, se aprobó la Ley 2120, por medio de la cual se adoptaron medidas para fomentar entornos alimentarios saludables.Entre estas medidas, también se promueve que los alimentos empacados, procesados y que afectan negativamente la salud humana, tengan un sello que identifique sus componentes y valor nutricional para informar a los consumidores sobre el producto que están comprando o consumiendo.Entre las enfermedades más prevalentes en Colombia que afectan la salud bucal, se encuentran las caries y las periodontitis, ambas con factores de riesgo comunes con las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles. Dados sus costos y prevalencia, dichas enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles resultan primordiales desde un enfoque de gestión del riesgo en salud pública, siendo, quizá, su gravedad mayor durante la pandemia generada por el SARS CoV-2.Asimismo, se especula que la población confinada pudo llegar a consumir más comida chatarra durante la pandemia del COVID-19 en comparación con otros períodos, además,porque en aquellos con enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, el confinamiento obligado se asocia con mayor sedentarismo y con un menor número de controles médicos regulares, asuntos que se han reportado previamente.La promulgación de la ley de comida chatarra no va a cambiar los hábitos de alimentación de los colombianos “de la noche a la mañana” y, por esto, se necesita con urgencia implementar procesos de educación y sensibilización frente a los efectos adversos de los alimentos procesados y ultraprocesados en la salud.
Changing surface wax compositions and related gene expression in three cultivars of Chinese pear fruits during cold storage
Authors: Li Dan , Cheng Yudou , Shang Zhonglin , Guan Junfeng
Published: November 2022

The surface wax of fruit has a significant effect on abiotic stress and fruit quality. In this study, the composition of the waxes found on fruit surfaces and the related gene expression of three different pear cultivars (Xuehua, Yali, and Yuluxiang) were investigated during cold storage. The results showed that 35 wax compositions were found on the surfaces of the three pear cultivars, mainly including C29 alkane, three fatty acids, two esters, three aldehydes, three fatty alcohols, and three triterpenoids. The largest amount of C29 alkane, three fatty acids and two esters were found in Yuluxiang (YLX) on day 90, while aldehydes with carbons of C30 and C32 were the highest in Yali (YL). Xuehua (XH) showed the largest amount of C22 fatty alcohol on day 180 compared to YLX and YL. Larger amounts of triterpenoids were found in XH and YL when compared to YLX. The expression levels of fifteen wax related genes (LACS1, KCS2, KCS6, FDH, KCS20, GL8, CER10, CER60, LTPG1, LTP4, ABCG12, CER1L, CAC3, CAC3L, and DGAT1L) reached their peak at day 45 in YLX, compared to XH and YL, their expression levels in YLX were higher to different degrees. These results suggest that the different expression patterns of wax-related genes may be closely related to the difference in wax compositions of the surface wax of three pear cultivars.
Metacognition and self‐regulation on the road: A qualitative approach to driver attention and distraction
Authors: Love Steven , Truelove Verity , Rowland Bevan , Kannis‐Dymand Lee
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to explore the self‐regulatory experiences and perceptions of drivers' attentional processes on the road, via a metacognitive framework. A total of 46 Australian drivers participated in a phone interview and thematic analysis was applied to the data. The results revealed that effective self‐reported attention regulation was perceptually contingent on: driving experience, metacognitive skills used to regulate attention, and strategies to sustain attention. The perceptual difficulty of driving environments was shown to impact on self‐reported arousal, and thus the perceived ability to control and sustain attention. Similarly, cognitive confidence, and metacognitive beliefs about worry and mindless driving were shown to not only influence the tendency to engage in worry and mindless driving, but also the subjective ability to self‐regulate attention whilst doing so. This study has provided evidence for the potential of metacognitive concepts to help better understand the process of attentional lapses and difficulties on the road.
Assembly of Clay Nanotubes on Cotton Fibers Mediated by Biopolymer for Robust and High‐Performance Hemostatic Dressing
Authors: Feng Yue , He Yunqing , Lin Xiaoying , Xie Mingyang , Liu Mingxian , Lvov Yuri
Published: October 2022

Uncontrollable bleeding from military conflicts, accidents, and surgical procedures is a major life‐threatening factor. Rapid, safe, and convenient hemostasis is critical to the survival of bleeding patients in prehospital care. However, the peel‐off of hemostats such as kaolinite sheets from the cotton fibers often poses a risk of distal thrombosis. Here, an efficient clay hemostat of halloysite nanotubes is tightly bound onto commercial cotton fibers, which is capillary mediated by biopolymer alginate with Ca2+crosslinking. The robust clay nanotube dressing materials maintain high procoagulant activity after harsh water treatment, and only a few residuals of halloysite exist in the wound area. Compared with commercial hemostat QuikClot Combat gauze, halloysite‐alginate‐cotton composite dressing exhibits hemostatic properties both in vivo and in vitro with high safety. The hemostatic mechanism of the dressing is attributed to activating platelets, locally concentrating clotting components in the nanoclay, halloysite coagulation factors, and alginate cross‐linked with Ca2+. This work inspires robust self‐assembly of clay nanotubes on textile fibers and offers a hemostatic material with balanced high hemostatic activity, minimal ingredient loss, and biocompatibility. The robust dressing based on halloysite tightly bounded cotton shows great potential for military, medical, and civil bleeding control with low health risks.
Tibial torsion and pressures in the feet during walking: Implications for patterns of metatarsal robusticity
Authors: Wollmann Jessica S. , Marshall Aubree S. , Schrank McKenzie , Gruss Laura Tobias
Published: October 2022

Objectives

The Dmanisi Homo fossils include a tibia with a low degree of torsion and metatarsals with a pattern of robusticity differing from modern humans. It has been proposed that low tibial torsion would cause a low foot progression angle (FPA) in walking, and consequently increased force applied to the medial rays. This could explain the more robust MT III and IV from Dmanisi. Here we experimentally tested these hypothesized biomechanical relationships in living human subjects.

Materials and Methods

We measured transmalleolar axis (TMA, a proxy for tibial torsion), FPA, and plantar pressure distributions during walking in young men (n = 40). TMA was measured externally using a newly developed method. A pressure mat recorded FPA and pressure under the metatarsal heads (MT I vs. MT II–IV vs. MT V).

Results

TMA is positively correlated with FPA, but only in the right foot. Plantar pressure under MT II–IV does increase with lower TMA, as predicted, but FPA does not affect pressure. Body mass index also influenced plantar pressure distribution.

Discussion

Lower tibial torsion in humans is associated with slightly increased pressures along the middle rays of the foot during walking, but not because of changes in FPA. Therefore, it is possible that the low degree of torsion in the Dmanisi Homo tibia is related to the unusual pattern of robusticity in the associated metatarsals, but the mechanism behind this relationship is unclear. Future work will explore TMA, FPA, and plantar pressures during running.
Cell‐Specific Dysregulation of Iron and Oxygen Homeostasis as a Novel Pathophysiology in PSP
Authors: Lee Seojin , Martinez‐Valbuena Ivan , de Andrea Carlos E. , Villalba‐Esparza Maria , Ilaalagan Suganthini , Couto Blas , Visanji Naomi P. , Lang Anthony E. , Kovacs Gabor G.
Published: October 2022

Objective

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a 4R‐tauopathy showing heterogeneous tau cytopathology commencing in the globus pallidus (GP) and the substantia nigra (SN), regions also associated with age‐related iron accumulation. Abnormal iron levels have been extensively associated with tau pathology in neurodegenerative brains, however, its role in PSP pathogenesis remains yet unknown. We perform the first cell type‐specific evaluation of PSP iron homeostasis and the closely related oxygen homeostasis, in relation to tau pathology in human postmortem PSP brains.

Methods

In brain regions vulnerable to PSP pathology (GP, SN, and putamen), we visualized iron deposition in tau‐affected and unaffected neurons, astroglia, oligodendrocytes, and microglia, using a combination of iron staining with immunolabelling. To further explore molecular pathways underlying our observations, we examined the expression of key iron and oxygen homeostasis mRNA transcripts and proteins.

Results

We found astrocytes as the major cell type accumulating iron in the early affected regions of PSP, highly associated with cellular tau pathology. The same regions are affected by dysregulated expression of alpha and beta hemoglobin and neuroglobin showing contrasting patterns. We discovered changes in iron and oxygen homeostasis‐related gene expression associated with aging of the brain, and identified dysregulated expression of rare neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) genes associated with tau pathology to distinguish PSP from the healthy aging brain.

Interpretation

We present novel aspects of PSP pathophysiology highlighting an overlap with NBIA pathways. Our findings reveal potential novel targets for therapy development and have implications beyond PSP for other iron‐associated neurodegenerative diseases. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:431–445
Effect of Mobile Stroke Unit Dispatch in all Patients with Acute Stroke or TIA
Authors: Rohmann Jessica L. , Piccininni Marco , Ebinger Martin , Wendt Matthias , Weber Joachim E. , Schwabauer Eugen , Geisler Frederik , Freitag Erik , Harmel Peter , Lorenz‐Meyer Irina , Rohrpasser‐Napierkowski Ira , Nolte Christian H. , Nabavi Darius G. , Schmehl Ingo , Ekkernkamp Axel , Endres Matthias , Audebert Heinrich J.
Published: October 2022

Objective

To determine the effect of additional mobile stroke unit (MSU) dispatch on functional outcomes among the full spectrum of stroke patients, regardless of subtype or potential contraindications to reperfusion therapies.

Methods

We used data from the nonrandomized Berlin‐based B_PROUD study (02/2017 to 05/2019), in which MSUs were dispatched based solely on availability, and the linked B‐SPATIAL stroke registry. All patients with final stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) diagnoses were eligible. The intervention under study was the additional dispatch of an MSU, an emergency physician‐staffed ambulance equipped to provide prehospital imaging and thrombolytic treatment, compared to conventional ambulance alone. The primary outcome was the 3‐month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, and the co‐primary outcome was a 3‐tiered disability scale. We identified confounders using directed acyclic graphs and obtained adjusted effect estimates using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Results

MSUs were dispatched to 1,125 patients (mean age: 74 years, 46.5% female), while for 1,141 patients only conventional ambulances were dispatched (75 years, 49.9% female). After confounding adjustment, MSU dispatch was associated with more favorable 3‐month mRS scores (common odds ratio [cOR] = 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71–0.94). No statistically significant association was found with the co‐primary outcome (cOR = 0.86; 9% CI: 0.72–1.01) or 7‐day mortality (OR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.59–1.48).

Interpretation

When considering the entire population of stroke/TIA patients, MSU dispatch improved 3‐month functional outcomes without evidence of compromised safety. Our results are relevant for decision‐makers since stroke subtype and treatment eligibility are unknown at time of dispatch. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:50–63
Imaging of KCa3.1 Channels in Tumor Cells with PET and Small‐Molecule Fluorescent Probes
Authors: Thale Insa , Maskri Sarah , Grey Lucie , Todesca Luca Matteo , Budde Thomas , Maisuls Ivan , Strassert Cristian A. , Koch Oliver , Schwab Albrecht , Wünsch Bernhard
Published: October 2022

The Ca2+ activated K+ channel KCa3.1 is overexpressed in several human tumor cell lines, e. g. clear cell renal carcinoma, prostate cancer, non‐small cell lung cancer. Highly aggressive cancer cells use this ion channel for key processes of the metastatic cascade such as migration, extravasation and invasion. Therefore, small molecules, which are able to image this KCa3.1 channel in vitro and in vivo represent valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool compounds. The [18F]fluoroethyltriazolyl substituted senicapoc was used as positron emission tomography (PET) tracer and showed promising properties for imaging of KCa3.1 channels in lung adenocarcinoma cells in mice. The novel senicapoc BODIPY conjugates with two F‐atoms (9 a) and with a F‐atom and a methoxy moiety (9 b) at the B‐atom led to the characteristic punctate staining pattern resulting from labeling of single KCa3.1 channels in A549‐3R cells. This punctate pattern was completely removed by preincubation with an excess of senicapoc confirming the high specificity of KCa3.1 labeling. Due to the methoxy moiety at the B‐atom and the additional oxyethylene unit in the spacer, 9 b exhibits higher polarity, which improves solubility and handling without reduction of fluorescence quantum yield. Docking studies using a cryo‐electron microscopy (EM) structure of the KCa3.1 channel confirmed the interaction of 9 a and 9 b with a binding pocket in the channel pore.
Trends in breast cancer mortality by race/ethnicity, age, and US census region, United States─1999‐2020
Authors: Ellington Taylor D. , Henley S. Jane , Wilson Reda J. , Miller Jacqueline W. , Wu Manxia , Richardson Lisa C.
Published: October 2022

Background

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women in the United States. Previous analyses show that breast cancer incidence increased from 1999 to 2018. The purpose of this article is to examine trends in breast cancer mortality.

Methods

Analysis of 1999 to 2020 mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, among women by race/ethnicity, age, and US Census region.

Results

It was found that overall breast cancer mortality is decreasing but varies by race/ethnicity, age group, and US Census region. The largest decrease in mortality was observed among non‐Hispanic White women, women aged 45 to 64 years of age, and women living in the Northeast; whereas the smallest decrease in mortality was observed among non‐Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander women, women aged 65 years or older, and women living in the South.

Conclusion

This report provides national estimates of breast cancer mortality from 1999 to 2020 by race/ethnicity, age group, and US Census region. The decline in breast cancer mortality varies by demographic group. Disparities in breast cancer mortality have remained consistent over the past two decades. Using high‐quality cancer surveillance data to estimate trends in breast cancer mortality may help health care professionals and public health prevention programs tailor screening and diagnostic interventions to address these disparities.
Rationalizing rules for immunotherapy combination trials: About time for precision immunotherapy
Authors: Desai Aakash , Subbiah Vivek
Published: October 2022

Lay summary

Immunotherapy has changed the landscape of cancer treatment. However, the benefit of immunotherapy is seen only in some cases, with most patients experiencing cancer progression despite treatment with immunotherapy. To overcome this, combination immunotherapy treatments are being studied. Herein, we propose for a precision‐driven approach for patient selection to identify successful combinations of immunotherapy to improve outcomes for patients with cancer.
Multi‐agent architecture approach for self‐healing systems:Run‐timerecovery withcase‐basedreasoning
Authors: Rajput Pushpendra Kumar , Sikka Geeta
Published: October 2022

Self‐healing is an approach that maintains the health of the system with proper supervision of its functioning and emerges from any unacceptable state during the execution. The complexity of modern distributed systems and dynamic hike in terms of users' access has led to an increase in maintenance. In this paper, a self‐healing architecture for services that exploit the autonomous capability of agent technology is proposed. The proposed mechanism is a multi‐agent system that comprises different agents with different capabilities and roles. The planning agent, responsible for taking the right decision to revive the system from an unhealthy state to a healthy state, uses a case‐based fault recovery mechanism at runtime. The architecture contains a persistent layer that maintains previously occurred failed cases. To determine the best suitable solution, the similarity between the detected fault and recorded failed cases is calculated. The case, having a maximum similarity index value is considered closest to the failure. Multiple recovery strategies like a replacement, restart, alternative resources are been utilized. Also, to validate the proposed architecture, an SOA‐based application is used and performance‐based evaluation metrics are analyzed.
Racial and ethnic subgroup reporting in diabetes randomized controlled trials published from 2000 to 2020: A survey
Authors: Li Guowei , Zhang Jingyi , Chen Bo , Li Likang , Thabane Lehana , Sun Xin
Published: October 2022

Background

It remained unknown about the status of and trends in racial/ethnic subgroup reporting in the diabetes trials over the past two decades.

Objectives

In this survey, we aimed to evaluate the current state of and temporal trends in subgroup reporting by race/ethnicity regarding the effects of interventions in diabetes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from year 2000–2020 and to explore the potential trial factors in relation to racial/ethnic subgroup reporting.

Methods

We searched electronic databases for eligible diabetes RCTs. The outcome was whether the trials had the event of racial/ethnic subgroup reporting regarding the intervention effects on trial primary outcomes. Poisson regression was used to assess the temporal trends in racial/ethnic subgroup reporting, and univariable logistic regression models were employed for evaluating trial factors related to racial/ethnic subgroup reporting.

Results

A total of 405 diabetes RCTs were eligible for inclusion. There were 26 (6.42%) trials with racial/ethnic subgroup reporting. A chronological trend towards increased rates of racial/ethnic subgroup reporting was observed; however, the trend was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). Advanced patients' age (Odds ratio [OR] = 2.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24–6.88), follow‐up duration (OR = 3.53, 95% CI: 1.13–11.00), and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) enrolment (OR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.01–5.62) were found to positively relate with racial/ethnic subgroup reporting, while the industrial funding was associated with decreased reporting (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.19–0.97). Less than one fourth of the trials with racial/ethnic subgroup reporting predefined the subgroup analysis.

Conclusions

The majority of diabetes RCTs did not report intervention effects by racial/ethnic subgroup, which was not temporally improved over the past two decades. More efforts and strategies are needed to improve the racial/ethnic subgroup consideration and reporting in diabetes trials.
National glorification and attachment differentially predict support for intergroup conflict resolution: Scrutinizing cross‐country generalizability
Authors: Li Mengyao , Watkins Hanne M. , Hirschberger Gilad , Kretchner Mabelle , Leidner Bernhard , Baumert Anna
Published: October 2022

Research on national identity distinguishes between national glorification and attachment. We tested whether glorification and attachment differentially predicted support for military and diplomatic conflict resolution strategies (CRS) in response to international conflicts. Using data collected in seven countries (Australia, United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Israel, China; total N = 1784), we investigated whether glorification and attachment can be equivalently measured (using tests of measurement invariance) and whether their relationships with CRS were generalizable across countries. The results revealed metric, but not scalar, measurement invariance of the two‐factor structure of national identification across six countries, excluding China. Among these six countries, glorification predicted more support for military CRS, whereas attachment predicted more support for diplomatic CRS. Our study is novel in scrutinizing the cross‐cultural generalizability of the bi‐dimensional model of national identification. Implications for studying national identification and intergroup conflict cross‐culturally are discussed.
Loss context enhances preferences for generosity but reduces preferences for honesty: Evidence from a combined behavioural‐computational approach
Authors: Zhang Yijie , Zhai Yuzhu , Zhou Xingmei , Zhang Zhixin , Gu Ruolei , Luo Yue‐jia , Feng Chunliang
Published: October 2022

The current literature has revealed mixed evidence on whether loss (vs. gain) context promotes or curtails human prosociality. The current study (N=96) aimed to address this issue by examining whether gain/loss context has distinct effects on different prosocial preferences combining computational modelling with Dictator Game and Message Game. These interactive games allow for dissociating preferences for generosity and honesty, which have been respectively associated with intuitive and deliberative systems. Our behavioural and computational modelling results indicate that loss context enhances concerns for generosity but reduces concerns for honesty. These findings support an account under the framework of dual process model asserting that loss facilitates intuitive responses during social decision‐making, regardless of whether they are prosocial or proself. The current findings reconcile previous debates on the relationship between loss‐gain context and human prosociality and shed light on the design of institutions to promote human prosocial behaviours.
How do conspiratorial explanations differ from non‐conspiratorial explanations? A content analysis of real‐world online articles
Authors: Meuer Marcel , Oeberst Aileen , Imhoff Roland
Published: October 2022

The present research aims to identify unique characteristics of written conspiracy theories. In two pre‐registered quantitative human‐coded content analyses, we compared 36 pairs of conspiratorial and non‐conspiratorial online articles about various events. As predicted, conspiratorial articles—compared to non‐conspiratorial articles—contained less factual, more emotional and more threat‐related information. Also, we predicted and found that conspiratorial articles presented more argumentation against the opposing standpoint and that they provided explanations that were more dispositional and less falsifiable. Contrary to our predictions, we did not consistently observe that conspiratorial articles presented less argumentation for their own standpoint. Also, we did not find consistent support that conspiratorial articles provided less information about the specific process or more information about the underlying goals of the respective events, or that conspiratorial explanations attributed the events to a lesser extent to situational factors. We discuss the relevance of our findings for the understanding of conspiracy theories.