bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Lumbar Spine Abnormality and Serve Types on Lumbar Kinematics in Elite Adolescent Tennis Players
Authors: Connolly Molly , Middleton Kane , Spence Graeme , Cant Olivia , Reid Machar
Published: January 2021

Background

Low back pain (LBP) is pervasive among elite junior tennis players. Previous research has explored the relationship between serving mechanics and LBP, though the participants in these studies had already experienced LBP. Therefore, it is unclear whether their serving mechanics caused the LBP or are a result of having LBP. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare the flat and kick serve kinematics of asymptomatic elite adolescent male and female tennis players with and without lumbar spine abnormalities. Twenty-four players (nine of which had confirmed lumbar spine abnormalities) carried out a series of flat and kick serves, while marker trajectories were recorded by a 3D motion capture system. Pelvis and lumbar spine kinematics (anterior/posterior tilt, lateral tilt, axial rotation and flexion/extension, lateral flexion and axial rotation respectively) were compared between players with and without lumbar spine abnormalities, genders, and serve types using a mixed-effects model. Exploratory data pertaining to the order and timing of key serve events was also collected.

Results

Males had significantly greater posterior pelvis tilt than females during the drive phase of both flat (M, − 7.1 ± 5°; F, 4 ± 5.5°) and kick serves (M, − 8.6 ± 5.1°; F, 2.1 ± 5.8°). Independent of serve type, males also impacted the ball ~ 15 cm further into the court than females, while all players contacted flat serves significantly further forward (~ 17 cm). There were no effects for abnormality in the magnitude of pelvis and trunk kinematics. The order and timing of key serve events, however, did tend to differ between those with and without lumbar spine abnormalities. Players with abnormalities entered peak front knee flexion and initiated pelvis rotation earlier than players without abnormalities. Lastly, the timing of pelvis rotation was highly variable among females though not males.

Conclusion

Pelvis and ball toss kinematics vary with gender and serve type but not necessarily abnormality in the elite adolescent serve. There is evidence to suggest that the order and timing of key serve events might help to identify those at risk of lumbar spine abnormalities; however, further research is needed to investigate the statistical significance of the timing of these events.
The Association Between Training Load and Injury Risk in Elite Youth Soccer Players: a Systematic Review and Best Evidence Synthesis
Authors: Verstappen Sven , van Rijn Rogier M. , Cost Rick , Stubbe Janine H.
Published: January 2021

Background

Injury risk in elite youth soccer players is high. Implementing an optimal training load is of utmost importance to reduce the risk of injuries.

Objective

To conduct a systematic review and best evidence synthesis to explore the effects of internal and external training load on injury risk in elite youth soccer players.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and CINAHL were searched up until 17 January 2020. Each article had to meet all of the following criteria: (1) the study population consisted of male elite youth soccer players aged between 12 and 21 years; (2) a longitudinal, prospective study design was used; (3) soccer-related injuries were registered (i.e., self-reported or by medical staff); (4) external and/or internal load parameters were described; and (5) the article was published in an English peer-reviewed scientific journal. The quality of the included articles was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). A best evidence synthesis was performed to rank the level of evidence.

Results

Five studies (2 high quality, 3 low quality) were included. Best evidence synthesis highlighted that there was moderate evidence for (1) no association between 2-, 3-, and 4-week cumulative loads for total distance covered; (2) no association between 1-week workloads (sRPE × duration); and (3) no association between A:C workload ratios (4 weeks) and injury risk. For all other comparisons, only insufficient or conflicting evidence was found.

Conclusion

There is a paucity of evidence for an association between internal and external training load parameters and injury risk in elite youth soccer players.
Ocular complications following intravitreal bevacizumab injection for retinopathy of prematurity and assessment of risk factors
Authors: Bazvand Fatemeh , Riazi-Esfahani Hamid , Mirshahi Ahmad , Khodabande Alireza , Khojastheh Hasan , Farahani Afsar Dastjani , Roohipourmoallai Ramak , Imani Marjan , Faghihi Hooshang , Adib Nazanin Ebrahimi , Bahar Mohammadreza Mehrabi
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Laser ablation of the avascular peripheral retina has been the standard method of ROP treatment. Intravitreal anti-VEGF is useful in the management of ROP patients, especially for aggressive posterior ROP. However, ocular and systemic complication after intravitreal bevacizumab was the main concern. This study aimed to investigate the treatment-related ocular and systemic complications of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) in patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Method

This retrospective study included neonates receiving intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (IVB) (0.625 mg) to treat ROP. Medical records of the patients were evaluated about the ocular complications after receiving IVB from 2012 to 2019. Treatment-related complications (vitreous hemorrhage, glaucoma, cataract, hyphema, corneal abrasion/opacity, and endophthalmitis), and disease-progression signs including retinal fold or stage 4 or 5 detachment were documented. Any reports of systemic events after injections were also recorded.

Result

Mean gestational age and birth weight of 441 patients receiving IVB for type-1 ROP were 28 ± 2 (22–34 weeks) and 1121 ± 312 (550–2700 g), respectively. The median follow-up after treatment in all patients and patients with complications was 289.43 ± 257 days (5–1899 days) and 385.89 ± 311.59 (196–1192) days, respectively. Out of 865 eyes, 20 eyes (2.31%, 95% Clopper-Pearson Confidence Interval: 1.14–3.54%) have been affected by ocular complications. The rates of different complications included progression of retinopathy in 17 eyes (1.96%), cataracts in 2 eyes (0.23%), and vitreous hemorrhage in one eye (0.11%). No cases of endophthalmitis, thromboembolic events, or death occurred in this study. We evaluated the prevalence ratio (PR) on the multiple risk factors to determine the prediction of the complications. The existence of neovascularization of iris has the highest susceptibility to predict the complication (PR = 5.091, P-value 0.014) following by the presence of retinopathy in zone 1 of the infant’s retina (PR = 4.386, P-value = 0.010).

Conclusion

The incidence rate of complications related to Intravitreal bevacizumab injection was low, which was compatible with previous studies. Bevacizumab injection seems well tolerated in most cases of ROP. Iris neovascularization and the presence of retinopathy in zone 1 were associated with a higher occurrence of complications than the absence of these risk factors.
Diagnostic accuracy of the clinical indicators to identify central sensitization pain in patients with musculoskeletal pain
Authors: Bittencourt Juliana Valentim , de Melo Magalhães Amaral Ana Carolina , Rodrigues Pedro Vidinha , Corrêa Leticia Amaral , Silva Bruno Moreira , Reis Felipe José Jandre , Nogueira Leandro Alberto Calazans
Published: January 2021

Background

The identification of central sensitization (CS) is an important aspect in the management of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Several methods have been developed, including clinical indicators and psychophysical measures. However, whether clinical indicators coincide with the psychophysical test of CS-related sign and symptoms is still unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the diagnostic accuracy of the clinical indicators in identifying CS-related sign and symptoms in patients with musculoskeletal pain.

Methods

One-hundred consecutive patients with musculoskeletal pain were included. Clinical indicators (index method) based on a combination of patient self-report pain characteristics and physical examination were used to identify the phenotype of patients with musculoskeletal pain and the predominance of the CS-related sign and symptoms. Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) was assessed by the Cold Pressor Test (reference standard), which is a psychophysical test used to detect impairment of CPM. Measurements of the diagnostic accuracy were performed.

Results

Twenty-seven patients presented predominance of CS-related sign and symptoms in the assessment of the clinical indicators, and 20 had impairment of CPM. Clinical indicators showed high accuracy (75.0%; 95% confidence interval = 65.3 to 83.1), high specificity (80.0%; 95% confidence interval = 69.6 to 88.1), high negative predictive value (87.7%; 95% confidence interval = 81.2 to 92.1), and a relevant positive likelihood ratio (2.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.5 to 5.0) when compared to the Cold Pressor Test.

Conclusion

Clinical indicators demonstrated a valuable tool for detecting the impaired CPM, which is a remarkable feature of the CS-related sign and symptoms. Clinicians are encouraged to use the clinical indicators in the management of patients with musculoskeletal pain.
Rescue permanent LVIS stenting with post-stenting angioplasty after failed mechanical thrombectomy for refractory internal carotid artery occlusion at the paraclinoid segment: two-case report
Authors: Li He , Li Zifu , Hua Weilong , Zhang Yongxin , Yang Wenjin , Feng Mingtao , Zhang Lei , Xing Pengfei , Zhang Yongwei , Hong Bo , Yang Pengfei , Liu Jianmin
Published: January 2021

Background

Previous studies indicated the effectiveness of permanent stenting when dealing with retriever-failed refractory large vascular occlusion (LVO). Variety types of stents were implanted permanently to achieve recanalization. Low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS) is generally used as a supportive device for embolization of intracranial aneurysm. Its specific structural and functional characteristics contribute to its potential of treating LVO.

Cases presentation

A 51-year-old male was transferred to our stroke center because of conscious disturbance with the weakness of the left upper limb. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 24; the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was 10. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed that his paraclinoid segment of R-ICA was occluded due to hard clot embolization. Thrombectomy was performed 6 times, but the occlusion remained. Finally, LVIS was implanted permanently and post-dilation was performed, which successfully recanalized the artery (eTICI 2c). The post-operative NIHSS and GCS were 20 and 11, respectively, which were 10 and 14 when discharged.

Another patient was a 71-year-old male who suffered weakness of left limbs. NIHSS was 15; GCS was 11. DSA confirmed that the paraclinoid segment of his R-ICA was occluded due to hard clot embolization. Totally 6 times of mechanical thrombectomy, angioplasty, and tirofiban infusion were performed, which failed to recanalize the artery. In the end, LVIS implantation with post-dilation was performed, and full recanalization was achieved (mTICI 3). The post-operative NIHSS and GCS were 9 and 15, respectively, which were 3 and 15 when discharged.

Conclusions

These 2 cases invited LVIS into the treatment of refractory occlusion due to hard clot embolization at the paraclinoid segment, and the outcomes were preferable because of the higher visibility, higher flexibility, and lower cell size of LVIS.
Psychometric examination of Runco Ideational Behavior Scale: Thai adaptation
Authors: Tep Puthyrom , Maneewan Sorakrich , Chuathong Saranya
Published: January 2021

Creativity is a multidimensional construct. Several different approaches have been developed to measure creativity, including psychometric scales. The Runco Ideational Behavior Scale (RIBS) is one such measure of creative ideation. The primary purpose of this paper was to assess the 23 items of the RIBS in the context of the Thai language and examine scale reliability and validity. Participants, consisting of 508 undergraduate students selected from five Thai public universities, were selected through a convenience sampling approach involving both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results suggested that the Thai version of the RIBS presented a valid measure to a certain extent. Factor analysis of the empirical data indicated a two-dimensional structure. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results confirmed that the two-factor construct demonstrated a better fit with improved psychometric characteristics. Six items were eliminated from the Thai RIBS version inventory: five items during explanatory factor analysis (EFA) and one during the CFA process. Results will contribute to ascertaining that the Thai version of the RIBS instrument can be used as a self-assessment tool for measuring students’ creative ideation. Implications and limitations of this research are discussed with suggestions for future studies.
Congenital portosystemic shunt occlusion with an Amplatzer PFO occlusion device: a case report
Authors: Shnayder Michelle M. , Dervishi Mario , Jo Alexandria , Pomerantz Benjamin
Published: January 2021

Background

Congenital portosystemic shunts are embryological malformations in which portal venous flow is diverted to the systemic circulation. High morbidity and mortality are seen in patients with concurrent hepatic encephalopathy, hepatopulmonary syndrome, and pulmonary hypertension. Endovascular therapy, in the correct patient population, offers a less invasive method of treatment with rapid relief of symptoms.

Case presentation

In this report, we discuss the treatment of a two-year-old male with abnormal chorea-like movements, altered mental status, anisocoria and hyperammonemia diagnosed with an intrahepatic congenital portosystemic shunt between the inferior vena cava and right portal vein. Given the patient’s amenable anatomy and shunt type, embolization was performed with an 18 mm Amplatzer patent foramen ovale occlusion device.

Conclusions

Portosystemic shunts are a rare congenital abnormality without universal treatment guidelines. An Amplatzer PFO occlusion device can provide a novel method of shunt closure given appropriate shunt type, size and anatomy.
Models for predicting treatment efficacy of antiepileptic drugs and prognosis of treatment withdrawal in epilepsy patients
Authors: Yang Shijun , Wang Bin , Han Xiong
Published: January 2021

Although antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the most effective treatment for epilepsy, 30–40% of patients with epilepsy would develop drug-refractory epilepsy. An accurate, preliminary prediction of the efficacy of AEDs has great clinical significance for patient treatment and prognosis. Some studies have developed statistical models and machine-learning algorithms (MLAs) to predict the efficacy of AEDs treatment and the progression of disease after treatment withdrawal, in order to provide assistance for making clinical decisions in the aim of precise, personalized treatment. The field of prediction models with statistical models and MLAs is attracting growing interest and is developing rapidly. What’s more, more and more studies focus on the external validation of the existing model. In this review, we will give a brief overview of recent developments in this discipline.
Atomically sculptured heart in oxide film using convergent electron beam
Authors: Lee Gwangyeob , Baek Seung-Hyub , Chang Hye Jung
Published: January 2021

We demonstrate a fabrication of an atomically controlled single-crystal heart-shaped nanostructure using a convergent electron beam in a scanning transmission electron microscope. The delicately controlled e-beam enable epitaxial crystallization of perovskite oxide LaAlO3 grown out of the relative conductive interface (i.e. 2 dimensional electron gas) between amorphous LaAlO3/crystalline SrTiO3.
Change of joint-line convergence angle should be considered for accurate alignment correction in high tibial osteotomy
Authors: Na Young Gon , Lee Beom Koo , Choi Ji Uk , Lee Byung Hoon , Sim Jae Ang
Published: January 2021

Background

The alignment correction after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is made both by bony correction and soft-tissue correction around the knee. Change of the joint-line convergence angle (JLCA) represents the soft-tissue correction after HTO, which is the angle made by a tangential line between the femoral condyles and the tibial plateau. We described the patterns of JLCA change and related factors after HTO and investigated the appropriate preoperative planning method.

Methods

Eighty patients who underwent HTO between 2013 and 2016 were included for this retrospective study. Standing, whole-limb radiograph, supine knee anteroposterior (AP) and lateral were measured on the preoperative and postoperative radiographs. The patterns of JLCA changes and related factors were analyzed.

Results

JLCA decreased by a mean of 0.9° ± 1.2° (P < 0.001) after HTO. Sixteen patients (20%, group II) showed a greater JLCA decrease ≥ 2°, while 64 (80%, group I) patients remained in a narrow range of JLCA change < 2°. Group II showed more varus deformity (varus 8.1° vs. varus 4.7° in the mechanical femorotibial angle,P < 0.001), greater JLCA on standing (4.9° vs. 2.1°,P < 0.001), and the difference of JLCA in the standing and supine positions (2.8° vs. 0.7°,P < 0.001) preoperatively compared to group I. The risk of a greater JLCA decrease ≥ 2° was associated with greater preoperative JLCA in the standing position and the difference between the JLCA in the standing and supine positions. Postoperative JLCA correlated better with preoperative JLCA in the supine position than those in the standing position. A preoperative JLCA ≥ 4° or the difference of preoperative JLCA in the standing and supine positions ≥ 1.7° was the cut-off value to predict a large JLCA decrease ≥ 2° after HTO in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Conclusions

Surgeons should consider the effect of the JLCA change during the preoperative planning and intraoperative procedure to avoid unintended overcorrection.
Fractional anisotropy measurements of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for therapeutic response assessment after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients suffering from depression
Authors: Hassan Talaat A. , Elkholy Shaima Fattouh , Shehata Hatem S. , Shalaby Nevin M. , Elmazny Alaa N. , Sadek Mohamed N. , Mahmoud Bahaa Eldin , Elsherbiny Mona M.
Published: January 2021

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a major cause of neurological disability in adults. Depression is one of the most common psychiatric comorbidities in MS patients with negative impact on patients’ quality of life. The aim of the study is to evaluate the role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in monitoring the therapeutic response after high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) versus selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients presenting with depression by measuring the factional anisotropy of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) before and after treatment and also to assess the treatments’ impact on patients’ cognitive functions and depression.

Results

Fractional anisotropy (FA) only increased in rTMS group (0.44 ± 0.03 pre-rTMS vs 0.53 ± 0.05 post-rTMS,P< 0.001), but there were no significant changes in the SSRI group (0.44 ± 0.04 pre-SSRIs vs 0.45 ± .37 post-SSRIs,P= 0.072). Both rTMS and SSRI groups showed significant clinical improvement in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) after either intervention (17.6 ± 3.25 pre-rTMS vs 10.6 ± 1.89 post-rTMS and 23 ± 6.36 pre-rTMS vs 24.87 ± 6.6 post-rTMS, respectively,P< 0.001; 17.67 ± 3.15 pre-SSRIs vs 0.6 ± 1.84 post-SSRIs and 23.8 ± 6.45 pre-SSRIs vs 25.07 ± 7.02 post-SSRIs, respectively,P< 0.001).

Conclusion

DTI is an ideal non-invasive tool for examining white matter integrity and can detect microstructural changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex after rTMS and SSRI therapies for patients with MS and depression. FA increased only with rTMS denoting positive alteration in white matter microstructure. Both rTMS and SSRIs were equally effective in improving depression and cognition.
Biomarker Discovery and Outcomes for Comprehensive Cell-Free Circulating Tumor DNA Versus Standard-of-Care Tissue Testing in Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Palmero Ramon , Taus Alvaro , Viteri Santiago , Majem Margarita , Carcereny Enric , Garde-Noguera Javier , Felip Enriqueta , Nadal Ernest , Malfettone Andrea , Sampayo Miguel , Riva François , Nagy Rebecca J. , Lanman Richard B. , Faull Iris , Dix Daniel , Karachaliou Niki , Rosell Rafael
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Treatment guidelines for advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) recommend broad molecular profiling for targeted therapy selection. This study prospectively assessed comprehensive next-generation sequencing (NGS) of cell-free circulating tumor DNA (cfDNA) compared with standard-of-care (SOC) tissue-based testing to identify guideline-recommended alterations in aNSCLC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with treatment-naïve aNSCLC were tested using a well-validated NGS cfDNA panel, and results were compared with SOC tissue testing. The primary objective was noninferiority of cfDNA vs. tissue analysis for the detection of two guideline-recommended biomarkers ( EGFR and ALK) and an additional six actionable biomarkers. Secondary analyses included tissue versus cfDNA biomarker discovery, overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) to targeted therapy, and positive predictive value (PPV) of cfDNA.

RESULTS

The primary objective was met with cfDNA identifying actionable mutations in 46 patients versus 48 by tissue ( P < .05). In total, 0/186 patients were genotyped for all eight biomarkers with tissue, compared with 90.8% using cfDNA. Targetable alterations or KRAS were identified in 80.7% when cfDNA was used first versus 57.1% when tissue was used first. PPV for cfDNA-detected EGFR was 100.0% (25/25). ORR and PFS in patients receiving targeted therapy based on tissue or cfDNA were similar to those previously reported.

Conclusion

This prospective study confirms a previous report that comprehensive cfDNA testing is noninferior to SOC tissue testing in detecting aNSCLC-recommended biomarkers. Furthermore, cfDNA-based first-line therapy produced outcomes similar to tissue-based testing, demonstrating the clinical utility of comprehensive cfDNA genotyping as the initial genotyping modality in patients with treatment-naïve aNSCLC when tissue is insufficient or when all actionable biomarkers cannot be rapidly assessed.
Erlotinib and Trametinib in Patients With EGFR-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma and Acquired Resistance to a Prior Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor
Authors: Luo Jia , Makhnin Alex , Tobi Yosef , Ahn Linda , Hayes Sara A. , Iqbal Afsheen , Ng Kenneth , Arcila Maria E. , Riely Gregory J. , Kris Mark G. , Yu Helena A.
Published: January 2021

PURPOSE

Inhibition of the MEK/ERK pathway is critical for Bcl-2-like protein 11 (BIM)-mediated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-induced apoptosis, and dysregulation of this pathway may be a mechanism of acquired resistance. Therefore, MEK inhibition with trametinib and an EGFR TKI may resensitize tumors with acquired resistance. Limited targeted therapies are available after progression on EGFR TKIs, and it is in this setting that we completed a phase I/II study of erlotinib and trametinib.

METHODS

Patients with metastatic EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma and acquired resistance to an EGFR TKI received combination erlotinib 75 mg and trametinib 1.5 mg daily until progression or unacceptable side effects. The primary objective was objective response rate determined using RECIST version 1.1.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients were accrued; patients had received a median of two lines of prior TKI therapy (61% prior osimertinib), and 48% had acquired EGFR T790M. We confirmed one partial response (1/23, 4%, 95% CI, 0 to 22). The median progression-free survival was 1.8 months, and the median overall survival was 21 months. Diarrhea (87%), acneiform rash (87%), and fatigue (52%) were the most common treatment-related adverse events. Two patients who had tumor shrinkage both harbored a BRAF fusion.

CONCLUSION

Addition of trametinib to erlotinib in the acquired resistance setting in an unselected population is not efficacious. Future studies should focus on targeted therapies in molecularly selected populations. Acquired BRAF fusions in patients with EGFR-sensitizing mutations may be a molecular subset where EGFR and MEK combination therapy could be studied further.
Bisphenol A promotes stress granule assembly and modulates the integrated stress response
Authors: Fay Marta M. , Columbo Daniella , Cotter Cecelia , Friend Chandler , Henry Shawna , Hoppe Megan , Karabelas Paulina , Lamy Corbyn , Lawell Miranda , Monteith Sarah , Noyes Christina , Salerno Paige , Wu Jingyi , Zhang Hedan Mindy , Anderson Paul J. , Kedersha Nancy , Ivanov Pavel , Farny Natalie G.
Published: January 2021

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a ubiquitous precursor of polycarbonate plastics that is found in the blood and serum of >92% of Americans. While BPA has been well documented to act as a weak estrogen receptor (ER) agonist, its effects on cellular stress are unclear. Here, we demonstrate that high-dose BPA causes stress granules (SGs) in human cells. A common estrogen derivative, β-estradiol, does not trigger SGs, indicating the mechanism of SG induction is not via the ER pathway. We also tested other structurally related environmental contaminants including the common BPA substitutes BPS and BPF, the industrial chemical 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and structurally related compounds 4-EP and 4-VP, as well as the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The variable results from these related compounds suggest that structural homology is not a reliable predictor of the capacity of a compound to cause SGs. Also, we demonstrate that BPA acts primarily through the PERK pathway to generate canonical SGs. Finally, we show that chronic exposure to a low physiologically relevant dose of BPA suppresses SG assembly upon subsequent acute stress. Interestingly, this SG inhibition does not affect phosphorylation of eIF2α or translation inhibition, thus uncoupling the physical assembly of SGs from translational control. Our work identifies additional effects of BPA beyond endocrine disruption that may have consequences for human health.
What determines organ size during development and regeneration?
Authors: Boulan Laura , Léopold Pierre
Published: January 2021

The sizes of living organisms span over 20 orders of magnitude or so. This daunting observation could intimidate researchers aiming to understand the general mechanisms controlling growth. However, recent progress suggests the existence of principles common to organisms as diverse as fruit flies, mice and humans. As we review here, these studies have provided insights into both autonomous and non-autonomous mechanisms controlling organ growth as well as some of the principles underlying growth coordination between organs and across bilaterally symmetrical organisms. This research tackles several aspects of developmental biology and integrates inputs from physics, mathematical modelling and evolutionary biology. Although many open questions remain, this work also helps to shed light on medically related conditions such as tissue and limb regeneration, as well as metabolic homeostasis and cancer.
High spatial resolution mapping of the mucosal proteome of the gills ofCrassostrea virginica: implication in particle processing
Authors: Pales Espinosa Emmanuelle , Allam Bassem
Published: January 2021

In the oyster Crassostrea virginica, the organization of the gill allows bidirectional particle transport where a dorsal gill tract directs particles meant to be ingested while a ventral tract collects particles intended to be rejected as pseudofeces. Previous studies showed that the transport of particles in both tracts is mediated by mucus. Consequently, we hypothesized that the nature and/or the quantity of mucosal proteins present in each tract is likely to be different. Using endoscopy-aided micro-sampling of mucus from each tract followed by multidimensional protein identification technologies, and in situ hybridization, a high spatial resolution mapping of the oyster gill proteome was generated. Results showed the presence in gill mucus of a wide range of molecules involved in non-self recognition and interactions with microbes. Mucus composition was different between the two tracts, with mucus from the ventral tract shown to be rich in mucin-like proteins, providing an explanation of its high viscosity, while mucus from the dorsal tract was found to be enriched in mannose-binding proteins, known to be involved in food particle binding and selection. Overall, this study generated high-resolution proteomes for C. virginica gill mucus and demonstrated that the contrasting functions of the two pathways present on oyster gills are associated with significant differences in their protein makeup.
Transgenic expression of late embryogenesis abundant proteins improves tolerance to water stress in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Anderson John M. , Hand Steven C.
Published: January 2021

Four lines of Drosophila melanogaster were created that expressed transgenes encoding selected late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins originally identified in embryos of the anhydrobiote Artemia franciscana. The overall aim was to extend our understanding of the protective properties of LEA proteins documented with isolated cells to a desiccation-sensitive organism during exposure to drying and hyperosmotic stress. Embryos of D. melanogaster were dried at 57% relative humidity to promote a loss of 80% tissue water and then rehydrated. Embryos that expressed AfrLEA2 or AfrLEA3m eclosed 2 days earlier than wild-type embryos or embryos expressing green fluorescent protein (Gal4GFP control). For the third instar larval stage, all Afrlea lines and Gal4GFP controls experienced substantial drops in survivorship as desiccation proceeded. When results for all Afrlea lines were combined, Kaplan–Meier survival curves indicated a significant improvement in survivorship in fly lines expressing AfrLEA proteins compared with Gal4GFP controls. The percent water lost at the LT50 (lethal time for 50% mortality) for the AfrLEA lines was 78% versus 52% for Gal4GFP controls. Finally, offspring of fly lines that expressed AfrLEA2, AfrLEA3m or AfrLEA6 exhibited significantly greater success in reaching pupation, compared with wild-type flies, when adults were challenged with hyperosmotic stress (NaCl-fortified medium) and progeny forced to develop under these conditions. In conclusion, the gain of function studies reported here show that LEA proteins can improve tolerance to water stress in a desiccation-sensitive species that normally lacks these proteins, and, simultaneously, underscore the complexity of desiccation tolerance across multiple life stages in multicellular organisms.
Early-life effects of juvenile Western diet and exercise on adult gut microbiome composition in mice
Authors: McNamara Monica P. , Singleton Jennifer M. , Cadney Marcell D. , Ruegger Paul M. , Borneman James , Garland Theodore
Published: January 2021

Alterations to the gut microbiome caused by changes in diet, consumption of antibiotics, etc., can affect host function. Moreover, perturbation of the microbiome during critical developmental periods potentially has long-lasting impacts on hosts. Using four selectively bred high runner and four non-selected control lines of mice, we examined the effects of early-life diet and exercise manipulations on the adult microbiome by sequencing the hypervariable internal transcribed spacer region of the bacterial gut community. Mice from high runner lines run ∼3-fold more on wheels than do controls, and have several other phenotypic differences (e.g. higher food consumption and body temperature) that could alter the microbiome, either acutely or in terms of coevolution. Males from generation 76 were given wheels and/or a Western diet from weaning until sexual maturity at 6 weeks of age, then housed individually without wheels on standard diet until 14 weeks of age, when fecal samples were taken. Juvenile Western diet reduced bacterial richness and diversity after the 8-week washout period (equivalent to ∼6 human years). We also found interactive effects of genetic line type, juvenile diet and/or juvenile exercise on microbiome composition and diversity. Microbial community structure clustered significantly in relation to both line type and diet. Western diet also reduced the relative abundance of Muribaculum intestinale. These results constitute one of the first reports of juvenile diet having long-lasting effects on the adult microbiome after a substantial washout period. Moreover, we found interactive effects of diet with early-life exercise exposure, and a dependence of these effects on genetic background.
Εφαρμοσμένα εκπαιδευτικά σενάρια βιωματικής μάθησης της τοπικής ιστορίας στην ανάπτυξη πολιτισμικής συνείδησης
Authors: Αστρουλάκης Νικόλαος , Παπούλιας Νικόλαος
Published: January 2021

Η παρούσα εργασία δημοσιοποιεί τα αποτελέσματα της διδακτικής προσέγγισης που διεξήχθη τα σχολικά έτη 2013 ως 2017 στις Δ΄, Ε΄ και ΣΤ΄ τάξεις του 3ου Δημοτικού Σχολείου Άμφισσας. Στο πλαίσιο της διδακτικής προσέγγισης ακολουθήθηκε η μέθοδος της βιωματικής μάθησης μέσω επιλεγμένων εκπαιδευτικών σεναρίων. Οι μαθητές επεξεργάστηκαν, βιωματικά, πολιτισμικές θεματικές της τοπικής ιστορίας της Άμφισσας και παρήγαγαν πολιτισμικό υλικό. Η εργασία αποκαλύπτει τη δυνατότητα ανάπτυξης της πολιτισμικής συνείδησης μέσω της βιωματικής μάθησης της τοπικής ιστορίας και του τοπικού πολιτιστικού στοιχείου σε μαθητές πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης. Μελετητές και εκπαιδευτικοί θα μπορούσαν να αλιεύσουν στοιχεία από την παρούσα προσέγγιση για περαιτέρω έρευνα και εφαρμογή.
The effect of two clinical criteria in the assessment of caries lesions around restorations in children (CARDEC-03): study protocol for a diagnostic randomized clinical trial
Authors: Moro Bruna Lorena Pereira , Signori Cácia , Freitas Raiza Dias , Pontes Laura Regina Antunes , Lenzi Tathiane Larissa , Tedesco Tamara Kerber , Raggio Daniela Prócida , Braga Mariana Minatel , Ekstrand Kim Rud , Cenci Maximiliano Sérgio , Mendes Fausto Medeiros ,   CARDEC collaborative group,   CaCIA collaborative group
Published: January 2021

Introduction: The detection of caries lesions around restoration can be challenging. Therefore, the use of some criteria has been proposed in order to give more objectivity to the diagnosis process. Two of them are the International Dental Federation (FDI) and the Caries Associated with Restorations and Sealants (CARS) criteria. Both methods have a different approach to caries, and it is not possible to know which one of them is the best to use in clinical practice to assess restorations in children. Thus, the present protocol aims to evaluate the effect of the use of the FDI and CARS criteria in the assessment of caries lesions around restorations in primary teeth on outcomes related to oral health in children and costs resulting from the assessments.

Methods and analysis: A total of 626 restorations of children from three to 10 years were randomly assessed and are being treated following the FDI criteria (FDI group) or CARS criteria (CARS group). Participants will be followed-up after six, 12, 18, and 24 months. The primary outcome will be the need for a new intervention in the evaluated restorations. This outcome consists of several components, and each of these events will be analyzed separately as secondary outcomes. The changes in children’s oral health-related quality of life and the cost of the restoration dental treatments will also be analyzed as secondary outcomes. The methods will be compared using the Cox regression model with shared frailty. A significance level of 5% will be adopted for all statistical analyses.

Discussion: This will be the first randomized clinical study carried out regarding the detection of caries lesions around restorations in primary teeth.

Trial registration: The study underwent registration in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03520309) on 9 May 2018.
A New Combinatorial Algorithm for Separable Convex Resource Allocation with Nested Bound Constraints
Authors: Wu Zeyang , Nip Kameng , He Qie
Published: January 2021

The separable convex resource allocation problem with nested bound constraints aims to allocate B units of resources to n activities to minimize a separable convex cost function, with lower and upper bounds on the total amount of resources that can be consumed by nested subsets of activities. We develop a new combinatorial algorithm to solve this model exactly. Our algorithm is capable of solving instances with millions of activities in several minutes. The running time of our algorithm is at most 73% of the running time of the current best algorithm for benchmark instances with three classes of convex objectives. The efficiency of our algorithm derives from a combination of constraint relaxation and divide and conquer based on infeasibility information. In particular, nested bound constraints are relaxed first; if the solution obtained violates some bound constraints, we show that the problem can be divided into two subproblems of the same structure and smaller sizes according to the bound constraint with the largest violation.

Summary of Contribution. The resource allocation problem is a collection of optimization models with a wide range of applications in production planning, logistics, portfolio management, telecommunications, statistical surveys, and machine learning. This paper studies the resource allocation model with prescribed lower and upper bounds on the total amount of resources consumed by nested subsets of activities. These nested bound constraints are motivated by storage limits, time-window requirements, and budget constraints in various applications. The model also appears as a subproblem in models for green logistics and machine learning, and it has to be solved repeatedly. The model belongs to the class of computationally challenging convex mixed-integer nonlinear programs. We develop a combinatorial algorithm to solve this model exactly. Our algorithm is faster than the algorithm that currently has the best theoretical complexity in the literature on an extensive set of test instances. The efficiency of our algorithm derives from the combination of an infeasibility-guided divide-and-conquer framework and a scaling-based greedy subroutine for resource allocation with submodular constraints. This paper also showcases the prevalent mismatch between the theoretical worst-case time complexity of an algorithm and its practical efficiency. We have offered some explanations of this mismatch through the perspectives of worst-case analysis, specially designed instances, and statistical metrics of numerical experiments. The implementation of our algorithm is available on an online repository.
Intertemporal Choices Are Causally Influenced by Fluctuations in Visual Attention
Authors: Fisher Geoffrey
Published: January 2021

Intertemporal discount rates vary widely across contexts and individuals. We propose that a sizable fraction of this variation results from differences in how visual attention is allocated to different features of the decision, such as earlier versus future rewards, and that fluctuations in attentional patterns alter choices. We first tested this hypothesis in an experiment in which participants chose between receiving smaller-sooner versus larger-later monetary rewards while their attention was recorded with eye tracking. We found that cross-participant variation in the allocation of attention explained between 40% and 53% of the individual differences in discounting and that cross-trial variation explained 16% of the participants’ propensity to choose the delayed option. To test causality, multiple additional experiments exogenously manipulated the allocation of visual attention and found that shifting attention to attributes that are relatively more attractive in a larger-later option increased patient decision making and altered purchasing behavior. Together, these results are consistent with the existence of a causal impact of visual attention on intertemporal choice and suggest that manipulating attention can have a sizeable impact for important managerial and public policy choice domains.

This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, decision analysis.
Holding on by a thread: the continuing story of rotator cuff tears
Authors: Ahmad Zafar , Al-Wattar Zaid , Rushton Neil , Akinfala Michael , Dawson-Bowling Sebastian , Ang Swee
Published: January 2021

Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of shoulder pain. The incidence of these tears has increased significantly over the years, with the demands of an increasingly active elderly population. Therefore, a detailed understanding of rotator cuff tears will help doctors manage their patients' condition. This field has rapidly advanced over the past decade and this review provided an insight into the latest developments.
Remote healthcare in the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Robertson Deborah
Published: January 2021

Deborah Robertson provides an overview of recently published articles that may be of interest to non-medical prescribers. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided
Balance in management of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Crowe Emma
Published: January 2021

Emma Crowe discusses the importance of the prescriber's role in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes, examining options to consider, such as diet, before titrating medication
Automated Localized Approach for Airway Segmentation in 3D Chest CT Volume
Authors: Khanna Anita , Londhe Narendra Digambar , Gupta Shubhrata
Published: January 2021

Bronchial airway structure and morphology identification is very useful for analysis of many lung diseases. Since, the human tracheo-bronchial tree is a dyadic non-symmetric branching network which is very complex and its manual tracing is quite tedious and unwieldy. Moreover, automatic detection techniques for airway are quite challenging. This is due to its complexity and fading off the airway intensity because of the smaller asynchronous branching and noise in the image reconstruction. In this paper, an unsupervised approach for segmentation of localized airway has been proposed after segmenting the lung region. Firstly, airways are segmented out by using 3D region growing techniques with intensity constrained to prevent leakages. This results in limited segmentation of airways due to partial volume effect and leakage risk. Further, deeper bronchial branches are segmented by applying adaptive morphological techniques on 3D segmented lungs. Then, these two results are combined followed by 3D region growing to get complete segmentation of airway. The proposed technique is tested on Exact’09 20 test cases and evaluated by Exact’09 team. The performance of the proposed approach is quite reliable in segmenting distal branches with reasonable leakages. The advantage of this scheme is that it is easy to implement, fully automated, and time efficient.
Protective Effect of Tylophora indica against Streptozotocin Induced Pancreatic and Liver Dysfunction in Wistar Rats
Authors: Putta Swathi , Silakabattini Kotaiah , Kumar T Jagadeesh
Published: January 2021

The objective of the study is to evaluate the ethanolic leaf extract of Tylophora indica (ELTI) on pancreatic and hepatic oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. The serum blood glucose and liver enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) were estimated in all the groups. The elevated blood glucose levels and liver enzymes were found to be decreased with ELTI in STZ induced diabetic rats. The activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S- transferase (GST) and the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) were also decreased, while an increase in the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were observed in pancreas and liver with ELTI treatment in STZ induced diabetic rats. Histopathology reveals that the protective effect of ELTI over STZ induced oxidative damage in both liver and pancreas. These results indicated that ELTI has more potential antioxidant effects on diabetic-induced oxidative stress.
COVID-19 ‘The Pandemic’: An Update on the Present Status of the Outbreak and Possible Treatment Options
Authors: Purohit Deepika , Saini Manisha , Pathak Nisha , Verma Ravinder , Kaushik Deepak , Katiyar Prashant , Jalwal Pawan , Pandey Parijat
Published: January 2021

A novel threat to mankind by novel coronavirus infection occurred in December 2019. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Situation Report-141, 7,039,918 confirmed cases and 404,396 death cases were observed till 9 June 2020 in the different regions of world. Therefore, this article aims to summarize and share the update on the present status of the outbreak and possible treatment options. The present review focuses on latest statistics, diagnostic and preventive measures under study and the future planning of the researchers to discover an effective cure for this threat to the mankind. For carrying out this review, literature searches were performed on Clinicaltrials.gov, official website of WHO, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PubMed, Google scholars, etc. Data from these searches was collected and evaluated for getting the available literature on COVID-19 outbreak and drugs under study. The details of history, virology, epidemiology, possible therapeutic options, associated risk factors and preventive measures related to COVID-19 are compiled here in this review. Along with this, some ongoing clinical trials have also been included in this review in order to conclude the efforts of researchers towards controlling this outbreak. The trajectory and severity of this outbreak can’t be predicted at present, but immediate actions are required to be taken in order to develop and implement an effective treatment against the global threat.
Assessment of Phytochemical and Anthelmintic Activity of Some Selected Ethnomedicinal Plants from Barak Valley Region of Assam
Authors: Ikbal Abu Md Ashif , Rajkhowa Amlanjyoti , Singh P. Chinglemba , Choudhury Paromita Dutta , Sahu Ram Kumar
Published: January 2021

Since ancient times it has been observed that the ethnomedicinal knowledge is backbone of rural healthcare. The traditional healers of Barak Valley region of Assam used traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases including helminths infection. Hence the current study was planned to explore the traditional medicines namely Justicia adhatoda, Vernonia amygdalina, Mikania micrantha and Momordica charantia used as anthelmintic activity by the local people of Barak Valley region of Assam. The decoction of leaves of Justicia adhatoda, Vernonia amygdalina, Mikania micrantha and Momordica charantia were prepared for the phytochemical studies and anthelmintic activity. The phytochemical study demonstrated the presence of flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids and glycosides in Justicia adhatoda, Vernonia amygdalina, Mikania micrantha and Momordica charantia. The Justicia adhatoda, Vernonia amygdalina, Mikania micrantha and Momordica charantia showed significant anthelmintic activity by inducing mortality of earthworm Pheritima posthuma. The above findings confirmed the ethnobotanical uses of these plants as an anthelmintic by local people of Barak Valley area of Assam.