bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The correlation between maternal age and fetal sex chromosome aneuploidies: a 8-year single institution experience in China
Authors: Li Hongge , Mao Yuchan , Jin Jinglei
Published: May 2021

Background

Although a few studies have investigated a possible association between maternal age and fetal sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs), most of these studies were limited to advanced maternal age (AMA) women and the results were conflicting. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between maternal age and common fetal SCAs (including 45,X, 47,XXY, 47,XXX and 47,XYY) in pregnant women of different ages that not only limited to AMA women. We retrospectively investigated a 8-year experience of prenatal diagnosis for fetal chromosome aberrations by second-trimester amniocentesis at a university teaching hospital in China. 20,409 amniotic fluid specimens collected at 19–22+6 gestational weeks were included in this study. The women were categorized into five age groups (≤ 23, 24–28, 29–33, 34–38, 39+ years) based on maternal age at the time of amniocentesis and entered as a categorical variable in all samples. The correlation between fetal SCAs and maternal age was determined using the logistic regression analysis. A chi-square test was performed to compare the incidence of fetal SCAs among age groups.

Results

A total of 179 cases of fetal SCAs were detected, and the incidence was 8.77‰ (about 1/114). The incidence of fetal SCAs increased significantly with advancing maternal age (SE, 0.014; odds ratio, 1.044; P = 0.002). Specifically, the incidence of 45,X (SE, 0.037; odds ratio, 0.916; P = 0.017) and 47,XXY (SE, 0.024; odds ratio, 1.127; P = 0.000) had significant correlation with maternal age, while the incidence of 47,XXX and 47,XYY had no correlation with maternal age (P = 0.473; P = 0.272, respectively). The incidence of fetal SCAs was also significantly different among age groups (χ2 = 10.197, P = 0.037 < 0.05), from 5.81 per 1000 fetuses at the 24–28 years to 10.92 per 1000 at the 39+ years.

Conclusions

Maternal age was ascertained to be a strong risk factor for fetal SCAs.
Developing the INCLUDE Ethnicity Framework—a tool to help trialists design trials that better reflect the communities they serve
Authors: Treweek Shaun , Banister Katie , Bower Peter , Cotton Seonaidh , Devane Declan , Gardner Heidi R. , Isaacs Talia , Nestor Gary , Oshisanya Adepeju , Parker Adwoa , Rochester Lynn , Soulsby Irene , Williams Hywel , Witham Miles D.
Published: May 2021

Background

Ensuring that a trial is designed so that its participants reflect those who might benefit from the results, or be spared harms, is key to the potential benefits of the trial reaching all they should. This paper describes the process, facilitated by Trial Forge, that was used between July 2019 and October 2020 to develop the INCLUDE Ethnicity Framework, part of the wider INCLUDE initiative from the National Institute for Health Research to improve inclusion of under-served groups in clinical research studies.

Methods

Development of the Framework was done in seven phases: (1) outline, (2) initial draft, (3) stakeholder meeting, (4) modify draft, (5) Stakeholder feedback, (6) applying the Framework and (7) packaging. Phases 2 and 3 were face-to-face meetings. Consultation with stakeholders was iterative, especially phases 4 to 6. Movement to the next phase was done once all or most stakeholders were comfortable with the results of the current phase. When there was a version of the Framework that could be considered final, the Framework was applied to six trials to create a set of examples (phase 6). Finally, the Framework, guidance and examples were packaged ready for dissemination (phase 7).

Results

A total of 40 people from stakeholder groups including patient and public partners, clinicians, funders, academics working with various ethnic groups, trial managers and methodologists contributed to the seven phases of development. The Framework comprises two parts. The first part is a list of four key questions:

Who should my trial apply to?

Are the groups identified likely to respond in different ways?

Will my study intervention make it harder for some groups to engage?

Will the way I have designed the study make it harder for some groups to engage?

The second part is a set of worksheets to help trial teams address these questions. The Framework can be used for any stage of trial, for a healthcare intervention in any disease area. The Framework was launched on 1st October 2020 and is available open access at the Trial Forge website: https://www.trialforge.org/trial-forge-centre/include/.

Conclusion

Thinking about the number of people in our trials is not enough: we need to start thinking more carefully about who our participants are.
Effects of Bilberry and Oat intake on lipids, inflammation and exercise capacity after Acute Myocardial Infarction (BIOAMI): study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Bergh Cecilia , Landberg Rikard , Andersson Kristina , Heyman-Lindén Lovisa , Rascón Ana , Magnuson Anders , Khalili Payam , Kåregren Amra , Nilsson Johan , Pirazzi Carlo , Erlinge David , Fröbert Ole
Published: May 2021

Background

Bilberries from Sweden, rich in polyphenols, have shown cholesterol-lowering effects in small studies, and the cholesterol-lowering properties of oats, with abundant beta-glucans and potentially bioactive phytochemicals, are well established. Both may provide cardiometabolic benefits following acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but large studies of adequate statistical power and appropriate duration are needed to confirm clinically relevant treatment effects. No previous study has evaluated the potential additive or synergistic effects of bilberry combined with oats on cardiometabolic risk factors. Our primary objective is to assess cardioprotective effects of diet supplementation with dried bilberry or with bioprocessed oat bran, with a secondary explorative objective of assessing their combination, compared with a neutral isocaloric reference supplement, initiated within 5 days following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for AMI.

Methods

The effects of Bilberry and Oat intake on lipids, inflammation and exercise capacity after Acute Myocardial Infarction (BIOAMI) trial is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 900 patients will be randomized post-PCI to one of four dietary intervention arms. After randomization, subjects will receive beverages with bilberry powder (active), beverages with high-fiber bioprocessed oat bran (active), beverages with bilberry and oats combined (active), or reference beverages containing no active bilberry or active oats, for consumption twice daily during a 3-month intervention. The primary endpoint is the difference in LDL cholesterol change between the intervention groups after 3 months. The major secondary endpoint is exercise capacity at 3 months. Other secondary endpoints include plasma concentrations of biochemical markers of inflammation, metabolomics, and gut microbiota composition after 3 months.

Discussion

Controlling hyperlipidemia and inflammation is critical to preventing new cardiovascular events, but novel pharmacological treatments for these conditions are expensive and associated with negative side effects. If bilberry and/or oat, in addition to standard medical therapy, can lower LDL cholesterol and inflammation more than standard therapy alone, this could be a cost-effective and safe dietary strategy for secondary prevention after AMI.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03620266. Registered on August 8, 2018.
Synergistic mechanism of GH11 xylanases with different action modes from Aspergillus niger An76
Authors: Zhang Shu , Zhao Sha , Shang Weihao , Yan Zijuan , Wu Xiuyun , Li Yingjie , Chen Guanjun , Liu Xinli , Wang Lushan
Published: May 2021

Background

Xylan is the most abundant hemicellulose polysaccharide in nature, which can be converted into high value-added products. However, its recalcitrance to breakdown requires the synergistic action of multiple enzymes. Aspergillus niger, possessing numerous xylan degrading isozyme-encoding genes, are highly effective xylan degraders in xylan-rich habitats. Therefore, it is necessary to explore gene transcription, the mode of action and cooperation mechanism of different xylanase isozymes to further understand the efficient xylan-degradation by A. niger.

Results

Aspergillus niger An76 encoded a comprehensive set of xylan-degrading enzymes, including five endo-xylanases (one GH10 and four GH11). Quantitative transcriptional analysis showed that three xylanase genes (xynA, xynB and xynC) were up-regulated by xylan substrates, and the order and amount of enzyme secretion differed. Specifically, GH11 xylanases XynA and XynB were initially secreted successively, followed by GH10 xylanase XynC. Biochemical analyses displayed that three GH11 xylanases (XynA, XynB and XynD) showed differences in catalytic performance and product profiles, possibly because of intricate hydrogen bonding between substrates and functional residues in the active site architectures impacted their binding capacity. Among these, XynB had the best performance in the degradation of xylan and XynE had no catalytic activity. Furthermore, XynA and XynB showed synergistic effects during xylan degradation.

Conclusions

The sequential secretion and different action modes of GH11 xylanases were essential for the efficient xylan degradation by A. niger An76. The elucidation of the degradation mechanisms of these xylanase isozymes further improved our understanding of GH-encoding genes amplification in filamentous fungi and may guide the design of the optimal enzyme cocktails in industrial applications.
High-resolution targeted bisulfite sequencing reveals blood cell type-specific DNA methylation patterns in IL13 and ORMDL3
Authors: Söderhäll Cilla , Reinius Lovisa E. , Salmenperä Pertteli , Gentile Massimiliano , Acevedo Nathalie , Konradsen Jon R. , Nordlund Björn , Hedlin Gunilla , Scheynius Annika , Myllykangas Samuel , Kere Juha
Published: May 2021

Background

Methylation of DNA at CpG sites is an epigenetic modification and a potential modifier of disease risk, possibly mediating environmental effects. Currently, DNA methylation is commonly assessed using specific microarrays that sample methylation at a few % of all methylated sites.

Methods

To understand if significant information on methylation can be added by a more comprehensive analysis of methylation, we set up a quantitative method, bisulfite oligonucleotide-selective sequencing (Bs-OS-seq), and compared the data with microarray-derived methylation data. We assessed methylation at two asthma-associated genes, IL13 and ORMDL3, in blood samples collected from children with and without asthma and fractionated white blood cell types from healthy adult controls.

Results

Our results show that Bs-OS-seq can uncover vast amounts of methylation variation not detected by commonly used array methods. We found that high-density methylation information from even one gene can delineate the main white blood cell lineages.

Conclusions

We conclude that high-resolution methylation studies can yield clinically important information at selected specific loci missed by array-based methods, with potential implications for future studies of methylation-disease associations.
Early embryogenesis and organogenesis in the annelid Owenia fusiformis
Authors: Carrillo-Baltodano Allan Martín , Seudre Océane , Guynes Kero , Martín-Durán José María
Published: May 2021

Background

Annelids are a diverse group of segmented worms within Spiralia, whose embryos exhibit spiral cleavage and a variety of larval forms. While most modern embryological studies focus on species with unequal spiral cleavage nested in Pleistoannelida (Sedentaria + Errantia), a few recent studies looked intoOwenia fusiformis, a member of the sister group to all remaining annelids and thus a key lineage to understand annelid and spiralian evolution and development. However, the timing of early cleavage and detailed morphogenetic events leading to the formation of the idiosyncratic mitraria larva ofO. fusiformisremain largely unexplored.

Results

Owenia fusiformisundergoes equal spiral cleavage where the first quartet of animal micromeres are slightly larger than the vegetal macromeres. Cleavage results in a coeloblastula approximately 5 h post-fertilization (hpf) at 19 °C. Gastrulation occurs via invagination and completes 4 h later, with putative mesodermal precursors and the chaetoblasts appearing 10 hpf at the dorso-posterior side. Soon after, at 11 hpf, the apical tuft emerges, followed by the first neurons (as revealed by the expression ofelav1andsynaptotagmin-1) in the apical organ and the prototroch by 13 hpf. Muscles connecting the chaetal sac to various larval tissues develop around 18 hpf and by the time the mitraria is fully formed at 22 hpf, there are FMRFamide+neurons in the apical organ and prototroch, the latter forming a prototrochal ring. As the mitraria feeds, it grows in size and the prototroch expands through active proliferation. The larva becomes competent after ~ 3 weeks post-fertilization at 15 °C, when a conspicuous juvenile rudiment has formed ventrally.

Conclusions

Owenia fusiformisembryogenesis is similar to that of other equal spiral cleaving annelids, supporting that equal cleavage is associated with the formation of a coeloblastula, gastrulation via invagination, and a feeding trochophore-like larva in Annelida. The nervous system of the mitraria larva forms earlier and is more elaborated than previously recognized and develops from anterior to posterior, which is likely an ancestral condition to Annelida. Altogether, our study identifies the major developmental events duringO. fusiformisontogeny, defining a conceptual framework for future investigations.
Sarcoidosis presenting with glazy mucoid sputum and dyspnea: a case report
Authors: Al-Kailany Wud , Timens Wim , Venmans Ben , de Jonge Gonda , van der Werf Tjip S.
Published: May 2021

Background

Patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis commonly present with a dry cough; a productive cough suggests a complicating airway infection or an alternative diagnosis such as tuberculosis or bronchiectasis.

Case presentation

A 36-year-old European (Frisian) woman recently diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis presented with debilitating exertional dyspnea and cough productive of glazy mucoid sputum. Several different attempts including video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsies failed to reach a second or alternative diagnosis including an infectious, autoimmune or collagen-vascular condition. She responded to steroids but with poor tolerance to this treatment, which could not be tapered. After she was started on anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) therapy with infliximab, 200 mg at three-monthly intervals, she has been fine for well over a decade.

Conclusions

In this patient with sarcoidosis who had a productive cough accompanied by fever, an extensive workup and prolonged follow-up, an alternative or second diagnosis could be ruled out; we therefore conclude that this highly unusual presentation is part of the clinical spectrum of sarcoidosis.
Effects of Bacillus subtilis iturin A on HepG2 cells in vitro and vivo
Authors: Zhao Haobin , Yan Lu , Guo Ling , Sun Hui , Huang Qingsheng , Shao Dongyan , Jiang Chunmei , Shi Junling
Published: May 2021

Iturin A with cyclic peptide and fatty acid chain isolated from Bacillus subtilis fermentation shows a variety of biological activities. Among them, the anticancer activity attracted much attention. However, the molecular mechanism of its inhibitory effect on hepatocellular carcinoma was still unclear. Thus its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma was tested in this research. It was found that iturin A could enter HepG2 cells immediately and cause reactive oxygen species burst, disrupt cell cycle and induce apoptosis, paraptosis and autophagy in vitro. The iturin A without fatty acid chain showed no antitumor activity. Amphiphilic is critical to the activity of iturin A. The anticancer activity of iturin A to hepatocellular carcinoma was also verified in mice models carrying xenograft tumors constructed by HepG2 cells. At a dosage of 3 mg/kg/day, iturin A significantly inhibited the further increase of the tumor weight by 58.55%, and reduced the expression of Ki67 in tumor. In the tumor treated with iturin A, lymphocyte infiltration was found, and the expressions of TGF-β1and PD-L1 were decreased, which indicated that the tumor immune microenvironment was improved. Besides, iturin A showed no significant harm on the health of mice except slight disturbance of liver function. These results suggested that iturin A had significant antitumor effect in vitro and vivo, and provide a basis for the application of iturin A as anticancer agent.
A probabilistic segmentation and entropy-rank correlation-based feature selection approach for the recognition of fruit diseases
Authors: Khan Muhammad Attique , Akram Tallha , Sharif Muhammad , Alhaisoni Majed , Saba Tanzila , Nawaz Nadia
Published: May 2021

Agriculture plays a critical role in the economy of several countries, by providing the main sources of income, employment, and food to their rural population. However, in recent years, it has been observed that plants and fruits are widely damaged by different diseases which cause a huge loss to the farmers, although this loss can be minimized by detecting plants’ diseases at their earlier stages using pattern recognition (PR) and machine learning (ML) techniques. In this article, an automated system is proposed for the identification and recognition of fruit diseases. Our approach is distinctive in a way, it overcomes the challenges like convex edges, inconsistency between colors, irregularity, visibility, scale, and origin. The proposed approach incorporates five primary steps including preprocessing,Standard instruction requires city and country for affiliations. Hence, please check if the provided information for each affiliation with missing data is correct and amend if deemed necessary. disease identification through segmentation, feature extraction and fusion, feature selection, and classification. The infection regions are extracted using the proposed adaptive and quartile deviation-based segmentation approach and fused resultant binary images by employing the weighted coefficient of correlation (CoC). Then the most appropriate features are selected using a novel framework of entropy and rank-based correlation (EaRbC). Finally, selected features are classified using multi-class support vector machine (MC-SCM). A PlantVillage dataset is utilized for the evaluation of the proposed system to achieving an average segmentation and classification accuracy of 93.74% and 97.7%, respectively. From the set of statistical measure, we sincerely believe that our proposed method outperforms existing method with greater accuracy.
Co-designing strategies to support patient partners during a scoping review and reflections on the process: a commentary
Authors: McCarron Tamara L. , Clement Fiona , Rasiah Jananee , Moffat Karen , Wasylak Tracy , Santana Maria Jose
Published: May 2021

Background

Patient partners can be described as individuals who assume roles as active members on research teams, indicative of individuals with greater involvement, increased sharing of power, and increased responsibility than traditionally described by patient participants who are primarily studied. A gap still remains in the understanding of how to engage patients. The objective of this commentary is to describe the involvement of four patient partners who worked with researchers during a scoping review.

Main body

We describe approaches to meaningfully engage patient partners in conducting a scoping review. Patient partners were recruited through existing patient networks. Capacity development in the form of the training was provided to these four patient partners. Engagement strategies were co-designed with them to address potential barriers of involvement and acquiring the necessary skills for the successful completion of this scoping review.

Conclusion

Involving patients partners early in the project established the foundational relationship so patient partners could contribute to their fullest. We witnessed the success of working alongside patient partners as members of the research team with a clear and mutually agreed upon purpose of the engagement in health research activities and how this seemed to contribute to an effective and rewarding experience for both researcher and patient partner.
Cross-sectional study of medical advertisements in a national general medical journal: evidence, cost, and safe use of advertised versus comparative drugs
Authors: Boesen Kim , Simonsen Anders Lykkemark , Jørgensen Karsten Juhl , Gøtzsche Peter C.
Published: May 2021

Background

Healthcare professionals are exposed to advertisements for prescription drugs in medical journals. Such advertisements may increase prescriptions of new drugs at the expense of older treatments even when they have no added benefits, are more harmful, and are more expensive. The publication of medical advertisements therefore raises ethical questions related to editorial integrity.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study of all medical advertisements published in the Journal of the Danish Medical Association in 2015. Drugs advertised 6 times or more were compared with older comparators: (1) comparative evidence of added benefit; (2) Defined Daily Dose cost; (3) regulatory safety announcements; and (4) completed and ongoing post-marketing studies 3 years after advertising.

Results

We found 158 medical advertisements for 35 prescription drugs published in 24 issues during 2015, with a median of 7 advertisements per issue (range 0 to 11). Four drug groups and 5 single drugs were advertised 6 times or more, for a total of 10 indications, and we made 14 comparisons with older treatments. We found: (1) ‘no added benefit’ in 4 (29%) of 14 comparisons, ‘uncertain benefits’ in 7 (50%), and ‘no evidence’ in 3 (21%) comparisons. In no comparison did we find evidence of ‘substantial added benefit’ for the new drug; (2) advertised drugs were 2 to 196 times (median 6) more expensive per Defined Daily Dose; (3) 11 safety announcements for five advertised drugs were issued compared to one announcement for one comparator drug; (4) 20 post-marketing studies (7 completed, 13 ongoing) were requested for the advertised drugs versus 10 studies (4 completed, 6 ongoing) for the comparator drugs, and 7 studies (2 completed, 5 ongoing) assessed both an advertised and a comparator drug at 3 year follow-up.

Conclusions and relevance

In this cross-sectional study of medical advertisements published in the Journal of the Danish Medical Association during 2015, the most advertised drugs did not have documented substantial added benefits over older treatments, whereas they were substantially more expensive. From January 2021, the Journal of the Danish Medical Association no longer publishes medical advertisements.
2018 annual dialysis data report of the JSDT Renal Data Registry: patients with hepatitis
Authors:   on behalf of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry Committee, Nitta Kosaku , Nakai Shigeru , Masakane Ikuto , Hanafusa Norio , Goto Shunsuke , Taniguchi Masatomo , Hasegawa Takeshi , Wada Atsushi , Hamano Takayuki , Hoshino Junichi , Joki Nobuhiko , Yamamoto Keichi , Miura Kenichiro , Abe Masanori , Nakamoto Hidetomo
Published: May 2021

According to the annual survey of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry (JRDR) conducted at the end of 2018, a total of 339,841 patients were receiving dialysis (hereinafter, dialysis patients) in Japan. This survey included an investigation of individual test results for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody (HCV-Ab), HCV-RNA, and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (glutamic pyruvic transaminase [GPT]). The survey revealed that among dialysis patients in Japan, the prevalence of HBsAg positivity was 1.38% and the prevalence of HCV-Ab positivity was 4.7% at the end of 2018, both of which were markedly lower than the corresponding rates documented in 2007 (9.8% and 4.7%, respectively). The proportion of HCV-RNA-positive patients among all HCV-Ab-positive patients was 37.5%, which was also markedly lower than the percentage recorded in 2007 (64.0%). The prevalence of HBsAg positivity tended to increase as the dialysis vintage increased. The prevalence of HCV-Ab positivity was also not correlated with the dialysis vintage during the first 30 years of dialysis; however, it tended to increase as the dialysis vintage increased beyond the 30th year.

Trial registration

University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000018641. The JRDR was approved by the ethics committee of the JSDT (approval number 1-3) and was registered on August 8, 2015 (accessed June 2, 2020).
Multidrug-resistant enteric pathogens in older children and adults with diarrhea in Bangladesh: epidemiology and risk factors
Authors: Garbern Stephanie C. , Chu Tzu-Chun , Gainey Monique , Kanekar Samika S. , Nasrin Sabiha , Qu Kexin , Barry Meagan A. , Nelson Eric J. , Leung Daniel T. , Schmid Christopher H. , Alam Nur H. , Levine Adam C.
Published: May 2021

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat and is increasingly prevalent among enteric pathogens in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the burden of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in older children, adults, and elderly patients with acute diarrhea in LMICs is poorly understood. This study’s aim was to characterize the prevalence of MDR enteric pathogens isolated from patients with acute diarrhea in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and assess a wide range of risk factors associated with MDR.

Methods

This study was a secondary analysis of data collected from children over 5 years, adults, and elderly patients with acute diarrhea at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh Dhaka Hospital between March 2019 and March 2020. Clinical, historical, socio-environmental information, and a stool sample for culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were collected from each patient. Univariate statistics and multiple logistic regression were used to assess the prevalence of MDR among enteric pathogens and the association between independent variables and presence of MRDOs among culture-positive patients.

Results

A total of 1198 patients had pathogens isolated by stool culture with antimicrobial susceptibility results. Among culture-positive patients, the prevalence of MDR was 54.3%. The prevalence of MDR was highest in Aeromonas spp. (81.5%), followed by Campylobacter spp. (72.1%), Vibrio cholerae (28.1%), Shigella spp. (26.2%), and Salmonella spp. (5.2%). Factors associated with having MDRO in multiple logistic regression included longer transport time to hospital (>90 min), greater stool frequency, prior antibiotic use prior to hospital presentation, and non-flush toilet use. However, pseudo-R2 was low 0.086, indicating that other unmeasured variables need to be considered to build a more robust predictive model of MDR.

Conclusions

MDR enteric pathogens were common in this study population with clinical, historical, and socio-environmental risk factors associated with MDROs. These findings may help guide clinical decision-making regarding antibiotic use and selection in patients at greatest risk of complications due to MDROs. Further prospective research is urgently needed to determine what additional factors place patients at greatest risk of MDRO, and the best strategies to mitigate the spread of MDR in enteric pathogens.
Gait and balance impairments in patients with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment
Authors: Elhassanien Mahmoud Ebrahim Mostafa , El-Heneedy Yasser Abo Elfotoh , Ramadan Kareem Mohammed , Kotait Mona Ahmed , Elkholy Amr , Elhamrawy Mohammed Youssef , Bahnasy Wafik Said
Published: May 2021

Background

Subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI) is a subtype of vascular cognitive impairment associated with extensive cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVDs) imaging biomarkers. The objectives of this work were to study the existence and patterns of gait and balance impairments in patients with SVCI due to CSVDs.

Methods

The study was conducted on 28 newly diagnosed SVCI patients and 22 healthy control subjects (HCS) submitted to the advanced activity of daily living scale (AADLs), Berg balance test (BBT), Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), computerized dynamic posturography (CDP), vision-based 3-D skeletal data gait analysis, and brain MRI volumetric assessment.

Results

SVCI patients showed a significant decrease in AADLs as well as total cerebral white matter volume, total cerebral cortical volume, and mean cortical thickness which were proportional to the degree of cognitive impairment as measured by the MoCA score. Regarding CDP analysis, patients with SVCI revealed prolongation of cancelation time and spectral power for mid- and high frequencies in dynamic positions. In respect to gait analysis, there were significant decreases in mean stride length and mean cadence as well as increases in mean step width and left to right step length difference in the SVCI group compared to HCS while doing a single task. These variables get highly significant during the dual-task performance with a p value < 0.001 for each one.

Conclusion

Patients with SVCI suffer from gait and balance impairments that are proportional to the severity of their cognitive decline and greatly impair their ADLs.
The microbiota of healthy dogs demonstrates individualized responses to synbiotic supplementation in a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Tanprasertsuk Jirayu , Jha Aashish R. , Shmalberg Justin , Jones Roshonda B. , Perry LeeAnn M. , Maughan Heather , Honaker Ryan W.
Published: May 2021

Background

Probiotics have been demonstrated to ameliorate clinical signs of gastrointestinal diseases in dogs in various studies. However, the effect of probiotics in a healthy population, as well as factors contributing individualized responses, remain largely unknown. This trial examined gut microbiota (GM) and health outcomes in household dogs after synbiotic (SN) supplementation containing probiotics and inulin (a prebiotic). Healthy dogs were randomized to receive SN (50 mg/d inulin and 20 billion total CFU/d of L. reuteri, P. acidilactici, E. faecium, L. acidophilus, B. animalis, L. fermentum, L. rhamnosus) or placebo (PL) for 4 weeks. Owners completed a health survey and collected stool samples for GM profiling (shotgun metagenomic sequencing) at baseline and week 4 in both groups, and at week 6 in the SN group.

Results

A significant shift (p < 0.001) in β-diversity was observed in the SN (n = 24), but not PL group (n = 19), at week 4 relative to baseline. Forty-five bacterial species, 43 (96%) of which were Lactobacillales, showed an increase in the relative abundances (≥2 fold change, adjusted p < 0.05) in the SN group at week 4. E. coli also decreased at week 4 in the SN group (2.8-fold, adjusted p < 0.01). The altered taxa largely returned to baseline at week 6. The degree of changes in β-diversity was associated with GM at baseline. Specifically, dogs with higher Proteobacteria and lower Lactobacillales responded more robustly to supplementation in terms of the change in β-diversity. Dogs fed SN tended to have lower diarrhea incidence (0% vs 16%, p = 0.08).

Conclusions

SN supplement had a short-term impact on the gut microbiota in healthy household dogs as characterized by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Findings warrant further investigation with longer duration and populations at risk of gastrointestinal diseases. The magnitude of response to the supplement was associated with microbial profile at baseline. To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting such association and may provide a basis for personalized nutrition in companion dogs.
Prismatic mesh generation based on anisotropic volume harmonic field
Authors: Zhu Yiming , Wang Shengfa , Zheng Xiaopeng , Lei Na , Luo Zhongxuan , Chen Bo
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we present an effective prismatic mesh generation method for viscous flow simulations. To address the prismatic mesh collisions in recessed cavities or slit areas, we exploit 3D tensors controlled anisotropic volume harmonic field to generate prismatic meshes. Specially, a well-fitting tetrahedral mesh is first constructed to serve as the discrete computation domain of volume harmonic fields. Then, 3D tensors are exploited to control the volume harmonic field that better fits the shape geometry. From the topological perspective, the generation of the prismatic mesh can be treated as a topology-preserved morphing of the viscous wall. Therefore, iso-surfaces in the volume harmonic field should be homeomorphic to the viscous wall while fitting its shapes. Finally, a full prismatic mesh can be induced by estimating the forward directions and visible regions in the volume harmonic field. Moreover, to be compatible with different simulation situations, the thickness of prismatic meshes should be variable. Our approach provides local adjustable thickness of prismatic meshes, which can be achieved by controlling local 3D tensors. The proposed anisotropic volume harmonic field based prismatic meshes are efficient and robust, and a full prismatic mesh can be guaranteed without low quality collisions. Various experiments have shown that our proposed prismatic meshes have obvious advantages in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.
Efficacy and safety of lurasidone in adolescents and young adults with schizophrenia: A pooled post hoc analysis of double-blind, placebo-controlled 6-week studies
Authors: Costamagna Isabella , Calisti Fabrizio , Cattaneo Agnese , Hsu Jay , Tocco Michael , Pikalov Andrei , Goldman Robert
Published: May 2021

Background

The aim of this pooled analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lurasidone in the treatment of an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia in adolescents and young adults.

Methods

The six pooled studies in this analysis used similar study designs and outcome measures. Patients (aged 13–25 years) were randomized to 6 weeks of double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment with lurasidone in fixed doses of 40, 80, 120, or 160 mg. The primary efficacy endpoint was Week 6 change in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score; secondary efficacy endpoints included Week 6 change in the Clinical Global Impression–Severity scale.

Results

The safety population consisted of 537 patients (mean age: 18.1 years); 82.6% of patients completed the studies. Treatment with lurasidone was significantly better than placebo at all doses (p < 0.001) for change in the PANSS total score at Week 6. Placebo-adjusted PANSS scores ranged from −9.4 to −16.1 (effect sizes: 0.53–0.90), with effect sizes increasing at higher doses. For lurasidone (combined doses), three adverse events occurred with a frequency of ≥5% (nausea: 13.5%; somnolence: 12.1%; akathisia: 10.1%). At last observation carried forward (LOCF)-endpoint weight gain of ≥7% was similar for lurasidone versus placebo (3.6 vs. 4.7%). Minimal median changes were observed at endpoint in cholesterol, −2.0 mg/dL; triglycerides, 0.0 mg/dL; and glucose, 0.0 mg/dL.

Conclusions

In adolescents and young adults with schizophrenia, treatment with lurasidone in doses of 40–160 mg/d was a safe, well-tolerated, and effective treatment. Short-term treatment with lurasidone was associated with minimal effects on weight and metabolic parameters.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of No Adjuvant Therapy Versus Partial Breast Irradiation Alone Versus Combined Treatment for Treatment of Low-Risk DCIS: A Microsimulation
Authors: Ward Matthew C. , Vicini Frank , Al-Hilli Zahraa , Chadha Manjeet , Abraham Abel , Recht Abram , Hayman James , Thaker Nikhil , Khan Atif J. , Keisch Martin , Shah Chirag
Published: May 2021

PURPOSE:

Adjuvant therapy in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ who undergo partial mastectomy remains controversial, particularly for low-risk patients (60 years or older, estrogen-positive, tumor extent < 2.5 cm, grade 1 or 2, and margins ≥ 3 mm). We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing three strategies: no adjuvant treatment after surgery, a five-fraction course of accelerated partial breast irradiation using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (accelerated partial breast irradiation [APBI]–alone), or APBI plus an aromatase inhibitor for 5 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Outcomes including local recurrence, distant metastases, and survival as well as toxicity data were modeled by a patient-level Markov microsimulation model, which were validated against trial data. Costs of treatment and possible adverse events were included from the societal perspective over a lifetime horizon, adjusted to 2019 US dollars and extracted from Medicare reimbursement data. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated based on utilities extracted from the literature.

RESULTS:

No adjuvant therapy was the least costly approach ($5,744), followed by APBI-alone ($11,070); combined therapy was costliest ($16,052). Adjuvant therapy resulted in slightly higher QALYs (no adjuvant, 11.320; APBI-alone, 11.343; and combination, 11.381). In the base case, no treatment was the cost-effective strategy, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $239,109/QALY for APBI-alone and $171,718/QALY for combined therapy. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for combined therapy compared with APBI-alone was $131,949. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses found that no therapy was cost effective (defined as $100,000/QALY of lower) in 63% of trials, APBI-alone in 19%, and the combination in 18%.

CONCLUSION:

No adjuvant therapy represents the most cost-effective approach for postmenopausal women 60 years or older who receive partial mastectomy for low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ.
Quantum simulation of a discrete-time quantum stochastic walk
Authors: Schuhmacher Peter K. , Govia Luke C. G. , Taketani Bruno G. , Wilhelm Frank K.
Published: May 2021

Quantum walks have been shown to have a wide range of applications, from artificial intelligence, to photosynthesis, and quantum transport. Quantum stochastic walks (QSWs) generalize this concept to additional non-unitary evolution. In this paper, we propose a trajectory-based quantum simulation protocol to effectively implement a family of discrete-time QSWs in a quantum device. After deriving the protocol for a 2-vertex graph with a single edge, we show how our protocol generalizes to a graph with arbitrary topology and connectivity. The straightforward generalization leads to simple scaling of the protocol to complex graphs. Finally, we show how to simulate a restricted class of continuous-time QSWs by a discrete-time QSW, and how this is amenable to our simulation protocol for discrete-time QSWs.
An overview of generalized entropic forms(a)
Authors: Ilić V. M. , Korbel J. , Gupta S. , Scarfone A. M.
Published: May 2021

The aim of this focus article is to present a comprehensive classification of the main entropic forms introduced in the last fifty years in the framework of statistical physics and information theory. Most of them can be grouped into three families, characterized by two-deformation parameters, introduced respectively by Sharma, Taneja, and Mittal (entropies of degree)), by Sharma and Mittal (entropies of order), and by Hanel and Thurner (entropies of class). Many entropic forms examined will be characterized systematically by means of important concepts such as their axiomatic foundationsà laShannon-Khinchin and the consequent composability rule for statistically independent systems. Other critical aspects related to the Lesche stability of information measures and their consistency with the Shore-Johnson axioms will be briefly discussed on a general ground.
Activity-induced isotropic-polar transition in active liquid crystals
Authors: Giordano M. G. , Bonelli F. , Carenza L. N. , Gonnella G. , Negro G.
Published: May 2021

Active fluids are intrinsically out-of-equilibrium systems due to the internal energy injection of the active constituents. We show here that a transition from a motion-less isotropic state towards a flowing polar one can be possibly driven by the sole active injection through the action of polar-hydrodynamic interactions in absence of an ad hoc free energy which favors the development of an ordered phase. In particular, we propose an analytical argument and we perform lattice Boltzmann simulations where the appearance of large temporal fluctuations in the polar fraction of the system is observed at the transition point. We show that elastic absorption plays a relevant role in energy transfer dynamics, contrary to the case of the usual active gel theory where this term can be factually neglected.
Developmental, cellular, and biochemical basis of transparency in clearwing butterflies
Authors: Pomerantz Aaron F. , Siddique Radwanul H. , Cash Elizabeth I. , Kishi Yuriko , Pinna Charline , Hammar Kasia , Gomez Doris , Elias Marianne , Patel Nipam H.
Published: May 2021

The wings of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are typically covered with thousands of flat, overlapping scales that endow the wings with colorful patterns. Yet, numerous species of Lepidoptera have evolved highly transparent wings, which often possess scales of altered morphology and reduced size, and the presence of membrane surface nanostructures that dramatically reduce reflection. Optical properties and anti-reflective nanostructures have been characterized for several ‘clearwing’ Lepidoptera, but the developmental processes underlying wing transparency are unknown. Here, we apply confocal and electron microscopy to create a developmental time-series in the glasswing butterfly, Greta oto, comparing transparent and non-transparent wing regions. We find that during early wing development, scale precursor cell density is reduced in transparent regions, and cytoskeletal organization during scale growth differs between thin, bristle-like scale morphologies within transparent regions and flat, round scale morphologies within opaque regions. Next, we show that nanostructures on the wing membrane surface are composed of two layers: a lower layer of regularly arranged nipple-like nanostructures, and an upper layer of irregularly arranged wax-based nanopillars composed predominantly of long-chain n-alkanes. By chemically removing wax-based nanopillars, along with optical spectroscopy and analytical simulations, we demonstrate their role in generating anti-reflective properties. These findings provide insight into morphogenesis and composition of naturally organized micro- and nanostructures and may provide bioinspiration for new anti-reflective materials.
First record of Tomostele musaecola (Morelet, 1860) (Gastropoda: Eupulmonata: Streptaxidae) from the Dominican Republic and its current distribution in the Western Hemisphere
Authors: Alvarez-Abreu Oniel , Mateo Sara , Espinosa-Jorge Altagracia
Published: May 2021

The presence of alien mollusc species in an ecosystem has a negative impact on the endemic mollusc fauna and can result in economic losses. The West African land snail Tomostele musaecola (Morelet) was previously recorded from numerous localities in the Western Hemisphere. In this paper, we provide a new locality of this malacophagous snail in the Dominican Republic. The species is recorded from an urban park named Parque Ecológico Las Caobas in the province of San Cristóbal. In order to update the current distribution of T. musaecola in the Americas we examined the literature and the online database of the Invertebrate Zoology Collection of the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH); when available, citizen science data were also used. A map is provided to illustrate the current distribution of the species in the Americas. The total number of records in the Western Hemisphere is 51, and 26 of them are part of this review. More studies are needed on the interaction of this species with the native land snails. Trade and planting of ornamental species in urban parks facilitate the establishment and expansion of alien molluscs.
Feasibility of Biofuels as a Substitute to Conventional Fuels in IC Engines for Mass Transport and Distributed Power Generation
Authors: Subbarao Rayapati , Kruthiventi Saisarath
Published: May 2021

Depletion of petroleum based fuels has been a lot of concern among thegovernments and researchers around the world. Usage of biofuels in placeof the conventional fuels is showing rapid growth because of the favourablecharacteristics like better performance and time improved emission char-acteristics. Present paper discusses about different available biofuels andtheir effectiveness in replacing fossil fuels and also how they affect thetechnological growth. Different works are compared to bring out the actualscenario with respect to the performance, emission, availability, productionand preparation methods. It is observed that much effort is made by the stakeholders in order to see biofuels as a viable alternative and as a future fuel forinternal combustion engines. Performance improves slightly with the usageof biofuels and reduced emission characteristics may be logical to observe.But it may not be appreciable, considering the series of production processesinvolved. It still requires lot of time to commercialize and produce biofuels in mass. Also, there have been constraints like the availability of raw materialsfor the same. It is concluded that biofuels do play significant role in the daysto come provided there is much more effort from researchers to simplify thetechnology in making biofuel as sustainable and cost effective with at leastcomparable performance.
An Experimental Setup for Monitoring Distribution Transformer Health
Authors: Venkatakrishnan Giri Rajanbabu , Rengaraj Ramasubbu , Velumani Arvindswamy
Published: May 2021

The Distribution transformers are the most expensive and important component which are used for transmission and distribution of electrical energy. It is imperative that the transformers function correctly without any faults, and should any faults occur, the same should be detected and corrected as soon as possible to prevent the failure of the power system to supply power. Health monitoring systems of distribution transformers are used to diagnose the distribution transformer and to deduce its working condition under the occurrence of incipient faults. This paper presents a model of a health monitoring system for distribution transformers in a laboratory environment. The proposed model ensures that faults do not disrupt the regular supply of power.
Techno-economic Analysis of Renewable-based Stand-alone Hybrid Energy Systems Considering Load Growth and Photovoltaic Depreciation Rates
Authors: Guan Haipeng , Ren Yan , Zhao Qiuxia , Parvaneh Hesam
Published: May 2021

The increasing trend in power consumption, mainly due to the rapid population growth, has resulted in grid outages and low-reliability grid connections. Renewable-based hybrid energy systems are one of the emerging alternatives for traditional and low-reliability grid connections. In this paper, a stand-alone hybrid energy system is proposed for a remote residential house. HOMER software is used for the optimisation of the proposed energy system. The main contribution of the paper is focused on considering two influential parameters, such as annual load growth and photovoltaic (PV) degradation rates in the optimal planning of the hybrid energy system. Simulation results indicate that considering influential parameters more realistic results, including system configuration, total net present cost (NPC) and optimal operation of the energy sources are achievable. Total NPC of the system obtained as 70,072 US$, which shows 52,029 US$ growth in comparison to the case neglected annual load growth and PV degradation rates. The optimum configuration benefits from higher penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs). Moreover, according to the comparison made with only-grid system, the proposed hybrid renewable-based energy system saves a large number of emissions. Based on the results, around 292,049.4202 kg emissions have been saved over 25 years of the project.