bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Immune Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine among Malnourished Children in Yemen
Authors: Alsamei Fuad A. , Elagib Atif A. , Al-Sonboli Najla A. , Alkumaim Fawzi A. , Alsayaad Nader S. , Aldobibi Abdulmalik T.
Published: August 2022

Objectives: To determine the coverage rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine and to evaluate the immune response to HBV vaccine by measuring hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) among malnourished under-five-year old children.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Yemen; Al-Sabeen Maternity and Child Hospital in Sana’a and the Yemeni-Swedish Hospital in Taiz city in the period from March 2014 to Dec. 2014. The target population was malnourished children aged from 6 to 59 months old with a history of three HBV vaccine doses in infancy. According to the World Health Organization’s definition of malnutrition, 121 malnourished children were enrolled in the study. Data of malnourished children were collected using a pre-designed, pre-tested questionnaire. Two milliliters of venous blood were taken, and anti-HBs was then tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. An anti-HBs level of at least 10 IU/L was considered a successful response to the vaccine.Results: The coverage rate of HBV vaccine among malnourished children was 89.3%, being higher among girls (52.1%) than boys (37.2%). Response to HBV vaccine (≥10 IU/L) was observed in 72.2% (78/108) of children while 27.8% (30/108) of children failed to respond to the vaccine, with a statistically significant difference (p <0.001).Conclusions: A good HBV vaccine coverage rate was found among malnourished Yemeni children, with a moderate rate of protection. Therefore, re-vaccination or administration of booster doses to a substantial proportion of vaccinated children should be considered.
A Cervical Spine Gunshot Injury without Bone or Neurological Deficits
Authors: Amer Majed A.
Published: August 2022

INTRODUCTION: Missile injuries of the spine has been reported literatures, The neurosurgical concern in such injuries is the degree of damage sustained during the bullet traversing the bony and neural tissue and their effect on long term follow up.PRESENTATIION: This report describes an interesting case of gunshot traversing the cervical vertebral body, the spinal cord and the posterior element without appearance of any bony destruction or neurological deficit.DISCUSSION: The patient was managed conservatively with long term follow up clinically and radiological with excellent recovery.CONCLUSION: Surgery should be served for specific cases according to the severity of the trauma and its effect.
Cat’s Liver Disease Detection with SGOT and SGPT Evaluation as a Gold Standard Diagnosis
Authors: Kurnia Desiandura  , Asih Rahayu  , Freshinta Jellia Wibisono
Published: August 2022

SGOT and SGPT are two enzymes found in the liver in large amounts. Therefore, elevated levels of these two enzymes in the blood indicate liver disease. This study aims to identify liver disease in cats in Surabaya through the levels of SGOT and SGPT in the blood as the gold standard of diagnosis. Samples came from stray cats and domesticated cats of random age, breed, and sex. The blood samples collected were 62 samples, consisting of 33 domestic cats and 29 samples from stray cats. This study showed that from 33 samples of domesticated cats, 19 samples had higher than normal levels of SGOT, and from 29 samples of stray cats, 27 samples had higher than normal levels of SGOT. For SGPT levels, from 33 samples of domesticated cats, six samples had higher than normal levels of SGPT, and from 29 samples of stray cats, six samples had higher levels of SGPT than average. Data analysis used an independent sample t-test with SPSS for Windows with a signiﬁ cance level of 0.05. The data analysis results showed no signiﬁ cant diﬀ erence, which means that the high levels of cat SGOT and SGPT enzymes did not signiﬁ cantly aﬀ ect the origin of the cat. Therefore, it can be concluded that high levels of SGOT and SGPT as the gold standard for detecting liver diseases can occur in all cats, including stray cats and domesticated cats.
Russian-Georgian Relations: From Emotions to Pragmatism
Authors: Mukhanov V.
Published: August 2022

The article discusses the position of Georgia on the issue of its accession to the sanctions against Russia. The main arguments of the Georgian government in favor of strict neutrality and criticism from the political opposition, which takes a tough anti-Russian position, are summarized. The main points of the dependence of the Georgian economy on the Russian direction are analyzed and the conclusion is made that it can be seriously affected by the sanctions imposed against Russia. Georgia’s significant dependence on its northern neighbor, supplies and remittances from there, allows us to predict the preservation of such a neutral position of the Georgian government in the near term.
Armenia and Turkey: The First Steps to Building Relations
Authors: Fedorovskaya I.
Published: August 2022

The attempt of Armenia and Turkey to establish a dialogue and normalize relations without any preconditions is a manifestation of the new geopolitical situation that has developed in the South Caucasus after the Second Karabakh War. The settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations is a well–thought-out policy of Prime Minister N.Pashinyan aimed at strengthening the country's security. The opposition condemns the government's activities in this direction, but cannot offer an alternative.
Belarus in the Context of Present International Realities
Authors: Astakhova S.
Published: August 2022

New international realities have had a significant impact on the political and economic situation in Belarus. Due to the beginning of a special military operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, Western countries have applied several packages of economic sanctions to Belarus. Sanctions pressure and isolation from the West contribute to the expansion of Russian-Belarusian economic cooperation in the field of import substitution, which should contribute to the technological breakthrough of the two countries and deepen their integration. Currently, the consolidated actions of Moscow and Minsk are aimed at strengthening the defense capability of the army of the Union State.
Radical Islamism as a Destabilizing Factor for Kazakhstan
Authors: Yashlavskii A.
Published: August 2022

The tragic events of early January 2022 in Kazakhstan, when the protests provoked by socio-economic reasons in a number of regions turned into violent acts of an extremist and terrorist nature, resulting in human casualties, revealed the threat of religious extremism both for the republic itself and for the states bordering it. Despite greater (compared to other Central Asian countries) stability, Kazakhstan faces hidden challenges associated with radical Islamism, which has features specific to this republic. The article examines the external and internal factors that determine the specifics of Islamist extremism in Kazakhstan.
The generation of genial runners. Doctors, gold specialists of middle – distances. Stefan Lewandowski
Authors: Początek Michał
Published: August 2022

W kontekście zdrowotnych i kulturowych aspektów sportowego biegania, przedstawiono sylwetki trzech mistrzów sportu, znakomitych zawodników – średniodystansowców okresu 1950-1960, którzy po zakończeniu karier wyczynowych z powodzeniem uprawiali zawód lekarza.
Surface Modification of Biodegradable Microparticles With the Novel Host-Derived Immunostimulant CPDI-02 Significantly Increases Short-Term and Long-Term Mucosal and Systemic Antibodies Against Encapsulated Protein Antigen in Young Naïve Mice After Respi
Authors: Parriott Jacob E. , Stewart Jason P. , Smith Derek D. , Curran Stephen M. , Bauer Christopher D. , Wyatt Todd A. , Phillips Joy A. , Lyden Elizabeth R. , Thiele Geoffrey M. , Vetro Joseph Anthoney
Published: August 2022

Generating long-lived mucosal and systemic antibodies through respiratory immunization with protective antigens encapsulated in nanoscale biodegradable particles could potentially decrease or eliminate the incidence of many infectious diseases but requires incorporation of a suitable mucosal immunostimulant. We previously found that respiratory immunization with a model protein antigen (LPS-free OVA) encapsulated in PLGA 50:50 nanoparticles (~380 nm diameter) surface modified with complement peptide-derived immunostimulant 02 (CPDI-02; formerly EP67) through 2kDa PEG linkers increases mucosal and systemic OVA-specific memory T-cells with long-lived surface phenotypes in young, naïve female C57BL/6 mice. Here, we determined if respiratory immunization with LPS-free OVA encapsulated in similar PLGA 50:50 microparticles (~1 μm diameter) surface modified with CPDI-02 (CPDI-02-MP) increases long-term OVA-specific mucosal and systemic antibodies. We found that, compared to MP surface modified with inactive, scrambled scCPDI-02 (scCPDI-02-MP), intranasal administration of CPDI-02-MP in 50 μL sterile PBS greatly increased titers of short-term (14 days post-immunization) and long-term (90 days post-immunization) antibodies against encapsulated LPS-free OVA in nasal lavage fluids, bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, and sera of young, naïve female C57BL/6 mice. Thus, surface modification of biodegradable microparticles with CPDI-02 is likely to increase long-term mucosal and systemic antibodies against encapsulated protein antigen after respiratory and possibly other routes of mucosal immunization.
The Effect of the Number of E-stores Subscribers on Chinese Smartphone Brand Purchases: Evidence From a Machine Learning Model
Authors: N'da Karamoko K.E.H. , Ge Jiaoju , Fan Ren Ji , Xu Xiaobo
Published: August 2022

Introduction. Until now, the impact of learning variables on consumers' choices concerning Chinese product brands in the international online shopping framework remains unknown. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the effect of those learning variables on global consumers' choices of Chinese product brands. Method. A total of 44,704 transactions related to the buying process have been collected from a programming language and the Octopus Software within a Chinese International Online Shopping platform. Analysis. The 44,704 transactions have been analyzed through a Decision Tree. Results. The study points out that the number of e-retailers' subscribers reinforces the international consumers' trust online. At the same time, the pricing levels and quantity of product availability are used by global online consumers to assess the originality of Chinese product brands. Conclusions. First, this study extends the existing literature on consumer learning by going beyond the learning variables considered. Second, the study boosts consumer learning literature by elucidating the most significant learning variables guiding international online consumers' choices and purchases. The application of the results will enable brands and e-retailers to understand (1) the stages of the international online consumers' choice; (2) the buying strategies of global consumers.
Novel Black Pepper Antinematode Compounds Produced by Bacillus velezensis RB.EK7 Conversion of Organic Wastes
Authors: Trinh Thi Huyen Trang , Wang San-Lang , Nguyen Van Bon , Phan Tu Quy , Doan Manh Dung , Tran Thi Phuong Hanh , Nguyen Thi Huyen , Le Thi Anh Hong , Ton That Quang , Nguyen Anh Dzung
Published: August 2022

Bacillus veleznesis RB.EK7 was recently found as a potent rhizobacterial strain for effective management of black pepper root-knot nematodes. This work aimed to produce, purify, and elucidate the chemical structures of antinematode compounds (ANCs). Concerning cost-effectiveness and environmental issues, this study used organic wastes for the bioproduction of ANCs. Among various substrates, shrimp shells powder was the most suitable carbon/nitrogen source to produce ANCs. The fermentation process for enhancement of antinematode activity was investigated. The targeting ANCs were purified from the fermented culture broth, and their structures were elucidated. Two active compounds were thymine (1) and hexahydropyrrolo [1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione (2). Notably, for the first time, these purified compounds showed potential and moderate anti- J2 nematodes and anti-eggs hatching, respectively. The docking study results indicated that the potent antinematode effect of these compounds may be possibly due to the inhibition of the targeting enzyme acetylcholinesterase. The data of this work suggest that organic waste SSP can be potentially reused for the production of thymine and hexahydropyrrolo [1,2-a] pyrazine-1,4-dione with promising use for the management of black pepper nematodes.
A Rare Case of Idiopathic Painful Nervus Intermedius Neuropathy in a 13-Year-Old Female: A Case Report and Discussion in the Context of the Literature
Authors: Fernandez-Vial Diego , Sangalli Linda , Perez Cristina
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: Painful nervus intermedius neuropathy (e.g., geniculate neuralgia) involves continuous or near-continuous pain affecting the distribution of the intermedius nerve(s). The diagnosis of this entity is challenging, particularly when the clinical and demographic features do not resemble the typical presentation of this condition. To the best of our knowledge, only three case reports have described the occurrence of nervus intermedius neuropathy in young patients. (2) Case Description: A 13-year-old female referred to the Orofacial Pain clinic with a complaint of pain located deep in the right ear and mastoid area. The pain was described as a constant throbbing and dull, with an intensity of 7/10 on numerical rating scale, characterized by superimposed brief paroxysms of severe sharp pain. The past treatments included ineffective pharmacological and irreversible surgical approaches. After a comprehensive evaluation, a diagnosis of idiopathic painful nervus intermedius neuropathy was given, which was successfully managed with the use of gabapentin. (3) Conclusions and Practical Implications: The diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic pain affecting the nervus intermedius can be challenging due to the complex nature of the sensory innervation of the ear. The diagnosis can be even more challenging in cases of atypical clinical and demographic presentations, which in turn may result in unsuccessful, unnecessary, and irreversible treatments. Multidisciplinary teams and constant knowledge update are fundamental to provide good quality of care to our patients and to not overlook any relevant signs or symptoms.
Children Rights to ‘Zero Hunger’ and the Execution Challenges during the COVID-19 Crisis
Authors: Rahman Nurul Hidayat binti Ab , Yasin Redwan Bin
Published: August 2022

‘Zero hunger is the world’s pledge under the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition. Nevertheless, the mission had been seized as the world faced economic turndown due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The circumstances have brutally affected society’s ideal living standards and raised social problems such as extreme poverty, famishment, malnutrition, and medical conditions, specifically among vulnerable children. The essential purpose of this writing is to elucidate the ‘zero hunger goal as one of the central legal rights and identify challenges in executing it during the COVID-19 crisis. Data were collected through library studies and analyzed critically using the content analysis method. The writing finds that the progress of zero hunger is decelerated as the pandemic has caused few challenges. The paper concludes that all objectives under the SDG 2 are significant to be achieved to ensure vulnerable children’s survival. Thus, the paper recommends that humanitarian relief assists with food distribution among those in dire need, especially at-risk children. Furthermore, food and agricultural production must be maintained to guarantee enough food supply chain. Ultimately, every government must comply with SDG 2, specifically for the benefit of vulnerable children.
Movilidad y desarrollo urbano: una revisión de los factores estratégicos de su gobernanza y sostenibilidad
Authors: Rosas Ferrusca Francisco Javier , Jiménez Sánchez Pedro Leobardo , Calderón Maya Juan Roberto
Published: August 2022

El vínculo entre los constantes procesos de urbanización y metropolización y los desplazamientos cotidianos expresados a través de la movilidad urbana constituye el objetivo de este trabajo. Se parte de la premisa de que a un mayor volumen demográfico las ciudades aumentan progresivamente su parque vehicular. Las alteraciones que propicia la congestión de las unidades de transporte público, privado, de carga y servicios, demandan, por un lado, un cambio del paradigma tradicional del estudio de la movilidad urbana, y por otro, la formulación y ejecución de alternativas de solución en donde los actores participen activamente en los retos que exigen las ciudades modernas, la gobernanza de la movilidad urbana se convierte entonces, en una condición indispensable para responder favorablemente a los desafíos de la urbanización del Siglo XXI.
Curvelet-Based Joint Waveform and Envelope Inversion of Early-Arrival Imaging Shallow Geological Structure
Authors: Zhang Chao , Meng Qingxiang , Li Cheng
Published: August 2022

Near-surface imaging structures often plays a significant role in the field of environmental and engineering geophysics. Early-arrival waveform inversion (EWI) is state-of-the-art method to imaging near-surface structures due to its high resolution. However, the method faces with cycle-skipping issue which might lead to an unexpected local minimum. Envelope inversion (EI) could deal with this issue which contributes to the ultralow-frequency information extracted from the envelope but has a low resolution. We have developed a curvelet-based joint waveform and envelope inversion (CJWEI) method for inverting imaging near-surface velocity structures. By inverting two types of data, we are able to recover the low- and high-wavenumber structures and mitigate the cycle-skipping problem. Curvelet transform was used to decompose seismic data into different scales and provide a multiscale inversion strategy to further reduce non-uniqueness of waveform inversion efficiently. With synthetic test and real data application, we demonstrate that our method can constrain the anomalies and hidden layers in the shallow structure more efficiently as well as is robust in terms of noise. The proposed multiscale joint inversion offers a computational efficiency and high precision to imaging fine-scale shallow underground structures.
Global age disparity in marriage provides support for the role of mate choice in the evolution of maternal mortality and menopause
Authors: Pru Mindy , Brown Michelle , Singh Rama S.
Published: August 2022

Mate choice, marriage, and menopause are life-altering events affecting women’s health. It has been hypothesized that mate choice through age disparity in marriage may have contributed to the evolution of menopause and the persistence of maternal mortality. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore and document evidence for age disparity in marriage and evaluate its effects on maternal mortality. Data on couple’s age at marriage was collected from various sources and ethnic populations. The results showed that males were significantly older than females at first marriage in all populations analyzed. While age disparate relationships appeared universal, their effects on maternal mortality in present populations were modest (R2 = 0.43) and complex, with a multitude of factors affecting maternal mortality. However, it was observed that Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Nigeria all stood within the top 15 countries with the highest age disparities in marriage, maternal mortality, child marriage, and polygamy rates. The results from this study provided support for the mate choice theory of menopause and maternal mortality and suggested that past rates of child marriage and maternal mortality would have been higher and persistent, affecting women’s health.
Nurses’ Rationale for Underreporting of Patient and Visitor Perpetrated Workplace Violence: A Systematic Review
Authors: Spencer Cara , Sitarz Jamie , Fouse June , DeSanto Kristen
Published: August 2022

Background: Patient and visitor perpetrated workplace violence is a problem within healthcare and is known to be underreported by nurses and other healthcare workers. However, it is unclear why nurses choose not to report these violent events. This systematic review aimed to investigate nurses’ reasons and rationale related to underreporting of violence that occurs in the workplace and to summarize recommendations to solve this problem. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines for systematic review reporting, studies conducted between 2011 and early 2022 were identified from MEDLINE, CINAHL, APA PsychInfo, and Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Collection via EBSCOHost. Quantitative studies related to patient and visitor perpetrated violence containing explanations, reasons, or rationale related to underreporting were included. Results: After quality appraisals, 19 studies representing 16 countries were included. The resulting themes identified nursing, management, and organizational factors. The most prominent nursing factors included nurses’ fear of consequences after reporting, nurses’ perceptions, and lack of knowledge about the reporting process. Common management factors which contributed to nursing underreporting included lack of visible changes after reporting, non-supportive culture in which to report, and lack of penalties for perpetrators. Organizational factors included the lack of policies/procedures/training for WPV and the reporting of it as well as a lack of an efficient and user-friendly reporting system. Supportive interventions from management, organizations, and community sources were summarized to provide insight to improve nurse reporting of workplace violence events.Conclusion: Underreporting of workplace violence is a complex and multi-faceted problem. An investigation into the rationale for underreporting a workplace violent event illustrates nurses, management, and organizations contribute to the problem. Clear and actionable recommendations such as the development of a clear and concise reporting process and educational support are addressed to encourage staff reporting. Comprehensive reporting processes are needed to help address workplace violence in healthcare.
The NEDOCS tool to measure crowding at an academic Emergency Department
Authors: Westerop Liselore van , Eeten Evelien van , Bruinen Aniek , Eikendal Ties , Linden Christien van der , Tan Edward
Published: August 2022

Background:This is the first study to validate the National Emergency Department Overcrowding Study (NEDOCS) tool as a quantitative tool for assessing crowding at the Emergency Department (ED) of a Dutch level I trauma center at an academic hospital with a patient volume of 22.000 every year.Methods:This was a prospective observational study performed between April 20th, 2017 and June 19th, 2017 at the ED of the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc), a level I academic hospital in the Netherlands. The NEDOCS score was generated every 30 minutes during the study period of 2 months. During this study period the charge nurse and emergency physician (EP) both filled in a questionnaire 5 time a day to register perceived crowding and work load. The correlation and agreement between the perceived crowding by the ED staff members and the NEDOCS score were calculated.Results:The NEDOCS score was measured 2,887 times, with a median score of 16.15. A positive correlation between the NEDOCS score and the perceived crowding was measured (Spearman’s correlation coefficient 0.715). There was low agreement between the NEDOCS score and the perceived crowding.Conclusion:The NEDOCS tool shows a positive correlation with the perceived crowding by the ED staff making it a potential tool for national crowding management. However, there is a low agreement in its current form. Future studies should be performed to optimize the NEDOCS tool and usage.
Breeding priorities for rice adaptation to climate change in Northeast China
Authors: Dong Xin , Zhang Tianyi , Yang Xiaoguang , Li Tao
Published: August 2022

Breeding is an important adaptation strategy to sustain rice production in China. However, the breeding priorities for ideal adaptation to future climate stress remain unknown. Here, we established 15 scenarios representing the use of varieties with high-median-low levels of chilling sensitivity, heat sensitivity, and maturity-type properties based on 140 existing rice varieties, and assessed the effectiveness of these scenarios for climate change adaptation in Northeast China. Results showed that the average yield of low-chilling-sensitivity varieties will decline by 10.8-47.5% in the 2100s, depending on shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). If the increase in warming is greater than 1.7°C, low-heat-sensitivity varieties show higher yields than low-chilling-sensitivity ones, but the average yield will decline by 10.4-33.5% in the 2100s than that under baseline climate. Comparably, the contribution of varieties with an extended whole growth duration was at least 5 times greater than that of low-sensitivity varieties, resulting in a 50% yield increase relative to that at the baseline climate. Our study suggests that late-maturing varieties have considerable breeding potential relative to the varieties with low sensitivity to cold and heat stresses, and late maturity is thus recommended as the primary breeding target for adaptation to climate change in Northeast China.
Analysis of Tuberculosis Trends and Treatment outcomes data in The Gambia reported in the DHIS2 from 2017 to 2021
Authors: Balla Jatta , Peter Adewuyi , Kunta Fofana Baba , Wandifa Samateh , Sambou Sana Malang , Patrick Nguka , David Umeokonkwo Chukwuma , Sanneh Kebba D , Jallow Amadou Woury , Bittaye Mustapha
Published: August 2022

Background
Tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem in The Gambia, 6th top cause of DALYs. Treatment outcome serves as a tool to control the quality of tuberculosis treatment provided by the health care system. The global epidemiology of tuberculosis has been shaped in recent decades by HIV/AIDS, urbanization and poverty The majority of survey detected TB cases (95%) were new and not on treatment at diagnosis (Gambia Health Policy 2021–2030).
Methods:
The study is a retrospective cross-sectional secondary data review aimed at analyzing existing Programmatic Tuberculosis data extracted from the DHIS2.
Results
A total of 4109 TB Cases (Extrapulmonary and Pulmonary) were recorded in DHIS2 for the period 2017 to 2021, of which 3,349 (81.5%) were pulmonary TB Cases, males accounted for 59.9% whiles Western Health Region one which has about 50% of the National population accounted for 51.1% of the total number of cases 2099 (51.1%). A total of 5491 cases were reported for treatment outcome, this is higher than the number of active cases for the period in review which could be because data from the previous year reported in the new year. Out of this 575 (10.5%) completed treatment whiles 4720 (86%) were cured. During the period, a total of 3472 HIV Positive TB Coinfections were reported of which 36.1% (1290) were on ART, 9.9% (353) were cured and 4.0% (died)
Conclusion
We realize that there is a high turnout rate for treatment outcome especially for those that complete their treatment and those that are cured.
Urban versus lake impacts on heat stress and its disparities in a shoreline city
Authors: Chakraborty TC , Wang Jiali , Qian Yun , Pringle William , Yang Zhao , Xue Pengfei
Published: August 2022

Shoreline cities are influenced by both urban-scale processes and land-water interactions, with consequences on heat exposure and its disparities. Heat exposure studies over these cities have focused on air and skin temperature, even though moisture advection from water bodies can also modulate heat stress. Here, using an ensemble of model simulations over Chicago, we find that Lake Michigan strongly reduces heat exposure and heat stress (wet-bulb globe temperature) during the day, while urbanization enhances them at night. We also demonstrate that urban and lake impacts on temperature (particularly skin temperature), including their extremes, and lake-to-land gradients, are stronger than the corresponding impacts on heat stress, partly due to humidity-related feedback. Likewise, environmental disparities across community areas in Chicago seen for skin temperature are much higher than disparities in heat stress. The results call for consistent use of physiologically-relevant heat exposure metrics to accurately capture the public health implications of urbanization.
Microglia and meningeal macrophages depletion delays the onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Authors: Montilla Alejandro , Zabala Alazne , Er-Lukowiak Marco , Rissiek Björn , Magnus Tim , Rodriguez-Iglesias Noelia , Sierra Amanda , Matute Carlos , Domercq Maria
Published: August 2022

In multiple sclerosis and the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model, both resident microglia and infiltrating macrophages contribute to demyelination as well as spontaneous remyelination. Nevertheless, the specific roles of microglia versus macrophages are unknown. We investigated the influence of microglia in EAE using the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor, PLX5622, to deplete microglial population andCcr2RFP/+fmsEGFP/+mice, to distinguish peripheral macrophages and microglia. PLX5622 treatment depleted microglia and meningeal macrophages, and provoked a massive infiltration of CCR2+macrophages into demyelinating lesions and spinal cord parenchyma, albeitit did not alter EAE chronic phase. In contrast, microglia and meningeal macrophages depletion reduced the expression of CD80 co-stimulatory molecule in dendritic and myeloid cells and reduced T cell reactivation and proliferation in the spinal cord parenchyma, inducing a significant delay in EAE onset. Altogether, these data point to a specific role of CNS microglia meningeal macrophages in antigen presentation and T cell reactivation at initial stages of EAE.
Data-driven texture design for nearly-isotropic elastic and plastic properties in titanium-based materials
Authors: Ahmadikia Behnam , Paraskevas Orestis , Hyning William Van , Hestroffer Jonathan , Beyerlein Irene , Thrampoulidis Christos
Published: August 2022

Polycrystalline titanium and its alloys exhibit anisotropic elastic and plastic mechanical properties, which hinder their extensive application as structural components. Designing a nearly-isotropic material by purely experimental or computational methods is challenging due to the elastic and plastic anisotropy intrinsic to the constituent Ti crystal, the complexity of texture evolution during Ti processing, and the high dimensionality of the texture space. Here, we discover a linear relationship between the elastic modulus or plastic flow and the Orientation Distribution Function used to represent texture, and, using this, we formulate a set of convex optimization problems that simultaneously minimize anisotropy in the elastic and plastic regimes. We obtain textures that exhibit remarkably nearly-isotropic properties, while simultaneously maximizing stiffness or strength. Sparsity promoting algorithms are then employed to produce texture solutions with minimal number of orientations, proving that, rather counter-intuitively, strong textures can produce nearly-isotropic properties. Furthermore, we identify optimal textures that are likely to be obtained from common metal forming processes, such as rolling, with minimal changes compared to those that are typically generated. Finally, we show that these anisotropy-minimizing textures can be effectively used for minimizing anisotropy in other Ti-based materials, without the need to repeat the data-collection and optimization processes.
Comparative Analysis of Conventional Optimization Techniques with RSM and ANN Models for Extracting Oil from Sterculia urens Seeds for Biodiesel Applications
Authors: Nagarajan Praveena , Pandian Sivakumar , Karuppasamy Ilango , Sahadevan Renganathan
Published: August 2022

In this work, oil was extracted from Sterculia urens (S. urens) seeds in a batch reactor and the parameters affecting this process were optimized. For this study, a suitable solvent for extraction was identified and its solvent to seed meal ratio was determined as petroleum ether solvent and 8:1, respectively. The total oil content of the seed by Soxhlet extraction is 38.9 wt%. Other parameters which affect the oil yield, such as the meal size of seed, extraction temperature and extraction time, were optimized and their values were 0.25 mm, 60°C and 240 min, respectively, to get 38.2 wt% oil. Moreover, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) techniques were compared with conventional extraction and used for predicting the optimum values. The correlation regression coefficient (R2) values for RSM and ANN were 0.822 and 0.99, respectively. The predicted optimum values obtained in both the tools are approximately similar for oil extraction as 0.5 mm meal size, 60°C temperature and 180 min to get optimum yield. Finally, the physiochemical parameters of the oil were determined by standard methods and predicted the properties of biodiesel made from this. Thus these results suggest that the oil obtained can be used as a potential second-generation non-edible feedstock for biodiesel production.
Resistance of Candida isolates to antifungals using VITEK system at the Rodolphe Mérieux Centre, Bamako, Mali
Authors: Kone Abdoulaye Kassoum , Timbine Lassina Gadi , Diallo Mohamed Haguibou , Niare Doumbo Safiatou , Soumare Issa , Ranque Stephane , Thera Mahamadou Ali , Kouriba Bourema
Published: August 2022

Candidiasis is a public health problem and resistance of Candida genus to antifungals is increasing and reported in human pathology. In Mali, few data exist on the resistance of Candida genus to antifungals. The study aim was to assess the resistance of Candida sp isolates to antifungals at the Charles Mérieux Infectious Disease Center (CICM) laboratory in Bamako. Two cross-sectional studies were conducted, one retrospective from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2018 and the other prospective from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. Samples of superficial lesions (swabs, nail samples, scales from the scalp and skin, diseased hair) were taken at the CICM laboratory as well as the deep samples (CSF, bronchoalveolar lavage: BAL, etc.) received from hospital and community health care centers. Fungal growth on Sabouraud-chloramphenicol medium were carried out. Candida species identification and in vitro antifungals susceptibility testing were performed on Vitek-2 COMPACT. Out of 1224 strains of Candida isolated, 84.80% were obtained from vaginal swabs, and 10.40% from pus. Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species (67.65%). Candida. krusei the species most resistant to flucytosine (36.96%), followed by Candida lusitaniae (12.5%), Candida tropicalis (3.22%) and C. albicans (1.42%). Candida rugosa was more resistant to amphotericin B (20%), followed by C. krusei (4.17%), Candida glabrata (0.81%) and C. albicans (0.77%). The strains isolated were sensitive to miconazole, nystatin, clotrimazole, econazole and caspofungin. These results show an emergence of resistance from some Candida species to antifungals that deserve regular monitoring.
Investigation of particle laden gravity currents using the light attenuation technique
Authors: Schneider Jean , Dossmann Yvan , Farges Olivier , Régnier Matthieu , de Richter Sébastien Kiesgen
Published: August 2022

An extensional use of the light attenuation technique is described to study the dynamics of particleladen flows. The method is validated against an analytical absorption/scattering model. It is then applied to particle laden gravity currents (PLGCs) and provides access to quantitative measurements of the particle mass fraction field. The influence of particle concentration on the turbulent dynamics of the flow and thefront velocity are evaluated and discussed. In all experiments heterogeneities in the particle distribution are measured, with the maximum particle concentration in the PLGC front and intermediate particle concentra-tion at the turbulent interface. The results highlight two regimes. In the dilute case, particles have no mea-surable impact on the turbulent structures observed inthe flow nor on the bulk velocity. Particle sedimentation occurs due to mixing between the carrier and surrounding fluids. In the dense case, turbulent structures strongly weaken and the bulk velocity of the PLGC quantitatively decreases as the effective flow viscosity grows.
Tuning the Properties of ZnxS1-x Nanoparticles by Controlling Reaction Conditions
Authors: Olumurewa Kayode
Published: August 2022

In this work, a modified synthesis method was deployed to obtain nanocrystalline zinc sulfide from zinc acetate. By utilizing the hydrothermal and sol gel method, the influence of: reaction time, solvent and temperature control were used to tune the properties of zinc sulfide. Our results showed that ZnS(B) (which was obtained by sol gel in water + hydrothermal) typified formation of increased sulfur vacancies while an increase in reaction time resulted in decreased sulfur vacancies. The introduction of chemical defects in ZnS(A) (which was obtained by sol gel in methanol + KOH) resulted in lower crystallite size. We observed that crystallinity improved with increased reaction time and utilization of water as solvent improved the crystallinity of the material as confirmed in ZnS(C) and ZnS(B). Furthermore, our result showed that reaction time influenced dislocation density of the material to a greater extent than type of solvent used. The crystallite size estimated by Scherer formula was in the range 1.35 nm – 18.64 nm while the band gap energy of the ZnS samples were calculated in the range 3.8 eV- 4.6 eV. Utilizing these novel syntheses methods can stimulate new directions in synthesizing ZnS crystals with options of choosing appropriate method for specific applications depending on properties to be traded off.
An online behavior change intervention to promote physical activity in adults with asma: study protocol for a multicentre randomized controlled trial
Authors: Oliveira Joice Mara , Marloh Manuela , Matias Thiago Sousa , Barbosa Graziele Besen , Freitas Patricia Duarte , Carvalho Celso Ricardo Fernandes , Furlanetto Karina Couto
Published: August 2022

BackgroundBehavior change interventions have been the focus of recent studies, and the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of online interventions. However, no previous studies have investigated behavior change techniques to improve physical activity in adults with asthma through online intervention.MethodsThis double-blind clinical trial will investigate the effectiveness of an online behavior change intervention in increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in adults with asthma, as well as in improving other clinical outcomes in short and medium terms. Patients with clinically stable moderate to severe asthma, who are physically inactive and do not have cardiovascular and/or osteoneuromuscular impairments will be randomized into control or intervention groups (23 in each). Both groups will carry out an online educational program (1 hour). Additionally, the intervention group will receive weekly individual online sessions for 12 weeks of motivation-based behavior change intervention to promote increase in physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior based on both self-determination theory and transtheoretical model. The intervention group will also receive an activity monitor with specific strategies related to it. Both groups will be reassessed immediately after the intervention and 6 months after that. The primary outcomes are physical activity and sedentary behavior, which will be objectively assessed by a triaxial accelerometer (Actigraph wGT3X-BT). Secondary outcomes are: Asthma Control Questionnaire, Incremental Step Test, Sit-To-Stand, Timed Up-and-Go, 4-Metre Gait Speed, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Actiwatch 2 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.DiscussionThe intervention is unprecedented and was carefully developed to joint most characteristics and techniques of both behavioral strategies (transtheoretical model and self-determination theory). Therefore, this intervention has potential to improve physical activity levels and asthma management, and reduce sedentary behavior. As a consequence, this novel intervention will improve global health in this population and support its use in clinical practice. The intervention will be carried out online with direct weekly contact with the therapist. Consequently, it has low implementation costs, might improve patient’s attendance and has the potential to be largely offered elsewhere.Trial registrationClinical Trials; NCT05241223; registered on January 22 2022; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT05241223
Diagnostic performance of a high-spatial-resolution voxelwise analysis of neuromelanin-sensitive imaging in early-stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease
Authors: Seong Minjung , Park Seongbeom , Sung Young H. , Kim Eung Y.
Published: August 2022

Background: Quantitative assessments of neuromelanin (NM) of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) in neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) to determine its abnormality have been conducted by measuring either the volume or contrast ratio (CR) of the SNpc. A recent study determined the regions in the SNpc that are significantly different between early-stage idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) patients and healthy controls (HCs) using a high spatial-resolution NM-MRI template, which enables a template-based voxelwise analysis to overcome the susceptibility of CR measurement to inter-rater discrepancy. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance, which has not reported, of the CRs between early-stage IPD patients and HCs using a NM-MRI template.Methods: We retrospectively enrolled early-stage IPD patients (n=50) and HCs (n=50) who underwent 0.8-mm isovoxel NM-MRI and dopamine-transporter PET as the standard of reference. A template-based voxelwise analysis revealed two regions in nigrosomes 1 and 2 (N1 and N2, respectively), with significant differences in each substantia nigra (SNpc) between IPD and HCs. The mean CR values of N1, N2, volume-weighted mean of N1 and N2 (N1+N2), and whole SNpc on each side were compared between IPD and HC using the independent t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. The diagnostic performance was compared in each region using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: The mean CR values in the right N1 (0.149459 vs 0.194505), left N1 (0.133328 vs 0.169160), right N2 (0.230245 vs 0.278181), left N2 (0.235784 vs 0.314169), right N1+N2 (0.155322 vs 0.278143), left N1+N2 (0.140991 vs 0.276755), right whole SNpc (0.131397 vs 0.141422), and left whole SNpc (0.127099 vs 0.137873) significantly differed between IPD patients and HCs (all p < 0.001). The areas under the curve of the left N1+N2, right N1+N2, left N1, right N1, left N2, right N2, left whole SNpc, and right whole SNpc were 0.994 (sensitivity, 98.0%; specificity, 94.0%), 0.985, 0.804, 0.802, 0.777, 0.766, 0.632, and 0.606, respectively. Conclusion: Our NM-MRI template-based CR measurements revealed significant differences between early-stage IPD patients and HCs. The CR values of the left N1+N2 demonstrated the highest diagnostic performance.
The Effect of Financial Scarcity on Reinforcer Pathology: A Dyadic Developmental Examination
Authors: Crandall Amanda K. , Epstein Leonard H , Fillo Jennifer , Carfley Kevin , Fumerelle Eleanor , Temple Jennifer L.
Published: August 2022

This study investigated the effects of experimentally manipulated scarcity on the reinforcing value of food (RRVfood) and delay discounting (DD), which together create reinforcer pathology (RP), among parents and offspring. A stratified sample of 106 families (53 parent/child aged 7-10 dyads & 53 parent/adolescent aged 15-17 dyads), from high- and low-income households, visited our laboratory for three appointments. Each appointment included the experimental manipulation of financial gains and losses, and DD and RRV tasks. The results showed that regardless of food insecurity or condition, children had greater RP (β = 1.63, p < .001) than adolescents and parents. DD was largely unaffected by acute scarcity in any group, but families with food insecurity had greater DD (β = -0.09, p = .002) than food secure families. Food insecure parents with children responded to financial losses with an increase in RRVfood (β = -0.03, p = 0.011), while food secure parents and food insecure parents of adolescents did not significantly change their responding based on conditions. This study replicates findings that financial losses increase the RRVfood among adults with food insecurity and extends this literature by suggesting that this is strongest for parents of children.
Validity of a digital sepsis screening system combining the Manchester Triage System and a SIRS-based system for the detection of sepsis at triage in the emergency department
Authors: Dewitte Ken , Scheurwegs Elyne , Ierssel Sabrina Van , Jansens Hilde , Dams Karolien , Roelant Ella
Published: August 2022

Background and importanceDetection of sepsis in the emergency department (ED) should be done preferably during triage of the patients. The Manchester triage system (MTS) can be used to screen for sepsis. Objective To investigate the accuracy and validity of the MTS for detection of sepsis during triage in the ED and a combination of the MTS with a SIRS based digital sepsis screening system.DesignSingle center retrospective studySettings and participantsPatients presenting to an ED of a tertiary-care centre who received formal triage were included. (n=29766 patients). Outcome measures and analysisCalculated performance measures included sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and AUC for detection of sepsis. Main resultsA total of 189 (0.7%) subjects met the Sepsis-3 criteria, with 45 cases meeting the criteria for septic shock. The MTS had a low sensitivity of 47.6% (95% CI 40.3 to 55.0) for allocating sepsis patients to the correct triage category. However, specificity was high at 99.4% (95% CI 99.3 to 99.5). Combining the MTS and the SIRS-based screening tool showed an improved sensitivity of 64.0% (95% CI 56.7 to 70.9) and a specificity of 96.8% (95% CI 96.4 to 96.8).