bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is preoperative hypoalbuminaemia or hypoproteinaemia a reliable marker for anastomotic leakage risk in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery in an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) program?
Authors: Choi Joseph Do Woong , Kwik Charlotte , Vivekanandamoorthy Nurojan , Shanmugalingam Aswin , Allan Lachlan , Gavegan Fiona , Shedden Karen , Peters Ashleigh , Khoury Toufic El , Pathmanathan Nimalan , Toh James Wei Tatt
Published: March 2023

Purpose: Preoperative hypoalbuminaemia has traditionally been used as a marker of nutritional status and is considered a significant risk factor for anastomotic leak (AL).
Methods: The Westmead Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (WERAS) prospectively collected database, consisting of 361 patients who underwent colorectal surgery with primary anastomosis, was interrogated. Preoperative serum albumin and protein levels (measured within one week of surgery) were plotted on receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC curves) and statistically analysed for cutoff values, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV).
Results: The incidence of AL was 4.4% (16/361). Overall mortality was 1.4% (5/361), 6.3% (1/16) in the AL group, 1.2% (4/345) in the no AL group. The median preoperative albumin and protein level in the AL group were 39g/L and 75g/L, respectively. The median preoperative albumin and protein level in the no AL group were 38g/L and 74g/L, respectively. Mann Whitney U test showed no statistically significant difference in albumin levels (p = 0.4457) nor protein levels (p = 0.6245) in the AL and no AL groups. ROC curves demonstrated that preoperative albumin and protein levels were not good predictors of anastomotic leak. Cutoff values for albumin (38g/L) and protein (75g/L) both had poor PPV for AL (4.8% and 3.8% respectively).
Conclusion: Preoperative albumin and protein levels in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery were not reliable independent risk factors for AL. A limitation of this study was that nearly all patients received immune-nutrition or carbohydrate/protein supplementation in the perioperative period as part of an ERAS program.
Gender difference of primary Sjögren’s Syndrome in a Chinese cohort: Why do women suffer more?
Authors: Pu Jincheng , Gao Ronglin , Zhuang Shuqi , Liang Yuanyuan , Wu Zhenzhen , Pan Shengnan , Song Jiamin , Yang Lufei , Zhang Youwei , Wang Xuan , Tang Jianping
Published: March 2023

Objective: To analyze gender differences in clinical characteristics of patients with pSS and to identify potential influencing factors.Methods:We analyzed gender differences in clinical variables of 278 pSS patients diagnosed in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital from January 2010 to December 2020. Then Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were conducted.Results:92.1% of the 278 pSS patients were women. Women developed the disease earlier and were diagnosed at a younger age. The average age at which women first develop symptoms of pSS was 48.16 years, compared with 57.86 years for men (P= 0.002). Men were diagnosed with pSS on average about 10 years later than women. Females showed a higher complement C3 (P= 0.033), total cholesterol (TC) (P= 0.003), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (P= 0.013) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P= 0.024), while male showed a higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (P= 0.013). Females showed a lower incidence of hypertension (P= 0.006), diabetes (P= 0.019), coronary heart disease (P= 0.038), cerebral infarction (P= 0.005) and malignant cancer (P< 0.01). MR-Egger method suggests that the decreased pSS risk was affected by TT (OR = 0.598,P= 0.048) and BT (OR = 0.471,P= 0.032).Conclusion:Females were more likely to develop pSS at an earlier age with fewer comorbidities, which might be closely related to lower levels of testosterone in women. Males showed a higher incidence of hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, and malignant cancer.
Gelatin hydrolyzed by papaya latex enzymes as an alternative cryoprotectant for frozen raw Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)
Authors: Kittiphattanabawon Phanat , Sri Chodsana , Nalinanon Sitthipong , Visessanguan Wonnop , Benjakul Soottawat
Published: March 2023

The cryoprotective activity of gelatin hydrolyzed by papaya latex enzymes with the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of 5, 10, 15, and 20% was investigated. The cryoprotective activity of gelatin, as determined by thermal hysteresis, increased as DH increased up to 15% (9.14–16.60 °C) and decreased as DH of 20% (11.66 °C). The gelatin hydrolysate with DH of 15% (G15), which showed the highest thermal hysteresis, was subjected to fractionation and cryoprotective effect study in Pacific white shrimp. The fractionated peptide with the highest thermal hysteresis had a molecular weight of 1.7–4.2 kDa (18.81 °C). According to the study of the cryoprotective effect in Pacific white shrimp, the weight of shrimp gained 7.33% after soaking in the G15, which was significantly lower and higher than the weight gain of shrimp treated with mixed phosphates (16.12%) and distilled water (0.82%), respectively (P < 0.05). The shrimp treated with mixed phosphates and G15 had no exudate. The thawing loss of the shrimp treated with distilled water, mixed phosphates, and G15 after the different freeze-thaw cycles ranged from 7.43–9.25, 3.34–3.57, and 3.39–5.39%, respectively. The shrimp treated with G15 and mixed phosphate could retard shrimp quality loss from the freeze-thawing, as noticed by the lower reduction of exudate loss, thawing loss, freezable water content, Ca2+-ATPase activity, and the higher protein solubility than the treatment of water. Therefore, the gelatin hydrolysate could be a potential alternative cryoprotectant in frozen raw shrimp.
Non-reciprocal and Non-Newtonian Mechanical Metamaterials
Authors: Wang Lianchao , Martínez Julio A. Iglesias , Ulliac Gwenn , Wang Bing , Laude Vincent , Kadic Muamer
Published: March 2023

Non-Newtonian liquids are characterized by a stress and velocity-dependent dynamical response. In elasticity, and in particular in the field of phononics, reciprocity in the equations acts against obtaining a directional response for passive media. Active stimuli-responsive materials have been conceived to overcome it. Significantly, Milton and Willis have shown theoretically in 2007 that quasi-rigid bodies containing masses at resonance can display a very rich dynamical behavior, hence opening a route toward the design of non-reciprocal and non-Newtonian metamaterials. In this paper, we design a solid structure that displays unidirectional shock resistance, thus going beyond Newton’s second law in analogy to non-Newtonian fluids. We design the mechanical metamaterial with finite element analysis and fabricate it using 3D printing at the centimetric scale (with fused deposition modeling – FDM) and at the micrometric scale (with two-photon lithography – TPL). The non-Newtonian elastic response is measured via dynamical velocity-dependent experiments. Reversing the direction of the impact, we further highlight the intrinsic non-reciprocal response.
Differential network analysis between sex of thegenes related to comorbidities of type 2 mellitusdiabetes.
Authors: Guzzi Pietro Hiram , Cortese Francesca , Mannino Gaia Chiara , Pedace Elisabetta , Succurro Elena , Andreozzi Francesco , Pierangelo Veltri
Published: March 2023

Background Some phenotypical changes may be related to changes in the associations among genes. The set of such associations is referred to as gene interaction (or association) networks. An association network represent the set of association among genes in a given condition. Given two experimental conditions, Differential network analysis (DNA) algorithms analyse these differences by deriving a novel network representing the differences. Such algorithms receive as input experimental gene-expression data of two different conditions (e.g. healthy vs diseased), then they derive experimental networks of associations among genes and, finally, they analyse differences among networks using statistical approaches. We explore the possibility to study possible rewiring due to sex factors, differently from classical approaches.
Methods We apply DNA methods to evidence possible sex based differences on genes responsible for comorbidities of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Results Our analysis evidences the presence of differential networks in tissues that may explain difference in the insurgence of comorbidities between males and females.
Conclusion Main contributions of this work are: (i) the definition of a novel framework of analysis able to shed out light on the differences betweeen males and females; (ii) the identification of differential networks related to diabetes comorbidities.
Availability and implementation: All the datasets underlying this article are publicly available. Data and source code can be accessed through the web at https://github.com/hguzzi/DifferentialNetworkDiabetes.
High Performance Fractional Anisotropic Diffusion Filter forPortable Applications
Authors: AbdAlRahman Alaa , Al-Atabany Walid I , Soltan Ahmed , Radwan Ahmed G.
Published: March 2023

Anisotropic diffusion is one of the most effective methods used in image processing. It can be used to eliminate the small textures of an imagewhile preserving its significant edges. In this paper,a new anisotropic diffusion filter is proposed based on a fractional calculus kernel rather than an integer kernel to improve the overall performance of the filter. Integer and fractional anisotropic filters are implementedusing the Genesys-2 FPGA kit to utilize the efficiency of parallelism in FPGAs. Integer and fractional anisotropic filters are tested against the achievable PSNR value vs the number of iterations. The proposed fractional anisotropic filter has a better PSNR value using a smaller number of iterations, reducing the power and area compared to integer anisotropic filter.The proposed filter can be used in image smoothing,edge detection, image segmentation, image denoisingand cartooning. In addition, the proposed filter will save the power of applications with power constraints, such as portable devices, as it requires fewer iterations than integer anisotropic filters. The proposed filter reduces the required power consumption by 58.2%.
Risk Factors for Recurrence after Keloid Surgery with Electron Radiotherapy
Authors: Liu Chunlei
Published: March 2023

Aim to investigate the local control effect of postoperative electron radiotherapy for keloid and new recurrence risk factors. We collected the clinical data of 82 patients with 129keloids from January 2015 to October 2019. There were 23 males (28%) and 59 females (72%). Median age was 32 years (18-67 years). There were 26 recurrences, and the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year local control rates were 93%, 81% and 73%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that age (p=0.025), hypertension (p=0.035), scar shape (p<0.001), primary site (p=0.021), maximum diameter of the lesion (p<0.001), pain and itching symptoms (p=0.005), local tension (p=0.005), and infection (p<0.001) were independent influencing factors. Multivariate analysis showed that the maximum diameter (p<0.001), infection (p<0.001), interval time (p=0.023), and previous treatment (p=0.020) were independent influencing factors. Our results suggest that complete excision of keloid combined with electron radiotherapy is safe and effective, while additional triamcinolone has no significant benefit for local control. For keloids with a high risk of recurrence, more aggressive treatment should be chosen, and further prospective studies are needed to explore the optimal treatment.
Berberine-loaded lipid nanoparticle inhibits H2O2-induced chondrocyte injury by promoting mitochondria autophagy in C28/I2 cells
Authors: Yi Guoliang , Xie Peng , Meng Qingqi , Li Siming
Published: March 2023

Although berberine (BBR) is considered to be of therapeutic value in treating various disorders; however, its low bioavailability hinders its further development on clinical application. To evaluate the effects of BBR against chondrocyte damage, we synthesized liposomal nanoparticles loaded with BBR (BBR@LNPs) with an average particle size of 137 nm using microfluidic technology. The CCK8 assay was used to determine the cytotoxicity of the BBR@LNPs in C28/I2. Additionally, flow cytometry and western blotting were used to investigate the mechanism of its protect chondrocytes from H2O2-induced oxidative damage in C28/I2. Our findings showed that BBR@LNPs had stable nanoscale structure and low cytotoxicity. Importantly, administration of BBR@LNPs significantly inhibited ROS release and cell apoptosis in H2O2-induced C28/I2, BBR@LNPs enhanced mitochondrial autophagy by up-regulating PINK1 and Parkin expression. Our findings may provide some guidance BBR-loaded lipid nanoparticle delivery system in cartilage injury.
The Use of the Pulse Oximeter in Limb Ischaemia: the PULSE study
Authors: Skillman Joanna , Dutta Pratap , Kimani Peter K , Leaver Ian , Venus Matthew , Wallace David , Hardwicke Joseph , Imray Christopher
Published: March 2023

Purpose
Does a non-invasive pulse oximeter probe accurately indicate limb ischaemia with inflation of a tourniquet? How are the pulse waveform, perfusion index and oxygen saturations affected? Does pulse oximetry return to normal with restoration of blood flow? Are the findings similar, regardless of which probe is used?
Methods
Single centre, pilot, proof of concept study. Each volunteer staff member had two probes applied to both lower limbs and then to both upper limbs. One limb had a tourniquet applied (experimental limb). The pulse oximeter trace, perfusion index and oxygen saturations were recorded before tourniquet inflation (timepoint 0), at inflation (timepoint 1), just prior to deflation (timepoint 2) and after deflation when the waveform returned to a biphasic appearance (timepoint 3).
Results
Changes in both pulse oximeter waveforms occurred within 45 seconds of tourniquet inflation, with flattening of the biphasic trace followed by complete loss of amplitude which normalised on release of the tourniquet. Perfusion index values for the experimental arms and legs were statistically significantly smaller than the control sides during tourniquet inflation and exceeded baseline on deflation, due to reperfusion. Oxygen saturations were unreliable and did not reflect tourniquet inflation.
Conclusion
Pulse Oximeter waveform and perfusion index provide a noninvasive, sensitive, responsive, available, repeatable, objective measure of vascular supply in the limbs in healthy volunteers, although oxygen saturation is not a reliable indicator of perfusion. Objective assessment using the pulse oximeter could aid clinical judgement in initiating early vascular intervention in limb injury.
Impact of double shield tunnel construction on adjacent pile foundation in silty fine sand strata
Authors: Jiao Ning , Ding Jianwen , Liao Zhaosheng , Wan Xing , Gao Pengju
Published: March 2023

Shield tunnel construction inevitably penetrates pile foundations laterally in urban areas, resulting in surrounding ground movements and pile displacements. The engineering accidents occur when the deformation is out of limits, thus it is essential to grasp the pile deformation caused by shield tunnelling accurately. This paper presents a case study on the pile deformation caused by double shield tunnel construction in silty fine sand strata inNantong, China. The field monitoring program was con-ducted to observe pile settlement during the shield construction process. A practical method to estimate the induced pile settlement was proposed and verified. Moreover, a three-dimensional finite element model was established using Plaxis 3D software. The effects of grouting pressure, supporting pressure at excavation face, pile buried depth and other pile-tunnel geometry factors were examined. The re-sults indicated negligible differential settlements between piles and surrounding ground surface in the silty fine sand strata, which were significantly smaller than those in clay strata. The differential settlement of the piles on both sides of the tunnel reached its maximum as the shield tail of preceding tunnel passed through the pile. The supporting pressure of excavation face had most significant effect on the lateral deformation of the pile in the shield tunnelling direction. Moderate increase in the grouting pressure reduces the deformation and force of the pile effectively. The maximum settlement of the pile top was proportional to the diameter and buried depth of the tunnel, but was inversely proportional to the pile length and the horizontal distance between pile and tunnel. Furthermore, the risk status of the pile could be quickly identified by the risk level distribution map of piles, which facilitated the timely protective measures.
A Fibrin Glue Delivery System Containing rhein with anti-inflammatory efficacy to inhibit pyroptosis of nucleus pulposus cells ameliorates intervertebral disc degeneration
Authors: Bao Jianhang , Gao wenshuo , Zhang Wei , Wang Dong , Pan Hao
Published: March 2023

Purpose
To construct an injectable, sustained-release hydrogel containing rhein to solve the problem of low bioavailability of rhein, and observe its efficacy in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.
Methods
The fibrin gel containing rhein was first synthesized in advance. Subsequently, the materials were characterized by various experimental methods. Secondly, the degenerative cell model was constructed by stimulating nucleus pulposus cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the corresponding intervention treatment was carried out to observe the effect in vitro. Finally, the rat tail intervertebral disc was acupunctured by needles to establish the intervertebral disc degeneration model, and the effect of the material was observed through intradiscal injection.
Results
The fibrin glue containing rhein (rhein@FG) showed good injectability, sustained release and biocompatibility. Rhein@FG can improve the LPS-induced inflammatory microenvironment, regulate ECM metabolic disorders of nucleus pulposus cells and aggregation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro, and inhibit cell pyroptosis. Furthermore, in vivo experiments, rhein@FG effectively prevented needle puncture-induced intervertebral disc degeneration in rats.
Conclusions
Rhein@FG has better efficacy than rhein or FG alone due to its slow release and mechanical properties, which can be used as a potential replacement therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration.
Stochastic Convergence of Coal Consumption – Fresh Evidence with Sharp and Smooth breaks
Authors: Cai Yifei , Chang Yu-Cheng , Chang Tsangyao , Wang Mei-Chih
Published: March 2023

This study attempts to revisit the stochastic convergence of coal consumption for 39 countries through panel unit root test with both sharp and smooth breaks proposed by Bahmani-Oskooee et al. (2014). The empirical findings support convergence for 34 of 39 countries. The coal consumption for Ireland, China, South Africa, Indonesia and Vietnam is divergence. That is, shocks to coal consumption for these five countries would make permanent effects on the move path. The time-varying fitted intercepts indicate the more robust estimation of this study. The traditional unit root tests perform lower efficiency on testing the stationarity of coal consumption. Besides, not only sharp breaks should be considered in the future studies, but also smooth breaks should be also approximated. Policy conservation policy would make transitory impacts on coal consumption for converging group, but permanently affect coal consumption for diverging group. For Ireland, China, South Africa, Indonesia and Vietnam, the policy conservation policy would indirectly affect aggregate economic sectors related to consume coal energy. However, to cut the increasing trend of coal consumption, other renewable energy should further be explored. Finally, some future research directions are recommended in the end.
Identifying Lettuce Accessions for Efficient Use of Phosphorus in Hydroponics
Authors: Kreutz Gustavo F. , Bhadha Jehangir H. , Liu Guodong D. , Sandoya Germán V.
Published: March 2023

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is the most common leafy vegetable produced hydroponically in the United States. Although hydroponic systems are advantageous due to lower pest and disease pressure, and reduced water and nutrient requirements, the increasing prices of fertilizers, including phosphorus (P), still influences the profitability of hydroponic production of lettuce. Characterizing lettuce germplasm capable of producing high yield using less P inputs may help reduce fertilizer use, production costs, and P loads in wastewater. In this study, 12 lettuce accessions were grown in four experiments in a nutrient film technique system. In the first two experiments, the treatments consisted of two P concentrations (3.1 and 31 mg·L−1). Lettuce cultivated with 3.1 mg·L−1 of P had variable shoot and root biomass, root–shoot ratio, P uptake efficiency, and P utilization efficiency, indicating the existence of genetic variation. Five accessions (‘Little Gem’, 60183, ‘Valmaine’, BG19-0539, and ‘Green Lightning’) were considered efficient to P because produced similar shoot biomass with the low and high P treatments. In the third and fourth experiments, the treatments consisted of two P sources (monosodium phosphate (NaH2PO4) and tricalcium phosphate [TCP; Ca3(PO4)2]. Initially, extra 5 mM of calcium (Ca) was added to the TCP solution to reduce the TCP solubility and, hence, P bioavailability to plants. All accessions produced similar shoot and root weight with both treatments, indicating that the TCP treatment did not cause low-P stress to the plants. After, the extra Ca concentration added to TCP was increased to 10 mM, resulting in low-P stress and a significant reduction in shoot weight of all accessions. Despite the severe P stress, ‘Little Gem’ and 60183 were among the accessions with the least shoot weight reduction in the TCP treatment. Variability was observed in root biomass root–shoot ratio among accessions under the TCP treatment, suggesting that lettuce accessions responded differently to P stress conditions. The genetic variation for P use efficiency (PUE) and PUE-related traits in lettuce grown hydroponically suggests the feasibility of breeding new lettuce cultivars from elite lettuce germplasm adapted to low P availability in hydroponics.
Combining ability and inheritance of yield-related traits in F1 of winter barley under conditions of Ukrainian Forest-Steppe
Authors: Lysenko A. A. , Hudzenko V. M.
Published: March 2023

Purpose. To determine the peculiarities of the manifestation of combining ability and the mode of inheritance of yield-related traits in winter barley and to identify genetic sources and promising hybrid combinations for further breeding efforts under conditions of Ukrainian Forest-steppe.
Methods. The research was conducted in 2018/19 and 2021/22 at the V. M. Remeslo Myronivka Institute of Wheat of NAAS of Ukraine. In accordance with generally accepted methods, the degree of phenotypic dominance, heterobeltiosis and effects of general combining ability in the top-cross hybrids of winter barley for key yield components were determined.
Results. The variability of the manifestation level of the studied traits in parental components and hybrids in different years were established. According to the indicator of the degree of phenotypic dominance, the variability of the character of inheritance was revealed depending on the traits, hybrid combinations and growing conditions. Hybrid combinations with positive overdominance and dominance of individual yield components were highlighted. In particular, according to plant productivity these combination are: ‘Scarpia’ / ‘MIP Darii’, ‘Scarpia’ / ‘MIP Korsar’, ‘Aborygen’ / ‘MIP Corsar’, ‘Titus’ / ‘MIP Status’, ‘MIP Yanus’ / ‘MIP Status’, ‘Titus’ / ‘Paladin Myronivskyi’, ‘Maybrit’ / ‘Paladin Myronivskyi’ ‘MIP Yanus’ / ‘Paladin Myronivskyi’. The varieties with increased effects of general combining ability for yield-related traits under different growing conditions were distinguished. As follows: productive tillering – ‘Scarpia’, ‘MIP Darii’; grain number per ear – ‘MIP Yanus’, ‘MIP Hladiator’, ‘MIP Status’; 1000 grain weight – ‘Titus’, ‘MIP Korsar’, ‘MIP Status’; grain weight per plant – ‘MIP Yanus’, ‘MIP Status’, ‘MIP Darii’.
Conclusions. Selected hybrid combinations with positive overdominance and dominance are of practical value for further breeding to increase individual components and plant productivity in general. The varieties with increased effects of general combining ability are valuable genetic sources for involvement in crossing for improving the certain traits.
Adaptive potential of the collection of Allium sativum L. subsp. sagittatum of the Uman National University of Horticulture
Authors: Yatsenko V. V. , Vorobiova N. V.
Published: March 2023

Purpose. Winter garlic is a heterogeneous biological material, and due to the complex of its diverse morphological and economically valuable features (in nature and culture), it is possible to select promising forms. Crop productivity is determined by climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation (the main abiotic environmental factors). Given the current trends in climate change, it is important to carry out analyzes aimed at describing and selecting plant genotypes with the best adaptive and productive properties. The investigation is focused on studying the adaptive and productive potential of promising samples of Allium sativum L. subsp. sagittatum together with the varieties on which the production of garlic in Ukraine is based, according to such characteristics as “bulb mass”, “yield” and “essential oil content”.
Methods. During 2020–2022, in field conditions (Uman, 48°46¢N, 30°14¢E), five common and two newly created (‘Apollon’ and ‘Dzhovanna’) varieties of winter garlic were studied, as well as its promising variety samples No. 25 and 40. The obtained results were evaluated by the method of regression analysis to determine the stability and plasticity of the varieties.
Results were conditionally divided into two groups according to parameters. The first group contained results that show the most important adaptive and productive characteristics (bulb mass, yield, plasticity, stability, selection value, adaptability). The second one included the parameters of the biochemical properties of the studied populations (essential oil), which in this case demonstrated significant influence and substantial stability. Most of the researched garlic populations are able to serve as effective material for obtaining new varieties. They can be classified as follows: ‘Khando’, ‘Dzhovanna’, ‘Apollon’, No. 25 and No. 40 – high yield, adaptability and breeding value; ‘Sofiivskyi’, ‘Apollon’ and No. 40 – technological quality (technical varieties); ‘Giovanna’ – food quality (table variety).
Conclusions. As a result of the conducted research, the spectrum of adaptive variability of A. sativum L. subsp. sagittatum in terms of bulb weight and yield, and new promising samples which can be used as starting material for the creation of new adaptive varieties were discovered.
Microbic eczema – trigger points of influence
Authors: Kovaleva J. S. , Komkina N. G.
Published: March 2023

The relevance of microbic eczema is caused by prevalence of a disease, a long chronic current, frequent, is long the proceeding recurrence, insufficiently studied pathogeny and difficulties of the choice of effective treatment. Microbic eczema – the chronic recurrent dermatosis which is characterized by evolutionary polymorphism of elements of rash, wet an itch and a peculiar allergic reaction of the sensibilized skin to decomposition products of microorganisms and their toxins arising against the background of it is long the existing piogenic center at disturbance of the major regulatory systems of an organism. At patients with microbic eczema disbioz skin it is shown by reduction of a share of S. epidermidis, Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobaccilus spp. and significant increase in opportunistic and pathogenic flora, associations of mushrooms quite often meet representatives of obligate flora. Allergenic action of S. aureus and fungal microflora, in particular, of C. Albicans at microbic eczema considerably amplify in the conditions of a mikstinfektion. In recent years microbic eczema tends to a heavy current with a frequent long recurrence, considerable distribution of process on skin and is characterized by resistance to the standard methods of treatment. Elimination of action of microbic, mycotic dissimination and normalization of a biocenosis of skin at microbic eczema are the key principle of treatment of patients interfering recuring of chronic eczema. The article focuses on microbial eczema, as the most difficult type of eczema in therapy, presents our own clinical observations of the course of microbial eczema of various localization and severity, and also shows the effectiveness of the Russian-made topical drug Akriderm GK, containing a micronized form of betamethasone dipropionate, gentamicin sulfate and clotrimazole in the complex therapy of patients with microbial eczema.
Actual view on skin scarring and clinical experience of conservative treatment of keloids
Authors: Zhukova O. V. , Porshina O. V. , Ostretsova M. N. , Lemytskaya V. E.
Published: March 2023

Scars are an urgent issue for many areas of practical medicine, especially for dermatovenerologists, cosmetologists and plastic surgeons. Every year, 100 million patients develop new scars and about 11 million of them are keloid. The issue of differential diagnosis of keloid and hypertrophic scars is still the subject of discussion among specialists. Despite the wide variety of available methods of treatment of keloid and hypertrophic – surgical excision, injections of glucocorticosteroids, laser therapy, cryotherapy, compression therapy and silicone bandages are the most effective and pathogenically rationalised methods for the correction of pathological scars. Promising methods of therapy are: injections of interferon, recombinant human TGF-β3 polypeptide, platelet-rich plasma, calcium channel blockers, lipofilling, the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, creams based on imiquimod and resiquimod, growth factors, stem cells. The article presents an up-to-date view on the processes of physiological and pathological scarring, the most important aspects of the differential diagnosis of keloid and hypertrophic scars, the understanding of which is important for choosing the right therapeutic strategy. Particular attention is paid to the pathophysiological mechanisms of action, the advantages and features of the use of silicone dressings. The authors present the clinical experience of successful two-stage correction of keloid scar – post-acne with the use of injection therapy with hyaluronidase and silicone dressings.
Aging changes in skin: causes and effects
Authors: Piruzyan A. L. , Mildzikhova D. R. , Sakaniya L. R. , Korsunskaya I. M.
Published: March 2023

Aging, and in particular aging changes in skin, are increasingly giving cause for concern to the mankind, especially given the fact that the life expectancy is extending. Skin aging is not only a problem that concerns skin sagginess, but rather it is a complex problem caused by many factors, from immune deficiency to the lifestyle, which affects both the maintenance of the skin’s barrier function and the well-being of the stem cells that support the organ. The structure and amount of lipids in the stratum corneum changes over time, the epidermis becomes thinner, which leads to decreased barrier function of the skin. These changes also cause increased loss of transepidermal fluid. The aging-associated processes in the dermis lead to a loss of skin elasticity and a decrease in hydration. The increased levels of cytokines and histamine in the skin can cause itching and scratching, which will lead to a further increase in skin inflammation. All this can be manifested by severe xerosis, peeling and other unpleasant symptoms. It is impossible to defeat aging, but to minimize its manifestations is an achievable goal. Our experience allows us to recommend care products with pronounced nutritional and moisturizing properties, which contain panthenol, prebiotics and probiotics, sodium hyaluronate and a natural complex of glycoceramides, cholesterol and phospholipids. Panthenol has a regenerating and softening effect, nourishes and relieves irritation, contributes to the increasing strength of collagen fibres. Sodium hyaluronate is responsible for deep hydration of the skin, improving its tone and elasticity. The ceramide complex compensates for the lack of lipids and helps to retain moisture in the stratum corneum. Regular care helps to minimize xerosis, itching, skin tightness and maintain quality of life in aging patients.
A potential inflammatory role of Toll-like receptor-2 in psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Sobolev V. V. , Chebysheva S. N. , Denisova E. V. , Artemуeva S. I. , Geppe N. A. , Soboleva A. G. , Korsunskaya I. M.
Published: March 2023

Introduction. Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is characterized by cellular infiltration and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and can be initiated by excessive activation of endosomal toll-like receptors (TLRs), particularly TLR2. Studying the TLR2 gene expression patterns can help choose a therapy for patients with psoriatic arthritis.Aim. To study the pattern of TLR2 gene expression in blood mononuclear cells of patients with psoriatic arthritis to assess its potential pro-inflammatory role.Materials and methods. Mononuclear cells were isolated from the peripheral blood of 31 patients with plaque psoriasis, 45 patients with psoriatic arthritis and 20 healthy controls. The expression level of the TNF gene was analysed using a real-time PCR method.Results and discussion. The comparative analysis of the expression levels of patients with psoriatic arthritis and healthy volunteers showed that the expression level of TNF in patients with psoriatic arthritis was 63 times higher than the expression level in healthy volunteers.Conclusions. A high level of TLR2 gene expression can indicate its role in the inflammatory process and become a marker of possible joint injury in patients with psoriasis.
Application of electrocoagulation process for the removal of chloroquine from an aqueous solution
Authors: Elkacmi Reda , Zahnoune Rajaa , El Amri Radouane , Boudouch Otmane
Published: March 2023

Using chloroquine (CQ) as a provisional treatment for COVID-19 patients generates more pharmaceutical waste, posing a potential environmental threat. The present study evaluates the feasibility of the electrocoagulation (EC) process in removing CQ from an aqueous solution. The experiment was performed in a laboratory-scale stirred tank reactor (STR). The effects of operating conditions were investigated. Equilibrium and kinetic experiments were also performed to describe CQ adsorption. The results showed that increasing both the applied current density and the EC reaction time increases the removal efficiency of CQ. The results showed that 95% of CQ removal efficiency was achieved at a current density of 66.89 mA/cm2, 600 rpm of agitation rate, 60 min of electrolysis time, an initial CQ concentration of 3 mg/L, and a pH of 6.5. For equilibrium and kinetic studies, the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order provided the best fit to the experimental data. The optimal operating conditions led to a specific amount of dissolved aluminum electrodes and a specific energy consumption of 0.228 kg/m3 and 12.243 kWh/m3. These results suggest that the EC process is an excellent tool for effectively degrading CQ from wastewater with a low operating cost (2.48 USD/m3).
Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma Patient with Complex Mutations on EGFR
Benefits from Furmonertinib after Acquiring Gefitinib Resistance: A Case
Report
Authors: Wu Guixian , Chen Qian , Lv Dongqing , Lin Ling , Huang Jing
Published: March 2023

Background:

A 62-year-old woman was diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma with
stage IV. Genetic testing at the initial treatment showed EGFR L858R positive. After being treated
with gefitinib, persistent 2 years disease progression occurred due to drug resistance. The genetic
testing showed that EGFR L858R was eliminated, while a rare rare complex mutation of
L861Q/G719X appeared. After 160 mg furmonertinib was treated for 1 month, the primary tumor
regressed and the intracranial lesions disappeared. The patient has achieved progression-free survival
(PFS) for more than 20 months.

Case Presentation:

A 62-year-old woman was diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma with
stage IV. Genetic testing at the initial treatment showed EGFR L858R positive. After being treated
with gefitinib, persistent 2 years disease progression occurred due to drug resistance. The genetic
testing showed that EGFR L858R was eliminated, while a rare rare complex mutation of
L861Q/G719X appeared. After 160 mg furmonertinib was treated for 1 month, the primary tumor
regressed and the intracranial lesions disappeared. The patient has achieved progression-free survival
(PFS) for more than 20 months.

Conclusion:

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma with rare rare complex mutations in EGFR induced by
gefitinib resistance and disease progression might benefit from furmonertinib treatment.
Protective Effect of Curcumin and Nanocurcumin on Sperm Parameters
and Oxidant-antioxidants System of Rat Testis in Aluminium Phosphide
Subacute Poisoning
Authors: Ghasemi Hadi , Ranjbar Akram , Kheiripour Nejat , Shateri Hossein , Sameri Amirhossein
Published: March 2023

Objective:

Aluminum phosphide (AlP) as an effective pesticide may contribute to oxidative
stress and adversely influence sperm parameters. This study aimed to investigate the protective role of
curcumin and nanocurcumin on oxidative damage in the testis of rats with AlP toxicity.

Methods:

A total of 42 adult male Wistar rats were equally randomized into the following study
groups (n=7): Control, Control+Curcumin, Control+Nanocurcumin, AlP, AlP+Curcumin, and
AlP+Nanocurcumin. The testis tissue was used to investigate the levels of testicular malondialdehyde
(MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and reduced glutathione (GSH) as
well as the Catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity. Epididymal sperm was
used to perform sperm analysis.

Results:

AlP administration led to a significant increase in MDA, and TOS levels and also markedly
decreased the SOD activity and the levels of TAC and GSH in testis tissue (p<0.001). Moreover, the
motility and viability of sperms were significantly reduced (p<0.001). Curcumin and Nanocurcumin coadministration
with AlP remarkably decreased the MDA and TOS level (p<0.001) and significantly increased
the GSH and TAC levels as well as the activity of SOD in AlP intoxicated groups (p<0.001).
Our findings demonstrated that Nanocurcumin administration has significantly enhanced the sperm
quality in AlP intoxicated rats as compared to the control group (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

According to the results of this study, Curcumin as a potential antioxidant could be an effective
attenuative agent against AlP-induced oxidative damage in testis, especially when it is used in
encapsulated form, nanocurcumin.
Uma estátua para o Conde de S. Bento
Authors: Olaio Nuno
Published: March 2023

This article makes a critical analysis of the process of creation and placement in the public space of Santo Tirso of its first statue, in 1892, which represents the Count of S. Bento, emigrant in Brazil, and born in S. Miguel das Aves. Through municipal documentation, of Irmandade and Santa Casa of Misericórdia of Santo Tirso and the local and regional press, we will follow the public debate raised by the construction of the statue and the vicissitudes of a public subscription that brought together interest on both sides of the Atlantic, and a subcommittee was created in Rio de Janeiro. A short year after the Republican uprising of January 31, 1891 in the city of Porto, the people from Santo Tirso felt the need to promote a tribute to the most distinguishedlocal benemeritus. This moment was also important because unveils the liberal society of the time and its values.
Serving face: fashion, music and transatlantic crossing scenes Brazil-Portugal (2018-2022)
Authors: Rodrigues Júnior Paulo de Oliveira
Published: March 2023

In this work, I seek to analyzethe impacts of Brazilian LGBTQIAPN+ immigration as a potent innovation in political and aesthetic discourses, especially concerning fashion and leisure spaces, on the Portuguese youth. I shall focus on elements pertaining to queer appearances and their narratives. Also, I observe how appearances allied to political discourses become an important tool in the construction of political, aesthetic and ethical narratives outside of a colonial perspective
Propuesta de automatización para el proceso químico de elaboración de un polímero funcional en un reactor discontinuo
Authors: Garcia Jaimes Luis Eduardo , Cruz Cárdenas Santiago , Rivera González Ángela Bibiana
Published: March 2023

En este artículo se presenta una propuesta de automatización de un reactor discontinuo para la elaboración de polímeros por adición, en el cual tiene lugar una reacción química de carácter exotérmico generada en el proceso de polimerización. Se propone controlar la temperatura del producto mediante una estrategia de control de gama partida con controladores en cascada considerando el lazo de temperatura del producto como lazo primario y el de la temperatura de la camisa como lazo secundario. Se realiza el modelamiento fenomenológico del reactor a partir de balances de materia y energía para obtener la función de transferencia del sistema y estimar los parámetros de los controladores. Los resultados obtenidos en la simulación y el control del proceso evidencian el buen desempeño del sistema trabajando con el set-point de temperatura del proceso entre 92 °C y 96 °C; además, en este rango se observa una mejora significativa en la conversión monómero-polímero del producto.
War Triptych
Authors: Linke Gabriele M.
Published: March 2023

This three-part collection of personal memories was inspired by Otto Dix's triptych ‘The War’ (1929-1932). The horrors of war and presence of death Dix exposed in his painting form the implicit point of reference for three short stories of reconciliation in and after the Second World War. The three auto/biographical memories by and ‘as told to’ the author celebrate forgiveness and humaneness among ordinary people in and after times of war as the one way to survive and continue life after the pain and losses caused by war, which are not part of the stories. The condensed form of the triptych recalls Dix's painting as well as the sacredness of suffering and reconciliation as symbolized by conventional Crucifixion triptychs.
The Future Imperfect: Memoir and the Family Photograph
Authors: Rau Petra
Published: March 2023

In ‘The Future Imperfect’ Petra Rau reflects on the meaning of her mother’s narrowly averted attempt to discard the family photo albums, and on the function of the photo album as a retroactive personal narrative. The difficulty of reading family photographs that precede one’s own experience and recollection is the subject of the second part, an excerpt from the as yet unpublished family memoir Hinterland.
Deep Learning to Detect Pancreatic Cystic Lesions on Abdominal Computed Tomography Scans: Development and Validation Study (Preprint)
Authors: Duh Maria Montserrat , Torra-Ferrer Neus , Riera-Marín Meritxell , Cumelles Dídac , Rodríguez-Comas Júlia , García López Javier , Fernández Planas Mª Teresa
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are frequent and underreported incidental findings on computed tomography (CT) scans and can evolve to pancreatic cancer—the most lethal cancer, with less than 5 months of life expectancy.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to develop and validate an artificial deep neural network (attention gate U-Net, also named “AGNet”) for automated detection of PCLs. This kind of technology can help radiologists to cope with an increasing demand of cross-sectional imaging tests and increase the number of PCLs incidentally detected, thus increasing the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

We adapted and evaluated an algorithm based on an attention gate U-Net architecture for automated detection of PCL on CTs. A total of 335 abdominal CTs with PCLs and control cases were manually segmented in 3D by 2 radiologists with over 10 years of experience in consensus with a board-certified radiologist specialized in abdominal radiology. This information was used to train a neural network for segmentation followed by a postprocessing pipeline that filtered the results of the network and applied some physical constraints, such as the expected position of the pancreas, to minimize the number of false positives.

RESULTS

Of 335 studies included in this study, 297 had a PCL, including serous cystadenoma, intraductal pseudopapillary mucinous neoplasia, mucinous cystic neoplasm, and pseudocysts . The Shannon Index of the chosen data set was 0.991 with an evenness of 0.902. The mean sensitivity obtained in the detection of these lesions was 93.1% (SD 0.1%), and the specificity was 81.8% (SD 0.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows a good performance of an automated artificial deep neural network in the detection of PCL on both noncontrast- and contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scans.
The Provision of Texture-Modified Foods in Long-term Care Facilities by Health Professionals: Protocol for a Scoping Review (Preprint)
Authors: Sari Dianis Wulan , Aurizki Gading Ekapuja , Indarwati Retno , Farapti Farapti , Rekawati Etty , Takaoka Manami
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition among older adults with dysphagia is common. Texture-modified foods (TMFs) are an essential part of dysphagia management. In long-term care (LTC) facilities, health professionals have implemented TMFs, but their application has not been fully elucidated, making them heterogeneous.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to explore the implementation of TMFs in LTC facilities, particularly focusing on the role of health professionals in nutritional care involving TMFs (eg, deciding the type of food, preparing and giving the food, and evaluating the outcomes).

METHODS

A scoping review using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodological approach will be performed. A comprehensive search for published literature will be systematically performed in PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PsycINFO, and Science Citation Index (Web of Science). Data screening and extraction will be performed by 2 reviewers independently. The studies included will be synthesized, summarized, and reported, following the preferred reporting items of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Our review will consider the following study designs: mixed methods, quantitative, and qualitative. Studies with patients who are not older adults will be excluded.

RESULTS

Data extraction will be completed by February 2023. Data presentation and analyses will be completed by April 2023, and the final outcomes will be completed by June 2023. The study findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

CONCLUSIONS

Our scoping review will consider studies related to TMF interventions for older adults in LTC residential facilities, with no exclusion restrictions based on country, gender, or comorbidities. Studies on interventions that address TMF-related issues, such as deciding the type of food, preparing and giving the food, and evaluating the outcomes, are qualified for inclusion.

CLINICALTRIAL

OSF Registries 79AFZ; https://osf.io/79afz

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

PRR1-10.2196/44201