bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neuronal Stem Cell and Drug Interactions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Concise Review
Authors: Ikhsan Maulana , Palumbo Alex , Rose Dorothee , Zille Marietta , Boltze Johannes 
Published: July 2019

Abstract
Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment option for neurodegenerative diseases that mostly affect geriatric patients who often suffer from comorbidities requiring multiple medications. However, not much is known about the interactions between stem cells and drugs. Here, we focus on the potential interactions between drugs used to treat the comorbidities or sequelae of neurodegenerative diseases and neuronal stem cells to reveal potential effects on drug safety and efficacy. To determine the potential effects of drugs frequently used in geriatric patients (analgesic, antibiotic, antidepressant, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and antihypertensive drugs) on neuronal stem cell differentiation and proliferation, we systematically searched PubMed to identify nonreview articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals between January 1, 1991, and June 7, 2018. We identified 5,954 publications, of which 214 were included. Only 62 publications provided the complete data sets required for meta-analysis. We found that antidepressants stimulated neuronal stem cell proliferation but not differentiation under physiologic conditions and increased the proliferation of stem cells in the context of stress. Several other potential interactions were identified, but the limited number of available data sets precludes robust conclusions. Although available data were in most cases insufficient to perform robust meta-analysis, a clear interaction between antidepressants and neuronal stem cells was identified. We reveal other potential interactions requiring further experimental investigation. We recommend that future research addresses such interactions and investigates the best combination of pharmacological interventions and neuronal stem cell treatments for more efficient and safer patient care. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:1202–1211
Challenges in Clinical Development of Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells: Concise Review
Authors: Mastrolia Ilenia , Foppiani Elisabetta Manuela , Murgia Alba , Candini Olivia , Samarelli Anna Valeria , Grisendi Giulia , Veronesi Elena , Horwitz Edwin M. , Dominici Massimo 
Published: July 2019

SummaryIdentified 50 years ago, mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) immediately generated a substantial interest among the scientific community because of their differentiation plasticity and hematopoietic supportive function. Early investigations provided evidence of a relatively low engraftment rate and a transient benefit for challenging congenital and acquired diseases. The reasons for these poor therapeutic benefits forced the entire field to reconsider MSC mechanisms of action together with their ex vivo manipulation procedures. This phase resulted in advances in MSCs processing and the hypothesis that MSC-tissue supportive functions may be prevailing their differentiation plasticity, broadening the spectrum of MSCs therapeutic potential far beyond their lineage-restricted commitments. Consequently, an increasing number of studies have been conducted for a variety of clinical indications, revealing additional challenges and suggesting that MSCs are still lagging behind for a solid clinical translation. For this reason, our aim was to dissect the current challenges in the development of still promising cell types that, after more than half a century, still need to reach their maturity. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:1135–1148
Highly Active and Easily Fabricated NiCo2O4 Nanoflowers for Enhanced Methanol Oxidation
Authors: Faid Alaa Y. , Ismail Hadeer 
Published: July 2019

AbstractMetal oxides with tailored nanomorphology represent a powerful tool to improve the electrocatalytic activity. Herein NiCo2O4 nanoflowers were synthesized via facile microwave method. NiCo2O4 nanoflowers were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, N2 gas adsorption/desorption, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Through comparing NiCo2O4 nanoparticle vs nanoflowers morphology, NiCo2O4 nanoflowers have a superior mass and specific electroactivity towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by achieving a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential of only 280 mV in 1M KOH electrolyte. Moreover, NiCo2O4 nanoflowers display superior performance for methanol electrooxidation in fuel cells by achieving 200 A/g and recovers 92.3 % of the original activity through the addition of new (1M KOH + 0.5M methanol) electrolyte after 500 cycles.
Engineering cyber‐physical systems through performance‐based modelling and analysis: A case study experience report
Authors: Pagliari Lorenzo , Mirandola Raffaela , Trubiani Catia 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThe process of engineering cyber‐physical systems (CPS) is inevitably challenging because of the intrinsic problem of merging the specification of different ensembles that indicate hardware, software, and physical aspects of such systems. This intrinsic complexity is exacerbated when modelling and analysing the performance characteristics of CPS since multiple models need to coexist in order to get meaningful performance indicators. In this paper, we present a case study, a delivery robots system, whose experience is exploited towards building a guided process for engineering CPS through performance‐based modelling and analysis. Model‐based performance results are provided while analysing different design alternatives, thus to support architects in the process of better understanding the performance characteristics of CPS under development.
Tackling complexity and problem formulation in rural electrification through conceptual modelling in system dynamics
Authors: Hartvigsson Elias , Ahlgren Erik Oscar , Molander Sverker 
Published: July 2019

AbstractMini‐grids are considered important in order to improve access to electricity in developing countries. Their technical and organizational independence from the large national grids and their interactions with local social, economic, and environmental factors suggests that system dynamics is a useful method of analysis. However, the successful implementation of mini‐grids in rural electrification has partly been prevented due to complexity issues, making problem formulation difficult. Most problem‐solving methods, such as system dynamics, require well‐defined problems. Previous work on the problem formulation process in system dynamics is limited. This work presents a conceptual framework for tackling complexity and uncertainties in rural electrification. The conceptual framework is general and draws on research in conceptual modelling and system dynamics. The focus is on the learning that can be achieved from a system description and how it can be used to tackle complexity by reducing uncertainties and improving knowledge.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) increase rage signaling to promote downstream cardiovascular remodeling
Authors: Coole Jackson B. , Burr Stephanie S. , Kay Amber M. , Singh Jaime A. , Kondakala Sandeep , Yang Eun‐Ju , Kaplan Barbara L. F. , Howell George E. , Stewart James A. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractExposure to environmental contaminants and consumption of a high, saturated fatty diet has been demonstrated to promote precursors for metabolic syndrome (hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertriglyceridemia). The purpose of this study was to determine if exposure to the most prevalent environmental persistent organic pollutants (POPs) would act as causative agents to promote metabolic syndrome independent of dietary intake. We hypothesized that POPs will activate the advanced glycated end‐product (AGE)‐and receptor for AGE (RAGE) signaling cascade to promote downstream signaling modulators of cardiovascular remodeling and oxidative stress in the heart. At 5‐weeks of age nondiabetic (WT) and diabetic (ob/ob) mice were exposed POPs mixtures by oral gavage twice a week for 6‐weeks. At the end of 6‐weeks, animals were sacrificed and the hearts were taken for biochemical analysis. Increased activation of the AGE‐RAGE signaling cascade via POPs exposure resulted in elevated levels of fibroblast differentiation (α‐smooth muscle actin) and RAGE expression indicated maladaptive cardiac remodeling. Conversely, the observed decreased superoxide dismutase‐1 and ‐2 (SOD‐1 and SOD‐2) expression may exacerbate the adverse changes occurring as a result of POPs treatment to reduce innate cardioprotective mechanisms. In comparison, ventricular collagen levels were decreased in mice exposed to POPs. In conclusion, exposure to organic environmental pollutants may intensify oxidative and inflammatory stressors to overwhelm protective mechanisms allowing for adverse cardiac remodeling.
NLRP3 inflammasome activation is associated with PM2.5‐induced cardiac functional and pathological injury in mice
Authors: Duan Shuyin , Wang Na , Huang Li , Zhao Ying , Shao Hua , Jin Yuefei , Zhang Ruiqin , Li Chunyang , Wu Weidong , Wang Jing , Feng Feifei 
Published: July 2019

ABSTRACTGrowing evidences indicate that inflammation induced by PM2.5 exposure has been considered as a major driving force for the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying PM2.5‐induced cardiac injury remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in PM2.5‐induced cardiac functional and pathological injury in mice. In this study, BALB/c mice were intratracheally instilled with PM2.5 suspension (4.0 mg/kg BW) for 5 days to set up a cardiac injury model, which was evaluated by electrocardiogram monitoring, HE and Masson staining. Then, the effects of PM2.5 on the expression of α‐SMA, NLRP3, IL‐1β, and IL‐18 proteins and the activation of caspase‐1 and IL‐1β were investigated. The results showed that PM2.5 exposure induced characteristic abnormal ECG changes such as the abnormality of heart rhythm, tachycardia, and T‐wave reduction. Inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis were observed in the heart tissues of PM2.5‐exposed mice. Meanwhile, PM2.5 exposure increased the expression of α‐SMA. And, NLRP3 activation‐associated proteins of NLRP3, IL‐1β, IL‐18, Cleaved caspase‐1 p10, and Cleaved IL‐1β were upregulated in heart tissue of PM2.5‐induced mice. In summary, PM2.5 exposure could induce cardiac functional and pathological injury, which may be associated with the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome.
Critical infrastructure and flood resilience: Cascading effects beyond water
Authors: Fekete Alexander 
Published: July 2019

AbstractCritical infrastructure and cascading effects are analyzed in this article as cross‐cutting topics in flood risk and resilience. A concept is developed for integrating aspects of disaster risk, hazard, vulnerability and resilience with critical infrastructure analytic components such as redundancy, rapidity or resourcefulness. These components are expressed for each phase of an unfolding flood event and cascading effects are indicated, too. This contribution discusses the implications of such a conceptual frame for the advancement of existing flood risk management concepts. Current international guiding strategies such as the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the “Making Cities Resilient” campaigns in field of urban disaster resilience, Climate Change Adaptation processes such as the Paris Agreement of the IPCC process, or urban planning in the field of UN HABITAT are all interconnected to the topic of (critical) infrastructure. The article shows how flood risk management can connect to such wider international developments by the conceptual frame discussion presented.This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Planning WaterScience of Water > Water ExtremesHuman Water > Water Governance
Coal and climate change
Authors: Edwards Gareth A. S. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis overview adopts a critical social science perspective to examine the state of play and potential futures for coal in the context of climate change. It introduces key trends in coal consumption, production and trade, before reviewing the relevant literature. Finding surprisingly little literature directly focused on coal and climate change, it appraises existing work and highlights key areas for future research. In addition to established literatures on the situated politics of coal and the political economy of coal, new work calling for demand side policies to be supplemented with supply side policies highlights the increasing importance of normative contestations in driving debates over coal. This suggests that scholars must engage much more directly with climate change as an issue, and particularly with the place of coal in a just transition. Because of coal's mammoth contribution to climate change and the complex political economy which drives its production and consumption, it is likely that coal will remain at the center of difficult questions about the relationship between climate action and development for quite some time.This article is categorized under:Climate and Development > Decoupling Emissions from Development
Hybrid modeling frameworks of tumor development and treatment
Authors: Chamseddine Ibrahim M. , Rejniak Katarzyna A. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractTumors are complex multicellular heterogeneous systems comprised of components that interact with and modify one another. Tumor development depends on multiple factors: intrinsic, such as genetic mutations, altered signaling pathways, or variable receptor expression; and extrinsic, such as differences in nutrient supply, crosstalk with stromal or immune cells, or variable composition of the surrounding extracellular matrix. Tumors are also characterized by high cellular heterogeneity and dynamically changing tumor microenvironments. The complexity increases when this multiscale, multicomponent system is perturbed by anticancer treatments. Modeling such complex systems and predicting how tumors will respond to therapies require mathematical models that can handle various types of information and combine diverse theoretical methods on multiple temporal and spatial scales, that is, hybrid models. In this update, we discuss the progress that has been achieved during the last 10 years in the area of the hybrid modeling of tumors. The classical definition of hybrid models refers to the coupling of discrete descriptions of cells with continuous descriptions of microenvironmental factors. To reflect on the direction that the modeling field has taken, we propose extending the definition of hybrid models to include of coupling two or more different mathematical frameworks. Thus, in addition to discussing recent advances in discrete/continuous modeling, we also discuss how these two mathematical descriptions can be coupled with theoretical frameworks of optimal control, optimization, fluid dynamics, game theory, and machine learning. All these methods will be illustrated with applications to tumor development and various anticancer treatments.This article is characterized under:
Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods
Translational, Genomic, and Systems Medicine > Therapeutic Methods
Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Organ, Tissue, and Physiological Models
Treatment of speech sound disorders in children
Authors: Alhaidary Abdulsalam 
Published: July 2019

Background:
Children with speech disorders need to receive effective services to improve their speech intelligibility. A variety of treatments are available, and one of the most commonly used techniques is oral-motor training, which includes nonspeech oral exercises.

Methods:
This paper conducted a review of the literature on using nonspeech oral exercises to treat children with developmental speech sound disorders.

Results:
Despite the popularity of this treatment, the nonspeech oral techniques lack supporting evidence in existing literature. Also, the justification of the proposed rationales for this treatment is being questioned. Many other speech-based approaches that are supported by research are available for speech-language pathologists. Some have suggested that any oral training and activity should be performed in the context of speech. The appropriate role of nonspeech oral exercises is that they should be ultimately practiced within the context of speech.

Conclusion:
Generally, oral training that does not involve speech production should be considered carefully with respect to a client's speech needs. Thus, further research is needed to examine the clinical value of using nonspeech oral exercises to treat speech sound disorders in children.
Day-case tonsillectomy in children: Experience from a Teaching Hospital in Jordan
Authors: Al-Shagahin Hani M. , AlBtoush Osameh , Alrawashdeh Badi , Alsunna Zaid , Ababseh Suheir 
Published: July 2019

ABSTRACT

Objectives:
This study has been conducted for the first time in Jordan to investigate safety issues relating to day-case tonsillectomies in childrens and to study the post-operative complication rate compared to tonsillectomies carried out with inpatient admission to hospital.

Materials and methods:
Retrospective review of medical charts of 419 pediatric patients who had undergone tonsillectomies. Patients were divided into two groups, with 103 patients in the inpatient group and 316 patients in the day-case group. A comparison is made between the clinical and demographic data of the patients studied and the postoperative complication rate.

Results:
The two main indications for tonsillectomy in all patients were recurrent infection and tonsillar hypertrophy. For instances of day-case tonsillectomy, only one patient had secondary post-tonsillectomy bleeding (0.32%); likewise, there was only one case of this reported for the inpatient group (1%), and there were no cases of reactionary hemorrhage reported in either groups. Statistical analysis failed to show a significant association between the inpatient and day-case surgery groups (P > 0.05) in terms of post-tonsillectomy bleeding.

Conclusion:
We found day-case tonsillectomy to be a safe procedure in children if the inclusion and exclusion criteria followed properly. The observation time following tonsillectomy is crucial to avoid the postoperative complications.

Highlights:
Daily Oral l-Arginine Plus Tadalafil in Diabetic Patients with Erectile Dysfunction: A Double-Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: El Taieb Moustafa , Hegazy Eisa , Ibrahim Ahmed 
Published: July 2019

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Erectile dysfunction is a common condition among diabetic men. Many treatments are now available with variable responses.

Aim
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of daily oral l-arginine plus tadalafil in diabetic patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction.

Methods
A double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted with 108 diabetic male patients. Each patient was assessed by medical and sexual histories, International Index of Erectile Function 5-item questionnaires, pharmaco-penile duplex ultrasonography, and serum testosterone level.

Main Outcome Measure
Improvement in International Index of Erectile Function 5-item, serum testosterone level and pharmaco-penile duplex ultrasonography.

Results
Erectile functions were significantly improved in all patients after treatment as compared with baseline and placebo (P &lt; .001). Patients who received both drugs showed significant improvement compared to those treated with single drugs, as assessed by International Index of Erectile Function scores and total testosterone (P &lt; .001). Pharmaco-penile ultrasound duplex results showed non-significant differences among patients treated with both drugs and those with each drug alone.

Conclusion
Daily use of l-arginine with tadalafil significantly increased the International Index of Erectile Function scores and total testosterone levels as compared to each drug alone in diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction. No differences were found based on pharmaco-penile duplex findings.
SIZE-BIASED TRANSFORM AND CONDITIONAL MEAN RISK SHARING, WITH APPLICATION TO P2P INSURANCE AND TONTINES
Authors: Denuit Michel 
Published: July 2019

AbstractUsing risk-reducing properties of conditional expectations with respect to convex order, Denuit and Dhaene [Denuit, M. and Dhaene, J. (2012). Insurance: Mathematics and Economics 51, 265–270] proposed the conditional mean risk sharing rule to allocate the total risk among participants to an insurance pool. This paper relates the conditional mean risk sharing rule to the size-biased transform when pooled risks are independent. A representation formula is first derived for the conditional expectation of an individual risk given the aggregate loss. This formula is then exploited to obtain explicit expressions for the contributions to the pool when losses are modeled by compound Poisson sums, compound Negative Binomial sums, and compound Binomial sums, to which Panjer recursion applies. Simple formulas are obtained when claim severities are homogeneous. A couple of applications are considered: first, to a peer-to-peer insurance scheme where participants share the first layer of their respective risks while the higher layer is ceded to a (re)insurer; second, to survivor credits to be shared among surviving participants in tontine schemes.
Bacterial septic arthritis infections associated with intra-articular injection practices for osteoarthritis knee pain—New Jersey, 2017
Authors: Ross Kathleen M. , Mehr Jason S. , Carothers Barbara L. , Greeley Rebecca D. , Benowitz Isaac , Henry David , McHugh Lisa A. , DiFedele Lisa , Adler Eric , Naqvi Shereen , Taylor Laura , Lifshitz Edward , Tan Christina , Montana Barbara E. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractBackground:In March 2017, the New Jersey Department of Health received reports of 3 patients who developed septic arthritis after receiving intra-articular injections for osteoarthritis knee pain at the same private outpatient facility in New Jersey. The risk of septic arthritis resulting from intra-articular injection is low. However, outbreaks of septic arthritis associated with unsafe injection practices in outpatient settings have been reported.Methods:An infection prevention assessment of the implicated facility’s practices was conducted because of the ongoing risk to public health. The assessment included an environmental inspection of the facility, staff interviews, infection prevention practice observations, and a medical record and office document review. A call for cases was disseminated to healthcare providers in New Jersey to identify patients treated at the facility who developed septic arthritis after receiving intra-articular injections.Results:We identified 41 patients with septic arthritis associated with intra-articular injections. Cultures of synovial fluid or tissue from 15 of these 41 case patients (37%) recovered bacteria consistent with oral flora. The infection prevention assessment of facility practices identified multiple breaches of recommended infection prevention practices, including inadequate hand hygiene, unsafe injection practices, and poor cleaning and disinfection practices. No additional cases were identified after infection prevention recommendations were implemented by the facility.Discussion:Aseptic technique is imperative when handling, preparing, and administering injectable medications to prevent microbial contamination.Conclusions:This investigation highlights the importance of adhering to infection prevention recommendations. All healthcare personnel who prepare, handle, and administer injectable medications should be trained in infection prevention and safe injection practices.