bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of feed additives and host-related factors on bacterial metabolites, mucosal integrity and immune response in the ileum of broilers
Authors: Duangnumsawang Yada , Zentek Jürgen , Vahjen Wilfried , Tarradas Joan , Boroojeni Farshad Goodarzi 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe present study aimed to investigate the effect of age, breed, and sex of broilers, as well as a probiotic or phytobiotic product on mucosal morphology, bacterial metabolites, and immune traits in the ileum of broilers. A total of 2,880 one-day-old male and female broiler chicks from two breeds (Ross308® and Cobb500®) were randomly assigned to 72 pens. Broilers were offered a wheat-soybean diet without (CO), or with either a probiotic (PO; 2.4 × 109 CFU/kg of Bacillus subtilis DSM32324 and DSM32325 and B. amyloliquefaciens DSM25840) or a phytobiotic (PY; grape extract, 165 ppm procyanidin and 585 ppm polyphenols of the diet) product. The trial was conducted with a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of diet, breed, and sex in a completely randomized design (6 replicate-pens per treatment). At day 7, 21, and 35, one chicken per pen was slaughtered for collecting ileal tissue to evaluate of histomorphology and mRNA expression, as well as ileal digesta to measure bacterial metabolites. Data were subjected to ANOVA (the main factors; age, diet, breed, and sex) and Four-Way ANOVA (interactions) using GLM procedure. Overall, the concentration of acetate and total short chain fatty acids reached the peak and lactate decreased to its lowest on day 21, but their concentrations at day 7 and 35 were similar (p > 0.05). Spermine, spermidine, and ammonia decreased after day 7, while putrescine and cadaverine increased after day 21 (p < 0.05). mRNA expression of cytokines, mucin 2 (MUC2) and claudin 5 (CLDN5) was similar; increased from day 7 to 21 and decreased afterward (p < 0.05). Villus height, crypt depth and villus surface area increased with age (p < 0.05). Acidic goblet cells (GC) number and density increased after day 21 (p < 0.05). Ross broilers showed higher D-lactate concentration and IFN-γ expression, while Cobb broilers had greater IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α expression and higher total GC number (p < 0.05). Female displayed higher villus height and GC number and density (mixed and total GC) than male (p < 0.05). The effect of dietary treatment was not found on any investigated variables (p > 0.05). In conclusion, aging of broilers affected ileal histomorphology, cytokine expression, and barrier integrity, as well as bacterial activity. These observed impacts could be attributed to host-microbiota interaction and the direct effects of bacterial metabolites on intestinal cells and immune system.
Estimation of glycemic index in a dietary formulation targeted to support enteral and oral nutritional needs
Authors: Bhoite Rachana , Shobana Shanmugam , Pratti Varalakshmi Lalithya , Satyavrat Vinita , Gayathri Rajagopal , Anjana Ranjit Mohan , Mohan Viswanathan 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Background
Enteral nutrition (EN) is the preferred method to extend nutritional support and mitigate the chances of malnutrition in patients who are critically ill. In these patients, the risk of hyperglycemia is high and can result in poor clinical outcomes and delayed recovery. Hence, estimation of the glycemic index (GI) of supplements used in EN becomes important to reduce all such risks.

Objective
To estimate the GI of a nutritional supplement formulated for critically ill patients during hospitalization and after recovery.

Methods
Ten healthy participants (mean age: 25 years; mean body mass index: 21 kg/m2) were included in the study. The test food was a high protein energy dense supplement, that derived 25 g of available carbohydrates which was fed to all the participants. The reference food used was 27.5 g of glucose monohydrate drink. Capillary blood glucose was measured at fasting (0 min) and at an interval of 15 min till 120 min, after consuming the reference and test food, for estimating the GI. Glycemic index values were computed by using the method suggested by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the the World Health Organization (WHO).

Results
The mean GI of the test food was 39 ± 3 when calculated using the internationally recognized GI protocol.

Conclusion
The GI of the test food was found to be in the category of low GI.
Emerging Neurotechnologies: Implications for Professional Relations and Communication
Authors: Suresh Hrishikesh , Warsi Nebras M. , Sankar Tejas , Ibrahim George M. 
Published: May 2023

ABSTRACT:Rapid advances in neurotechnology and neurosurgery are positioned to revolutionize care for patients suffering from debilitating neurological and psychiatric disease. Enthusiasm for the adoption of these technologies is tempered by ethical dilemmas regarding resource allocation, provision of care, communication with patients and other providers, and other potential pitfalls. In the present work, we discuss bioethical implications of novel neurotechnologies for medical practice. In particular, we examine the implications of neurotechnological advancement through the lens of professional communication. Emerging challenges within this domain are presented in the context of physician interactions with four key partners: (i) patients; (ii) other physicians; (iii) industry; and (iv) society-at-large. Anticipated issues as well as mitigation strategies are discussed as they relate to communication with these stakeholders.
Placebo Effects and Neuromodulation: Ethical Considerations and Recommendations
Authors: Mollica Adriano , Greben Rachel , Cyr Marieve , Olson Jay A. , Burke Matthew J. 
Published: May 2023

ABSTRACT:Placebo-controlled trials are the gold standard of evaluating treatment efficacy in clinical research. Neuromodulation is emerging as an important treatment pathway for many neuropsychiatric conditions, and placebo control arms of these trials require careful design with unique considerations (e.g., sham devices that mimic active stimulation, blinding effectiveness). Inherent to placebo-controlled trials are ethical concerns, such as deception, and potential harm of not receiving the active treatment. In this article, we outline important ethical considerations of placebo-controlled trials across neuromodulation approaches and provide recommendations on how ethical principles can be adhered to going forward. We specifically address issues of autonomy and respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Within the context of this ethical framework, we also discuss factors influencing placebo effects in neuromodulation, the importance of adequate blinding, and alternative trial designs that could be considered.
Patient Safety in Canadian Epilepsy Monitoring Units: A Survey of Current Practices
Authors: Nguyen Emmanuelle , Li Jimmy , Nguyen Dang Khoa , Bou Assi Elie 
Published: May 2023

ABSTRACT:Background:Guidelines on epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) standards have been recently published. We aimed to survey Canadian EMUs to describe the landscape of safety practices and compare these to the recommendations from the new guidelines.Methods:A 34-item survey was created by compiling questions on EMU structure, patient monitoring, equipment, personnel, standardized protocol use, and use of injury prevention tools. The questionnaire was distributed online to 24 Canadian hospital centers performing video-EEG monitoring (VEM) in EMUs. Responses were tabulated and descriptively summarized.Results:In total, 26 EMUs responded (100% response rate), 50% of which were adult EMUs. EMUs were on average active for 23.4 years and had on average 3.6 beds. About 81% of respondents reported having a dedicated area for VEM, and 65% reported having designated EMU beds. Although a video monitoring station was available in 96% of EMUs, only 48% of EMUs provided continuous observation of patients (video and/or physical). A total of 65% of EMUs employed continuous heart monitoring. The technologist-to-patient ratio was 1:1–2 in 52% of EMUs during the day. No technologist supervision was most often reported in the evening and at night. Nurse-to-EMU-patient ratio was mostly 1:1–4 independent of the time of day. Consent forms were required before admission in 27% of EMUs.Conclusion:Canadian EMUs performed decently in terms of there being dedicated space for VEM, continuous heart monitoring, and adequate nurse-to-patient ratios. Other practices were quite variable, and adjustments should be made on a case-by-case basis to adhere to the latest guidelines.
Change of government and interest groups' preference attainment on the formulation of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP): from Conte to Draghi
Authors: Pritoni Andrea , Bitonti Alberto , Montalbano Giuseppe 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis article focuses on how the 20 main Italian interest groups evaluated the contents of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). In comparing its two versions (Conte Draft and Draghi Plan), we want to understand whether the change of government impacted on the contents of the NRRP and, in turn, on interest groups' preference attainment. To do so, we coded around 800 public statements following a multi-media approach. Interest groups' general appraisal for the NRRP grew with the change of government, while business groups greatly increased their degree of preference attainment. This within-case longitudinal comparison assesses the importance of governments' partisan composition to account for interest groups' success in the policymaking.
The cognate facilitation effect on lexical access in bilingual aphasia: Evidence from the Boston Naming Test
Authors: Marte Manuel Jose , Peñaloza Claudia , Kiran Swathi 
Published: May 2023

AbstractMost cognate research suggests facilitation effects in picture naming, but how these effects manifest in bilinguals after brain damage remains unclear. Additionally, whether this effect is captured in clinical measures is largely unknown. Using data from the Boston Naming Test, we examined the naming of cognates and noncognates, the extent of cognate facilitation produced, and the individual differences in bilingual language experience associated with naming outcomes in forty Spanish–English bilingual persons with aphasia (BPWA) relative to thirty-one Spanish–English healthy bilinguals (HB). Results suggest that naming performance in L1 and L2 in both groups is modulated by lexical frequency, bilingual language experience, and by language impairment in BPWA. Although the two groups showed similarities, they deviated in benefit drawn from the extent of phoneme/grapheme overlap in cognate items. HB showed an association between cognate facilitation and bilingual language experience, while cognate facilitation in BPWA was only associated with L2 language impairment.
Erfassung grafomotorischer Fähigkeiten im schulischen Kontext
Authors: Maurer Michelle N. , Wyss Judith Sägesser , Truxius Lidia , Eckhart Michael 
Published: May 2023

Zusammenfassung: Grafomotorische Fähigkeiten sind zentral für das Erlernen einer leserlichen und automatisierten Handschrift und für schulischen Erfolg. Mit dem grafomotorischen Screening GRAFOS 1 ( Sägesser & Eckhart, 2016 ) können die zentralen Prädiktoren der Grafomotorik – visuomotorische Integration und Feinmotorik – anhand der Genauigkeit, mit der geometrische Formen abgezeichnet werden, erfasst werden. Das Ziel war es, das Screening um fünf komplexere Formen zu erweitern. Das Screening soll dadurch einerseits Anwendung finden in der Verlaufsdiagnostik von älteren Kindern, andererseits eine zuverlässige Erfassung interindividueller Unterschiede im gesamten Leistungsspektrum ermöglichen. Anhand einer Stichprobe von N = 474 Kindern im Alter von 6 – 9 Jahren wurden die zentralen Testgütekriterien des erweiterten Screenings untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Schwierigkeit des Screenings erhöht werden konnte und visuo- und feinmotorische Fähigkeiten im gesamten Leistungsspektrum objektiv, reliabel und valide erfasst werden können. Die Identifikation von Kindern mit grafomotorischem Förderbedarf anhand des erweiterten Screenings wird in einer aktuellen Normierung an einer repräsentativen Stichprobe differenziert untersucht.
Woodland Establishment Reduces Nutrient Losses to Waterbodies in Urban Catchments: A Review of the Evidence
Authors: Hutchins Michael G. , Qu Yueming , Baker Henry J. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractSystematic review of peer‐reviewed literature was undertaken to establish benefits of urban forests on reducing nutrient concentrations in adjacent or downstream waterbodies. Following screening, a small number of articles (40) were found relevant, representing studies quantifying non‐point source nutrient losses from urban and peri‐urban environments. Evidence was split between plot‐ and catchment‐scale. Plot‐scale studies often included evaluations of engineered nature‐based solutions. At catchment‐scale, studies of streamwater quality typically investigated influence of contributory catchment nutrient sources. Wide ranges of beneficial reductions were apparent, and at both scales not all studies identified significant benefits. Summarizing against this backdrop, at plot (micro‐) scale woodland reduces mean concentrations in runoff, soil or groundwater by an average of 44.2% for total nitrogen (TN) and 47.0% for total phosphorus (TP). At catchment (meso‐) scale, evidence suggests a 20% areal addition of forest at the expense of mixed urban fabric can reduce mean concentrations by 15.7% and 12.6% for TN and TP respectively. Additionally, some articles reveal potential drawbacks reducing benefits provided specifically by street trees and riparian woodland. Leaf litter falling on impervious surfaces can heighten risk of TP leaching to streams, but has little impact on TN. Riparian woodland was found to have complex water quality impacts. Canopy cover suppresses stream channel biological nitrogen uptake, which based on all evidence appears considerable. However, unshaded headwaters can foster accelerated primary productivity with undesirable downstream consequences. Overall, gathering further evidence is encouraged, given current uncertainties, especially to address differences between impervious, permeable and riparian urban woodland settings.
Metasurface designed with quantitative field distributions
Authors: Wang Shuai , Yang Yuanmu 
Published: May 2023

AbstractA new method for designing metasurfaces has been proposed and demonstrated, which allows for the generation of precise quantitative field distributions. This unique approach involves combining a tandem neural network with an iterative algorithm to optimize the metasurface design, enabling accurate control over the intensity and polarization of the resulting field. This strategy is both efficient and robust and has the potential to accelerate the development of metasurface devices with complex functionalities.
Circulating PACAP levels are associated with increased amygdala-default mode network resting-state connectivity in posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Clancy Kevin J. , Devignes Quentin , Kumar Poornima , May Victor , Hammack Sayamwong E. , Akman Eylül , Casteen Emily J. , Pernia Cameron D. , Jobson Sydney A. , Lewis Michael W. , Daskalakis Nikolaos P. , Carlezon William A. , Ressler Kerry J. , Rauch Scott L. , Rosso Isabelle M. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) system is implicated in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related amygdala-mediated arousal and threat reactivity. PTSD is characterized by increased amygdala reactivity to threat and, more recently, aberrant intrinsic connectivity of the amygdala with large-scale resting state networks, specifically the default mode network (DMN). While the influence of PACAP on amygdala reactivity has been described, its association with intrinsic amygdala connectivity remains unknown. To fill this gap, we examined functional connectivity of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in eighty-nine trauma-exposed adults (69 female) screened for PTSD symptoms to examine the association between blood-borne (circulating) PACAP levels and amygdala-DMN connectivity. Higher circulating PACAP levels were associated with increased amygdala connectivity with posterior DMN regions, including the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/Precun) and left angular gyrus (lANG). Consistent with prior work, this effect was seen in female, but not male, participants and the centromedial, but not basolateral, subregions of the amygdala. Clinical association analyses linked amygdala-PCC/Precun connectivity to anxious arousal symptoms, specifically exaggerated startle response. Taken together, our findings converge with previously demonstrated effects of PACAP on amygdala activity in PTSD-related processes and offer novel evidence for an association between PACAP and intrinsic amygdala connectivity patterns in PTSD. Moreover, these data provide preliminary evidence to motivate future work ascertaining the sex- and subregion-specificity of these effects. Such findings may enable novel mechanistic insights into neural circuit dysfunction in PTSD and how the PACAP system confers risk through a disruption of intrinsic resting-state network dynamics.
TFEB inhibition induces melanoma shut-down by blocking the cell cycle and rewiring metabolism
Authors: Ariano C. , Costanza F. , Akman M. , Riganti C. , Corà D. , Casanova E. , Astanina E. , Comunanza V. , Bussolino F. , Doronzo G. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractMelanomas are characterised by accelerated cell proliferation and metabolic reprogramming resulting from the contemporary dysregulation of the MAPK pathway, glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Here, we suggest that the oncogenic transcription factor EB (TFEB), a key regulator of lysosomal biogenesis and function, controls melanoma tumour growth through a transcriptional programme targeting ERK1/2 activity and glucose, glutamine and cholesterol metabolism. Mechanistically, TFEB binds and negatively regulates the promoter of DUSP-1, which dephosphorylates ERK1/2. In melanoma cells, TFEB silencing correlates with ERK1/2 dephosphorylation at the activation-related p-Thr185 and p-Tyr187 residues. The decreased ERK1/2 activity synergises with TFEB control of CDK4 expression, resulting in cell proliferation blockade. Simultaneously, TFEB rewires metabolism, influencing glycolysis, glucose and glutamine uptake, and cholesterol synthesis. In TFEB-silenced melanoma cells, cholesterol synthesis is impaired, and the uptake of glucose and glutamine is inhibited, leading to a reduction in glycolysis, glutaminolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, the reduction in TFEB level induces reverses TCA cycle, leading to fatty acid production. A syngeneic BRAFV600E melanoma model recapitulated the in vitro study results, showing that TFEB silencing sustains the reduction in tumour growth, increase in DUSP-1 level and inhibition of ERK1/2 action, suggesting a pivotal role for TFEB in maintaining proliferative melanoma cell behaviour and the operational metabolic pathways necessary for meeting the high energy demands of melanoma cells.
Sibling competition, dispersal and fitness outcomes in humans
Authors: Nitsch Aïda , Faurie Charlotte , Lummaa Virpi 
Published: May 2023

AbstractDetermining how sibling interactions alter the fitness outcomes of dispersal is pivotal for the understanding of family living, but such studies are currently scarce. Using a large demographic dataset on pre-industrial humans from Finland, we studied dispersal consequences on different indicators of lifetime reproductive success according to sex-specific birth rank (a strong determinant of dispersal in our population). Contrary to the predictions of the leading hypotheses, we found no support for differential fitness benefits of dispersal for either males or females undergoing low vs. high sibling competition. Our results are inconsistent with both hypotheses that family members could have different fitness maximizing strategies depending on birth rank, and that dispersal could be mainly driven by indirect fitness benefits for philopatric family members. Our study stresses the need for studying the relative outcomes of dispersal at the family level in order to understand the evolution of family living and dispersal behaviour.
Multi-criteria assignment problems for optimising the emergency medical services (EMS), considering non-homogeneous speciality of the emergency departments and EMS crews
Authors: Drabecki Mariusz , Toczyłowski Eugeniusz , Pieńkosz Krzysztof , Honisz Grzegorz , Kułak Klaudia 
Published: May 2023

AbstractDispatching of the EMS crews (ambulances) to awaiting patients and then directing the patients, that are already onboard, to appropriate Emergency Departments (ED), is a nontrivial decision problem. In many emergency medical systems it is handled by the Medical Dispatcher using various strategies—sometimes preferring the closest unit. However, applying a wrong strategy may result in transferring acute-state patients, who require very specialised medical aid, to low-speciality EDs with insufficient treatment capabilities. Then, they would need to be re-transferred to referential units, prolonging substantially the time to receive treatment. In some cases such a delay might make the treatment less effective or even impossible. In this work we propose two multi-criteria mathematical optimisation problems—the first one allows us to calculate the ambulance-to-patient assignment, the second one—to establish the patient-to-hospital assignment. These problems not only take the time-to-support criterion into consideration but also optimise for the speciality of care received by each patient. The ED dispatching problem proposed allows both for direct transfers of patients to referential units and for re-transferring them from non-referential EDs. The performance of the proposed approach is tested in simulations with real-life emergency cases from the NEMSIS data set and compared with classic assignment strategies. The tests showed the proposed approach is able to produce better and more fit-for-purpose dispatching results than other strategies tested. Additionally, we propose a framework for embedding the proposed optimisation problems in the current EMS/ED dispatching process.
Graph matching and deep neural networks based whole heart and great vessel segmentation in congenital heart disease
Authors: Yao Zeyang , Xie Wen , Zhang Jiawei , Yuan Haiyun , Huang Meiping , Shi Yiyu , Xu Xiaowei , Zhuang Jian 
Published: May 2023

AbstractCongenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of mortality among birth defects, and due to significant variations in the whole heart and great vessel, automatic CHD segmentation using CT images has been always under-researched. Even though some segmentation algorithms have been developed in the literature, none perform very well under the complex structure of CHD. To deal with the challenges, we take advantage of deep learning in processing regular structures and graph algorithms in dealing with large variations and propose a framework combining both the whole heart and great vessel segmentation in complex CHD. We benefit from deep learning in segmenting the four chambers and myocardium based on the blood pool, and then we extract the connection information and apply graph matching to determine the categories of all the vessels. Experimental results on 68 3D CT images covering 14 types of CHD illustrate our framework can increase the Dice score by 12% on average compared with the state-of-the-art whole heart and great vessel segmentation method in normal anatomy. We further introduce two cardiovascular imaging specialists to evaluate our results in the standard of the Van Praagh classification system, and achieves well performance in clinical evaluation. All these results may pave the way for the clinical use of our method in the incoming future.