bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel high performance metagenome-derived alkali-thermostable endo-β-1,4-glucanase for lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysis in the harsh conditions
Authors: Ariaeenejad Shohreh , Sheykhabdolahzadeh Atefeh , Maleki Morteza , Kavousi Kaveh , Shahraki Mehdi Foroozandeh , Salekdeh Ghasem Hosseini
Published: February 2020

Background: Lignocellulosic biomass, is a great resource for the production of bio-energy and bio-based material since it is largely abundant, inexpensive and renewable. The requirement of new energy sources has led to a wide search for novel effective enzymes to improve the exploitation of lignocellulose, among which the importance of thermostable and halotolerant cellulase enzymes with high pH performance is significant. Results: The primary aim of this study was to discover a novel alkali-thermostable endo-β-1,4-glucanase from the sheep rumen metagenome. Using a multi-step in-silico analysis, primary candidates with desired properties were found and subjected to cloning, expression, and purification followed by functional and structural characterization. The enzymes' kinetic parameters, including V max , Km, and specific activity, were calculated. The PersiCel4 demonstrated its optimum activity at pH 8.5 and a temperature of 85°C and was able to retain more than 70% of its activity after 150 hours of storage at 85°C. Furthermore, this enzyme was able to maintain its catalytic activity in the presence of different concentrations of NaCl, MgCl 2 , CaCl 2 , and MnCl 2 . Our results showed that treatment with MnCl 2 could enhance the enzyme’s activity by 89%. PersiCel4 was ultimately used for enzymatic hydrolysis of autoclave pretreated rice straw, the most abundant agricultural waste with rich cellulose content. In autoclave treated rice straw, enzymatic hydrolysis with the PersiCel4 increased the release of reducing sugar up to 260% after 72 hours in the harsh condition ( T= 85°C, pH = 8.5). Conclusion: Considering the urgent demand for stable cellulases that are operational on extreme temperature and pH conditions and due to several proposed distinctive characteristics of PersiCel4, it can be used in the harsh condition for bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass.
Prevalence Of Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization In Patients For Total Joint Arthroplasty In South Africa
Authors: Pietrzak Jurek Rafal Tomasz , Maharaj Zia , Mokete Lipalo
Published: February 2020

Background: Periprosthetic joint infections are a major source of morbidity and mortality for patients undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty. Staphylococcus aureus colonization is an independent, modifiable risk factor for periprosthetic joint infections. Post-operative infections are reported to be ten times greater in Staphylococcus aureus carriers than in non-carriers in developed countries though recorded data is lacking for the developing world. This study aims to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in patients awaiting Total Joint Arthroplasty in South Africa. Methods: We prospectively assessed 119 patients awaiting Total Knee Arthroplasty and Total Hip Arthroplasty between May and October 2016. We screened three separate anatomical sites on each patient for Staphylococcus aureus. Patients with positive cultures were treated with intranasal mupirocin ointment and chlorhexidine body wash. Univariate and comparative statistical analyses to determine risk factors for colonization was conducted using t-tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and chi square analyses. Results: The overall prevalence of Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus colonization was 31.9% (n = 38). There were no patients colonized with Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Nasal swabs returned a yield of 81.6%(n=31), with groin swabs and axillary swabs at 39.5% (n=15) and 28.9% (n=11) respectively. Eradication was successful in 94.74% (n=36) after five days treatment. All patients (100%) were decolonized after counseling and repeat eradication treatment. The overall complication rate was 7.6% (n=9). The 30-day readmission rate in the Staphylococcus aureus -colonized group was 7.9% (n=3) as opposed to 7.4% (n=6) in the non-colonized cohort. There were no 60- and 90-day readmissions and no cases were revised at a mean follow-up of 2.26 years. Conclusions: The rate of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in patients undergoing elective Total Joint Arthroplasty in a developing country was 31.9% and is equivalent to reported rates in developed countries. Eradication treatment with combined intranasal mupirocin ointment and chlorhexidine body wash is a successful treatment modality. A larger cohort of patients is recommended to determine risk factors and post-operative septic sequelae in this population group.
Predictive value of lymphocyte ratio and CRP level for early detection of surgical site infection following lumbar spinal surgery
Authors: wei wenbo , Dang Shajie , Duan Dapeng , Gong Liqun , Wang Jue , Wei Ling
Published: February 2020

Objective To investigate the predictive value of laboratory predictors, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), white blood cell (WBC) count, and WBC differential count, for the early diagnosis of surgical site infection (SSI) after lumbar spinal surgery. We also sought to determine the diagnostic thresholds for these markers. Methods A total of 112 patients participated in the study: 11 patients who developed SSI after lumbar spinal surgery (SSI group) and 91 non-SSI patients as controls (non-SSI group). White blood cell (WBC) count, WBC differential count, CRP level, and ESR were determined 1 day before surgery and on postoperative day (POD) 1, POD3, and POD7. The diagnostic thresholds for these markers were determined with the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results CRP, ESR, and WBC were significantly higher in the SSI group than in the non-SSI group on POD3 and POD7 ( P < 0.05). The lymphocyte ratio was significantly lower in the SSI group, compared with the non-SSI group, on POD3 ( P < 0.05). Analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that lymphocyte ratio < 11.5% on POD3 (sensitivity 90.9%, specificity 75.4%, area under the curve [AUC] 0.919), and C-reactive protein level > 26 mg/dL on POD7 (sensitivity 90.9%, specificity 87.7%, area under the curve [AUC] 0.954) were significant laboratory predictors for the early detection of SSI. Conclusion Lymphocyte ratio < 11.5% on POD3 and CRP levels > 26.5 mg/dL on POD7 are reliable predictors for SSI after lumbar spinal surgery.
Favorable efficacy of rituximab in ANCA-associated vasculitis patients with excessive B cell differentiation
Authors: Miyazaki Yusuke , Nakayamada Shingo , Kubo Satoshi , Ishikawa Yuichi , Yoshikawa Maiko , Sakata Kei , Iwata Shigeru , Miyagawa Ippei , Nakano Kazuhisa , Tanaka Yoshiya
Published: February 2020

Objectives: B-cell depletion by rituximab (RTX) is an effective treatment for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). However, peripheral B cell phenotypes and the selection criteria for RTX therapy in AAV remain unclear.Methods: Phenotypic characterization of circulating B cells was performed by 8-color flow cytometric analysis in 54 newly diagnosed AAV patients (20 granulomatosis with polyangiitis and 34 microscopic polyangiitis). Patients were considered eligible to receive intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse (IV-CY) or RTX. All patients also received high-dose glucocorticoids (GC). We assessed circulating B cell phenotypes and evaluated the efficacy after 6 months of treatment. Results: There were no significant differences in the rate of clinical improvement, relapses, or serious adverse events between patients receiving RTX and IV-CY. The proportion of effector or class-switched memory B cells increased in 24 out of 54 patients (44%). The proportions of peripheral T and B cell phenotypes did not correlate with BVAS at baseline. However, among peripheral B cells, the proportion of class-switched memory B cells negatively correlated with the rate of improvement in BVAS at 6 months after treatment initiation (r = -0.28, p = 0.04). Patients with excessive B cell differentiation were defined as those in whom the proportion of class-switched memory B cells or IgD-CD- B cells among all B cells was >2 SDs higher than the mean in the HCs. The rate of Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) remission in patients with excessive B cell differentiation was significantly lower than that in patients without. In patients with excessive B cell differentiation, the survival rate, the rate of BVAS remission, and dose reduction of GC were significantly improved in the RTX group compared to those in the IV-CY group after 6 months of treatment. Conclusions: The presence of excessive B cell differentiation was associated with treatment resistance. However, in patients with circulating B cell abnormality, RTX was effective and increased survival compared to IV-CY. The results suggest that multi-color flow cytometry may be useful to determine the selection criteria for RTX therapy in AAV patients.
Sickle cell disease in Sri Lanka: Clinical and molecular basis and the unanswered questions about disease severeity.
Authors: Darshana Thamal , Bandara Dayananda , Nawarathne Upul , de Silva Udaya , Costa Yasinta , Pushpakumara Kalavitigoda , Pathirage Sumithra , Basnayake Seuwandi , Epa Chamila , Dilrukshi Pradeepa , Wijayawardena Maheshaka , Anthony Angela A. , Rodrigo Rexan , Manamperi Aresha , Smith Frances , Allen Angela , Menzel Stephan , Rees David , Premawardhena Anuja
Published: February 2020

Background Though case reports and limited case series of Sickle cell disease in Sri Lanka have been reported previously, no attempt has been made hitherto to undertake a comprehensive genotypic-phenotypic analysis of this “rare” group of patients.Results All accessible Sickle cell disease patients, totaling 60, including, 51 Sickle β-thalassaemia and 9 homozygous sickle patients were enrolled from seven thalassaemia treatment centres between December 2016 - March 2019. The majority of patients were of Sinhalese ethnicity (n=52, 86.67%). Geographically, two prominent clusters were identified and the distribution of Sickle haemoglobin in the island contrasted markedly with the other haemoglobinopathies. 3/ 9 homozygous sickle patients and 3/ 51 Sickle β-thalassaemia patients were receiving regular transfusion. Joint pain was the commonest clinical presentation among all sickle cell disease patients (n=39, 65.0%). Dactylitis was significantly more common in homozygous sickle patients compared with the Sickle β-thalassaemia group ( p 0.034). Two genetic backgrounds sickle mutation were identified namely, Arab Indian and Benin. Among the regulators of Foetal hemoglobin in Sickle patients of the present study rs1427407 G>T seemed to be the most prominent modifier, with a significant association with Foetal haemoglobin levels ( p 0.04).Conclusions Overall, the clinical course of the Asian version of Sickle cell disease in Sri Lanka appears to be milder than that described in India.
Multidrug resistant tuberculosis conversion rate after initiation on standardised short regimen: Retrospective study
Authors: Somfongo Nomawethu , Mupindu Wiseman , mangi nozuko
Published: February 2020

Background Multi Drug Resistance (MDR) Tuberculosis (TB) is a global risk. Several suboptimal results were noticed which resulted to introduction of a standardised short regimen of 9-12 to optimise favourable outcomes. This new intervention has not been evaluated for effectiveness since inception in the Eastern Cape Province. Objective: T o evaluate multidrug resistant tuberculosis conversion rate following initiation on short regimen. Methods A retrospective study using a descriptive design was used to collect data from conveniently sampled 71 documents at Nkqubela TB and Duncan Village Day hospitals. Data were collected using a self-designed structured questionnaire and analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24. Results Sixteen percent (n=19) of 71 records had no consecutive smear results. Demographic findings showed that the majority of the affected age group was between the ages of 36-45 years in both genders (34.7%, n=47) with males being highly affected more than females. The majority of participants were unemployed (51.7%), people living with HIV/AIDS (62.7%), use alcohol and smoking. Conversion rate was 68, 5%. Conclusion There is a need to review EDR web to accommodate sputum results irrespective of TB treatment start date. An extensive, ongoing counselling, support and health education needs to be provided for patients and families until the completion of treatment to emphasize the importance of monthly sputum collection and importance of treatment adherence. Clinicians need to strengthen their counselling and education skills. The introduction of short regimen to treat MDR has shown an improved sputum conversion rate in RR/MDR TB.
Health information systems in developing countries: Case of African countries
Authors: KOUMAMBA Aimé Patrice , BISVIGOU Ulrick Jolhy , NGOUNGOU Edgard Brice , DIALLO Gayo
Published: February 2020

Background: In developing countries, health information systems (HIS) is experiencing more and more difficult to produce quality data. The lack of reliable health information makes it difficult to develop effective health policies. In order to understand the organization of HIS in African countries, we undertook a literature review.Methods: Our study was conducted using the PubMed and Scopus bibliographic search engines. Our inclusion criteria were: (i) all articles published between 2005 and 2019, (ii) including in their titles the keywords "health", "information", "systems", "system", "africa", "developing countries", "santé", "pays en développement", "Afrique", (iii) written in English and French, (iv) dealing with organizational and technical issues of HIS in African countries.Results: Fourteen articles out of 2492 retrieved were included in the study, of which 13 (92.9%) were qualitative. All of them dealt with issues related to HIS in 12 African countries. All 12 countries (100.0%) had opted for a data warehouse approach to improve their HIS. This approach, supported by the DHIS2 application, had provided them with reliable data. However, 11 of the 12 countries (92.0%) were aligned with donor strategies and lacked a national strategy. Conclusion: This study helped us to understand that the lack of a national health information management strategy will always be a threat to HIS performance in African countries. Ideally, rigorous upstream thinking to strengthen HIS governance should be undertaken by defining and proposing a coherent conceptual framework to analyze and guide the development and integration of digital applications into HIS over the long term.
Best practice guidelines for management of spinal disorders in skeletal dysplasia
Authors: White Klane , Bober Michael B , Cho Tae-Joon , Goldberg Michael J , Hoover-Fong Julie , Irving Melita , Kamps Shawn , Mackenzie William G , Raggio Cathleen , Spencer Samantha S , Bompadre Viviana , Savarirayan Ravi
Published: February 2020

Background: Disorders of the spine present a common and difficult management concern in patients with skeletal dysplasia. Due to the rarity of these conditions however, the literature, largely consisting of small, single institution case series, is sparse in regard to well-designed studies to support clinical decision making in these situations. Methods: Using the Delphi method, an international, multi-disciplinary group of individuals, with significant experience in the care of patients with skeletal dysplasia, convened to develop multi-disciplinary, “best practice” guidelines in the care of spinal disorders in patients with skeletal dysplasia. Results: Starting with 33 statements, the group a developed a list of 31 “best practice” guidelines. Conclusions: The guidelines are presented and discussed to provide context for clinicians in their decision making in this often-challenging realm of care.
Transit Time and Recovery in Prehospital Emergency Care: Meta-analysis
Authors: fu xing , Wilson Philip , Chung Wing Sun Faith
Published: February 2020

Background: People living in rural areas usually suffer comparatively disadvantaged emergency health care than those living in urban areas, reasons including long transit time due to geographic factors. Implementation of technology is suggested to improve the access to medical care for the rural population, such as remotely-supported ultrasound and satellite/cellular communications. Methods: Screening of eligible studies were conducted based on inclusion an exclusion criteria. A comprehensive search was conducted by using following database: EMBASE, Medline, Cochrane library and Scopus. Quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional study is used for assessing the risk of bias. Transit time was mostly classified into two-stage time symptom onset-balloon time and door-balloon time. In symptom onset-balloon time, we divided into short time group and long time group in our study. The time group were defined based on the median or mean transit time among patients and we also used same way to set up time groups among door-balloon time. The collected data were used for quantitative analysis, they were inputted into Review Manager Software (v5.3) to produce summary results. Results: Ten studies representing 71099 patients were included in the meta-analysis. All studies were retrospective and prospective observational studies and RCTs in which patients experienced ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Combined in meta-analysis the odds ratio for mortality in onset-balloon and door-balloon time was 0.82 (CI 0.70, 0.96) and 0.62 (CI 0.53, 0.74) respectively. The forest plot of both onset-balloon time and door-balloon time showed a moderate heterogeneity, with I2 = 31%, P =0.18 and I2 = 67%, P <0.05 respectively. Conclusion: Results from Meta-analysis report less mortality in shorter transit time than that in longer transit time. The demographic characteristics and the sample size of the difference between the long time and short time groups may be the reasons for heterogeneity. The result of the review may potentially support the application of remotely-supported ultrasound and satellite/cellular in prehospital emergency for better health outcome in long transit time.
Enrichment differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into sinoatrial node-like cells by combined modulation of BMP, FGF and RA signaling pathways
Authors: Liu Feng , Fang YiBing , Hou XiaoJie , Yan Ying , Xiao HaiYing , Zuo DongChuan , Wen Jing , Wang LinLi , Dang XiTong , Zhou Rui , Liao Bin
Published: February 2020

Background : Biological pacemakers derived from pluripotent stem cell (PSC) have been considered as a potential therapeutic surrogate for sick sinus syndrome. So it’s essential to develop high efficient strategies for enrichment of sinoatrial node-like cells (SANLC) as seed cells for biological pacemakers. It has reported that BMP, FGF and RA signaling pathways were involved specification of different cardiomyocyte subtypes, pacemaker, ventricle, and atria cells. Methods : During the differentiation process from human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) to cardiomyocyte through small molecule based temporal modulation of the Wnt signaling pathway, signaling of BMP, FGF and RA was manipulated at cardiac mesoderm stage. The methods of qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and whole cell patch clamp were used to identify the SANLC.Results : qRT-PCR results showed that manipulating each one of BMP, FGF and RA signaling was effective for the upregulation of SANLC markers. Moreover, combined modulation of such three pathways displayed the best efficiency for the expression of SANLC markers, which was further confirmed at protein level using immunofluorescence, flow cytometry. Finally, the electrophysiological characteristics of induced SANLC were verified by patch clamp method. Conclusion : An efficient transgene-independent differentiation protocol for generating SANLC from hPSC was developed, in which combined modulating BMP, FGF and RA signaling at cardiac mesoderm stage generates SANLC at high efficiency. It may serve as a potential approach for biological pacemaker construction.
Wavelength-Proportional Interpolation and Extrapolation of Virtual Microphone for Underdetermined Speech Enhancement
Authors: Jinzai Ryoga , Yamaoka Kouei , Makino Shoji , Ono Nobutaka , Matsumoto Mitsuo , Yamada Takeshi
Published: February 2020

We previously proposed the virtual microphone technique to improve speech enhancement performance in underdetermined situations, in which the number of channels is virtually increased by estimating extra microphone signals at arbitrary positions along the straight line formed by real microphones.
The effectiveness of the interpolation of virtual microphone signals for speech enhancement was experimentally confirmed.
In this work, we apply the extrapolation of a virtual microphone as preprocessing of the maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) beamformer and compare its speech enhancement performance with that of using the interpolation of a virtual microphone.
Furthermore, we aim to improve speech enhancement performance by solving a trade-off relationship between performance at low and high frequencies, which can be controlled by adjusting the microphone interval.
We propose a new arrangement where a virtual microphone is placed at a distance from the reference real microphone proportional to the wavelength at each frequency.
From the results of our experiment in an underdetermined situation, we confirmed speech enhancement performance using the extrapolation of a virtual microphone is higher than that of using the interpolation of a virtual microphone.
Moreover, the proposed wavelength-proportional interpolation and extrapolation method improves speech enhancement performance compared with the interpolation and extrapolation.
Furthermore, we present the directivity patterns of a spatial filter and confirmed the behavior that improves speech enhancement performance.
Evaluation of Buccal Damage Associated with Acute Inhalation Exposure to 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D) in Mice
Authors: Parizi José Luiz Santos , Tolardo Amanda Jodas , Lisboa Ana Carolina Gomes , Barravieira Bruna , Mello Fabíola de Azevedo , Rossi Renata Calciolari , Nai Gisele Alborghetti
Published: February 2020

Background: The herbicide dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is one of the most widely used crop spraying products in the world. Some pesticides induce the degranulation of mast cells and increase allergic responses. This is the first study to evaluate the damage to the oral mucosa after an experimental simulation of environmental inhalation exposure to the 2,4-D herbicide. The aim of this study was evaluate the possible oral damage caused by acute inhalation exposure to the herbicide 2,4-D.Methods: A total of 80 Swiss male mice were divided into 4 groups (n = 20) and evaluated at different time intervals (24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 8 days), with 5 animals / period. The animals were divided into the following groups: SG: nebulization with sodium chloride solution; LCG: pesticide nebulization with 3.71 x 10-3 grams of active ingredient per hectare (g.i.a. / ha); MCG: pesticide nebulization with 6.19 x 10-3 g.i.a. /ha; and HCG: pesticide nebulization with 9.28 x 10-3 g.i.a. /ha. The tongues of the mice were collected for histopathological analysis.Results: There was a difference between the exposure concentrations in relation to tissue congestion intensity (p = 0.002) and mast cell counts (p = 0.002), a difference in the evaluation of the interaction between the exposure concentrations and nebulization time in the dorsum epithelium thickness (p = 0.013), and a significant correlation between the epithelial thickness and the number of nucleoli organizing regions on the dorsum of the tongue (p = 0.048).Conclusions: Even after acute exposure, the herbicide 2,4-D had the potential to damage the oral epithelium, especially at higher doses.
External validation of the Simplified PADUA REnal (SPARE) nephrometry system in predicting surgical outcomes after partial nephrectomy
Authors: Huang Chi-Ping , Chang Chao-Hsiang , Wu Hsi-Chin , Yang Che-Rei , Hsieh Po-Fan , Chen Guang-Heng , Hsiao Po-Jen , Chang Yi-Huei , Wang Yu-Ping , Wang Yu-De
Published: February 2020

BackgroundPentafecta is a major goal in the era of partial nephrectomy (PN). Simplified PADUA REnal (SPARE) nephrometry system was developed to evaluate the complexity of tumor. However, the predictive ability in pentafecta of SPARE system is yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to externally validate the applicability of SPARE nephrometry system in predicting pentafecta achievement after partial nephrectomy, and to examine inter-observer concordance.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed data of 207 consecutive patients who underwent PN between January 2012 and August 2018 at a tertiary referral center. We obtained SPARE, R.E.N.A.L., and PADUA scores and evaluated correlations among the nephrometries and surgical outcomes including pentafecta by Spearman test. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of pentafecta outcomes. We compared the nephrometries to determine the predictive ability of achieving pentafecta using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Fleiss’ generalized kappa was used to assessed interobserver variation in the SPARE system.ResultsBased on the SPARE system, 120, 74, and 13 patients were stratified into low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively. Regarding the individual components of pentafecta, there were significant differences in the complication rate (p=0.03), ischemia time (p<0.001), and percent change of eGFR (p<0.001) among the three risk groups. In addition, higher tumor complexity was significantly associated with a lower achievement rate of pentafecta (p=0.01). In Spearman correlation tests, SPARE nephrometry was correlated with ischemia time (ρ:0.37, p<0.001), operative time (ρ:0.28, p<0.001), complication rate (ρ:0.34, p<0.001), percent change of eGFR (ρ:0.34, p<0.001), and progression of chronic kidney disease stage (ρ:0.17, p=0.02). Multivariate analysis revealed that SPARE significantly affected pentafecta (OR: 0.66, p=0.004). In ROC curve analysis, SPARE showed fair predictive ability in the achievement pentafecta (AUC: 0.73). The predictive ability of pentafecta was similar between nephrometries (SPARE vs. R.E.N.A.L., p=0.92; SPARE vs. PADUA, p=0.57). The interobserver concordance of SPARE was excellent (Kappa: 0.82, p=0.03).ConclusionsSPARE system was a predictive factor of surgical outcomes after PN. This refined nephrometry had similar predictive abilities for pentafecta achievement compared with R.E.N.A.L. and PADUA.
The learning experiences and outcomes of medical students in a longitudinal integrated clerkship and traditional block rotations in Taiwan: a comparative and qualitative study
Authors: Chang Yaw-Wen , Fang Wen-Hui , Tzeng Wen-Chii , Chu Pauling , Kao Senyeong
Published: February 2020

Background An increasing number of medical schools worldwide are implementing longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs), but few schools in East Asia have done the same. The study explored and compared learning experiences and academic performances of LIC and traditional block rotation (TBR) students at a metropolitan tertiary teaching hospital in Taiwan.Methods This study employed qualitative and quantitative methods. We used semi-structured interviews to explore the learning experience of the medical students in their fifth-year clerkship and analyzed the data with a general inductive approach. We also compared the students’ academic performance, including the scores of their clinical performance, medical record writing, written tests, and the objective structured clinical exam.Results There were 12 LIC and 14 TBR students who participated in interviews. We identified four major themes in their learning experiences. (1) Clinical learning: the importance of active learning, the difference between textbook knowledge and clinical practice, and opportunistic (TBR) versus contextual (LIC) learning. (2) With patients: companionship with patients (TBR and LIC) and bridging the gap between physicians and patients (LIC). (3) With preceptors: apprenticeship (for LIC) and difficulty communicating with preceptors (for TBR). (4) Doctor-patient relationship: interaction and communication. Comparing the learning outcomes, the LIC students scored higher on preceptor-rated assessments, and both groups exhibited comparable performance on written tests and the objective structured clinical examination.Conclusion Although students’ learning experience differed in some respects according to their curricula, they had a comparable academic performance.
Dynamics of hot Bose-Einstein condensates: stochastic Ehrenfest relations for number and energy damping
Authors: McDonald Rob G. , Barnett Peter S. , Atayee Fradom , Bradley Ashton
Published: February 2020

Describing partially-condensed Bose gases poses a long-standing theoretical challenge.
We present exact stochastic Ehrenfest relations for the stochastic projected Gross-Pitaevskii equation, including both number and energy damping mechanisms, and all projector terms that arise from the energy cutoff separating system from reservoir. We test the theory by applying it to the center of mass fluctuations of a harmonically trapped prolate system, finding close agreement between c-field simulations and analytical results.
The formalism lays the foundation to analytically explore experimentally accessible hot Bose-Einstein condensates.
Aksiologi Religiusitas Islam pada Falsafah Hidup Ulun Lampung
Authors: Baharudin M , Luthfan Muhammad Aqil
Published: February 2020

Penelitian ini mengkaji dasar-dasar falsafah hidup Ulun Lampung, korelasinya dengan nilai keagamaan dalam Islam, dan hirarkinya dalam teori nilai. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dalam bidang filsafat. Populasi penelitian ini adalah akademisi UIN Raden Intan Lampung, dalam pengambilan sampel dengan metode purposive sampling. Pengumpulan data diperoleh dari wawancara mendalam dan data-data pustaka, dan analisis data menggunakan kaidah-kaidah ke filsafatan dan dalam mengambil kesimpulan digunakan metode lingkaran hermeneutika. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa: (1) Falsafah hidup Ulun Lampung sering disebut dengan Piil pesenggiri dan unsur-unsurnya yaitu : (a) Bejuluk Adok, (b) Nemui Nyimah, (c) Nengah Nyapur dan, (d) Sakai Sambayan. (2) Falsafah hidup Ulun Lampung tersebut mengandung nilai filosofi: ketuhanan, kemanusiaan, keadilan, persatuan, kerakyatan, kebijaksanaan. Filosofi tersebut terdapat nilai-nilai yang parallel dengan nilai-nilai relegiusitas Islam yang berakar pada Al-Qur’an dan As Sunnah. (3) Nilai religius Islam yang terdapat pada falsafah hidup Ulun Lampung adalah pada tataran hirarki tertinggi.
Menangkap Dimensi Profan Hukum Pidana Islam dan Relevansinya Bagi Pembangunan Hukum Nasional
Authors: Abdillah Junaidi
Published: February 2020

Kendati secara yuridis-formal keberadaan Hukum Pidana Islam telah menjadi sub-sistem hukum nasional, namun upaya transformasinya masih menjadi isu kontroversial. Diakui, rumusan bentuk-bentuk hukuman dalam pidana Islam hingga saat ini masih menjadi medan perdebatan di kalangan ahli. Hal ini beerimbas pada sulitnya transformasi hukum pidana Islamke dalam Hukum Pidana Nasional. Paper ini hendak mencari jawaban dari pertanyaan: (1) Mengapa eksistensi Hukum Pidana Islam sulit ditransformasikan ke dalam HPN? (2) bagaimana peta perdebatan teori di kalangan ahli tentang Hukum Pidana Islam di Indonesia? Dan (3) bagaimana pendekatan tepat kaitanya dengan basis filosofis dalam transformasi hukum pidana Nasional? Tulisan ini menggunakan pendekatan normatif-filosofis. Penulis menggunakan unsur-unsur metodis umum seperti deduktif-induktif dan refleksi kritis pribadi dalam menganalisis. Pada akhir paper ini dirumuskan beberapa kesimpulan: (1) Terdapat sejumlah variabel yang menjadi hambatan transformasi pidana Islam ke hukum nasional yaitu: budaya, sosial dan problem keilmuan yang belum selesai di kalangan ahli terkait hukuman-hukuman pasti dalam pidana Islam. (2) Secara keilmuan para ahli dalam memandang materi hukum pidana Islam terdiametral dalam dua kutub. Sebagian memandang hukum pidana Islam dengan beberapa bentuk pidanya bersifat pasti dan sakral dengan demikian ia konstan dan sebagian lagi memandang rumusan pidana Islam merupakan entitas yang terbuka dengan pembaruan; (3) Metode yang tepat dalam memformalkan pidana Islam adalah dengan “membangun ulang” rumusan keilmuan pidana Islam yang berkarakterkan keindonesiaan dan pada saat yang sama harus memanfaatkan nalar kritis yang meniscayakan  pelibatan akal publik dan pendekatan multidisipliner sehingga ia menjadi relevan untuk menjadi hukum nasional. 
A combined prediction approach based on wavelet transform for crop water requirement
Authors: Tian Zhongda
Published: February 2020

The accurate prediction of crop water requirement is of great significance for the development of regional agriculture. Based on the wavelet transform, a combined prediction approach for crop water requirement is proposed. Firstly, the Mallat wavelet transform algorithm is used to decompose and reconstruct the crop water requirement series. The approximate and detail components of the original series can be obtained. The characteristics of approximate components and detail components are analyzed by Hurst index. Then, according to the different characteristics of the components, the particle swarm optimization algorithm optimized support vector machine is used to predict the approximate component, and the autoregressive moving average model is used to predict the detail components. Three-fold cross-validation is used to improve the generalization ability of the forecasting model. Finally, combined with the prediction value of each prediction model, the final prediction value of crop water requirement is obtained. The crop water requirement data from 1983 to 2018 in Liaoning Province of China are collected as the research object. The simulation results indicate that the proposed combined prediction approach has high prediction accuracy for crop water requirement. The comparison of performance indicators shows that the root mean square error of the proposed prediction approach reduced by 45.40% to 57.16%, mean absolute error reduced by 32.96% to 52.07%, mean absolute percentile error reduced by 33.02% to 52.37%, relative root mean square error reduced by 45.26% to 57.38%, square sum error reduced by 70.18% to 80.42%, and the Theil inequality coefficient reduced by 59.02% to 80.77%. R square increased by 16.46% to 54.77%, and the index of agreement increased by 3.82% to 23.37%. The results of Pearson's test and the DM test show that the association strength between the actual value and the prediction value of the crop water requirement is stronger. Moreover, the proposed prediction approach in this paper has higher reliability under the same confidence level. The effectiveness of the proposed prediction approach for crop water requirement is verified. The proposed prediction approach has great significance for the rational use of water resources, planning and management, promoting social and economic sustainable development.
A cost-effective IoT strategy for remote deployment of soft sensors – a case study on implementing a soft sensor in a multistage MBBR plant
Authors: Nair A. M. , Hykkerud A. , Ratnaweera H.
Published: February 2020

Model-based soft sensors can enhance online monitoring in wastewater treatment processes. These soft sensor scripts are executed either locally on a programmable logic controller (PLC) or remotely on a system with data-access over the internet. This work presents a cost-effective, flexible, open source IoT solution for remote deployment of a soft sensing algorithm. The system uses low-priced hardware and open-source programming language to set up the communication and remote-access system. Advantages of the new IoT architecture are demonstrated through a case study for remote deployment of an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to estimate additional water quality parameters in a multistage moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) plant. The soft-sensor results are successfully validated against standardised laboratory measurements to prove their ability to provide real-time estimations.
Magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated laccase nanoflowers: evaluation of enzymatic activity and reusability for degradation of malachite green
Authors: Sun Tingting , Fu Meihua , Xing Jinfeng , Ge Zhiqiang
Published: February 2020

Magnetic laccase nanoflowers (MNFs-Lac) were successfully prepared through encapsulating Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles into the interior of laccase nanoflowers by grafting N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA) as an interconnecting bridge between the magnetic nanoparticles and copper ions. The characterizations by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed that MNFs-Lac were spherical, porous and flower-like crystals with diameters of ∼10 μm, and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were encapsulated in the interior of MNFs-Lac evenly. The enzymatic activity and reusability of MNFs-Lac were evaluated based on the degradation efficiency for malachite green (MG). The degradation parameters, concerning initial MG concentration, dosage of MNFs-Lac, reaction temperature, pH value and reaction time, were optimized through single-factor experiments. Under the optimal conditions, 25 mg·L−1 MG can be degraded almost completely by 1.5 g·L−1 MNFs-Lac within 15 min. When the MNFs-Lac were reused for 18 times, the degradation efficiency of MG was still as high as 90%. These results suggested that the modified preparation method improved greatly the reusability of MNFs-Lac, which made them more suitable to degrade MG in a water environment.
Position paper – progress towards standards in integrated (aerobic) MBR modelling
Authors: Brepols C. , Comas J. , Harmand J. , Heran M. , Robles Á. , Rodriguez-Roda I. , Ruano M. V. , Smets I. , Mannina G.
Published: February 2020

Membrane bioreactor (MBR) models are useful tools for both design and management. The system complexity is high due to the involved number of processes which can be clustered in biological and physical ones. Literature studies are present and need to be harmonized in order to gain insights from the different studies and allow system optimization by applying a control. This position paper aims at defining the current state of the art of the main integrated MBR models reported in the literature. On the basis of a modelling review, a standardized terminology is proposed to facilitate the further development and comparison of integrated membrane fouling models for aerobic MBRs.
Precision Medicine Approach in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Assadi Majid , Jokar Narges , Ghasemi Mojtaba , Nabipour Iraj , Gholamrezanezhad Ali , Ahmadzadehfar Hojjat
Published: February 2020

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer and the second cause of death in men worldwide.
Various diagnostic and treatment procedures are available for this type of malignancy, but High-grade or locally
advanced prostate cancers showed the potential to develop to lethal phase that can be causing dead. Therefore,
new approaches are needed to prolong patients’ survival and to improve their quality of life. Precision medicine is
a novel emerging field that plays an essential role in identifying new sub-classifications of diseases and in providing
guidance in treatment that is based on individual multi-omics data. Multi-omics approaches include the use of
genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics and phenomics data to unravel the complexity
of a disease-associated biological network, to predict prognostic biomarkers, and to identify new targeted
drugs for individual cancer patients. We review the impact of multi-omics data in the framework of systems biology
in the era of precision medicine, emphasising the combination of molecular imaging modalities with highthroughput
techniques and the new treatments that target metabolic pathways involved in prostate cancer.
Ruxolitinib Regulates the Autophagy Machinery in Multiple Myeloma Cells
Authors: Kusoglu Alican , Bagca Bakiye G. , Ay Neslihan P.O. , Saydam Guray , Avci Cigir B.
Published: February 2020

Background:

Ruxolitinib is a selective JAK1/2 inhibitor approved by the FDA for myelofibrosis in
2014 and nowadays, comprehensive investigations on the potential of the agent as a targeted therapy for haematological
malignancies are on the rise. In multiple myeloma which is a cancer of plasma cells, the Interleukin-
6/JAK/STAT pathway is emerging as a therapeutic target since the overactivation of the pathway is associated
with poor prognosis.

Objective:

In this study, our purpose was to discover the potential anticancer effects of ruxolitinib in ARH-77
multiple myeloma cell line compared to NCI-BL 2171 human healthy B lymphocyte cell line.

Methods:

Cytotoxic effects of ruxolitinib in ARH-77 and NCI-BL 2171 cells were determined via WST-1 assay.
The autophagy mechanism induced by ruxolitinib measured by detecting autophagosome formation was investigated.
Apoptotic effects of ruxolitinib were analyzed with Annexin V-FITC Detection Kit and flow cytometry.
We performed RT-qPCR to demonstrate the expression changes of the genes in the IL-6/JAK/STAT pathway in
ARH-77 and NCI-BL 2171 cells treated with ruxolitinib.

Results:

We identified the IC50 values of ruxolitinib for ARH-77 and NCI-BL 2171 as 20.03 and 33.9μM at the
72nd hour, respectively. We showed that ruxolitinib induced autophagosome accumulation by 3.45 and 1.70
folds in ARH-77 and NCI-BL 2171 cells compared to the control group, respectively. Treatment with ruxolitinib
decreased the expressions of IL-6, IL-18, JAK2, TYK2, and AKT genes, which play significant roles in MM
pathogenesis.

Conclusion:

All in all, ruxolitinib is a promising agent for the regulation of the IL-6/JAK/STAT pathway and
interferes with the autophagy mechanism in MM.
Molecular Docking Studies and Inhibition Properties of Some Antineoplastic Agents against Paraoxonase-I
Authors: Demir Yeliz , Türkeş Cüneyt , Beydemir Şükrü
Published: February 2020

Background:

Currently, most of the drugs used in clinical applications show their pharmacological
influences by inhibiting or activating enzymes. Therefore, enzyme inhibitors have an essential place in the drug
design for many diseases.

Objective:

The current study aimed to contribute to this growing drug design field (i.e., medicine discovery and
development) by analyzing enzyme-drug interactions.

Methods:

For this reason, Paraoxonase-I (PON1) enzyme was purified from fresh human serum by using rapid
chromatographic techniques. Additionally, the inhibition effects of some antineoplastic agents were researched
on the PON1.

Results:

The enzyme was obtained with a specific activity of 2603.57 EU/mg protein. IC50 values for pemetrexed
disodium, irinotecan hydrochloride, dacarbazine, and azacitidine were determined to be 9.63μM,
30.13μM, 53.31μM, and 21.00mM, respectively. These agents found to strongly inhibit PON1, with Ki constants
ranging from 8.29±1.47μM to 23.34±2.71mM. Dacarbazine and azacitidine showed non-competitive inhibition,
while other drugs showed competitive inhibition. Furthermore, molecular docking was performed using maestro
for these agents. Among these, irinotecan hydrochloride and pemetrexed disodium possess the binding energy of
-5.46 and -8.43 kcal/mol, respectively.

Conclusion:

The interaction studies indicated that these agents with the PON1 possess binding affinity.
Metalloproteinases Suppression Driven by the Curcumin Analog DM-1 Modulates Invasion in BRAF-Resistant Melanomas
Authors: de Souza Nayane , de Oliveira Érica Aparecida , Faião-Flores Fernanda , Pimenta Luciana A. , Quincoces José A.P. , Sampaio Sandra C. , Maria-Engler Silvya S.
Published: February 2020

Background:

Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, and BRAF (V600E) is the most frequent
mutation that led to the development of BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi). However, patients treated with BRAFi usually
present recidivism after 6-9 months. Curcumin is a turmeric substance, and it has been deeply investigated
due to its anti-inflammatory and antitumoral effects. Still, the low bioavailability and biodisponibility encouraged
the investigation of different analogs. DM-1 is a curcumin analog and has shown an antitumoral impact in
previous studies.

Methods:

Evaluated DM-1 stability and cytotoxic effects for BRAFi-sensitive and resistant melanomas, as well
as the role in the metalloproteinases modulation.

Results:

DM-1 showed growth inhibitory potential for melanoma cells, demonstrated by reduction of colony
formation, migration and endothelial tube formation, and cell cycle arrest. Subtoxic doses were able to downregulate
important Metalloproteinases (MMPs) related to invasiveness, such as MMP-1, -2 and -9. Negative
modulations of TIMP-2 and MMP-14 reduced MMP-2 and -9 activity; however, the reverse effect is seen when
increased TIMP-2 and MMP-14 resulted in raised MMP-2.

Conclusion:

These findings provide essential details into the functional role of DM-1 in melanomas, encouraging
further studies in the development of combinatorial treatments for melanomas.
Etiology and Clinical Features of Epididymo-orchitis: A Single-center Study in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Abolghasemi Sara , Alizadeh Mohammad , Hashemi Ali , Tehrani Shabnam
Published: February 2020

Introduction:

Epididymo-orchitis is a common urological disease among men. Little is
known about the clinical and epidemiological aspects of the disease in Iran. Thus, the present study
was aimed at investigating the etiology, clinical sequelae and risk factors of patients with epididymo-
orchitis in Tehran, Iran.

Methods::

Patients presenting with epididymo-orchitis were prospectively analyzed in order to
study the etiology and pattern of the disease. Bacteriological, molecular and serological tests were
undertaken to look for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Brucella spp., Mycoplasma
spp, and other bacteria.

Results:

Fifty patients with epididymo-orchitis were evaluated according to their clinical symptoms,
duration of symptoms, physical examination, and laboratory studies. The mean age of the patients
was 53 years. Fever, dysuria, pain in the flanks, urinary frequency and discharges occurred in
58.0%, 50.0%, 50.0%, 28.0% and 6.0%, respectively. Bacterial pathogen was identified in 26%
(13/50) of patients by urine culture. Escherichia coli was the etiological agent in 11/13 patients
(84.6%). Two out of 50 patients (4.0%) were also positive for Chlamydia trachomatis. Two samples
were serologically positive for Brucella spp. High Mean age, fever, urinary frequency, history
of the underlying disease and history of urinary tract infections were found to have a significant association
with the positive bacteriologic urine culture (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

The most common clinical manifestations were fever, dysuria, and abdominal pain. E. coli and C. trachomatis were the major causative agents. Use of a set of diagnostic approaches including clinical symptoms, urine culture and more precise techniques such as PCR should be taken into consideration for the definitive diagnosis.