bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Calcium/Calmodulin-Stimulatable Adenylyl cyclases are required for the potentiating effect of acute glucocorticoid exposure in the hippocampal synapse
Authors: Udeh-Momoh Chinedu T , Piers Thomas , Yi Jee-Hyun , Waite Eleanor , Whitehead Garry , Whitcomb Daniel , Lightman Stafford L , Cho Kwangwook K , Conway-Campbell Becky
Published: March 2021

Experience-dependent synaptic plasticity is important for learning and memory and regulated by the functions of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) glutamate receptors. The stress hormone glucocorticoid, exerts effects on synaptic plasticity through functional modification of these receptors. In this study, we have investigated the mechanisms underlying synaptic potentiation during acute stress and glucocorticoid treatment. We report that stress-induced glucocorticoid increase augments the postsynaptic localisation and phosphorylation of calcium permeable AMPAR, GluA1 and enhances long-term potentiation (LTP) observed 60 minutes following high frequency stimulation. These effects could be reproduced in adrenalectomized rats by the administration of a stress-equivalent dose of corticosterone. The observed response was blocked by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist RU-486, thus potentially mediated by the GR. Glucocorticoid treatment further increased expression of hippocampal adenylyl cyclases (ACs), AC1 and AC8, implicating this class of enzymes as mediators of hyper-glucocorticoid effect on synaptic plasticity. In support of this, selective pharmacological AC inhibition with SQ22536 ablated the glucocorticoid modulation of AMPA-dependent neuronal plasticity and enhancement of LTP. These data support a key role for calcium/calmodulin-sensitive adenylyl cyclase enzymes in facilitating the modulatory actions of glucocorticoid hormones on a substrate for cellular mechanism of learning and memory, via AMPA receptor activation.
Midkine Promotes the Proliferation of Airway Smooth Muscle Cells Induced by LPS Through Notch2 Pathway
Authors: Huang Qi Feng , Deng Tang , Li Lihua , Qian Jin , Li Qi , Lin Kaiwen , Sun Dongmei , Xu Shuangqin , Wang Hangfei , Wu Xinxin , Liu Xiaoran
Published: March 2021

Background: Airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC) can produce a variety of cytokine during inflammation, causing changes in the components of the extracellular matrix, which are related to airway remodeling. Midkine (MK) can promote the chemotaxis of various inflammatory cells and release inflammatory factors. Whether Notch and Midkine together affect the proliferation and apoptosis of airway smooth muscle cells is unclear.Objective: To study the mechanism of Midkine on LPS-induced acute lung injury caused by airway smooth muscle cells.Methods: Airway smooth muscle cells were cultured in vitro and divided into 5 groups: control group, lipopolysaccharide group (LPS), Non-targeted siRNA group, MKsiRNA group, Notch inhibitor group (LY411575). The cell proliferation level was detected by CCK-8. The apoptosis level was detected by flow cytometry. The changes of cytokine in the Midkine/Notch2 signaling pathway were detected by Westernblot, qPCR and cellular immunofluorescence.Results: Midkine and Notch2 were highly expressed in the LPS group. MKsiRNA can effectively block the expression of Midkine induced by LPS while down-regulating the expression of Notch2. This result is the same as that of Notch inhibitor (LY411575). Exogenous Midkine promoted the proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells and reduced the rate of apoptosis in the LPS group. When the expression of Midkine was blocked, the proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells in the LPS group was significantly reduced, while apoptosis increased. Inhibiting the expression of Notch, the proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells in the LPS group decreased, and apoptosis increased.Conclusions: Midkine/Notch2 signaling pathway plays an important role in regulating airway smooth muscle cell proliferation and apoptosis in airway inflammation.
Prevalence and correlates of major injuries among older adults in India: Results of a national cross-sectional survey in 2017-2018
Authors: Pengpid Supa , Peltzer Karl
Published: March 2021

Background: The study aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of injury among older adults in India. Methods: The study included 72,262 individuals (45 years and older) from the cross-sectional 2017-2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1.Results: More than one in ten participants (12.9%) had a major injury in the past 2 years, 2.3% had a road traffic injury, 9.4% had a fall injury and 1.9% had other injuries in the past 2 years. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, having 5-9 years education (Adjusted Odds Ratio-AOR: 1.14, 95% Confidence Interval-CI: 1.01-1.79), having sleep problems (AOR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.23-1.57), having two or more chronic conditions (AOR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05-1.39), functional disability (AOR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.04-1.35), pain (AOR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.63-2.02), binge drinking (AOR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03-1.55), tobacco use (AOR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10-1.36), poor near vision (AOR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.03-1.33), and hearing problems (AOR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.11-1.52) were positively associated with past two years major injury. Compared to Scheduled tribe, Scheduled caste (AOR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.54-0.78), and other backward class (AOR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.96), having high subjective socioeconomic status (AOR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.75-0.97), and urban residence (AOR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73-0.93) were negatively associated with past two years major injury. Younger age and male sex were associated with road traffic injury and older age and female sex with were associated with fall injury. Rural residence was associated with fall and other injury. Poor grip strength was positively associated with fall and other injury. Having depressive symptoms and vigorous physical activity were associated with other injury Conclusion: More than one in ten participants (12.9%) had a major injury in the past 2 years, and several risk factors were found that can be utilized in injury prevention strategies in India.
Dysnatremia in Covid -19 Disease Characteristics of Patients, Clinical Manifestation and Outcome in Pakistan.
Authors: Saeed Faiza , Alam Ashar , Memon Shoukat , Chughtai Javeria , Ahmed Shahzad , Tariq Sobia , Salman Beena , Imtiaz Salman
Published: March 2021

Background.Imbalance of serum sodium in the form of hypo and hypernatremia has bad prognostic impact, and linked with increase morbidity and mortality. Covid 19 is a deadly viral infection can be complicated with either of the two state. This increases the complications associated with the covid 19 infection.Material and method.This is the observational cohort study, conducted at The Indus Hospital Karachi, from March 2020 to September 2020. All patients were divided in to three groups on the basis of their serum sodium level, and distribution of variables was observed in all these three groups. To observe the effect of dysnatremias on outcome, binary logistic regression was run and odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were obtained.Results.We included 655 patients, in which 70.7% were male, while 29.3% were female. Mean age was 54 ± 15.5 with minimum of 1 year and maximum of 95 year. Hyponatremia was more common 154(23.5%) than hypernatremia 79(12.1%) patients. Dysnatremia were common in patients of age group of 51 – 65 years (Hyponatremia 72(46.8%) hypernatremia 36(45.6%). Hyponatremia didn’t show any significant effect on the clinical manifestation, critical illness and outcome of the patients except drowsiness (p=0.022). On the other hand hypernatremia had highly significant effect on clinical manifestation, critical illness and outcome of the patients. The patients who had hypernatremia died 16.8 times more than patients with normal sodium (p= 0.001).Conclusion.Dysnatremias has profound impact on the outcome of covid patients. We found development of hypernatremia has devastating effect on patient survival.
Development and internal verification of the hospitalization risk score to triage COVID-19 patients upon admission: a multicenter nested case-control study.
Authors: Peng Hongbing , Hu Chao , Deng Wusheng , Huang Lingmei , Luo Baowei , Wang Xingxing , Long Xiaodan , Li Honghui , Huang Xiaoying
Published: March 2021

Background: Novel coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has a large population base of infection, and only worsening cases required hospitalization. A hospitalization risk score of COVID-19(HRS-COVID-19) to identify and treat worsening patients early thus seems crucial.Method: We conducted a multicenter nested case-control study with 200 cases enrolling confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 patients from four designated hospitals before worsened. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator(LASSO), Directed Acyclic Graph(DAG)and Change-in-Estimate(CIE) screened out independent risk factors for HRS-COVID-19 from demographic, clinical and imaging data of the cases. The HRS-COVID-19 was evaluated by the area under curve(AUC), calibration curve, decision curve and clinical impact curve; internal validation by the bootstrap-resampling(boot=1000); and through a nomogram and a network calculator to show.Results: In the nested case cohort, 50 patients reached the compound endpoint(requiring hospitalization) and 150 patients were able to avoid hospitalization. Dyspnea, incubation period, age, lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein and semi-quantitative CT scores were included in HRS-COVID-19. The HRS-COVID-19 has good fitting(Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness,P=0.45); high discrimination(AUC 0.980,95%CI, 0.965-0.996); with excellent calibration and clinical benefits. We make a free online risk calculator (https://hospitalization-risk-score-of-covid-19.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp/).Conclusion: In the study, the HRS-COVID-19 based on the clinical characteristics at admission is helpful for early identification and active treatment of aggravated high-risk COVID-19 patients.
Obese Adolescents Have Reduced Mentalizing Ability
Authors: Taheri Alaleh , Mazaheri M. Ali , Zabihzadeh Abbas , Robinson Paul
Published: March 2021

Purpose: Obesity affects both mental health and the quality of life, and it also causes diseases associated with increased mortality. The aetiology of obesity is thought to be multifactorial with biological, psychological and social elements. The psychological realm includes the capacity to be aware of one’s own and others’ mental states, that is mentalizing. We hypothesized that poor mentalizing might contribute to the development and/or persistence of obesity among adolescents. The present study aims to investigate the components of the mentalization model to better identify the psychological status of obese adolescents. Methods: This study was carried out on 100 adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years who were either obese (N=50, Mean age=17.04, Mean BMI=30.24) or normal weight (N=50, Mean age=16.94, Mean BMI=20.95). All completed the reflective functioning questionnaire (RFQ), reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET), difficulties in emotional regulation scale (DERS), and Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS). Results: Multivariate analysis of variance, univariate analysis of variance, and independent t-test were used. Lower certainty and higher uncertainty on the RFQ were confirmed in the OB group indicating reduced mentalizing ability. Misperception and misinterpretation of emotional states conveyed in the eyes in the RMET were consistent the RFQ results. Alexithymia, including difficulty recognizing, expressing and reflecting on emotions, was also found and this also fits with poor mentalizing capacity. The OB group had difficulty in all components of DERS, apart from the “Strategies” subscale. Conclusion: Mentalization or reflective function is significantly poorer in obese, compared to normal weight adolescents. Poor mentalizing could be a cause of obesity, a factor leading to its persistence, or a consequence of obesity. Further research is required to differentiate these possibilities.Level of evidence Level III: case-control analytic study.
Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of Patients With End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) on Hemodialysis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kim Sujin , Nigatu Yemisrach , Araya Tekebash , Dereje Nebiyu
Published: March 2021

Background: Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) depend on hemodialysis as a lifesaving treatment for the remainder of their lives. However, the health related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients on hemodialysis is much more underappreciated in resource limited countries, since the hemodialysis is mostly unaffordable or unavailable. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from August 01 to October 31, 2019. All patients (n = 125) who were on hemodialysis in five selected public and private hospitals were included in the study. Data were administered by trained nurses by using a standardized Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL™-36) questionnaire. Clinical data were extracted from the patients’ medical charts. HRQOL was categorized as low, if the overall mean score was ≤50, or as high, if the overall mean score was >50. Factors associated with lower HRQOL were identified by Multi-variable binary logistic regression analysis and expressed by adjusted odds ratio (aOR). Results: The mean age of the study participants was 50.33 years (±15.07) and more than two-thirds (68.8%) of the patients were males. The mean score of HRQOL was 49.08±11.09, with 45.4% of them had lower HRQOL. In the multi-variable model, unemployed patients (aOR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.10 – 5.90; p-value = 0.03) and patients who had hemodialysis 2 times per week (aOR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.07 – 3.83; p-value = 0.04) were associated with lower HRQOL. In the further sub-group analysis, elderly patients had higher odds of having lower mean score on the burden of kidney disease (BKD) (aOR = 2.07; 95% CI 1.18 – 4.13; p-value = 0.02) as compared to the younger patients.Conclusions: A substantial proportion of the patients with ESKD on hemodialysis in Addis Ababa had lower overall HRQOL which is associated with their unemployment status and frequency of hemodialysis per week. Therefore, not only the clinical treatment but also quality of life of patients with chronic dialysis should be given special attentions during the patients’ care.
Direct Z-scheme GdFeO3/g-C3N4 heterostructures with outstanding photocatalytic activity
Authors: Li Li , Wang Fengwu , Feng Jiajun , Guo Siqi , Xu Mai , Wang Longde , Quan Guiying
Published: March 2021

The direct Z-scheme GdFeO3/g-C3N4 photocatalysts used without any mediators were obtained using an ultrasonic synthesis approach. The composites’ structures, elemental composition and morphologies, as well as optical, electrochemical and catalytic properties, were thoroughly analyzed. GdFeO3/g-C3N4-3:7 composite exhibited an excellent enhanced light-harvesting ability and low recombination rate, which manifested into an outstanding visible-light driven activity, 7.7 and 2.3 times more than of stand-alone g-C3N4 and GdFeO3, respectively. A mechanism responsible for the photocatalytic property enhancement was proposed. The stability and reusability of the GdFeO3/g-C3N4 composites make them excellent materials for practical applications related to the removal of organic pollutants from the wastewater.
Facile Method for Delivering Chikungunya Viral Replicons Into Mosquitoes and Mammalian Cells
Authors: Lin Hui-Chung , Chiao Der-Jiang , Lin Chang-Chi , Kuo Szu-Cheng
Published: March 2021

Reverse genetics is an important tool in the elucidation of viral replication and the development of countermeasures; however, these methods are impeded by laborious and inefficient replicon delivery methods. This paper demonstrates the use of a baculovirus to facilitate the efficient delivery of autonomous CHIKV replicons into mosquito and mammalian cells in vitro as well as adult mosquitoes in vivo. The efficacy of this approach was verified via co-localization among an eGFP reporter, nsP1, and dsRNA as well as through the inhibition of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) null mutation (DDAA) in nsP4, or the treatment of a known antiviral compound (6-azauridine). We also investigated the correlation between CHIKV replicon-launched eGFP expression and the effectiveness of CHIKV replicon variants in inducing IFN-β expression in human cell lines. This delivery method based on a single vector is applicable to mosquito and mammalian cells in seeking to decipher the mechanisms underlying CHIKV replication, elucidate virus–host interactions, and develop antivirals. This study presents an effective alternative to overcome many of the technological issues related to the study and utilization of autonomous arbovirus replicons.
Remote Sensing Exploration of Fullerene Bearing Shungite in Mangampet Baryte Mines, India
Authors: Rejith R. G. , Sundararajan M. , Gnanappazham L. , Mohammed‑Aslam M. A. , Verma Sarika , Srivast AK
Published: March 2021

The fullerene (C60) is economically significant due to its significant applications in diverse areas like nanochemistry, superconductivity, materials science, etc. The carbon allotrope fullerene C60 and C70 are identified within the thick sequence of black carbonaceous units belonging to the shungite suite of rock at the baryte mine, Mangampet, Andhra Pradesh. Since this is the first of its kind from India's geological material, the exploration of fullerenes enriched barytes from the mines at Mangampet in the Kadapa district is essential. In the present study, remote sensing techniques such as hyperspectral analysis followed by Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used for exploring the presence of fullerene bearing baryte deposits in the Mangampet mine. The spectra measured for baryte samples were used as reference spectra for deriving true endmember from Landsat OLI and ASTER satellite data. The detailed characterisation of structure and chemistry of the baryte samples were carried out using techniques like Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry analyses confirm fullerene presence in baryte deposits. The retention time at 11.783–11.822 min obtained from HPLC and high-intensity rate m/z at 720.178 obtained from MALDI spectra suggest fullerene in baryte mine deposits. The remote sensing exploration of fullerene bearing shungite suite of rocks in baryte mineral deposits of Mangampet mine has opened up new research areas for converting this material into value-added products.
Dyslipidemia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients With Poor Glycemic Control: Relationship Between HbA1c and Lipid Profile.
Authors: Xu Huiwen , Qiu Shuang , Yuan Xiaodan , Zou Yan , Takashi En , Akio Kitayama , Liu Lin
Published: March 2021

Aims: This study identified the lipid profile across a full range of poor glycemic control and the association between lipid profiles with different specific glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) cutoffs in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: A total of 1183 T2DM patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1c>7%) selected through convenience sampling in three hospitals of Jiangsu province were surveyed during April 2018 and July 2019. Dyslipidemia was defined according to criteria of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III).Results: The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 55.2 % overall. Of 1183 subjects, 13.0% had high total cholesterol (TC), 33.1% had low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), 9.9% had high low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and 28.4% had high triglycerides (TG) concentrations. There was an increase in frequency of dyslipidemia in patients with different cutoff values of HbA1c (P<0.05). The prevalence of high TC was closely related with different cutoff values of HbA1c (adjusted OR =1.77, 2.56 3.82, respectively). Patients with HbA1c values 9%≤HbA1c<11% and HbA1c≥13% had significantly higher prevalence of dyslipidemia compared with the patients who had 7≤HbA1c<9%.Conclusion: T2DM patients with 9%≤HbA1c<11% and HbA1c≥13% tend to have moderate and severe dyslipidemia respectively, suggesting the importance of glycemic control in normalizing dyslipidemia.
Prevalence of Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Rio Negro Province, Argentina and Direct Risk Factors for Infection
Authors: Uchiumi Leonardo , Mujica Guillermo , Araya Daniel , Salvitti Juan Carlos , Sobrino Mariano , Moguillansky Sergio , Solari Alejandro , Blanco Patricia , Barrera Fabiana , Lamuniere janete , Arezo Marcos , Seleiman Marcos , Yadon Zaida E , Tamarozzi Francesca , Casulli Adriano , Larrieu Edmundo
Published: March 2021

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic zoonosis caused by infection with the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato This study investigated the prevalence and potential risk factors associated with human CE in the towns and rural areas of Ñorquinco and Ramos Mexia, Rio Negro province, Argentina. Methods: In order to detect abdominal CE cysts, we screened 892 volunteers by ultrasound and investigated potential risk factors for CE using a standardized questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to estimate the Prevalence Ratio (PR) and their 95% CIs of the association between CE and the factors investigated. Results: Abdominal CE was detected in 42/892 screened volunteers (4.7%, CI 3.2-6.1), only two of who being under 15 years of age. Thirteen CE (30.9%) cases had 25 cysts in active stages (CE1, CE2, CE3) The most relevant risk factors identified in the bivariate analysis included: live in rural area (p=0.003), age >40 years (p=0.000), drinking always water of natural source (p=0.007), residing in rural areas during first five years of life (p=0.000) and live more than 20 years at your current address (p=0.013). In the multivariate model, statistically significant risk factors were: frequently touch dogs (p=0.012), residing in rural areas during first five years of life (p=0.004), smoking (p=0.000), age > 60 years (p­­=0.002) and live in rural areas (p=0.017).Conclusions: our results point toward infection with CE being acquired since childhood and with constant exposure throughout life, especially in rural areas with a general environmental contamination
Therapeutic Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Laser Ablation for Primary Thyroid Microcarcinoma
Authors: Zhou Feng , Yu Zepeng , Sun Xingwei , Wu Qin , Zheng Kun , Qiao Shigang , Fan Xing , Gu Jun
Published: March 2021

Background: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation, as a minimally invasive ablation method, has been widely used in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. The objective of the current study is to determine the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) for unifocal papillary thyroid micro carcinomas (PTMC).Methods: A total of 18 patients were included in this study. Patients with a single PTMC were treated via the PLA method, and postoperative complications, tumor size and recurrence rate were followed up and recorded.Results: Data suggested that three patients underwent a secondary ablation, and the remaining 15 patients underwent a single ablation without serious complications. No recurrence or metastasis was found among the follow-up patients, and the tumor sizes decreased significantly from 12 months following PLA treatment.Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided PLA is a new therapeutic means that can be used as an alternative to PTMC treatment.
Investigation of metal doped mesoporous TiO2 nanostructures for environmental remediation
Authors: K Santhi , S Harish , M Navaneethan , Ponnusamy S
Published: March 2021

In the recent past, metal oxides have attracted the researchers because of their applications in energy and environmental application domains. In the present work, hydrothermal technique used to prepared the Sn doped TiO2 nanoparticles and the effect of Sn concentration has been investigated. The structural, morphological, surface composition, optical and photocatalytic behavior were studied. XRD pattern revealed that doping of Sn makes easy transformation of rutile from anatase phase at lower temperature, providing tetragonal structure of rutile of TiO2. TEM analysis showed the formation of nanoparticles with spherical like morphology with good crystallinity. UV-Vis spectra, it is observed that optical absorption edge gets red shifted upon Sn doping and the band gap is found to be 2.6 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanoparticles has been investigated under visible light irradiation. Experimental results suggested that 0.5 wt % of Sn doped nanoparticles have shown to exhibit improved photocatalytic properties.
High-fat diet induces autonomic dysfunction, cardiac remodeling and metabolic changes in ovariectomized ApoE-Ko mices
Authors: Izaias João Eduardo , Nascimento-Carvalho Bruno , Nascimento Thália Leticia Brito , Batista Thayná Fabiana Ribeiro , Silva Bruno Durante da , Catanozi Sérgio , Angelis Kátia De , Scapini Kátia Bilhar , Irigoyen Maria Claudia Costa , Sanches Iris Callado
Published: March 2021

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of atheroma plaque in the arterial wall, process that causes long-term obstruction of the arteries. Postmenopausal women tend to have greater body adiposity, factor that corroborate to increased risk of cardiovascular events and development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association of experimental model of atherosclerosis with ovarian deprivation and consumption of high-fat diet in metabolic, hemodynamic, and autonomic outcomes. 21 female ApoE-Ko were divided into 3 groups (n = 7 in each): control treated with normolipidic diet (C); ovariectomized treated with normolipidic diet (Ovx); ovariectomized treated with high-fat diet (OvxHF). Hemodynamic parameters, baroreflex sensitivity and cardiovascular autonomic modulation were evaluated. Values (mean ± standard error of mean) were analyzed by One-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's post hoc (p<0.05). The OvxHF showed increase in final body weight, adipose tissue, tachycardia at rest, in addition, there was a decrease in muscle mass, functional capacity, baroreflex sensitivity associated with less cardiac autonomic modulation. These findings provide evidence about the risk by the loss of ovarian hormones with food consumption and demonstrate the importance of adhering to prevention and treatment strategies.
Ultra-high-Resolution, Label-Free Hyperlens Imaging in the Mid-IR
Authors: He Mingze , Iyer Ganjigunte , Aarav Shaurya , Sunku Sai , Giles Alexander , Folland Thomas , Sharac Nicholas , Sun Xiaohang , Matson Joseph , Liu Song , Edgar James , Fleischer Jason , Basov Dimitri , Caldwell Joshua
Published: March 2021

The hyperbolic phonon polaritons supported in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) exhibiting long scattering lifetimes are advantageous for applications like super-resolution imaging via hyperlensing. Yet, challenges exist in hyperlens imaging to distinguish individual and closely spaced objects and in correlating the complicated hyperlens fields with the structure of an unknown object underneath the hyperbolic material. Here, we make significant strides to overcome each of these three challenges. For the first two, we demonstrate that monoisotopic h11BN (> 99% 11B) provides the ability to experimentally resolve structures as small as 40-nm and those with sub-25-nm spacings, inferring at least 154- and 270- times smaller than free-space wavelength, showing improvements in spatial resolution. We also present an image reconstruction algorithm that provides a structurally accurate, visual representation of the embedded objects using only the hyperbolic dielectric function and thickness as input parameters. Further, we offer additional insights into the frequency dependence for realizing optimal hyperlens performance. Thus, our results significantly advance label-free, high-resolution, spectrally selective hyperlens imaging and image reconstruction methodologies.
Identifying the Early Signs of a Preterm Birth: A Large Cohort Study
Authors: Ebrahimvandi Alireza , Hosseinichimeh Niyousha , Kong Zhenyu James
Published: March 2021

Background and Purpose— Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant mortality in the U.S. and globally. The goal of this study is to increase understanding of PTB risk factors that are present early in pregnancy by leveraging statistical and machine learning techniques on big data. Methods—The 2016 U.S. birth records is obtained and combined with two other area-level datasets, Area Health Resources File and County Health Ranking. Then, we applied multiple machine learning techniques to study a cohort of 3.6 million singleton deliveries to identify generalizable preterm risk factors.Results—The most important predictors of preterm birth are gestational and chronic hypertension, interval since last live birth, and history of a previous preterm birth that can respectively explain 14.91%, 6.92%, and 6.50% of the AUC. Parents education is one of the influential variables in prediction of PTB explaining 10.5% of the AUC. The relative importance of race declines when parents are more educated or have received adequate prenatal care. The gradient boosting machines outperformed other machine learning techniques with an AUC of 0.75 (recall: 0.64, specificity: 0.73) for the validation dataset. Conclusions—Application of ML techniques improved the performance measures in prediction of preterm birth. The results emphasize the importance of socioeconomic factors such as parental education as one of the most important indicators of a preterm birth. More research is needed on the mechanisms through which the socioeconomic factors affect the biological responses.
Surgical Resection of Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma (UPS) With Jejunal Perforation, A Suspected Case of Metastasis of Lung Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Eto Ryotaro , Hoshino Isamu , Takiguchi Nobuhiro , Soda Hiroaki , Tonooka Toru , Gunji Hisashi , Kuwayama Naoki , Sonoda Itaru , Itami Makiko , Otsuka Masayuki , Nabeya Yoshihiro
Published: March 2021

Background: Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) in the gastrointestinal tract is rare. According to the diagnostic criteria after the World Health Organization 2013 reclassification, there has been only one case of UPS with perforation of the gastrointestinal tract.Case presentation: A 71-year-old man who was undergoing outpatient chemotherapy at the department of respiratory medicine of our hospital for lung cancer and brain metastasis, was admitted to our hospital with sudden high fever and abdominal pain. A computed tomography scan showed free air in the abdominal cavity with thickening of part of the jejunal wall. We suspected jejunal metastasis of lung cancer and performed emergency surgery for acute peritonitis due to gastrointestinal perforation in the same area. A Bormann type 2 tumor was found in the jejunum with perforation. The histopathological diagnosis was UPS. Ten months have passed since the surgery, and there has been no recurrence of UPS and no significant change in lung cancer.Conclusions: Primary UPS of the gastrointestinal tract is rare, and cases with perforation are extremely rare. Currently, ten months have passed since the surgery, and no recurrence has been observed. We encountered a case of UPS in which it was difficult to distinguish metastasis from lung cancer to the jejunum, and emergency surgery gave us the chance to confirm the definitive diagnosis and save the patient's life.
Prognostic Values of Combined Detection of Serum of CRP Kinetics and Initial apoA-I in Advanced NSCLC
Authors: Cheng Ting , Zhang Jinping , Ling jingjing , Hong Yuan , Ping Fengfeng , Wang Yan , Zhou Danli
Published: March 2021

Purpose : This study was to evaluate the value of C-reactive protein (CRP) kinetics and initial apolipoproteinA1 (apoA-I) level as prognostic parameters in advanced non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Within a retrospective single-center study, serum CRP and apoA-I level were measured at baseline and at the start of each platinum-based chemotherapy cycle for 125 NSCLC patients. Survival analysis, calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test, was used to assess the prognostic significance of Serum CRP and apoA-I level and both levels. The non-parametric Spearman rank correlation coefficient (rs) was used to measure the correlation between apoA-I and CRP. Results: Lung cancer-specific survival were significantly different across three CRP kinetics groups (P<0.001), such significant differences were also seen between different apoA-I groups. In multivariate analysis, both CRP kinetics and apoA-I were independent significant factors for overall survival. Patients in non-normalized CRP group with lower apoA-I had a poor prognosis. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis revealed that the apoA-I level presented a negative correlation with the CRP level during treatment (r= -2.793, P<0.05).Conclusion: CRP kinetics and apoA-I may be useful to predict the prognosis of NSCLC patients treated with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and facilitate individualized treatment.
Comparison of the Relationship Between Dementia and Oral Health Behavior
Authors: Kang Hyun-Kyung , Seong Mi-Gyung , Kim Yu-Rin
Published: March 2021

Background: Dementia is a serious social problem worldwide, and dementia and oral health are closely related. Therefore, we confirmed the relationship between dementia prevention behavior and the oral health behaviors.Methods: The study was conducted by IRB review at Silla University in Korea (No.1041449-201912-HR-002) and decided that 140 people living in South Korea were eligible. The data analysis used IBM SPS ver. 25.0 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA) and compared oral health knowledge, dementia knowledge, Dementia anxiety and dementia prevention behavior according to oral health behavior.Results: As a result, the people with high oral health behavior had high oral health knowledge and was not relevant in dementia knowledge and anxiety. Also, as the oral health behavior increased, oral health knowledge and dementia prevention behavior tended to get improve. As the oral health knowledge increased, dementia anxiety and dementia prevention behavior tended to get improve. Conclusion: Therefore, in order to improve the prevention of dementia, knowledge transfer that dementia is highly relevant to oral health is more important than anything else.
Modification of Phytochemical Production and Antioxidant Activity of Dracocephalum Kotschyi Cells by Exposure to Static Magnetic Field and Magnetite Nanoparticles
Authors: Taghizadeh Marzieh , Nasibi Fatemeh , kalantari Khosrow Khosrow Manouchehri , Mohseni-Moghadam Mohsen
Published: March 2021

Dracocephlum kotschyi Boiss is a genus in Lamiaceae family and a medicinal herb native to Iran. The cell suspension cultures were treated by static magnetic field (SMF) and Fe3O4 magnetite nanoparticles (MNP) to understand the production yield of secondary metabolites. The treatment procedure was done by cultivating the cells either with 100 ppm MNP, SMFs, or simultaneous exposure to both MNP and SMFs. The SMF at 30 mT was uniformly applied to the cells either for 3 or 4 days with a 3 h per day or a 5 h per day intervals, respectively. The contents of phenolics and phytochemicals were then examined by high performance liquid chromatography and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. These treatments imposed oxidative stress and induced polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase, accompanied by enhanced production of phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and lignin. The highest membrane embrittlement and elicitation was found upon simultaneous application of the MNPs and SMFs, followed by the MNP and SMFs. The contents of naringin, rosmarinic acid, quercetin, thymol, carvacrol, apigenin, and rutin increased in the intracellular biomass of all treated cells and extracellular culture media. These findings propose the potential of these elicitors in simultaneous production and secretion of these phytochemicals into culture media.
Sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Among Adults in the General Population in Diredawa, Ethiopia
Authors: Shaweno Tamrat , Abdulhamid Ibrahim , Bezabih Lemlem , Teshome Daniel , Derese Behailu , Tafesse Hiwot , Shaweno Debebe
Published: March 2021

Background: Determining the extent of seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibody has the potential to guide prevention and control efforts. We aimed to determine the sero prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among adults in the general population of Diredawa, Ethiopia. Method: Community based cross-sectional survey was conducted among random sample of 648 adult population in Diredawa from June 15 to July 30, 2020 using interview and blood sample collection. Participants were asked about demographic characteristics, COVID-19 symptoms and adherence to preventive measures. Sero-prevalence was determined using SARS-CoV-2 IgG test.Result: The estimated SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was 3.2% (95 % CI: 2.0 - 4.8) in the study region with no differences by age and sex but considerable differences were observed by adherence to COVID-19 preventive recommendations. For instance, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among participants who reported not to have practiced social distancing measures was 8.5 times the prevalence in their counterparts who reported of practicing social distancing. The corresponding estimates were 12.8 (95%CI, 7.0, 19) and 1.5 (95% CI, 0.5, 2.5) with statistically significant difference(p<0.01). Similarly, we observed 4.5 times higher prevalence among people who reported of not wearing face masks and who mentioned of not avoiding social gatherings. More than 80 percent of study participants reported of adherence to infection prevention measures (face masks and physical distancing recommendations). Conclusion: The SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence detected among adults in Diredawa was low and indicates much higher proportion of population not yet infected. COVID-19 preventive measures are associated with reduced prevalence and should be promoted to avoid transmission to the uninfected majority.
Distance Between the Supraspinatus Central Tendon and the Long Head of the Biceps Tendon Can Predict Anterior Rotator Cable Disruption in Rotator Cuff Tear Patients Without Obvious Retraction.
Authors: Yin Li Feng , Yan WenLong , Cheng Jia Xing , Guo Mingkang , Zhang Jian
Published: March 2021

Background: Current research shows that the anterior cable plays an essential role in rotator cuff tissue. To determine whether the distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the long head of the biceps tendon, on a sagittal shoulder MRI scan, can predict anterior cable injury in rotator cuff tear patients before surgery. Method: A retrospective MRI scan was performed and a review of 103 patients with a rotator cuff tear – 50 patients with anterior cable injury and 53 patients without anterior cable injury. The distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the biceps tendon’s long head was measured based on a sagittal MRI scan, and the tear size, degree of tear, and fatty degeneration of supraspinatus was also reviewed. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis of the relevant data. Two Independent Samples t-Test, binary logistics regression and receiver operating curve were also performed to evaluate select parameters.Results: The distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the long head of the biceps tendon (DTD) was bigger in the anterior cable disrupted group (10.05±2.73 mm) when compared to the intact anterior cable group (7.96±2.30 mm) with a significant difference (P<0.01) Moreover, patients in the anterior cable disrupted group were of an older age, and there was a larger tear size and a worsened tear condition (P<0.05). Binary logistics regression t-Test showed that DTD is associated with anterior cable disruption. The receiver operating curve t-Test showed that DTD had an area under the curve of 75%. When setting the cut off value as 9 mm, DTD can predict anterior cable injury with a 74% sensitivity and 73.6% specificity. Conclusion: Compared with intact anterior cable patients, patients with anterior cable injury showed worsened tear condition and a larger distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the long head of the biceps tendon, based on the oblique sagittal position of the MRI shoulder scan. Therefore, it may be a new tool for helping predict anterior rotator cable disruption in patients without obvious retraction.Trial registration: retrospectively registered
Chemical Components and Hypoglycemic Activity of Large Scale Micropropagated Cremastra Appendiculata (D.Don) Makino
Authors: yang ningxian , Wang Daoping , Gao Yanyan , Hu Enming , Peng Sijing , Ji jun , Zhang mingsheng
Published: March 2021

Cremastra appendiculata (D. Don) Makino (Orchidaceae) is a valuable species which is in ornamental field and pharmaceutical industry, inefficient propagations limit the utilization of C. appendiculata. Here, we reported an improved and efficient method for large-scale micropropagation including seed germination, initiation and proliferation of protocorm like-bodies (PLBs), “shoot cluster” induction, rooting and acclimatization. Factually, the highest shoot multiplication coefficient 3.16 was achieved on 1/4 MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg·L -1 thidiazuron (TDZ), along with 0.4 mg·L -1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 3% sucrose and additives. Likewise, the best medium for protocorm proliferation was 1.0 mg·L -1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 1.0 mg·L -1 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) and 0.2 mg·L -1 adenylate cyclase (AC) with proliferation of 170.07%, followed by root induction on 1/4MS with 0.5 mg·L -1 α naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 0.5 mg·L -1 AC and 3% sucrose. Besides, the achieved micropropagation plants grew vigorously and were steady with a survival rate of 85.3% in vermiculite: humus (1: 2). Assessment of the chemical compositions by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) displayed that the composition of dried pseudobulbs from micropropagation plantlets and naturally grown plants were similar, containing colchicine, quercetin, rutin, adenosine, oleanolic acid, myristate, rhein and emodin. Furthermore, the hypoglycemic activity in vitro indicated micropropagation plantlets were superior to naturally grown plants. Consequently, the described protocol could be used for the large-scale propagation and conservation of this endangered plant, which might be natural resource for the diabetes patients.
­­Differences in somatic TP53 Mutation Type in Breast Tumors by Race and Receptor Status
Authors: Pollock Nijole C , Ramroop Johnny R , Hampel Heather , Troester Melissa A , Conway Kathleen , Hu Jennifer J , Freudenheim Jo L , Olopade Olufunmilayo I , Huo Dezheng , Ziv Elad , Neuhausen Susan L , Stevens Patrick , McElroy Joseph , Toland Amanda Ewart
Published: March 2021

Background: Somatic driver mutations in TP53 are associated with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and poorer outcomes. Breast cancers arising in women of African ancestry (AA) are more likely to be TNBC and have somatic TP53 mutations than non-Hispanic White (NHW) women. Missense driver mutations in TP53 are known to have different functional effects including loss-of function (LOF) or gain-of-function (GOF) activity. A subset of variants exhibit dominant negative (DNE) activity over wildtype TP53 or other TP53 family members. Methods: To determine if there were differences in TP53 mutation type by race or TNBC status we identified published and unpublished datasets with somatic mutation data, race, age, and hormone receptor status. Mutations were classified as LOF, GOF or CpG Island hotspot by published literature or type of mutation (e.g. frameshift and nonsense mutations were considered to be LOF). We used Fisher’s Exact test to assess for significant differences.Results: We identified 96 independent breast cancer studies with race and somatic TP53 mutation status available. The study comprised data from a total of 2964 women with somatic TP53 mutations: 715 (24.1%) Asian, 258 (8.7%) AA, 1931 (65.2%) NHW, and 60 (2%) Latina. Of the total TP53 mutations, 939 (31.7%) were GOF, 1739 (58.7%) were LOF, and the remaining 286 (9.6%) were not able to be classified. With respect to DNE activity, 1246 (42%) showed activity, 1190 (40.1%) showed no activity, and 528 (17.8%) were unknown status. The distribution of TP53 mutation type was similar by race and ethnicity. However, 35.8% of tumors from NHW individuals had GOF mutations compared to 29% in AA individuals (p=0.04). Mutations lacking DNE activity were positively associated with TNBC (OR=1.37, p=0.03) and estrogen receptor (ER) negative status (OR=1.38; p=0.005). Conclusions: In summary, ER negative and TNBC breast tumors are less likely to have DNE+ TP53 mutations which could reflect biological processes. Larger cohorts are needed to further elucidate some of these findings.
Identifying oceanographic conditions conducive to coastal impacts on temperate open coastal beaches and the importance of empirical impact data
Authors: Leach Chloe , Hague Ben S. , Kennedy David M. , Carvalho Rafael C. , Ierodiaconou Daniel
Published: March 2021

Warnings issued by meteorological or oceanographic agencies are a common means of allowing people to prepare for likely impactful events. Quantifying the relationships between ocean conditions and coastal impacts is crucial for developing operational coastal hazard warnings. Existing studies have largely omitted empirical data, relying on modelling to estimate total water levels and impact potentials. It is well documented that site-specific conditions influence local morphodynamics and as such, detailed data related to the physical environment is a necessary component of these existing approaches. The capacity to collect this data is not always available and there is a need for the inclusion of physical impact events to properly quantify the effects of natural hazards and identify the conditions that they are likely to occur. We propose an alternative empirically-based framework for isolating oceanic conditions that are conducive to impact along open coasts, using two case studies from Victoria, southeast Australia: Port Fairy and Inverloch. Oceanic conditions were defined using data obtained from a WAVEWATCH III (WW3) model hindcast, assessed against newly-installed wave buoys, which evidenced variation in mean conditions between the two sites. We coupled impact-based data derived from citizen-science and social media to modelled and observational data, to identify the oceanic conditions that led to these impacts. We found heterogeneity in the response of the case study locations to deviations from the local mean wave characteristics and still water levels. This paper demonstrates a framework through which impact-based thresholds for erosion could be developed for management applications and early-warning systems.